The USA Guides

USA

National Parks in the USA

The USA has 63 national parks covering over 52 million acres. From the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone, Yosemite to the Everglades. Practical guides with entry fees, timing, and logistics.

Sunrise over the rocky pink granite summit of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, Maine
National Park

Acadia National Park: Cadillac Mountain & Carriage Roads

Acadia National Park guide: $35 entry fee, Cadillac Mountain sunrise ($6 timed entry), carriage roads, top hikes, and free Island Explorer

Rocky Atlantic coastline in Acadia National Park, Maine
National Park

Acadia vs Shenandoah: Coastal Scenery vs Easy Road Access

Acadia wins for coastal scenery and fall colour; Shenandoah wins for easy road access. Both charge $35, but Shenandoah needs no advance booking.

Delicate Arch standing against a red rock fin at sunset in Arches National Park, Utah
National Park

Arches National Park: Delicate Arch, Fiery Furnace & Hikes

Arches National Park guide: entry fees, timed entry permits, Delicate Arch hike, Fiery Furnace, best season, and where to stay near Moab, Utah.

Delicate Arch standing against a blue sky in Arches National Park, Utah
National Park

Arches vs Canyonlands: Rock Formations vs Vast Wilderness

Arches wins for iconic rock formations; Canyonlands wins for solitude. Both charge $35, share Moab as a base, and can be combined in one visit.

Layered striped rock formations at golden hour, Badlands National Park, South Dakota
National Park

Badlands National Park: Fossil Buttes & Prairie Wildlife

Badlands guide: entry fees, Badlands Loop Road stops, best hikes, wildlife, campgrounds, and how to combine it with Mount Rushmore and Wall

Prickly pear cactus and rocky desert landscape at sunset, Big Bend National Park, Texas
National Park

Big Bend National Park: Chisos Mountains & Rio Grande

Big Bend guide: entry fees, best hikes in the Chisos Mountains, Rio Grande float trips, when to visit, lodging in Terlingua and the park.

Thousands of orange and red hoodoo spires rising from the amphitheater at Bryce Canyon National Park
National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park: Hoodoos, Rim Trails & Stargazing

Bryce Canyon visitor guide: entry fees, hoodoo trails, stargazing, permits, lodges near the park, and when to visit Utah's most otherworldly

Mesa Arch framing the canyons of Island in the Sky district at sunrise, Canyonlands National Park
National Park

Canyonlands National Park: Island in the Sky & White Rim

Canyonlands National Park: Island in the Sky overlooks, The Maze backcountry, White Rim Road permit, day-hikes, and Moab lodging/camping (20 miles away).

Camping scene overlooking the towering sandstone monoliths of Cathedral Valley, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
National Park

Capitol Reef National Park: Fruita Orchards & Scenic Drive

Capitol Reef guide: entry fees, the Scenic Drive, Fruita orchards, Cathedral Valley, best campgrounds, and when to avoid the desert heat.

Dramatic cave interior with stalactites and stalagmites illuminated in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park: Bats, King's Palace & Tours

Carlsbad Caverns guide: entry fees, cave tour tickets (not covered by annual pass), bat flight program, King's Palace, and when to visit.

Wizard Island rising from the deep-blue water of Crater Lake, Oregon, with snow-capped caldera walls
National Park

Crater Lake National Park: Rim Drive & Wizard Island Boats

Crater Lake guide: entry fees, Rim Drive, boat tours to Wizard Island, best viewpoints, lodging options, and when to visit for snow-free

Dark basalt lava fields at Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho, with sparse vegetation clinging to ancient volcanic rock
National Park

Craters of the Moon: Lava Tubes, Caves & Idaho Wildflowers

Craters of the Moon visitor guide: entry fees, best trails, caving permits, when to see wildflowers, and how to get there from Boise.

Rippled sand dunes under desert mountains in Death Valley National Park
National Park

Death Valley National Park: Badwater Basin & Zabriskie Point

Death Valley guide - Badwater Basin, Zabriskie Point, Mesquite dunes, when to go, where to stay, fees, and how to visit safely from Las

Glaciers and snow-covered peaks in the Alaska Range, Denali National Park
National Park

Denali National Park: Park Bus, Wildlife & Alaska's Summit

Denali guide: entry fees, park bus system explained, best lodges and campgrounds, wildlife viewing, and when to visit for clear mountain

An American alligator resting at the edge of a sawgrass prairie in Everglades National Park, Florida
National Park

Everglades National Park: Alligators, Airboats & Canoes

Everglades National Park guide: $35 entry, best trails for alligators and manatees, airboat tours, overnight canoe permits ($15), and lodge

Going-to-the-Sun Road winding through alpine terrain with glaciated peaks above St. Mary Lake, Glacier National Park
National Park

Glacier National Park: Going-to-the-Sun Road & Grizzlies

Glacier National Park guide: entry fees, Going-to-the-Sun Road, timed vehicle permits, best hikes, grizzly bear safety, and where to stay in the park.

Mountains reflected in a clear lake in Glacier National Park, Montana
National Park

Glacier vs Grand Teton: Wildflower Roads vs Jackson Hole

Glacier wins for wildflowers and Going-to-the-Sun Road; Grand Teton wins for easy access and Jackson Hole. Both charge $35 per vehicle.

Panoramic view of the Grand Canyon's layered red rock formations at sunrise
National Park

Grand Canyon National Park: Rim Trails & River Rafts

Grand Canyon visitor guide: $35 entry (7 days), 4.5 hrs from Las Vegas, day tours $80-150, April-June best window, rim trails permit-free.

Layered red rock formations of the Grand Canyon seen from the South Rim at golden hour
National Park

Grand Canyon vs Zion: Rim-Drive Scale vs Slot Canyon Hikes

Grand Canyon wins for rim-drive scale; Zion wins for slot canyon hikes. Grand Canyon charges $35, Zion $35, but Zion permits fill months ahead.

The Teton Range rising above a bend in the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
National Park

Grand Teton National Park: Jenny Lake Hikes & Teton Peaks

Grand Teton guide: entry fees, best hikes from Jenny Lake, lodges and prices, wildlife safety, and how to combine it with Yellowstone.

Hikers silhouetted on the crest of the vast sand dunes at Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
National Park

Great Sand Dunes National Park: Sandboarding & Medano Creek

Great Sand Dunes guide: entry fees, how to sandboard the tallest dunes in North America, Medano Creek, best campgrounds, and when to visit

Layered blue ridges fading into morning haze above the Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee and North Carolina
National Park

Great Smoky Mountains: Free Entry, Fall Foliage & Bears

Great Smoky Mountains visitor guide: free entry, parking permit $5/day, mid-October peak fall foliage, 1,500-2,000 black bears, Cades Cove loop.

Lava lake glowing red inside Halemaʻumaʻu Crater at night in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park
National Park

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park: Kīlauea & Lava Viewing

Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park: entry fees, lava viewing, Kīlauea hikes, Chain of Craters Road, permits, lodges, and when to visit the Big

Autumn forest creek flowing over a natural stone dam in the Ouachita Mountains near Hot Springs, Arkansas
National Park

Hot Springs National Park: Bathhouse Row & Thermal Soaks

Hot Springs NP guide: free park entry, Bathhouse Row thermal soaks, 26 miles of Ouachita trails, and year-round visiting tips for Arkansas.

A desert road at sunset lined with Joshua trees in Joshua Tree National Park, California
National Park

Joshua Tree National Park: Rock Climbing & Stargazing

Joshua Tree guide: entry fees, best hikes and viewpoints, camping and nearby hotels, stargazing tips, and desert heat safety.

Snow-capped mountains with glaciers flowing to the sea in an Alaska fjord, with forested slopes and calm dark-blue water
National Park

Kenai Fjords National Park: Exit Glacier & Boat Tours

Kenai Fjords visitor guide: no entry fee, Exit Glacier trails, Harding Icefield, boat tours to tidewater glaciers, and getting there from Seward.

Rocky cave passage with light filtering through the entrance at Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
National Park

Mammoth Cave National Park: Guided Tours & Surface Trails

Mammoth Cave guide: free park entry, cave tour tickets (not covered by annual pass), trail options, Mammoth Cave Hotel, and best seasons.

Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings built into a sandstone alcove, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
National Park

Mesa Verde National Park: Cliff Palace & Ancestral Pueblos

Mesa Verde guide: entry fees, Cliff Palace tour tickets, Balcony House, viewpoints, Far View Lodge, and how to plan your cliff dwellings

Mount Rainier rising above wildflower meadows at Paradise
National Park

Mount Rainier National Park: Paradise & Skyline Trail

Mount Rainier guide - Paradise wildflowers, Skyline Trail, Sunrise, when to go, fees and reservations, and where to stay near the mountain.

Mossy old-growth Hoh Rainforest with towering Sitka spruce trees draped in green, Olympic National Park
National Park

Olympic National Park: Hoh Rainforest & Hurricane Ridge

Olympic National Park guide: entry fees, Hoh Rainforest, Hurricane Ridge, tide pools, permits, campsites, and Washington's wild coast.

Colorful layered Blue Mesa badlands with purple, gray, and red banded rock formations, Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona
National Park

Petrified Forest National Park: Painted Desert & Fossils

Petrified Forest guide: entry fees, Blue Mesa badlands, Crystal Forest, Painted Desert views, Holbrook base camps, and best seasons.

Dramatic volcanic rock spire formation glowing at sunset against a colorful sky, California
National Park

Pinnacles National Park: Condors, Talus Caves & High Peaks

Pinnacles guide: entry fees, California condor spotting, talus caves, best hikes on the High Peaks Trail, camping options, and when to visit.

Person standing before the Big Tree at Redwood National Park, dwarfed by the massive ancient trunk
National Park

Redwood National Park: Fern Canyon & Tall Trees Grove

Redwood NP guide: entry tips, Fern Canyon, Tall Trees Grove, best campgrounds, and how to combine the national and state parks in one trip.

Trail Ridge Road crossing alpine tundra above 12,000 feet in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park: Trail Ridge Road & Elk Rut

Rocky Mountain National Park: entry fees, timed entry permits, Trail Ridge Road, best hikes, elk rut, lodges, and getting there from Denver.

Tall saguaro cactus rising against a pastel desert sky at dusk, Saguaro National Park, Arizona
National Park

Saguaro National Park: East & West Districts & Desert Hikes

Saguaro guide: entry fees, East vs West districts near Tucson, best cactus hikes, peak blooming season, and what to know before visiting

The massive trunk of the General Sherman Tree, the world's largest tree by volume, in Sequoia National Park
National Park

Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks: Giant Forest Hikes

Sequoia & Kings Canyon visitor guide: $35 entry (7 days, both parks), General Sherman Tree hike (2 miles), shuttle service, June–September

Blue Ridge Mountains stretching to the horizon from a Skyline Drive overlook in Shenandoah
National Park

Shenandoah National Park: Skyline Drive & Old Rag Mountain

Shenandoah guide - Skyline Drive, Old Rag, best overlooks and waterfalls, fall foliage timing, fees, and where to stay in the Blue Ridge.

Rolling white gypsum dunes stretching to the San Andres Mountains horizon, White Sands National Park, New Mexico
National Park

White Sands National Park: Dunes, Sledding & Backcountry

White Sands guide: entry fees, gypsum dune hiking and sledding, backcountry camping, missile range closures, and when to visit New Mexico's

Old Faithful geyser erupting against a blue sky in Yellowstone National Park
National Park

Yellowstone National Park: Old Faithful & Wildlife Hotspots

Complete Yellowstone guide: entry fees, geyser trails, wildlife hotspots, permits, lodges, and when to visit the world's first national park.

El Capitan and Yosemite Valley viewed from Valley View with the Merced River in the foreground
National Park

Yosemite National Park: Half Dome, El Capitan & Waterfalls

Yosemite visitor guide: timed entry permits, Half Dome lottery, waterfalls, valley trails, lodges, and the best time to visit California's

Yosemite Valley with El Capitan and Half Dome seen from Tunnel View, California
National Park

Yosemite vs Yellowstone: Granite Peaks vs Geysers & Wildlife

Yellowstone wins for wildlife and geysers; Yosemite wins for granite scenery and hiking. Both charge $35 per vehicle. Yosemite permits fill fastest.

The towering red sandstone walls of Zion Canyon reflected in the Virgin River, Utah
National Park

Zion National Park: The Narrows, Angels Landing & Shuttle

Zion National Park guide: entry fees, The Narrows, Angels Landing permit, shuttle system, best lodges, and when to visit Utah's most-visited

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