Many people considering travel to the United States have in mind major city destinations like the Big Apple (aka New York), Las Vegas, San Francisco and so forth; with little knowledge that America has a wealth of national parks with diverse natural beauty that normally takes a backseat position when compared to America's developed cities, digital prowess and scandalous Hollywood elite.
On your next trip, discover a different side of America by checking out some of its great national parks.
1- Denali National Park, Alaska
This huge, spectacular national park in Alaska has a lot to offer visitors. You can visit to see North America’s tallest peak, 20,320 foot Mount McKinley is sure to strike awe in even the most seasoned of travellers. Many visit for the fall colours which rival the north-east in beauty, or come to get away from ‘it all’ and experience some of the last true wilderness around.
Peak tourist season is during the summer months of June through August, fall colours will normally occur late August to early September, note the shuttle bus service will end September 12th in 2013. The majority of the park road is closed to private vehicles, but shuttle buses run (for a fee) regularly during the summer months.
I recommend taking the shuttle bus right into the park, keeping an eye out for wildlife, go right to Wonder Lake and camp till you get a good sighting of Mount McKinley. Consider obtaining a backcountry permit and hike into the wilderness away from all signs of your fellow man, camp and listen to the quiet.
2- Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (Partly in southern Montana and eastern Idaho)
This very old and mightily impressive national park has the largest thermal hot spot in the world. Visit to see the world’s largest collection of geysers, not to mention the herds of bison and elk and healthy grizzly and black bear populations.
Open year round however roads will be closed at times during the winter so check before you visit. Summer months are most popular, but winter offers an alternative, snowy view of this diverse national park. The park roads are easily driven in private vehicles. Drive around keeping an eye out for all of Yellowstone’s abundant wildlife; bison, elk, moose, wolves, bears, coyotes, foxes and more. Stop and wait for Old Faithful or any of the other numerous geysers to blow, sit and watch thermal mud bubble away or go fly-fishing in one of the numerous rivers.
3- Katmai National Park, Alaska
Have you an interest in big wildlife? Does the idea of being close to a potentially dangerous animal with no bars or fences around give you a thrill? Come to watch huge brown bears feasting on salmon as they ‘run’ upriver to spawn.
Best viewing tends to be in the months of July and September. This unique national park is only accessible by boat or float plane and requires early booking. Flights are regularly available from Anchorage to King Salmon and on to Katmai National Park via floatplane.
In Katmai you can watch the bears swim around the lakes ‘snorkeling’ for salmon, bobbing their heads up to look around, standing on Brooks Falls waiting for the fish to leap up at them, or walking by your campsite. There are options to safely camp or stay in a cabin depending on your adventure style.
4- Arches National Park, Utah
This park has been made famous by a number of extraordinary photographs of the arches; from sunrise photographs to long exposures during starlight, the arches are magical at any time of day.
Visit to see these arches, uniquely formed by the erosion of the weather over millions of years. Open year round, but beware it can be very hot during peak summer, and busy during peak season.
The park is easily driven in private vehicles. Consider driving the park roads, hiking the numerous short trails, trying your hand at arch photography, and perhaps stay out late one night and star gaze through the arches. Can you spot a shooting star?
5- Glacier National Park, Montana
This is a pristine, adventure inspiring national park if ever there was one! Visit to see spectacular mountain ranges, beautiful alpine meadows, glaciers and lakes.
Open year round, but much will be inaccessible during winter months due to the heavy snowfall so best viewed late May to early September.
Drive the Going to the Sun Road, look out for mountain goats, swim in a lake, hike one of the mountain ranges and photograph nature’s beauty until your heart is content.
Guest Post by: Sam Kynman-Cole
Sam is a Kiwi who spent the first five years of his early schooling not at school, but travelling the world.. Skip forward ten years and he decided to travel again; with a backpack and no particular time frame.
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