Top Five National Parks - 2021 Edition
I have a bit of an obsession with the United States National Park System (NPS). Not the type of obsession where I know all the ends-and-outs of the NPS but an obsession with visiting all the parks. My obsession began in 2018. A friend took me on a trip to Lassen Volcanic National Park and I was blown away.
Before that trip, I had visited other national parks but mainly in passing. I never truly explored these parks until that trip lit a fire within me. Since then, I have visited over twenty parks within the country but I have found that not all parks are created equal. So I decided to put together a little list of my top five favorite national parks because everyone has to have a list, right?
I’ll start this list out with a park that I visited just this last spring.
5. Guadalupe Mountains NP
Guadalupe Mountains National Park (GUMO) is the lesser known of the two Texas National Parks. Its big brother Big Bend is the more frequently visited park but I like Guadalupe more. Guadalupe sits right on the border of West Texas and New Mexico. In fact, it is only about an hour from another national park, right across the border.
GUMO offers the highest peak in the state of Texas and a variety of hikes which were highly recommended when I was researching for my visit. During my visit, I hiked a number of trails but three stood out among all the rest: Guadalupe Peak trail, Devil’s Hall and the McKittrick Canyon trails. Each offered fairly strenuous hikes but the Guadalupe Peak trail was by far the most difficult as it took me to a summit of 8,751 feet.This hike took me well over six hours, up steep mountain trails with steep drop offs. The high winds mixed with the desert heat make this trail one which requires frequent stops and lots of water.
Another HUGE advantage to this particular national park is its proximity to New Mexico. Why is this an advantage — dispersed camping. Unfortunately, Texas does not have nearly as much public land as many of the other states on the western side of the country which makes staying in parks like Big Bend difficult if you are unable to reserve camping. Luckily, GUMO is close enough to the border of New Mexico that you can find dispersed camping areas nearby. This, among many reasons, sealed the deal and landed Guadalupe Mountains National Park on the five spot of my list.
4. Great Sand Dunes NP
Number four on my list is another of the less frequently visited national parks — Great Sand Dunes National Park (GRSA). There are a total four national parks in the state of Colorado and GSRA was the last one I visited. Upon arriving, I realized my procrastination was a mistake.
Located on the southeastern side of the state, this park offers a very unique landscapes even though it is most known for the large sand dunes which it has been named after. These sand dunes are actually located at the base of a mountain — both of which you can walk and drive over! The latter is one of the reasons I enjoyed this park so much. Having the ability to take a 4x4 vehicle across a trail with sand dunes and in to the mountains of the park is one of the most unique and underrated experiences…even if I did get stuck.
During my visit, I did not have much of an opportunity to hike much in the area but I did take the first day to explore the dunes right outside the visitor’s center. The heat, combined with wading through sand, made for a tough yet extremely fun hike. Afterwards, I took my Jeep Wrangler onto a Medano Pass Primitive Road 4x4 trail.
This trail took me through a couple of miles of shallow, yet soft sand which will pull your vehicle in if you stop while driving through. It was at this point, as I mentioned earlier, which my vehicle stopped and I got stuck. Luckily, I another Wrangler helped free me up and I continued the trial directly in to the mountains only to come upon two more Jeep Wrangler friends! Of course, I decided to stick with them the rest of the trip in case I needed another tow.
Ultimately, the 4x4 trails here are what sold me on GSRA an earned it a spot at number 4.
3. Shenandoah NP
Oh Shenandoah…I hear you calling.
Number 3 on my list is Shenandoah National Park (SHEN) in the heart of Virginia. If you’ve ever heard me talk about traveling in the states, I will always tell you the west side is the best side. There are exceptions to that rule and SHEN is one of those exceptions. Shenandoah is one of those parks that have a fairly long parkway running through it so you have an option to do a lot of hiking or a lot of driving. But even when you want to hike, sometimes you have to drive…
Which segues to my favorite trail within the Park — Old Rag. I had heard about the trail and many people say it is strenuous with a high likelihood of coming across bears. I was not excited about the bears but I generally take ratings of how strenuous a hike will be with a grain of salt. Many people go on hikes who are not accustomed to being physically active for hours on end. Well, after going on this trail I will say that those people who call is strenuous are absolutely right.
First, you drive outside the park for about an hour to get to the trailhead which is unusual. Then you have to go on a long uphill hike before you come to the a sequence of ravines, boulders and labyrinth of passages which while marked, are still not the most intuitive. This hike is a beast but the resulting views are worth it. They overlook the Appalachian Mountains with skies stretching as far as you can see. This hike alone made the visit well worth it.
The campsites were also very well maintained and included bathrooms with running water. I mention this because this is not always common, especially in national parks in desert areas such as Canyonlands, Mesa Verde and Arches, to name a few. But man-oh-man…Old Rag alone was reason enough to grab the number 3 spot on this list.
2. Lassen Volcanic NP
For the longest time, Lassen Volcanic National Park (LAVO) was number one on my list. Not only was this the park that ignited my obsession but it was also one of the most unique parks I ever visited. Not only is there volcanic activity that heats up the springs in the area but there are also great views of snow-capped mountains combined with hikes through forests that lead to glacial lakes. This park had everything.
I don’t know the exact numbers but I would venture to say Lassen is probably one of the least visited parks in California and the country which is crazy to me. There is so much character in this park. One moment you are at the base of a mountain and the next you are walking through a field of volcanic soot and rock. The variety in this park is outstanding and has yet to be matched by any other park I have visited.
The campgrounds are great and there is even a small town called Chester right outside of the park if you want to grab some food or a shower. Despite my visits to many other parks over the years, Lassen still remains high on my list and while it is no longer number one, it is still the runner up in a competitive field.
1. Bryce Canyon NP
And then there was one — Bryce Canyon National Park (BRCA). As you may have noticed, I like some of the smaller, lesser-visited parks and while BRCA is not the least visited (another gem, Capitol Reef, takes that crown), it one of the lesser-visited. Honestly, I do not know why, although I think imagine Zion National Park plays a large role in it. Either way, Bryce is a gem of a park with plenty of great hikes, amazing views and light crowds.
I visited this park during the summer of 2020 after getting annoyed with the crowds at Zion. This park wast the polar opposite offering many less crowded hikes and less of the general tourist feel of its big brother. The colorful hoodoos and trails interweaving through the rock formations were the highlight of the visit. Watch your step during the hikes because there could be a guided tour of people on burros right around the corner, as I ran in to a number of times. The park is also small enough that driving from one part to the other isn’t particularly difficult.
There are even disengaged spots for catching the sunrise and sunsets over the orange and white colored rock formations. These are some of the most crowded times but the view makes it worthwhile. I only spent a couple days at the park but the Rim Trail and Navajo Loop offered some killer views from both below and above. This park holds a special place in my heart and has rightfully earned the number one spot.
Conclusion
Honestly, it is hard to go wrong with any National Park. They all have something special to offer but these five parks stand out when making a list. The small parks tend to make traveling and exploring a bit easier. As a photographer, I value these qualities as it makes grabbing a good shot even easier when you do not have to fight with a crowd. That being said, the heavier trafficked parks are visited more often for a reason and it is hard to recommend against them. But these are my five. Maybe one day I’ll get around to ranking all the ones I have visited but for 2021, these five have topped my list.
But with 2022 around the corner, I’m sure there will be some re-ordering happening.
