Favorite National Park?

[TigerBear]

Which national parks have you visited and which was your favorite?

I'm going to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons in a couple weeks and am a little shocked by how excited I am!! Even though its not Disney , it looks to me like it will be a natural paradise! I especially can't wait for the hiking and the waterfalls!!

I previously have visited Rocky Mountain, Carlsbad Caverns, & Mesa Verde. Mesa Verde was incredible! I definitely want to go back someday.

Here is a link to some of the best pictures I have found:
http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/parks.html

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

You have chosen the best park, as far as I'm concerned. Yellowstone is such a cool park-lots of animals, geysers, it is so beautiful. We go there every year (since 1989-the year of the BIG fire) and we started buying property in about 1992. We bought a partially constructed log home about 2 hours north of Yellowstone about 6 years ago as a vacation home. We just love it out there-the Grand Tetons are very cool, too-not as much to see up close. Head into Jackson for a neat (touristy, but lots to see) town. If you had an extra week, I would suggest you head on up to Glacier National Park. Then up to Waterton. What the heck, add another week and go up to Banff!

If you have an opportunity to drive out the northeast entrance to Yellowstone and drive up to Red Lodge, over the Beartooth hwy- do it. We do that every year, then turn around and come back to the park. It is the most breathtaking drive, and you still can get to some snow-even in August..

Oh, here it is...I found my pic. This is the Beartooth Hwy on July 3, this year. Yes, shorts and snow...

<img width=400 src=http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pabc05fbcd17a08b699f4b50e0bdb8b80/f7dac05f.jpg>

 

[missypie]

I need to get around to more of them! I've never been to Yellowstone. Of course, I love Grand Canyon. Mt. Ranier was alos very cool. We went to Olympic National Park last summer...very neat and diverse, but as there is no road that bisects the park, it takes a lot of driving to see everything.

 

[edcrbnsoul]

I'd have to with Grand Canyon(north rim) and Bryce Canyon as 2 of my Favorites Have been to Yellowstone yet but its on my 2 do list

 

[airhead]

Acadia National Park,Maine. Bar Harbor is awesome!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Crater Lake Nat'l Park in southern Oregon!!! First of all, I grew up not far from the park so it's a part of me. Second, it's the most beautiful, stunning lake that I've ever seen, and third, I met my DH there 25 years ago this summer. I was just out of high school, he was taking a driving vacation from southern California with friends. CL concessions needed people to work for the rest of the summer and stayed on to work. We met and the rest is history!

T&B

 

[Meriweather]

Yellowstone gets my vote!

 

[NMAmy]

We used to come across country every summer from California to Michigan when I was a kid and teenager and take a different route every year so I've hit a ton of national parks. I lived near Mesa Verde, Carlsbad Caverns, and White Sands National Monument for a lot of years as well. Although I love Mesa Verde and Carlsbad, Yellowstone has always been my very favorite. There is just so much to do and see there. You're going to have a GREAT time!

 

[TigerBear]

Originally posted by hrh_disney_queen
If you have an opportunity to drive out the northeast entrance to Yellowstone and drive up to Red Lodge, over the Beartooth hwy- do it. We do that every year, then turn around and come back to the park. It is the most breathtaking drive, and you still can get to some snow-even in August..

My brother told me the exact same thing! I think its a good enough reason for a second trip!!

Cute pic btw!

 

[LScot]

So easy for me...Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

 

[maci]

So cool that this was posted today! I have been researching, for doing yellowstone next year!
My kids will be 4 and 6 then, all you veterans have any suggestions of activities that are not to be missed? Also, where is the best place to stay, with kids this age?
Any and all tips you have would be great!
Thanks!

 

[Rajah]

I *love* visiting National Parks!! Actually even more than I love going to WDW, if you can believe it. If they're good NPs anyway.

Let's see, here are all the parks I've been to, with my favorites *'d, listed in order of states

*Crater Lake
Oregon Caves (I think -- I was really young at the time)
Death Valley
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
*Redwoods
*Yosemite
Craters of the Moon
*Yellowstone
*Arches
*Bryce Canyon
*Canyonlands
Capitol Reef
Cedar Breaks (though I don't remember it)
*Dinosaur National Monument
Glen Canyon
Golden Spike
Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail
Natural Bridges
Pony Express National Historic Trail
Rainbow Bridge
Timpanogos Cave
Zion
*Canyon De Chelly
Casa Grande
*Grand Canyon
Petrified Forest
Sunset Crater
Walnut Canyon
Wupatki
Aztec Ruins
Bandelier
*Carlsbad Caverns
*Chaco Canyon
El Morro
Pecos National Historic Park
Petroglyph
Santa Fe National Historic Trail
White Sands
Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Colorado National Monument
*Great Sand Dunes
*Mesa Verde
Devil's Tower
Fossil Butte (I think)
*Grand Tetons
*Glacier
Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
Badlands National Park
*Jewel Cave
*Mount Rushmore
Wind Cave
LBJ National Historic Park
San Antonio Missions
Arlington House (I think)
Colonial National Historic Park (Jamestown)
George Washington Memorial Parkway
Jamestown
*Lincoln Memorial
National Mall
National WWII Memorial
President's Park (the part that was open to the public years ago, anyway)
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Washington Memorial

 

[hipporina]

I love Love LOVE National Parks! DH and I have a goal of visiting all 54 National Parks. So far, we have been to Virgin Islands NP, Mesa Verde*, Black Canyon of the Gunnison*, Grand Teton*, Yellowstone*, Rocky Mountain*, and Hot Springs. We have been to a few other of the NPS places like Dinosaur National Monument and Buffalo National River too. So far, Yellowstone gets both of our votes!

We went to Yellowstone (and the other marked parks) on one trip in 2002 and loved every moment of it. I am an obsessive planner, and we saw and did a lot! Definately try to stay in the park at Yellowstone. It makes things so much more convenient.

The very best travel guide I found for Yellowstone is called Yellowstone Treasures: The Travelers Companion to the National Park by Janet Chapple. This book is worth its weight in gold. It follows every major road and trail in the park and points out every thing to see along the way. We saw so many things we would have missed otherwise. It also gives history and such about the features. Buy it and take it with you when you walk the geyser trails and all. It gives way more info than the park trail guides.

At Grand Teton, there is a stunning hike around Jenny Lake and up to Hidden Falls. The falls are gorgeous. During most of the summer, there is a ferry across the lake and then the trail to the falls is only .5 mile long. If the ferry is not operating when you are there (we were too early in the season for it) then the hike around the lake is a relatively flat 4.8 miles round trip. It is absolutely worth it.

Don't miss the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. There is a neat trail to the brink of Lower Falls (the bigger of the two falls in the canyon), but it is relatively strenuous. It takes you right to the point where the water goes over the top, but it is a 600 foot verticle drop (and ascent on the return) over about .5 mile. Really steep, but there are benches to rest at and the feeling of standing right at the top of the falls is incredible.

Have a great trip! I wish I could go with you! If you have any questions, I will do my best to answer them.

 

[stormi65]

I love the Smoky Mountains National Park

 

[Pooh_Friend#1]

I love Yellowstone. They have great hikes and beautiful waterfalls. I also like Mesa Verde and would like to go back sometime!!! But my all time favorite western National Park is Yellowstone. I haven't made it to the East coast to explore yet, but I am eagerly waiting.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

I love them all!

I really like historic Jamestown in VA, it's haunted!

I have yet to visit Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Acadia, Everglades, Klondike.....and tons more....

 

[smiley]

Yellowstone is definitely one of my favorites!! Make sure to hike one of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone rim hikes. There are several and they all offer breathtaking views.

Have fun.

 

[rcyannacci]

Also a big fan of Acadia in Maine (love the quiet side of the island and sea kayaking). Grew up around the Great Smokey Mountains and so I took them for granted, but I'd sure love to be there now. Great hiking trails.

I hope that while I'm in Texas I'll make it over to Big Bend- it is suppose to be a fantastic location.

 

[stephbesel]

Yellowstone and the Bear Tooth Highway are INCREDIBLE! But I also love Rocky Mountain National Park and Trail Ridge Road. I just love the mountains, even though I'm stuck here in the flatlands of Kansas!!!!!

 

[cynsaun]

Humbolt National Redwood Forest in Northern California (near Eureka) is my favorite. My grandfather was the head forest ranger, and I have many fond memories.