The Best Five US National Parks

The US is home to some of the largest national parks in the world. From the gorgeous springs and geysers of Yellowstone to the snow-capped peaks of Grand Teton, nature and hiking in these parks are the best in the world.

I left the Grand Canyon National Park out of this list because it feels more like a tourist destination than a park, although it is beautiful. It still offers ample hiking and nature, but the crowds lessen the experience, especially since this is a global destination.

That said, I recommend you visit Grand Canyon National Park at least once to take in the breathtaking views. And it gives more room for lesser-known national parks to shine.

Yellowstone

Yellowstone is famous for Old Faithful, the geyser that adheres to a strict schedule; however, Yellowstone is so much more. While most crowds come for the geysers, check out the hiking to other popular spots such as Yellowstone Lake and Mammoth Hot Springs. Moreover, you’ll find fewer crowds in these lesser-known locations, making you feel as though it’s only you and the mountains.

Yellowstone Lake is popular with hikers and anglers, and the views are to die for. Mammoth Hot Springs is similarly stunning, the iconic terraces formed over hundreds of years offering drop-dead views for hikers who head for the Upper Terraces.

Other must-sees include the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, a steep canyon that offers fantastic hiking and sightseeing, and the Grand Prismatic Spring, one of the largest springs in the world but mostly known for its prismatic rainbow-colored water.

The best times to visit Yellowstone are late April through early May and September through early October. These are the shoulder seasons where the weather still agrees with travelers. Summer is the peak season and is more expensive and crowded. And in winter, many trails and roads close due to heavy snow and winter weather.

Camping is a popular activity in one of the park’s many campgrounds, but spots fill up fast, so book early. If you want to stay in a hotel, the surrounding towns have excellent hotels and lodgings available, or you can stay in a lodge or cabin in Yellowstone.

Overall, Yellowstone is world-famous, and you should journey there at least once to take in the jaw-dropping sight of unspoiled nature.

Yosemite

Yosemite is also famous for being a gorgeous national park with unspoiled nature. They’re known for million-year-old sequoia trees, unspoiled peaks, and Yosemite Valley.

You’ll probably spend most of your time in Yosemite Valley, where most of the park’s attractions are located. Unfortunately, this does affect crowds as most of the visitors are centered in one area. Many trails start from this area, like the Tunnel View Overlook. Yosemite Valley is home to many stunning waterfalls, such as Vernal Fall and Yosemite Falls.

However, that doesn’t mean you have to spend all of your time in Yosemite Valley. Take a day to travel out to Tuolumne Meadows, the highest elevation meadow in Nevada, and hike around the area to see if you can spot some rare wildlife. If you’re traveling during the summer and want to cool off for a day, drive to Tenaya Lake for some swimming. However, keep the long driving times in mind and make these day outings from your base in Yosemite Valley.

When exploring Yosemite Valley, hit the attractions you want before 10 a.m. to beat the traffic and crowds. Such famous attractions like Glacier Point and Half-Dome can get busy, so hit them up early. Afterward, you can devote the rest of the day to smaller attractions like Mist Trail and Mariposa Groves, which don’t get as many visitors as the park’s main attractions.

Yosemite has a lot of hotels and amenities available in Yosemite Valley, including restaurants and campgrounds. They have fine dining, more casual fare, and everything in between, meaning you’ll never have a lack of options available.

If the park lodges aren’t for you, there are plenty of hotels in the small towns outside the park for you to stay. Prices skyrocket during the summer months, so plan accordingly.

The best time to visit Yosemite is May and September, when the weather is still fair, and most of the trails are open, but most of the crowds are gone.

Glacier

Glacier National Park is a hidden gem of the National Park system. It’s the Crown of the Continent, located in northern Montana and southern Canada, and it’s no less beautiful than Yellowstone of the Grand Canyon National Park. However, since it is less well-known, that means fewer crowds. 

Glacier National Park is great to visit during the summer months, particularly June. While it’s still tourist season, there are fewer tourists overall, making this a great summer vacation. In addition, the weather is most cooperative during the summer months, making this a wonderful park to hike in.

Glacier National Park is synonymous with hiking. It’s the park’s most famous attraction, and the trails offer majestic sweeping mountain views on whichever route you choose. Trail-of-the-Cedars is easy and great for families with children, but if you’re looking to challenge yourself, try the Grinnel Glacier trail, challenging for hikers but rewarding with sweeping mountain views.

Of course, there’s a lot more than just hiking. You can find nearly any kind of outdoor activity you’d like over the park’s 1 million acres—swimming, boating, birdwatching, even cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter. Drive the fantastic Going-To-The-Sun road for a stunningly scenic drive. Or visit the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park for the day, or stay overnight in one of the Canadian hotels in this UNESCO World Heritage site. Just make sure to bring your passport!

The park offers a couple of more developed areas, like Lake McDonald, the largest lake in the national park and the primary hub of activity on the west side of the park, or Apgar Nature Center. Apgar is many visitors’ first stop on the way into the Glacier.

Zion

Zion National Park used to be a well-known secret tucked away in Utah’s southwest corner. Now the park gets 4 million visitors a year, making it one of the most traveled parks in the US.

Zion is 166 miles away from Las Vegas and 308 miles away from Salt Lake City, making it very remote and far from airports. Nevertheless, Zion’s popularity still soars, and crowds flock here year-round, making it difficult to find a good time to visit. The park’s free shuttles operate from March through November, so your best bet on beating the crowd is to come in April or November. 

So what exactly makes Zion so popular. Most seem to agree it’s the jaw-dropping beauty. Zion is desert and canyon country, giving off a different feel from the other national parks I’ve mentioned. Zion is home to colossal canyons, darting river rapids, and the night sky gleams with starlight. This natural wonder makes Zion one of the best national parks to go hiking.

Hiking is the number one activity in Zion, with several hikes leading to views you can never forget. The Narrows is one of the park’s most famous hikes, winding through the most narrow part of Zion Canyon. This trip winds through the river itself, and the water can get as high as your chest during rainy seasons. Look up the weather before attempting this hike.

Once you’ve had your fill of hiking (which most of the attractions in this park are hiking), check out the Zion Human History Museum to learn about human settlement and Zion National Park.

The park offers campgrounds, but if you don’t feel like roughing it, check out Springdale, a town near the west entrance of the park. They have plenty of dining and accommodations for anyone looking to explore the park. Keep in mind there’s a steep fee to bring your car into the park, about $35. Just keep the price in mind. It’s recommended you take the free shuttle service between attractions. That said, if you want to drive around the park and see the natural wonder at your own pace, you’re welcome to.

Zion is also prone to flash flooding, so keep your phone in a waterproof bag for emergencies. And most importantly, bring a camera to capture the gorgeous once-in-a-lifetime views.

Grand Teton

Grand Teton National Park is in the Teton mountains of Wyoming. Their picturesque peaks abut another famous national park, Yellowstone. Anyone who wants to visit both in one trip is welcome to. Just make sure you schedule enough time to see both. Just like Yellowstone, Grand Teton is filled to the brim with natural beauty, trails, and wildlife.

So what makes Grand Teton different from Yellowstone? For one, the crowds. Grand Teton has just as much character as Yellowstone, but fewer people spoil it. Also, Grand Teton has the golden aspen tree, which paints the park in golden hues during the autumn months. 

One of the most popular pursuits in Grand Teton is hiking. Most trails lead to scenic overlooks or park attractions, making them well worthwhile. If you want to get a little more serious, Grand Teton is the park’s jewel, and the hike to the summit is a challenge for experienced climbers. The nearly 14,000-foot summit has different routes of varying difficulty. The Owen Spalding route is the easiest, but it still requires an ice pick until late July.

Once you’ve hiked to your heart’s content, take some time to relax at Jenny’s Lake, the muse of all artists who visit Grand Teton. You can fish paddle or swim this two-mile-long lake that perfectly reflects the frozen peaks of the Teton Mountains.

Most of the park’s amenities are around Jenny’s Lake, including lodges and campgrounds. If you don’t want to stay in the park, Jackson Hole is five miles away, with plenty of hotels and restaurants for you to enjoy.

It would be best to visit Grand Teton from mid-May to late September. Most of the park’s amenities and trails are closed fall through winter due to snow, giving more room for cross-country skiers and snowshoers. While this is also the same time as tourist season, this park gets fewer visitors than Yellowstone or other large national parks, making it a great choice.

Grand Teton is a gorgeous park on equal footing to parks like Yosemite and Yellowstone, but not as popular, making it feel as though you have the mountain all to yourself. It’s beautiful, natural wonder makes for the perfect retreat from the pressures of modern life and is filled with sights you’ll never forget.

Each park is filled with beauty, nature, wonder, and lots of trails. It can be hard to decide where you’d like to go with all of these choices. However, no matter which one you choose, it’s sure to be filled with memories you’ll never forget. From the towering mountains of Grand Teton to the famous hot springs of Yellowstone, each park has something unique and different to offer. Later this year, either in the spring or fall, I’ll have the good fortune to visit one of these parks and make my own memories. Comment below for the park you think I should see, and subscribe to follow along on my adventure. I wish you the best on your own travels.