Top National Parks in America

NPS (National Park Service) cares for about 400 national parks across the United States of America preserving and protecting these natural treasures. Millions of people from all over the world visit and enjoy these natural wonders along with their families every year to enrich their lifestyle. My list includes Grand Canyon national park, Zion National Park, Yosemite, Yellowstone, etc. Feel free to post your experience in the comments section below.

Located in Arizona, Grand Canyon National Park is my number one favorite park. Grand Canyon is a giant hole in the ground in a sense that will take you in awe and a natural wonder and America's most cherished landmark. It receives about five million visitors each year. There are day trips available from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon. The Colorado river flows through the canyon. Over the years, the mighty Colorado river cut through the rocks to form the canyon. The rocks in the Grand Canyon are at least two billion years old. I would strongly suggest you to try to hike down the canyon (say, the Bright Angel trail) if you can to get the best view of the canyon. If you cannot hike down by foot, there are mule trips available daily. If you are adventurous, you can even try a rafting trip on the Colorado river.

Grand Canyon Pictures

Yellowstone National Park is mostly known for its gushing geysers and eclectic wildlife along with all that mother nature has to offer. Old Faithful is the most popular geyser in the world. You can see hundreds of other geysers and hot springs everywhere here. Yellowstone is also home for wildlife such as bears, wolves, elk, buffalo. Other fun activities include hiking, camping, fishing, exhibits and ranger-led tours. Yellowstone is the world's oldest national park with a large area of beauty and wildlife making it a favorite park for many nature lovers.

Southern Utah is filled with geological masterpieces, stunning arch formations, red rock canyons and breathtaking landscapes. Out of the five national parks in the area - Arches, Bryce, Canyon lands, Capitol Reef and Zion, the Zion national park is in this list with a slight bias. Zion is Utah's oldest national park and it attracts the most number of visitors every year. The park is known for its incredible canyons, including The Narrows, which attract canyoneers from around the world. Zion national park offers endless hiking possibilities. With nearly three million visitors per year, Zion is Utah's most heavily used park. The park has hiking, climbing, camping, biking, horseback riding, off road trails, etc.

Absolutely gorgeous views of Southern Sierra Nevada, lofty Yosemite Waterfalls, spectacular half dome makes Yosemite one of the top national parks in America. A spectacular mountain range near California's border with Nevada, Yosemite's fame is due to the spectacular beauty of Yosemite Valley, and several big waterfalls. Yosemite also offers an extensive high-mountain wilderness of mountain peaks and rivers. Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area that would be perfect for any nature seeking person.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the largest protected land areas east of the Rocky Mountains. With over 500,000 acres of forest, the Smoky Mountains contain an enormous variety of plants and animals. Smoky Mountains offers everything from easy to strenuous hikes, plenty of hiking trails, waterfalls, overlooks and so much historic area to explore along with bicycling, camping and fishing, horseback riding, picnicking, wildlife viewing. An auto tour of the park offers a chance to see panoramic vistas, rushing mountain streams, weathered historic buildings, and majestic forests stretching to the horizon. The two main visitor centers inside the park are Sugarlands Visitor Center near the Gatlinburg entrance and Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee at the eastern entrance to the park.

The 1,400 square miles of Olympic in northwestern Washington state encompasses not only snow-capped Mount Olympus, glaciers, alpine meadows and rocky Pacific Mountain coastline, but also one of the few temperate rain forests in the world. The cycle of growth and decay is abundantly demonstrated here, for example when new trees sprout up along the decaying trunks of fallen trees. The biological evolution, the ecological variety and the sheer splendor of the coastline, forests and mountains of Olympic make it a special place. you will find Pacific Ocean beaches, rain forest valleys, glacier-capped peaks and a stunning variety of plants and animals. Roads provide access to the outer edges of the park, but the heart of Olympic is wilderness; a primeval sanctuary for humans and wild creatures alike.

Olympic National Park Pictures

Attractions in Olympic National Park