You are here

2010 in Review: Traveler's Checklists

Published Date

December 27, 2010

Scenic train rides are a big hit with Cuyahoga Valley National Park visitors. NPS photo.

This year we posted 16 Traveler's Checklists to help you plan your park visits. Did you miss any? Here's an alphabetized list with handy links.

While the summer months draw the bulk of the 1.2 million visitors visiting Bryce Canyon National Park each year, winter is a wonderful time to visit this red-rock icon in southwestern Utah.

Established in 1937 as America's first national seashore, North Carolina's Cape Hatteras National Seashore protects a 70-mile stretch of coastline consisting of windswept barrier islands with unspoiled beaches, tidal marshes, picturesque lighthouses, and other attractions, including a national wildlife refuge.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, which preserves more than 100 limestone caves, entertains more than 400,000 people a year with cave tours, bat flights, and other delights.

Situated on the coast not far from St. Augustine, Florida, Castillo de San Marcos & Ft Matanzas National Monuments are a delight to visit, especially with kids. Castillo de San Marcos has a moat, thick walls, a courtyard, cannons, and lots of rooms to explore. Fort Matanzas looks like a classic fort on an island.

The nearly 10,000-acre Chickasaw National Recreation Area in south-central Oklahoma is an outdoor recreational cornucopia offering camping, hiking, swimming, boating, fishing, and other fun things to see and do.

Congaree National Park in central South Carolina, which preserves North America’s largest remaining old-growth bottomland forest, has trees so large that some people have referred to it as "Redwoods East."

Cumberland Island National Seashore in southeastern Georgia rewards visitors with beautiful beaches, tidal marshes, historic plantation buildings, and watchable wildlife.

Well-positioned to provide recreation opportunities for the Cleveland-Akron urban region of northeastern Ohio, Cuyahoga Valley National Park contains a historic canal, a scenic railroad, historic farms, and other attractions .

Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve in southeastern Alaska delights visitors with great tidewater glaciers, a dramatic range of plant communities from tundra to lush temperate rain forest, and a large variety of animals, including grizzly bears, mountain goats, eagles, whales, and seals.

Situated on the Big Island about 2,400 miles off the California coast, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is perhaps the single best place in the world to see active volcanism, with an otherworldly landscape and a host of interesting plants and animals thrown in for good measure.

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in the historic Sweet Auburn neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia, includes the renowned civil rights leader's birthplace, church, and grave.

The more than 4,000 archeological sites at Mesa Verde National Park, including the iconic Cliff Palace, are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States.

More than 130 miles of river corridors, thousands of acres of forested hills, and a wealth of outdoor recreational activities now annually entertain over a million visitors a year to south-central Missouri's Ozark National Scenic Riverways.

Skyline Drive, gorgeous scenery, abundant wildlife, hundreds of miles of trails, and many other attractions beckon visitors to Virginia's
Shenandoah National Park.

California's Yosemite National Park in the heart of the Sierras beckons visitors with great granite peaks and domes rising high above mountain meadows, groves of giant sequoias, pretty lakes, and spectacular waterfalls, including the nation’s highest.

Support National Parks Traveler

Your support for the National Parks Traveler comes at a time when news organizations are finding it hard, if not impossible, to stay in business. Traveler's work is vital. For nearly two decades we've provided essential coverage of national parks and protected areas. With the Trump administration’s determination to downsize the federal government, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s approach to public lands focused on energy exploration, it’s clear the Traveler will have much to cover in the months and years ahead. We know of no other news organization that provides such broad coverage of national parks and protected areas on a daily basis. Your support is greatly appreciated.

 

EIN: 26-2378789

Support Essential Coverage of Essential Places

A copy of National Parks Traveler's financial statements may be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: National Parks Traveler, P.O. Box 980452, Park City, Utah 84098. National Parks Traveler was formed in the state of Utah for the purpose of informing and educating about national parks and protected areas.

Residents of the following states may obtain a copy of our financial and additional information as stated below:

  • Florida: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR NATIONAL PARKS TRAVELER, (REGISTRATION NO. CH 51659), MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING 800-435-7352 OR VISITING THEIR WEBSITE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
  • Georgia: A full and fair description of the programs and financial statement summary of National Parks Traveler is available upon request at the office and phone number indicated above.
  • Maryland: Documents and information submitted under the Maryland Solicitations Act are also available, for the cost of postage and copies, from the Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401 (410-974-5534).
  • North Carolina: Financial information about this organization and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at 888-830-4989 or 919-807-2214. The license is not an endorsement by the State.
  • Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of National Parks Traveler may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling 800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
  • Virginia: Financial statements are available from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 102 Governor Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219.
  • Washington: National Parks Traveler is registered with Washington State’s Charities Program as required by law and additional information is available by calling 800-332-4483 or visiting www.sos.wa.gov/charities, or on file at Charities Division, Office of the Secretary of State, State of Washington, Olympia, WA 98504.

Comments

I always look these up before heading out to a park. They really help in the planning! Thank you!


Great work you have done this year sir...really you blogs are helping other's like me...Carlsbad Caverns National Park, is my personal favorite because of so many interesting caves...


Love the suggestions! Quite a few on the list that I've never even thought of visiting. Can't wait to see the Caverns!

BTW: I'm in the running to win $10,000 to go towards the National Park Foundation. Help me do my part to give back to the parks we all love!

http://apps.facebook.com/globaltestdrive/showentry?entryurl=/contests/sh...


Donate Popup

The National Parks Traveler keeps you informed on how politics impact national parks and protected areas.

Support Our Mission

INN Member

The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.

Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.

You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

FREE for iPhones and Android phones.