Hate to say it because I have worked here for 6 years but YELLOWSTONE.
The diversity of the wildlife and the land.
2.2 MILLION ACRES.
snowy in 1 area 80 degrees next.
There is a reason were created as the FIRST Nat. Park.( in the world )
151 years ago.
Olympic is incredible
Gorgeous mountains, moss covered rain forests, and tide pools filled with critters all in the same park. Also whales and sea otters that can be spotted offshore
The biggest miracle is that you found a day in Olympic NP where it wasn't raining all day.
It really depends on what you like to do. Personally, I don't mind the crowds. I've been to about 30 National Parks and Monuments in the US. I'd easily say Yosemite would be the most overall impressive. Driving through the tunnel into Yosemite and seeing the valley for the first time was unbelievable. The view from Glacier point is the best view I've ever seen in my life. The main hikes can get crowded, but they are indescribably beautiful. Unless you get really far into the backcountry, you will have to deal with a lot of people on the main trails and at the viewpoints. It's one of the few places I've ever visited that surpassed my expectations. I've been back 4 times.
That's what it felt like. We saw around 35-40 bears in a span of 3 hours. I've never seen so many fucking bears in my life.
Note the two bears in the background.
The ones in that part of the park (a saltwater marsh) congregate there for two reasons: the grass is nutritious, and there are mollusks buried in the sand that the bears can smell and dig up for. I'm not sure if it got fat off of just that or fish as well, but probably both.
The one downside is that there are giant piles of bear shit everywhere so you have to watch your step
Yosemite
Yellowstone
Arches
Bryce
Grand Canyon (the Supai Indian reservation is better. Havasu Falls is epic)
Zion
Sequoia
Devil's Tower
Kings Canyon
Pinnacles
Muir Woods
Mammoth Caves
Badlands
Shenandoah
Joshua Tree
San Bernardino National Forest
Gettysburg
Hoosier National Forest
Great Smokey Mountains (tourist trap, hellish crowds and traffic)
Death Valley (the weather is hell)
Petrified Forest (tourist trap)
Cumberland Gap
Canadian national parks are simply more impressive than those south of the border. Bigger, cleaner, more "wow". With the important caveat the weather is much less reliable.
>American getting rattled up and defensive about their parks
Happens every time
Cape Breton highlands is my favourite followed by Banff. Yosemite probably would have been up there but my travel partner got sick and we could do our planned hike so we just stuck to the mega tourist area. Still pretty great.
Grand Canyon. It's a must see if you're in the area. It's one of those places where pictures don't do it justice. It must been seen in person to appreciate the immense beauty.
I'm sure Arcadia is nice, but you can do more impressive National Parks on the cheap. Look at Utah. Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Arches, Cedar Breaks and Escalante are all amazing. You can camp on any BLM land in Utah for free. There are literally 1000's of free spots for camping. You could fly in and out of Salt Lake City or Las Vegas and rent a car. Go to dick's sporting goods and get a $50 tent, a $50 sleeping bag and a $50 cot. Best trip ever.
I would do Utah in Late September or early October for better weather. If it has to be a summer trip, you could do Colorado. Fly in and out of Denver and do a loop through the mountains and hit all the ski towns and parks. You can literally google "best ski towns in Colorado" and just turn it into a loop. Every ski town has a lift you can take the top and do some epic hiking or mountain biking. The small towns in Colorado are some of the most beautiful in the world. Telluride, Ouray, Vail and Breckenridge are all fucking amazing.
Hate to say it because I have worked here for 6 years but YELLOWSTONE.
The diversity of the wildlife and the land.
2.2 MILLION ACRES.
snowy in 1 area 80 degrees next.
There is a reason were created as the FIRST Nat. Park.( in the world )
151 years ago.
>Olympic close 2nd.
> Crater lake 3rd.
Olympic is incredible
Gorgeous mountains, moss covered rain forests, and tide pools filled with critters all in the same park. Also whales and sea otters that can be spotted offshore
The biggest miracle is that you found a day in Olympic NP where it wasn't raining all day.
It really depends on what you like to do. Personally, I don't mind the crowds. I've been to about 30 National Parks and Monuments in the US. I'd easily say Yosemite would be the most overall impressive. Driving through the tunnel into Yosemite and seeing the valley for the first time was unbelievable. The view from Glacier point is the best view I've ever seen in my life. The main hikes can get crowded, but they are indescribably beautiful. Unless you get really far into the backcountry, you will have to deal with a lot of people on the main trails and at the viewpoints. It's one of the few places I've ever visited that surpassed my expectations. I've been back 4 times.
Katmai purely because of the insane destiny of grizzly bears
It's just a bugged spawn, they don't even give exp
That's what it felt like. We saw around 35-40 bears in a span of 3 hours. I've never seen so many fucking bears in my life.
Note the two bears in the background.
This fatty is the biggest one we saw. He couldn't even walk properly, he had to maneuver his back legs around his giant belly
How the fuck do they get so big? Is the fish that plentiful?
The ones in that part of the park (a saltwater marsh) congregate there for two reasons: the grass is nutritious, and there are mollusks buried in the sand that the bears can smell and dig up for. I'm not sure if it got fat off of just that or fish as well, but probably both.
The one downside is that there are giant piles of bear shit everywhere so you have to watch your step
As a pure spectacle, the Grand Canyon. As a place to spend multiple days soaking it in, Yosemite.
Either Glacier or Grand Canyon, both for their own reasons. I cannot really pick between the two.
Tongariro, Kruger, Milford Sound, Yoho, Yellowstone, Crater Lake are all great too.
Impressive? Grand canyon. But favorite is probably Joshua Tree or Acadia
Plitvice National Park in Croatia is kino; the one with all the waterfalls. Fucking epic.
Not sure if it's National Park status - given its Albania - but the northern mountains, too. Theth Valbona hike is extremely beautiful.
I'll second Plitvice lakes. Tara River Canyon is second for me.
From Best to Worst
Yosemite
Yellowstone
Arches
Bryce
Grand Canyon (the Supai Indian reservation is better. Havasu Falls is epic)
Zion
Sequoia
Devil's Tower
Kings Canyon
Pinnacles
Muir Woods
Mammoth Caves
Badlands
Shenandoah
Joshua Tree
San Bernardino National Forest
Gettysburg
Hoosier National Forest
Great Smokey Mountains (tourist trap, hellish crowds and traffic)
Death Valley (the weather is hell)
Petrified Forest (tourist trap)
Cumberland Gap
#1 Glaciers
Badlands was impressive, especially because of how few people were there.
Cuyahoga Valley
GTF outta here. That's like a dirt patch compared to places like Yellowstone
If I had to pick a single one as the BEST: Probably Banff CA
Fairly close behind that: Yosemite US, Jasper CA
Below that, still amazing: Taroko TW, Yoho CA, Grand Canyon US
Then: Zion US
Then: Joshua Tree US, Lake District GB
Finally: Bryce Canyon US, Peak District GB, Cairngorms GB, Dartmoor GB, The Broads GB
National Parks is an interesting catagory to compare across countries.
Kys leaf faggof
British actually.
Canadian national parks are simply more impressive than those south of the border. Bigger, cleaner, more "wow". With the important caveat the weather is much less reliable.
>Bigger, cleaner, more "wow
You clearly haven't been to any national parks in Alaska
They are all enormous and pristine wilderness
I only visited national parks in my country so i say Oulanka nationalpark.
>American getting rattled up and defensive about their parks
Happens every time
Cape Breton highlands is my favourite followed by Banff. Yosemite probably would have been up there but my travel partner got sick and we could do our planned hike so we just stuck to the mega tourist area. Still pretty great.
It's the only consistent source of national pride we have nowadays 🙁
Denali
Grand Canyon. It's a must see if you're in the area. It's one of those places where pictures don't do it justice. It must been seen in person to appreciate the immense beauty.
What's our opinion on Acadia? Thinking of going this summer (Europoor).
I'm sure Arcadia is nice, but you can do more impressive National Parks on the cheap. Look at Utah. Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Arches, Cedar Breaks and Escalante are all amazing. You can camp on any BLM land in Utah for free. There are literally 1000's of free spots for camping. You could fly in and out of Salt Lake City or Las Vegas and rent a car. Go to dick's sporting goods and get a $50 tent, a $50 sleeping bag and a $50 cot. Best trip ever.
Great suggestion but isn't Utah scorching in the summer? That's when I'd go for this trip.
I've previously been to Yellowstone, The Grand Tetons and Badlands and loved it.
I would do Utah in Late September or early October for better weather. If it has to be a summer trip, you could do Colorado. Fly in and out of Denver and do a loop through the mountains and hit all the ski towns and parks. You can literally google "best ski towns in Colorado" and just turn it into a loop. Every ski town has a lift you can take the top and do some epic hiking or mountain biking. The small towns in Colorado are some of the most beautiful in the world. Telluride, Ouray, Vail and Breckenridge are all fucking amazing.
Thanks mate.
Well don't tell everybody, it gets harder every year to get campsites here already. Fuck Commiefornia
Kenai fjords ruined me, everything I've seen was underwhelming in comparison