Photo: Tuxyso (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)
U.S. National Parks
A guide to the USA's national parks and scenic road trip routes, based on saved travel notes covering park highlights and iconic scenic drives.
Sights & activities
- Olympic National Park: Described as the most diverse park with varied ecosystems; features moss-covered old growth forest. reel
- Death Valley National Park: Most otherworldly landscape with stark desert formations and colorful rock formations. reel
- Mount Rainier National Park: Most epic hiking trails; features a snow-capped volcano and alpine lakes with forest views. reel
- Yellowstone National Park: Best wildlife sightings, including bison herds crossing roads. reel
- Bryce Canyon National Park: Most enchanting park with distinctive red rock hoodoo formations viewed through a natural arch. reel
- Badlands National Park: Most underrated park with layered sedimentary rock formations and badlands landscape. reel
- Zion National Park: Most unique hiking trails, including The Narrows, with canyon walls and flowing water. reel
- Grand Canyon National Park: Most awe-inspiring park with vast canyon vistas and desert plateau views. reel
- Grand Teton National Park: Best of everything: dramatic mountain peaks, alpine meadows, and pristine streams. reel
- Going to the Sun Road: Scenic drive through Glacier National Park, Montana. reel
- Zion-Mt Carmel Highway: Scenic drive through red rock canyons in Utah, featuring dramatic stone formations. reel
- North US Highway 89: Scenic highway in Wyoming. reel
- Temple of the Moon Road: Scenic drive in Utah featuring distinctive red rock formations. reel
- Wawona Road: Scenic drive in California through the Yosemite National Park area. reel
Practical tips
- Matt and Karen visited all 63 U.S. national parks and documented their experiences. reel
- Listen to the “Dear Bob and Sue” podcast (150+ episodes) for detailed information on trails hiked, places stayed, and specific park insights. reel
- Each park offers unique characteristics worth experiencing in person; form your own “best of” list. reel
- Highlights by park: Olympic for diverse ecosystems in one park; Death Valley for extreme otherworldly landscapes; Mount Rainier for challenging alpine hikes; Yellowstone for early morning wildlife viewing; Bryce Canyon for hoodoo formations; Badlands as an underexplored gem; Zion for water-based canyon hikes; Grand Canyon for iconic vistas; Grand Teton for a comprehensive mountain experience. reel
- These five scenic roads are must-do drives for a USA road trip. reel
- Best for experiencing dramatic mountain and canyon landscapes. reel
- Includes routes through Glacier, Zion, and Yosemite National Parks. reel
- Plan dedicated driving time to fully enjoy each route’s views. reel