Getting lost 1 National Park at a time!
Drop me a comment with your favorite National Park! Here's mine so far! Up next is the Pacific Northwest and California!
📍Cuyahoga Valley National Park- we love this park and visit it anytime we are up north (we live about 3 hours away). We love Brandywine Falls. Such a quick little walk to the beautiful falls! Enjoy the numerous hiking trails!
📍Badlands- We drove Loop Road (240). Very easy to get up right off I90. Many pull offs with amazing views, starts of hiking trails, and wildlife. We went off the beaten path and drove Conata Basin Road! So pretty! Nearby you can visit Custer State Park, Needles Highway, and Mount Rushmore! All 3 are must sees when in the area!
📍Grand Canyon- These views are spectacular! My favorite view was from the Desert Tower area! It had the best view of the Colorado River running through! Sunrise at Mathers Point was also stunning! Crazy, but in most places there are no railing so you can literally stand on the edge. The campground was nice here as well. Keep eyes on the lookout for Elk!
📍Smoky Mountains- I grew up going here so it is special to me and one of my favorites! Cades Cove drive is a must- popular spot for bears! Roaring Fork Nature Drive has stunning views and many trail heads! There so many waterfalls-go down side roads it amazing the views you find! Wildlife all over! Nearby is Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Dollywood.
📍Death Valley- I don’t know what I expected but this was not it! There’s so much to see from the rock formations, ghost towns, sand dunes, and Badwater Basin. Badwater Basin was my absolute favorite area. You’re 200 feet below sea level and the view along with the insane amount of salt is indescribable! Stargazing at Death Valley is top notch as well because it’s so dark! Furnance campground was spectacular! FYI there’s no showers. We used the showers at the hotel pool beside the campground for a small fee! Be prepared as cell service is very limited everywhere in the park. Remember this is the hottest place in the US… I don’t recommend visiting during the summer!
📍Grand Teton- I truly have no words to describe the Teton Mountains! It’s like being in a movie! This park is beautiful! From the mountains to the lakes to the wildflowers! There’s something for everyone. There is a 42 mile loop road that hits all the must see plus more. So many trailheads. Keep your eyes on the lookout for big wildlife! Drive Moose-Wilson road, or make a stop in Jackson Hole!
📍Yellowstone- my absolute favorite so far! There’s is literally so much to this park! Mountain View’s! Lakes! The sunrises and sunsets! We watched sunrise from Mount Washburn and from Gull Point Drive (Around the bay bridge area) over Yellowstone lake and the mountains. My favorite sunrise! Hot springs and geysers everywhere! Norris Geyser Basin was a favorite location and of course Old Faithful! Waterfalls galore. The Wildlife! There’s so much wildlife! We saw grizzly bears, wolves, proghorns, elk, black bears, bald eagles, an owl, moose, and thousands of bison! The best viewing spots for wildlife are Lamar Valley and Hayden Valley, but keep lookout everywhere. Go at dawn and dusk to increase chances of seeing wildlife! We also did a day trip and did Beartooth Highway which isn’t far out the NE entrance! Spectacular drive!
