What's your favorite National Park?

I don't mean to brag but I have been to all of them in Wisconsin

 

Glacier
Crater lake
Yellowstone
Yosemite
Yellowstone
Smokey mountains
Canyon De Chelly
(All of the 4 corners parks!)

I have worked in a few

 

MDF!!!!! Cool place!

 

Glacier, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Redwoods

 

Already planning my next trip to big bend, this time centered around paddling.

 

Just spent the night at Great Sand Dunes. I haven't been there since college. I do submit that it's the park with the single most challenging hike.




Fortunately down is easier than up.





Bonus edit: rate my trailer leveling job at their campground.

 

I like acadia in maine. And shanandoah in virginia

 

Some pic from my recent trip to yoooseeemitee

 

I'm surprised at the heavy flow. Very nice!

 

It started to rain/snow on the way down..... The waterfall even got bigger......

 

Joshua Tree or the painted desert of petrified forest NP.

GC was absolutely awe inspiring. But then you turn around and it's just suuuuper commercialized. Which I get why, but I hit JT early and there was nobody around. It just hit different

Edit to clarify - I haven't been to Yosemite yet. That's almost guaranteed to take the top spot.

 

so far it’s been Olympic NP. my fiancé and I were taking our engagement pics, and suddenly it just started snowing. we’re from FL, so it was one of the most magical experiences we’ve ever had.

we also rented a Taco for that trip

 

absolutely stunning!

 

Very cool!

Where did you stay in Olympic? In the park?
I have a half-baked plan to visit in September and it looks like there are a bunch of camping options.

 

we stayed in a cute little inn about 10 minutes from the park!

 

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Hello, I was going through the thread and saw your pics of BBNP. I’m kicking around the idea of a trip out that way toward the end of the year. I'm looking at hitting both the NP and the BB Ranch SP, will probably try for 8-10 days in the parks. Any suggestions for a first timer? Thanks.

 

Great idea to go at the end of the year…we always timed it to go around the first week of December (the Thanksgiving crowds have left and the Christmas crowds have yet to arrive) very peaceful at that time. If you will be camping, get reservations now.

We don’t camp, We always stayed in the Chisos Basin lodging which puts you at multiple trailheads for hikes in the Chisos mountains.
Get reservations now.

I highly recommend Hiking Big Bend National Park by Laurence Parent for detailed descriptions of the following hikes. Our favorite hikes are (in no particular order):

South Rim Trail (long hike 12+ miles)…suggest going up Laguna Meadows trail (more gradual ascent) and coming down Pinnacles trail.
Lost Mine Trail
Windows Trail (take the spur at the end to the Oak Springs Overlook)
Emery Peak (you have to go up Pinnacles trail to get to the Emery trailhead)
Grapevine Hills Trail
Pine Canyon
Chimneys (petroglyphs)

backcountry drives:
River Road South-Mariscal Mine (light hiking around the mine)

general cool stuff:
Homer Wilson Ranch
Sam Nail Ranch
Boquillas Canyon
Santa Elena Canyon

Expensive but worth it:
Rio Aviation arial tour of the Big Bend area (Terlingua)

Good dining: Starlight Theater (Terlingua)

so much to see and do.

let me know if you have any questions.

 

Thanks for the reply. I’ve got questions lol! Headed out the door for a walk, will get back to you.