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Having been to twenty-four national parks, I can safely say that everyone should make it a priority to see as many US national parks as possible. They are simply some of the most beautiful places on earth, still relatively untouched by the destructive habits of humankind.
Many tourists come to America specifically for the national parks and the land’s natural beauty. We’ve all seen breathtaking photos of the Grand Canyon, El Capitan in Yosemite, or the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone, but what about the other 60 national parks in America? Are they not worthy of a visit?
What kind of question is that? Of course, they’re worthy! Here’s a list of seven national parks that you should absolutely try to visit in 2023. If you can’t visit all of them, at least try to make it to one of them! I’ve personally been to every national park on this list and can attest to their beauty and wonder. I even loved some of them so much that I’m planning on making a second trip!
Note: If you plan on visiting multiple parks in one year, it’s often more cost-effective to purchase an America the Beautiful Pass than purchase a ticket for every park.
1. Death Valley National Park, California
Death Valley holds the world record for the highest temperature ever recorded at 134°F (56.7°C). As someone that was born and raised in a forested, northern part of the country where the temperature rarely rises above 100°F (37.7°C), Death Valley was like stepping onto another planet when I first arrived. If you’re not used to the heat, I highly suggest traveling to Death Valley during the fall or winter months when the sun isn’t trying to kill you.
As you drive in, you immediately see why it’s called Death Valley; there’s nothing green in site except for a few rebellious bushes refusing to perish. You also see the immense sand dunes that make up a large portion of the park that seem to stretch for miles. You can park your car, get out, and have fun climbing them. Just remember you’ll get sand everywhere, and there are no showers to wash up in.
Once you’re done with the dunes, you can begin exploring the slot canyons or the salt flats that make up other aspects of the park. There are even a few ghost towns like Rhyolite, where miners tried to get rich in the brutal, unrelenting environment that is Death Valley before ultimately abandoning their outposts to their desert.
2. Great Basin National Park, Nevada
Great Basin National Park is a great choice in the summer and fall for those that like hiking peaks, exploring caves, or stargazing at night. Great Basin is actually so far removed from any large sources of light pollution that it is one of the best spots for astral photography or stargazing at night. Most smartphones have a night mode that lets even amateur photographers get great pictures of the night sky.
Like most national parks, Great Basin features a scenic 12-mile road you can drive along to pass alpine lakes and peaks that scrape the sky. If you feel like hiking, there are a number of spots along this road you can get out on and enjoy a glorious day hike. Hikes like Wheeler Peak or the Summit Trail are all great choices for experienced hikers. Visitors looking for an easy trail should take themselves on the Alpine Lake Loop, 3-miles of beautiful views and fairly easy walking.
Those that enjoy spelunking might find themselves at Lehman Caves. This cave system is between 2.5-5 million years old and has stunning rock formations. They only allow people to enter with guided tours, but you can easily reserve a spot online. Just make sure to do it in advance; otherwise, you might be out of luck the day of!
3. Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
One of the better ways to learn about the Ancestral Pueblo people that inhabited this area of Colorado is Mesa Verde National Park. Mesa Verde has great trails, beautiful views, and a rich history to explore.
Easily one of the best things to do here is to tour the ancient cliff dwellings that the Peublan people used to inhabit. You can also hike the Petroglyph Point Trail, which takes you to ancient petroglyphs on the cliffs along the forested valley. While you hike, keep an eye out for different wildlife like native lizards, foxes, or even bears.
You should also check out the Far View Sites, where you can see various houses dug into the ground that the Ancient Pueblans lived in between 900 and 1300 A.D. The Ancient Pueblans didn’t only make homes in the cliffsides; you’d be missing out on great cultural history by ignoring this part of the park.
4. Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
If you want to see something that looks like it’s out of science fiction, the Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado is a must-see. I remember driving up to these dunes and being amazed at the horizon. It was completely flat up until the massive, 755 feet tall sand dunes against a backdrop of massive Colorado mountains.
Some people like to bring sleds specifically for sand dunes or even old snowboards and ride the massive dunes down, only to climb back up again and do it again. If you do plan on climbing to the top of the legendary Star Dune, be warned that it is pretty brutal if you’re not used to hiking up sand. You constantly sink down the side of the dunes with every step up, and the sand begins to find its way into your shoes.
That’s not supposed to be a negative of this park, though. I still had a blast climbing the dunes and looking out over the vast landscape that I didn’t know could exist in the United States. While I wouldn’t travel out to Colorado just for this park, if you’re in the area or planning to hit up any of the nearby national parks, this should definitely get added to your list.
5. Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
The name is slightly deceiving. This isn’t a lake formed by an ancient meteor that crashed into the earth’s surface thousands of years ago. Instead, it’s an old volcano, and the lake was formed when the caldera caved in over seven thousand years ago. The result is the deepest lake in the United States that has a gorgeous blue color richer than any other lake you’ve seen.
Besides driving around the ring road to take pictures of the view, you can hike trails to different peaks around the park or even down to the water itself to take a dip. Be warned, the water is almost completely from snow melt, so even in the warmer months, it rarely goes above 60°F (15.5°C).
You can also take a boat out to Wizard Island, a weird name for an island that juts out of the lake. If you’re into cycling, many people camp around the caldera and cycle the ring road in the park. Like Great Sand Dunes National Park, this isn’t a park you would go out of your way for. We suggest spending a day or two here before heading to other parks nearby, like Redwood National Park or Olympic National Park.
6. Badlands National Park, Wyoming
Many people don’t consider Badlands National Park to be a park worthy of its own trip, but I strongly disagree with them. This park is absolutely massive and filled with great camping spots, hiking, and beautiful landscape features. Watching the amber sunset against the layered rock formations was enough for me to add the Badlands to my list of parks to revisit in the future.
We suggest spending the first day taking the Badlands Loop Road and seeing all the different views and spots easily accessible right off the road. If you’re into camping, you might want to go to Sage Creek Campground. This campground has great amenities like bathrooms, picnic tables, and trash receptacles. It is first come, first serve, so make sure to plan ahead if you can’t get a spot.
When I stayed there, I woke up to a group of prairie dogs stretching their legs and coming out of their holes in the center of the campground. You can also expect to see wild buffalo, bighorn sheep, and various birds of prey during your stay in the park. If you’d like to add more to your stay while you’re out here, Wind Cave National Park, Black Hills National Forest, and Mount Rushmore are all nearby.
7. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
Okay, Bryce Canyon is bustling during the busy season, but I don’t hear people talk about it as often as they should, leading me to believe it’s often overlooked for the other great national parks in the area. It still is a wonderful place to visit, and if you’re in the area and don’t go, you’ll regret it later.
Bryce Canyon National Park is well known for having the largest concentration of hoodoos anywhere on earth. What in the world is a hoodoo, you ask? A hoodoo is an irregular column of rock, and Bryce Canyon is filled with them. They look so alien and out of place, yet they are one of the more interesting rock formations I’ve ever seen.
This is definitely a park where you’ll want to get out and hike to enjoy the full beauty of the trail. The Rim Trail at sunrise is definitely one of the most commonly suggested things to do, as nothing beats seeing the sun light up the hoodoos early in the morning. People also typically go for the Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop Trail as it’s a short 3 miles and it’s family-friendly.
Wrap Up
Whether you’re an avid hiker, love adventure, or just enjoy nature, the US national park system has something for everyone. While people often talk about the Great Smoky Mountains, Zion, or Yellowstone, the seven parks included on this list are often overlooked, which is saddening because they have so much to offer as well. The best part is that since they’re less traveled, you won’t have to deal with as many tourists crowding the trails and parking lots! If you’re trapped inside this winter, cold, and planning your next escape this summer – these eight places are where you should be planning to go to.
