Top 5 Reasons to Visit a National Park

The newspaper has been full of stories on what a big year it’s been for National Parks. With travelers looking to control expenses and stay closer to home, U.S. National Parks saw 4.5 million more visits in the first half of this year alone than last year. While that sounds like a lot, In reality, that 4.5 million visitor increase at National Parks was just a 3% increase in visitors over last year. Even in the busiest parks, there’s still plenty of room to get out and explore.

Here are 5 good reasons you should consider a National Park Vacation:

1. Great Hiking Trails. National Parks are know for great, scenic, well-built hiking trails. Great trails let you focus more on the scenery and wildlife and less on tripping! Trails like the Death Canyon Trail in the heart of Grand Teton National Park, Half Dome in Yosemite, or the hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon on the Bright Angel Trail are absolute classics.

2. Real Adventure. National Parks are home to some of the most adventurous fun you’ll find anywhere in the U.S. Trekking in Zion’s Virgin River Narrows, (rated 5th on the list of best 100 Adventures by National Geographic Magazine), rafting the Snake River in Grand Teton National Park, or learning to rappel in the shadow of El Capitan in Yosemite are some great adventures you can have in our National Parks.

3. Amazing Scenery. There’s a reason a National Park is a National Park. It’s beautiful. There’s no way you can stand at the rim of the Grand Canyon, or the top of Bryce Canyon, the top of Angel’s Landing in Zion, or gaze up with wonder at the jagged Teton range and not get just a little goose-bumpy.

4. Family Fun. National Parks are great places for family adventure and fun. Biking down a path in the shadow of the Tetons together or wading in a creek in Yellowstone and watching the wonder on your children’s faces as they see their first moose wander by are unforgettable family experiences.

5. Surprisingly few Crowds. Sure, you’re going to watch Old Faithful go off with hundreds of other people and you’re going to have a hard time getting a car campsite at Jenny Lake in Grand Teton on the 4th of July. One of the funny things about our National Parks is that few people stray from their cars. There are literally hundreds of unvisited geysers in Yellowstone. Away from the John Muir Trail, Yosemite’s backcountry is empty much of the year. Few people really see the best of our National Parks.

Great hiking trails, real fun, amazing scenery, family adventure, and surprisingly few crowds make America’s National Parks a great option for adventure travel.

Glen Spencer is the Managing Editor at InsidrInfo.com