The country’s national parks are its greatest treasures. We highlight all 63, plus many other special spots, from iconic monuments to pristine seashores. As you gear up for an epic U.S. adventure, follow the principles of Leave No Trace, and be prepared with maps, first aid and other essentials. Most importantly, approach your visit with respect, as the traditional stewards of these lands have done for millennia, and you’ll be sure to walk away with incredible memories and a deep appreciation for all the gifts of America’s best idea.
Complete Guide to the NATIONAL PARKS
PACIFIC northwest • Vast glaciers, arctic sand dunes, Technicolor hot springs, deep blue lakes, fearsome wildlife—all of these spectacles and more prevail in this diverse corner of the country.
Glacier National Park
Kenai Fjords National Park
Crater Lake National Park
Lake Clark National Park & Preserve
North Cascades National Park
Kobuk Valley National Park
Man-made Marvels in the Pacific Northwest
Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve
Katmai National Park & Preserve
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve
Yellowstone National Park
Legendary Lodges • History and spectacular settings combine at these storied hotels.
THE west • Be it the wistful painted deserts, the fanciful red-rock formations or the world-famous canyons, the American West has always had a particular pull, drawing explorers, prospectors and, now, tourists.
Petrified Forest National Park
Arches National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
White Sands National Park
Zion National Park
Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
Bryce Canyon National Park
Mesa Verde National Park
Saguaro National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Grand Canyon National Park
Man-made Marvels in the West
Antelope Canyon
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Starry Parks • Five International Dark Sky Parks for admiring the heavens.
CALIFORNIA • With the most national parks of any state in the union (nine), America’s first preserved land (Yosemite) and an incredible landscape of peaks, deserts, coasts and cliffs, it’s no wonder the Golden State fills dreams.
Yosemite National Park
Big Sur
Death Valley National Park
Channel Islands National Park
Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
Man-made Marvels in California
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Pinnacles National Park
Breathtaking Trees • From ancient pines to towering redwoods, here’s where to hug a tree in California.
THE midwest • Though perhaps not as epic as the great parks out West, America’s Heartland flaunts its own kind of beauty, from barren badlands and idyllic islands to mystic caves and verdant valleys.
Indiana Dunes
Gateway Arch National Park
Voyageurs National Park
Isle Royale National Park
Wind Cave National Park
Badlands National Park
Man-Made Marvels in the Midwest
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Lovely Lakes • These midwestern shores beckon with bluffs, dunes and water activities galore.
THE east • Water—seashores and watersheds, floodplains and falls—defines many of the East Coast’s most spectacular sights, alongside pretty ranges like the Great Smokies and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Everglades National Park
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Hot Springs National Park
Biscayne National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Congaree National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park
Niagara...
