There are 423 national park sites in the United States. They span across more than 84 million acres, with parks in each of the 50 states and extending into the outlying territories. Within this expansive system, 63 sites include "National Park" as part of their proper name, including well-known places like Acadia, the Great Smoky Mountains, and the Grand Canyon. There are national parks with record-setting waterfalls, rare flora and fauna, incredible biomes and topography, and national parks that bear witness to rare natural phenomena. There are national parks to fan and fuel the wanderlust of even the most curious and discerning explorer. Today, we're sharing 16 of the best national parks in the US that top the charts with record-setting stats and extraordinary attractions.
1. Rainiest: Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park
The Pacific Northwest is known for its substantial rainfall, but Hoh Rain Forest takes things to a whole other level. Located in Washington's wondrous Olympic National Park, Hoh Rain Forest is an enthralling emerald oasis. One of the only temperate rainforests in the world, wandering through Hoh Rain Forest feels like stepping into another world altogether. The rainforest gets a staggering 12-14 feet of rain annually, which gives this thriving ecosystem its verdant canopy of mosses, ferns, and trees. The "Green Giant" is one of Hoh's most extraordinary trees; a towering presence keeping watch over the forest. Filled with untamed mosses and hanging ferns, old-growth trees, and an abundance of wildlife, Hoh Rain Forest is a lush wonderland within the Washington wilds, and hiking in this park truly belongs on every adventurer's bucket list.
2. Deepest, Cleanest Lake in the Country: Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake is a place of otherworldly, almost incomprehensible beauty. At 1,949 feet deep, Crater Lake is the deepest, cleanest lake in the United States; a pristine pool of alluring azure. The lake’s water is supplied completely from snow and rain, as there are no inlets from other water sources. This means that no sediment or mineral deposits are carried into Crater Lake, making it one of the cleanest and clearest lakes on the planet. This natural wonder attracts upwards of 750,000 visitors each year and is a place of sublime beauty that truly must be experienced, whether you opt to cruise around Rim Drive or hike the Discovery Point Trail, you're in for quite a treat when you visit this amazing national park.
3. Tallest Waterfall: Yosemite National Park
California is full of spectacular waterfalls (and even firefalls!), and while each is extraordinary, there’s one world-famous waterfall that’s truly on another level. Within the eponymous national park, Yosemite Falls isn’t just the largest waterfall in California, it's the tallest waterfall in all of North America. Yosemite is the fifth-largest waterfall in the entire world, in fact, dropping a total of 2,425 jaw-dropping feet from the top of the upper fall to the base of the lower fall. Seeing it with your own eyes is definitely an experience worth seeking out.
4. World's Tallest Tree: Sequoia National Park
One of the most stunning national parks on the planet, Sequoia National Park is a wondrous place that's home to commanding, real-life giants. Sequoia National Park was established in 1890 in an effort to conserve the giant sequoias. Over 125 years later, thousands of acres of beautiful mountainous terrain and fascinating flora and fauna are protected in the national park. Consisting of 404,064 acres, Sequoia National Park is celebrated for its abundance of giant sequoia trees, including the largest tree on the planet by volume, General Sherman. This striking sequoia can be found in the park's Giant Forest, which is home to five of the 10 largest trees in the world. Add it all up, and this sublime SoCal park is a place sure to satisfy and stoke the fans of adventure seekers, nature lovers, and dreamers.
5. Lowest and Hottest: Death Valley National Park
One of the most sublime and intriguing places in the country, Death Valley National Park is an otherworldly wonder. Situated on the border of California and Nevada, Death Valley is a land of extremes: it's the hottest, driest, and lowest-elevation national park in the country. Unique geographical features such as the salt flats, which stretch for 200 square miles, seemingly endless sand dunes, and sedimentary badlands form the landscape of Death Valley, creating a scene that's wholly unique and a bit unsettling. If you're going to visit, do so during the winter months; in the summer, temperatures in Death Valley can climb up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, living up to the warning inherent in this national park's name.
6. Most Famous: Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is truly a land of enchantment. Anyone who visits this national park will immediately understand why the landscape has long captured the hearts of wanderers, artists, and adventurer seekers. Best-known for its epic thermal features, including the regularly erupting Old Faithful and the vibrant Grand Prismatic Spring, there is a sublime beauty to this national park that's long captured the imaginations and curiosity of visitors. Our country's first national park, many indigenous tribes trace their roots – in myth and in history – to Yellowstone; and when settlers made their way West, their reports were initially written off as lies because Yellowstone's beauty truly is that incredible.
7. Oldest Fossils: Petrified Forest National Park
One of the most unique and otherworldly national parks in the country, Petrified Forest National Park is home to fossils that are over 225 million years old. This expanse is dotted with colorful relics of the past; petrified fossils that provide adventure seekers breadcrumbs leading back to another time, place, and millennia entirely. Over 200 million years ago, this mostly barren landscape featured lush greenery that was later destroyed by lava from volcanic eruptions; any surviving vegetation was fossilized and buried under ashen ground, not to be revealed for eons. Made of quartz, the petrified wood is a natural wonder that attracts thousands of park visitors each year, and with hikes ranging in length from a half mile to three miles, this national park is as accessible as it is amazing.
8. America's World Wonder: Grand Canyon National Park
A place firmly embedded in our national consciousness, the Grand Canyon is one of the largest and longest canyons on Earth and one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World. A playground for outdoor enthusiasts, the Grand Canyon is also a beloved destination for waterfall chasers, as it's home to some of the country's finest falls. The Grand Canyon can be explored in myriad ways: you can drive up to scenic viewpoints, explore on a helicopter tour, whitewater raft down the Colorado River, or even walk out onto a glass bridge. For stargazers, the Arizona Canyon is one of the best places on the planet to gaze into the cosmos. A certified Dark Sky Park, when night falls over the deserts of Arizona, trillions of stars and celestial bodies shine bright, creating a sublime scene that's truly spectacular. The best part is that you can witness this dazzling spectacle with the naked eye -- no fancy equipment necessary.
9. Smallest National Park: Hot Springs National Park
There's much debate over which U.S. National Park is the oldest. Is it Yellowstone, established in 1872, or Hot Springs, which predates the Wyoming park by 40 years? We dive more thoroughly into this debate in this article, but regardless of semantics, Hot Springs boasts another claim to fame that's worth noting. At 5,839 acres, Hot Springs National Park is the smallest in the country, and it's one of the most unique in that it's a collection of bathhouses rather than, say, a temperate rainforest or massive canyon. This national park earned its name because it features a total of 47 hot springs that flow from Hot Springs Mountain. Today, guests are welcome to wander the famed Bathhouse Row and opt for a soothing soak in one of the park's legendary healing hot springs.
10. Most Submerged: Dry Tortugas National Park
With roughly 95% of its total area underwater, Dry Tortugas National Park is the most marvelous adventure for those who prefer sea to land. This 100-square-mile park is mostly open water with seven small islands; an awesome archipelago oasis that feels a bit like discovering buried treasure. While the wildlife and scenery are certainly highlights, this park is also filled with history: it was established to preserve Fort Jefferson, a massive, unfinished island fortress used during the Civil War. Constructed in 1861, it remains the largest brick masonry structure in America. Only accessible by boat or plane, visiting Dry Tortugas is admittedly a bit of a challenge, but one that's part of the adventure.
11. Most Fascinating Ecosystem: Everglades National Park
With one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the world, Everglades National Park is a place that belongs on every wildlife enthusiast's bucket list. The park encompasses 1.5 million acres of tropical and subtropical habitats with one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems. Within the Everglades, there are five unique habitats, 750 different varieties of native plants, over 300 types of birds, and hundreds of animal species -- 60 of which are endangered. The park is best known as home to the American Alligator; of the 1.2 million alligators in Florida, 200,000 live in the freshwater habitats of the Everglades. American Crocodiles call this expanse home, too; and although it's a rare sight, both of these remarkable reptiles can sometimes be seen living side by side in Everglades National Park, the only place in the world where both species coexist. In order to protect and preserve this idyllic region, Congress established the Everglades as a National Park in 1934. The park has since been designated as an International Biosphere Reserve, a Wetland of International Importance, and a World Heritage Site. In short, Everglades National Park is a real-life Garden of Eden -- a pristine oasis that offers an authentic, up-close experience with nature that’s unparalleled.
12. World's Longest Underground Cavern System: Mammoth Cave National Park
Within the rolling hills of west-central Kentucky, nestled on the edge of America's Southern Appalachian Region, lies an underground world millions of years in the making. Mammoth Cave is one of the greatest wonders in the country -- and the world. This massive cavern system features 426 miles of underground caverns and passageways, with more miles being added all the time. Exploring this underworld is an epic adventure that's both awe-inspiring and accessible; the park offers numerous guided tours sure to bring out the explorer in everyone, igniting a wanderlust only satisfied by journeying fearlessly into the depths of the earth.
13. Most Biodiverse: Great Smoky Mountains National Park
While Great Smoky Mountains National Park is best known for bears, these striking members of the Ursidae family are only a small fraction of the national park's animal inhabitants. The most biodiverse national park in the U.S., over 19,000 different species reside in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, making it a treasure trove for those who love all creatures great and small. In other superlatives, the Great Smoky Mountains is also one of the country's most popular national parks, with 13.3 million adventure-seekers visiting in 2023.
14. Largest: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
It's hard to conceptualize the size of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park if you've never seen it. Spanning a staggering 13.2 million acres in the Last Frontier, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is the largest national park in the U.S. (Death Valley holds the title for the Lower 28). Put in perspective, this national park and wilderness area is roughly equivalent to the size of six Yellowstone National Parks. Given its epic expanse, the park is incredibly topographically varied, rising from the depths of the ocean all the way up to 18,008 feet above sea level. The sheer amount of wilderness available inside this national park is mesmerizing. Peaks, glaciers, and dense forests make up this rugged landscape which feels almost otherworldly.
15. Highest Elevation: Denali National Park
While Asia lays claim to Mt. Everest, Alaska's Denali National Park is home to the tallest mountain on the entire North American continent. With an elevation of 20,310 feet, Denali (also known as Mount McKinley), is an astounding natural wonder that's more epic than photos can capture. And if you're lucky enough to admire Denali during the late-summer Northern Lights, well, prepare to be rendered totally spellbound.
16. America's Million-Year-Old Wonder: Haleakalā National Park
Haleakalā National Park is a Hawaiian wonder that's home to one of the largest and oldest craters in the world. Haleakalā, which translates into "House of the Sun," is a massive shield volcano that comprises 75% of the island of Maui and is estimated to be 1 million years old. The entire area is absolutely stunning; you’ll see beautiful volcanic slopes that are home to the fragile ecosystems of Kipahulu Valley and coastal stretches that are startlingly green and blue. While there are many, many places in Hawaii worthy of your bucket list, none quite compare to the immensity and grandeur of Haleakalā National Park.
Have you explored any of these record-setting national parks? Our country is a big and beautiful place, and this list of a few of the best national parks in the US represents some of the most breathtaking, and bucket-list-worthy adventures. What are some of the top national park attractions that you have experienced?
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The Grand Canyon is a bucket-list must for any adventurer, and the South Rim offers some truly extraordinary views. While this area of the Grand Canyon is busier than the North Rim, during the winter, the crowds thin and the cool, clear skies shine even brighter -- especially at night! For more travel inspiration and to discover unique destinations across the USA, follow OnlyInYourState on Instagram and Facebook.
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