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Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksBeautiful BryceWith shapes so distinctive they’ve earned names like the Poodle, Thor’s Hammer and Queen Victoria, the tall chiseled spires known as hoodoos are the prime attraction at Bryce Canyon National Park, which features the largest concentration of the eerie formations in the world. Despite its name, Bryce isn’t really a canyon but a deeply eroded high plateau with elevations up to 9,105 feet, where wind and water have carved natural amphitheaters into the mesa’s edge. The word hoodoo means to bewitch, and it was the magical, maze-like quality of Bryce’s geology that prompted President Warren G. Harding to protect the area as a national monument in 1923, and Congress to designate it a national park in 1928. At 56 square miles, BCNP is relatively compact, with most of its attractions…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksGEOLOGY OF BRYCE CANYONThere’s one question on every visitor’s mind when gazing down on the rows of the weirdly sculptured rock towers that stair-step down the slopes of Bryce’s amphitheaters—how did nature create a landscape so weird and wonderful that it looks like it was sculpted by humans? The answer involves a combination of rock, water, elevation and weather, and how they have affected one another over the millennia. The Colorado Plateau, which includes much of the Southwest’s red rock canyon country, was once a seabed and floodplain, explaining the origin of the soft sandstone that creates hoodoos and other formations. Uplifted by the collision of two tectonic plates, the Paunsaugunt Plateau rose to elevations of up to 9,100 feet, subjecting it to more wintry weather than lower elevation parks. Factor in the…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksIncredible HikesRim Trail To appreciate the way the amphitheater views change from point to point, hike the 5.5-mile Rim trail, which follows the top of the canyon from Bryce Point to Fairyland Point, passing many of the other key viewpoints along the route. The section between Sunrise and Sunset is paved, allowing access for those with mobility issues. The Rim trail can be done one way with return via the shuttle, or as an 11-mile out-and-back hike. Navajo Loop Trail Gazing up at hoodoos from below is a completely different experience than gazing down at them from above, giving you a far more vivid sense of just how tall they are. That’s why it’s important to hike at least one trail down into the canyon if you possibly can. Beginning and…2 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksTravel TipsGetting Around Many of the major sights in BCNP are strung along 18-mile Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive, which makes navigation easy but means traffic can back up as people pull in and out of turnouts and wait for parking. The free shuttle service is a welcome alternative, stopping at all the most popular viewpoints and trailheads. Rangers often recommend driving all the way through the park and working your way back for a better understanding of the park’s geography and geology. Consider the Season High desert meets even higher mountains in BCNP, which has a cooler, more alpine climate than other Utah red rock parks, and the temperature can drop significantly at night. Snow typically arrives in early October and then it doesn’t leave until April or even early May.…2 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksYosemite National ParkTunnel View is Yosemite’s most iconic vista. JOHN MUIR ONCE SAID, “Keep close to nature’s heart … and once in a while climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” The “father of our national parks” may have been calling to mind one of his favorites, Yosemite. In a typical year, around 3.3 million people descend on this UNESCO World Heritage site each year to see Yosemite Falls, North America’s tallest waterfall; El Capitan, the world’s tallest granite monolith; and the towering sequoia trees, the oldest living things on Earth. The Ahwahneechee tribe called Yosemite home for 4,000 years before a group of pioneers arrived in 1833. Soon after, stories of the heart-stopping vistas swelled as quickly as the cascading waterfalls. Rapid development got…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksChannel Islands National ParkONE PARK, FIVE ISLANDSand 145 indigenous plant and animal species: This is why Channel Islands National Park has earned the moniker “the Galápagos of North America.” An adventurous spirit and advance planning are prerequisites to visiting this 390-square-mile evolutionary outpost off the coast of Southern California, but the effort is well worth it, especially for wildlife enthusiasts. Designated in 1980, the park is only reachable by plane or boat. Santa Cruz and Anacapa are the most accessible isles, with ferry service running year-round (it’s a two-hour round trip). The most traversed, Santa Cruz is fit for day trips or family-friendly camping. Water lovers can snorkel in kelp forests and kayak through sea caves near Scorpion Beach. Sightseers should also hike to Cavern Point for a panoramic view of the coast,…2 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksHawai’i Volcanoes National ParkIF WATCHING HOT LAVA FLOW is on your bucket list, head to Hawai‘i Volcanoes, established as a national park in 1916—43 years before Hawaii achieved statehood. This Big Island park protects two of the world’s most active volcanoes, both of which erupted in late 2022: Kilauea and Mauna Loa, which became active again in November for the first time in 40 years! Less than an hour’s drive from the main town of Hilo and stretching from the sea to heights of more than 13,000 feet, the park covers about 523 square miles and includes numerous hiking trails, deserts, rain forests and volcanic craters. But the highlights are surely Mauna Loa, the largest volcano on Earth, and Kilauea. Mauna Loa Road was closed at press time but other areas are open.…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksGrand Teton National ParkTEN MILES SOUTH OF YELLOWSTONE,the mighty Teton mountain range rises over north-western Wyoming, a marvel of nearly 3 billion years of geologic evolution. Named for the tallest peak, which stands at 13,775 feet, Grand Teton National Park was established in 1929 to protect the mountains and the surrounding Jackson Hole valley from development. More than 3 million visitors a year now appreciate the efforts of conservationists, led by John D. Rockefeller Jr., to preserve this natural wonder that covers nearly 500 square miles and is a favorite for mountaineers and rock climbers. With over 200 miles of hiking trails, campsites, lakes and mountains to explore, the park is a draw year-round. Visitors can learn about Rockefeller’s vision at the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve Center, or drive the Moose-Wilson Road that…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksOlympic National ParkACROSS PUGET SOUNDfrom Seattle on the Olympic Peninsula and spreading from the rugged Washington coastline through old-growth rain forests and up to glacier-capped mountains, Olympic National Park’s claim to fame is its diversity. One of President Theodore Roosevelt’s pet projects, Mount Olympus was named a national monument in 1909; his cousin President Franklin D. Roosevelt later turned it into a national park. UNESCO has since designated Olympic as an International Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site. Along the coast, sandy and rocky beaches weave in with stretches of wilderness, with one popular area for hikers being the 9-mile Ozette Loop. The trailhead leaves from Lake Ozette on the northwestern side of the peninsula, where the crystal waters are ideal for kayaking. Hurricane Ridge, 17 miles south of Port Angeles, offers…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksKenai Fiords National ParkIMAGINE AN ICE FIELD SOimmense it covers 700 square miles, so dense it’s up to a mile thick, so powerful it feeds almost 40 glaciers and so ancient it dates back 23,000 years. This is Kenai Fjords National Park’s Harding Icefield, one of only four left in the United States—and the largest one located completely within U.S. borders. While Harding Icefield is the most impressive feature of the park, Exit Glacier is the most accessible. This half-mile-wide band of ice is in the only section of the park that’s reachable by road from the town of Seward—and a half-hour hike brings visitors up close. Along the park’s southern reaches, the Gulf of Alaska draws boatloads of gawkers to its frosty fjords, where thousands of seabirds nest, neon-blue icebergs drift and…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksNorth Cascades National ParkCreated in 1968, this national park boasts more plant species than any other—1,630 and counting. Its borders encompass eight types of forest, from ponderosa pine to mountain hemlock. Lichens and moss cover literally everything. Even the lakes are vivid shades of green. Though it’s just a 2.5-hour drive from Seattle, only one paved road—the North Cascades Scenic Byway—leads into the interior, so the relatively few who travel it are rewarded with breathtaking natural vistas that include more than 300 glaciers.…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksArches National ParkLIKE A SEUSSIAN SKYLINEjutting out of the high desert country of the Colorado Plateau, Arches National Park contains the greatest density of its namesake arches in the world. Visitors can discover more than 2,000 of these natural formations, not to mention countless red spires, pinnacles, stone fins and giant balanced rocks, each uniquely shaped inside 120 square miles along the banks of the Colorado River. Fine-grained entrada sandstone layered into perfectly parallel lines, combined with the area’s slightly above-average rainfall and cold desert nights, allows these strange formations to exist. Ironically, however, the erosion that created them will eventually destroy them. No one knows how much longer America will have these feats of nature, and the need to protect this vulnerable landscape was sparked in the 1950s, after nature writer…2 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksRocky Mountain National ParkIN THE UNITED STATES’10th national park, a two-lane highway leads into the sky. Completed in 1932 and climbing to 12,183 feet, Trail Ridge Road is America’s highest continuous paved highway. The road provides exceptional access to some of the nation’s finest alpine country, connecting the park’s eastern and western entrances and winding for 48 miles across forests, meadows, treeless tundra and the Continental Divide. Elsewhere in the park, Bear Lake’s flat, 0.6-mile nature trail is one of the Rocky Mountains’ most popular hikes. And Pike’s Peak, although only the 31st-tallest summit in the Rockies, is the most-traversed mountain in all of North America. For its 4.5 million annual visitors, these superlatives are only surpassed by the area’s diverse animal populations. Wildlife viewing is the park’s top attraction, thanks to an…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksMesa Verde National ParkFROM 600 TO 1300 A.D.,Ancestral Puebloans made their homes in what is now southwest Colorado. These ancient peoples cut sandstone blocks and bonded them with mortar, building dwellings into the walls of the Navajo Canyon. At its peak, this community may have numbered as many as 5,000. For 700 years, daily life carried on. And then, mysteriously, the natives abandoned their dwellings, never to return. Hundreds of years passed before two ranchers happened upon one of the abandoned sites. President Theodore Roosevelt established Mesa Verde as a national park in 1906, and the park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978. Today, Mesa Verde protects almost 5,000 known archaeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings—some of the best-preserved archaeological zones on the continent. The Cliff Palace, the biggest and…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksGrand Canyon National ParkThe Grand Canyon exhibits three of the four eras of geologic time. AS GRAND AS THE STATISTICSare—1.2 million acres, 277 miles long, 4,000 feet deep—nothing prepares the 4.5 million-plus annual visitors for the magnitude and majesty of Grand Canyon National Park. Our second-most visited national park celebrated its 100th birthday in 2019, and still has many stories to tell. The South Rim is the most popular destination and the gateway to iconic overlooks such as Yavapai and Mather points. Braver souls venture to the remote North Rim (closed in winter), where higher elevations mean unparalleled views like the ones from Point Imperial, and the West Rim, where the glass-bottom Skywalk hovers 4,000 feet above the canyon floor. Exploration here is hands-on and up close. Riding a mule down into the…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksPetrified Forest National ParkArchaeologists have unearthed Triassic-period fossils here as well as the world’s largest collection of prehistoric petrified wood, dating back 225 million years and made up of almost solid quartz. The Painted Desert, in the north of the park, is a fitting title for the orange- and pink-hued badlands made of clay and mudstone. In between sprawl more than 50,000 acres of designated wilderness. A 28-mile road winds through, with lookout points to take it all in.…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksGreat Basin National ParkGreat Basin, in remote east-central Nevada, is a park of layers—subterranean caves, vast desert, high-elevation bristlecone pine trees, rugged mountains—and above it all, a blanket of stars. Visitors can tour the cavernous limestone Lehman Caves below-ground or join “dark rangers” aboard the Star Train at night, stopping to view planets, meteors, star clusters, satellites, the Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy and other deep-space objects.…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksGateway Arch National ParkTHE GATEWAY ARCH STANDSas a soaring symbol of Thomas Jefferson’s vision to expand the size of the United States. Towering 630 feet above the grassy fields of Gateway Arch National Park in downtown St. Louis, it is not only the world’s tallest arch, but also the tallest memorial in the U.S.; it dwarfs the Washington Monument by 75 feet and is over twice the height of the Statue of Liberty. As for its innovative design? That’s the work of Finnish American architect Eero Saarinen, who won the hotly contested Jefferson National Expansion Memorial Competition in 1948. The seamless curve—made of 886 tons of stainless steel—was heralded as a way to honor the rich heritage of the city’s past as well as nod to its future. It took nearly two decades…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksTheodore Roosevelt National ParkWHILE PRESIDENT, THEODORERoosevelt set aside more than 200 million acres of land for preservation—arguably the most any president has done for the National Park Service. And it was his time in North Dakota that sparked his passion for conservation. He first traveled to the then-territory to hunt buffalo in 1883, when he was just 24; the area proved to be a salve after he lost both his wife and his mother on the same day the following year. Today, visitors can still see Roosevelt’s Maltese Cross Cabin and wander the site of his Elkhorn Ranch. Designated a national park in 1978, it memorializes the 26th president while protecting 70,000 acres of prairie grasses, rolling buttes and painted badlands, all along the Little Missouri River. Most visits begin in the park’s…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksShenandoah National ParkLOCATED 75 MILES WEST OFWashington, Shenandoah National Park is less about the destination and more about the journey—one that starts on its main thoroughfare, Skyline Drive. A National Scenic Byway, it winds 105 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with 75 lookout points along the way. To the east are the foothills of Virginia’s Piedmont region; to the west, the Shenandoah Valley. The 1.5 million-plus visitors who drive it each year owe a debt to the men of the New Deal’s Civilian Conservation Corps, who built the snaking road as well as scenic overlooks, trails and several structures now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They also planted the Fraser firs, red spruces and table-mountain pines that line the route and burst into fiery colors…2 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksBiscayne National ParkAT BISCAYNE NATIONALPark, the main trail is for snorkeling, not hiking. Sturdy boots are traded for swim fins, and boats, not cars, are the main method of transportation. The 173,000-acre preserve stretches from Key Biscayne to Key Largo, and 95% lies peacefully underwater. But this park—which sees 500,000 annual visitors and shelters the world’s third-largest coral barrier reef—was almost destroyed in the 1950s. Developers envisioned hotels and highways and proposed dredging 8,000 acres and a 40-foot-deep channel through the bay. Conservationists lobbied to protect the site, including Herbert W. Hoover Jr., who took congressmen on blimp rides to showcase the bay’s beauty. The creation of Biscayne National Monument in 1968 halted any further construction, and national park status was achieved in 1980. Explorers boat-hop to the uninhabited keys dotting the…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksHot Springs National ParkFittingly called the American Spa, Hot Springs is the birthplace of the modern quest for wellness. Much of this national park sits within Hot Springs’ city limits, and here rainwater from more than 4,000 years ago still flows, surging back up from the Earth’s crust so rapidly that it doesn’t have time to cool. Today, 2 million annual visitors come to bathe in the same waters as former presidents, Prohibition-era mobsters and the elite jet set of yester year. At Buck staff Bathhouse, spa-goers slip into the thermal waters, which heat naturally to 143 degrees, before entering a steam room. A return to the Earth at the American Spa might be just what the doctor ordered.…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksPHOTO CREDITSCOVER Eloi_Omella/Getty Images; Digital Imaging Specialist: Eric Wolslager 2-3 Michele D’Amico supersky77/Getty Images 4 mauritius images GmbH/Alamy Stock Photo 5 (From top) LordRunar/Getty Images; www.sierralara.com/Getty Images; Matt Anderson Photography/Getty Images; Michele Falzone/Getty Images; Thinkstock/Getty Images; Photo by Katkami/Getty Images 8-9 LordRunar/Getty Images 10 Barbara Ash/Shutterstock 11 (Clockwise from top) Alamy Stock Photo (2); Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service via Getty Images 12 Prisma by Dukas/Universal Images Group via Getty Images 13 Leonid Serebrennikov/Alamy Stock Photo 14 (From top) Rebecca L. Latson/Getty Images; Michael Marquand/Alamy Stock Photo 15 (From top) Craig Zerbe/iStockphoto/Getty Images; miralex/iStockphoto/Getty Images 16 (From top) jamesvancouver/iStockphoto/Getty Images; Craig Zerbe/Shutterstock 17 (From top) Alan Majchrowicz/Getty Images; Atmosphere1/Shutterstock 18 (From top) roman_slavik/iStockphoto/Getty Images; Royce Bair/Getty Images 19 Edwin Verin/Shutterstock 20 Alamy Stock Photo 21 (Clockwise from top left) Avalon. red/Alamy…3 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksTop 10 Most Stunning Sights10 Rainbow and Yovimpa Points At 9,100 feet, these two overlooks at the southern end of the park offer some of Bryce’s highest-elevation views. On a clear day you can see as far as Grand Staircase and the Vermilion Cliffs, with the descending layers of multicolored sandstone clearly visible. It’s helpful to visit both viewpoints to get the entire vista. Hikers can begin the popular 8.5-mile Riggs Spring Loop trail from trailheads at either of these viewpoints. 9Black Birch Canyon Stands of quaking aspen and birch make Black Birch Canyon one of the best places in Bryce for fall color. Enjoy the view of Navajo Mountain to the southeast and the Henry Mountains and 10,000-foot Table Cliff Plateau to the east. 8Natural Bridge Natural Bridge is a massive 85-foot structure…3 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksMore Cool Things to DoExplore the Outdoorsy Mountain Town of Kanab If Kanab looks familiar, it may be because it’s featured in more than 15 0 movies and TV shows, including Gunsmoke and How the West Was Won, a heritage on display at Little Hollywood Land. Today the lively town is a popular home base for exploring both BCNP and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, best known for its colorful formations such as “The Wave.” Stop by the Kanab Visitor Center to see the Traces in Time geology exhibit and pick up maps and suggestions for exploring the vast 1,870-acre park. Visit the Maynard Dixon Living History Museum Southwestern artist Maynard Dixon may no longer be a household name, but chances are you’ve seen his landscapes, portraits and scenes of daily life. Located just outside…2 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksSequoia National ParkIN SEQUOIA, SIZE MATTERS.Established in 1890 as America’s second national park, these 600-plus square miles were designated to protect the 8,000 sequoias from which the park takes its name. Located in the Sierra Nevadas in east-central California, the park’s Giant Forest is not only home to the largest tree by volume in the world (General Sherman, 275 feet high by 36 feet wide), but also to the highest point in the Lower 48 (14,494-foot Mount Whitney). John Muir lobbied to establish both Sequoia and Kings Canyon as national parks, but succeeded only with the first. It’s easy to see why the conservationist was so taken with the wondrous natural offerings—anyone who traverses this majestic area is compelled to champion its grandeur. In addition to the massive trees, wildlife abounds—and the…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksJoshua Tree National ParkWITH ITS SURREAL geologic features and desert ecosystems shaped by strong winds and rains, not to mention the wild and wonderful desert creatures, Joshua Tree National Park can at times resemble an alien planet. Designated as a national monument in 1936—thanks mostly to Minerva Hoyt, a Californian who lobbied to have the area protected from developers and poachers who were removing cacti to the gardens of Los Angeles—Joshua Tree wasn’t raised to full park status until 1994. But now, its nearly 800,000 acres are a protected habitat for many plant and animal species and home to over 800 archaeological sites. Located near Palm Springs, the vast park includes parts of both the Mojave and Colorado deserts. More than 3 million people in 2021 made the pilgrimage to see Joshua Tree’s…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksDeath Valley National ParkEXTREME HEAT, EXTREMEdryness, extreme depth—it’s all here in Death Valley, the largest U.S. national park outside of Alaska and the hottest, driest place in North America. Established as a national monument in 1933 and redesignated a national park in 1994, Death Valley dips as low as 282 feet below sea level at Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America. The protected salt flats here are among the largest in the world, covering almost 200 square miles. Sometimes filled with surreal puddles and pools, they’re all that’s left of a prehistoric lake. On the way to Badwater, worthwhile side trips beckon: the much photo graphed Zabriskie Point, overlooking the arid, ridged badlands; Golden Canyon’s arcing Red Cathedral rock formation; Devil’s Golf Course, an expanse of rock salt eroded into spiky…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksLassen Volcanic National ParkThough Lassen Peak last erupted in 1914, it remains one of the world’s largest plug dome volcanoes. Now dormant, the peak headlines this park, which was created in 1916. Hardier souls can trek 5 miles up to the 10,457-foot summit, but more casual visitors can get the signature view from the shores of Manzanita Lake. From conifer forests to smoking fumaroles, Lassen Peak towers over it all. Note: At press time, parts of the park remained temporarily closed due to damage from the 2021 wildfires.…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksGlacier National ParkIN 1850, 150 GLACIERScovered what is now Glacier National Park. Now, about 25 are left—and visitors are flocking to see them while they still can. More than 3 million people entered the park in 2019, drawn as much by the retreating glaciers (which will likely be gone by 2030) as by the spectacular scenery of saw-toothed peaks, turquoise lakes, alpine streams, thick forests and meadows of wildflowers. Established in 1910, Glacier is America’s 10th national park—and one of its most pristine. Tourists originally arrived by train on the Great Northern Railway, whose president, Louis Hill, collaborated with influential naturalist George Bird Grinnell and other conservationists to create what Grinnell aptly nicknamed “the Crown of the Continent.” Built in Swiss chalet style, the railroad’s Many Glacier Hotel is still operational on…2 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksMount Rainier National ParkESTABLISHED IN 1899 ASAmerica’s fifth national park, and covering 370 square miles, this park is also a designated National Historic Landmark District. Towering over the landscape near Tacoma, Washington, the active volcano Mount Rainier stands over 14,000 feet high and is the iciest peak in the contiguous U.S., a challenge that draws thousands of experienced climbers each year. The volcano, which last erupted in 1894, drew famed preservationist John Muir in 1888, when its beauty renewed his passion to keep fighting to establish national parks, including this one, which is made up of five developed areas. Paradise, on Rainier’s south slope, offers cross-country skiing and other fun in winter, and wildflowers in summer. Settler James Longmire’s homestead still stands in the Historic District named for him, along with fine examples…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksWrangell-St. Elias National Park & PreserveWRANGELL-ST. ELIAS ISa place of superlatives: America’s largest national park; the biggest designated wilderness area in the U.S.; home to the nation’s largest glacial system; North America’s most expansive subpolar ice field; and the tallest coastal mountains on Earth. What does all this mean for its visitors, who number just 80,000 a year? That this remarkable 13 million-acre treasure is still waiting to be discovered. Travelers arrive via one of two primitive roads: Nebesna and McCarthy. The first stop is McCarthy-Kennecott, a historic mining town that boomed when two prospectors discovered copper in the area in 1900. Walking tours explore the ghost town and abandoned mine (inset), and several trails lend easy access to two of the park’s 150-plus glaciers, Kennicott and Root. To truly gain perspective on the vastness…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksKobuk Valley National ParkThis 1.7 million-acre park gets its name from the Kobuk River valley that cuts through its center. No trails exist in the park, except those blazed by migrating Western Arctic caribou, the largest herd of the species on Earth. Most visitors fly in for the day to picnic on the unique Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, formed 14,000 years ago as retreating glaciers ground rocks into sand. They’re the largest arctic sand dunes in the world.…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksZion National ParkTHE MOST POPULAR OFUtah’s Mighty 5 national parks, Zion is also its most diverse. Lush green junipers and hanging emerald gardens contrast with ruddy to milky cliffs, carved over millennia by the Virgin River. An oasis in Utah’s southeastern desert, Zion’s canyon walls surround visitors as the exposed rock layers reveal Earth’s varied epochs, from swirling sandstone and ancient mudstone stamped with dinosaur tracks to petrified wood and marine fossils. Instead of looking down on Zion’s spectacular canyon from above, sightseers experience its Navajo sandstone giants up close, from the ground up. Nothing embodies this experience better than hiking The Narrows, which bends along—and often in—the slick-pebbled Virgin Riverbed. Historically, apart from Native Americans, only determined Mormons traversed this remote and rugged landscape, with wagon trails for roads. It was…2 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksBlack Canyon of the Gunnison National ParkTHE STATE’S SECOND-largest river, the roaring Gunnison, cut through stone walls for 2 million years to form the heart of Black Canyon. Here, “Colorado’s own Grand Canyon” stands out for its combined narrowness, sheerness and depth at over 2,000 feet. Fourteen miles of the Gunnison, named among America’s most endangered rivers as recently as 2005, run through the park (conservation efforts have helped ensure its survival). Visitors may enter the park either at the South Rim, 15 miles east of Montrose, or the North Rim, 11 miles south of Crawford. Hiking trails abound on both sides, but to explore the inner canyon requires preparation, skill and experience. Still, it’s worth the effort. For rock climbers, the Painted Wall is the tallest vertical wall in Colorado, standing at 2,250 feet. For…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksWhite Sands National ParkA DESCRIPTION OF WHITESands National Park reads like a personal ad: enjoys picnics, sunset strolls, moon-gazing and long walks in the sand. In fact, this rare gypsum dune field—the largest in the world—is so pretty that simply wandering around staring at it is the top activity there. Established as a national monument in 1933 and designated the country’s 62nd national park on Dec. 20, 2019, White Sands receives the most visitors of any National Park Service site in New Mexico. Day-trippers come to cruise down Dunes Drive (16 miles, round trip), which heads into the heart of the site from the visitor center, passing pull-offs, covered picnic spots and five trailheads. By day, visitors set up beach umbrellas and sled down the dunes; by night, they watch as light from…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksGuadalupe Mountains National ParkUNLIKE MANY NATIONALparks where summer is peak visitor season, Guadalupe Mountains National Park shines in the autumn, when its scenic McKittrick Canyon comes alive with fall colors. Together with limestone canyon walls and lazy McKittrick Creek, the scene is considered the most beautiful spot in all of Texas. Beyond McKittrick Canyon, other wonders await, including the four highest peaks in the state and the well-preserved Capitan Reef, the largest Permian fossil reef in the world. Part of the Guadalupe Mountains, this 260 million-year-old ridge was once covered by sea. Highpointers (those aiming to climb the highest summits in each of the 50 U.S. states) make a beeline for 8,749-foot Guadalupe Peak, the “rooftop of Texas.” Visitors also keep watch for the park’s varied wildlife, from birds of prey such as…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksCarlsbad Caverns National ParkDesignated a national park in 1930, this limestone labyrinth has also been named a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its 30 miles of mapped caves beneath the surface of the Chihuahuan Desert still intrigue researchers, while visitors can explore 3 miles of subterranean passageways filled with 18-foot gypsum “chandeliers” and the largest cave chamber in North America. Formed as acidic groundwater slowly wore down limestone that was once part of an ancient undersea reef, it has been called “the Grand Canyon with a roof over it.”…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksBadlands National ParkWHEN THE LAKOTA PEOPLE first encountered southwestern South Dakota’s harsh terrain, they called it mako sica — “land bad.” Today, however, the intensely eroded pinnacles, buttes, fins and spires of Badlands National Park are some of its most valued assets. Created in 1978, the park welcomes nearly 1 million visitors every year who come to behold its pyramid-like rock formations. The backbone of the park’s topography is the Wall, a 60-mile escarpment that tells a story of erosion millions of years in the making. Day-trippers can savor views of the Wall and other vistas along the 30-mile Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway, while short hikes on the Door and Window trails get adventurers up close. Other marvels include the nation’s largest mixed-grass prairie, and prolific wildlife: Bison, prairie dogs, coyotes…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksIsle Royale National ParkIN THE MIDDLE OF THElargest freshwater lake (by area) in the world lies an island so remote and rugged that it has no roads or cars and travelers must arrive by boat or float plane. This “eye” of Lake Superior is Isle Royale, a national park since 1940. The least-visited national park in the contiguous U.S., Isle Royale sees an average of only 18,000 people a year—and they must really want to come, as the ferry ride from park headquarters in Houghton, Michigan, takes six hours. Once there, passengers are rewarded with solitude, serenity and pristine North Woods scenery. Visitors to the more populous Rock Harbor area can board the Sandy to cruise past sights like the circa 1855 Rock Harbor Lighthouse. On foot, hikers head for picturesque Scoville Point…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksIndiana Dunes National ParkThe third-newest addition to the National Park System—it earned its status on Feb. 15, 2019—is this 15,000-acre park that lies along 15 miles of Lake Michigan’s southern shoreline. Besides its namesake dunes—the tallest, Mount Baldy, sits 126 feet above lake level—it has forests, marshes, 50 miles of hiking paths and views of Chicago’s skyline. But its beaches are the main attraction; in fact, it was named a top-five family beach getaway by Parents magazine.…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksNew River Gorge National ParkIT’S OUR NEWESTnational park (it was designated one in December 2020, part of a pandemic relief bill), but paradoxically, it’s also one of the oldest places in the country: The river that twists and turns so dramatically through the park’s center is thought to be the second oldest on Earth; fossil evidence suggests it could be 320 million years old. Fast-forward a few epochs, and today, the New River, which drops 750 feet over 66 miles, draws whitewater rafters, who brave the Lower New, a 13-mile stretch of Class IV and V rapids. Meanwhile, the steep canyon walls beckon rock climbers, who rate the 1,500 climbing routes as among the best on the East Coast. Prefer your vacations with less of an adrenaline rush? Hike trails that range from 0.25…2 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksEverglades National ParkTHE THIRD-LARGESTnational park in the Lower 48 has no mountains, glaciers or geysers. A vast, shallow watershed, it flows quietly for 100 miles to Florida Bay. Tucked in its endless marshes are 400 kinds of birds, more than 39 threatened wildlife species and the most extensive mangrove ecosystem in the Western Hemisphere. The 1.5 million-acre Everglades National Park is the largest designated subtropical wilderness reserve in North America, created in 1947. Three unconnected entrances grant access. In Shark Valley, 35 miles from Miami, a park tram travels the 15-mile loop road, and a 65-foot observation tower lends 360-degree panoramas of the saw grass prairie and its wildlife. Along the Gulf Coast south of Naples, Everglades City is the launch pad for narrated boat tours of the pristine Ten Thousand Islands.…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksDry Tortugas National ParkThese seven small islands floating 70 miles west of Key West were discovered in 1513 by Ponce de Leon and named for their abundance of “las tortugas,” Spanish for sea turtles. (The islands were later dubbed “dry” to warn mariners of their lack of fresh water.) Today, visitors arrive by ferry or seaplane to the main island of Garden Key to swim, snorkel, birdwatch or tour historic 19th-century Fort Jefferson, which was used as a prison in the Civil War.…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksA One-of-a-Kind National TreasureThe word hoodoo means to charm or bewitch, and magical is certainly the word that comes to mind in describing Bryce Canyon, which features the world’s densest concentration of the tall eerily sculpted spires. The hoodoos appear so otherworldly that the Paiute who lived in the area called them Angka-ku-wass-a-wits, or red-painted faces. In Paiute legend, the pillars were ancient beings turned to stone for bad behavior by the trickster god Coyote. President Warren G. Harding proclaimed the area a national monument in 1923, citing the landscape’s “unusual scenic beauty, scientific interest, and importance.” Congress elevated its status to national park five years later. The moniker of “canyon” is somewhat misleading as the area is instead a highly eroded escarpment of the Paunsaugunt Plateau, scalloped by wind and water into…2 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksWondrous WildlifeThe high plateaus and rugged canyons of BCNP are home to a wide variety of furry, feathered and scaly critters. Rocky Mountain elk and pronghorn appear seasonally as they migrate between habitats. Mule deer and coyote are common, while mountain lions and black bears make occasional appearances. Keep an eye out for peregrine falcon and endangered California condor soaring from the cliff tops and osprey fishing along the rivers. Two other endangered species also live in the park: the Utah prairie dog and the southwestern willow flycatcher, recognizable by its tufted head. At lower elevations you’ll see kangaroo rats, rabbits and many species of snake and lizard. A particular favorite is the short-horned lizard, often called a horned toad for its squat round body and rough skin. And golden-mantled ground…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksWhere to StayUnder Canvas Bryce Canyon You won’t be roughing it when you stay in one of the luxurious tent cabins at Under Canvas Bryce Canyon, enjoying a king-size bed with high-thread-count sheets, comfortable modern furnishings and an en suite bathroom. But you’ll still be toasting marshmallows around a campfire under the starry sky and enjoying all the other outdoorsy activities that set camping apart from a traditional hotel experience—the perfect combination that has helped the Under Canvas “glamping” empire grow to include 12 facilities outside national parks throughout the west. The cabins are open from May to September and are located about 15 minutes outside of the park. undercanvas.com Ruby’s Inn Located on the edge of the park in Bryce Canyon City, Ruby’s Inn has been serving visitors since 1916, well…2 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksKings Canyon National ParkIT TOOK ANSEL ADAMS’ photography to convince the government to designate Kings Canyon a national park in 1940, 50 years after Sequoia’s creation. Jointly administered with Sequoia by the National Park Service (NPS), grandness is in overdrive here, much like at its sister park. The 50-mile Kings Canyon Scenic Byway leads into the heart of Kings Canyon—one of the deepest canyons in North America, descending 8,200 feet down. Rivaling Yosemite with its impressive ravines and soaring trees, Kings Canyon contains two main areas. The higher Grant Grove includes a village equipped with a range of amenities and the Visitor Center; this is where “the nation’s Christmas tree”—the General Grant—stands. The lower Cedar Grove is a bit wilder, with towering cliffs and cascading waterfalls—including the 75-foot-high Grizzly Falls—and the powerful Kings…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksRedwood National ParkCREATED IN 1968, THIS IS the central park in a network of protected lands along the coast of Northern California. It preserves almost half of the world’s redwoods—the tallest trees on the globe, stretching up over 350 feet. When the park was first established, nearly 90% of its original redwood trees—which in 1850 had covered more than 2 million acres—had been logged. By 1994, Redwood was combined with Jedediah Smith Redwoods, Del Norte Coast and Prairie Creek Redwoods state parks to allow for forest stabilization. Today, these parks are a World Heritage Site with over 200 miles of trails to explore. Drive through a tunnel of trees on the 10-mile Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. Just off that drive, visitors can walk less than 200 yards from the parking area…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksHaleakalā National ParkTHIS MAUI PARK, AN International Biosphere Reserve, holds hiking trails, excellent stargazing and more endangered species than any other park in the system. The word Haleakalā is Hawaiian for “house of the sun,” and there is no better place on Earth to witness a sunrise than on the 10,023-foot dormant Haleakalā volcano. The weather patterns above the summit district make this area ideal for sky-watching, and the more than 35 miles of hiking trails offer differing experiences, from 10-minute jaunts to multiday adventures. From the summit’s red desert of cinder cones, you can pick your way through lava fields. For a real thrill, bike down after taking in the sacred dawn display. The park’s coastal Kīpahulu district near the town of Hana offers sweeping ocean vistas where visitors may spy…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksPinnacles National ParkSome 32 miles of hiking trails zigzag through this 26,000-acre park, a national monument since 1908. Pinnacles protects an unusual geologic formation that dates back 23 million years to an ancient volcano that created the park’s domes, crags and spires. With its rugged expanse of plains beneath an endless sky, Pinnacles is also a home to the endangered California condors (inset), which, thanks to captive-breeding programs, are making a comeback.…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksYellowstone National ParkYellowstone protects the greatest concentration of geothermal features on the globe. YELLOWSTONE’S CROWNINGfeatures—rainbow-colored hot springs, thundering waterfalls, herds of roaming bison (see inset), powerful geysers spewing hundreds of feet into the air—sound like something out of a novel. In fact, when Yellowstone’s earliest explorers recounted what they had witnessed, news magazines dismissed the reports as fiction. Today, however, more than 4 million annual visitors can attest to the marvelous reality of these geologic wonders, and Yellowstone endures as the largest and most diverse virgin landscape in the contiguous U.S. Covering 2 million acres of northwest Wyoming as well as small portions of Montana and Idaho, Yellowstone was established in 1872 as the world’s first national park—a “pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” Its borders contain more than…2 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksCrater Lake National ParkCRATER LAKE TAKES UPless than 10% of its namesake park, but this cobalt landmark qualifies for world-wonder status: The deepest lake in the U.S., it’s also considered the cleanest and clearest large body of water on the planet. Long revered as sacred by the Klamath tribe of southern Oregon, the Gem of the Cascades has a violent past. Mount Mazama was once 12,000 feet tall, but a powerful volcanic eruption in 5700 B.C. caused its summit to collapse, forming a caldera 5 to 6 miles wide. Rainwater and snowmelt filled the crater, and over the centuries, life returned to its slopes. At present, the lake is 1,949 feet deep. Oregon’s only national park was established in 1902, after conservationist William Gladstone Steel campaigned for its protection. The historic Crater Lake…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksLake Clark National Park & PreserveThis park condenses the best of Alaska—blue glaciers, steaming volcanoes, wild rivers, turquoise lakes—into 5,625 square miles. Lake Clark itself is 50 miles long and surrounded by snowcapped mountains. The park is popular for canoeing, kayaking and fishing. The Tanalian network is the only maintained trail system in the park; hikers can follow it to Tanalian Falls and the peak of 3,570-foot Tanalian Mountain. The park is also home to 37 species of land animals, including horned puffins (inset).…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksCanyonlands National ParkFAMOUS FOR ITS MESA ARCH,Canyonlands is a labyrinth of stair-stepping canyons, dramatic mesas and weathered pinnacles, all sculpted by the Green and Colorado rivers. After dusk, ranger programs and telescope viewing shift visitors’ attention to the lightscape above—a galaxy of stars and even the rings of Saturn. Covering over 300,000 acres in Utah’s high desert near the town of Moab, the park, established in 1964, is divided into four distinct districts that capture all the grandeur and beauty of this land, and offer everything from whitewater rafting to hiking and more. The most accessible districts are the northeastern Island in the Sky, with its expansive overlooks along a paved scenic drive, and the more challenging 100-mile White Rim Road that loops around the area’s mesa top. Horseshoe Canyon in the…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksSaguaro National ParkAROUND 1,500 PLANTspecies flourish in Saguaro National Park, but only one is king. The saguaro tree, nicknamed the “desert monarch,” is the largest cactus in the United States, growing to 40 feet tall, living up to 200 years and weighing more than a ton at full height. Though the saguaro (pronounced sah-WAH-ro) has become a symbol of the American West, it only grows in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona. Some 1.9 million of them pierce the sky of Saguaro National Park, established in 1994. In April, the cacti bloom with pretty white blossoms—Arizona’s state flower. The best place to encounter Saguaro’s signature cactus is the park’s Tucson Mountain District, aka Saguaro West. Relatively hot and arid, this low desert is home to coyotes and desert tortoises, as well as…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksBig Bend National ParkDEEP IN THE HEART OFfar west Texas, Big Bend’s five rivers, the Chisos Mountains and the vast Chihuahuan Desert make the park’s 1,100 square miles an irresistible playground for all types of adventurous travelers. Here, the pitch-dark nights, ancient river-carved canyons and abundance of plant and animal species enchant more than 400,000 visitors a year. Experience Big Bend’s splendor in all its glory on several paved drives. The 6-mile Chisos Basin Road winds more than 2,000 feet above the desert, offering colorful views along the way. The Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive’s 30 miles includes stops at Tuff Canyon, Sotol Vista—offering views of the park’s entire western area—and other overlooks. Or step back in time at the Sam Nail Ranch, a former homestead that several bird species now call home, and…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksCapitol Reef National ParkCapitol Reef is famed for the Waterpocket Fold, a geologic wrinkle in the Earth that extends nearly 100 miles. Hikers can view the various rock layers from many different trails. In Cathedral Valley, sunrise and sunset illuminate Glass Mountain’s selenite crystals and the sandstone monoliths known as the Temples of the Sun and Moon. In the evening, park staff shed light on the cosmos with night-sky tours, full-moon hikes and more.…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksVoyageurs National ParkVISITORS TRADE WHEELSfor hulls in Voyageurs National Park—a 218,054-acre wilderness along the U.S.-Canada border. Some of the oldest exposed bedrock on Earth is found within this relatively young national park, which was established in 1975. Sanded, shaped and scarred by at least four ice ages, the prehistoric land here tells a fascinating tale. Today, canoes, kayaks, motorboats and house boats ply the park’s four large lakes (Rainy, Kabetogama, Namakan and Sand Point) and 26 smaller ones, linked by narrow channels. All told, the park holds fewer than 10 miles of roads and more than 80,000 acres of lakes and waterways. Thirteen visitor-destination sites illuminate the area’s colorful past, from the French Canadian fur traders who paddled birch bark canoes through the region in the 18th and 19th centuries (voyageur means…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksWind Cave National ParkThis became America’s eighth national park in 1903, but had long been revered as sacred by the Lakota people. Like visitors today, they were probably fascinated by the world’s sixth-longest cave and its eerie whistling sound effects (produced by changes in atmospheric pressure). Rangers lead tours inside the cavern (inset), which is known for its outstanding box work—thin calcite honeycombs. Aboveground are 28,295 acres of prairie, including 30 miles of hiking trails that offer sweeping vistas of the Black Hills.…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksGreat Smoky Mountains National ParkThe Great Smokies boast 90 historic structures, 100 waterfalls and more than 20,000 species of flora and fauna. WHAT MAKES GREAT SMOKYMountains National Park—which welcomes more than twice the number of people as any other park in the system—the country’s most visited? Is it the ideal location, less than a day’s drive from nearly everywhere in the East? The free admission? The status as a UNESCO World Heritage site, an International Biosphere Reserve and the largest area of protected land east of the Rockies? Arguably, the park’s distinctive beauty is its greatest attraction. Ridge after ridge after ridge fades into the horizon, exuding a smoky haze—the product of organic compounds that are let off by the area’s dense flora. Three main entrances are jumping-off points for forays into the national…2 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksAcadia National ParkFROM OCTOBER TO EARLYMarch every year, the rising sun kisses Cadillac Mountain before any other spot in the U.S. At 1,530 feet, the famous summit is the highest mountain on the North Atlantic seaboard—and its home is Acadia, the first national park to open east of the Mississippi. Elsewhere on Mount Desert Island, visitors can walk the Ocean Path from Sand Beach to Thunder Hole, where waves entering a partly submerged sea cave boom like thunder at certain times of day. Farther on, Otter Cliff’s 110-foot granite bluff grants epic ocean views. Some 24 pristine ponds, including serene Jordan Pond, dot the glacier-carved interior. And weaving through the park’s 48,000 acres are 45 miles of car-free carriage roads, funded by John D. Rockefeller Jr. from 1913 to 1940. Rockefeller and…1 min
Bryce Canyon - The Complete Guide to the National ParksCongaree National ParkTrees are the superstars of this unlikely national park, home to the largest old-growth hardwood forest in the Southeast. With an average canopy height of over 100 feet, the park contains 25 trees that are the largest of their respective species in the state. Sightseers can hike several flat trails that start at the visitor center and weave between massive water tupelo trees, oaks and maples to spot wildlife, such as deer and wild turkeys, or Cedar I Creek’s otters and wading birds.…1 min
