I’ve spent the last two decades exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and have become utterly fascinated by itsĚýduality. On the one hand, GSMNP is the epitome of a “drive through” park, with a scenic road and bevy of easy nature trails. On the other, it’s a rugged expanse of wilderness packed with steep cliffs, remote hollers, and wild trout streams. Some of the park’s gateway towns are packed with waterslides and chain restaurants, while others have quaint main streets. Over the years, I’ve sat in traffic jams inside the park, but also crawled through dense backcountry forests. I’ve fished streams and hugged massive old growth trees and spotted elk at dusk and climbed some of the tallest peaks in the eastern U.S. all within the borders of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

What I’ve discovered is that you need time to fully appreciate this landscape. You need to spend days on end here, fishing and hiking and picnicking your way through these impressive mountains. That means you’ll need a place to lay your head and recover from the day’s adventure. While camping inside GSMNP is great, sometimes you need a few more amenities, like a hot tub or game room, to truly round out your vacation.

For this sort of trip, I usually turn to Airbnb, which has hundreds of cabin options you can rent for a night or more, within a stone’s throw of the park. Here are eight properties I’d recommend that hit the sweet spot of perks, location, and high reviews from other travelers. Any one of these would make the perfect basecamp for exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Know Before You Go: Last September, Western North Carolina was devastated by Hurricane Helene. I wrote about my experience in the storm at the time, but I want readers to know that the region is healing, and many communities are open to tourism again. Great Smoky Mountains National Park did not receive the brunt of the storm, and most gateway towns saw minimal damage compared to other communities. But keep the storm and its lasting impacts in mind when you’re traveling to the region. Some roads might still be closed, and some areas will still look scarred.

Creekside Chalet

Why We Love It: The A-frame, ski-chalet vibes

Price: From $190 per night

Built into the side of a mountain in the sixties, this kitschy A-frame chalet has been completely remodeled into a modern gem that sits just outside the hustle and bustle of downtown Gatlinburg. The two-bedroom cabin has a large living room that makes the most of the A-frame design with towering vaulted ceilings and floor to ceiling windows, but I also love the front porch, which has its own hot tub. The cabin feels secluded, thanks to the surrounding forest of hardwoods, but it’s actually on the edge of Ober Gatlinburg, a family-friendly ski resort that’s the perfect place to take your first turns. You’re also just tenĚýminutes from the Gatlinburg entrance to the park, with quick access to the trails off of Newfound Gap Road, which cuts through the center of the park. Plus, it perfect for larger crews, as it sleeps up to six people with two bedrooms, a sleeper sofa, and has two baths.

Cabin in the Clouds

Why We Love It: The epic view from the hot tub

Price: From $250 per night

I like the quieter North Carolina side of the park and this new, two-bedroom mountain-top cabin near Bryson City makes the most of the area thanks to a wall of glass and expansive porch that takes in the surrounding mountains. The living room is the definition of “airy,” with vaulted ceilings and an exterior wall full of windows, which leads onto the expansive deck where a hot tub sits in the corner. Soaking in the tub while you enjoy mountain vistas by day, or starry skies by night, has to be the highlight here, although I also like the firepit complete with a built-in national park-style charcoal grill. From here, you’ll have quick access to Lake Fontana and the Deep Creek area of the park, which is packed with waterfalls and adventurous tubing. The home sleeps up to six people, with two bedrooms and two baths.

Riverfront Glass House

Why We Love It: The fire pit right next to a world-class trout stream

Price: From $299 a night, 2-night minimum

This large home sits on a peninsula at the confluence of a small creek and the Little River, with steps leading down to a grassy “beach” that’s perfect for lounging or casting for trout. There’s a shaded patio with a hot tub and a lounge area complete with an outdoor TV, not to mention an outdoor shower. Hardwoods throughout and big picture windows show off the surrounding forest and mountains from the inside of this updated home, but its location is the real draw. Not only will you have private access to the river, but the house, which sleeps up to six, is only two miles from the Foothills Parkway, a scenic two-lane road that wraps around the border of GSMNP, and the Airbnb is only 12 miles to the closest entrance to the park.

Clever Cubs Cabin

Why We Love It: The built-in game room and close proximity to family fun

Price: From $233 per night; 3-night minimum

You never know how your kids will respond to that five-mile hike you have planned, but I guarantee they’ll love the full-sized arcade games, pool table, and karaoke machine that occupy the bonus room in this three-story cabin. Older kids will appreciate the photogenic murals crafted inside and outside of this home, and as an extra perk, the cabin is located near Sevierville, which is packed with family adventures, from zip line courses to gem mines. The wraparound porch has a putting green, and there’s a lower deck with a fire pit and a tiki bar for the adults. As for the cabin’s proximity to the park, you’re about 30 minutes from Sugarlands Visitor Center, where you can pick up the scenic Newfound Gap Road, which cuts through the heart of the Smokies, or break off to Cades Cove, a former farming community with historic buildings scattered throughout the valley. This cabin sleeps up to eight people.

The Smoky Mountain Treehouse

Why We Love It: The 40-foot swinging bridge

Price: From $275 per night

This custom-built tree house has story-book weekend written all over it, from the 40-foot long swinging bridge you need to cross to enter the home, to the architectural details that make the cabin one-of-a-kind. The kitchen is compact, but a rolling ladder leads to a loft, live edge countertops grace the bathroom and kitchenette, and you get views of the surrounding mountain from your king bed. The outside living space is even better, with an outdoor shower, cedar hot tub, and a hammock built into the floor of the deck. The location is prime, as this treehouse sits just off the Foothills Parkway on the western border of the park, close to the Abrams Falls and Goldmine Trailhead. It can sleep up to four, but this perch is best for a romantic couple’s getaway.

Eagle’s Landing

Why We Love It: The view from the porch of the lake below

Price: From $225 per night

Is it crazy to rent a cabin just for the view? Depends on what you’re looking at. Eagles Landing is a two-bedroom cabin that sleeps up to six perched on a bluff overlooking a quiet corner of Lake Fontana, a finger-lake body of water that forms the southern border of GSMNP. The firepit and front porch have the best views of the vistas below, showing off green slopes that rise directly from the water. Head down the mountain to paddle Fontana in search of rope swings, jumping rocks, and waterfalls (all of which can be found nearby). If you’re looking for land-based activities, the Appalachian Trail crosses Fontana Dam and climbs to Shuckstack Tower, a decommissioned fire lookout with views of Lake Fontana.

Secluded Cabin

Why We Love It: The remote setting and quick access to the park.

Price: From $145 per night

Tucked into Pisgah National Forest, near the north-eastern border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this small, one-bedroom cabin is surrounded by Pisgah National Forest, with nothing but dense hardwoods for neighbors. There are no frills in this remote outpost, which has two beds and sleeps up to four, but the interior is nicely finished and has a wood stove to keep you warm at night, while a covered porch and fire pit give you the outdoor space you need for soaking in the surrounding wilderness. The location is prime for exploring the eastern side of the park, where the Mount Sterling fire tower looms tall and swimming holes like Midnight Hole beckon during the summer. It’s dog-friendly too, and is accessible by unmaintained forest roads, so if you visit during a winter snow storm, you’ll need a four-wheel drive vehicle.

Vista Heights Lodge

Why We Love It: The private pool and outdoor living space

Price: From $441 per night

Big groups need room to spread out, and not only does this large cabin near the western border of the park have plenty of space (it sleeps up to 12 with 5Ěýbedrooms and 5.5 baths), it has a gorgeous screened-in porch complete with a wood-burning fireplace, an indoor/outdoor heated pool, and a game room with a pool table. Enjoy expansive views of the Smokies from many of the bedrooms, or spend your time hopping between the hot tub and the pool. There’s even a Peloton bike if you feel the need to burn calories. The cabin sits on the edge of the park, near the Little River Gorge and Elkmont Campground, with a dozen trailheads under 30 minutes from the front door.

Graham Averill is şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř magazine’s national parks columnist. He’s been exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the surrounding area since he was a kid. In those days, his family camped, which is great, but he definitely appreciates a cabin with a hot tub and pool table. He has recently written about the best national parks for spring break, and the ones that you can enter for free this year.

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Many of America’s 63 national parks charge an entrance fee, usually $30-$35 per vehicle or $15 if you’re walking or on a bike. Or you can get an for just $80. The fee covers you for seven days, and the money goes to a good cause: according to the NPS, 80 percent is used within the park, helping to improve trails, campsites, and roads, and 20 percent goes to other park sites. And there are six or so .

You can also have a national-park experience for free another way, by visiting one of the 20 national parks that don’t charge an entrance fee ever. Come and go as you please without dropping a dime. Many of them are among our least-visited national parks, which means you might have these landscapes to yourself.

These are the 20 national parks that are free to visit every day. If you’re wondering whether these are good ones, they’re not—they’re great ones.

1. Biscayne National Park, Florida

A coastal park located in south Florida where the mainland transitions to the Keys, Biscayne National Park is a collection of islands, mangroves, coral reefs, and open water that’s largely inaccessible except by boat. While entering the park doesn’t cost a thing, if you’re bringing a boat and want to anchor at certain areas, expect a $25 docking fee on weekends and holidays.

Best Time to Visit: Summer is hot and buggy (with temps in the 90s and mosquitoes), and hurricanes are possible in the fall. Shoot for winter, when temps hover in the mid 70s and the storms and bugs are dormant.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: Biscayne Bay is known for its shipwrecks, and the Mandalay, a schooner that sank in the ’60s, is one of the top sites, as the hull sits in shallow enough water to be seen by snorkelers as well as divers. This wreck is part of the which includes five others. Don’t want to spend your time underwater? Head to Boca Chita Key, also part of the park, a 32-acre island with camping ($25 a night, first-come, first-served), hiking, and a lighthouse. The half-mile trail that circumnavigates the small island leads to its beaches.

2. Channel Islands National Park, California

Channel Islands National Park encompasses five rugged islands in the Pacific Ocean about 30 miles off the coast of Los Angeles. If you ever wondered what Southern California would look like without the development and traffic, this is it. The park is full of remote beaches, steep cliffs, expansive meadows, and pristine forests.

Best Time to Visit: Summer, as the water and air temps are both in the 70s, a little cooler than most of Southern California but still warm, so you can make the most of those beaches scattered throughout the park.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: I hit Channel Islands last summer as part of a seven-day adventure cruise, but the easiest way (compared to arriving via seaplane or private boat) to reach the park is by ferry, with (day trips from $96). Get dropped off on Santa Rosa Island and hike the 12-mile out-and-back to Skunk Point, a prominent peninsula with sand dunes and cliffs jutting into the Pacific. You’ll pass rare Torrey pines, a gnarled-looking, wind-twisted type of tree only found on the Channel Islands and in La Jolla on the mainland, and have copious views of the ocean and island along the way.

Or book a sea-kayaking tour with and paddle to sea caves and gaze at natural rock arches (from $145 per person).

3. Congaree National Park, South Carolina

You could say Congaree National Park is a swamp, and you wouldn’t be wrong, but the word doesn’t do the place justice. The 26,692-acre Congaree holds the largest intact old-growth bottom-wood forest in the South, boasting trophy-sized loblolly pines and cypress that rise straight from the water. The same forest has one of the tallest canopies in the eastern United States, with an average tree height of more than 100 feet.

Best Time to Visit: Avoid summer because of the sweltering heat and bugs. Winter and spring are fine, but you might as well show up in the fall when the weather is perfect, the rivers are full from seasonal rains, and the hardwoods, like tupelos and sweet gums, are popping with color.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: Most of the fun in Congaree is water-based, so bring a canoe or paddle board and slowly make your way through the , a 15-mile marked “path” that winds through old-growth cypress. The current is mellow enough to paddle up or downstream, so you don’t need a shuttle.

4. Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

An oasis of public land sandwiched between the bustling cities of Cleveland and Akron, Cuyahoga Valley holds 33,000 acres of forest and historic farmland surrounding the Cuyahoga River. What the park lacks in towering peaks or grand vistas, it makes up for in waterways, waterfalls, and cultural significance; you can ride your bike beside the Ohio and Erie Canal, which connected the Ohio River with Lake Erie, key to the country’s western expansion during the early 1800s.

Best Time to Visit: It’s a four-season park (although winters can be cold and snowy), and I could make an argument for every season. Fall brings bright foliage, and spring is mild and uncrowded, but show up in summer and you can take advantage of the many farmers’ markets in and around the park. The Cuyahoga Valley is still a very active agricultural hub of the Midwest.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: You have to bike at least a section of the , a 100-mile crushed-gravel trail that follows the Ohio and Erie Canal. Roughly 20 miles of the Towpath sit inside the park, passing through small towns and meadows full of wildflowers, like trillium and bloodroot, with deer and foxes along the way.

5. Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Want remote wilderness? Go to Alaska, then keep heading north into the Brooks Range, and you’ll find Gates of the Arctic, a 13,000-square-mile expanse of mountains and river valleys north of the Arctic Circle. There are no roads in Gates of the Arctic, nor a visitor center or gift shop, nor even established trails. Just herds of caribou, the glow of the northern lights, and several federally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers winding through the tundra. Ěý

Best Time to Visit: Hands down, summer has the warmest temps, as well as rivers that are full from snowmelt and a landscape that comes alive as everything from wildflowers to grizzly bears makes the most of the sunshine. There’s plenty of that, too; you’re so far north, you can expect daylight for up to a month at a time in the summer.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: Try, if you can, to see this park from the hull of a boat. Consider paddling the Noatak, a sinuous river that’s carved a broad valley through the Brooks Range. You’d plan for a 10-day canoe-camping trip, with mostly calm water and a few stretches of class II rapids on the 60-mile section inside the park. You’ll float past meadows full of alpine sunflowers and snow buttercups, fish for arctic char, and keep an eye out for grizzlies, wolves, and Dall sheep ( from $8,900).

6. Gateway Arch National Park, Missouri

Gateway Arch isn’t like other national parks on this list. It’s an urban park, located in St. Louis, that was originally set aside to commemorate the cultural significance of our country’s push westward. It’s only 91 acres, tucked into the banks of the Mississippi River, and has the 630-foot Gateway Arch as its centerpiece. Fun fact: this is the tallest arch in the U.S. Inside the park are five miles of paved trails for walking and running along the Mississippi.

Best Time to Visit: Show up in fall or spring, when the weather is mild and the crowds are minimal.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: Really, ride the tram to the top of the arch. The journey takes you through the structure’s hollow legs and ends at a viewing platform with a panorama of the Mississippi River and its many bridges below. The only catch? The ride will cost you $19.

7. Great Basin National Park, Nevada

It takes some effort to reach Great Basin National Park, in eastern Nevada roughly 285 miles north of Las Vegas, but once you’re there, you won’t need to contend with crowds. Only 140,000 people a year venture to Great Basin, compared to 14 million visitors for Great Smoky Mountains National ParkĚýin 2023. Yet Great Basin has towering 13,000-foot peaks; groves of shimmering aspen as well as old-growth bristlecone pines, which are believed to be the oldest known tree species in the world; and a fascinating system of caves to explore.

Best Time to Visit: Much of the park can be inaccessible during winter, when the 12-mile Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, which ascends from 6,700 to 10,180 feet in elevation, is unplowed but open to skiers and snowshoers, and there are various other winter closures. So going between late spring and early fall is your best bet. Late summer will give you the best chance for snow-free trails.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: The cave tours are popular, but I say hike to the top of 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak, where views of the Great Basin Desert, the only “cold” desert in America—the precipitation comes from snow—stretch in every direction for 100 miles on a clear day. It’s a 6.1-mile that gains 3,000 feet, much of which is above tree line, so take it slowly if you’re coming from sea level. Interested in something milder? Hike the 2.7-mile , which brings you to the edges of Teresa and Stella Lakes, both pools surrounded by evergreens.

8. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee

This is the most popular national park in the country, with, as said above, some 14 million visitors annually. Fortunately, there are 500,000 acres of mountains in Great Smoky Mountains National ParkĚýfor all those people to explore, with more than 900 miles of trail that access 6,000-foot peaks, pristine trout streams, and historic farming valleys.

Best Time to Visit: There’s no bad time to hit GSMNP. The foliage goes nuts come fall, winter can bring snow and solitude, and spring is budding with renewed life…but I like summer in the Smokies. Sure, some parts of the park are crowded, but the temperatures are perfect for splashing in the waterfalls and swimming holes.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: Most visitors stick to the scenic Newfound Gap Road and its short nature trails, but I recommend hiking the 11-mile out-and-back up to LeConte Lodge, a backcountry inn on top of the 6,000-foot peak of the same name. Some sections of the trail are so exposed you use cables for safety, and you’ll pass through Alum Cave, a rock overhang with a long-range view into the park. If you can’t score overnight reservations at the lodge, purchase a sack lunch from the kitchen for a picnic in some quiet spot with a view before heading back down to the trailhead.

9. Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

An aerial view shows Hot Springs Bathhouse Row, Hot Springs National Park, Garland County, Arkansas, in summer amid the region’s green hills. Video courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism

Forget rugged cliffs or backcountry lakes. Hot Springs National Park protects a small town that was built on top of thermal springs that attracted travelers for centuries before the area ever became a national park. Today, you’ll find two brick bathhouses for soaking your weary muscles and public fountains where you can fill a jug with natural spring water for drinking.

Best Time to Visit: The weather in the park is generally mild, so it’s a popular destination year round, but winter feels like the right time to sit in a tub of hot water.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: Can relaxing be an adventure? Who cares? When in Hot Springs National Park, you sit in hot water. The Buckstaff Bathhouse has small private tubs, while the has a series of larger, Roman-style pools for group bathing as well. A man-made steam cave captures the radiant heat from the 143-degree water (from $25 per person). You can also hike the trails here and are welcome to bike on any of the paved roads and the Pullman Trail.

10.Ěý Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Katmai National Park is surely best known for its live bear cams, where you can watch massive brown bears fish for salmon from the comfort of your office chair. But this 4-million-acre park in Southern Alaska is more than just an internet sensation; it’s a playground of lakes, rivers, and mountains, with an active volcano.

Best Time to Visit: Show up in July when the temps approach 70, and the brown bears are actively hunting for fish.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: Try to get a campsite or lodge room at the float-plane accessible (make reservations starting January 5, $18 per campsite per night) on the edge of Naknek Lake, and hike the 1.2-mile out and back to Brooks Falls, where the park’s most popular bear cam catches grizzlies poking around the water for salmon. Don’t worry, the hike ends at an overlook a safe distance from the action.

11. Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

The heart of Kenai Fjords is the Harding Icefield, a 700-square-mile sheet of ice that has shaped Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula by leaving glaciers and carving fjords. Visitors to the park have 600,000 acres of fjords to paddle, many trails to hike, and innumerable icy crevices to explore, with Ěýoptions available.

Best Time to Visit: Technically, Kenai Fjords is open year round, but winters are cold and snowy, and the only way into the park is by fat bike, XC skis, or dogsled. Show up from June through August and the trails are open to hikers, the roads are clear, and wildlife is most visible, as animals actively look for food.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: This is your chance to explore a glacier in all its shrinking glory. A paved road leads to the edge of Exit Glacier, which forms the tail end of the Harding Icefield. From here a system of trails explores the valley carved by the glacier, offering a variety of views. Hike the 8.2-mile out-and-back , a strenuous climb through cottonwood forests and meadows, then above a tree line ridge that stops at the edge of the massive expanse of ice.

12. Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska

Kobuk Valley is one of the least-visited units of the national-park system (just over 17,000 people made the trip in 2023), but that’s more a reflection of the park’s location north of the Arctic Circle than its landscape, which is a mix of rivers and sand dunes that are populated by a hell of a lot of caribou traveling along the Kobuk River. No roads lead into Kobuk Valley, so most visitors arrive via . The other option would be a very long paddle in.

Best Time to Visit: Shoot for June or July, when you’ll enjoy nearly 24 hours of light every day, blooming wildflowers like the herbaceous locoweed, and temperatures in the mid 60s. Or show up in August when the caribou begin their migration through the park.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: With no established trails or campgrounds inside the park, you need to be self-sufficient. Most people show up to camp in the 25-square-mile Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, or paddle and fish for salmon and whitefish along the 61 miles of the Kobuk River within the park’s borders. Either way, keep an eye out for caribou, which look like lean reindeer.

13. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Much like Kobuk Valley, Lake Clark has no roads leading into the park and is typically accessed by small plane. But make the effort and you’ll see 4 million acres of quintessential Alaskan terrain with 10,000-foot peaks, backcountry lakes, glaciers, and wild rivers, all about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage.

Best Time to Visit: It’s Alaska, so summer will give you the longest days and warmest weather of the year. The brown bears are active too, filling up on salmon running up the rivers, so it can be a once-in-a-lifetime thrill seeing them (from a safe distance).

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: Catch a to Crescent Lake and spend your time on a boat, fishing for sockeye salmon, which fill the lake in July during their annual migration, or lake trout. Bring your binoculars too, as the lake is a hub for brown-bear activity during the summer.

14. Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

Most national parks wow you with what’s above ground, but Mammoth Cave’s secret sauce lies beneath the dirt; the park protects the largest cave system in the world, with more than 400 miles of mapped passages.

Best Time to Visit: Mammoth might be the truest year-round park in the system, as the temperature in the caves is a consistent 54 degrees through every season. But visit in the fall and the hardwoods above ground are bursting with color.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: The landscape offers plenty to do above ground, from paddling the Green River to mountain biking the park’s 20 miles of singletrack, but you’re here for the caves. The Historic Cave Tour is the classic introduction, a two-hour guided adventure that hits the biggest rooms and tight channels alike ($24 per person). Or if you’re feeling adventurous, sign up for a Wild Cave Tour and crawl through tight passages that lead to lesser-seen rooms over 5.5 miles of exploration ($79 per person).

15. National Park of American Samoa

Looking for something remote and tropical? American Samoa is a collection of seven islands located 2,600 miles south of Hawaii. National Park of American Samoa protects pieces of four of those islands, boasting tropical rainforests, steep peaks, remote beaches, and access to the surrounding ocean and coral reefs.

Best Time to Visit: It’s warm year round in American Samoa, but winter can be rainy. The dry season runs from June to September, offering the best chances of good weather for hiking and clear water for snorkeling.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: Tutuila, the largest island of Samoa, is loaded with hiking trails that lead through rainforests to dramatic viewpoints over the coast. If I ever get to go, I’m visiting Ofu Island, which has a remote shoreline with pink sand that has been called the most beautiful beach in the world. The is amazing too, as the water is clear, the coral reefs are close to shore and packed with colorful fish, and the area hosts more than 950 species of fish.

16. New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, West Virginia

New River Gorge National Park packs an adventurous punch in its svelte 73,000 acres, protecting 53 miles of the class IV New River and the steep, rocky gorge around it. Rock climbing, mountain biking, whitewater rafting…you can do it all inside this relatively small park.

Best Time to Visit: Summer brings the warmest weather for rafting, but if you’re looking to climb, show up in the fall when the humidity dissipates, temps drop, and the leaves pop.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: It’s hard to pick just one here, but rafting the New has to top the list. The river drops 750 feet inside the park’s boundaries, unraveling in a series of III-IV wave trains, drops, and big pillows. A number of outfitters , from half-day milder water options to two-day overnight adventures.

17. North Cascades National Park, Washington

North Cascades might be close enough to Seattle for a day trip, but this landscape is a world removed from the bustling city, with high alpine terrain full of evergreen forests, craggy peaks, backcountry lakes, and more than 300 glaciers–the largest collection in any park outside of Alaska.

Best Time to Visit: Late June to late September has the most user-friendly weather and the best chances for snow-free trails.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: Take on , a steep 9.4-mile hike from the edge of Ross Lake that passes through meadows toward sweeping views from a historic lookout tower that Jack Kerouac once lived in while working as a fire scout. On the horizon are the craggy, fin-like Hozomeen Peak and a portion of the Ross Lake National Recreation Area.

18. Virgin Islands National Park, Virgin Islands

Protecting two-thirds of the island of St. John, Virgin Islands National Park is packed with beaches, lush mountains, and tropical rainforests. Visitors will split their time between water activities, lounging on beaches, and hiking through the hills.

Best Time to Visit: Summer can be hot and rainy and fall brings hurricanes, but winter in the Virgin Islands is delightful, with temps in the 80s and minimal rainfall.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: Explore Salomon and Honeymoon Bay, dueling white-sand beaches separated by a rocky point. Snorkelers have colonies of coral reefs teeming with tropical fish to explore. Or go for a swim in Brown Bay, from a beach that’s only accessible by boat or a 1.5-mile hike on Brown Bay Trail.

19. Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Situated on the Canadian border in Northern Minnesota, the 218,055-acre Voyageurs National Park is known for its series of lakes interconnected by 60 miles of canoe trails. Moose and wolves thrive inside the park, which is also a good spot for seeing the northern lights.

Best Time to Visit: Visitor centers and tour operators open in June and the lakes are busiest in the summer, but September brings changing colors and fewer crowds. The season ends quickly, though, and October can feel more like winter than fall.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: People visit Voyageurs to canoe and fish the lakes for walleye and northern pike. The larger lakes can be busy with motorboat traffic, but the smaller interior lakes are linked by a series of marked canoe trails and backcountry campsites. Paddle the 13-mile Chain of Lakes trail, which traverses four small lakes on the Kabetogama Peninsula via small creeks and short portages. Each lake has a campsite, and the park service stages boats for use by those with camping .

20. Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota

One of the oldest national parks in our system, established in 1903 by Theodore Roosevelt, the 33,000-acre Wind Cave protects a landscape in transition, where the Great Plains give way to the Black Hills. Above ground, the park boasts broad swaths of grassland occupied by herds of bison and elk, but underneath that bounty of wildlife are 143 miles of mapped cave passages.

Best time to Visit: Summer is hot and thunderstorms with hail are common, while winter brings snow and sub-freezing temps. Hit Wind Cave in the shoulder seasons (spring or fall) for mild weather and to see active wildlife.

Signature şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř: The only way to explore the caves is on a . The Natural Entrance tour is a good family-friendly option, as visitors experience the winding opening of the cave system before exploring some of the larger interior passages, known for walls that look like honeycombs. If you want more of an adventure, sign up for the Wild Cave tour, which will have you crawling through smaller, undeveloped passages deep down in the system ($17 per person).

Graham Averill is şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř magazine’s national-parks columnist. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, he is fortunate enough to live within a few hours of three free national parks. He recently wrote about the best hikes in Joshua Tree National Park, his favorite mountain town, and the national park he chose as the most adventurous.

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Described as “America’s best idea,” the National Park System was established in large part to protect the nation’s most precious landscapes, from the deepest canyons to the tallest peaks. Some of the parks are so dang beautiful, they’ve been known to make people contemplate their own existence.

But not everyone traveling to a national park is moved to existential enlightenment. Some visitors come away angry, frustrated, or disappointed, and they turn to the internet to express themselves. Recently, for my annual end-of-year wrap up of the worst national-parks reviews,ĚýI spent an unhealthy amount of time perusing visitor comments on national parks on Google Maps, Yelp, and TripAdvisor to find the best of them.

I learned a few things in the process. I learnedĚýthat a lot of people don’t like the timed entry and reservation systems that many parks have put in place to combat overcrowding. Like, a lot of people; I saw thousands of complaints on that topic. Also, the general lack of parking gets people fired up.

I discovered some really interesting and funny one-star (out of a possible five stars) reviews that spanned quite a spectrum, from someone complaining about the weather (apparently Canyonlands is too hot and sunny) or questioning humanity’s fascination with nature in general (to this person, Joshua TreeĚýis just a load of big stones).

Here are my favorite bad national-park reviews of 2024. As ever, we nod to , grandmaster collector of such information, which, as autumn lit up the multitude of colors in the national forest of Vermont, noted this doozy: “Not a memorable place to go.”

(Note: Some reviews below were edited for brevity, but I left spelling errors and grammar mistakes intact.)Ěý

1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee

Great Smoky Mountains National Park protects 500,000 acres of mountains, rivers and historic farmland that is widely recognized as the most biodiverse landscape in North America. But not everyone loves it.

“This is the Walmart of national parks.” —Google Maps

“A terrible experience! This national park is the largest and most popular park in the middle of the United States and famous for their beers (sic). Every staff of the park told us that beers (sic) were everywhere. However, this park was really disappointing that I did not see any beer (sic). I only saw many turkeys and one fox…[S]ummer might not be a good time to visit here because beers (sic) or other wild animals could hide in trees and bushes.”—Google Maps

2. Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada

This 3.4 million-acre park, straddling California and Nevada, is known for its deep canyons, salt flats, and ghost towns. The first commenter reviewed it without ever having been there.

“Haven’t gone yet, will go soon, sounds hot tho.”—Google Maps

“Don’t go, nothing to see….The rock formation is not that great, quite dusty, hot, etc. Feels like an open pit mine. The only use case I can see is if you want to … test yourself or your car AC.”—Google Maps

3. Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana

Designated a national park in 2019, Indiana Dunes protects dunes and forest on the edge of Lake Michigan, all less than 50 miles from downtown Chicago. But apparently the park has some policies on parties.

“Can’t grille, can’t smoke, can’t drink, can’t play loud music…who wants to just sit on sand.”—G´Ç´Ç˛µ±ô±đ Maps

4. Redwood National and State Parks, California

This collection of state and federally protected parks houses the world’s tallest trees, with landscapes spanning from rugged coastlines to thick interior woodlands. Tree color may be a subjective thing.

“California sucks so I don’t know why I was surprised when I was very disappointed. The trees aren’t as big as everyone says and they’re not red either, terrible name. The National park should just sell the land and turn the trees into paper.”—Google Maps

5. Joshua Tree National Park, California

One of my personal favorite units in the park system, Joshua Tree is home to gorgeous desert landscapes full of boulders that attract climbers and gawkers alike.

“It’s just a load of big stones. If you go make sure to take a packed lunch and drinks, you’ll certainly thank me.” —TripAdvisor

6. New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia

The newest unit to be granted full park status, New River Gorge is a multi-adventure playground with world-class paddling, rock climbing, hiking, and mountain biking. Other than that…

“If you hike or like white water rafting, this is a great place. Otherwise, not much else to do.”—Google Maps

7. Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

I haven’t visited Dry Tortugas yet, but it’s on my list because these islands west of the Florida Keys offer some of the most remote spits of land in America, with beautiful snorkeling and paddling. Some feel waterlogged though.

“I paid full price for only 1% of land??? Park is literally 99% water….. my shoes got wet too like what????? More like the NOT dry Tortugas”—Google Maps

8. Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

Couple the tallest sand dunes in North America with long-range views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and you’ve got…

“The only reason people go here is to buy a piece of fudge or a T-shirt. That’s about it. This is literally a dumping area for the fine sand used to make volleyball courts. The funniest thing to do here is simply people watching. They act like they never seen dirt before.”—Google Maps

9. Everglades National Park, Florida

Everglades protects the largest wilderness east of the Mississippi. This review is close to being a haiku.

“No cocodrilos.

no crocodiles seen

money is lost.”—Google Maps

10. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

This national park encompasses the 14,000-foot peak Mount Rainier, which also happens to be an active volcano. The duality of the situation is driving one visitor crazy.

“They market this place as a beautiful mountain paradise full of pastoral hikes and woodland creatures but at the same time remind you it is ready to kill you and your entire family and surrounding towns without a moment’s hesitation. Come here if you want to be gaslit by a mountain.”—Yelp

11. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Picture alpine lakes set beneath craggy, 13,000-foot peaks, and you’ll have an idea of the scenery within Grand Teton National Park. Meh.

“I’ve seen better in video games smh. Mother nature better step it up.”—Google Maps

12. Sequoia National Park, California

California’s jointly managed Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are famous for their groves of giant Sequoia trees, a species that only grows on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The drive in to reach them is irking some visitors.

“A road that is truly too long and winding…I’m still recovering from the tiredness and motion sickness of the 5 hours driving around tight curves.”—TripAdvisor

13. Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

I recently decided that Capitol Reef is the country’s most underrated park for adventure. It has arches, canyons, domes, rock climbing, and gravel rides galore. One reviewer seems to be upset that the park didn’t take enough of his money.

“THIS PLACE SHOULD NOT BE A NP. It’s beyond mids and a waste of taxpayers money. Doesn’t even have a fee station to support itself…Protect the land no doubt but either charge everyone that comes through or make it a monument.”—Google Maps

14. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most visited parks in the country, with more than 4 million people clamoring to experience it annually. The park is so popular that management deemed a timed-entry system necessary to mitigate crowds. A visitor was not psyched.

“What kind of communist came up with this system and why? I thought I lived in America, land of the free …. For all the Americans that didn’t even protest at all, thanks for nothing.”—Yelp

15. Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

North Dakota’s Theodore Roosevelt National Park is one of the lesser-visited of our national parks, shown in the annual listings as attracting 750,862 visitors, when each in the top five attracts over 4 million (and Great Smoky Mountains NP receives over 13 million). So maybe it’s unsurprising that one visitor mixed it up with a different park.

“Maybe I missed it but I didn’t see his face in any of the cliffs or mountains. Probably erosion. Time for a touch up.”—G´Ç´Ç˛µ±ô±đ Maps

16. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho

Is there a landscape more dynamic than what you find inside Yellowstone National Park, where water boils and shoots into the sky like the fountains in Las Vegas?

“Water bubbling out of the ground. Wow.”—Google Maps

“Same thing (e.g. geysers) everywhere. I got bored the second day.”—G´Ç´Ç˛µ±ô±đ Maps

17. Yosemite National Park, California

łŰ´Ç˛ő±đłľľ±łŮ±đ’s granite peaks, valleys, and mountains might have captivated Ansel Adams, but nobody ever mentions how uncomfortable nature is, do they?

“All the hikes are uphill, and you’re practically climbing cliffs. I got soaked by several incredibly large waterfalls just by standing at the bottom.”—Google Maps

18. Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Dubbed “the land of stone and light,” Badlands holds 224,000 acres of vast prairie and striking geological formations that seemingly rise out of nowhere. That didn’t satisfy this reviewer.

“Not enough mountain.” —Google

Ěý19. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado

This national park is known for its deep, steep gorge and rugged terrain, and it has a savvy reviewer who wants it all to himself.

“JK. It’s the best spot in CO. I went one star so that everyone stays away and keeps it this way!”—G´Ç´Ç˛µ±ô±đ Ěý

Graham Averill is şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř magazine’s national parks columnist. He has complained about many ridiculous things during his life, but never once looked at the Teton Range and thought “video games are cooler than that.” See also his recent articles on ten years’ worth of awful reviews on the revered Grand Canyon, or what makes the perfect mountain town, loving surfing and surf towns, and why he plays golf two days a week and thinks about it even more.

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We get it—not everyone wants to pitch a tent and forego showers when visiting our public lands. And honestly, because of a recent boom in new national-park lodging, you don’t have to. In 2020, I moved into my minivan and traveled to nearly every park in the U.S., penning dispatches about them for şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř. When I wasn’t catnapping in the back of my vehicle, I occasionally splurged on fun motels and lodges in gateway towns.

Whether you’re headed to the rust red maw of the Grand Canyon or the wooded summits of Great Smoky Mountains, loads of new hotels and glamping retreats are popping up to meet the demands of park visitors, whose numbers have exploded since the pandemic. From retro-futuristic roadside motels to Dolly Parton-themed resorts and remodeled national-park lodges, there’s a little something for everyone on this list.

1. Ofland Escalante

Closest national park: Bryce Canyon, Utah

Best for: Chic glamping, tiny homes, post-hike hot tubs

With its modernist cabins, spa-inspired bathhouses, and food truck that serves up Americana fare (like meatloaf patty melts and cornbread French toast), this newer outpost on Southern Utah’s stunning Highway 12 just rebranded and added deluxe cabins in 2024 and is a true outdoor-lover’s paradise. Situated a mere ten minutes from Hole in the Rock Road, the washboard byway leading to many of Grand Staircase Escalante’s top slot canyons, is the ultimate, pet-friendly base camp for exploring the Beehive State’s red-rock country.

An hour’s drive delivers you to the colorful hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, while a 90-minute car ride gets you up to my personal Utah fave, Capitol Reef. In the evening, enjoy a steamy outdoor shower, followed by a drive-in movie with free popcorn at Ofland’s own big-screen theater, or plop into the property’s pool and hot tub before enjoying the snap, crackle, and pop of your personal fire pit. If it’s not too hot, spend an afternoon clambering around in Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons.

2. Populus Hotel

Closest national park: Rocky Mountain, Colorado

Best for: Eco-friendly amenities, luxe dining, nearby art museums

Set in downtown Denver, a stone’s throw from the State Capitol, the Denver Art Museum, and Civic Center Park, is making history in 2024 as the nation’s first carbon-positive hotel. It has been designed from the ground up to utilize solar and wind power, highlight locally sourced ingredients from Colorado in each of its dining concepts, and closely monitor all emissions so that remaining carbon is balanced out by supporting projects that capture carbon elsewhere. The hotel has already planted over 70,000 trees (and counting).

A stay at Populus is ideal for the Denver-bound traveler who wants to experience the best of two worlds: city-focused creature comforts with the option to hike amidst the Rocky Mountain National Park tundra or scramble up . With the Wild Basin entrance roughly 66 miles away, it’s an easy day trip to the park. Rooms here are jaw-droppingly gorgeous and themed after the state’s famous aspen trees, with ultra-soft earth-toned bedding, natural forest sounds in the elevators, and eyelet-shaped windows overlooking the Denver skyline.

Chow down on post-hike grub with dreamy sunset views at the on-site rooftop restaurant Stellar Jay or enjoy fresh, seasonal Colorado fare at the downstairs restaurant Pasque, both helmed by executive chef Ian Wortham.

3. The Pathmaker Hotel

Closest national park: Acadia, Maine

Best for: Exploring downtown Bar Harbor, ocean strolls, simple elegance

With a primo location in downtown Bar Harbor, two blocks from the Bar Island Trail, whale-watching tours and the delicious, creamy rolls at Stewman’s Lobster Pound, opens in late 2024. Featuring suites, double queen, and classic king-sized rooms decorated in elegant neutral tones, this hotel also offers kitchenettes with mini-fridges and microwaves. What’s even better is that breakfast is included, making it easy to start your morning hike up neighboring or a stroll around Sieur de Monts’ historic gardens with a full belly.

It’s also worth noting that Acadia is home to 45 miles of crushed-stone carriage roads, which are all bike- and dog-friendly. Rent a bicycle at Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop, a five-minute walk from the hotel’s front door, and spend a day zipping around the park without your car before relaxing with a pot of tea and freshly made popovers at Jordan Pond House–it was one of my favorite things I did on my giant parks road trip.

4. The Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa

Closest national park: Grand Teton, Wyoming

Best for: Spa getaways, Jackson ski and hiking trips, luxury mountain vibes

Just remodeled and reopened in early July, following a devastating 2019 fire, this Jackson Hole favorite is back and better than ever. rooms and suites boast a bit of a chic hunting-lodge feel, complete with stone fireplaces, tufted headboards, and the occasional pop of cowboy-themed art.

Fly fish in the Snake River, feel the leg burn on a hike up , or pop on over to the nearby National Elk Refuge for a . When you’re done exploring the toothy Teton Range, fill up on Idaho Trout Saltimbocca at the lodge’s Wild Sage Restaurant, or indulge in a CBD-infused herbal sugar scrub at its Body Sage Spa. Either way, you’ll leave feeling full and rejuvenated.

5. Wildhaven Yosemite

Closest national park: Yosemite, California

Best for: Affordable glamping, Yosemite Valley exploration, communal hangs

is making waves this year as the newest glamping resort outside the Free Solo-famous Yosemite National Park. Situated 34 miles from the Arch Rock Entrance Station on 36 rugged acres of rolling Sierra Nevada foothills, the property offers 30 safari tents and 12 tiny cabins, well-appointed with amenities like fire pits and private decks.

A communal BBQ area boasts grills and shaded picnic tables, while glamping sites share communal bathrooms and showers. After a day of hiking and snapping photos of from Cook’s Meadow, recharge your electronics with electricity access in every tent.

Complimentary coffee and tea help start your day off, and every stay at Wildhaven includes access to on-site classes and events, like Yogasemite yoga classes and Sierra Cider tastings, for when you’re not huffing and puffing up Upper Yosemite Falls for those epic views. Looking for even more regional glamping news? A top national-park lodging purveyor, , has announced that it’s also opening a brand-new Yosemite location near Big Oak Flat in 2025.

6. Field Station Joshua Tree

Closest national park: Joshua Tree, California

Best for: Mountain bikers, large groups, pool hangouts

are designed with the intrepid outdoorsperson in mind. Bike racks for your hardtail are in every room, hooks for hanging packs are in ample supply, and an on-site gear shop makes it easy to grab any of the Ten Essentials you might have forgotten before speeding off and into the park, which is just 13 miles (a 20- to 25-minute drive) away by car. If you’re a diehard coffee drinker, you’ll be thrilled that the lodge has a small espresso bar, Little Station Coffee & Kitchen, which serves everything from cold brew to toasted bagels to start your morning out right.

Choose between standard king-bed rooms and double-queen bunk rooms (which sleep up to 10) and have plenty of space for your whole crew to spread out and save cash, then head on over to the North Entrance (it’s the closest one) of Joshua Tree and enjoy epic trails like the or bouldering along the formation-filled .

When you’re not adventuring in the park, don’t miss the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Museum in town, which exhibits loads of large-scale found-object art, like TVs and rubber tires.

7. Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort

Closest national park: Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee and North Carolina

Best for: Families, pool time, East Coast hikers

Opened in November 2023, seems tailor-made for families traveling with young kids. Even the hotel’s standard-issue rooms offer fun extras, like murphy beds, sleeper sofas, clothing-storage space, and mini fridges. Lovely mid-century modern furnishings combine with a massive stone fireplace in the four-story, atrium-style lobby, where guests can chill out when they’re not splashing about in the large pool complex or dining at one of the lodge’s four restaurant options.

Though the resort is clearly geared towards travelers heading into the Dollywood theme park (there’s complimentary trolley service from the hotel), it’s also a brief 15-mile (20-minute) drive to Great Smoky Mountains’ Sugarlands Visitor Center. From there, visitors can easily drive to the exceedingly popular , or gaze out at verdant, forested hills at Newfound Gap, which marks the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. Best of all, adjoining rooms and roomy family suites with cozy bunk beds make it easy for you and your loved ones to spend loads of time together, whether that’s in the lodge or trekking to the park’s many rushing waterfalls.

8. Flamingo Lodge

Closest national park: Everglades, Florida

Best for: Birders, paddlers, Tropical Florida ambiance

Initially opened in the 1960s as part of the National Park Service’s retro-futuristic Mission 66 Project, Flamingo Lodge was forced to shut its doors in 2005, after suffering extensive damage from Hurricane Wilma, when storm surges swelled up to nine feet. Thankfully, , which is named after the distinctive pink birds that once migrated to the area in droves, before plume-hunters nearly poached them out of existence, has been fully rebuilt and reopened in October 2023.

It’s the only non-camping, non-houseboat option for accommodations inside the parklodging available inside Everglades National Park, and given the park’s enormous acreage (at 1.5 million acres, it is roughly twice the size of Yosemite), creates a welcome bastion for beachgoers exploring the state’s coastal prairie and boaters enjoying the sunshine and warm, tropical air of the Florida Bay.

Inside the lodge’s four eco-friendly container buildings are 24 spacious guest rooms, ranging from studios to two-bedroom suites, in clean neutral hues with the occasional pop of tropical jewel tones. Also onsite are a restaurant serving organic, locally sourced cuisine (think breakfast burritos and pineapple pulled-pork sandwiches) and a marina, where visitors can rent anything from bicycles to double kayaks and pontoon boats. Spend a day cycling the and keep your eyes peeled for huge herons.

9. Americana Motor Hotel

Closest national park: Grand Canyon, Arizona

Best for: Travelers with dogs, EV road trips, hipster pool scene

There’s so much to love about the Jetsons’-style that it’s hard to fit it all into a single paragraph, but we’ll do our darndest. Set in the northern Arizona city of Flagstaff, one hour from the Grand Canyon and 90 minutes from Petrified Forest, this vintage-style motor lodge should check every box on your Route 66 daydream list. First of all, there are EV chargers aplenty, free morning coffee, and communal fire pits with outdoor hang space.

But this site truly goes above and beyond the standard-issue motel amenities by offering loaner telescopes for optimized night-sky viewing, year-round heated pool, and a fenced-in “barkyard” with a dedicated dog-wash station to rinse off your muddy trail pooch. They’ve even got free hotel bicycles for those wishing to take a spin around Flagstaff.

The interiors of the rooms are just as fabulous as the resort’s exterior, with space-age décor (think astronaut sculptures and galaxy wall art), walk-in showers, and disco balls. Hungry? After a trek down to or a stroll along the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, fill up at the Americana’s Pacific Mexican seafood truck, Baja Mar, which dishes out badass shrimp ceviche and battered fish tacos to hungry hikers.

Emily Pennington is a freelance journalist specializing in outdoor adventure and national parks. She’s traveled to public lands on all seven continents and visited all 63 U.S. national parks. Her book, , was released in 2023. This year, she’s getting more acquainted with her new backyard, Rocky Mountain National Park.

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Hiking in our national parks is high on the list of many visitors, and long trails don’t always equate to the best views. In fact, many short, scenic options are just as worthy.

I love a good short hike, and on my adventures to all 63 U.S. national parks, I discovered that you don’t always have to go big to get big views. Maybe you have young kids in tow or are simply seeking a mellow day in nature. So I’ve compiled a list of my favorite short hikes in national parks, each of which is postcard-worthy. All distances mentioned are round-trip.

Acadia National Park, Maine

Trail name:

Distance: 2.1 miles

I’ve raved about the Bar Island Trail for şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř before, naming it one of the best wheelchair-accessible hikes in the country. I still maintain that this gravel strip north of downtown Bar Harbor is one Acadia’s most unique hikes, because it’s an utterly accessible stroll that’s technically off-trail. Grab a , because the pathway trail is only water-free for 90 minutes before and after low tide, and say goodbye to those storybook cottages in favor of Bar Island’s rocky beaches.

Big Bend National Park, Texas

Trail name:

Distance: Ěý1.6 miles

When I visited Big Bend’s Santa Elena Canyon in 2020, I rushed to get there just as the sun was setting, so I could watch that big fireball in the sky paint the limestone walls of the canyon in hushed, warm hues. But take your time driving the 30-mile to the trailhead, too. It’s home to the aptly named Mule Ears rock formations, as well as impressive Chihuahuan Desert vistas.

Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Trail name:

Distance: 1.8 miles

Of all the trails I’ve hiked on my three trips to Moab, Utah, this trek over to Grand View Point in Canyonlands has got to be the best low-effort, high-reward journey. Start from Grand View Point Overlook and, if you’re not afraid of heights and cliff edges, meander along tangerine-tinted cliffs on a relatively flat, 0.9-mile trail, with views stretching into a maw of the earth, where the Colorado and Green Rivers converge.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico

Trail name:

Distance: 1.25 miles

I couldn’t create a list of the best easy national-park hikes without including something from Carlsbad Caverns, one of the most family-friendly and wheelchair-accessible parks of the lot. This trail can be accessed via the visitor center’s elevator, which travels 750 feet into the belly of the earth, or the 1.25-mile Natural Entrance Trail (yes, you can take the elevator back up to ground level). Then get ready to marvel at thousands of stalactites and stalagmites, many of which resemble hanging jellyfish and posh chandeliers.

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Trail name:

Distance: 1.8 miles

July is my favorite month to summit 7,881-foot Watchman Peak, when the high-elevation wildflowers—purple lupine and bright fuchsia beardtongues—are in full bloom. Not only will you glean better views of Wizard Island as you climb, but from the top, you can check out a .

Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Trail name:

Distance: 2 miles

There aren’t many maintained trails in Denali (or Alaska, for that matter), but the Savage River Loop is an excellent choice if you’re on one of the park’s famous hop-on, hop-off green transit buses that run between the entrance and the deep interior. In summer, enjoy the verdant tundra and views of the Alaska Range’s foothills as you follow the rushing Savage upstream for a mile before turning around. Bring your bear spray if you’re hiking in Denali–this trail was closed to hikers when I visited in 2020, due to a surly mama bear.

Glacier National Park, Montana

Trail name:

Distance: 5 miles

Avalanche Lake Trail is one of the most popular in Glacier–it’s shaded, has moderate elevation gain, and ends at a mirror-clear alpine lake, studded with waterfalls—the scene is like one from middle-earth. You can extend your trip into a six-mile journey if you stroll along the shoreline to escape the throngs at the turnaround point. Pro tip: if you plan to picnic at the lake, be sure to hide your food from crafty marmots out for a free lunch.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Trail name: South Kaibab Trail to

Distance: 1.8 miles

When I first laid eyes on Ooh Aah Point, I chuckled—here was one of the most appropriate signposts for a view that I’d ever seen inside a national park. From this drop-dead gorgeous spot, located just 0.9 miles and 600 feet below the South Kaibab Trailhead, you’ll be able to take in a mind-blowing assemblage of rust-red sandstone plateaus and mesas, stretching out as far as the eye can see. Feeling frisky? Extend your hike to (3.1 miles round-trip) for even more canyon magic.

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Trail name: (also known as String Lake Loop)

Distance: 3.6 miles

For easy hikes in Grand Teton, I’d stay near the park’s shimmering , which boast impressive views of the immense, pointed mountains and but are home to trails that are relatively flat. This particular loop circumnavigates String Lake, with scene-stealing vistas of Rockchuck Peak and Mount Saint John along the way. Bring your SUP along and ply the lake’s cool waters after your jaunt.

Great Basin National Park, Nevada

Trail name:

Distance: 2.8 miles

When I hiked this path with my partner in late May 2020, we ended up breaking trail in thigh-deep snow, but from June through September, this is an easy trek to many of the oldest trees on earth. Meditate among these gnarled beauties in the shadow of Wheeler Peak—the state’s second highest, at 13,065 feet—and its myriad boulders. Want a longer variation? Continue along the same path to the Wheeler Peak Glacier for a 4.4-mile trip.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee

Trail name:

Distance: 2.6 miles

Beat the heat in America’s most-visited national park on this shaded stroll to a cascading waterfall, bookended by mossy boulders. You’ll likely spot salamanders near the cool creek as you stroll through an old-growth hemlock forest and end up at the 25-foot-high Grotto Falls. Dip your feet into the refreshing water before turning back the way you came.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii Island

Trail name:

Distance: 2.9 miles

It’s rare to walk through a tropical rainforest, check out hissing steam vents, and witness an active volcano all in a single trail, but Hawaii Volcanoes is not your average national park. For the best experience, park near the visitor center, hike this well-maintained path at sunset, and try to spot the otherworldly pink glow of lava from the as it gets dark.

Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

Trail name:

Distance: 4.3 miles

If you’ve only got one day in Isle Royale, this is the trail to take. Beginning in the popular Rock Harbor area, on the main island’s eastern edge, the trail travels in and out of boreal forest and across dark gray volcanic rocks until it reaches Scoville Point, with its sweeping views of Lake Superior. When you’ve had enough of feeling like you’re standing at the edge of the known world, return via the north side of the peninsula for even better forest bathing.

Katmai National Park, Alaska

Trail name: Brooks Falls Trail

Distance: 2.4 miles

Yes, getting to Katmai is a long adventure that involves a floatplane from Anchorage. I’ve had the distinct pleasure of visiting the park twice, and it blew my mind both times. For starters, it’s a fantastic place to watch salmon swimming upstream from July through September. This also means it’s one of the best places in the state to watch hungry grizzly bears fattening themselves up on the spawning fish. Stow your food at , then cross the Brooks River on an elevated boardwalk trail. Once you reach the falls, have that camera ready to snap photo after photo of the ornery beasts feeding.

Lassen Volcanic National Park, California

Trail name:

Distance: 3 miles

Want to be wowed by sizzling hydrothermal features, but don’t want to travel all the way to Yellowstone? Lesser-known Bumpass Hell, apart from having an amazing name, is home to some seriously cool steam vents, scalding hot springs, and bubbling mud pots. After stretching your legs on the trail, take a dip in Lake Helen, just across Lassen National Park Highway, and crane your neck up at 10,457-foot-high Lassen Peak.

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Trail name:

Distance: 4.7 miles

The Paradise area is my favorite section of this gorgeous park, and while I trekked along this moderate hike, I saw a huge, fluffy mountain goat and had terrific views of Rainier’s serrated glaciers. 72-foot-tall Myrtle Falls is the real showstopper, though, because it’s perfectly framed by trees beneath Rainier. If you’d prefer an ever mellower day out, you can turn this trek into a simple stroll via the Golden Gate Trail.

New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia

Trail name:

Distance: 3.2 miles

Though New River Gorge is perhaps best known for its rock climbing and whitewater rafting, I thoroughly enjoyed hiking its many forested trails when I visited in 2021. This out-and-back to Long Point meanders through a forest of spruce and hemlock before popping you out onto a rocky ledge with one of the best New River Bridge photo ops in the park.

Redwood National Park, California

Trail name:

Distance: 3.5 miles

You’ll need to to hike this lollipop loop, which meanders through some of the tallest trees on the planet, but any hassle is well worth it. Drive down a washboard road just east of Orick for roughly 6 miles and park in the designated dirt lot before descending 700 feet to the Tall Trees Grove, keeping your eyes peeled for epic oyster mushrooms and sword ferns along the way. I’d plan on spending at least an hour quietly perusing these ancient redwoods. This is forest bathing at its finest.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Trail name:

Distance: 5 miles

Technically, the Ute Trail is an eight-mile round-trip hike, but the best thing about one-way hikes is that you can make them as short as your heart desires. Beginning at the Alpine Visitor Center, which sits at a lofty 11,796 feet, this trail winds along moderately graded tundra slopes and offers awesome views of the Never Summer Mountain Range. Hike it in the morning to avoid the dangerous afternoon lightning storms—my partner and I once had to jam to find shelter on a too thrilling post-lunch trek.

Sequoia National Park, California

Trail name:

Distance: 2.8 miles

If you’re in Sequoia and planning on visiting the , which is the largest by volume on earth), I heartily recommend extending your forest-bathing stroll to include the Congress Trail. A mostly flat lollipop loop, it passes the enormous trees within the Giant Forest. Best of all? A few hundred feet past General Sherman, you’ll escape the lion’s share of the crowds.

Virgin Islands National Park, St. John

Trail name:

Distance: 2.7 miles

Though this trail starts from an unassuming trailhead, right behind the park’s Cruz Bay Visitor Center, it quickly redeems itself with incredible views of aquamarine water, following a brief climb to 160-foot-high Lind Point. From there, you’ll curve through the lush, humid forest and switchback down, down, down to Salomon Beach, which has all the tropical beauty of nearby Honeymoon Beach—but none of the crowds.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Trail name:

Distance: 3.5 miles

After taking obligatory pictures of the and its roaring waterfall, I made a random left turn onto an uncrowded trail and quickly uncovered one of my favorite hikes in the National Park System. This trip out to Point Sublime showcases the churning Yellowstone River, hundreds of feet below, while following a forested edge of the canyon whose crimson-and-marigold-colored slopes plunge toward the current for the entirety of the hike.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Trail name:

Distance: 1.5 miles

This is the trail that most people think of when they picture Yellowstone’s most famous attraction, Old Faithful, with that meandering boardwalk stretching far beyond it. And, to be honest, it’s pretty darn incredible in person. Cross the Firehole River, and check out one of the world’s largest assortments of hydrothermal features on this flat, wheelchair-accessible loop. Be sure to download the app, which offers info on the predicted eruption times. My personal favorite geyser is Castle, which gushes up to 75 feet high and for as long as 20 minutes.

Yosemite National Park, California

Trail name:

Distance: 4.4 miles

Sure, this trek might not routinely crack the top tenĚýYosemite trail listicles, but it’s the first place I take my friends who have never been to the park before. You’ll set off from the iconic Glacier Point viewing area and then enjoy second-to-none panoramas of Half Dome, Liberty Cap, and 594-foot-high Nevada Fall for nearly the entirety of the hike. It’s also an ideal way to remove yourself from the Glacier Point parking-lot crowds and fully immerse yourself in the surrounds.

Zion National Park, Utah

Trail name:

Distance:Ěý1 mile

Move over, Angel’s Landing. In terms of low-effort, high-reward hikes, this is easily the best one in Zion. Park near the Zion–Mount Carmel Tunnel, on the less traveled eastern side of the park; from there this path climbs 163 feet, past vermillion layer-cake-like hoodoos and scrubby pinñon pines. My favorite part is the turnaround point: you’re greeted with jaw-dropping views of the craggy Temples and Towers of the Virgin, sandstone monoliths that appear on park postcards. Keep your eyes peeled for bighorn sheep.

Emily Pennington is a freelance writer based in Boulder, Colorado. Her book came out in 2023. This year she’s tackling loads of short hikes in the Rocky Mountains to get ready for a trip to remote East Greenland.

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Roads usually leave me lukewarm. I understand they’re necessary, connecting us from points A to B, and they can be cool, but I don’t stay up late thinking about the adventures to be had on a two-lane blacktop. The exception, of course, is a road trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I’ve never driven the entire road, which passes right near my home in Asheville, North Carolina, but over two decades I’ve traveled, hiked, and ridden my bike on most of it.

This 469-mile highway, also known as “America’s Favorite Drive,” is a unit in our National Park System, running north and south, connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. I get excited about this particular byway as an avenue of adventure, anchoring some of the best road cycling and hiking in the Southern Appalachian mountains.

I don’t even think of the Blue Ridge Parkway as a road, but a 469-mile-long park.

For the most part, the Blue Ridge Parkway (or BRP) is mountainous, hugging the ridge lines of some of the tallest mountain ranges east of the Mississippi, but it also drops down to river valleys and cruises through working farms amid rolling pastures. There are no stop signs or traffic lights on the entire route.

When Was the Blue Ridge Parkway Built?

Construction of the parkway started in 1935, as a Depression-era project meant to create local jobs but also to give the country a drivable destination in and of itself. In the 1930s, motoring around in a car was as much about fun as it was commuting, and the parkway was conceived of for recreation: stringing together scenic overlooks, picnic areas, and parks with hiking trails.

It took 52 years to finish the road, with the last section, the Linn Cove Viaduct, completed in 1987. But the intention is still obvious today, almost 90 years after the first mile of pavement was poured. I get excited about this road not because of the national parks on either end, but what’s along the way.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a bit of a conundrum. Yes, it connects two well-known national parks, but it’s actually the slowest way to travel between those two points, thanks to low speed limits and near-endless curves. Yes, it’s the most visited unit in the National Park System, welcoming 16.7 million people last year, more than even its southern neighbor, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which had a huge 13.3 million. Still, many people outside of the Southern Appalachians have never heard of it.

Drive the parkway in the summer, and it’s a roll-your-windows-down-and-cruise experience. Hurrying is counterintuitive to the intent, which was for motorists to meander and enjoy. Here’s a guide to my favorite adventures, from hopping into crystal-clear swimming holes to hiking to cranking out challenging road climbs.

The Best Time to Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway

Much of the parkway closes for winter, usually from November until April. Spring is fine if you want to beat the crowds, but the higher elevations can still feel wintry, as the hardwoods are bare until mid May. Summer is beautiful, particularly at the higher elevations, which stay cool even during July and August.

Everyone goes crazy for the rhododendrons, which will bloom pink and white anywhere from May into July, depending on the elevation (the higher the slope, the later it will bloom). You’ll also find meadows of blueberries and blackberries that ripen in June and July, depending on the elevation. Show up in fall, and the entire landscape will be ablaze with the colors of the hardwoods. The foliage lights up early (late September, early October) at the higher peaks like Mount Mitchell.

Road Closures on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway at times shut down for maintenance. During my most recent trip, a portion traversing the Virginia/North Carolina line was closed, requiring an 18-mile detour. Keep an eye on the parkway’s , which lists all active closures, while planning your trip. But don’t let one or two closures deter you; there’s always roadwork going on here somewhere.

Logistics

The Blue Ridge Parkway has no entry fee, and while it has a beginning and an end, there’s no need for a “thru-drive.” Multiple access points mean you can pick one section to explore, which is how I’ve approached my parkway drives over the years. If you intend to drive the entire 469 miles in one shot, take your time. Give yourself several days, especially to hike, bike, and explore.

How to Explore the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia

Virginia contains just over 200 miles of the parkway. The road begins in Rockfish Gap, where Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park ends. There are some mountainous miles, but in this state the road is mainly pastoral, cruising through small ranches and family farms. With all of the wooden fences and country stores, this part of the road can feel like traveling back in time in the best way.

The Best Hikes Along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia

Humpback Rocks (Milepost 6): Just six miles from the northern terminus of the parkway is one of the best short hikes in the state. The two-mile out-and-back climbs 740 feet to a protruding rock outcropping with views that take in the southern part of Shenandoah National Park, the mountains of George Washington National Forest, and the farms of the Shenandoah Valley.

Sharp Top Mountain (Milepost 86): This is a tough 2.8-mile out-and-back on which climbs 1,300 feet to the craggy peak of Sharp Top Mountain (3,875 feet), with a view of Abbott Lake and the historic Peaks of Otter Lodge below. The summit is a jumble of boulders, but you’ll also see an old, now shuttered, stone restaurant that sold concessions during the 1950s and �60s. The ascent is a mix of double track and stone steps, so you might feel like you’re on a Stairmaster. It’s a popular hike, and there’s even a shuttle that could take you most of the way to the top, but you’ll want to do the steps.

Rock Castle Gorge (Milepost 169): Looking for a challenge? This begins as an easy stroll through meadows interspersed with patches of forest, but quickly drops into a narrow canyon cut by Rock Castle Creek. Early settlers named the gorge “Rock Castle” not because of any notable formations, but for the six-sided crystals they found in the creek, which they thought looked like castle turrets.

The gorge offers steep walls full of rhododendron and ferns, with a “jungle hike” feel, rising for several hundred feet on either side of the creek. There’s designated backcountry camping roughly halfway through the full hike. My favorite part of the trail is the first two miles, with their broad, grassy pastures. Some of those meadows are still active cattle farms (watch for cow poop), while others are the sites of historic settlements that date back to the 1700s. Native Americans hunted and lived in and around the gorge for thousands of years before that.

The Best Road Rides Along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia

James River to Peaks of Otter (MP 64 to MP 86): Calling all Type 2 Fun cyclists out there; this out-and-back begins on the James River and finishes at Peaks of Otter, respectively the lowest point and one of the highest points on the parkway in Virginia. On it, you’ll tackle the longest sustained climb on the route in the state, gaining 3,500 feet in 12 miles.

You’ll also get copious amounts of views from overlooks, can stretch your legs away from the bike to check out the 200-foot Apple Orchard Falls (it’s a 1.2-mile hike to the falls, so bring a bike lock if you want to go). After grabbing a bite at the Peaks of Otter Lodge’s restaurant, you can turn around and enjoy the descent back to your car.

Mabry Mill to Fancy Gap (MP 176 to MP 200): For a mellower road ride, I really like this section, rolling through farms near the border of North Carolina. You’ll enjoy the occasional long-range view, but mostly you’re pedaling through small cattle ranches and family farms with tunnels of hardwoods and rhododendron scattered between the pastures. There are climbs, but they’re short, and the traffic is light.

Living off the parkway in Asheville, I regularly strike out to bike or hike different lengths of the road. During a recent midweek morning ride, I saw more deer than cars. And check out , a restored sawmill and blacksmith shop that history buffs go bananas over as a slice of Appalachian life from the early 1900s.

The Best Gateway Towns in Virginia Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Access roads will deliver you to many small communities throughout the 200-plus miles of the parkway in Virginia, but the burgs below are my favorites.

Roanoke: More city than town, Roanoke has almost 100,000 residents, making it the biggest city on this path, with a vibrant beer and food scene. has a massive beer garden right in the heart of downtown. is the most lauded restaurant in town, with a constantly rotating menu that leans heavily into seafood, and offerings like lump crab cakes and BBQ shrimp.

Floyd: This tiny hamlet is the quintessential small farm town, complete with a lively country store, , open since 1910. You can grab a snack and even catch live music here on Friday nights. There are also breweries, wineries, and distilleries around. Check out for traditional German lagers.

How to Explore the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina

After entering the state, the parkway quickly ascends to the ridge lines, and mostly stays up high all the way until its crescendo at the border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The road contours around a series of 5,000- and 6,000-foot peaks, even skirting the 6,683-foot Mount Mitchell—the highest mountain east of the Mississippi. There are so many big views from overlooks, you could almost grow bored of them. Almost.

The Best Hikes Along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina

Tanawha Trail (MP 304): The entire runs for 13.5 miles along the flank of Grandfather Mountain, essentially paralleling the Blue Ridge Parkway. The path is super technical, thanks to all of the rock steps and boulder hopping, and completing the whole thing would be very worthy, but you may not have time for a 27-mile out-and-back. Instead, focus on the five-mile round-trip slice of this trail that begins at the Linn Cove Viaduct Visitor Center and climbs to Rough Ridge, where a granite outcropping provides 360-degree views that include the parkway below and a sea of green slopes.

One of the coolest views comes just a half-mile after you begin, when you’ll find a well-worn and obvious short side trail that leads to a boulder with an incredible view of the Linn Cove Viaduct, a sinuous bridge that curves around the rocky side of Grandfather Mountain.

Black Mountain Crest Trail (MP 355.4 ): Mount Mitchell State Park contains the tallest mountain on the East Coast. Standing on top of Mitchell is a must, and you can drive within 100 yards of the summit but would share that view with dozens of other people. Sure, do it (the Mount Mitchell Summit Trail is .2 miles long) and get the picture, but here is another option.

Begin at the trailhead for the 11.5-mile , which traces the crest of the Black Mountain Range, heading south from the Mount Mitchell summit parking lot, for the chance to bag a series of 6,000-foot mountains in one walk. This three-mile out-and-back from Mitchell on the Black Mountain Crest will take you across two more 6,000 footers, .

Graveyard Fields (MP 418.8): Give the giant views a break with this that takes in three waterfalls and a meadow with excellent blueberry picking in July. The highlight of the hike is the swimming hole at the base of Second Falls along the Yellowstone Prong River, but I always get a kick out of the section through the high-elevation meadow.

The trailhead parking lot may be crowded, but you’ll find solitude if you head up to Upper Falls, which most people skip, since Second Falls is much closer to the trailhead. You might want to bring your fly rod: on the way to Upper Falls are lonely stretches of the Yellowstone that house brook trout.

The Best Road Rides Along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina

Craggy Gardens to Mount Mitchell (MP 364): Pedaling your bike up 6,683-foot Mount Mitchell is an accomplishment any cyclist cherishes. I try to knock it out once a year, starting from my home in Asheville. That’s a 68-mile day with 7,000 feet of climbing, but you can also decrease your mileage significantly and still hit the highlights if you begin at Craggy Gardens Visitor Center and pedal north towards Mitchell.

The entire route is above 5,000 feet in elevation, and the overlooks on this 28-mile out-and-back are outstanding, giving you views of seasonal waterfalls and distant ridges while gaining a total of 3,500 feet. The real push comes at the end as you peel off the parkway and leg it up the five miles of Highway 128 to the summit of Mitchell.

Pisgah Inn to Black Balsam (MP 408): Another high-elevation romp that barely dips below 5,000 feet, this 26-mile out-and-back delivers some of the best views along the entire parkway. My favorite is the Looking Glass Rock Overlook at MP 417, with the 500-foot granite face of the nearly 4,000-foot mountain popping out of the lush forest below. This ride climbs more than 3,000 feet, so it’s no joke, but save some energy to hike the mile-and-a-half round trip on , which comes at the end of the road climb, leading to a grassy mountaintop with views that stretch for 100 miles. It’s a great way to break up the road ride.

The Best Gateway Towns in North Carolina Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Blowing Rock: Nestled between MP 291 and MP 294, Blowing Rock is an upscale resort town known for its food and quick access to the outdoors. Main Street is packed with boutiques and restaurants, while wellness resorts dot the surrounding landscape. Grab a wood-fired pizza at , and meander over to for a beer.

Asheville: The parkway curves around Asheville, giving motorists quick access to one of the South’s most beloved communities. The beer scene is off the charts here ( is my personal hometown favorite), and spend some time walking around downtown and see the various murals painted by Native Americans as part of the . If you’re feeling sore from all the hiking and cycling you’ve been doing, pop into for a sauna/cold plunge pairing.

Where to Stay Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

You can drop off the parkway into adjacent towns the whole way, but two lodges and eight established campgrounds are located directly on the road.

Peaks of Otter Lodge (MP 86): Sitting on the edge of Abbott Lake in Virginia, the offers quick access to miles of hiking trails (see Sharp Top Trail, above) and a good restaurant that serves three hot meals a day. Rates start at $138, and every room has a view of the lake.

Pisgah Inn: The offers a ridge-top experience, sitting on the edge of the parkway above 5,000 feet with views of Pisgah National Forest from its observation deck. Rates start at $250 a night, and reservations can be hard to get, so try to book six months in advance. Even if you don’t snag a room at the Pisgah Inn, try to have a meal at the restaurant, where most tables have amazing views.

Otter Creek Campground (MP 60): Sitting at the lowest elevation on the Parkway, gives you the chance to enjoy a lush valley floor complete with a babbling creek running between sites. There are 39 sites you can reserve six months in advance, and 29 spots available first-come, first-served ($20 a night).

Julian Price Campground (MP 297.1): You can’t go wrong with any campground on the parkway, but I like because it sits on the shores of Julian Price Lake, where you can rent a canoe or kayak and paddle the calm waters, which are surrounded by forested slopes. It’s a large campground, with 115 sites available to reserve six months in advance, while 75 more are first-come, first-served ($20 a night).

Cycling Safety on the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a bucket-list destination for road cyclists, and many of us dream about taking a week and riding the entire length. Mile for mile, the scenery can’t be beat, and while the road is full of elevation changes, no climb exceeds an eight-percent grade, which makes the ride challenging but not dire.

You will share the road with vehicles. There’s also no shoulder, which can be intimidating for some cyclists. But generally, the parkway is one of the safer bike routes in the Southern Appalachians. The speed limit is 45 miles per hour or lower, and drivers are accustomed to sharing the road with cyclists.

Still, ride with caution. Try not to pedal alone, make sure to have a tail light and headlight, and avoid earbuds, so you can hear traffic approaching.

Graham Averill is şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř magazine’s national-parks columnist. He spends a lot of time on the Blue Ridge Parkway, usually on his road bike, sweating uphill.

For more by Graham Averill, see:

Boating Turns Me Green. But I Couldn’t Miss a Chance to See the Channel Islands.

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Terlingua, Texas, doesn’t have a lot of people. The tiny settlement (population 100ish) is literally a ghost town, where a handful of homes and businesses mingle with a cemetery and the stone ruins of a late 1800s mining camp. It’s dusty, hot as hell, and about 240 miles to the nearest Whole Foods. And yet, I fell in love with Terlingua on myĚý first visit. The locals were friendly, the beer was cold, the food was good, and the place is just eight miles from Big Bend National Park, which protects a million acres of desert, mountains, and the Rio Grande. Add in the mountain biking at Big Bend Ranch State Park and the incredibly dark, starry sky that blankets the whole area every night, and you have a fantastic gateway town.

Terlingua isn’t the only burg with an ideal mix of charm, culture, and adventure. Below I’ve picked my favorite gateway towns in the U.S. Some are well-known destinations, while others still qualify as sleepy, but they all sit next to world-class national parks.

Bryson City, North Carolina

More than 12 million people visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park every year, and most of them access it on the west side through Gatlinburg, Tennessee. But Bryson City (pop.: 1,500), on the eastern North Carolina side of the park, offers a mellow experience void of water parks and mega resorts, in a less-busy corner of GSMNP. The serene Lake Fontana and the trails that extend from its shoreline sit right out the small city’s back door.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Inside the Park: The majority of the north shore of Fontana Lake is inaccessible by car, making for a peaceful experience. The 33-mile point-to-point traces the edge of the lake, delivering hikers to isolated backcountry campsites, waterfalls, and fly fishing on streams that rush to join the reservoir.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř the Park: The Nantahala River is 20 minutes south of town, offering a popular class III run loaded with wave trains and views of the narrow Nantahala Gorge. Rent duckies and rafts from (from $39). Mountain bikers, head to in Nantahala National Forest, with 40 miles of flowy singletrack and the occasional view of Lake Fontana.

Where to Eat: Bryson City’s food scene has blossomed in recent years. I like The Rice Wagon, which serves Hawaiian-inspired dishes outside the Mountain Layers brewery every day. Get the Kalua pork with rice and macaroni salad.

Where to Stay: There are a few inexpensive motels on the outskirts of town, but your best bet is to find a tucked into the woods surrounding Bryson City.

Where to Get Gear: has hiking gear as well as a taproom with local beer. They also run shuttles for hikers exploring the North Carolina side of the park and Nantahala National Forest.

Jackson, Wyoming

It would be an egregious oversight to leave out Jackson, so I’m not going to fight it. The outpost receives plenty of attention, but consider the bonafides: This cute-rustic Wild West town sits at the base of the Tetons, with Grand Teton National Park so close that you can ride your bike to it via a multi-use path. Yellowstone National Park is just 2.5 hours away, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is 20 minutes north, while the local fave, Snow King Resort, drops right into downtown.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Inside Grand Teton National Park: Wake up early and get after the 20-mile long , which traverses two canyons, passes two backcountry lakes (Lake Solitude and Holly Lake) and delivers views of Mount Moran, Mount Woodring, and Rockchuck Peak from the top of 10,700-foot Paintbrush Divide.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Grand Teton National Park: Raft the Snake River Canyon, stacked with eight miles of Class I to III rapids and scenery that oscillates between sheer gray rock walls and gentler slopes peppered with stands of evergreens. runs half-day trips from $105 a person. Or ride the six-mile section of the Jackson Hole Multi-Use Pathway that runs through the , where elk, bison, and wolves roam through expansive grasslands.

Where to Eat: Creekside Market and Deli has fresh grab-and-go sandwiches and boozy slushies that hit the spot on a hot afternoon. If you’re looking for an upscale dinner, has French-inspired dishes like cassoulet and mussels and fries.

Where to Stay: Rooms in Jackson can get pricey, but the is a refurbished motor lodge with tons of outdoor space, including a swimming pool, with large rooms from $271 a night.

Where to Get Gear: has bike rentals (from $55), and has hiking and climbing gear, if you’ve forgotten anything.

Grand Lake, Colorado

Estes Park soaks up most of the attention (and visitors), but the town of Grand Lake (pop.: 410) sits on the quieter western side of Rocky Mountain National Park, boasting Gold Rush charm with a fraction of the crowds. The Grand Lake Boardwalk, built in the early 1880s, connects shops and restaurants, while the 400-foot-deep Grand Lake borders town, with a public beach just a block from downtown.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Inside the Park: The backcountry lakes on the east side of the park are packed, but Lake Verna, a 34-acre pool at 10,200 feet in elevation, flies under the radar. Hike 6.6 miles on the , passing through aspens and pines while looking for moose and elk in East Meadow, a grassy field bisected by East Inlet Creek. The lake itself is known to be home to a healthy, and hungry, population of brook trout, if you want to bring a fly rod.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř the Park: Grab a paddleboard from ($30 an hour) and paddle the canal that connects the windier Grand Lake to Shadow Mountain Reservoir, a 1,346-acre lake that’s more protected and user friendly for paddleboarders. The 10,000-foot Shadow Mountain dominates the east side of the lake.

Where to Eat: Casual steak houses and BBQ joints have long been the mainstay in Grand Lake, but One Love Rum Kitchen is spicing things up with Caribbean fare and classic, rum-based “boat drinks.” Get the coconut rum chicken and wash it down with the Painkiller cocktail.

Where to Stay: sits on the border of Rocky Mountain National Park, with a large deck overlooking Grand Lake and Shadow Mountain and Mount Craig. Snag one of their recently renovated cabins, the originals of which were ordered from the Sears and Roebuck catalog more than 100 years ago, back when you could buy DIY home kits from the department-store catalog (from $164 a night).

Where to Get Gear: has everything from paddleboards to puffies (and SUP pumps if you forget yours), as well as rentals like bear canisters and kid carriers.

Bar Harbor, Maine

Can someone even separate Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park? The town of 5,000, which sits on the eastern edge of Mount Desert Island, is flanked by Frenchman Bay on one side and Acadia (New England’s only national park) on the other, with trails leaving directly from downtown. Yachts and lobster boats speckle the harbor on one side of town, while rolling mountains dominated by hardwoods rise on the other. In between is a vibrant downtown full of lobster shacks and boutique shops.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Inside the Park: You can’t visit Acadia without climbing the , which rises more than 1,000 feet in just under a mile up the side of Champlain Mountain. It’s a full-contact adventure as you scramble over boulders and ascend a series of iron rungs and ladders up the granite face of Champlain. From the top, you can see all of Frenchman Bay below.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř the Park: Kayak the Porcupines, a chain of four islands in Frenchman Bay, for the beauty and a chance to see seals in the water and bald eagles nesting in the trees. runs half-day trips with beach-combing breaks on the islands (from $67 per person).

Where to Eat: Seafood is it. Lobster rolls are ubiquitous, but start with the one at , which is served with mayo on a grilled brioche bun.

Where to Stay: blends high-end safari tents with an airy lodge complete with local taps and an onsite outfitter service. There’s plenty of lawn space for games and a pool, too (from $339 a night).

Where to Gear Up: , in the heart of Bar Harbor, has kayaking, hiking, and limbing gear if you need to pick up last-minute equipment.

Terlingua, Texas

There’s Texas, there’s West Texas, and then there’s Far West Texas, a region tucked between the Chisos Mountains and the Rio Grande that is so remote, it makes Montana feel like the suburbs. Terlingua (Pop.: 110ish), is the unofficial capital of Far West Texas, but don’t expect a lot of hustle and bustle. The roads are mostly dirt, and the town is as much historic mining ruins as active businesses. But you’ll find a bike shop, nice people, and a vibrant food scene, all sandwiched between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Inside the Park: Hike the , which is short (just 1.6 miles round trip) but delivers you to the edge of the Rio Grande, where the canyon’s walls rise 1,500 feet above the water. After the hike, drive to the , where you can soak in a 105-degree pool, still right next to the Rio Grande.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř the Park: Big Bend Ranch State Park has more than 200 miles of singletrack and dirt road open for mountain biking. Pack plenty of water (remember: at least two liters per person), start out at dawn to avoid the heat of the day, and pedal the 57-mile , which will take you through slopes of sparkling crystals to the edge of a real-life oasis, with a small waterfall dropping into a tight gorge with a pool big enough for plunging.

Where to Eat: A food-truck scene has popped up in recent years, so there are more options in Terlingua than ever before. Or head to Long Draw Pizza for the Terlingua Spur pie, which is part fajitas/part pizza. Get a six-pack of beer from the Terlingua Trading Company, and sit on its front porch mingling with locals and tourists alike. The Starlight has excellent food, live music, and history: for years this restaurant had no roof, hence the name.

Where to Stay: The last time I was in Terlingua, I pitched a tent near the historic cemetery among the mining ruins in the middle of town. These days you can rent a “Bubble” from , with see-through walls and its own hot tub (from $299 a night). They have nice campsites (from $45 a night) and tear-drop-shaped Lotus tents, too (from $129 a night).

Where to Get Gear: offers bikes, gear, and guided adventures all over the Big Bend region.

Port Angeles, Washington

Sandwiched between the Salish Sea and the million-acre Olympic National Park, Port Angeles (pop.: 20,000) is part harbor town and part mountain town, offering the best of both worlds. The Olympic Mountains rise to 5,000 feet from the edge of one side of town, while you can see Canada, less than 20 miles across the Strait of Juan de Fuca, on the other. The place has attracted boat builders, commercial fishermen, and mountain bikers and surfers alike. From downtown, you can catch a ferry to Canada, or hop on the 60-mile and pedal or run a piece of it (or all of it) throughĚý Olympic National Park.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Inside the Park: Go deep into Olympic by backpacking a 37-mile out and back on the to Blue Glacier, through a rainforest thick with old growth that rises from a floor of moss and ferns. The hike culminates in a view of the 1.7-square-mile Blue Glacier, its crevasse-cut expanse dominating a valley between gray-rock peaks on the edge of the white-capped Mount Olympus.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř the Park: Kayaking the Strait of Juan de Fuca is a veritable safari, as you’re looking for bald eagles flying above and harbor seals in the calm water surrounding you. Kayakers often see river otters, as well as colorful starfish that cling to the rocky coast. runs regular half-day trips (starting at $89 per person)

Where to Eat: Next Door Gastropub is a staple of the community. Get the fish and chips with Alaskan cod, or the poutine with a fried egg. Or both.

Where to Stay: The is a replica of the first president’s home, Mount Vernon, built on a lavender farm overlooking the strait. Classic bed-and-breakfast hospitality meets one of the best views on the Olympic Peninsula (from $360 a night, breakfast included).

Where to Get Gear: has everything from climbing gear to local guidebooks. And yes, bikes and kayaks, plus tubes, pumps, paddles, PFDs…and all the little things you might’ve forgotten from home.

Copper Harbor, Michigan

Isle Royale National Park is not easy to get to. The park is made up of more than 450 islands in the middle of Lake Superior, hours from the mainland. You can catch a three-hour ferry ride from Copper Harbor, located on the edge of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula, but you might not want to leave Copper Harbor, as it has one of the most vibrant mountain-bike scenes in the Midwest, not to mention welcoming Upper Peninsula hospitality.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Inside the Park: Because of the three-hour ($160 per adult, round trip), Isle Royale isn’t a “day trip” kind of place. Try to book a room at (from $245 a night) and spend a couple of days exploring the island. You can rent canoes from Rock Harbor Marina (from $23 for a half day) and paddle some of the fjord-like inlets along the coast of the island. On land, hike the four-mile , which forms a lollipop loop near Rock Harbor and is packed with epic views of Lake Superior and the rocky shoreline of the island.

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř the Park: Don’t come to Copper Harbor without a mountain bike. More than of purpose-built trail covers this nook of the Keweenaw Peninsula, offering a smorgasbord of backcountry bliss, tech features, and rhythmic undulations. The three-mile delivers on the name’s promise.

Where to Eat: Harbor Haus offers German-inspired upscale fare with killer views of the lake. The whitefish is pulled fresh from the water you’re staring at from your table.

Where to Stay: has motel rooms and cabins two blocks from Lake Superior (from $105 a night).

Where to Get Gear: has bikes (rentals from $40) and kayaks, tours, shuttles, and more.

Whitefish, Montana

Is Whitefish a ski town or a gateway town? Both. Sure, Whitefish Mountain Resort rises from the edge of downtown, but Glacier National Park is just 27 miles away. Hell, nestled up against the 3,300-acre body of water of the same name, Whitefish is also a lake town with its own community beach. Oh, and it’s a progressive trail town as the community works to complete the 55-mile Whitefish Trail, a multi-use singletrack path connecting Whitefish proper with area lakes, rivers, and recreation areas.

Best şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Inside the Park: Hike the , which might be the quintessential Glacier Experience. The 12-mile point-to-point trek traverses the western flank of Continental Divide, following cliffs with the aid of cables, passing through meadows where mountain goats and bighorn sheep may appear, and offering views deep into the park.

Best şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř the Park: Pedal the . When finished, the WT will form a 55-plus-mile loop around the community, but you don’t have to wait; there are 47 miles of singletrack on the ground now. Or head straight to , where 15 miles of singletrack are loaded with the wooden features made popular by bike parks on the North Shore of Vancouver.

Where to Eat: Bonsai Brewing Company has a knack for IPAs as well as hearty rice bowls. Get the Bowlin’ Out, with pickled veggies and hummus. On Thursdays, local DJs show up to spin their own collections of vinyl.

Where to Stay: The has lodge rooms, cabins, and campsites directly on the Whitefish Trail, also a wood-fired sauna, not to mention shuttles and rentals (from $50 a night).

Where to Get Gear: has gear for every adventure sport under the sun, as well as rentals and tours.

Fayetteville, West Virginia

This former mining town has been reborn as an adventure hub with quick access to world-class rock climbing and whitewater rafting inside the New River Gorge. The New River Gorge was named America’s 63^rd national park in only 2020, proof that this area and its deep, rugged canyon are truly amazing. The town of 2,800 isn’t much bigger than the historic square where you’ll find the majority of shops and restaurants. But just past the edge of town, the earth drops 1,000 feet to the bottom of the river thanks to millions of years of erosion, turning Fayetteville’s backyard into a playground for hikers, climbers, and boaters.

Best şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Inside the Park:Ěý At just 70,000 acres, the New River Gorge National Park isn’t big, relatively speaking. But the adventure is stout. Raft the 12 miles of the Lower New to see the gorge in all its glory as you try to stay in the boat while navigating big water, class IV and V waves.

Best şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř of the Park: Just north of Fayetteville, Summersville Lake has 2,700 acres of aqua-blue water surrounded by sandstone cliffs, making it a hubbub of people paddling, swimming, and jumping from rocks into the water. offers full-day paddleboard adventures on the lake that take in the most scenic cliffs and waterfalls (from $120 per person).

Where to Eat: Pies and Pints is a cornerstone of Fayetteville. The pizzas range from traditional to weird (the Brunch Pie has scrambled eggs), but they’re always good. The selection of beer is unrivaled in the area, too.

Where to Stay: has campsites, primitive cabins, and deluxe homes situated on the edge of the canyon on an expansive property with its own restaurants, pool, and trail system (campsites from $39 a night).

Where to Get Gear: has hiking and climbing gear, as well as the local beta you need to make the most of your time in the gorge.

Graham Averill is şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř magazine’s national parks columnist. He appreciates a good gateway town, but has never actually lived within shouting distance of a national park. If he had to choose one of the towns listed above to call home, it might be Port Angeles, Washington. Still his favorite is Terlingua.

For more by this author:

The 8 Most Adventurous States in America. Number 1 Is …

And the 11 Least Visited National Parks Are…

11 Remote Destinations That Are Definitely Worth the Effort to Visit

The post The 9 Best Gateway Towns to U.S. National Parks appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

As we started our three-day backpacking trip along the northern rim of Yosemite Valley, the trailhead was a zoo. And this was several years ago, even before the pandemic accelerated visitation to our national park system. Still, Yosemite National Park has always been a popular destination, notorious for crowds over the decades. But after we hiked just two hours on Upper Yosemite Falls Trail, the masses had thinned, and by the time we reached the rim above the valley, our group of six had the place to ourselves.

That’s the beauty of backpacking in our national parks; you can leave the traffic jams and crowded parking lots behind in just a few miles. With some planning and hard work, you can enjoy the country’s most iconic landscapes in relative solitude.

Here, I’ve detailed 10 of the best backpacking trails within our national parks. A few I’ve done myself, while others are still on my bucket list.ĚýI’ve included something for everyone, from quick overnight jaunts to week-long treks that require serious legs and logistics.

1. Chesler Park, Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Distance: 14 miles, overnight

Why It’s Great: This lollipop loop in the remote Needles District takes you through the sort of desert terrain, from slot canyons to arches,Ěýthat draws so many of us to the landscape of Canyonlands.

Hike It: The is moderate in length, but the terrain and lack of water and shade make it best suited for experienced backpackers. Starting at the Elephant Hill Trailhead, combine four trails (Elephant Canyon Trail, Druid Arch, Joint Trail, and Chesler Park), following cairns and well-signed trail junctions across slickrock and sandy washes. Most people hike it clockwise, and to get a broad view of the Needles District before descending into Elephant Canyon. There, you’ll squeeze through boulders and climb stairs through notches in vertical stone walls. At the end of Elephant Canyon Trail, you should tack on the four-mile out-and-back side trip to the 150-foot-tall Druid Arch for one of the best views in the Needles district. Carry on to Chesler Park proper, a broad circular valley with tall grasses hemmed in almost entirely by sandstone spires. Continue on the 1.5-mile Joint Trail, on the southern edge of Chesler Park—another highlight, as it has you scrambling along sandstone slopes, squeezing through boulders, and venturing into tall, narrow slot canyons.

Logistics: Elephant Hill Trailhead is accessible via two-wheel-drive vehicles and has pit toilets. Grab a up to four months before your trip ($36 per reservation, plus $5 per person, maximum seven people per permit). Reliable water sources are scarce, so plan to pack in all you need: the National Park Service and other government officials recommend at least one gallon per person, per day. Fall and spring are the best seasons to go, though winter has its charms if you have the right gear, including a zero-degree sleeping bag. Trekking in summerĚýheat is not recommended for safety reasons.

2. North Rim Loop, Yosemite National Park, California

Distance: 17 miles, two nights

Why It’s Great: You’ll see Yosemite Valley—one of the best damn parks in the system, in my opinion—from a whole different perspective and enjoy one of the greatest camp spotsĚýin the country.

Hike It: From Yosemite Falls Trailhead, the begins behind the historic climbers’ Camp 4, ascending Yosemite Falls Trail to the top of the tallest waterfall in North America. The trail ascends 2,700 feet, giving you a spectacular view, and the falls are so close you can feel the spray on your face.Ěý

łŰ´Ç˛ő±đłľľ±łŮ±đ’s backcountry has a dispersed camping policy, which means you can pitch a tent anywhere as long as it’s four miles from a trailhead and 100 feet from water or a trail. We found a quiet campsite tucked under tall pines next to Lahamite Creek, which holds ice-cold swimming holes perfect for summer visits. My group, which was full of climbers, spent hours bouldering near the water.

The highlight of day two is the view from North Dome, across Tenaya Canyon to Half Dome. Take the quick .5-mile side trip to Indian Arch, the only natural arch in Yosemite, before pitching a tent on Snow Creek Promontory, a granite dome directly across the valley from Half Dome and Mount Watkins. This is the finest place I’ve ever pitched a tent in my life, thanks to the view and exposure. Day three drops you off the north rim via the Snow Creek Trail, which loses 2,700 feet in nine milesĚý into Tenaya Canyon, offering panoramas of the stunning monoliths of Half Dome, Quarter Dome, and Clouds Rest. You’ll pass by Mirror Lake in Tenaya Canyon with North Dome, Half Dome, and Mount Watkins in the background.

Logistics: A limited number of are available, designated by trailhead (apply for the Yosemite Falls Trailhead). Exactly 60 percent of the permits ($10 application fee, $5 per person, maximum 15 people per permit) are issued 24 weeks in advance, and 40 percent seven days in advance. This trip is good as soon as the snow melts (usually late April or early May). Do it in June or July if you want to see Yosemite Falls at its peak. You’ll find creeks along the route, so bring a filter You’ll find creeks along the route, so bring a filter (and a backup such as iodine tablets, or be ready to boil water).

3. Coast Trail, Point Reyes National Seashore, California

Distance: 17 miles, overnight

Why It’s Great: This quick trip delivers you to secluded beaches and coastal bluffs in a wilderness area.

Hike It: The 17-mile-long makes the most of the remote landscape of Point Reyes National Park, where rocky headlands meet beaches and the raucous Pacific Ocean. The trail runs through the Phillip Burton Wilderness, reducing the number of people you’ll encounter (no vehiclesĚý allowed in wilderness). It meanders past a series of dramatic beaches that line Drake’s Bay; Wildcat Beach is the biggest, stretching for three miles. Sculptured Beach sits amid tall bluffs, with two creeks carving through the sand into the Pacific.

Coast Trail also dips inland several times, passing natural lakes and climbing to the top of rocky bluffs offering long-range views of the Pacific and its rugged coastline. You’ll have the chance to take a two-mile out-and-back side trip to Alamere Falls along Wildcat Beach, where Alamere Creek tumbles 40 feet over a cliff onto the sand. With multiple trails intersecting the entire Coast Trail, there are many such options for small loops and side hikes. To extend the trip, create a bigger loop incorporating some of the inland trails, some of which follow a ridgeline through a Douglas fir forest. You can even climb the 1,407-foot Mount Wittenburg, the highest point in Point Reyes National Seashore.

Logistics: Camping is only allowed at established campgrounds within Point Reyes, and the Coast Trail has two options. Coast Campground, towards the northern end of the trail, has 14 sites tucked into a valley and protected from the ocean wind, though the beach is an easy 200-yard walk from your tent ($30 per night, max six people per site). Wildcat Campground, towards the southern end, has five sites on a bluff above the beach ($30 per night, up to six people). Get a free up to three months in advance for either campground. There’s potable water at any backcountry campground within the national seashore.

Point Reyes is a treat any time of year, but keep an eye out for beach closures during winter to protect fragile wildlife. Summer is obviously your best bet if you want to go swimming. If you do this hike as a point to point, plan to leave shuttle vehicles at both trailheads.

4. Rim to Rim, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Distance: 24 miles, two to three days

Why It’s Great: This classic Grand Canyon adventure is as challenging as it is beautiful, showing backpackers what’s fondly known as the biggest ditch in America from a variety of perspectives most visitors never experience.

Hike It: The in the Grand Canyon might be the ultimate bucket-list backpacking trail. It’s possible to complete the Rim to Rim in a day, but this is a burly hike with 6,000 feet of elevation drop on the descentĚýand 4,500 feet of climbing on the ascent, so breaking it up with an overnight is kinder to your knees.

The most popular route follows the North Kaibab Trail from the North Rim down to the Colorado River and up to the South Rim via the Bright Angel Trail. The landscape is surprisingly lush as you begin at the North Kaibab Trailhead, with aspens and evergreens flanking the path. You quickly leave the foliage behind while switchbacking down along Redwall cliffs, reveling in the exposure and views deep into the interior.

If you want to break this up into a three-day trip, get a permit for Cottonwood Camp, roughly seven miles from the trailhead (see below for permit instructions). You’ll pass the hundred-year-old Phantom Ranch,Ěýwhich has lodge rooms and a restaurant, just before reaching Bright Angel Campground. Even if you can’t score a reservation at Phantom Ranch, grab a meal from its restaurant, the Canteen, which serves a full sit-down breakfast and dinner (choose from stew or steak) and an old-school “hiker’s sack lunch” with salami and cheese.

After crossing the Colorado on Silver Bridge, a hiker-only overpass, you’ll climb out of the canyon on the Bright Angel Trail. The views are outstanding, with a literal oasis roughly halfway up, and the switchbacks towards the top of the climb will challenge even the most hardcore hiker. I tackled the Bright Angel as an out-and-back in my early 20s, and I still consider it one of my toughest day hikes. It was so easy going down to the river in the morning, and brutalĚýclimbing back up.

Logistics: The top of Bright Angel Trail is closed until mid-April 2024 for waterline replacement work. Check on its before planning your hike. Snag a up to six months in advance for one of the 30 sites at Bright Angel Campground ($10 per permit, $15 per person each night, up to six people per site) through the lottery system via . As for timing, prime season falls between May and October. If you hike in the summer, start your days at sunrise to avoid peak temperatures. If you’re following the North Kaibab/Bright Angel route, you can find water and restrooms along the way. It’s easy to get a shuttle at the end of your hike to take you back to the North Rim. Or, really go for it: plan ahead with permits, water, gear, and food, and you can turn return via the North Kaibab trailhead for a 48-mile out and back.

5. Wonderland Trail, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Distance: 93 miles, seven to 14 days

Why It’s Great: This massive loop is loaded with rainforests, high meadows full of wildflowers, and endless views of Mount Rainier, which has more glaciers than any other mountain in the lower 48.

Hike It: The circles Mount Rainier, climbing a total of 24,000 feet, with immensely varied terrain ranging from temperate rainforests to alpine tundra. The hike is located entirely in Mount Rainier National Park.

Most hikers tackle the route clockwise, starting from Longmire, Sunrise, and Mowich Lake. home to a ranger station and the seasonally open Longmire Wilderness Information Center, is the standard starting point. Longmire was once the site of the park’s original headquarters (now in Ashford). The compound, with an inn and museum, is a National Historic District.Ěý

The Wonderland is hard, but you’ll experience the best Mount Rainer National Park has to offer, from remote alpine lakes to volcanic ridges, and from a bevy of wildflowers to the many perspectives of Mount Rainier. The climb to Panhandle Gap, a high-alpine pass with scree slopes and expansive views, is stunning, as is the glassy St. Andrews Lake, framed by Rainier in the background.

Logistics: Mid-summer (June and July) is the best time to go: the snow has melted and the wildflowers are popping. There are 18 developed campsites along the trail. are released during an early-access lottery beginning in February and ending in March (dates TBA, $26 per permit for up to 13 days (the 14 days above is a conservative estimate, and in that case, the person would walk out on the last day rather than need another night)Ěýand five people per site). The remaining permits are available starting April 25. You can beforehand at certain campgrounds and ranger stations (you can mail food or drop if off in a plastic container such as a five-gallon bucket) to lighten your load. along the trail to lighten your load.

6. Teton Crest Trail, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Distance: 40 miles, three to five days

Why It’s Great: This trail offers a bounty of wildlife spotting, views of glaciated peaks, and travel on high-alpine passes in the southern portion of Grand Teton National Park.

Hike It: The Teton Crest Trail officially starts outside of the park, at Phillips Pass in Jedediah Smith Wilderness, and ends at String Lake, after gaining more than 9,000 feet of elevation along the way. The majority of that gain comes during a couple of gradual ascents, which make this trek Ěýsurprisingly user-friendly.

Many backpackers take the Aerial Tram from Teton Village to the top of Rendezvous Mountain, to cut a few miles and 2,400 vertical feet off the itinerary. No shame in that game. Also, the chances of seeing elk and moose on this hike are high, especially around the backcountry lakes. The 2,800-foot climb up to Paintbrush Divide, toward the end of the hike if you’re headed north, is the toughest. The views into the hearts of various canyons and from above-treeline passes will entertain you the whole way, and you’ll likely only see a few other backpackers.

Logistics: Snag a Ěýearly ($20 per permit, $7 a night per person, max six people per site). The park released them on January 10 at 8 A.M. MST, and they go fast. Fortunately, two-thirds of the permits are withheld for walk-up reservations one night in advance of your trip during hiking season (May through October). Hit this one in late June through August for the warmest conditions.

7. Under the Rim Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Distance: 23 miles, three days

Why It’s Great: Everyone sees Bryce from the top of the canyon, but this trail drops well below the rim, providing solitude and the opportunity to see itĚýfrom the bottom.

Hike It: Bryce CanyonĚýis known for its desert landscape and hoodoos, most accessible by easy trails and overlooks. Still, step into the backcountry on the trail and you’ll see a whole new aspect, because there are trees and creeks in the desert. Honestly.

Hikers will find plenty of Bryce’s signature rock spires on this route, as they descend deep into the eastern edge of the plateau, where meadows and forests of thriving ponderosa pine and aspen trees thrive. Views of towering orange cliffs and vistas extend into the Grand Staircase. And don’t worry: an area dubbed “Hat Shop” is loaded with Bryce’s famous hoodoos, or sandstone columns left by weather and erosion, many capped by boulders of more resistant rock. The trail gains 5,500 feet in 23 miles, so it’s not a leg burner. Most people hike the Under the Rim heading north from Rainbow Point to Bryce Point. Aim to camp at Natural Bridge and Yellow Creek if you’re breaking this up into three days.

Logistics: Get a Ěýfor campsites up to three months in advance ($10 per permit, $5 per person,ĚýĚýmaximum six people per site). Water sources are unreliable, so bring your own (again, one gallon per person, per day).

Bryce has a free park shuttle, but unfortunately it doesn’t run to Rainbow Point, so you’ll need two cars (or can hire a private shuttle from from $15 per person). To preserve the fragile ecosystem, camp only in one of the six designated campsites along this trail. June to September promise the most pleasant weather.

8. Bechler River Traverse, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Distance: 35 miles, four to five days

Why It’s Great: This multi-day backpacking tripĚýhas everything you want out of your Yellowstone National ParkĚývisit: geothermal features, waterfalls, wildlife, meadows…and none of the crowds.

Hike It: Start near Old Faithful and pass the Lone Star Geyser before dipping into the backcountry and leaving the hordes behind. You drop into Bechler Canyon, where the river carves a dramatic gorge through the southwestern corner of Yellowstone, creating a series of waterfalls. Colonnade Falls has to be the best, dropping more than 100 feet in two parts. You’ll pass a number of geothermals, especially in Shoshone Geyser Basin, including “Mr. Bubbles,” a hot spring on the edge of the Bechler River where you can soak safely. Further, you reach an awesome view of the Teton skyline across the grasses and streams of Bechler Meadows. This route also has a high success rate for wildlife sightings, such as of bison and potentially even wolves. Optional side hikes to destinations like the three-mile out-and-back to Shoshone Lake with its excellent trout fishing beg you to tack on extra days.

Logistics: are first allocated through an Early Access LotteryĚýon March 1 at 8 A.M. MST ($10 reservation fee, $5 per person per night). A general-permit sale starts April 26 at 8 A.M. MST. You can also score walk-up permits two days in advance of a trip. There are a few river crossings, so it’s best to wait until August or early September, when the temperature is warm and the snowmelt has settled. Mosquitos can be bad in July, too. Carry bear spray, as this is grizzly country, and know how to use it. Use the food-storage boxes at each designated campsite and never, ever take any food into your tent with you.

9. Appalachian Trail Section in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina

Distance: 72 miles, seven days or more

Why It’s Great: This is a gorgeous stretch of the most famous footpath in America. You can spend the night in trail shelters, which helps save weight, while the forest changes from dense hardwoods at the lower elevations to sparse evergreens on the ridgelines. You’ll also cross some of the tallest peaks east of the Rockies, such as 6,593-foot Mount LeConte.

Hike It: The Appalachian Trailtravels north through the length of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, following the North Carolina/Tennessee border from Lake Fontana to Davenport Gap. The trip starts with a big climb that culminates at Shuckstack Fire Tower, then undulates along the roof of the Southern Appalachians for 20,000 feet of elevation gain. I’ve hiked most of the AT in the Smokies as a series of day hikes, and the terrain is surreal.ĚýYou’ll also encounter few people throughout most of the trail, as most hikers in GSMNP choose short trails close to parking.

At the 6,593-foot Mount LeConte, a concrete lookout platform offers views of the park all the way back down to Lake Fontana. Such spectacular moments abound, from the 360-degree vistas from the outcropping Rocky Top to the picture-perfect stone lookout tower on Mount Cammerer. Spending your nights in the AT’s signature three-sided trail shelters is just fun.

Logistics: You need a to stay in or around the AT shelters ($8 per night per person, max eight people per site). Get them up to 30 days in advance. Water is plentiful throughout this stretch, but bring a filter. You can hike the AT year round, although winter will be icy and snowy and requires a whole gear re-think. Summer is delightful, as you’ll be above 5,000 feet for the most part, and fall offers incredible views of foliage.

10. North Country National Scenic Trail, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Distance: 42 miles, four days

Why It’s Great: This slice of the 4,800-mile-long North Country National Scenic TrailĚýtraces the edge of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan, and is packed with dunes, bluffs, beaches, and waterfalls as you walk along the rim of the biggest, deepest lake in North America.

Hike It: The North Country National Scenic Trail runs east to west for 4,800 miles, crossing eight states. A particularly beautiful portion joins the through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, following the edge of Lake Superior, which at 2,900 cubic miles is so large it could be an inland sea. Much of the trail travels through the forest above the water, though hikers occasionally dip down to the water, where rocky beaches meet tumultuous waves. You’ll pass the Au Sable Light Station, cross over dunes, and spend miles atop sandstone cliffs that rise 200 feet above the waves. The waterfalls along the way include Spray Falls, which drops directly into Superior.

Logistics: Get a starting on Jan. 1 at 10 A.M. EST ($15 reservation fee, $5 per person per night, maximum six people per site). May and October can be snowy and cold, so aim for late summer after the black flies have died down (they’re usually active in June). You’ll find water sources throughout, but bring a filter.

That’s it, coast to coast: brilliant backpacking trails in our national parks, so stop dreaming and start planning. Snag a permit, grab your pack, lace up your boots, and go.

Graham Averill is şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř magazine’s national parks columnist. He thinks day hikes are great, overnights are better, and multiday adventures are best. His favorite backpacking trip ever in a national park? North Rim, hands down.

For more by Graham Averill, see:

Mountain Towns With Cabins You Can Actually Afford to Buy

How to Score the Best National Park Campsites for Summer

The Best Budget Airlines—and şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Locales They Go To

The 18 Best State Parks in the U.S.

To read about historic lodges and architecture in our national parks, see:

The 20 Best National-Park Lodges in the U.S.

The post The 10 Best Backpacking Trails in Our National Parks appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

As someone who’s visited all 63 national parks and counting, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the (sometimes very) ugly that can come from having and not having timed entry reservations at the most popular natural landmarks. Hour-long waits to get into Joshua Tree, bumper-to-bumper traffic in Yosemite Valley, bear jams in Yellowstone, full parking lots at 8 A.M. in Glacier–you name it, I’ve been stuck in it.

Not everyone is stoked on timed-entry reservations and additional permits as the solution, but the stark reality is that our country’s national parks are reaching a tipping point, in terms of visitation. Something needs to change, if we’re intent on preserving the pristine wilderness experience that the parks were founded on.

Great Smoky Mountains hit in 2021, and 2023 was the year of all time for Yellowstone. In August, the Department of the Interior announced that park visitor spending hit a new record of , supporting roughly 380,000 jobs.

Unfortunately, stats like these also mean that last-minute trips, at least to the most popular national parks, are a thing of yesteryear. Timed-entry reservation systems have become par for the course at four parks in particular: Arches, Yosemite, Glacier, and Rocky Mountain. Several other parks, including Zion and Acadia, are maintaining years-long reservation systems for popular hikes and sunrise vistas.

Now, the big question: Are timed-entry reservations systems here to stay? The short answer is, maybe.

Though companies in Moab have reported losing business since installation of a timed-entry program in Arches (the resort manager at Red Cliffs Lodge told the that the hotel lost over 2,000 bookings in 2022, the first year of the reservation system), the Moab City Council in November publicly voiced its support of a .

Rocky Mountain, which through December 14 for four proposals on how best to manage overcrowding in the coming years, may be facing a similar scenario. The proposed options range from returning to pre-2020 management practices, in which no entry reservations would exist, to requiring timed-entry reservations for both the park and the Bear Lake Road Corridor, which serves as a gateway to its most popular trails.

In mid-December Yosemite launched a similar , in which the park is assessing entrance data and asking for public comment. The plan comes after a , at the end of which the park brought back reservations after dropping them for the year, but then experiencing crowding. In 2024, the park is bringing back a “Peak Hours Plus” reservation system. Less stringent than those of the past, it will allow 20 percent more people into the park than in 2022, when roughly 3.7 million visited.

Likewise, Glacier officials report that the park will from 2023 for vehicle reservations on the roadways of Many Glacier, North Fork, and Going-to-the-Sun, the most scenic route in the park.

Though the timed-entry permit systems have been controversial among travelers, public lands officials have lauded them. “We applaud the National Park Service for advancing its bold and creative actions to protect natural and cultural resources and preserve high-quality visitor experiences,” Cassidy Jones, Senior Visitation Program Manager for the National Parks Conservation Association, She cited at Arches and Glacier as proving that “reservation systems are working and largely welcomed by visitors.”

*Since this article was published on January 2, Mount Rainier National Park has implemented a new timed-entry reservation system for vehicles entering the park’s popular Paradise Corridor and Sunrise Corridor. See details below. We will update this story as we hear more timed-entry news.

Which National Parks Will Require Reservations in 2024?

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

• For the first time ever, Mount Rainier will implement a pilot timed-entry reservation system for vehicles entering the park’s popular Paradise Corridor (from both the Nisqually and Stevens Canyon Entrances) and Sunrise Corridor (from the White River Entrance). Timed-entry permits will be valid for one day, for one vehicle and its occupants.
• These new restrictions will be in place from 7 A.M. to 3 P.M. for both areas. The Paradise Corridor reservations will be required from May 24 through September 2, and the Sunrise reservations will be needed July 3 through September 2.
• Visitors with a camping, lodging, or wilderness permit will not need this additional timed-entry reservation, but those with hotel and campground reservations will not be permitted to enter until 1 P.M. on the day of their first night.
• Planning a last-minute getaway? The park is open 24/7 and guests are welcome to enter before 7 A.M. or after 3 P.M. Next-day entry reservations will also be available, beginning at 7 P.M. Pacific Time, from May 24 (for the Paradise Corridor) and July 3 (for the Sunrise Corridor), on a daily rolling basis.
• In the area and don’t have an entry permit? Brave the bumpy road to the park’s Mowich Lake area and hike to Spray Park for soul-stirring views of Mount Rainier, or enter near the Ohanapecosh Campground and hike the moderate Silver Falls Loop to witness a powerful, forested cascade.

Arches National Park, Utah

• Arches will maintain the same parameters of its 2023 pilot program in 2024, with needed from April 1 through October 31, 2024. This system will help eliminate long lines stretching from Moab towards the park gates.
• Entry permits will not be required for visitors who already have camping, backpacking, Fiery Furnace, or commercial tour bookings, so entering with a guide is a great option if you’re planning a last-minute vacay.
• Visitors will be able to book reservations on a first-come, first-served basis through beginning at 8 A.M. MT on January 2, 2024.
• Reservations will be released three months in advance, on a rolling basis. For example, on January 2^nd, all reservations for the month of April will open up. On February 1^st, all reservations for May will open up.
• Last minute next-day reservations will be available at 7 P.M. MT, starting on March 31, 2024, on a daily rolling basis.

Glacier National Park, Montana

• From May 24 through September 8, 2024, at Glacier will be required on the west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road and North Fork, from 6 A.M. to 3 P.M. Pro tip: if you’re entering via North Fork, grab a huckleberry bear claw from the historic Polebridge Mercantile.
• From July 1 through September 8, 2024, reservations will be required for Many Glacier, one of the most stunning sections of the park, from 6 A.M. to 3 P.M.
• Visitors with camping, lodging, or commercial-activity bookings (such as boat rides and guided tours) will not need an additional timed-entry ticket.
• Beginning on January 24, 2024, a portion of vehicle reservations will become available 120 days in advance, on a daily rolling basis.
• Next-day reservations will be available at 7 P.M. MT, starting on May 23, 2024, on a daily rolling basis.
• In accordance with the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978, vehicle reservations are not required for tribal members throughout the park.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

• Rocky Mountain will require timed-entry in 2024, with a Bear Lake Corridor permit window from May 24 through October 20 (for those entering between 5 A.M. and 6 P.M. MT), and a “rest of the park” permit window from May 24 through October 15 (for those entering between 9 A.M. and 2 P.M. MT). In my experience, some of the best “low effort, high reward” hikes are found in the Bear Lake area, so nabbing a permit early is well worth the effort.
• Reservations will be available roughly one month in advance, on a one-month rolling window. For example, on June 1, all reservations for the month of July will become available.
• The park will also reserve 40 percent of timed-entry permits for next-day reservations, which can be booked starting at 7 P.M. MT on May 23, on a daily rolling basis.

Yosemite National Park, California

• After dropping entry permits for 2023, but then experiencing significant backups, Yosemite is modifying and bringing back a “Peak Hours Plus” in spring, summer, and fall from 5 A.M. to 4 P.M. Reservations will be required on weekends from April 13 to June 30 and seven days a week from July 1 to August 16. From August 17 to October 27, weekend reservations will also be required. Each reservation is valid for three days after the date of entry.
• Most Peak Hours Plus reservations go on sale at 8 A.M. Pacific Time on January 5, 2024. Additional reservations will become available seven days before the arrival date (for example, book on July 20 for a July 27 entry).
• The park is also bringing back reservations for its February “Firefall” weekends, when the angle of the setting sun lights up Horsetail Fall, with entry permits required February 10 to 11, 17 to 19, and 24 to 25. Regular weekday visitors will not need a permit. Reservations for all three weekends opened at 8 A.M. PT on December 1, 2023.

• During all reservation windows, visitors entering with a tour group or on a public bus and those with in-park camping or lodging reservations will not need the additional entry reservation. Similarly, those with wilderness or Half Dome permits will not need an additional entry reservation.
• Fifty percent of the available reservations will be released two days prior to a day-use reservation date for last-minute travelers. For example, at 8 A.M. on February 8, reservations for February 10 will become available.

Haleakala National Park, Hawaii

• As in years past, Haleakala, where seeing the sunrise from the top of the dormant volcano is a visitor tradition, will require sunrise vehicle for year-round visitors entering from 3 A.M. to 7 A.M.
• Limited entry reservations will be available two days in advance of a visit, beginning at 7 A.M. HST, on a two-day rolling basis. If you can’t score a sunrise permit, don’t fret. I went at sunset and was just as wowed.

Zion National Park, Utah

• In 2024, Zion will continue its pilot lottery to hike Angels Landing, five miles up and back on switchbacks to a famous viewpoint. Beginning two months in advance of an intended hike date, the lottery will open for hikers hoping to tackle this iconic trail.
• A next-day permit lottery will also be available for last-minute hiker hopefuls, opening at 12:01 A.M. and closing at 3 P.M. MT on a daily rolling basis. Winners will be emailed at 4 P.M. MT if they have received a permit.
• It costs $6 to apply for an Angels Landing permit, plus $3 per person once the permit is confirmed. Make sure your entire group has zero fear of heights before hopping on the trail. When I hiked Angels Landing, we nearly had to turn back when one of my friends had a mild freakout at Scout Lookout.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee

• As in 2023, Great Smoky Mountains will require that visitors purchase a daily, weekly, or annual if they wish to park anywhere within the park’s boundaries for more than 15 minutes. No advance reservations are needed for parking locations, once the tag is bought and displayed.
• Parking tags at a variety of visitor centers and automated kiosks, as well as online. Daily tags are $5, weekly tags are $10, and annual tags are $40.

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

• Shenandoah is expected to renew its Old Rag Mountain day-use from March 1 through November 30, 2024. This system is generally considered a good thing, because, in years past, hikers needed to arrive around 6 A.M. to nab one of the coveted spaces.
• A total of 400 tickets will be released 30 days in advance of the reservation date, and the remaining 400 tickets will be released five days before a given reservation date. Tickets go on sale at 10 A.M. EST and cost $1 per person.

Acadia National Park, Maine

• In 2024, Acadia will require vehicle for Cadillac Summit Road, three miles to the top of the highest peak in the park and an island-studded ocean view.. The exact dates of the reservation program have not been announced yet, but in 2023, the park required permits from May 24 through October 22.
• The park will offer two different types of vehicle reservations for this storied byway–Sunrise and Daytime–with the start times varying by month, depending on the forecasted sunrise time.
• During the summer and early fall months, 30 percent of reservations are made available 90 days in advance of a reservation date. Seventy percent of the reservations are available for last-minute purchase at 10 A.M. ET two days in advance of the reservation date.

Want more of şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř’s award-winning travel coverage? .

Emily Pennington is a journalist specializing in the national parks, a longtime şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř contributor, and the author of the memoir See an excerpt here. She has visited all 63 of our national parks and is currently expanding her horizons to journey to international parks, too.

For more by the same author:

The 13 Best Hut-to-Hut Hikes in the World

The Best Scenic View in Every National Park

The Most Underrated Park in Every State

The post These 10 National Parks Will Have Timed-Entry Reservations This Year appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

Visitors come from across the globe to set foot in our national parks. But some people are simply unimpressed.

The internet gives these people a place to air their grievances. Some now-classic bad national park reviews have made their way further, into illustrations, T-shirts, and needlepoints. “There are bugs, and they will bite you on your face,” they say. Or, “Trees block view and there are too many gray rocks.” “The water is ice-cold,” someone griped about Acadia National Park in Maine, making it onto a poster made by , which documents bad reviews.

The complaints keep coming. I searched Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google for the best and worst reviews of our national parks in 2023. To be fair, most of the complaints were about excessive crowds, traffic jams, and new reservation systems. But some visitors had, uh, more nuanced grudges regarding lackluster scenery or were shocked by the lack of amenities. Here are my favorites.

1. Yosemite National Park, California

In California’s Sierra Nevada, Yosemite offers giant granite monoliths, waterfalls, and Sequoia trees up to 3,000 years old. But not everyone sees the beauty.

“Really annoying that it is the same way in and same way out. Scenery is not breathtaking.” —TripAdvisor

“I need someone to explain to me the hype of this place. This place looks like any place with mountains and trees. Too many people, not enough stores, not enough places to buy food.” —Yelp

2. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

On Hawaii’s Big Island, this park stretches from sea level to 13,680 feet, boasting two of the world’s most active volcanoes. It is not known for its racquet sports, though.

“Absolutely horrible disappointment. There wasn’t a single pickleball court in sight. You’d think with it’s [sic] extreme length of 2.93 mi (4.72 km), an extreme width of 1.95 mi (3.14 km), a circumference of 7.85 mi (12.63 km) and an area of 4.14 sq mi (10.7 km2) they’d find some space for one.”—Yelp

3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee

Straddling two states, GSMNP is 500,000 acres of towering mountains, remote streams, and the most biodiverse wilderness in America. That doesn’t keep the young ’uns from doing their thing.

“Some falls/streams had nothing but toddlers peeing & pooing in the water.”—TripAdvisor

“Can’t say this is one of my fave national parks. No bear sightings but that’s not the park’s fault. … [T]he haziness of it gave me huge headaches.” –TripAdvisor

4. Zion National Park, Utah

Zion offers towering sandstone cliffs and some of the most famous slot canyons in the world. But if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen ’em all.

“The mountains are beautiful, but most of the different formations looked redundant to my untrained eye, so I didn’t see the value in trying to hike around all of them.”—T°ůľ±±č´ˇ»ĺ±ąľ±˛ő´Ç°ů

“Noxious weeds everywhere.” —Yelp

5. Glacier National Park, Montana

Originally dubbed “the place where there is a lot of ice” by the native Kootenai, Glacier contained 80 glaciers in 1850. Today there are fewer than 30. Yes, sad.

“Where are the glaciers? It was disappointing to stand at lookouts with glaciers in the distance and signage showing glaciers 50 years ago near where I was standing.”—Yelp

6. Arches National Park, Utah

This park holds the largest concentration of sandstone arches in the country, along with countless towering cliffs and towers. But the park’s new timed entry process really annoyed this visitor.

“It’s bad enough every time I turn around the government is bending me over, but having to pay a $2 timed entry to a national park is ridiculous even if we have a yearly pass. Government sucks balls. I hate every last one of you.”—Yelp

7. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Shenandoah is known for its lush forests and rocky peaks as well as hosting a long section of the world-famous Appalachian Trail. The shrubs are also pretty cool, I guess.

“It was a mountainous area with trees, and some nice shrubbery [sic], but unfortunately it wasn’t that entertaining. Underwhelming.”Ěý—T°ůľ±±č´ˇ»ĺ±ąľ±˛ő´Ç°ů

8. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado

The tallest dunes in North America sit at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. That didn’t impress this reviewer.ĚýĚý

“It’s $25 to get in and it’s basically just a lot of sand. There are not a lot of amenities or other things to do. You can basically walk up the sand dunes and use boogie boards or sleds to spice it up a little. … I just didn’t feel like it was really worth the long drive and money to see a bunch of sand. —TripAdvisor

9. Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada

Death Valley is the lowest point in the United States, below sea level and characterized by a vast salt basin, deep canyons, and historic ghost towns. The wildlife can be rude at times.

“It was boring, a ghost town really. I was charged 23 dollars a night just to be harassed by snake while walking around.” —Yelp

10. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho

America’s first national park, Yellowstone might be the most dramatic and unusual landscape in the country–a place where the water boils and shoots straight up into the air at regular intervals. But the geysers aren’t for everyone.

“I was excited before I got there, but it wasn’t at all what I expected…I saw a picture of it, but it was taken by a drone and when I looked at Yellowstone from up close I had no idea what was there at all with the steam and angles. —Google

“The whole place smelled like farts.” —Google

11. Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska

The 3.3-million acre Glacier Bay is a frozen wonderland where the sea meets the ice in a tangle of fjords, glaciers, and snow-capped peaks. Is it any better than what you’d find in your Frigidaire?

“It’s like some ice cubes got scattered on a hill.” –Google Maps

Graham Averill is şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř magazine’s national parks columnist. He loves pickleball, but has never left a bad review because a national park didn’t have courts.

For more by this author, see:

How to Score the Best National Park Campsites for Summer

Spooky Tales from Haunted National Parks

The Best Budget Airlines—and şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Locales They Go To

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