US National Parks! Our first 14 visited.
- gutheartsoul
- Feb 15
- 7 min read
Our family absolutely LOVES going to the US National Parks.
As homeschoolers, the Junior Ranger badges are easy and generally free curriculum boosters for the park we are in, and they often cover a variety of topics such as biology, history, ecology, environmental protection, sustainability, and more. We have been to National Park sites in many areas and want to highlight some of our favorite activities in the 14 parks we have visited to date, listed alphabetically. As we add additional posts about each park individually, we will link them here.
Acadia National Park in Maine is highlighted on our Couples Travel page and while it was definitely a challenge, we absolutely loved the Precipice Trail! This trail is not for the inexperienced hiker, as it includes rock scrambling, ladders, and rung climbing, but the views are amazing. For readers who aren't so adventurous and want an easy way to get to a beautiful view, you can opt for the drive up to Cadillac Mountain - but be sure to check if you need reservations depending on the season.
Badlands National Park in South Dakota was truly an inspiring visit for us. The Fossil Exhibit Trailhead is great stop for all types of visitors with the namesake Fossil Exhibit Trail being short, sweet, and accessible with great educational signs and beautiful views. For more adventurous park guests, you can easily cross the road to get to one end of the Castle Trail, from which we were able to experience several wildlife sightings! For those looking for the Instagram worthy photo ops, look no further than The Notch Trailhead. Such a stunning view is just a few steps from the parking area. But be careful if you climb up for some photos - the drop off on the far side of the parking area is extreme. I would also like to say DO NOT MISS the prairie dogs just outside the Northeast Entrance.
Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah has so many unique features, plus, it has prairie dogs too! (Can you tell we're obsessed with the tiny cuties?) We had an interesting time here, not due to the park, but anytime traveling with family, you're going to hit patches where the kids just are not on board with anything you ask. This was our time in Bryce Canyon. But those of us in a good mood were still able to enjoy time on the accessible Rim Trail, and to enjoy the beautiful Inspiration Point. Be sure to stop in the visitor center to see if you can still adopt a prairie dog! The money goes to care and conservation efforts for the wild population in the park, you get a stuffed prairie dog and cute souvenir certificate with your chosen name for your adopted prairie dog.
Congaree National Park in South Carolina is such a hidden gem. We joke that we had a combination of a hike and swim along the Boardwalk, because a good section was slightly flooded while we were there. Visitors decided on a mix of wading through and turning around. We chose the wetter option and really enjoyed our experience finishing off the educational signs and meeting others who chose to brave the water as well. Later in our trip, we spent several hours kayaking along the Congaree River. If you are quiet enough and there in the correct seasons, you have a few amazing viewing opportunities - including happening upon otters enjoying the water and viewing the synchronized fireflies! If we have to sell you more on giving this park a visit, we don't know how to get you there.
Gateway Arch National Park in Missouri is not what people think of when they hear National Park. It is urban, the trees are limited, but it is still a worthy stop. The museum here is truly phenomenal. We opted not to try the ride to the top after some delays in our earlier travel, but would definitely return to be able to venture up the historic building and see more of the city. Plus, the staff have many recommendations for other local historic sites that can be added on to your time in St. Louis.
Glacier National Park in Montana is simply breathtaking and a place we want to return to one day. Get the pass for Going-to-the-Sun Road if it is needed and open to travel. While it was hard to narrow down our favorite hikes in this park, Trail of the Cedars to Avalanche Lake bring back our funniest moment in a National Park. Please do not feed wild animals. Yes, it hurts their digestive system, yes it makes them less wary of humans who may not have their best interest. But, a little-known side effect, is that a chipmunk might just get so bold as to jump on a little boy and try to steal his snack. Luckily our son was not harmed, and we got a good laugh out of it, but boy, was that unexpected to say the least.
Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona is possibly one of the most well-known National Parks. And it is home to one of my favorite photos of our dog Finn. We have only visited the North Rim as a family to date, as the North Rim is much more dog friendly. The views were stunning and the environmental juxtaposition of going through a beautiful forest and finding a giant, largely dry canyon is a wonderful treat.
Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming is home of the beautiful photo my husband took that graces the home page of Gut, Heart, & Soul. Jenny Lake is our favorite spot in this park, but there are many worthy views and experiences. The clear water of the many lakes and waterways through Grand Teton share beautiful reflections of the peaks and the glaciers. One thing to note - if you are seeking Junior Ranger badges with your children, we experienced an earlier than posted seasonal closure of the Colter Bay Visitor Center. If you are like us and do not plan time to drive back to another Visitor Center, they will mail stamps and badges to you!
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is split between two states, North Carolina and Tennessee, and our closest National Park to home. This also means we have been able to visit it more and explore various regions of this vast park. While we love the hustle and bustle that Gatlinburg brings when you have a big crowd to entertain, our two favorite areas are the Cosby area in the north and the Deep Creek area in the south. Deep Creek has three waterfalls along a short and mostly level hike that can allow access for visitors of all ages and outdoor skills to experience. Be sure to grab your parking pass before heading into the Park. They are available a number of ways.
New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia is the newest National Park, and while we have been there, it was before the National Park Service took over, so we are looking forward to claiming the boys' Junior Ranger badges on our upcoming trip. Bridge Day, held the third Saturday in October, is a superbly fun time to visit this park. You get to experience the beauty of the changing leaves and fun adventure sports where experts base jump into the gorge, you can participate in a 5k run, and other activities such as car shows and chili cookoffs can be found near the park. If you're not there for Bridge Day and like to experience a small bit of adventure, the Park has partnered with groups such as Adventures on the Gorge to provide (safety harnessed) Bridge Walks to see the underside of the bridge and the view down to the river in a new way.
Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona was so much larger and more colorful than we had in mind before we arrived. The Crystal Forest Trail is going to give you "the most bang for your buck" on an extremely short and relatively easy hike through petrified wood, while the heavily recommended by park staff Jasper Forest will help share many vivid colors and beautiful sights you don't expect as you are driving through this iconic park.
Shenandoah National Park in Virginia is the dog friendliest National Park! Dogs are allowed on all but a limited number of trails - and our pups loved their time here. A bonus two-for-one is part of the Appalachian Trail runs through some beautiful hikes in the boundaries of Shenandoah. This park is truly a history meets nature lovers dream, and we cannot recommend enough is the hike out to Rapidan Camp (the Presidential Retreat of Herbert Hoover) along the Mill Prong Trail. We had our dogs and weren't sure if they would cross the small "bridge" over the water, but they handled it like champs!
Yellowstone National Park has land in three states Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming and so much variety for one location. A benefit of going as homeschoolers, we went to Yellowstone at the very end of September after the first snow of the season, and we were able to experience nearly the entire Fountain Paint Pots trail without having any other park guests around. This trail gives little samples of some of the best things Yellowstone has to offer and is a high recommendation from us for those short in time in the park to get the most geothermal features in one setting.
Zion National Park in Utah is a classic beauty. We entered from the east and both entered with stunning scenery (and wild animal crossings!) and came out of the tunnel to some of the most breathtaking views. This was our busiest visitor center experience in all our National Parks journeys, and we definitely see the benefits of utilizing shuttles in this park as much as possible. Zion is also an ever-changing park as there are rockslides relatively consistently changing the availability of trails and views experienced. For an easy stroll, try the Pa'rus Trail for as long as you feel comfortable walking to get some beautiful views in this magnificent place.
Comments