Celebrate National Parks Week not just this week, or on free weekends, but all the time. These parks were created for the people of the world and “future generations”. Let’s not loose them to corporate America.
OK, so I’m a little late on the no entrance fee for April 19 & 20, 2014. However there are more to come this yea: August 25 National Park Service birthday, September 27 National Public Lands Day, November 11 Veterans Day.
The National Park Service administers over 400 natural and cultural sites. I’ve visited 62 of them but unfortunately many pre-blogging. Below find links to posts of a few National Park sites I personally recommend.
A convenient shuttle operates in Zion National Park Utah stopping at many hiking and viewing areas in Zion Canyon. The towering cliffs and amazing natural sandstone sculptures will fill your eyes and mind with wonder.
To many, the giant saguaro symbolizes the American West yet they only grown in southern Arizona and northern Mexico. Saguaro National Park Arizona offers drives and hikes past forests of these unusual cactus plus areas to see ancient rock art.
The ancient bristlecone pines seen on the rim at Bryce Canyon National Park Utah are as magnificent as the various rock hoodoos below. Driving and hiking trails will take you through the magic of both.
To view the diversity of desert and mountains Death Valley National Park California will blow your mind, and possibly your radiator in the middle of summer.
Just one of many opportunities in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument includes slipping into the cool of Buckskin Gulch slot canyon Utah surrounded by walls of wavy sandstone sculpted over time by water.
Mesa Verde National Park Colorado receives top kudos for exploring ancient cliff dwellings on a guided Ranger walk but also check out the excellent museum full of interesting artifacts.
Yet another opportunity to see cliff dwellings in a different landscape and not quite so busy is Walnut Canyon National Monument Arizona where the Sinagua people settled almost 900 years ago.
The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Arizona and Utah offers boating on Lake Powell including access to Rainbow Bridge National Monument, touring the Glen Canyon Dam, exploring Lee’s ferry Lonely Dell Ranch by the Colorado River launch site and so much more.
Enjoy red rock country at high elevation visiting Cedar Breaks National Monument Utah but check for opening dates because it can snow up there even in early summer.
Pueblos built in the shadow of Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument Arizona may be long abandoned at Wupatki National Monument yet a feeling of the people’s spirit is left behind.
More Native American ruins can be explored at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument Arizona that are easy to access.
If you like to explore underground then Oregon Caves National Monument will give you an up close and personal cave experience on a guided Ranger walk or ask about the wild crawling tour for more adventure.
Of course I’ve posted a lot about Grand Canyon National Park because I’m a summer Park Ranger on the North Rim. In fact I’ll be back on the North Rim in five days and posting more so follow along for more ideas. With too many posts to list I recommend a search on this Geogypsytraveler website under ‘Grand Canyon’ for lots of awesome options.
National Parks really are “America’s Best Idea” that has spread across the world to preserve diverse natural and cultural sites of importance to the people. And it’s not just national parks but also monuments, scenic rivers, historic sites and more. Look for a park near where you are. Then get out there, and ‘Go Wild’! And remember to attend the informative Ranger walks and talks.
What park will you be visiting next?
With so many wonders on offer, I only wish I could. Meanwhile I content myself with exploring any bits of natural bush that is accessible to me.
Thanks for this little glimpse into the variety of nat. pks. in the US.
In my mind, natural bush IS the best.
HERE HERE!!! I’ve been to a few of the ones you list and a whole lot you haven’t including the one I lived pretty much right next door to for over 30 years – Shennandoah National Park. This summer I hope to get to a large number of parks some of which I’ve been to before and some of which I have not on a trip through Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Colorado and “maybe” a quick dash into Utah. LOVE LOVE LOVE my National Parks and their wonderful Rangers. Hats off to you Gaelyn!
I know you LOVE National Parks. But this summer trip keeps leaving out northern Arizona and the North Rim Grand Canyon NP. What’s up with that?
I too like and enjoy t National Parks. I finally have a senior pass. YAY! We go as often as we can to North Cascades it is so close but so are bunches of others. Good place to go day-tripping or camping. Of course we love the Rangers too. MB
You do have several park choices around you. Two more years and I’ll have my senior pass, and maybe still the Ranger hat too.
Thanks for this list– I’m planning to head West as soon as my house sells with a goal of rubbing the “new card shine” off my America The Beautiful pass! While the popular, most-visited parks are certainly on the list to see again, I’m much more inclined to seek out those less-visited parks a bit further off the beaten path. Big Bend was an amazing surprise to me last month– it literally knocked my socks off every single day I was there! Can’t wait for more parks to try and top that!
Nice thing about parks is some are huge and others are smaller, and more quiet. I haven’t been to Big Bend NP, yet, but do know the area landscape. If you visit Grand Canyon be sure to come to the mellow side, the North Rim where I work in the summer. And let me know you’re coming.
I’d love to Gaelyn! I’ve yet to see the North Rim, but your photos of it are breathtaking, and of course, hearing a bit of your knowledge of the park would be invaluable!
I look forward to your visit.
I love National Parks, I work all the time so I don’t have much time to Visit many National Parks, Love your Photo’s!!
You need to take some time off. Thanks for dropping by.
The United States, like South Africa, has some fantastic national parks. I like the fact that you say it should be celebrated every day and not just certain times of the year. Some beautiful photos in your post!
Thanks. I just can’t get enough of the National Parks.
Splendid photos…. I have been to Death Valley and fell in love with it. Haven’t been there in quite a while, though.
You’ll be able to add the North Rim to your parks list.
Most of the National Park dog policies are such that they do not want my dog and since we are a package deal they don’t want me either. I saw a quite a few N P prior to adopting my dog so I don’t feel that I am missing too much other than the crowd in many of them.
I also tend to agree with this quote by John Steinbeck found in Travels With Charley: In Search of America. “For it is my opinion that we enclose and celebrate the freaks of our nation and our civilization. Yellowstone National Park is no more representative of America than is Disneyland.” There are a lot of places outside National Parks that are beautiful and much more representative of what this land really is like.
I know that dogs, wildlife, people and parks don’t always mix well. Have had the same problem myself. Yet many parks do offer at least one dog trail, and some kennels. Plus I agree there are lots of other beautiful places to see.
A great post — and (of course you are preaching to the choir in my case) but it never hurts to be reminded of this great beauty and how fortunate we are to have these places. thank you for posting. (And I am sure that, like me, you wish you had time to go back to all those pre-blog Parks. So many beautiful places …..
I want to return to all the parks I saw long ago and more new ones too. Thank goodness for our National Parks system. It’s a great job too.