The United States is a fascinating and naturally blessed country and great outdoors dreams come alive here. Some of its best outdoor destinations are preserved as national parks and the US has whooping 63 of them. They offer the best visual indulgence and exhilarating outdoor experiences in some of America's finest landscapes and natural wonders. Our list comprises the 10 best national parks in the USA to help you make the most of your adventure experience. Discover more, with our handpicked collection of USA Walking Holidays.
1. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Yellowstone National Park is the world's first national park and truly deserves accolades for being outstanding in grandeur, charm, and evoking thrilling sensations. It embodies the quintessential American outdoor wonder, featuring diverse landscapes and enchanting scenery like tundra, mountains, hot springs, waterfalls, and its grand canyon. But the park is far more remarkable for having the highest concentration of geysers in the world. Every visitor should experience the visual pleasure of the erupting Old Faithful Geyser and the beauty of Grand Prismatic Spring - a pool with varying colours. It is also a good place to spot wildlife, especially roaming Bisons.
2. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
The Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona is one of America's most visited and famous parks. The canyons are mind-blowing, wondrous, and chillingly spectacular, with the deepest points at over 1,800 metres (6,000 feet). One of the best landscapes in the US is in the south rim of the park, you’ll be rewarded with a postcard perfect view of the Colorado River slicing the yellow and red canyons below. Alternate options for views include Canyon Skywalk, Mather Point, Lipan Point, and Mary Colter Lookout Studio. The park is also a thrilling destination for whitewater rafting on the Colorado River, exhilarating hikes along its rims, and horseback riding.
3. Yosemite National Park, California
Mountain climbers and hikers have made Yosemite National Park their playground and hotspot to express their adventurous ambitions. A highlight feature of the park is the magnificent El Capitan, a granite monolith spearing into the sky at over 900 metres (3,000 feet). Another notable rock formation is the Half Dome standing at 4,800 feet and worth hiking. Not to forget the magical Bridalveil Falls - nature's aquatic bride in the park. You can savour views of all three landmarks - El Captain, Half Dome, and Bridal Veil Falls from Tunnel View, a charming overlook in the park. Remember to walk across Tunnel Tree, a large tree with an open space at its base.
4. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina
For amazing and picturesque views of mountain scenery, head to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited in the country. The park expresses the untamed beauty of the Appalachian Mountains, with over 1,200 kilometres (800 miles) of hiking trails to explore and soak in these beauties. One of them leads to Clingmans Dome, the highest peak at 2,025 metres (6,643 feet), where views of the Blue Ridge Mountains are magical from a stunning observation tower. Don't miss the antiquated structures in the park like churches and log cabins, with some of the best at Cades Cove and along Roaring Fork Motor Trail.
5. Zion National Park, Utah
Zion National Park, known for its stunning Zion Canyons, boasts breathtaking natural landscapes featuring narrow rivers cutting through striking pink and orange sandstone cliffs. Truly a beauty to behold, they are best savoured on hikes, with the best trails in Angels Landing, The Narrows, Weeping Rock, West Rim, and Taylor Creek Trail. Aside from hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, and visiting the Lower Emerald Pools with waterfalls and a hanging garden will make a visit here sensational. The sights of wildlife species are plentiful here, including bighorn sheep, cougars, badgers, and bobcats.
6. Arches National Park, Utah
Arches National Park steals the spotlight from Zion and Grand Canyon national park with its collection of over 2,000 natural sandstone arches and bridges, with some framing the sunset. Once here, every sight is charming, and it's impossible to enjoy all the views in one visit. The most famous and stunning arches include the Landscape Arch, Delicate Arch, and Double Arch. Also, check out the Courthouse Towers and Balanced Rock to hold your breath in wonder.
7. Denali National Park, Alaska
Denali National Park is home to the highest mountain in North America, Denali, at 6,190 metres (20,310 feet). And it occupies around 6 million acres of space, larger than New Hampshire state. The park is renowned for having a single road traversing it, which is quite strange considering its size. It is also prominent for its diverse landscape comprising glaciers, rivers, lakes, wildflower-drenched valleys, wilderness area (one-third of the park), deciduous taiga, and tundra. Be on the lookout for wildlife such as Canada lynx, Arctic foxes, wolverines, and coyotes.
8. Grand Teton Mountain Park, Wyoming
Grand Teton National Park is named after Grand Teton - the tallest mountain in the Teton Range, rising to 7,000 feet (2,130 metres), and features some of the oldest rocks in America, dating back to 2.7 billion years. The highlight activity here is ascending to the peak of Grand Teton, but that doesn't limit the park to mountaineering enthusiasts. It has over 300 kilometres (200 miles) of hiking trails, with some of the scenic trails around its lakes. These include Emma Matilda, Two Ocean Lake, Jenny Lake, Taggart Lake, and Phelps Lake Overlook Trails. But don't miss hiking around Snake River which runs through the park and sets the stage for fishing, and paddling activities.
9. Acadia National Park, Maine
While most famous and outstanding national parks in the US are centred on lands and mountains, Acadia National Park toes a different path. This park comprises scenic coastlines, lakes, seaside villages, fishing settlements, rocky beaches, woodlands, and glacier-draped granite peaks. In addition to its unique and diverse scenery, the park is home to the Cadillac Mountains, the tallest on the Atlantic Coast of the United States. So, there is so much to see and do here, ranging from fishing, kayaking, boating, and swimming to rock climbing, hiking, horseback riding, and cycling.
10. Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
The Dry Tortugas National Park is entirely water-based, being almost 110 kilometres (70 miles) off Key West in the Gulf of Mexico. As such, it is only accessed by seaplane or boat and comprises seven islands known as the 7 Keys. A worthy mention is Garden Key - remarkable for its charming beaches, including Fort Jefferson, a military coastal fortress built with 16 million bricks. Loggerhead Keys is another island, outstanding for its lighthouse and sea turtles. Typical activities within the national park include kayaking, fishing, swimming, sunbathing, birdwatching, scuba diving, and snorkelling.
