The Top National Parks to Visit in the United States (From my experience)

I’ve been to 36 National Parks in the United States—mainly across the Western USA. Some are exceptional; others are okay. These top 13, in no particular order, are the national parks I recommend visiting in the United States.

I’m sure I’ll get some angry fists shaking in the air. But that’s okay. And enjoy all the photos in here. Take your time looking through them – they’re some of my favorites!

The Top National Parks to See in America

I should note that these aren’t the most beautiful rankings. If I did that, we’d have three more Alaskan ones in here. The issue with the Alaskan ones is accessibility—both getting into the park and doing things within it.

As a result, Wrangell-St. Elias, Lake Clark, and Kenai Fjords National Parks were omitted.

Yosemite National Park – California

Best Feature: Towering granite walls. Oh, Half Dome’s nice, too!

How many days to explore: 3-5 is a great amount of time to see both the valley and the high country (4-day Mariposa/Yosemite itinerary & 6-day Yosemite and Sequoia road trip)

Why it’s a top national park: Yosemite is consistently in my top three favorite national parks. It’s incredibly diverse, and the Valley is impeccable: Waterfalls. Epic granite rock. Tons of hiking. But what many people don’t realize is how much there is to do in the high country that is far less visited. If you visit, make sure to spend at least a day in Tuolumne Meadows.

Best time to visit: Late spring, when waterfalls are still churning, but the high country has opened up

Best hiking trail: Half Dome for the glamor. But Yosemite Falls or Clouds Rest are incredible, too. Use my hiking guide to steer you in the right direction.

Best place to take sunset photos: Glacier Point or Tunnel View. Read my article for more places.

Mount Rainier National Park – Washington

Best Feature: The beautiful 14,000-foot volcano

How many days to explore: 2-4, depending on whether you want to see both sides. (Here’s my Mount Rainier itinerary)

Why it’s a top national park: I’m a little biased now after living in Washington for three years. But Mount Rainier has jumped into my top three favorite national parks. The grandeur of the mountain, along with an unbelievable number of hiking trails, makes it a perfect place to explore during the summer months. With epic wildflowers, waterfalls, and glaciers, it’s definitely one of the best national parks in the United States.

Best time to visit: Snow-free trails? July through mid-October. But plenty of winter activities still exist.

Best hiking trail:Burroughs Mountain Trail gets you close to the mountain, but far enough away that you can still absorb how big the volcano is.

Best place to take sunset photos: Burroughs Mountain (look south at Rainier and north towards Baker, Stuart, and Glacier Peak.

Glacier National Park – Montana

Best Feature: Alpine lakes, wildlife, and jagged peaks

How many days to explore: 5-7 days (8-day itinerary for Glacier and Yellowstone)

Why it’s a top national park: Okay, I have a confession. I apparently put my three favorite national parks at the top. Glacier’s mix of rugged landscapes, epic wildlife, and backpacking makes it one of my favorites. I strongly recommend visiting Glacier National Park once in your life.

Best time to visit: Summer and Fall, when the hiking trails are snow-free

Best hiking trail: Grinnell Glacier Trail or Highline Trail

Best place to take sunset photos: Hidden Lake Lookout or Lake McDonald

Sequoia National Park – California

Best Feature: Giant Sequoias

How many days to explore: 2-3 (Check out my ultimate guide to Sequoia)

Why it’s a top national park: Sequoia is unique. It has the giant sequoias that everyone knows. And then it has an insane amount of backpacking, spreading out across the Sierras to Mount Whitney. Yes, you read that correctly. Mount Whitney is in Sequoia National Park. It’s an incredibly diverse national park, and one I’ve hardly scratched the surface of.

Best time to visit: If not backpacking, almost year-round. But it will get snow during the winter.

Best hiking trail: Congress Trail and General Sherman Tree (if we’re sticking to easy-to-access hikes)

Best place to take sunset photos:Moro Rock

Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming

Best Feature: Jagged Peaks and Grizzly Bears

How many days to explore: 4-7 (if combined with Yellowstone). Here’s my 4-day itinerary

Why it’s a top national park: There are few parks with the beauty and accessibility of Grand Teton National Park. There are so many beautiful photography locations and hundreds of miles of hiking trails to whet your whistle.

Best time to visit: Spring through Fall

Best hiking trail:Day hike? Cascade Canyon or Delta Lake. Multi-day hike? Teton Crest Trail

Best place to take sunset photos: Oxbow Bend

North Cascades National Park – Washington

Best Feature: Glaciers and Jagged Peaks

How many days to explore: 1-7. Visiting North Cascades National Park is not super easy, as the park boundaries are in more rugged terrain. You can see the park while driving Highway 20, but you don’t technically enter the national park. (Read my casual guide to NCNP)

Why it’s a top national park: If you’re into backpacking, summiting peaks, and getting into the middle of nowhere, the North Cascades are for you. Unfortunately, there aren’t ‘easy’ hikes here. I think it’s one of the most stunning locations in the entire country, which is why it makes this list of the best national parks in the United States.

Best time to visit: Summer and fall, once the trails are melted out and fully accessible

Best hiking trail: Sahale Glacier Trail

Best place to take sunset photos:Sahale Glacier Camp

Katmai National Park

Best Feature: Bears

How many days to explore: 1-3. Most trips to Katmai National Park go to Brooks Falls, which is a one-day trip (read my 5-day itinerary for Katmai/Lake Clark)

Why it’s a top national park:Katmai has the most bears of any national park. This density allows visitors unprecedented access to coastal brown bears in their natural habitat. It’s a truly incredible place, with Brooks Falls the leading tourist destination. (PS: Lake Clark Resort is a great place to stay while you explore the area.)

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Best time to visit: Summer

Best hiking trail: The short trail from Brooks Camp to Brooks Falls

Best place to take sunset photos: Anywhere along the Katmai Coast

Zion National Park

Best Feature: Red Rock Canyons

How many days to explore: 2-3 (read my Zion to Bryce Canyon itinerary)

Why it’s a top national park: Zion Canyon is wildly impressive. You have awesome hikes like Angels Landing and Observation Point, or go splashing through the Narrows. But if you want fewer crowds, there is so much more to explore in the region.

Best time to visit: You can visit Zion year-round. Summer can be warm, and winter can bring infrequent snowfall, so I’ll say Spring and Fall.

Best hiking trail:Observation Point (no permit and less chaotic)

Best place to take sunset photos: Angels Landing or Observation Point

Redwood State and National Park

Best Feature: Tallest trees in the world

How many days to explore: 2-4

Why it’s a top national park: Our first trip to the Redwoods was in April of 2022. We combined it with a Yosemite trip. I had such a fun time exploring NorCal and the Redwood trees. We spent three nights up there camping and hiked all around. It’s far milder for hiking than other areas, making it super accessible to most. Hands down, one of the best national parks we have in America.

Best time to visit: Year-round. (Summer is when you’ll get more fog rolling in)

Best hiking trail: Boy Scout Tree Trail was AWESOME. Fern Canyon (Jurassic Park filming location) is also great.

Best place to take sunset photos: You’ll have to get to the coast for that.

Denali National Park

Best Feature: The tallest mountain in North America and the wildlife

How many days to explore: 2-4 (my itinerary)

Why it’s a top national park: Visiting Denali was such an extraordinary experience. Only 30% of visitors actually see the mountain, and we did, so that was sweet. We went in May of 2021, so it was snow-free, but still before the summer surge.

Just being here and exploring makes it remarkable. I’d never walked on tundra before. It felt like a sponge, and I may never do that again. I recommend booking a flightseeing tour from Talkeetna, actually, to see Denali up close. Otherwise, you’ll be too far away to appreciate the Alaskan range.

Best time to visit: Summer and Fall (which is still summer in the lower 48)

Best hiking trail: That’s the issue—only a handful of actual trails. Everything else is choose-your-own-adventure.

Best place to take sunset photos: Anywhere on the park road. But during summer, sunset is at 2 am. So, you might be sleeping.

Olympic National Park

Best Feature: Mountains. Rainforest. Beaches. Ocean. Super unique to get it all.

How many days to explore: 3-4 days (read my itinerary for Olympic)

Why it’s a top national park: Of all the national parks, Olympic National Park may be the most diverse. You have glaciated mountains, a temperate rainforest, vast swaths of beaches, and lakes. There is an incredible amount to explore, and sadly, I didn’t do a good job when I lived there. But back to ONP, it’s perfect for the rugged adventurer or the casual sightseer. Both will have a fantastic time there!

Best time to visit: Year-round. Summer = dry but crowded. Shoulder seasons = wetter, gloomier, and fewer crowds. April/May is probably best.

Best hiking trail:Shi Shi Beach. Or Hall of Mosses.

Best place to take sunset photos: Any of the incredible beaches in Olympic National Park. But Rialto Beach has easy access.

Death Valley National Park

Best Feature: Crazy wild landscapes.

How many days to explore: 2-3 is fair (see my DV itinerary)

Why it’s a top national park: Death Valley is super rad! There’s nothing else like it. Now, if you need green, you won’t like it. But if you’re open to cool textures and being below sea level, it’s a fascinating place to explore. I will be honest, I’m sure having a photography focus makes it cooler than it really is.

Best time to visit: NOT SUMMER. DO NOT GO DURING THE SUMMER. October through April.

Best hiking trail: Ubehebe Crater or Mesquite Sand Dunes

Best place to take sunset photos: Badwater Basin or Mesquite Sand Dunes

Yellowstone National Park

Best Feature: Wildlife

How many days to explore: 2-3 days are plenty (read my Yellowstone itinerary)

Why it’s a top national park: Yellowstone is the granddaddy of them all. When you visit, it harkens back to the days of old, where nature is in control. I haven’t been in five years, but cell service was still poor in 2020, which makes it all the better. I’ll be honest, Yellowstone isn’t one of my favorites. Sure, it’s awesome, but unless you are a wildlife photographer, it feels a bit too much like Disneyland.

Best time to visit: Spring through fall; the park basically shuts down in the winter with freezing or sub-zero temperatures

Best hiking trail: Artist Point in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Best place to take sunset photos: No specific 10/10 spot. Yellowstone Lake, Hayden Valley, Artist Point

Final thoughts on the best National Parks in the United States

I acknowledge that I left off plenty of outstanding ones. But if I didn’t, then I’d just be listing all the parks I’ve visited. And that’s not exactly unique.

The ones that probably just missed the cut are: Grand Canyon National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Acadia National Park, and the Alaskan ones that I mentioned up top.

If you feel strongly one way or the other about my choices for the top national parks in the USA, shoot me an email or post this on social media and yell at me (nicely).

This first appeared on ExplorewithAlec.com. Click inside to view more photos.