U.S. National Parks thread
darwinstheory
LaPorte, IN Posts: 6,723
This thread is designed to share some of our likes/dislikes/stories about some of America's National Parks. If you're like me, and have been to some, you may have had a fantastic time. I always enjoy telling my stories or showing my pictures, but they very seldom do the actual scenery much justice. I really need to get a camera for such trips. But it's hard to justify so much money for a decent camera.
Below is a questionnaire. If you would like to participate, have at it. Look forward to hearing of others experiences.
Have you visited any:
How many?
Which ones?
Rank favorite to least favorite?
Key points (from each park)?
What time of year did you visit?
Was it worth the trip?
Do you plan on visiting all National Parks?
Do you plan on visiting any more?
If so, which ones?
Which one is next?
Any must share stories?
Ready? GO!
Below is a questionnaire. If you would like to participate, have at it. Look forward to hearing of others experiences.
Have you visited any:
How many?
Which ones?
Rank favorite to least favorite?
Key points (from each park)?
What time of year did you visit?
Was it worth the trip?
Do you plan on visiting all National Parks?
Do you plan on visiting any more?
If so, which ones?
Which one is next?
Any must share stories?
Ready? GO!
"A smart monkey doesn't monkey around with another monkey's monkey" - Darwin's Theory
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Comments
How many? 2
Which ones? Great Smoky Mountains & Yellowstone
Rank favorite to least favorite? Yellowstone then Great Smoky Mountains
Key points (from each park)? GSMNP: Cades Cove and Clingman's Dome, Yellowstone: Grand Prismatic Scheme, Wildlife and the big waterfall (name currently escapes me)
What time of year did you visit? Summer for both
Was it worth the trip? Yes
Do you plan on visiting all National Parks? I would very much like to try!
Do you plan on visiting any more? Yes
If so, which ones? Glacier, Zion, Moab, Yosemite, Gates of the Arctic are all on my hot list.
Which one is next? I think it'll be Mammoth Cave and Hot Springs
Ready? GO!
How many?
-4 (US) 9 (Canada)
Which ones?
US
-Grand Canyon
-Sequoia
-Death Valley
-Everglades (the gators)
Canada
-Point Pelee (known for bird migration and key step in the monarch butterfly migration)
-Bruce Peninsula (great views of Georgian Bay)
-Jasper (wildlife, mountains, glacier))
-Banff (wildlife, mountains)
-Yoho (wildlife, mountains, Lake O'Hara)
-Elk Island (Bison)
-Kootenay (beautiful views, wildlife)
-Mount Revelstoke (Meadows In The Sky Parkway)
-Glacier National Park (scenic views, mountains)
Rank favorite to least favorite?
-None
Key points (from each park)?
What time of year did you visit?
Summer and Fall
Was it worth the trip?
Yes
Do you plan on visiting all National Parks?
No
Do you plan on visiting any more?
Yes
If so, which ones?
2019 I plan on visiting Waterton Lakes National Park and Glacier National Park (US).
Which one is next?
See Above
Any must share stories?
How many? 9
Which ones?
Glacier Bay, Alaska
Everglades, Fl
Grand Canyon, AZ
Joshua, Cali
Sequoia, Cali
Saguaro, AZ
Yosemite, Cali
Death Valley, Cali
Rank favorite to least favorite? They are all great for their own reasons.
Key points (from each park)?
Glacier bay if you ever go, you must pluck a piece of that billion year old ice from the water and lick it like an ice cream cone. That is the purest water you will ever have the pleasure of tasting.
Everglades, I like trees so the mangroves are always cool to look at.
Grand Canyon, it literally took my breath away upon seeing how big the canyon is. Pictures do not do it justice. I want to plan a North rim trip because 95% of the world never sees it.
Joshua, again with the trees. I like catching lizards and snakes so the fallen Joshua trees are great for that.
Sequoia, I just went there last year and the drive to get to the trees was interesting. You are ascending up the mountain at 15MPH because of all the switchbacks and turns and there aren't any big trees. Then all of a sudden, boom! There they are. What a magnificent species of trees! These Sequoias are so massive and awe inspiring to look at.
Saguaro, this is where the biggest cactus are. The ones you see in cartoons or westerns. The ones that look like they have arms. These things are massive beautiful things to see. If you come across a fallen one, roll it over but be careful cause there are rattlers, lizards and scorpions in them. That's what I'm looking for though, lol. Also if you are here in the area go see the San Xavier mission. I call it the Sistine chapel of the Americas. Also not too far is Gates pass. What a beautiful scenic drive. You wouldn't think a desert could have so much color. When you get to the peak, get out and hike around. Look at the cactus and shrubs up close. Be sure to find a Palo Verde and look at it closely!!!
Yosemite, Seeing halfdome and El Capitan never gets old, it just doesn't. One of the most recognizable landscapes in the world.
Death Valley, Go see Scottys Castle. When you are there go see where he was buried. This is an unbelievable story and site to see in the middle of the desert. It is unfortunately closed because of flood damage, yes, a flood in the desert... If you can ever get there, make the trip.
What time of year did you visit? The only one I wouldn't recommend doing in the winter is the Alaska one.
Was it worth the trip? Of course!
Do you plan on visiting all National Parks? I visit parks and National Monuments.
Do you plan on visiting any more? Of course!
If so, which ones? Any that I can.
Which one is next? Not sure.
Any must share stories? While in Sequoia we did the little hike around the park. We got to see a woodpecker 5 feet in front of us doing what they do! There was also a fallen tree that serves as a slide. It has a little waterfall on the side of it so of you come across that then the tree you walked under is the slide. Go back around and climb up it and slide down!!!
1. Grand Teton (WY) - Beautiful area. We snowmobiled through the park which was very fun.
2. Mesa Verde (CO) - Fascinating place known for the cliff dwellings of Native American tribes.
3. Great Smoky Mountains (NC, TN) - Only about 3-4 hours away and I've done lots of hiking there.
4. Yellowstone (WY) - same trip as Grand Teton. Beautiful park and seeing Old Faithful is definitely worth it.
5. Death Valley (CA) - Big desert and you can get some great pictures there.
6. Shenandoah (VA) - Camped there with my family as a kid. I don't think we did much of anything there except hang out at the campsite.
7. Congaree (SC) - I probably rate it low because it's local and I take it for granted that it's there. Walked the trails there, but it was August and the heat was almost unbearable.
Grand Teton and Yellowstone were a December trip. Congaree was in the middle of August. Mesa Verde was early summer I believe. Death Valley was in October. Shenandoah was early fall. I've been to the Great Smoky Mountains in probably all the seasons (spring is best imo).
Want to visit:
Badlands (SD), Carlsbad Caverns (NM), Crater Lake (OR), Denali (AK), Glacier Bay (AK), and Grand Canyon (AZ).
Wouldn't mind going to others, but those top the list. In fact, the next one I visit will probably be Mammoth Cave on an upcoming trip to Kentucky (probably in the early fall). I don't have plans to see all of them, but I'm definitely not opposed to it.
Rocky Mountain NP I have been to 6 times, never gets old. Hope to climb Long's Peak someday with my boy. Bugling Elk is a lifelist item.
Grand Canyon, did a drive by of south rim on way to North Rim. Absolutely gorgeous, particularly on the North Rim. Lake Powell (not NP) was almost as good, Vermilion Cliffs was great, Horseshoe bend was great, and the best view was east rim of Grand Canyon looking out at the plains toward Corado Canyon. The land is flatter than you can make sense of and the canyon cuts into it vertically like a scar on the land. Incredible.
Lived in Tucson but didn't enter Saguaro NP because they are everywhere and it isn't remarkable otherwise. Mt Lemon was sweet.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison we drove along for quite some time and skirted the NP because the best spots are outside the NP zone anyways.
GSMNP is a tourist trap. We have been, but there's nothing there better than what you find nearby in Cherokee, Nantahela, and Pisgah NFs, but they are all less crowded.
Shenandoah was underwhelming compared to the previously mentioned.
None of my very favourite places are in NPs, so here are some honorary mentions:
Black Balsam, Pisgah NF
Mt Evans and Poudre canyon, Colorado
Bonneville Salt Flats
Pyramid Lake, Nevada
Seneca Rocks, WV
Mt Rogers/Grayson Highlands, VA
Max Patch and Roan Highlands, TN NC border.
I look forward to visiting Yosemite, Glacier, Alaska, and Rainier someday.
Nothing in the states compares to the Alps though, except maybe Yosemite, won't know until I go.
How many? 14
Which ones?
Did you camp for a few days? @rgambs
Oh oh man I ve been to a lot of parks. Top five:
1. Glacier: it is the one place where I thought nature could kill me at any moment.
2. Grand Tetons/Yellowstone: I combined them because they are next to each other. Every American should visit these two parks. I got attacked by a black bear at Jenny lake, good times.
3. Glacier bay national park, Alaska: took a helicopter on to a glacier. Saw a lot of whales and glaciers. Just gorgeous.
4. Crater lake: one of the prettiest lakes I have every seen. I remember swimming a few feet from shore and thinking to myself it was a thousand feet deep. Lol. The lake was the bluest of blue.
5. Grand Canyon. Is this thing real?!
6. Rocky Mountain National Park: wow. 14k foot mountains everywhere.
7. Zion/Bryce canyon: did some sllot canyon hiking. I ve never seen such colors before. I learned that the desert really is full of life.
8: Pearl Harbor. Not a National Park per say but it meant a lot to me to see where world war 2 started for the u.s.
Why is that gambs?
oh and mount rainier is amazing too.
How many?
17
Which ones?
Isle Royale
Voyageurs
Hawaii Volcanos
Kenai Fjords
Mt. Ranier
Olympic
Joshua Tree
Grand Canyon (North Rim)
Zion
Bryce Canyon
Everglades
Badlands
Wind Cave
Glacier
Grand Tetons
Yellowstone
Teddy Roosevelt
Rank favorite to least favorite?
N/A
Key points (from each park)?
Isle Royale - The total and absolute silence of the place, at least on the Windigo side. (Early summer to beat the bugs)
Voyageurs - Home state NP. Although if you really want to experience the north woods of MN go to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area instead. (Late spring to beat the bugs)
Hawaii Volcanos - There's an active volcano there, and it is super dark at night. I've never experienced star viewing like I experienced there. Amazing. (Late October)
Kenai Fjords - The glaciers are cool. I recommend taking a boat and cruising down the coast. (Mid-summer)
Mt. Ranier - The Comet Falls/Van Trump Camp hike is amazing. On a clear day you can see Mt. Hood, St. Helens, Mt. Adams, and the summit of Ranier. I really enjoyed this place and hope to go back and spend more time there. (Late summer)
Olympic - The ecological diversity and silence in the rain forest areas. This is a hard park to navigate though. (Late summer)
Joshua Tree - My in-laws have their winter place near here, so I spend at least one day here every winter. I love the emptiness of the desert. (Winter)
Grand Canyon (North Rim) - The size. The Kaibab Trail into the canyon is a great day hike. (Fall)
Zion - Observation Point and the Narrows. If you do the Narrows start by 6am to beat the crowds. (Fall)
Bryce Canyon - The morning sunrise on the main amphitheater. (Fall)
Everglades - Alligators and the biodiversity. (Early spring)
Badlands - The first NP I ever visited. I thought we where on Mars. My wife lived just outside of the park for many years, so we go and visit every couple of years. (Summer)
Wind Cave - Visited when I was a teenager. What's not to like about caves? (Summer)
Glacier - The views. The "Going to the Sun Road" is amazing. (Late summer)
Grand Tetons - The views. (Late summer)
Yellowstone - What everyone else has said. The ecological, geographical, and biodiversity of the place is awesome. (Late summer)
Teddy Roosevelt - The emptiness of the place. Also is a major departure from the fields of ND one must endure to get there. (Late summer)
What time of year did you visit?
I try to hit the parks during "the off season" to avoid crowds.
Was it worth the trip?
Yes. For all of them.
Do you plan on visiting all National Parks?
I would love to, but it is a commitment. I have a friend the visited all 59 parks in 59 weeks a couple of years ago.
Do you plan on visiting any more?
Yes.
If so, which ones?
Any of the ones I haven't been to. My current Top 5 to visit are Katmai, Denali, Death Valley, Acadia, and Great Basin.
Which one is next?
Possibly Channel Islands or Death Valley this winter when visiting the in-laws. Acadia next year. Now that I have a small child, visiting the parks is bit more of a challenge.
Any must share stories?
If you are doing the tour of Utah parks, I recommend flying into Vegas renting a camper van from Escape Vans. They have camp stoves, cooking utensils, solar powered fridges, and bedding in then. It's a great and inexpensive way to get around and not have to deal with pitching tents, eating out, or paying the large sums of money to stay in the park lodges. Plus, they are great if you want to utilize the dispersed campsites on federal land surrounding the parks, which is free. Also, if you are in that area make sure to spend a day or two at Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. It's a really amazing place.
North is a full 1000 ft higher so it's cooler and much more forested. Quiet and beautiful, relatively secluded.
There's plenty of camping and hiking either way, I liked the North Rim better but there is less view down into the canyon and more view of the entire expanse.
We camped at Lee's Ferry where the rafting trips launch, just below Lake Powell on the east side.
It's 2 hours equidistant from the main areas of both rims and near the lake and Horseshoe Bend. Very quiet out there, you'd need to fly into Flagstaff or drive way down from Utah for that east end, the west end is Vegas. The west and south rim is where you find the skywalk and the helicopter tours and buses and all that.
It's kind of a cool valley with a nice river and little falls and rocks....for an area with nothing else to do.
Any place worth visiting has a region just as good that isn't well known because there's better around.
We went to the Great Smoky Mountains 5 years ago and enjoyed ourselves. But I found it to be a bit too touristy for my liking.
Then 3 years ago, we did a plan on the fly trip to Yellowstone. At that point, we still hadn't developed quite the love for the national parks we now have. Because the trip was planned on the fly, we were low on money and only had 8 days to drive there and back, we missed out on A LOT!
We left Yellowstone completely awestruck and eager to share our stories with anyone who would listen...or pretend to listen. But, as I said, we did all that traveling on short notice. And seeing so many national parks had not really became something we planned on wanting to do. Alas, we drove (sorry, I drove as Julie will not drive with the camper on the hitch) about 24 hours to get to and from the park. During the trip, we drove right past the Badlands (could see them from a distance) and Wind Cave. We could have easily checked 2 more off the list. But we didn't. We just kept right on driving.
Fast forward to our limited time inside Yellowstone, I feel we really did make the best of it. We saw so much cool shit! Totally bad as stuff. However, in doing so, we ran out of time. Thus, we were unable to take the day trip south to the Grand Tetons. A decision I would regret, save for it will definitely put me back in that area sometime.
As does now, that's where this thread came about. I have a week of vacation the first week of November. I am giving the girlfriend one of those pin maps for National Parks that will be personalized for her birthday next week. Of course, that will only be a part of the gift, as the real gift will be a trup to whichever National Park she would like to visit. Now, given the time of year and only having a week, there are a big majority of the parks that will likely be eliminated. A few weeks too late for the fall foliage at Acadia, Isle Royale, Voyagers, and too cold for Glacier, etc...
Sooo, with all of that in mind, I was thinking maybe Hot Springs in Arkansas to knock out the one in the middle of nowhere. And pick up Mammoth Cave on the way. Then, I thought, maybe we could knock out a bunch in Utah in a week, but I wasn't sure if that would be too cold at those elevations in the beginning of November. Then I started thinking maybe getting a few in California. Might be a good time to check out Death Valley and Joshua Tree. Swing up to LA and take a dump at the Coliseum.
What opinions do you men and women have?
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
VIC 07
EV LA1 08
Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
Columbus 10
EV LA 11
Vancouver 11
Missoula 12
Portland 13, Spokane 13
St. Paul 14, Denver 14
Joshua Tree is easy to get to by flying into Palm Springs, CA. Its beautiful. I've visited it every year for the past 4 years. 35 minute drive from the airport to the park and there is a lot of lodging/hotels/motels in the area. Never camped there since my inlaws are in Palm Springs and have a pool, AC, and a well stocked bar. There are lots of other hiking areas in and around there as well. Also Palm Springs is a pretty laid back place to chill out for a day or two. From there to Death Valley is a 5-6 hour drive. You lose a few days of a trip in driving.
I guess it all depends on what your interested in seeing/doing.
Land in LAX. head south and hit up Joshua tree. Go east and climb/hike Vasquez rocks. Go 14North and stop off in Palmdale/Lancaster and drive on the music road. Go further north to the Ghost town of Randsburgh. Keep going North to the Trona Pinnacles. Stop in the Panamints for a day hike to Panamint city. Drive around and go to Death valley. Drive north and see Mt Whitney(tallest peak in the continental US, so you'd have been to the lowest and tallest points on the continental US!), see the Internment camps on your way up there. Head west and go to Sequoia then after that go north to Yosemite.
If you do all this I'd then go chill in Silicon valley or Sonoma and drink wine and relax for a few days!
You could do this in about 8 days. Lots of driving but you would have been to 3 NP's and a couple of other cool things. Vasquez is my favorite place on earth and I want my ashes placed in the hidden brook.
I really would like to do the eastern route though and go by guitar lake and Hitchcock lake. They look cool from above!
We met some people that were doing that hike and did a three day trip! Maybe one day!
Brian I have a funny story to tell u about my trip. Check your DM