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America’s Top National Parks

kayaks at Lake Crescent
By

AARP

 
Published June 24, 2020

The Great Outdoors is calling to Americans who miss travel, crave recreation and desire safe spaces where they can wander alone or explore with family and friends. The 63 wondrous national parks — “America’s best idea,” as documentary filmmaker Ken Burns has called them — offer all of that, and more.

Whether you are spotting wildlife from an overlook, walking an easy trail, hiking a majestic peak, camping in the back country or settling into a comfy cabin, you may find our national lands are a way to connect to America’s history viscerally and physically.

View from North Bubble, in Acadia National Park, Maine

Acadia

Spectacular ocean views and cool forest trails along the rocky coast of Maine

Arches

View jaw-dropping sandstone archways in a red-rock wonderland

beautiful landscapes at sunset in Badlands National Park

Badlands 

Amber walls and prairie grass make for impressive landscapes in S.D.

Big Bend

A ruggedly beautiful, remote desert landscape along the Rio Grande in West Texas 

Biscayne

Find stunning coral reefs and other unique marine life in this wild Florida sanctuary

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Accessible overlooks offer jaw-dropping views from the North and South rims of the park

Bryce Canyon

Find otherworldly hoodoos, red cliffs and magical sunrises in Utah

Canyonlands

Hiking, camping and biking are among the many outdoor activities at Canyonlands National Park

Cave interior in Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico

Carlsbad Caverns

Travel more than 700 feet below the Earth’s surface to walk among rock ​formations 

Crater Lake 

Enjoy gorgeous hikes, drives, water views and adventure in Oregon

Brandywine Falls in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley

Find serene nature, accessible adventure and American history

Death Valley

​The California oasis is huge, dry, often brutally hot — and absolutely worth a visit​​​

Tent camping at the wonder lake campground in Denali National Park

Denali

Find spectacular scenery and mountain adventures in the Alaskan wilderness

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Everglades 

Alligators, crocodiles, birds and bear beckon a million visitors a year

Grinnell Lake

Glacier

Find wildlife, turquoise lakes and snow-capped peaks in Montana

Grand Canyon

Experience the majesty of the natural wonder — gorges and rocks resembling castles

canoe ride in the Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton

Stunning snow-capped mountains, wildlife galore and more in this serene haven

Great Basin

Solitude, mountain beauty and the world’s oldest trees in a remote oasis

footprints in the dunes made by hikers at great sand dunes nataional park colorado

Great Sand Dunes

Choose your own adventure among the tallest sand dunes in North America 

Great Smoky Mountains

Avoid the crowds at the country's most popular park by finding quiet walks

view of guadalupe mountains el capitan from the road

Guadalupe

Easy nature walks and views from ‘the Top of Texas’ are a few of the highlights

Haleakalā 

A legendary sunrise highlight this volcanic playground on Maui

Hawaii Volcanoes

A nature lover's paradise of lava fields and lush rain forests on the Big Island

Hot Springs

Soak your cares away at this historic mountain retreat in Arkansas

Indiana Dunes

Everything you need to know about visiting this lakeside treasure near Chicago

Joshua Tree

The California haven offers a ruggedly beautiful landscape

Lassen Volcanic

Explore the otherworldly landscape and see hot springs in this northern California park

Mammoth Cave

Explore the natural world above and below ground at this Kentucky treasure

Mesa Verde 

A thrilling collection of ancient canyon-carved cliff dwellings welcomes visitors in Colorado

Mount Rainier

Ice, wildflowers and ancient forests in the Pacific Northwest

New River Gorge

America's 63rd National Park offers big views, hiking, biking and a mighty river

Olympic

Emerald wilderness, ancient trees, eagles, orcas and limited Wi-Fi

Pinnacles

Spot North America’s largest bird in California’s smallest park

Redwood

Find solace and many accessible options among the tallest trees on Earth

Rocky Mountain

A Colorado gem sparkles with the richness of wildlife and nature

Saguaro

Winter is the perfect time to visit this camera-ready desert treasure

Sequoia

Spend a lot of time looking up — way up — at these giant trees 

Shenandoah

Cruise scenic Skyline Drive, explore miles of mountain trails and find serenity 

Theodore Roosevelt

Bison, prairie dogs, coyotes – a Dakota wildlife landscape

Virgin Islands

No passport needed for Americans visiting this gorgeous Caribbean haven on St. John 

White Sands

The dramatic dunes become your personal sandbox here in southern New Mexico

Yellowstone

Exploding geysers, prismatic pools, a Grand Canyon and more make for a magical visit

Yosemite

Giant sequoias, huge waterfalls, El Capitan call to naturalists and artists

Zion

Cathedral-like canyons and majestic sandstone cliffs create a wondrous landscape

Video: Grandmother, Grandson Take Epic National Park Adventure

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