The great American summer road trip is the most iconic. 63 National Parks showcase America’s natural beauty. It cannot be easy to choose which one to visit. Do you plan to cruise along the coast, sun-soaked? You can escape to the forest or climb mountains. You can wander among the incredible rock formations of the high desert.
Glacier National Park, Montana
Glacier National Park is located in Montana’s northwestern corner. This one-million-acre natural paradise stretches right up to Canada.
Glacier’s summer road trip offers spectacular scenery at every turn, especially along the 50-mile Going-to-the-Sun Road that connects the east and west portions of the park. This route allows you to see the amazing handiwork of nature, which has created deep valleys, blue lakes, and peaks that have reached the clouds over millions of years.
Utah’s Mighty Five
You can tour America’s most beautiful desert landscapes by looping through Utah’s Mighty Five National Parks (Arches, Canyonlands Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon and Zion). This road trip is amazing, with canyon hikes through million-year-old rocks and the chance to see iconic geological formations.
Arches National Park is your first stop. Here you will be able to endlessly “ooh and ahhh” at the 2,000 unique sandstone structures with intriguing names like Balanced Rock and Delicate Arch. The best way to explore this park is via short nature trails. This is handy considering the heat and difficulty of summer. )
Badlands National Park in South Dakota
South Dakota might not be the most obvious place to go on a U.S. Road Trip – the name Badlands doesn’t help it either – but this hidden gem offers a remarkable experience filled with history and nature.
The scenic Badlands Highway Loop Road takes you past some of the park’s most striking geological formations and rugged rock cliffs.
Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska
Alaska’s unspoiled wilderness is nearly four times larger than California’s. It takes a few lifetimes to discover it. The eight national parks span the entire state, from the frigid tundra above and below the Arctic Circle to Glacier Bay at the Inside Passage. Many of these parks are so far away that it requires boats, trains, and seaplanes to reach them.
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
The Rocky Mountain range stretches 3,000 miles across New Mexico and Canada. But its namesake park is located in northern Colorado’s lush forests. It offers over 300 miles worth of trails and a wealth of wildlife. There are also beautiful alpine landscapes that can be photographed.
From Denver, start your journey to Estes Park. Estes Park is the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park.
National Parks Sequoia-Kings Canyon, California
Sequoia National Parks and Kings Canyon National Parks are the best places to feel ants-sized. They have a stunning array of tall forests that make you feel like an ant. General Sherman, the world’s tallest tree, can be found here. This behemoth measures 275 feet high and 36 feet wide. It is truly a sight to see.
