30 Best National Parks to Visit in the USA

The United States of America is home to a dense network of 63 National Parks, out of which 25 are recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 

From swampy coastal rivers to arid deserts with picturesque trees, US national parks offer breathtaking scenery. These locations are not only suitable for adventure activities like hiking but also for family time and picnics.

So, if you’re looking for a break from bustling city life, here are some amazing destinations outlining the best National Parks to visit in the US to add to your bucket list!

Location: Northwestern Wyoming 

Yellowstone is home to the largest and most varied collection of geothermal features, boasting over 10,000 hydrothermal sites and around half of the world’s active geysers. Plus, the park is packed with cultural and historical treasures, featuring 25 sites, landmarks, and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Location: Florida 

Everglades National Park, renowned for its unique ecosystems and diverse wildlife, also serves as a history repository, particularly from the Cold War era. Among its many treasures, one of the most intriguing is a historic Nike missile site, which stands as a testament to the tensions and military strategies of that time.

Location: Central Sierra Nevada 

Yosemite is known for its amazing granite cliffs, stunning waterfalls, crystal-clear streams, massive sequoia trees, and rich variety of life. Hetch Hetchy Valley, located in the serene northwest part of Yosemite National Park, is a hidden gem that’s definitely worth checking out no matter the time of year.

Location: Washington 

Olympic is among the top national parks in the US for its variety of unique ecosystems. It features a rough Pacific coastline, towering glacier-covered mountains, and a temperate rainforest on the west side that gets about 150 inches of rain each year. The best time to visit here is during the winter season to get the “Narnia” vibes! 

Location: Tennessee 

The Great Smoky Mountains are home to breathtaking views, where impressive peaks rise alongside tall trees, all wrapped in drifting clouds, carved by meandering rivers, and teeming with captivating wildlife. Autumn season is the best time to visit here. 

Location: Hawaii 

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park offers a mix of unique environments and stunning landscapes. Its rough lava fields, lush rainforests, fascinating lava tubes, craters, and beautiful spots where lava rock meets the ocean provide an amazing view. 

Location: Kentucky 

Mammoth Cave National Park features rolling hills, deep river valleys, and the longest cave system in the world. This park is steeped in thousands of years of human history and boasts a wide variety of plant and animal species, which is why it’s recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve.

Location: Crescent City, California 

Redwoods protect a region that encompasses the largest unbroken expanse of ancient coastal redwood forest, along with habitats for species that are at risk of extinction. It has one of the world’s largest and longest trees. 

Location: Arizona 

The Grand Canyon showcases a striking example of a global geological event called the Great Unconformity. Here, 250 million-year-old rock layers sit right next to rocks that are 1.2 billion years old! Archeologists have yet to determine its formation. 

Location: Northern California 

Lassen Volcanic National Park features bubbling fumaroles, meadows dotted with wildflowers, pristine mountain lakes, and a variety of volcanoes. The Lassen Peak is the biggest plug-dome volcano on the planet, and it’s also the southernmost volcano in the Cascade Range, which makes this national park even more interesting. 

Location: Arizona 

The Petrified Forest is famous for its Triassic fossils. It’s pretty much like visiting two parks at once, featuring an ecosystem that’s over 200 million years old, with plants and animals that now exist in the stunning scenery of the Painted Desert.

Location: Virginia 

Shenandoah National Park is filled with stunning waterfalls, breathtaking views, vibrant wildflower fields, and peaceful forested valleys. While big animals like black bears, whitetail deer, and bobcats are pretty famous here, this place is also packed with a variety of birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians.

Location: Florida 

Dry Tortugas is famous for its rich marine life, spots where tropical birds breed, vibrant coral reefs, and the remnants of shipwrecks filled with treasures. At the heart of the park stands Fort Jefferson, a huge coastal fortress that’s still a work in progress. 

Location: Washington

Unlike other national parks on this list, Mount Rainier is uniquely famous for being an “active volcano.” The efforts to make this a national park were done to save this landscape from being lost forever. 

Location: Colorado 

As the name suggests, the Great Sand Dunes are the tallest sand dunes in northern America. This national park is a good spot for those who love hiking and are in the beginner stage of hiking. 

Location: Utah 

Zion National Park features some of the most breathtaking canyon landscapes in the U.S. This landscape is packed with stunning sandstone cliffs, towering mountains, and unique natural arches that are rare to find anywhere else. 

Location: Oregon 

Crater Lake National Park is synonymous with “deep water in a sleeping volcano.” Its stunning blue hue and incredible clarity, with an average depth of approx 102 feet, make it the deepest lake in the U.S. It’s also ranked among the top ten deepest lakes globally.

Location: Saint John 

Virgin Islands National Park safeguards coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves, and various marine habitats that are vital for sea turtles, corals, and other ocean creatures. It also helps preserve some of the last native tropical dry rainforests in the Caribbean.

Location: New Mexico 

White sands of this national park are a delight for hikers as it offers an easy and enjoyable trail. Apart from hiking, visitors can also go camping at this location, which is like the cherry on the top. 

Location: California and Nevada

Death Valley is popularly known for the Titus Canyon, which is famous for its ghost town and vibrant rock formations, while Badwater Basin boasts of salt flats and holds the title of North America’s lowest point.

Location: Nevada 

The International Dark Sky Association-certified Great Basin National Park offers a unique opportunity for visitors to enjoy truly dark night skies. It is also famous for its diverse flora and fauna. 

Location: Maine 

Acadia National Park is well-known for its stunning, rugged coastline, characterized by dramatic cliffs that rise sharply from the Atlantic Ocean, offering breathtaking views and a unique ecosystem. The major takeaway is the sunset view here. 

Location: South Dakota 

The wild charm of the Badlands attracts people from all over the globe. These amazing geological formations are home to some of the richest fossil beds on the planet. Long ago, ancient horses and rhinos wandered through this area.

Location: Alaska 

Denali, also known as Mount. McKinley, is famous for its wildlife, which includes the great brown bear as well. Visitors can also enjoy hiking and flight seeing at Denali National Park. 

Location: Washington 

North Cascades National Park is home to more than 300 glaciers, and a few of them are active glaciers. This place offers the best scenery for a peaceful picnic, as it doesn’t have much crowd due to its remote location. 

Location: Wyoming 

Grand Teton is a year-round destination featuring tranquil lakes, a river perfect for rafting, stunning mountain trails, and a diverse array of wildlife. The amazing views and variety of wildlife in Grand Teton make it an ideal spot for anyone who loves nature and outdoor activities.

Location: Colorado

The Black Canyon gets its name from the steep cliffs that block sunlight from reaching its depths, creating a shadowy environment and giving the rocky walls a dark appearance. This place offers a chance to explore stunning and significant geological formations, featuring some of the tallest cliffs in North America.

Location: Minnesota

Voyageurs National Park is one of the rare spots in North America where the rocks are half the age of our planet. The rich biodiversity of this place is what makes it one of the best national parks in the US. 

Location: Alaska 

Gates of the Arctic National Park is famous worldwide for its vibrant wildlife and stunning views. The best time to visit here is during the winter, as aurora lighting can be spotted in the night sky during that time. 

Location: West Virginia 

River Gorge National Park and Preserve is a heaven for rock climbing enthusiasts. There are more than 1,400 established rock climbs in the park. The cliffs at “The New,” which sit just below the Gorge’s rim, are formed from super tough Nuttall sandstone, which is suitable for rock climbing.

Maintenance of National Park: The Role of Government

For over a century, the National Park Service (NPS) has overseen millions of acres dedicated exclusively to the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of both current and future generations.

NPS is a part of the U.S. Department of the Interior, responsible for overseeing and taking care of hundreds of national parks, monuments, historical sites, and other federal properties. It was created in 1916 when Congress passed a law that President Woodrow Wilson signed. This law aimed to conserve the scenery, natural and historic objects, and wildlife therein to leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.