People like lists. No, check that, they love them. Particularly when they disagree with them and think they have a better list. So, here's my personal Top 10 list of national parks.* How does it match up with yours?
1. Yellowstone. Does this selection really need to be explained? It's the world's first national park, it features the world's greatest collection of thermal features (hot springs, fumaroles, geysers, etc.), has wolves, two species of bears, eagles, osprey, moose, bighorn sheep, streams for angling, lakes for paddling and angling, and an incredible backcountry for getting away from it all.
You could spend an entire vacation watching the surf at Acadia. NPS photo.
2. Acadia. Perhaps because this was the very first national park I ever visited, this deserves to be in my Top 10. That said, it can stand on its own. The wonderful mix of forests and surf, the carriage paths, the eclectic vibe that runs through Bar Harbor, the great B&Bs and cottages, and, of course, the fresh lawbsta make this park a crowd pleaser.
3. Olympic. One park, three vastly different experiences: Surf, rainforest, and alpine. Just one of those three would justify a visit to this park overlooking the Pacific Ocean from Washington state's peninsula. But when you have all three in one visit...well, it's a no brainer.
Great Smoky is rife with hiking options. Kurt Repanshek photo.
4. Great Smoky. Family friendly, rich in American history, fantastic hiking, it's all here. When the dog days of summer get hot and lazy, there are more than a few streams to cool off in. The historic structures found in Cades Cove, (Big and Little) Cataloochee, and Oconaluftee allow you to peer into an earlier, somewhat simpler, more self-reliant time.
5. Canyonlands. This park likely won't make everyone's list, but then, that's probably because they haven't visited. There's prehistory on display in the form of granaries, petroglyphs and pictographs, vestiges of cowboy history, bizarre geology, bucking rivers for white-water cowboys, and vast expanses to walk into.
6. Glacier Bay. Again, not likely to make everyone's list. But it's rich in glacial history, boasts a cornucopia of wildlife (both terrestrial and marine), and is most definitely wild. And the fishing is not lacking.
You want glaciers? Glacier Bay has glaciers. Kurt Repanshek photo.
7. Sequoia. Big trees, big backcountry, great backcountry and front-country trails, a kid-pleaser. A bonus is that it's connected by border, and administratively, to Kings Canyon National Park.
8. Yosemite. While the Yosemite Valley is the main attraction, if you spend all your time there with the millions of other visitors, you won't really get to know this park. The high country with its granite domes, peaks, and hiking trails is sublime.
9. Everglades. Sure, it's hot in summer, but show up between November and April and you've got a reasonable climate in which to explore the paddling trails, go birding, take in a hike or two, explore the largest officially designated wilderness east of the Rockies, and the fishing is waiting for you.
You haven't experienced Yosemite if you neglect the high country. Kurt Repanshek photo.
10. Virgin Islands. Another personal favorite that might not show up on many lists. But if you're looking for relaxation in the form of reclining in your beach chair on the park's sugar-sand beaches, want to explore some dazzling marinelife while snorkeling the park's coral reefs, or study Caribbean history, this is the place to head.
* For the purposes of this list, I considered just the 58 "national" parks.
Comments
Hey celbert,
I'm heading to Guadalupe Mountains NP in a few weeks for the first time. Anything I definitely shouldn't miss?
Love them all (at least all the ones I've been to) but of those, here is my list:
1. Great Smoky Mountains: My first and the one I return to most often. It gets under your skin, especially when you get onto its trails. Running water everywhere, wildlife, flowers galore, brilliant autumn colors, snow to hike in during winter without arctic deadly temps.
2. Glacier: The "Smokies of the West" to me. Lots of uncrowded hiking trails, wildflowers, wildlife, and the best huckleberry treats anywhere I've been.
3. Death Valley: This one surprised us. Spectacular scenery, no crowds, lots of color, and great hiking. Will return to this one.
4. Mammoth Cave: This is another one of those that we visited without knowing what to expect and had a fantastic experience and great time.
5. Wrangell St. Elias: They don't call it the mountain kingdom of North America for no reason. Grand scenery, glaciers to hike on, temperate weather (for AK), and a vastness you cannot describe without experiencing.
6. Yellowstone: I was frankly surprised that I enjoyed this as much as I did considering I don't care for crowds or "tourist" attractions, but it got me.
7. Zion: Great hiking, great scenery, and a good shuttle system that keeps traffic congestion down.
8. Acadia: Beautiful serene little park with good trails, accessible vistas, ocean sounds and mountains to climb.
9. Congaree: What a pleasant surprise! The trees are immense and it's called "Redwoods of the East." One of the most unique places we've been. Had a great time hiking there and it felt very remote.
10. Rocky Mountain: Good mountain scenery, plenty of wildlife, and lots of good trails. The only thing keeping it from being higher to me is the elevation can make it tough for "outsiders" to enjoy without discomfort.
In keeping with the original article's method of only naming actual "Parks" that would be my list, however, plenty of other NPS units would work there way in if included, such as:
Blue Ridge Parkway, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, New River Gorge National River, Chickamauga National Military Park, and Big South Fork National Recreation Area.
To follow-up my earlier reply, my wife wanted me to mention a few others on her behalf:
Grand Canyon (north rim)
Shenendoah
Cumberland Gap NHP
Yellowstone, Yellowstone, Yellowstone.
That said, here's my other nine:
Mt. Rainier (my mountain -- I live an hour and a half from Paradise)
Olympic
Crater Lake
Redwoods
Rocky Mountain
Okay, this one isn't a park, so to speak, but I have to include the Blue Ridge Parkway
Zion
Arches
Mesa Verde
And it was really hard to narrow it down to just ten!
But Yellowstone!!!
Been to many and more to see http://www.freelancetourist.com/national-parks-time-visit-today/
Well, this is fun!
Yellowstone
Mesa Verde
Grand Canyon
Badlands
Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Crater Lake
Rocky Mountain
Wind Cave
Redwood
Great Sand Dunes
These parks made my list because I've actually been there, and also because I have fond memories of good times. I have yet to visit Yosemite, Acadia, Everglades, Big Bend, or Death Valley, but someday!
1. Yellewstone is my favorite of all the National Parks
2. Zion
3. Bryce
4. Grand Canyon.
5. Sequoia and King's Canyon.
6.Yosemite.
7. C & O Canal
8. Grand Teton.
9. Glacier Bay, Alaska
10. Glacier National Park, MT
Everyone's list looks good. My list (like everyone's) is based on where I have been. I have a few on my list that I have not seen mentioned yet. For example, Organ Pipe Cactus Nat. Mon. (which admittedly I explored multiple times many years ago before it got impacted by a lot of illegal cross-border traffic) is a simply magical piece of the Sonoran desert.
Yellowstone NP
Glacier NP
Acadia NP
Grand Canyon NP
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Olympic NP
Rocky Mountain NP
Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Great Smoky Mountains NP
Redwoods National & State Parks