Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
discover Discover

Must See U.S. National Parks
Purple Star emoji 8 items
By
PERRY'S WORLD profile picture
PERRY'S WORLD
There are nice American national parks to see and then there are awesome must see parks. The difference is in the WOW factor, that intangible, breathtaking, never get tired of, feeling. It has THAT thing you never get tired of! Here is my list.
Map
Sections
8
 
Glacier National Park
 
Yosemite National Park
 
Zion National Park
 
Great Smoky Mountain National Park
 
Yellowstone National Park
 
Sequoia National Park

Glacier National Park

If you don't want to go to Alaska, Canada, Switzerland, to see the epic mountains and lakes they are all famous for, this park is THE best place for just out of this world vistas and glaciers, at a fraction of the cost (especially by car). It is hard...

 
PERRY'S WORLD profile picture
For me, my two beloved parks are Glacier and Yosemite, they never cease to amaze me! Hiking and biking are great in glacier and hotels are plenty near the Glacier\Corem areas. The only thing you need to worry about are crowds and traffic starting in ...
Glacier National Park
placeholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholder

Yosemite National Park

The California jewel that millions flock to each summer causing much wonder and traffic! Having been there many times, since I lived a few hours away, the absolute BEST time to go is Sept-October. No crowds, less traffic, will give you a much better ...

 
PERRY'S WORLD profile picture
In the valley floor, you are surrounded by huge mountains like half dome and nearby, the base of the epic Yosemite falls, located near the hotel. The power of the water dropping creates a cooling mist in the summer. You can hike to the top and you do...
Yosemite National Park
placeholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholder

Zion National Park

Utah has one of the most stunning rock formations at Zion. This is a hikers paradise where you climb to the top and see the world below you. For me, I think it is WAY more impressive than the Grand Canyon (unless you actually travel the bottom of the... 

 
PERRY'S WORLD profile picture
If you are not happy about this park, not too far is also Bryce, which has some awesome rock formations to hike to and be amazed. The WOW factor is there but for me, more limited and this seeing once is enough.
Zion National Park
placeholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholder

Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Located in Tennessee near Knoxville on the East Coast, this park is heavily forested unlike many on the West Coast. It is a beautiful setting with mountains and trails enhance the impact as you walk them to a waterfall or two. That said, if you have ... 

 
PERRY'S WORLD profile picture
So, from Florida, one can reach it after 10-11 hrs. driving. You can stay in a hotel on the fringe of the park and in the morning, drive 20 min to the park. The destination for most is Clingman Dome. Once there, your hike is about 1\2 mile to the fut... When I was there in June, it was fogged in and you could not see anything.  We drove down to the valley and parked and hiked for an hour along a stream. Then, we drove to a rocky beach along the river 30 min. away. Water was cold!  Did some more hiking. The towns around the park are soooo Las Vegas style (as it was in the 1970s) and traffic was BAD. I was shocked. So, not a WOW experience. But, there are not that many national parks on the East Coast.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
placeholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholder

Yellowstone National Park

It seems nearly all the BEST national parks in the USA are in the West. Yellowstone in Wyoming is always in the Top 5 for go to destinations. It offers a great amount of variety with its buffalo (bison), bears, hiking trails, scenic vistas, as you tr...

 
PERRY'S WORLD profile picture
One of the BIG attractions for many are the hundreds of Bison (Buffalo) that roam the park. These are massive creatures and as tourists find out, can be dangerous. But the park does have stunning waterfalls to hike to and camping areas. Like all US n...
Yellowstone National Park
placeholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholder

Sequoia National Park

Besides Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, this national park is also in California and home to some of the largest and oldest Sequoia trees on the planet. That IS the reason many go there as it is amazing to stand at the base and look up at the towering trees as...

 
PERRY'S WORLD profile picture
You must experience Congress Trail, just the HUGE trees will awe you! Drive through the Tunnel Log and check out Bowden Cavern. Find any trails to walk for some distance and enjoy nature and the forest silence!!!
Sequoia National Park
placeholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholder

Redwood National State Park

When I lived in California, I was just a few hours away from this. Like Sequoia National Park, this is another MUST see. This is in northern California near the Oregon border and Eureka. While it is not a huge park, this is home to many of earth's ol...

 
PERRY'S WORLD profile picture
People go here to be inspired by the towering redwood trees and driving through one! The size of the redwood simply leaves you speechless and the silence of the forest has the same impact. Many go camp a few days, fish along the river, or go to the o...
Redwood National and State Parks
placeholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholder

Bryce Canyon National Park

This park, also in Utah, offers castle-like rock formations that reach for the clouds. It is a park for those who like to hike around on the trails and be amazed and close to God by these towering formations. You won't be disappointed! 

 
PERRY'S WORLD profile picture
If you are visiting Zion National Park, you might as well go to Bryce. It offers mostly hiking and cathedral rock formations and beautiful panoramic vistas. My favorite is Queens Garden Loop trail.
Bryce Canyon National Park
placeholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholderplaceholder