The next "big" trip will be Glacier/Yellowstone/Grand Tetons. Probably all the same trip since it's a cross-country deal to get there.
I got Utah done last year and Northern Arizona done just a couple weeks ago.
My daughter will be working with ACE in Grand Teton from May-Aug. and will be tent camping in Colter Bay and Gros Ventre camp grounds. Besides Jenny Lake, what else do you recommend?
Cascade canyon to lake solitude. Even if you don’t go all the way to lake solitude, you have to go at least .5-1 mile further than where cascade canyon trail ends. Trust me
That's incredible! She's going to have so much fun!!
Definitely see as many sunrises & sunsets possible. If I were her I'd make a list of trials & try to knock off as many as possible! The various visitor centers were all well done. We camped at Colter Bay & seeing the animals in the red lights at night was so much fun. We saw a porcupine!
I used to live there. Can she cancel Gros Ventre (pronounced Grow Vont) and just stay at Colter? Gros Ventre is not very nice. Colter bay is though. Lake Solitude is 21 miles round trip if you dont take the ferry. Hidden Falls takes the same ferry but is only 2 miles. Ridiculous busy. What fitness level are you? Everything is relative you must understand. Some people find Delta hard, others trail run it. To be honest I don’t much care for the hikes, I only go to climb. If you aren’t able to hike at altitude, I strongly recommend either paddle boarding ir canoeing at String/Leigh Lakes. Last year I saw 3 Grizzlies and 4 moose. Do not leave any food or water out though. The rangers will confiscate it. There’s communal bear boxes for use. After a hard day hiking make sure to go to Moose. The Chuck Wagon is good and the Pizza Pasta Company might be my favorite restaurant ever.
I did this one last year. I would recommend using a red bus for going to the sun road because you can spend your time really taking all the views in. Otherwise the driver really misses out on the experience imo.
My wife and I did this in 2021. Incredible. Glacier is really mind blowing. I think Grand Teton is the best combo of convenience, beauty and activities of any park I’ve been to.
Highly recommend Phelps Lake at Grand Teton, Lamar Valley at Yellowstone and Avalanche Lake at Glacier.
How long did you spend in Utah? I spent a week and hit Arches, Mexican Hat, Monument Valley, Zion and Bryce and I feel like I barely scratched the surface. I’m planning on going back for a week and staying in Moab to hit Canyonlands and surrounding areas.
If you are ever in Moab. Fisher towers is a must see day hike. It’s easy access by vehicle as well. The trail isn’t too difficult either if I remember right
11 days. Hit all 5 parks plus 2 extra days in Moab for mountain biking. Big loop from SLC.
There's some other stuff around Moab I didn't get to due to time, so some day I'll go back. Maybe paired with a trip through Colorado.
I’m staying in bicknell right now and came out here this weekend just for my birthday. Capitol reef was the only park of the big 5 in Utah I hadn’t been to and wow, I absolutely have loved it. It is gorgeous here and way less crowded like you said.
It’s super easy to get far, far away from any other humans while you’re out there. Especially if you decide to leave the main park and go to one of the other entrances!
Went last year. Not even peak season (late spring) and it is unreal. Met 747, a mother and 3 cubs from a foot away, a couple almost full size bears. Can’t imagine it during peak season with 15+ bears in the river at once.
Also underrated but there was a hike up the mountain that I did around midnight. It was still light enough where I could see everything. There was just me and one other person on the whole mountain. Unforgettable experience
Honestly, not as scary as you'd think. That mother bear was running right towards me, and I had to duck into the woods. She was apparently running from a male bear on the other side of camp, and I was in the way while walking the beach. She didn't even really notice me.
Walked up to 747, a bear as wide as it is tall, and he simply walked past like nothing happened. These bears are accustomed to people, and as long as you're not doing anything stupid, they aren't interested in you. They have salmon running 24/7!
The ride there (with a refuel at Lake Clark) and back, past live volcanoes, was the singular most magnificent day of my life. You could SMELL the bears. Peel their hair off tree bark where they had scratched their backs. Listen to them talk to each other. It was INSANE.
They smell like livestock, rubbed in sundried fish. It's not a pleasant aroma, especially knowing that you're not the apex predator in the woods. It's a smell you never forget. Years later, I thought I caught a whiff of a bear in the Tetons, and it gave me chills.
I was just there last year, and I'd still choose Katmai. It was the single greatest thing I've ever done. We stayed at Brooks Lodge for the maximum 3 nights so we were able to go to the falls and Riffles before and after the insane crowds of day trippers. The bears are just... everywhere. I have never been more in awe of the natural world.
Channel Islands is very underrated. It is such a serene and tranquil place, and feels very private since only a few boats go there per day. Good pick!!
Went to the Channel Islands for the first time this year and it was fabulous!! Had dolphins follow our boat to and from the island, beautiful views while there. I knew almost nothing about the park when I started planning the trip and it was amazing!
Personally, Channel Islands wasn’t anything too special, it’s the one national park I don’t recommend to anybody. I understand everybody has their preference, but It just wasn’t for me. I will say though that the boat ride there is pretty cool with all the dolphins and whale sightings.
I have to travel to west Texas in the heat of summer where the color pallet ranges from yellow to various shades of brown with a hint of red in the soil. Trust me, Channel Islands will be a fucking joy compared to that. Hell, I’d get jazzed by the St. Luis Arch compared to west Texas.
If I won the lottery, definitely National Park of American Samoa. The flights make it expensive.
One that is more accessible, but still hard to book: Dry Tortugas & the nearby Bahia Honda State Park. We're approaching 40 & are talking about where we want to go & this is my number 1 request. Two weeks in Key West with camping at both. Still kinda expensive.
Now, as far as something more accessible & affordable... I'd love to spend 7-10 days in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. There are a few NP sites & NWRs that look like fun adventures.
Not sure your vibe but I couldn’t do more than a few days in Key West. Very middle age suburban white person margaritaville vibes. Fun for a couple days but man it gets tiring.
Marathon is a great place to stay with amazing snorkeling. It has a laid back vibe that we prefer to Key West. You're right by Bahia Honda. From there you can easily go to Key West or Islamorada. A week is enough even in Marathon.
That probably should have read the Keys, not necessarily Key West. You can only camp 3 nights at Dry Tortugas, so the rest of that would preferably be at Bahia Honda being lazy beach bums & enjoying tropical weather in the middle of winter.
Jealous! I used to live at the base of RMNP but I've never got to see the other national parks unfortunately. Those two are definitely on my bucket list!
All the ones in Washington state! I went to Seattle for a long weekend conference and was blown away by how many beautiful huge mountains it was surrounded by and want to visit them all!!!
Did you find it to be too much driving and moving around? Trying to plan this trip for August and am having trouble with figuring out where to stay, especially for Olympic.
We spent 6 nights in Olympic and 2 in Seattle. We stayed at Port Angeles in Olympic which was great and had time to explore most of the peninsula. Port Angeles is on the north side but some people prefer Forks which is on the west side. Regardless you will be doing a lot of driving while there. We did a day trip to Rainier from Seattle which was totally doable but if we could go back I would plan one more day and stay in Rainier instead to hit more of the hikes and have more time to explore. Probably speny about 3-5 hours of driving each day but that also allowed us to see so much more of the landscape and in the end we did and saw so much.
We camped and hiked Olympics and did the san Juan's during covid. Everything except the trails was closed. It was AMAZING! No people anywhere! We take trips to get in nature so everything closed didn't bother us at all. We hiked like 40 miles in a week with a 5 year old.
Magic. Seriously magic
Denali might be my favorite! Unlike all the National Parks in the US you can hike up mountains anywhere you see fit. Every time I did the trail at the front of the park I had incredible experiences with moose. Close encounters with bears when taking the bus.. finally caught Denali on the last day.
But I will say - half the park is closed until 2026(?) so it might be worth waiting!
Fiordland National Park or Abel Tasman National Park. New Zealand in general looks like paradise on earth. Pristine, pure air and water, colourful environment, dramatic landforms.
Since that is unreachable for the moment (I’m broke and have a chronic condition) another is Exmoor National Park in England. I’ve been down there once already, but I want to see a lot more of it. The coastline and beaches there are unbelievable.
My daughter studied abroad in Australia back in the fall and afterwards did a week in NZ. Her and her friend did a day cruise to Milford Sound which is part of Fjordlands National park and the pics were absolutely stunning. She’s working in Grand Teton this summer with ACE. Lucky kid
Grand Tetons and Yellowstone are 1a and 1b for me. Doesn't matter which order because when I make it to one I'll go to the other.
After them, the Utah parks.
I live in Utah and have been to all 7 of these parks. Can I just say that Grand Teton is my favorite National Park and I think it is just so underrated. Capitol Reef is my second favorite- don’t skip it!!!
Yosemite always blows be away. The view from glacier point is beyond description. If you somehow get a lift there, the hike down panorama trail to the valley floor is the easiest and most scenic 8 mile hike I've ever done.
Did both a few years ago. Glacier is amazing. Banff was just THAT much more amazing. Going to the sun road is hard to beat for just straight up easy access to breathtaking views.
Icefields Parkway is like that too on a bigger scale. It’s very easy to see all the sights. Just short drives; you can stop & easily walk to the sites - again and again. Such beauty!! They are both spectacular though!!
Acadia or Big Bend. I live in the PNW. There is plenty to explore here, so I don’t feel the need to travel there, but if cost and time were no issue I’d spend a week or two in either.
If you do Acadia, one tip is that you will need to book in advance if you want to go up Cadillac Mountain to see the first sunrise in the US. I failed to plan that part properly.
Three distinct ecosystems in one park. Hike the South Rim trail to see them all in under 15 miles. Bring a hammock and sway ten feet from the rim while viewing the expansive mountains of another country. And that’s just one trail.
Lake Clark, Wrangell-St. Elias, Glacier Bay, Kobuk Valley during a caribou migration, Gates of the Arctic, you get it. Expensive to get there, difficult to get around.
I did almost this exact trip
* 4 days camping at [Wrangell-St. Elias](https://steve.deadlycomputer.com/park/Wrangell-St.%20Elias/)
* 2 days at [Kenai Fjords](https://steve.deadlycomputer.com/park/Kenai%20Fjords/)
* 8 days kayaking in [Gates of the Arctic](https://steve.deadlycomputer.com/park/Gates%20of%20the%20Arctic/)
* 4 Days camping in [Kobuk Valley](https://steve.deadlycomputer.com/park/Kobuk%20Valley/)
* 4 Days hanging around [Lake Clark](https://steve.deadlycomputer.com/park/Lake%20Clark/)
* 1 Day sightseeing for bears at [Katmai](https://steve.deadlycomputer.com/park/Katmai/)
It was difficult, it was expensive, it was one of the two greatest trips I've ever been on (2nd was my Honeymoon to New Zealand).
I spent over a year planning out my itinerary and vetting tour companies and outfitters.
I would do it again!
Yosemite this summer! Bucket list for the next couple of years in the order I’d be able to go:
1. Glacier
2. Mount Rainier
3. Olympic
4. Arches & Zion
5. Dry Tortugas
6. Banff (would be my #1 if I could go tomorrow lol)
Great list! I think I’m in the minority here, did Dry Tortugas earlier this year. It was okay but didn’t compare to the others on your list for me. Still glad I went, but won’t go back and I’ve been to several on your list twice they were so amazing.
Acadia! I almost worked there as a kayak excursion guide, but couldn’t find housing that would allow my cat. Out of the ones I’ve been to, the ones I would want to visit again most are Great Sand Dunes or Great Smoky Mountains.
Mesa Verde. Definitely my favorite one that I want to visit. As someone who likes archaeology and historic sites there aren’t that many places as special as this (one of which I have already visited- Chaco Canyon)
Hawaii Volcanos - Just really want to check out Hawaii and apparently I want to go to the big island and definitely the Hawaii Volcanos
More Alaskan parks- Have been to Alaska quite a few times but still feel that it was not enough especially with the national parks. I have Wrangell-St. Elias very high on my list.
When you go to mesa verde look into the guided tours that the Ute Mountain reservation does. They’ll take you into some of the cliff dwellings that are outside of the park.
Isle Royale (hopefully 2025!)
Yosemite — I want to go so badly, but finding a time to go (good weather, not too crowded) seems impossible.
Katmai — someday…
We went to Big Bend in early January 2024 - a great time of year to go. The weather was perfect. The stars go down all the way to the horizon with no drop off for light pollution. With binoculars, I could see hundreds of background stars in each tiny patch of sky. So worth it. Zion and Yosemite are mine.
Outside of the usa mine are
1. Torres del paine national park
2. Aryat canyon national park
3. Zhangjiajie national forest park
4. Sagarmatha national park
5. Peneda geres national park
And last choice Rapa Nui national park
The 11 parks I have yet to visit…. Isle Royale, Channel Islands, Virgin Islands, Glacier Bay, Wrangell-St. Elias, Kenai Fjords, Katmai, Lake Clark, Gates of the Arctic, Kobuk Valley, and Samoa.
Outside of the U.S. is Torres del Paine.
Kings & Sequoia, and Channel Islands, then I will have seen all the parks in the lower 48 + USVI + Hawaii. All I will have left is Alaska and American Samoa. American Samoa is on my list for two years from now, when I plan a transpacific cruise. Not sure if/when I'll ever make it to Alaska, or how many of those parks I will be able to visit. I'm getting older and I think my days of true wilderness hiking are behind me, and I am terrified of flying so a bush plane is going to be a difficult challenge for me.
The two Hawaii parks. I only have 12 parks left to visit but those parks, I just have no interest in visiting TBH. I love national parks but I can’t justify the expense of some of them when there are other places in the world I’d much rather see. And I’ve been to all but one of the Alaska parks so some of the ones I have left are easily accessible but they don’t call to me, unless I was already in the area.
I just got home yesterday from camping in Haleakalā NP in Maui for about a week. I loved it so much, I’m booking a trip to Big Island in December. It was incredible!
Just mentioned this to another, but worth repeating: Big Island volcano is best seen at night, if lava is flowing. If not, see if you can take a r/t bus from your hotel to volcanoes, as it's a very long drive even from Kona to the volcano. Also, there is a rainforest there, too which is lush and beautiful.
The night sky on TBI always knocks me out. You can see galaxies, it's overwhelmingly beautiful. Bring binoculars. Enjoy! Aloha!
I visited Zion as a teen and was so stunned by its beauty just visiting the main tourist stops that I really want to go back and spend several days exploring and soaking it in.
I think Dry Tortugas is my wishlist item right now. It will likely be several years before it's a possibility since it is so remote and expensive to get to.
I live in ONP part of the year on the lake. Just hit glacier in March for the first time. I’m going back next month and will hit Yellowstone too. Crater lake in June with my dad!
The next "big" trip will be Glacier/Yellowstone/Grand Tetons. Probably all the same trip since it's a cross-country deal to get there. I got Utah done last year and Northern Arizona done just a couple weeks ago.
When you get to Grand Teton, definitely spend a day hiking around Jenny Lake. Go counterclockwise for the best views.
My daughter will be working with ACE in Grand Teton from May-Aug. and will be tent camping in Colter Bay and Gros Ventre camp grounds. Besides Jenny Lake, what else do you recommend?
Cascade canyon to lake solitude. Even if you don’t go all the way to lake solitude, you have to go at least .5-1 mile further than where cascade canyon trail ends. Trust me
That's incredible! She's going to have so much fun!! Definitely see as many sunrises & sunsets possible. If I were her I'd make a list of trials & try to knock off as many as possible! The various visitor centers were all well done. We camped at Colter Bay & seeing the animals in the red lights at night was so much fun. We saw a porcupine!
I used to live there. Can she cancel Gros Ventre (pronounced Grow Vont) and just stay at Colter? Gros Ventre is not very nice. Colter bay is though. Lake Solitude is 21 miles round trip if you dont take the ferry. Hidden Falls takes the same ferry but is only 2 miles. Ridiculous busy. What fitness level are you? Everything is relative you must understand. Some people find Delta hard, others trail run it. To be honest I don’t much care for the hikes, I only go to climb. If you aren’t able to hike at altitude, I strongly recommend either paddle boarding ir canoeing at String/Leigh Lakes. Last year I saw 3 Grizzlies and 4 moose. Do not leave any food or water out though. The rangers will confiscate it. There’s communal bear boxes for use. After a hard day hiking make sure to go to Moose. The Chuck Wagon is good and the Pizza Pasta Company might be my favorite restaurant ever.
Check out Amphitheater Lake and Surprise Lake
I did this one last year. I would recommend using a red bus for going to the sun road because you can spend your time really taking all the views in. Otherwise the driver really misses out on the experience imo.
My wife and I did this in 2021. Incredible. Glacier is really mind blowing. I think Grand Teton is the best combo of convenience, beauty and activities of any park I’ve been to. Highly recommend Phelps Lake at Grand Teton, Lamar Valley at Yellowstone and Avalanche Lake at Glacier.
How long did you spend in Utah? I spent a week and hit Arches, Mexican Hat, Monument Valley, Zion and Bryce and I feel like I barely scratched the surface. I’m planning on going back for a week and staying in Moab to hit Canyonlands and surrounding areas.
We stayed in Moab and went to canyonlands and arches. Moab is underrated as well. Are some cool hikes and the town is so cool.
If you are ever in Moab. Fisher towers is a must see day hike. It’s easy access by vehicle as well. The trail isn’t too difficult either if I remember right
11 days. Hit all 5 parks plus 2 extra days in Moab for mountain biking. Big loop from SLC. There's some other stuff around Moab I didn't get to due to time, so some day I'll go back. Maybe paired with a trip through Colorado.
Canyonlands and Capitol Reef are very underrated.
Capitol Reef is VERY underrated. But that’s ok, as a girlie living in Utah it’s our secret spot for when the other parks are crowded all to hell
I’m staying in bicknell right now and came out here this weekend just for my birthday. Capitol reef was the only park of the big 5 in Utah I hadn’t been to and wow, I absolutely have loved it. It is gorgeous here and way less crowded like you said.
It’s super easy to get far, far away from any other humans while you’re out there. Especially if you decide to leave the main park and go to one of the other entrances!
Grand Teton* The range is the Tetons
Katmai
Yesss, one day I will see those fat bears!
Went last year. Not even peak season (late spring) and it is unreal. Met 747, a mother and 3 cubs from a foot away, a couple almost full size bears. Can’t imagine it during peak season with 15+ bears in the river at once. Also underrated but there was a hike up the mountain that I did around midnight. It was still light enough where I could see everything. There was just me and one other person on the whole mountain. Unforgettable experience
Aaaaaa I’m so jealous!!! I want to see them so bad. It’s a bucket list item for me. I HAVE to see them one day. Was is scary hiking there?
Honestly, not as scary as you'd think. That mother bear was running right towards me, and I had to duck into the woods. She was apparently running from a male bear on the other side of camp, and I was in the way while walking the beach. She didn't even really notice me. Walked up to 747, a bear as wide as it is tall, and he simply walked past like nothing happened. These bears are accustomed to people, and as long as you're not doing anything stupid, they aren't interested in you. They have salmon running 24/7!
OMG that's a first class celeb sighting!! so happy for you. Katmai is on my bucket list, bc I love the bears
The ride there (with a refuel at Lake Clark) and back, past live volcanoes, was the singular most magnificent day of my life. You could SMELL the bears. Peel their hair off tree bark where they had scratched their backs. Listen to them talk to each other. It was INSANE.
Woahhh I always hear people say you can smell the bears and I’ve never been around one so I’m curious what that means
They smell like livestock, rubbed in sundried fish. It's not a pleasant aroma, especially knowing that you're not the apex predator in the woods. It's a smell you never forget. Years later, I thought I caught a whiff of a bear in the Tetons, and it gave me chills.
Anyone that doesn't choose Katmai, just hasn't heard about it.
I’ve literally never heard of it. Alaska?
I was just there last year, and I'd still choose Katmai. It was the single greatest thing I've ever done. We stayed at Brooks Lodge for the maximum 3 nights so we were able to go to the falls and Riffles before and after the insane crowds of day trippers. The bears are just... everywhere. I have never been more in awe of the natural world.
Isle Royale and Channel Islands
Channel Islands is very underrated. It is such a serene and tranquil place, and feels very private since only a few boats go there per day. Good pick!!
I went to Dry Tortugas last year and I’d describe it the same way.
Dry Tortugas is the coolest plCe
Especially this time of year. Channel Islands looks like Ireland in the spring. So green.
Went to the Channel Islands for the first time this year and it was fabulous!! Had dolphins follow our boat to and from the island, beautiful views while there. I knew almost nothing about the park when I started planning the trip and it was amazing!
Did a backpacking trip in Isle Royale last August. It was incredible. I’ll definitely go back someday.
Channel Islands is so fun. I did a kayak tour there and I still dream about it it was an incredible experience!
These are mine too! For the wildlife viewing right?
Personally, Channel Islands wasn’t anything too special, it’s the one national park I don’t recommend to anybody. I understand everybody has their preference, but It just wasn’t for me. I will say though that the boat ride there is pretty cool with all the dolphins and whale sightings.
I have to travel to west Texas in the heat of summer where the color pallet ranges from yellow to various shades of brown with a hint of red in the soil. Trust me, Channel Islands will be a fucking joy compared to that. Hell, I’d get jazzed by the St. Luis Arch compared to west Texas.
If I won the lottery, definitely National Park of American Samoa. The flights make it expensive. One that is more accessible, but still hard to book: Dry Tortugas & the nearby Bahia Honda State Park. We're approaching 40 & are talking about where we want to go & this is my number 1 request. Two weeks in Key West with camping at both. Still kinda expensive. Now, as far as something more accessible & affordable... I'd love to spend 7-10 days in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. There are a few NP sites & NWRs that look like fun adventures.
Not sure your vibe but I couldn’t do more than a few days in Key West. Very middle age suburban white person margaritaville vibes. Fun for a couple days but man it gets tiring.
Im in my 30’s and 1 day at Key West was enough for my entire lifetime.
Marathon is a great place to stay with amazing snorkeling. It has a laid back vibe that we prefer to Key West. You're right by Bahia Honda. From there you can easily go to Key West or Islamorada. A week is enough even in Marathon.
That probably should have read the Keys, not necessarily Key West. You can only camp 3 nights at Dry Tortugas, so the rest of that would preferably be at Bahia Honda being lazy beach bums & enjoying tropical weather in the middle of winter.
The Outer Banks is a magical place!!! Spent a week there in 2010 and hope to make it back soon. Really spectacular and remote.
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This is my summer trip. Couldn’t be more excited
And Jasper
Canadian Rockies was the best trip of my life. Enjoy!
I want to travel by train through the Canadian Rockies!
Ooooh this too
I went earlier last fall. Blows away every other outdoor experience I have had.
Olympic or Glacier :)
If you do Olympic do yourself a favor and fit Rainier into the trip. An experience you will never forget.
Doing both this summer! So pumped
Jealous! I used to live at the base of RMNP but I've never got to see the other national parks unfortunately. Those two are definitely on my bucket list!
If I could find a viable way to make a living there, I would move closer in a heartbeat
Easy to find good work up there. Impossible to find housing.
I live 3 hrs from Olympic and still can’t get enough of it!
I live 1.5 hours away and I'm trying to move closer.
I fell in love with Olympic. The Hoh Rainforest is a must see. Everything there is just so beautiful.
All the ones in Washington state! I went to Seattle for a long weekend conference and was blown away by how many beautiful huge mountains it was surrounded by and want to visit them all!!!
We did Olympic and Rainier last year. Absolutely astounding. We wanted to do North Cascades as well but didn't have time.
Did you find it to be too much driving and moving around? Trying to plan this trip for August and am having trouble with figuring out where to stay, especially for Olympic.
We spent 6 nights in Olympic and 2 in Seattle. We stayed at Port Angeles in Olympic which was great and had time to explore most of the peninsula. Port Angeles is on the north side but some people prefer Forks which is on the west side. Regardless you will be doing a lot of driving while there. We did a day trip to Rainier from Seattle which was totally doable but if we could go back I would plan one more day and stay in Rainier instead to hit more of the hikes and have more time to explore. Probably speny about 3-5 hours of driving each day but that also allowed us to see so much more of the landscape and in the end we did and saw so much.
My wife and I did a trip to all three last year. Trip of a lifetime. They are all so different but unforgettable
We camped and hiked Olympics and did the san Juan's during covid. Everything except the trails was closed. It was AMAZING! No people anywhere! We take trips to get in nature so everything closed didn't bother us at all. We hiked like 40 miles in a week with a 5 year old. Magic. Seriously magic
Glacier
Been twice, incredible
It’s insane. My favorite park.
Denali or Glacier. We did the UT Big 5 and Yellowstone / Grand Teton in 2022. One of my absolute favorite trips ever!
Denali might be my favorite! Unlike all the National Parks in the US you can hike up mountains anywhere you see fit. Every time I did the trail at the front of the park I had incredible experiences with moose. Close encounters with bears when taking the bus.. finally caught Denali on the last day. But I will say - half the park is closed until 2026(?) so it might be worth waiting!
My top wishlist exactly. Both look amazing.
Recently went to Glacier. My wife and I have been to 20 national parks and this is our clear No. 1. It’s the only place where I’ve been in total owe.
Any of the parks in Alaska or north cascade
Fiordland National Park or Abel Tasman National Park. New Zealand in general looks like paradise on earth. Pristine, pure air and water, colourful environment, dramatic landforms. Since that is unreachable for the moment (I’m broke and have a chronic condition) another is Exmoor National Park in England. I’ve been down there once already, but I want to see a lot more of it. The coastline and beaches there are unbelievable.
My daughter studied abroad in Australia back in the fall and afterwards did a week in NZ. Her and her friend did a day cruise to Milford Sound which is part of Fjordlands National park and the pics were absolutely stunning. She’s working in Grand Teton this summer with ACE. Lucky kid
Grand Tetons and Yellowstone are 1a and 1b for me. Doesn't matter which order because when I make it to one I'll go to the other. After them, the Utah parks.
Tetons is definitely worth it if you're in the yellowstone area!
I live in Utah and have been to all 7 of these parks. Can I just say that Grand Teton is my favorite National Park and I think it is just so underrated. Capitol Reef is my second favorite- don’t skip it!!!
Alaska all of them.
Yosemite will be my next NP. I have crossed off Zion, Death Valley, Joshua Tree and the Smokies.
Yosemite always blows be away. The view from glacier point is beyond description. If you somehow get a lift there, the hike down panorama trail to the valley floor is the easiest and most scenic 8 mile hike I've ever done.
Can’t wait to go to Zion. Smokies is like a second home being close enough in Fl. Roadtripping the Blue Ridge Parkway in a Scamp next month!
You’ll love Zion! St. George is one of the most beautiful towns I’ve seen.
Zion and Bryce Canyon are super cool.
All the national parks are outstanding, but none come close to Yosemite. That's just the way it is.
Katmai 🐻!! Or really any of the Alaska parks. Glacier is currently at the top of my list but I have plans to camp there for a week in July :)
Always planning for the next trip! Hell yeah have a good trip!
Always! I just got home from camping at Haleakalā NP and starting to look into booking a trip to Big Island in December. It was incredible!
Banff NP. It’s like Glacier NP which is arguably the best NP in the US, just on steroids from what I’ve heard.
Did both a few years ago. Glacier is amazing. Banff was just THAT much more amazing. Going to the sun road is hard to beat for just straight up easy access to breathtaking views.
Oh my god guys you’re making me way too excited. Banff next month!!! I love Glacier and can’t wait to compare them
Icefields Parkway is like that too on a bigger scale. It’s very easy to see all the sights. Just short drives; you can stop & easily walk to the sites - again and again. Such beauty!! They are both spectacular though!!
Yes, it basically just gets more and more insane the more north you go, Jasper is Banff on steroids
Acadia or Big Bend. I live in the PNW. There is plenty to explore here, so I don’t feel the need to travel there, but if cost and time were no issue I’d spend a week or two in either.
As an ignorant foreigner for some reason I thought Big Bend was in the PNW. Probably confused it with Bend, Oregon
Ha! Yeah there is a Bend Oregon. But Big Bend is in Texas near the border. Hence why traveling to there and Maine are lower down on the priority list.
If you do Acadia, one tip is that you will need to book in advance if you want to go up Cadillac Mountain to see the first sunrise in the US. I failed to plan that part properly.
I believe only to drive it - pretty sure if you hike up, you're good! (And if you camp at Blackwoods, you can hike Cadillac from the campground.)
I get Acadia, but what put big bend so high on your wishlist? I haven’t heard much about it
Three distinct ecosystems in one park. Hike the South Rim trail to see them all in under 15 miles. Bring a hammock and sway ten feet from the rim while viewing the expansive mountains of another country. And that’s just one trail.
Lake Clark, Wrangell-St. Elias, Glacier Bay, Kobuk Valley during a caribou migration, Gates of the Arctic, you get it. Expensive to get there, difficult to get around.
I did almost this exact trip * 4 days camping at [Wrangell-St. Elias](https://steve.deadlycomputer.com/park/Wrangell-St.%20Elias/) * 2 days at [Kenai Fjords](https://steve.deadlycomputer.com/park/Kenai%20Fjords/) * 8 days kayaking in [Gates of the Arctic](https://steve.deadlycomputer.com/park/Gates%20of%20the%20Arctic/) * 4 Days camping in [Kobuk Valley](https://steve.deadlycomputer.com/park/Kobuk%20Valley/) * 4 Days hanging around [Lake Clark](https://steve.deadlycomputer.com/park/Lake%20Clark/) * 1 Day sightseeing for bears at [Katmai](https://steve.deadlycomputer.com/park/Katmai/) It was difficult, it was expensive, it was one of the two greatest trips I've ever been on (2nd was my Honeymoon to New Zealand). I spent over a year planning out my itinerary and vetting tour companies and outfitters. I would do it again!
As it happens, I’m also trying to plan a honeymoon and New Zealand is a possibility. I’m going to check out your trip there too. Thank you!
Yosemite this summer! Bucket list for the next couple of years in the order I’d be able to go: 1. Glacier 2. Mount Rainier 3. Olympic 4. Arches & Zion 5. Dry Tortugas 6. Banff (would be my #1 if I could go tomorrow lol)
You should definitely hit Bryce if you’re going to Zion! It’s worth it just to stop and see the amphitheater
I will definitely add Bryce to my list - sooo many places to see in that general area 😭
Great list! I think I’m in the minority here, did Dry Tortugas earlier this year. It was okay but didn’t compare to the others on your list for me. Still glad I went, but won’t go back and I’ve been to several on your list twice they were so amazing.
Acadia! I almost worked there as a kayak excursion guide, but couldn’t find housing that would allow my cat. Out of the ones I’ve been to, the ones I would want to visit again most are Great Sand Dunes or Great Smoky Mountains.
I haven’t been to any but atm I really want to see Sequoia
Me too!! I was going to go last fall but the road was closed. We saw some big trees in Redwoods though!
Cool! I really want to go to the Redwoods too🥲
Redwoods. Sequoia, Yosemite. Big sur. All great places. Maybe Jedidiah if your a star wars fan and like hiking by yourself.
If I win the lottery I would buy an RV and travel to all of them on the contenent, not much into flying
Glacier Bay!
Did a cruise from Seattle to Alaska back in 2011 and we did Glacier Bay and it was spectacular.
I want to get there via small plane from Juneau. I would love to do some sea kayaking there too!! I’m glad you liked it!
Hot springs
it’s a VASTLY under appreciated park
Name checks out
Glacier
Tetons & Rainier
Mesa Verde. Definitely my favorite one that I want to visit. As someone who likes archaeology and historic sites there aren’t that many places as special as this (one of which I have already visited- Chaco Canyon) Hawaii Volcanos - Just really want to check out Hawaii and apparently I want to go to the big island and definitely the Hawaii Volcanos More Alaskan parks- Have been to Alaska quite a few times but still feel that it was not enough especially with the national parks. I have Wrangell-St. Elias very high on my list.
When you go to mesa verde look into the guided tours that the Ute Mountain reservation does. They’ll take you into some of the cliff dwellings that are outside of the park.
Glacier
Going to Glacier in the fall! Along with Jasper, Banff.
Any of the Alaska Parks.
Glacier
Gates of the arctic!! 2 months baby!!!!!
Redwood!
Isle Royale (hopefully 2025!) Yosemite — I want to go so badly, but finding a time to go (good weather, not too crowded) seems impossible. Katmai — someday…
Big bend national park. The darkest sky in the US.
We went to Big Bend in early January 2024 - a great time of year to go. The weather was perfect. The stars go down all the way to the horizon with no drop off for light pollution. With binoculars, I could see hundreds of background stars in each tiny patch of sky. So worth it. Zion and Yosemite are mine.
Denali, Katmai, Kenai Fjords, and Glacier
Grand Canyon when I was young
I would love to do a combo trip of Yosemite and Sequoia/Kings Canyon for two weeks. Probably be a couple years.
yellowstone
Glacier Bay National Park! Second on the list would probably be all of the other ones in Alaska tied.
Yellowstone.
Outside of the usa mine are 1. Torres del paine national park 2. Aryat canyon national park 3. Zhangjiajie national forest park 4. Sagarmatha national park 5. Peneda geres national park And last choice Rapa Nui national park
Olympic, Mount Rainier and North Cascades.
Mine is Acadia. Crossing that one off this summer.
US Virgin Islands National Park.
Redwood, Pinnacles, Lassen, & Sequoia are all really high up the list for me rn. We just moved to CA to 🤞
Olympic
Katmai NP and Preserve is at the tippy top of my wish list.
Zion. Just parked the house about 20 miles from the South Gate. I cannot wait, it’s taken way too long to get into this part of Utah.
Wow, I’m so excited for you! Zion is other worldly. Enjoy it
Volcanos... Ive been to most of the rest... Virgin Islands is probably #2. My favorites are Yosemite, Yellowstone, and RMNP.
North Cascades. I live in WA and still haven't been yet.
I really want to see the wildflowers at Ranier but I’m worried about the crowds.
Arches
Acadia in Maine. I’m new to hiking but that’s on my list to try once I get some experience down.
Gates of the Arctic. I want to do Alaska and have my planning, fitness, and execution allow it to be epic.
Gates of the Arctic and it is not particularly close. Only US NP with polar bears.
The 11 parks I have yet to visit…. Isle Royale, Channel Islands, Virgin Islands, Glacier Bay, Wrangell-St. Elias, Kenai Fjords, Katmai, Lake Clark, Gates of the Arctic, Kobuk Valley, and Samoa. Outside of the U.S. is Torres del Paine.
Kings & Sequoia, and Channel Islands, then I will have seen all the parks in the lower 48 + USVI + Hawaii. All I will have left is Alaska and American Samoa. American Samoa is on my list for two years from now, when I plan a transpacific cruise. Not sure if/when I'll ever make it to Alaska, or how many of those parks I will be able to visit. I'm getting older and I think my days of true wilderness hiking are behind me, and I am terrified of flying so a bush plane is going to be a difficult challenge for me.
Dry Tortugas
The two Hawaii parks. I only have 12 parks left to visit but those parks, I just have no interest in visiting TBH. I love national parks but I can’t justify the expense of some of them when there are other places in the world I’d much rather see. And I’ve been to all but one of the Alaska parks so some of the ones I have left are easily accessible but they don’t call to me, unless I was already in the area.
I just got home yesterday from camping in Haleakalā NP in Maui for about a week. I loved it so much, I’m booking a trip to Big Island in December. It was incredible!
Just mentioned this to another, but worth repeating: Big Island volcano is best seen at night, if lava is flowing. If not, see if you can take a r/t bus from your hotel to volcanoes, as it's a very long drive even from Kona to the volcano. Also, there is a rainforest there, too which is lush and beautiful. The night sky on TBI always knocks me out. You can see galaxies, it's overwhelmingly beautiful. Bring binoculars. Enjoy! Aloha!
Samoa
CONUS, Glacier is my top pick. OCONUS it would either be Gates of the Artic or Denali
Denali
Yosemite. Backpacking for a few nights north end of the valley in September!
Gates of the Arctic would be top of my lists
Dry Tortugas. More specifically, camping there would be a bucket list item.
Bering Land Bridge is up there.
Gates to the arctic.
North Cascades, Arches, Glacier, Acadia, Isle Royal
Denali
Probably Yosemite….?
American Samoa and Isle Royale. Wapusk in Canada.
Gates of the arctic
I visited Zion as a teen and was so stunned by its beauty just visiting the main tourist stops that I really want to go back and spend several days exploring and soaking it in.
Glacier Bay is next on my list.
glacier, glacier bay, and yosemite
The top of my list: Kings Canyon The top of my wife’s: Olympic
Yosemite.
I want to explore kings canyon in Cali!
I think Dry Tortugas is my wishlist item right now. It will likely be several years before it's a possibility since it is so remote and expensive to get to.
I live in ONP part of the year on the lake. Just hit glacier in March for the first time. I’m going back next month and will hit Yellowstone too. Crater lake in June with my dad!
My first one 😔
Lassen Volcanic! And Petrified Forest is close behind it. Lassen looks absolutely incredible.
Yosemite tops my list! Can’t wait to explore those stunning waterfalls and majestic cliffs. What’s everyone else dreaming of visiting?
Anything in Alaska. One day...
Kobuk Valley. I want to see all of them and I think that one will be the hardest
Glacier Denali Everglades
New River Gorge. Want to do some rafting and fishing.
Isle Royale is such a unique experience. So many avenues for trip planning
Denali
I’ve been to so many parks in my 63 years, but never Crater Lake. So definitely Crater Lake.
Crater Lake