Seven Incredible National Parks Across The USA
1. Big Bend National Park Texas
Big Bend is a hidden gem around four hours south of El Paso in Texas. The winding drive to get there will absolutely feel worth it when you see what this expansive park has to offer. It features some of the starriest skies in North America and wildlife including black bears, roadrunners, jackrabbits and even mountain lions, although you'd be lucky to spot one of the later, secretive, animals. You can hike routes such as The Lost Mine Trail, raft on the famous Rio Grande, visit the Hot Springs Trail, or gaze in awe at the imposing walls of the Santa Elena Canyon.
2. Badlands National Park, South Dakota
South Dakota is well know for Mount Rushmore, but the Badlands National park is another of it's sights to behold. Made up of striking rock formations and acres of prarie, you won't be hard pushed to find a place to take the perfect holiday snap or selfie. The stunning striped rocks contain fossils of many ancient species that once roamed here, including sabre toothed cats, three toed ancient horses and even rhinos. On today's praries you'll find bison, bighorned sheep, prarie dogs and even black footed ferrets, an endagered species the park works hard to protect. In the skies are eagles, harriers and short eared owls, among many other birds. This is definitely a place for wildlife spotting.
3. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.
Wyoming is home to several National Parks and reserves, but Yellowstone is perhaps the most famous. It helped to inspire 'Jellystone' Park in Yogi bear and you will definitely have the chance of seeing bears in Yellowstone, with both black bears and grizzly bears living here. Yellowstone is also home to 'Old Faithful', perhaps one of the most famus geysers, as well as hundreds of hot springs and pools, including The Grand Prismatic Hot Spring, which is larger than a football field! If you want to truly (or even literally!) immerse yourself into the dramatic scenery there are many white water rafting trips available for the novice or experienced.
4. Death Valley National Park, Nevada/California
Straddling both California and Nevada, Death Valley is within easy reach of great cities such as Las Vegas or Los Angeles and has not only a rich pioneering history but was a successful mining area for decades, with gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, antimony, and borax all having been mined here. The park covers well over three million acres amd is made up of expansive sand dunes, sandstone canyons, salt flats and even 'singing' rocks. It is also the hottest and driest place in North America with temperatures reaching an incredible 49C and only around two inches of rain every year.
5. White Sands National Park, New Mexico
White Sands was established as a national monument in 1933 and only redesignated as a National Park in 2019. Set in the Tularosa Basin, the park's 275 square miles of Gypsum sand make up the largest Gypsum dunefield on earth. As you'd expect of the desert, the park can be blisteringly hot during the day and shockingly cold at night. Despite this it is home to many wildlife species which have evolved to adapt to life in the desert. Many of them have white or off white colouration and around forty five species are only found in this location, over forty of which are moths.
6. Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
A visit to Glacier bay inserts you into true Alaskan Wilderness. This UNESCO world heritage site is part of Alaska's Inside Passage and home to some stunning views, including the truly beautiful Margerie Glacier, a tidewater glacier at an awe inspiring 34km long. The wild coastlines feature rugged mountains and deep fjords. A popular way to visit is to experience it from the comfort of a cruise ships, but you can stay in a rustic cabin, historical hotel or even camp if you're brave enough. You can kayak or take small boat trips and ranger organised discovery days if you are travelling with children.
7. Everglades National Park, Florida
When people think of Florida, man made parks often spring to mind before the expansive wetlands that make up the Everglades National Park. Yet this area is home to and protects endangered species such as the manatee, American crocodile and the elusive Florida panther, which is actually a subspecies of cougar that has evolved to live in the Florida climate. You can also spot alligators, turtles and even dolphins here and the waterways are expansive enough for a week long canoe trip if you really want to get away from it all. If you prefer to keep your feet on drier land, there are tram tours which still offer excellent wildlife viewing.
