What's your favorite National Park?

I'm definitely overdue for an exploration of the backcountry in GSM NP - my trip there was limited to the main traverse road, an epic late day elk herd sighting (a first for me), and a climb up the viewing platform for a hazy sunset on Clingman's Dome. I also camped on the AT that night and swam in a small creek the next morning. Short trip, but still gorgeous. Climbing Mt Mitchell is also very high on my list for that matter.

 

GSMNP:



Also GSMNP:





I've hit that park twice and got two very different experiences. The second time was amazing. Elk, Bear with cubs, fantastic hiking during the color change, got to explore Cades Cove, plus a full drive of the Parkway down to tail of the dragon.

The first time... Sea of people. Maybe a tree or something between those cars over there.

 

Wrangell-St Elias - beautiful and empty of crowds.

 

Glacier National Park at the end of the season when no one else is there.

 

How about a favorite National Forest camp ground site to add to the mix? North Fork Camp Ground, Tahoe National Forest near Emigrant Gap off I80. (WAY off) Spent two nights there on my way cross-country to Santa Clara with my younger brother in 1985 when he moved out there. "Otherwordly" is the only I can describe it: Think: the Ewoks scenes in Star Wars. It was so dark in there that we couldn't find the tent pads so just pitched it somewhere that looked good: In the morning we realized we were set up right next to the road into the place: actual tent pad was only 10 feet away. I think there were eight sites there at the time and we were the only campers there.

I'm sure it has changed since then.

 

The last picture of this…to be polite I’ll say person of questionable intelligence, standing 10 ft from a male elk has got to be one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen. Regardless of time of year, as late summer bull elk hit the rut and start to get agitated easily and extremely aggressive, you are teaching that wild animal it’s okay to be approached and in close contact with humans, which it’s absolutely is not.

The worst part, as that animal gets more accustomed to contact with humans and eventually gores or tramples someone, if the person is lucky enough to survive the attack, the animal won’t be because they’ll fucking euthanize it.

If you love our national parks so much pay attention to the signs.

https://www.oregonlive.com/terryrichard/2010/07/olympic_national_park_advises.html

 

HAHA, It's pretty crazy how close people stand next to wild animals.

I agree about the animals getting accustomed to humans. If I was a park ranger, instant Fines!

 

Just finished another decent road trip. Managed 8 National Parks between Louisiana, Florida and Georgia.
Fort Pulaski was really cool. I liked that place a lot. It feels like it's one of the more well preserved forts.

This was probably the highlight though. Expensive to get to when you consider the transportation and parking...unless you plan on swimming out there. Downside was not having my camera for night sky. Only thing that made that ok was the cloudy conditions. Somewhat clear around 3 or 4 am. and moon was somewhere around 75%, so a lot of light out there too.

 

Of the ones I have been to:

Volcano NP (Hawaii)
Yosemite
Yellowstone
Zion
Bryce
Arches
Joshua Tree
Grand Canyon
Sequoia
Death Valley
Kings Canyon (FYI I have not driven deep into the canyon so this may not be a fair rating)
Grand Teton (great view but paled in comparison to Yellowstone and only spent a day there)

 

Just booked a Disneyland trip in April, wife soothed me over w 3 days in 29 Palms and Joshua Tree. Also just booked a week in Glacier this July. Excited to see both but we'll have the kids(and inlaws in MT) so won't be able to get too far off the beaten path.

 

Nice! I've booked a week in Guadeloupe Mtn/Big Bend NPs this Spring and Glacier in late June. I realize Going to the Sun Road may not be fully open yet, but I had to find a time when my daughter could come with(we've been talking about Glacier for YEARS).

Joshua Tree is on the list, but it's probably going to be 2024/25 before I can make that happen. Safe travels and post some pics if you can!

 

Guadalupe was a nice little park. We didnt hike the summit because the kids(8&11) were with us but there's a worth while couple mile loop down the hwy from the main visitor center, Frijole Ranch I think, with some shade at the turn. We kind of left Big Bend on an island by doing Guadalupe with White Sands and Carlsbad Caverns. Hopefully that will make it a little more leisurely stay after driving all the way back down at somepoint.

 

Sequoia

 

Thanks for the info! I'm pretty sure the Spring trip will just be me so the goal is to hike the summit at Guadeloupe between the two nights I'm there. If weather is bad(or my feet are hurting) I may do the loop(Carlsbad, White Sands) that day instead.

After that I'm heading to Big Bend for 3 nights in the park. I'm staying in 3 different places so I can be near the trails I want to hike each day. I've been told it's not enough time to see everything in BBNP, but it's all the PTO I have available.

 

Canyonlands for me. Next to Arches and Moab. Can’t wait to go here in a few months!

 

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
Took this 2 weeks ago……..Incredible place

 

I was there Dec 2021 and that place is amazing. Say 1 was heavy fog and that set up one experience.

Day 2 was sunny - completely different experience.

 

night view of the lava……

 

Beautiful! How was the temperature ?

 

For fishing, I like Everglades National Park. For hiking, swimming, and kayaking I like Ocala National Forest. Ocala NF and Everglades are relatively close to me. My absolute favorite was when I visited Yellowstone for a vacation, those mountains are something I'll never forget, that was my first time ever seeing mountains and Buffalo, we don't have either down here in South Florida.