As I think about where I might want to travel this year, one important thing to consider is what I’ve already enjoyed doing.
Some favorites will merit a return trip. Others will guide which new places I choose to go in the future.
I’m reminded of all of the places I’ve been fortunate to visit when I see travelers asking for recommendations on social media. I’ve written a lot about my adventures already, but I thought, why not put my top recommendations into one convenient list?
Driving the scenic roads and stopping by the visitor’s center is a given, but I’ve mentioned them in a couple of cases where they are definitely not-to-miss.
This list is based only on things I’ve actually done. There are other activities that may be better, but I haven’t had a chance to try them yet!
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (Wisconsin)
Take the Lakeshore Trail to the sea caves overlooks.
Arches National Park (Utah)
Hike to Landscape Arch. Visit Double Arch. Skip the Delicate Arch hike if it’s hot.
Badlands National Park (South Dakota)
Drive the loop road and make stops at the overlooks. Take the short hikes at Door Trail, Window Trail, and/or Notch Trail.
Bears Ears National Monument (Utah)
Drive the Valley of the Gods Road and the Moki Dugway. (There’s said to be a lot of great hiking here that I haven’t had a chance to check out.)
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (Colorado)
Visit the Cedar Point overlook. Hike Warner Point.
Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
Hike Navajo Loop to the Queens Garden Trail.
Canyonlands National Park (Utah)
In the Island in the Sky Unit, visit Grand View Point and the Green River overlook. Hike to Mesa Arch.
Capitol Reef National Park (Utah)
Hike the Grand Wash. Pick fruit in the orchards if it’s in season.
Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
Enjoy the view of the lake from the Sinnott Memorial Overlook in the morning. Hike the Discovery Trail along the ridgeline.
Craters of the Moon National Monument (Idaho)
Hike up the Inferno Cone. Park at the Spatter Cones and hike to one of the Big Craters.
Custer State Park (South Dakota, honorable mention)
Drive the Wildlife Loop, Needles Highway, and Iron Mountain Highway. Hike from Sylvan Lake to Black Elk Peak in the adjacent Black Elk Wilderness.
Death Valley National Park (California)
Visit Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at sunrise. Walk in Badwater Basin and hike the Golden Canyon before it gets hot. Drive Artists Drive. Take a picture of the temperature sign at the visitor’s center.
Dinosaur National Monument (Colorado/Utah)
Hike the Harpers Corner Trail on the Colorado side. Visit the Dinosaur Fossil Wall on the Utah side.
Glacier National Park (Montana)/Waterton Lakes National Park (Alberta)
Start on Going-to-the-Sun Road early in the day to see calm waters reflecting the mountains and to arrive at the visitor’s center when there’s still room to park. Make the long drives to Two Medicine and Many Glacier. (I plan to return to check out more of the hiking trails.) U.S. residents, bring your passport or passport card to visit Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta.
Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
Stop at any of the numerous overlooks along the south rim. Jockey for position to watch sunset from Mather Point.
Grand Portage National Monument (Minnesota)
Take time to learn at the visitor’s center. Walk through the reconstructed fort. Hike up the hill to the Mount Rose overlook.
Grand Teton National Park (Wyoming)
Visit the Snake River Overlook to see where Ansel Adams took his famous photo. (There’s a lot more to do here that I haven’t yet had a chance to try.)
Great Basin National Park (Nevada)
Make cave tour reservations in advance. Bring traction devices to hike the Bristlecone Grove Trail (which I couldn’t do because I didn’t bring them).
Joshua Tree National Park (California)
Hike up Ryan Mountain. Visit Cholla Cactus Garden.
Kings Canyon National Park (California)
Drive to the end of the road and hike to Mist Falls. Hike the Buena Vista overlook, especially if the wildflowers are in bloom. Make a quick stop at Grant Grove.
Lassen Volcanic National Park (California)
Hike to the Bumpass Hell volcanic area and enjoy the massive mountain views along the way. Visit Sulphur Works.
Lava Beds National Monument (California)
Hike to Kintpuash’s Stronghold (they call it by a different name) and the Black Crater. (The park is popular for its caves, but it’s not my thing.)
Mesa Verde National Park (Colorado)
Visit ruins along the Mesa Top Loop. Hike to Step House. (Several well-known parts of the park were closed during my visit.)
Mount Rainier National Park (Washington)
Hike the Skyline Loop in the Paradise area, my most-recommended hike anywhere. Visit the Sunrise area and hike along a portion of the Sourdough Ridge Trail.
Mount Rushmore National Monument (South Dakota)
Take the Presidential Trail and peer up George Washington’s nose. Leave time to visit the museum. Enjoy a meal in the cafeteria where Alfred Hitchcock shot a scene for North by Northwest. Also visit the nearby Crazy Horse Memorial and its extensive museum.
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument (Washington)
Learn about the timeline of the eruption at the Mount St. Helens Visitor’s Center (which is actually a state park facility). If you have time, make the long, curvy drive to the Windy Ridge overlook on the east side.
Natural Bridges National Monument (Utah)
Drive the loop road. Make the short hike to Owachomo Bridge.
North Cascades National Park/Ross Lake National Recreation Area (Washington)
Visit the Diablo Lake Overlook. Drive Tioga Pass Road. (I hear the Tioga Pass Trail is great but I skipped it due to smoke and record heat at the time of my visit.) Also be sure to visit the Washington Pass Overlook east of the park in the Okanogon National Forest.
Olympic National Park (Washington)
Visit Hurricane Ridge and the Hoh Rain Forest. Hike the beaches at Kalaloch (sandy) and Mora (rocky). Make the side trip to Cape Flattery, the northwesternmost point in the continental U.S., and visit the Makah Museum.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (Arizona)
Take the Ajo Mountain Drive scenic loop to see numerous kinds of cacti.
Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona)
Visit the Painted Desert Inn. Hike the Long Logs/Agate House loop. View petroglyphs at Puerco Pueblo. Hike the Blue Mesa loop, especially if you haven’t been to the Badlands.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (Michigan)
Visit the Miners Castle and Log Slide overlooks.
Pukaskwa National Park (Ontario)
Hike the Southern Headland Trail for views of wild Lake Superior and stop by the beach in Horseshoe Bay.
Redwoods National and State Parks (California)
Hike Lady Bird Johnson Grove, especially if it’s foggy. Look for Roosevelt Elk at Elk Meadow. Enjoy sunsets on the coast.
Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
I’ve still got a lot left to see here, but I can vouch for the Trail Ridge Road and its overlooks. Hike the Alpine Ridge Trail, which is short but strenuous due to the elevation.
Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
Drive the scenic loops in both units. Make the quick hike up Signal Hill and view the petroglyphs.
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument (California)
Visit Mount Wilson Observatory.
Sequoia National Park (California)
Climb Moro Rock. Visit some of the named trees. Watch out for bears.
Shenandoah National Park (Virginia)
Arrive early enough to drive the entire Skyline Drive and stop at some of the overlooks. (My visit here was fairly quick so I didn’t get a chance to check out the hikes.)
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (Michigan)
Drive the scenic loop. Visit the Dune Overlook. Take a short hike at the Lake Michigan Overlook.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)
Hike the Painted Canyon Nature Trail and drive the loop road in the south unit. In the north unit, visit Oxbow Overlook and hike the Upper Caprock Trail east of River Bend Overlook.
Voyageurs National Park (Minnesota)
Enjoy the view from the small picnic area behind the Ash River Visitor’s Center on a nice fall day.
Wind Cave National Park (South Dakota)
Hike the short trail up Rankin Ridge.
Yaquina Head Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area (Oregon)
Hike uphill from the lighthouse area.
Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming)
Drive the entire figure-eight loop. Visit the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (and its visitors center), Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, the Norris Geyser Basin, and Mammoth Hot Springs. Watch for wildlife in Lamar Valley. (Don’t try to make this park a quick stop. Plan at least five days if you can.)
Yosemite National Park (California)
Visit the Yosemite Valley early in the day to see Yosemite Falls. Bring binoculars to look for climbers on El Capitan. Escape the crowds on the far east side of the park at the Gaylor Lakes Trail. See the tall trees at Mariposa Grove. (There are many other highly-recommended activities that I haven’t yet been able to try.)
Zion National Park (Utah)
Drive the Mt. Carmel-Zion Scenic Highway. Hike a portion of the Kayenta Trail. Bring lots of money for parking if you’re planning to visit the nearby town.
Again, these recommendations are based only on things I’ve actually done. As you can see above, there’s plenty more that I’d like to try!
And a few quick recommendations before heading out:
- Make your reservations as soon as you can. (This isn’t just about camping and lodging — some popular parks require a reservation to enter, and tours to popular sites fill quickly.)
- Get the official NPS app and download the information for each park you’ll be visiting. Connectivity is poor to nonexistent in most of the parks.
- Buy a reference book such so you have all of the information in print form. “Your Guide to the National Parks” has been my go-to reference because it contains detailed recommendations, grids listing hiking trails, and the official maps for every park.
Read about more of my roadtrip adventures in the Off Topic category!