National Parks: Favorite Experience in Each Park (and What I Want To Do When I Go Back)
This is a fluid post that I will continually update! Each time I visit a new park I’ll add it here, or update parks that I return to. It’s kind of a fusion highlight reel and future bucket list.
Last Updated: June 19, 2021
Acadia National Park
Favorite Experience: exploring the Thunder Hole area
On Return: hike the Beehive trail and see the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain
Big Bend National Park
Favorite Experience: kayaking on the Rio Grande at Santa Elena Canyon
On Return: hike and backpack in Chisos Basin
View from the Rio Grande of Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park
Biscayne National Park
Favorite Experience: paddling in Jones Lagoon
On Return: kayak to Elliott Key and see Stiltsville
Bryce Canyon National Park
Favorite Experience: hiking the Peekaboo Loop Trail
On Return: camp in the backcountry
Channel Islands National Park
Favorite Experience: seeing a pod of 1,000+ dolphins from the ferry to Santa Cruz Island
On Return: kayak in better weather conditions, visit the other islands
Congaree National Park
Favorite Experience: kayaking on Cedar Creek
On Return: kayak the river trail
Crater Lake National Park
Favorite Experience: hiking to the summit of Mount Scott
On Return: take the boat tour to Wizard Island
Mount Scott Trail at Crater Lake National Park
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Favorite Experience: biking from Lock 29 to Beaver Marsh
On Return: visit more of the farms participating in the Countryside Initiative Program
Death Valley National Park
Favorite Experience: summiting Wildrose Peak, seeing the endemic pupfish at Salt Creek
On Return: hike Telescope Peak and Mosaic Canyon
Denali National Park
Favorite Experience: camping at Wonder Lake
On Return: go backpacking!
Dry Tortugas National Park
Favorite Experience: camping on Garden Key
On Return: kayak to Loggerhead Key
Everglades National Park
Favorite Experience: meeting a manatee at Flamingo
On Return: bike to Shark Valley Observation Tower
Manatee sighting at Everglades National Park
Gateway Arch National Park
Favorite Experience: visiting the new museum
On Return: take a ride into the Arch
Glacier National Park
Favorite Experience: hiking in the snow at Many Glacier
On Return: literally everything else
Many Glacier, Glacier National Park
Grand Canyon National Park
Favorite Experience: taking friends down the South Kaibab Trail
On Return: hike from rim to rim
Great Sand Dunes National Park
Favorite Experience: climbing the dunes
On Return: Take my dog Penny hiking on the dunes
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Favorite Experience: hiking with llamas at Grotto Falls, seeing a bear in Cades Cove
On Return: hike to Charlies Bunion, see the synchronous fireflies
Grotto Falls Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Hot Springs National Park
Favorite Experience: bathing at Buckstaff Bathhouse
On Return: check out Quapaw Bathhouse
Indiana Dunes National Park
Favorite Experience: the sunsets and s’mores ranger program
On Return: take the ranger-led tour of Pinhook Bog
Isle Royale National Park
Favorite Experience: hiking the Greenstone Ridge Trail
On Return: hike the Minong Ridge Trail
Lake Superior, Isle Royale National Park
Kenai Fjords National Park
Favorite Experience: hiking the Harding Icefield Trail
On Return: camp in the backcountry
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Favorite Experience: summiting Lassen Peak
On Return: hike all four types of volcanoes
Summit of Lassen Peak in Lassen Volcanic National Park
Mammoth Cave National PArk
Favorite Experience: having the Green River Bluffs trail all to ourselves first thing in the morning (on my birthday!)
On Return: do some hiking on the north side of the river
Mount Rainier National Park
Favorite Experience: hiking Skyline Trail
On Return: hike the Wonderland Trail
North Cascades National Park
Favorite Experience: hiking the Blue Lake Trail
On Return: hike to Stehekin
Olympic National Park
Favorite Experience: camping on Second Beach
On Return: hike to Enchanted Valley, actually make it to Blue Glacier
Sunset on Second Beach, Olympic National Park
Petrified Forest National Park
Favorite Experience: hiking the Blue Mesa Trail
On Return: hike to Devil’s Playground
Redwood National Park
Favorite Experience: hiking in Tall Trees Grove
On Return: hike to Fern Canyon
Rocky Mountain National Park
Favorite Experience: seeing Dream Lake in snow on the Emerald Lake Trail
On Return: go in the summer months when the road is open for more hiking opportunities
Saguaro National Park
Favorite Experience: getting up close and personal with the giant saguaros
On Return: hike up the tallest mountain in the park, Wasson Peak
Shenandoah National Park
Favorite Experience: taking my dog Penny on a national park road trip
On Return: hike the Old Rag Trail
Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Favorite Experience: hiking the Old East Entrance Trail through a prairie dog town
On Return: hike a section of the Maah Daah Hey Trail
Voyageurs National Park
Favorite Experience: hiking the Blind Ash Bay Trail
On Return: kayak to a backcountry campsite
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
Favorite Experience: hiking on Root Glacier
On Return: get into the backcountry of this park
Root Glacier in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
Zion National Park
Favorite Experience: hiking the Watchman Trail
On Return: hike to Observation Point
