National parks visited and favorites

**Lesherp** · 03-02-2015, 11:38 AM

After we retired and started traveling we have visited a number of national parks and have plans to see a few more. We especially like the hiking in Utah parks and the wildlife in Yellowstone. I think we loved each one for its own reasons but I put a * by the ones we found special enough to return to or will return to. We will be going to Glacier National Park this summer and would love to hear about other parks people have visited and found memorable.

National Parks visited

Acadia National Park (spectacular scenery and hiking)*
Arches National Park (unique scenery and short hikes)*
Badlands National Park
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Bryce National Park (spectacular scenery and hiking)*
Canyonlands National Park (been to north and south, liked south best it has spectacular scenery and hiking) *
Capitol Reef National Park (spectacular scenery and hiking)*
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Crater Lake National Park
Grand Canyon National Park (north rim)
Grand Teton National Park (we usually camp in Lizards tail when visiting Yellowstone, the campsites are bigger and less crowded; it is a two for one deal) *
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Mesa Verde National Park (I liked this park a lot more than I thought I would and think about it often) *
Redwood National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park (we just did a stop over here but want to go back and explore)
Saguaro National Park
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Yellowstone National Park (if you have not been here it is a must see we have been there about 6 times it is just amazing) **
Zion National Park (spectacular scenery and hiking)*

rvcycleguy · 03-02-2015, 12:29 PM

Yosemite NP**
Big Bend NP **
Rocky Mtn NP **
Grand Canyon NP ( south rim)
Los Padres NF

**Bill** · 03-02-2015, 01:11 PM

By my count, there are 47 or 48 National Parks in the continental US, plus 7 in Alaska, 2 in Hawaii, 1 in American Samoa, and 1 in the US Virgin Islands. We have been in 23 of them, and our list closely parallels yours. The only significant difference is that you have missed the California parks! How did that happen? Can you find a month and go see them?

There are 8 (now 9) National Parks in California, more than any other state. We have missed Channel Islands, but the other 7 are absolutely stunning. If I had to choose favorites, they would be Kings Canyon and Yosemite. Yosemite has gotten horribly crowded in the high season, so we won't go back. But we've been there 3 times and loved it each time. Death Valley and Joshua Tree are desert parks, and are pretty tough in the summer. We've camped in both in the shoulder seasons, and will go back to Joshua Tree as soon as we can. (B&D, chime in on these parks.)

Channel Islands National Park
Death Valley National Park
Joshua Tree National Park
Kings Canyon National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Redwood National Park
Sequoia National Park
Yosemite National Park
plus a new one, Pinnacles, created a year ago by President Obama. Anyone know anything about it?

By the way, the count of 47 (or 48) came from several Internet sites, all of which appear to count Great Smoky Mountains twice because it straddles the border of NC and TN. I'm not sure I get that, but we hope to get there this spring for the first time. On the other hand, they do not count Pinnacles National Park.

Bill

**Lesherp** · 03-02-2015, 01:19 PM

Here is a list of NP's and links. Not sure how up to date it is. Pinnacles is on it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._United_States

We plan to go to the Calf. parks but are trying to figure out how to do it when there are the least people there. We just have not been down that way yet. We went to Great Smoky last fall. Just so you know it is the most visited NP. We stayed in a nice campground on the left hand side of the road going in. It had the nicest bathrooms I have ever seen in a campground. Don’t remember the name but just before the road splits going into the park. Office down by the road campground up above.

**Bill** · 03-02-2015, 04:40 PM

And as you visit each park, it is fun to get the WPA postcard and assemble into a display, framed like this.

Bill

LoveToCamp · 03-02-2015, 10:08 PM

Went to Glacier three summers ago. It was great! Stayed in Going to the Sun campground, on the east side, by St. Mary Lake. Fewer people on the east side, and still lots to see and do. Good hike on the Divide, back to Hidden Lake.

Also took the "Red Bus Tour". It was worth it, more so I could look at the scenery without worrying about staying in my lane or on the road. Narrative was nice, also.

**Lesherp** · 03-03-2015, 10:05 AM

Thanks for the input on Glacier. I have seen pictures of the Red Buses it sounds like a worthwhile excursion. We loved using the shuttle buses in both Zion and Acadia. It is nice when no one has to be responsible for watching the road.

Will have to check out the hike and campground you mentioned. I am considering checking out No. Cascades NP as it appears to be the least visited in the lower 48. We will also be going into Canada on this trip as we have not done the west side yet and hear outstanding things about it. We had a amazing trip out east last fall. The only negatives were the cost of gas and booze.

What time of year were you there? I am thinking maybe July so it will be a little warmer, but wonder about the bugs.

LoveToCamp · 03-03-2015, 01:42 PM

We went in July of 2012. If you want to see some pictures, follow link. We didn't have bug problems. It was windy the first few days we were there, which likely helped keep the bugs down. But, it also was dead-calm a few mornings, including when we did the boat ride on St Mary Lake. Beautiful!

rvcycleguy · 03-03-2015, 02:19 PM

Great photos LoveToCamp.

RV

FujiPedaler · 03-03-2015, 02:54 PM

We did Glacier last Sept just after 3 days of snow. Had our kayaks with us, so we paddled Two Medicine Lake and have a fantastic photo that we used for Xmas card. A "Must See" place.

When first made a Nat'l Park, it contained some 120 glaciers, today there are just 9 and in 20 years there will be none!

While on our way through North Dakota we discovered Teddy Roosevelt Nat'l Park and learned a lot about him like that his mother and his wife died on the same day and it was that loss that drove him to North Dakota. From there we went up to Hwy 2 , to Fort Peck Dam (7 mile long earthen dam)and a Core of Engineers Camp Ground that is on the Missouri River and a tour of its electric generation plant. Great park and beautiful are and historic.

Go and enjoy!