10 Best National Parks in the US - Wilderness Calling!

“Wilderness holds the answer to the question, we’ve not even asked”! The wilderness of the national parks probably holds an answer to all the questions we’ve not even learned to ask. National parks across the globe are among some of the most favorite spots on any kind of vacation. You would find some of the best national parks in the US— inundated with several snow-capped mountain peaks, glaciers & some of the oldest trees of the world— you’ll be taken to the glory of the wild.

America is simply the treasure trove of some of the best national parks, which attract visitors from across the globe to come to bask in the natural glory of the country. Be it the dramatic canyons or the snowy mountain peaks or the verdant valleys— the US has a huge landscape that thrives with the perfect blend of wild & peace. Besides the opportunity to dive into the natural landscape, national parks are great places for enjoying exciting activities like sightseeing, camping, hiking, exploration of natural history & discovering cultural facts. 

Most of the 423 national parks sites in the US are easily accessible and are well-connected making it convenient for travelers. In fact, many of them are just a few hours away from the major cities of the country. While the list is a massive one, we’ve narrowed down the list to make it easy for you to get on to your journey as quickly as possible. Here is our compact & cautiously curated list of the 10 best national parks in the US you can’t miss visiting. 

10 best national parks in the USA:

1. Acadia National Park

2. Arches National Park

3. Badlands National Park 

4. Big Bend National Park

5. Biscayne National Park

6. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

7. Bryce Canyon National Park 

8. Canyonlands National Park

9. Capitol Reef National Park

10. Carlsbad Caverns National Park

With so many wonderful national parks in the US and all of which hold great essence— it might bring you in trouble in choosing the one that’s right for your next trip. Let us help you choose the best national parks in the US.

Let’s get started:

1. Acadia National Park

Established on: 19 January 1929

Location: Maine, United States

Opening Hours: Monday through Sunday (24 hours)

Best things to do in Acadia National Park: Go hiking, Drive the Park Loop Road, Bike the Carriage Roads, Visit Jordan Pond House, Experience Cadillac Mountain, and do more.

Acadia National Park, located on the coast of Maine in the USA is there to protect the treasure trove of natural beauty along the Atlantic coastline of the country. This article is about all the best national parks in the USA you must see once in a lifetime. The park has been so designed that wherever you turn, an abundance of beauty will echo around. Acadia National Park is, without any doubt, one of the most beautiful national parks in the United States and across North America. 

2. Arches National Park

Established on: 12 April 1929

Location: Utah, United States

Opening Hours: Monday through Sunday (24 hours)

Best things to do: Arches Scenic Drive, Delicate Arch, Fiery Furnace, Landscape Arch, Devil’s Garden Trail, the Windows, and Turret Arch, Sand Dune Arch, Stargazing, and more. 

Arches National Park, surrounded by steep cliff walls, is popularly known for its world’s largest concentration of sandstone arches. It has as many as 2000 hanging ribbons of stone within the 76,518 acres of land of the park. Arches National Park more than you may expect from your visit here and that too for all types of travelers — whether you are a hiker, a scenic driver, photographer, or an explorer. The park is located just about  5 miles north of Moab and the park is inundated with massive balanced rocks, Colossal sandstone fins, and soaring pinnacles. There is this scenic drive that is designed to take visitors through the major viewpoints within the park. 

3. Badlands National Park

Established on: 29 January 1939

Location: South Dakota, United States

Opening Hours: Monday through Sunday (24 hours)

Best things to do: Camping, Badlands Loop Road with Overlooks, Hike Notch Trail Badlands, Search for Prairie Dogs, Soak up the Energy at the Yellow Mounds, and do more. 

Located beautifully in the South Dakota landscape, the Badlands National Park & its rugged beauty is popular throughout the world. You’ll get to see here the world’s richest fossil beds within the wondrous geologic deposits. It boasts a maze of buttes, spires, pinnacles, and canyons. There is no dearth of the spectacle of the wildlife here which you would see while camping, traveling through the Badlands Loop Scenic Byway, and when you are hiking — there’s something for the visitors in every inch of its 244,000 acres land. 

4. Big Bend National Park

Established on: 12 June 1944

Location: TX, United States

Opening Hours: 8:30 am-5:00 pm

Best things to do: Hike Santa Elena Canyon, Soak in the Hot Springs, Drive the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, Walk the Nature Trail at Rio Grande Village, See the Sunset over the Window, and more. 

Big Bend National Park is one of the best national parks in the USA for some obvious reasons. Located at the border of Mexico & separated by that massive bend in the Rio Grande River. Know more about Mexico and other top cities around the world by reading our articles at Leisure. Whether you are a hiker, a bird watcher, a canoer, or a camper, this place is for you — with plenty of deserts, rivers, and mountains, there is something for everyone to explore. Even if you’re going for a quick drive, stopping by the Fossil Discovery Exhibit, or catching up some scenery along the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive would be a rejuvenating experience. 

5. Biscayne National Park

Established on: 28 June 1980

Location: Florida, United States

Opening Hours: Monday through Sunday (24 hours)

Best things to do: Dante Fascall Visitor Center, Boating, Snorkel, And Scuba, Paddleboarding, Camping, and do more. 

Biscayne National Park is often referred to as the “watery wonderland”. Biscayne is particularly popular for protecting a rare combination of the ish-bejeweled coral reefs, emerald islands, and aquamarine waters. Set in downtown Miami, the national park reverberates the 10,000 years old human history. There several options available for adventurer travelers like — the can go for boating, camping, wildlife watching, or snorkeling. In fact, you can simply gaze over the bay in a rocking chair and feel relaxed. Biscayne National Park is also an opportunity to experience the northernmost Florida Keys. You can understand the park’s rare combination of vibrant coral reefs, emerald islands, and aquamarine waters through ranger programs, art exhibits, and Boat tours.   

6. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Established on: 21 October 1999

Location: Colorado, United States

Opening Hours: Monday through Sunday (24 hours)

Best things to do: Hiking Trails, Exploring the Inner Canyon, Scenic Drives, Fishing, Wildlife Watching, Explore the Night, Winter Activities, Experience the Views, Take a Drive through a Time Portal, and more. 

Steep, deep & narrow— the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park according to some people is more beautiful than the Grand Canyon. You get to see here some of the craggiest spires, oldest rock, and steepest cliffs in North America. It is so big to leave you overwhelmed & too intimate to give you that space for sinking in some peace. The rocky landscape is the result of millions of years of work, weathering forces, and the Gunnison River. This Colorado's own Grand Canyon often leaves the visitors awestruck. The western Colorado treasure is located about two hours north of Telluride.

7. Bryce Canyon National Park

Established on: 25 February 1928

Location: Utah, United States

Opening Hours: Monday through Sunday (24 hours)

Best things to do: The Scenic Drive, Visit Bryce Point, Get Inspired at Inspiration Point, Sunset Point, Sunrise Point, Hike the Navajo Loop Trail, Fairyland Point, and Views from Agua Canyon. 

Located in southern Utah, Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the best national parks to visit in the US. Visitors from across different parts of the world come here every year to enjoy some of the best hiking trails and other activities of their lives. Spanning an area of around 36,000 acres, the Bryce Canyon National Park offers the adventurers’ endless possibilities. From hiking, to camping, horseback riding, and — there are some of the other activities for everyone. Among some more exciting activities here at the Bryce Canyon National Park include— ATV trails, fishing, shooting ranges, and mountain biking. 

8. Canyonlands National Park

Established on: 12 September 1964

Location: Utah, United States

Opening Hours: 

Best things to do: Mesa Arch Trail, Grand View Point Overlook Trail Visitor Center Overlook, Schaffer Canyon and Trail Overlook, Green River Overlook, Islands in the Sky Scenic Drive, and more. 

Canyonlands National Park spreads in around 337,598 acres with colorful canyons, fins, mesas, spires & buttes is located beautifully in the heart of southeast Utah's high desert. For preserving the natural beauty and helping the world in keeping human history alive, the Canyonlands National Park is considered to be one of the best national parks in the USA & around the world and definitely is a must-see destination. It has been primarily gravity & water that has played the architects for this land sculpting thousands of rocks into the rugged landscape that makes the park more beautiful & intriguing. Visitors can go through the endless trails of Canyonlands and hit up the winding roads.

9. Capitol Reef National Park

Established on: 18 December 1971

Location: Utah, United States

Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Best things to do: Watch Movie “Watermark”, the Waterpocket Fold, Look for Outlaws, Relax in Historic Fruita, Check out the Capitol Reef Petroglyphs, Explore Hickman Bridge, Watch a Sunset of Glowing Rocks, and more. 

Situated in south-central Utah, Capitol Reef National Park is like a hidden treasure trove of so many things — bridges in the Waterpocket Fold, dome, canyons, cliffs, and more. The 100 miles long geologic monocline is one of the best national parks in the US for numerous reasons — for the amazing hiking trails including Hickman Bridge & Cathedral Valley, ATV, Backpacking tours, Camping, Fishing, Horseback Riding & Mountain Biking. The park is great to visit all year round, which makes it one of the most beautiful tourist attractions in the area. The white and red sandstone cliffs, bright blue sky, and lush green riverbanks— keeps visitors spellbind. 

10. Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Established on: May 14, 1930

Location: Carlsbad, NM

Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday 8 AM–2:15 PM

Best things to do: Take Ranger Guided Tour, Walnut Canyon Desert Drive, Rattlesnake Springs, Bat Flight Program, King’s Palace,  Lion’s Tail, Slaughter Canyon Cave, Guadalupe Mountain Trail, and do more. 

Carlsbad Caverns National Park located in southeastern New Mexico in the Guadalupe Mountains is one of the best national parks in the United States. With plenty of rocky slopes, thorny shrubs, canyons, and cactus, it makes for great spots for tourists. Carlsbad Cavern, the show cave (which is open all year round except for Christmas day)  is the most primary attraction of the park. There are hiking trails for visitors and they can hike either through natural entrances or can take an elevator. Carlsbad Cavern has 625 feet (191 m) wide, 255 feet (78 m) high, and 4,000 feet (1,220 m) long cave chamber, which is also an intriguing part of the park.