What's your favorite National Park?

Right on! Thank you. Very uncertain on the WHEN. This COVID is changing the dynamics of life.

 

There are four campgrounds within the Park https://www.nps.gov/acad/planyourvisit/camping.htm We spent a week at the Seawall CG a few years back and had a really nice site (A37 I think but it was definitely in the tent section even though we have a small camper - Most of the RV sites were smaller with much less privacy IIRC). The Schoodic Woods CG was under construction when we visited but I think that would be my choice if we return as that section of the Park is more remote. Reservations are a must.

Acadia is surrounded by development along much of it's borders and I'm not accustomed to seeing that many people living so close to a National Park. Not a bad thing - just different. Take your bikes and use the carriage trails to move around on the main section of the Park. These are wide and paved so travel is relatively easy and you avoid the congestion on the roadways. Catch a sunrise from the top of Cadillac Mountain. Visit Jordan Pond House for a meal (the popovers are awesome). Thunder Hole at high tide. Hike the Precipice Trail. Picnic at Sand Beach. Our favorite section was Schoodic Woods as it was much less crowded. Be sure to stop at one of the roadside lobster pounds outside the Park for an evening meal.

 

As an Army vet (Sgt 69-70), public lands with a military history are of particular interest and the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is well worth a stop for those with a similar bent. When we were there, it was cold, windy and spitting snow with only a few other visitors making it a very somber experience.



There is also an active military cemetery located at the monument and a ranger told us interments included soldiers from this battle up through Afghanistan.

 

The Little Bighorn would be very cool to visit! I am very interested (and a little disgusted) in our Nation's history, and this site is on my list.
One of these days I will swing north and hit Rushmore, Devil's Tower, Little Bighorn, and some others. One of these days...

 

this is awesome info!!!! Will be storing this away for sure..Thanks!!

 

Great thread! I bought my Tacoma in September of last year and decided to start visiting National Parks since I now have reliable transportation. I've managed to visit 4 so far and they are ones most people probably don't consider the 'coolest', but they are all close enough that I could make a day-trip(a couple I should have really stayed overnight).

Mammoth Cave. This was my first and it was amazing! The caves are HUGE and not a lot of people for a weekday in the Fall. There's lots of hiking to do above-ground, but it was raining steady the day I visited. My favorite thus far! Just wish it would have been nicer weather to do more.

Indiana Dunes. One of the newest National Parks. This was kind of meh... for me personally. We stay on Lake Michigan for a week every summer. In fact, there's larger dunes in Michigan where we're at. I wanted to check it out, however. I did more hiking that day than beach stuff. It was very busy on the weekend I visited.

Cuyahoga Valley. Many people think this should be a State Park instead, but I thought it was the prettiest of the few I've been to. I think it being peak foliage change had a lot to do with that! There's a couple really cool waterfalls and some great trails with decent elevation changes for the Midwest. Wish I could have spent more time.

Gateway Arch. I remember going up in the Arch as a kid, but that's been 30+ years ago. This time I decided to focus more on the museum exhibits(Lewis and Clark stuff) and spending a brisk December afternoon walking the grounds. The Arch is impressive- to say the least, but might not be enough for diehard National Park junkies. Fudge is top-notch!

This year I plan on camping Great Smokey Mountains, Hot Springs, and possibly rebooking our trip out to Carlsbad Caverns/White Sands/Guadelupe Mountains that got cancelled due to Covid last year. Sorry no pics, but I plan on getting a better phone before I start this year!

 

Congrats!!! My first trip in my taco was the Grand Canyon and Zion! Long road trip! Didn’t do much off-roading but the reliability gave me soo much confidence!! Hahaha

 

Doesn't matter if people think a park is one of the coolest or not. The important thing is that you enjoy yourself while you visit.
You will enjoy/favor some parks more than others, but each visit makes your life richer.
Mammoth Caves is super cool! One of my fav's!!

 

So true....and you will enjoy the park you can get to! What a wonderful gift we have with our National Parks.

 

We are all very fortunate!
If you haven't done so, check out Ken Burns The National Parks: America's Best Idea.

 

Seems like an interesting documentary on the history of National Parks!

 

Acadia, Glacier, and Grand Teton... and I guess now New River Gorge national park although I haven’t officially been to the park, well since it recently achieved that status, I’ve been there countless times before though. I got engaged in Glacier and married her in Acadia... those will always be my two two parks.

 

Death Valley in the winter between Thanksgiving and Spring break

 

Growing up my family was definitely not very adventurous, we went on a canoe trip once in NW PA and that was about it. Same for my husband, who had never been camping in a tent not in his backyard.

That all changed when we went to Yellowstone with some friends in the summer of 2018. We fell in love with the NP system. Since, we've been to Big Bend twice, Zion, and Bryce Canyon.

For 2021, we are going on our first real backpacking trip to Guadalupe Mountains in April and then to Glacier in July. So excited to enjoy the outdoors! We've taken the truck to Big Bend but have flown to the others.

The best trip was Big Bend March 2020 right at the start of Covid. Park was EMPTY as we went out the week before they cancelled all overnight stays. No moon and clear skies, beautiful weather, and a great full day off road trip on River Road.

 

Good for you!!
That is awesome! It's like finding a lost treasure!

 

I've only been to Yellowstone, Great Basin and Zion.

Zion was by far my favorite. The hike up the Narrows was an incredible experience.

 

Glad you and your husband are enjoying our National Parks. Don’t overlook the opportunities in our other public lands - Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, National Recreation Areas, National Monuments etc. Texas also has a great State Park System. If you get to Palo Duro during the summer, be sure to see the outdoor drama Texas.

Big Bend is our favorite NP as well. If you haven’t yet hiked the South Rim for an overnight, add it to your list. Guadalupe Mountain is another we’ve visited and hiked often. The Dog Canyon campground is a great base for exploration.

 

I got married there... tons of hiking And shoreline to explore, There are 3 or 4 campgrounds on Mount Desert Island near Acadia... make sure to visit Schoodic Point, it’s really cool but it is off of MDI and on the mainland. Good fishing for trout in the streams and warm water species in the ponds. Biking trails are plentiful, lobster are reasonable, take a trip to winter harbor if you go to Schoodic stop at winter harbor and also go to Corea and eat at Corea on the Warf and get a lobster grilled cheese. Watch sunrise on Cadillac, visit sand beach, thunder hole, and seal harbor. I love it there, just be aware of bug season... black flies and skeeters

 

awesome!!! Have copied and pasted into my travel notes!!!

 

I'd been to Yellowstone as a kid and Mt Rainier just before meeting my now wife. She's been to a few more having lived in CA and WA, but our first vacay together was 4 days in Estes Park. Somewhere in Rocky Mountain we joked about seeing them all and 20 months later our list together:
Rocky Mountain
Badlands
Wind Cave
Haleakala(just before lockdowns)
Grand Teton(had to gtfo for a bit)
Grand Canyon(honeymoon)
Saguaro(honeymoon)

We've got a WA trip planned to hit Rainier and Cascades this summer, and Smokies/Mammoth/Arch in the fall