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America’s Top National Parks

What you need to know about visiting these popular spots

AARP, July 21, 2020 | Comments: 0

Man exploring idyllic forest waterfall in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Sam Spicer/Getty Images

En español | The Great Outdoors is calling to Americans who miss travel, crave recreation and desire safe spaces where they can wander alone or explore with family and friends. The 62 wondrous national parks — “America’s best idea,” as documentary filmmaker Ken Burns has called them — offer all of that, and more.

Whether you are spotting wildlife from an overlook, walking an easy trail, hiking a majestic peak, camping in the back country or settling into a comfy cabin, you may find our national lands are a way to connect to America’s history viscerally and physically.

beautiful landscapes at sunset in Badlands National Park

Badlands

Amber walls and prairie grass make for impressive landscapes in S.D.

See through to Crater Lake and Wizard Island in Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake

Enjoy gorgeous hikes, drives, water views and adventure in Oregon

alligator and white bird in The Everglades

Everglades

Alligators, crocodiles, birds and bear beckon a million visitors a year

Fall morning in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains

Avoid the crowds at the country's most popular park by finding quiet walks

Frozen Niagara in Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

Mammoth Cave

Explore the natural world above and below ground at this Kentucky treasure

A view of a mountain in the Olympic National Park,

Olympic

Emerald wilderness, ancient trees, eagles, orcas and limited Wi-Fi

Autumn colors in Shenandoah National Park, above the clouds.

Shenandoah

Cruise scenic Skyline Drive, explore miles of mountain trails and find serenity

Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone

Exploding geysers, prismatic pools, a Grand Canyon and more make for a magical visit

a lone female hiker walking through the ZIon National Park

Zion

Cathedral-like canyons and majestic sandstone cliffs create a wondrous landscape

a social distancing sign at Yellowstone National Park

Covid-19’s Impact on Parks

Parks balance allowing outdoor fun and keeping people safe in the Covid-19 era

Landscape at Big Bend National Park

Big Bend

A ruggedly beautiful, remote desert landscape along the Rio Grande in West Texas

Tent camping at the wonder lake campground in Denali National Park

Denali

Find spectacular scenery and mountain adventures in the Alaskan wilderness

Woman standing against rail, look over the Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

Experience the majesty of the natural wonder — gorges and rocks resembling castles

Overlook over the Ouchita Mountains in Hot Springs National Park

Hot Springs

Soak your cares away at this historic mountain retreat in Arkansas

Redwoods at Muir Woods National Monument

Muir Woods

Old-growth redwoods and a break from the modern world — just north of San Francisco

wildflowers at Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain

A Colorado gem sparkles with the richness of wildlife and nature

Wild Horses at Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt

Bison, prairie dogs, coyotes – a Dakota wildlife landscape

Visitors look at the Grizzly Giant tree in the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias in Yosemite National Park

Yosemite

Giant sequoias, huge waterfalls, El Capitan call to naturalists and artists

Tourists enjoy the view of the spire-shaped rock formations (hoodoos) in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

7 Ways to 'Leave no Trace'

Responsible visitors can help preserve America's treasures, threatened by overcrowding

More on National Parks

Test Your Knowlege of the Parks

Classic Lodges in the East

Iconic Lodges in the West

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