National Parks
Archive
To mark its 150th anniversary, America’s first national park plans to use 2022 to address past wrongdoing and work toward a more inclusive future
Family vacation? Find fun for all ages with these kid-friendly activities in and around the park.
The parks on this list span six continents and tens of millions of acres, offering excellent fodder for any nature-addicted international traveler looking to jump-start their wanderlust
This amazing 1,453-mile trip starts in Salt Lake City
Everything you need to know about experiencing America’s best idea
Granting access to more than 2,000 national parks and recreation areas, the America the Beautiful pass is a game changer for any park-hopping traveler. Here’s how to know if the pass is right for you—plus how to buy it and use it.
A park-by-park list of entrance charges and reservation information
Planning a vacation to Yellowstone involves many details, one of which is deciding how you will enter the park
The creator of National Park NFTs says he plans to donate a portion of the proceeds to the National Park Foundation, but environmental activists are critical of its choice of blockchain, which is among the least environmentally friendly
Four more parks have begun or expanded their ticketing systems, and many have renewed what was already in place
If you’re willing to brave the cold, winter can be one of the best seasons to visit America’s best idea
The Arch in St. Louis is a stunning engineering feat and there's a lot of history here. Just don't call it a national park.
This isn't your typical national park, but a day spent on mellow hikes followed by soaks in mineral hot springs makes a visit here really unique
These outings prove there’s no such thing as an off-season in our national parks
There is a lot to love about Yosemite, from big walls to breathtaking valleys. But few know its history, says our 63 Parks Traveler about her 44th stop on her quest to visit every national park.
Last year, the region around North Cascades National Park was suffering from devastating fires when our 63 Parks Traveler arrived for her 43rd park visit. Finding a smoke-free day was almost impossible, but a shift in the wind allowed for a stunning wilderness hike.
Who needs an off-season? Check out our tips to keep trekking throughout the winter.
Visit 13 of America’s best-loved national parks on this cross-country national-park train loop
As it turns out, the national parks just aren’t that great for some visitors (though we definitely disagree)
A warming planet, increased storms, and wildfires are creating a level of infrastructure collapse that’s expensive and devastating
Even if you don’t climb Washington’s highest peak, the spectacular views and scenery in Mount Rainier National Park will leave you invigorated, says our 63 Parks columnist of the 42nd stop on her quest to visit every U.S. park
Some of the most popular national-park sites come alive this season, offering vibrant hikes, cool camping weather, and amazing wildlife spotting
At Olympic, you can go from luscious rainforests, to snowcapped peaks, to the stunning Pacific Coast—all in one park. What more could you ask for?
Many major national parks implemented new reservation systems intended to give visitors a more positive experience by decreasing gridlock, parking issues, and long lines for public services. But are they actually helping or making it more difficult to visit a park?
Whether you’re looking to explore mountains, canyons, beaches—or all three—these RV trips have something for every kind of adventurer
Alaska’s Kobuk Valley National Park is an overlooked gem. It offers up the great caribou migration, stargazing and miles of solitude, and massive dunes you’d expect to find in the Sahara. This is the 40th stop on our 62 Parks Traveler's quest to visit every national park in the U.S.
At the most recently declared national park, the adventure starts and ends with the 1,000-foot-deep New River Gorge. The 73,000-acre stretch of rugged canyon in West Virginia is home to Class IV+ whitewater rafting, some of the best rock climbing on the eastern seaboard, purpose-built singletrack, and more than 100 miles of hiking trails that capture this dramatic part of the country.
The nonprofit Native Skywatchers has spent more than a decade collecting and preserving Indigenous star knowledge. Now organizations like NASA and the NPS are joining the movement.
Gates of the Arctic in northern Alaska is one of the last truly wild national parks. There are no roads or trails, and the park boasts the stunning Brooks Range, six wild and scenic rivers, and gets fewer than 3,000 visitors a year. Our 62 Parks columnist was awestruck by her 39th stop on her quest to visit every national park in the U.S.
Katmai, in southern Alaska, is one of the few places where you can safely get up close and personal with a brown bear while it’s feeding—a life-list event says our 62 Parks Traveler about the 38th stop on her quest to visit every national park in the U.S.
Drawing parallels with the Galápagos Islands, this marine wonderland is a similarly diverse treasure found just off the Southern California coast, home to 2,000-plus species, some 150 of which can be found nowhere else
If you want a swath of stunning wilderness all to yourself, book a trip to Lake Clark, says our 62 Parks columnist of the 37th stop on her quest to visit all the parks in the U.S.
Mountaineers come to summit this Alaskan park’s namesake 20,310-foot peak, the highest in North America. Our 62 Parks columnist set out on a mountain bike to see the stunning terrain and bountiful wildlife during the 36th stop of her quest to visit every national park in the U.S.
Plan a trip to this Alaskan treasure to explore vast glaciers and to see huge whales and a diverse array of other fauna, says our 62 Parks columnist about the 35th stop on her quest to see every U.S. national park
A wild place—and an American ideal—are heading for destruction. We can stop it now.
This is just the kickoff to a ten-year plan to protect more land, water, and wildlife
From miles of accessible trails to nearby boarding services to dog safety, these are the best (and worst) parks to visit with your best friend
Put this Alaska gem high on your bucket list for epic backpacking, rafting, and mountaineering, says our 62 Parks columnist about the 34th stop on her journey to visit every U.S. national park
This 76,000-acre wonderland is less a park and more a sandstone sculpture garden of sunset-hued arches and domes that look like they were carved by some alien magic. Here’s how to outsmart the crowds.
Not much tops seeing the the massive glaciers and vast empty wilderness in Glacier Bay—that’s the verdict of our 62 Parks Traveler about the 33rd stop on her quest to visit every national park in the U.S.
A visit to this northwestern Wyoming park, which is as thrilling for wildlife watchers as it is for climbers, hikers, and backcountry skiers, comes with a warning: it’ll be the beginning of a lifelong love affair
There’s nothing quite like swimming in Oregon’s Crater Lake for the first time, an experience our 62 Parks Traveler enjoyed at her 32nd park on her quest to visit every national park in the U.S.
Pro photographers' best advice for shooting animals in their natural habitat
Whether you want to capture wildlife, landscapes, or action, mastering these skill will help you up your game
Hard-earned advice from expert adventure photographers
The least visited park in the lower 48 has no roads, no cars, and empty hiking trails, and it’s home to moose, wolves, part of Lake Superior, and beautiful forests. It’s the 29th stop on our 62 Parks Traveler’s quest to visit every park in the U.S.
Northern California’s Lassen Volcanic National Park is an undiscovered hiker’s dream, and it’s the 31st stop on our 62 Parks Traveler’s quest to visit every park in the U.S.
With funding from the federal government, Zion and other parks are swapping in electric shuttle buses and adding charging stations for visitors’ electric vehicles, putting the park system on the cutting edge of green technology
Vast mountains, majestic waterfalls, and a hungry bear are some of what our 62 Parks traveler encountered at her 30th park on her quest to visit every park in the U.S.
Think you already know everything about our nation’s most iconic park? Think again. There’s so much beyond its famed Yosemite Valley, from seldom visited waterfalls to the underappreciated backcountry beyond Tuolumne Meadows.
Sleep in a Navajo Nation earth home, a vintage camper, or a dome tent, all just a short drive to the South Rim
Load up the car to see snow-covered volcanoes, cool desert landscapes, and empty beaches without any of summer's big crowds
This Maine destination is a place of rugged coastal wonders and an immersion in Down East culture
From a glass-domed train to downhill skiing, these are some of our favorite adventures in our national parks. Bonus: they get you off the beaten path, too.
From cabins to cliff dwellings, here's where to post up close to two of southern Utah's best national parks
Welcome to Minnesota, the Land of 10,000 Lakes and home to the Boundary Waters. Our 62 Parks Traveler found her own private island at her 28th stop on her quest to visit every national park in the U.S.
Our advice on which park to visit each month of the year to see peak wildlife, foliage, and flower blooms—and to avoid the crowds
Wildlife and endless grasslands to explore in a remote corner of North Dakota made the 27th park on our 62 Parks columnist's list a must-visit destination
These 11 beloved destinations make for ideal cold-weather trips, from soaking in hot springs at Big Bend to cross-country skiing at Rocky Mountain
Don't let cold weather stop you from exploring. These eight trails in some of our favorite national parks may be even better in the winter.
There's no better way to celebrate these holidays than by exploring our public lands
Despite cold temperatures and rain, our 62 Parks columnist still found plenty of hiking and mountain vistas at the 26th stop on her journey to visit every U.S. national park
With more than 200 miles of trails, there's a lot to explore in this iconic Wyoming attraction. It's our 62 Parks Traveler's 25th stop on her journey to visit every U.S. national park.
Ten thousand geothermal features make this hot spot a must-see. It's our 62 Parks Traveler's 24th stop on her journey to visit every national park in the U.S.
Our 63 Parks Traveler meets bison and sees surreal geography at this South Dakota stop, the 23rd visit on her journey to see every U.S. national park
With more than 350 miles of trails, 124 peaks, and 147 lakes, this must-see Colorado destination is a wilderness lover's paradise. It's our 62 Parks Traveler's 22nd stop on her journey to visit every U.S. national park.
Our 62 Parks Traveler explores miles of hiking trails and one of the largest remaining mixed-grass prairie ecosystems in the country at South Dakota's Wind Cave, the 21st stop on her journey to visit every U.S. national park.
This pastoral stretch of the Southern Appalachian mountains in Virginia is packed with hiking, fishing, road biking, and other adventures—if you know where to look
Explore the dwellings and terrain of the Ancestral Pueblo people at this western Colorado park. It's our 62 Parks Traveler's 20th stop on her journey to visit every U.S. national park.
The diverse landscape of Great Sand Dunes National Park features 700-foot-tall mounds of sand, grasslands, alpine peaks, and a creek to splash in. It's our 62 Parks Traveler's 19th stop on her journey to visit every U.S. national park.
Scrambles, climbs, and spectacular scenery: it's our 63 Parks Traveler’s 18th stop on her journey to visit every U.S. national park in a year
While most bristlecone pines are between 2,000 and 3,500 years old, a special few can live to be nearly 5,000—and they're easily found in this area of Nevada. It's our 62 Parks Traveler's 17th stop on her journey to visit every U.S. national park in a year.
With more than a hundred 11,000-foot peaks, five glaciers, and some 150 alpine lakes, Colorado's most popular park has served as an idyllic backdrop for some of our writer's bigger life moments: it's where he proposed to his wife, where his kids earned their first Junior Ranger badges, and where he said goodbye to someone special. While you'll be among 4.7 million visitors who visit every year, there's something personal to be found here.
See 300-foot-tall redwoods, banana slugs, and more in this dreamlike landscape. It's our 62 Parks Traveler's 16th stop on her journey to visit every U.S. national park in a year.
From far-flung mesas to rainy weather, our travel columnist managed to avoid the bustle at one of the Utah's most popular hiking destinations. It's our 62 Parks Traveler's 15th stop on her journey to visit every U.S. national park in a year.
Mountain-bike world-famous slickrock at our 62 Parks Traveler's 14th stop on her journey to visit every U.S. national park in a year
The National Park Service has abdicated responsibility for visitor safety, compromising local mandates and leaving staff and vendors to fend for themselves
View the park's stunning sandstone sculptures. It's our 62 Parks Traveler's 13th stop on her journey to visit every U.S. national park in a year.
Seek out slot canyons and sandstone cliffs at this lesser known park in Utah. It's our 62 Parks Traveler's 12th stop on her journey to visit every U.S. national park in a year.