Having a problem of plenty to choose from, is always a sweet trouble to go through. And that is never truer when you need to choose among national parks. It’s a fact that conservation and protection measures have worked really well to a point where today, the US have some of the best national parks on the planet. But for the enthusiastic traveler, what are those that they shouldn’t miss? Let’s delve in …

Yellowstone National Park

Images by victory-is-mine, oakleyoriginals, jimdollar, pfly

Call us old-fashioned towards the famous Old Faithful itself, but Yellowstone is an internationally renowned attraction that many from all across the globe mark on their tourist map. With the hot geysers, free-roaming grizzlies and bisons, America’s oldest and most astonishing national park is something well worth taking a visit. At least once in a lifetime.

Yosemite National Park

Images by chanc, smif, sollerphoto, joeshalbotnik, daleberts

Gigantic granite cliffs, breathtaking waterfalls and natural beauty that will stun you with sights and sounds that are too good to be true, the Yosemite National Park is simply outstanding. Perfect for the adventurers with plenty of hiking, trekking and cliff climbing options, the 1,200 acre park will bring your wild and rugged side out. A photographer’s delight, Yosemite will definitely leave you with haunting memories.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Image by dustygreen

With over 9.4 million visitors taking a trip into the vast magnificence of the ‘Smokies’, this is the most popular and surely the most-visited national park in all of America. With over 800 miles of hiking trails, up rugged Appalachian Mountain peaks (with 16 standing above the 6000 feet mark) this mountainous border between North Carolina and Tennessee is a magnet for anyone and everyone who loves the good old American outback. Snow, rivers, alpine forests, imperious peaks and a few cliffs— you name it and the Smokies have it!

Grand Canyon

Image by eob, cobalt, mandj98

Did someone talk about jaw dropping cliffs in here, because the Grand Canyon just happens to be one of the 7 natural wonders of the World. But is there anything else about the Grand Canyon that hasn’t already been spoken of? The cliffs, the rivers, the hues, shades, contour and exciting adventure sports, this is the home to one of America’s most recognizable features. Grand indeed, in every sense of the word!

Crater Lake

Images by vladeb, deadair, brothergrimm

The Crater Lake National Park (which just happens to be the deepest lake in the US) is another stunning sight that welcomes you to deep blue nirvana. Located in Southern Oregon about 100 miles east of the Pacific Ocean, there are two islands in-between the lake. One of them is the Phantom Ship, it’s well worth checking out.

Olympic National Park

Image by brian-m

Enter the Olympic National Park and you will be treated with Pacific Ocean beaches, rain forest valleys, glacier-capped peaks and a stunning variety of plants and animals. It is almost like a journey back in time with a place that feels untouched by man and still nestled and preserved in nature’s lap. The snow-laden mountains in the back-drop, green trees and a captivating lake make for a picture perfect holiday of Olympic proportions!

Rocky Mountains National Park

Images by davetbear, daveseven, scingram

With at least 60 mountains to exceed 12,000 feet (and topping off at 14,259 feet) on the football field-sized summit of Longs Peak, the Rocky Mountain National Park is all about intimidating superlatives. Delicate alpine flowers, clear lakes, rushing mountain waters, and a wide array of animals are nestled in this rocky terrain. The national park is renowned for its wonderful trekking trails and adventure tourism.

Glacier National Park

Images by anitagould, bestrated1 (1+2)

The most pristine of America’s national parks, Glacier National Park seems to exude unabated charm with its snow-capped mountains, grizzly encounters and a panorama that reminds you of mountain ranges like the Alps and the Andes. Its largely inaccessible parts along with its remote presence mean that you will not see too much traffic anywhere around here and that adds greatly to your trip.

Acadia National Park

Image by jps246

Watching the sea star creep along the ocean floor or hearing the sound of waves along a cobblestone beach are few of the many unique specialties of this National Park East of the Mississippi River. Dotted with rough coastline, high granite peaks and snow-filled plains in the winter, Acadia is open throughout the year for visitors.

Hawaii Volcanoes

Images by d.monyak (1+2+3)

This might be a tad bit off of the beaten track, but the real look at the wide variety that national parks in US have to offer is never complete without the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. This special and fiery protected area is more of a masterpiece of geological evolution with lava flows, tunnels and active volcanoes. Home to two of the most active volcanoes in the world, a trip to this island is still pretty safe and is an experience unlike anything else on the planet …

Molten magic!

Popularity: 1% [?]