The Top 10 National Parks in the USA

If you are a nature enthusiast, you should definitely visit the United States of America. There are more than 50 million acres in 63 national parks of wilderness spread across the nation. These parks act like protectors for an astonishing range of ecosystems, from alpine regions to pristine beaches, rainforests, and more. Each one of them provides abundant opportunities for seeing wildlife in addition to their well-preserved natural beauty. So, we have listed the top ten national parks in the USA, and if you are a real outdoor enthusiast, you will love this list.

List of Top 10 National Parks in the United States

Olympic National Park

1. Olympic National Park, situated on the Olympic Peninsula, covers 1,442 square miles. Initially, it was Mount Olympus National Monument; later, Franklin D. Roosevelt redesigned it as a National park in 1938. Olympic National Park received UNESCO titles as an International Biosphere Reserve in 1976 and a World Heritage Site in 1981.

Notably, 95 percent of the Olympic National Park's 1,370 square miles (3,500 km2) were declared the Olympic Wilderness in 1988. This national park is the biggest wilderness area in Washington state. The park has four areas known as Alpine Areas, West Side Temperate Rainforest, Drier East Side, and Pacific Coast Line." Olympic National Park has a 73-mile coastline.

This national park provides a reasonable winter season and a home for the herds of native Roosevelt elk and other wildlife animals in the area. Olympic National Park was established with the following objectives: to preserve a vast wilderness park for the benefit and use of the people and to offer fun getaways to them. It has the best example of western red cedar, western hemlock, and prehistoric forest of Sitka spruce and Douglas fir in the country.

In the center of the Olympic National Park, there is an Olympic Mountain covered with ancient glaciers. Olympic Mountain receives large amounts of snow throughout the year; that’s why there are many glaciers, and Hoh Glacier is the longest one of them (3.06 miles long). Mount Deception is the highest peak of Olympic National Park at 2,374 meters (7,788 feet), and it is one of the most visited National Parks in the USA, with two and a half to three and a half million tourists per year.

Things to Do in Olympic National Park

Although it is attached to the Pacific coastline, there are beaches, including La Push Beach, Shi Shi Beach, and Rialto Beach, that are famous among tourists. If you want to visit the Alpine region of the park and look for trekking, Lake Crescent is the best place for you, and Hurricane Ridge offers a mind-blowing Olympic Mountains view. Hoh Rainforest is an eye-catching place to visit on the Western side of the national park.

What is the Nearest Airport to Olympic National Park? How to reach

The nearest airport to Olympic National Park is Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). The distance between Olympic National Park and Seattle Airport is nearly 130 miles, and you can hire ferry services that run frequently between them. There are two Ferry routes: the Bainbridge Island Ferry and the Edmonds-Kingston Ferry.

2. Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park is one of the oldest (third oldest) national parks in the United States, and it is famous as the mother of all National parks in the Country. It is situated in California and extends in the Southwest to the Sierra National Forest and in the north to the Stanislaus National Forest. National park services take care of this place, which is a UNESCO world heritage site.

It is an interesting story of Yosemite National Park in 1851 when European American settlers first explored the park. At higher heights, glaciers started to form about a million years ago. They gradually melted, moved downslope, and carved out Yosemite Valley's distinctive U form.

Granite and leftovers from earlier rocks are the key elements of its environment. The Sierra Nevada was raised and slanted roughly 10 million years ago to create its distinctive slopes, which advanced the sloping nature of the flow and river beds and caused the formation of deep, thin tunnels. The size of Yosemite National Park is equivalent to Rhode Island State, and the center of attraction of this place is Yosemite Valley. This park contains thousands of lakes and ponds. And it is the perfect place for adventure lovers.

Things to Do in Yosemite National Park

Yosemite has several tourist attractions, and Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, and Half Dome are three of them. Yosemite Valley is like heaven, and it is mind-blowing. Half Dome is another hotspot in the park, and you can enjoy the perfect view of the Tunnel from Half Dome. Yosemite Falls is the tallest waterfall in the USA as well as on the North American continent. Experts say it is a three-tier waterfall falling from 2,425 feet above sea level. El Capitan is a rock formation in Yosemite Valley. You can enjoy hiking here.

The Grizzly Giant tree, Also known as the oldest in the grove, is thought to be about 3,000 years old. Yes, you read that correctly. Mariposa Grove, the largest sequoia grove in Yosemite, is home to more than 450 enormous sequoia trees, and if you pass through Yosemite Valley, do not forget to enjoy the wildlife scene. Normally, you can see some of the creatures that are frequently spotted in Yosemite, such as coyotes and mule deer.

So, it is going to be too much fun for you.

What is the Nearest Airport to Yosemite National Park? How to reach

If you are choosing a flight route to reach Yosemite National Park, Fresno-Yosemite International is the nearest airport where you can book flight tickets. Alaska, Allegiant, American, and United Airlines have flight services to multiple destinations. There is a 65-mile distance between Fresno International Airport and Yosemite; people can take rental cars or YARTS buses to cover the distance.

3. Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park is full of attractions and an international peace park. Its endless expanses of untamed wilderness, breathtaking mountain landscapes, and unspoiled natural beauty. It is the most desirable palace having all the qualities for inclusion on the list of the top 10 Natural Parks in the United States.

This National park is situated in Montana and shares boundaries with Alberta’s Waterton Lakes National Park; they look so big together. It is a UNESCO world heritage site. If you love hiking, then you are choosing the best National park for you because there are more than 700 miles of hiking trails and plenty of things to do here.

What is the Nearest Airport to Glacier National Park? How to reach

The nearest airport to Glacier National Park is Glacier Park International Airport. It seems from its name, it is an International airport and covers many US cities. Airlines including Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, and United airlines have flights from multiple cities. The distance between Glacier Park International Airport and Glacier National Park is around 25 miles, and people can take shuttles or rent cars.

4. Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is one of the best National parks in the world and it was specially made for tourism. No doubt, Yellowstone National Park is the first of its kind in the world. You will immediately fall in love with this giant national park with mud pools, waterfalls, wildlife, and greenery.

Yellowstone is a good place for adventure trips. Visitors can enjoy a variety of special hydrothermal features on its 2.2 million acres, such as Grand Prismatic Spring, Mammoth Hot Springs, and Old Faithful Geyser.

What is the Nearest Airport to Yellowstone National Park? How to reach

The nearest airport to Yellowstone National Park is Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport. It is nearest to the north entrance of the park, and the west gate is also accessible from this airport, so it is up to tourists to decide where they want to go. It is 3 miles from the airport, so it is convenient for tourists, and they can hire cabs or shuttles to go to the park.

5. Great Smoky Mountains National Park

One of the most visited National parks in the United States and opened in 1934, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the home of 4,000 plants of 140 species, more than 200 types of birds, 65 mammals, and 60 marines. This national park is in between North Carolina and Tennessee.

Visiting the Smoky Mountains National Park is free, and you do not need to pay a single penny to anybody. It is home to some of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. And they are from 200 to 300 million years old. The maximum peak of the mountain range is 6,643 feet, which is Clingmans Dome.

What is the Nearest Airport to Great Smoky Mountains National Park? How to reach

The nearest airport to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is McGee-Tyson Airport in Alcoa, Tennessee. Although tourists can take direct flights to Knoxville because there are only 48 miles between Knoxville and the Great Smoky Mountains, and frequent bus services are available, McGee-Tyson Airport is 43 miles from the national park. It is up to you to choose.

6. Zion National Park, Utah

Zion National Park, the biggest national park in Utah, is close to Springdale in southwest Utah. It is positioned where the Mojave Desert, Great Basin, and Colorado Plateau meet. It was earlier known as Mukuntuweap National Monument but changed to Zion National Park in the 1920s. The area of Zion National Park is around 229 square miles and was home to an ancient civilization named Anasazi.

If you are planning to visit Zion National Park, you should be aware of the weather. Spring and October are the ideal times to visit Zion National Park. During this time, it has one of the most comfortable temperatures. However, these months will occasionally have cool, rainy spells, though March is the wettest month. In July and September, Zion National Park frequently experiences thunderstorms.

What is the Nearest Airport to Zion National Park? How to reach

The nearest airport to Zion National Park is St. George Regional Airport; it is 40 miles from St. George Regional Airport to Zion National Park. Shuttle and cab services are frequently available here. If you want to save on tickets, book flights to Las Vegas, which is 170 miles from McCarran International Airport. Transport service is available between them.

7. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park is located in Colorado, and 415 square miles make up the area of this mind-blowing park. Estimatedly, more than 4 million tourists every year come to see the beauty and do adventure things in Rocky Mountain National Park. President Woodrow Wilson passed the Rocky Mountain National Park Act in 1915, creating the park. Longs Peak is the highest point of the Rocky Mountains, at nearly 14,259 feet.

Rocky Mountain National Park is the park of 1803 As part of the Louisiana Purchase, and after the purchase, it was established. The amazing Rocky Mountain National Park is home for approximately 280 bird species, including the White-tailed Ptarmigan, Gray jay, and Dusky Grouse.

What is the Nearest Airport to Rocky Mountain National Park? How to reach

Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport is the nearest airport to Rocky Mountain National Park, but it has a limited number of flights and a 50-mile distance between them. But Denver International Airport (DEN) has flights from all across the USA, and you can book your flight anytime. There is a distance of 76 miles between them. Shuttles and rental cars are easily available.

8. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

There is an interesting thing about Grand Canyon National Park: geologists have a conflict of opinion over what the actual age of the canyon is. Some say its age is around 6 million years, while others believe it to be significantly older than 6 million years. Because of erosion, there is no rock record, and because of this, deciding the age of the Grand Canyon National Park is still a debated topic for all.

In the Grand Canyon, there are roughly 1000 caves, but geologists have discovered only 335. Only a portion of the tunnels in the Grand Canyon have been recorded. Grand Canyon National Park has everything that makes it worthy of being on the List of the Top 10 National Parks of the United States, and there are so many spiritual things linked to this park that you will know when you reach there and ask locals.

What is the Nearest Airport to Grand Canyon National Park? How to reach

The nearest airport to Grand Canyon National Park is Flagstaff Pulliam Airport, but it has a limited number of flights from selected cities, and the distance between them is 91 miles. Whereas the nearest major International airport is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). It is approximately 231 miles from the Grand Canyon, but you can take shuttle services all day.

9. Acadia National Park, Maine

Acadia National Park is one of the best national parks located in the U.S. state of Maine, along the Atlantic coast. It was the first national park in the northeastern United States and is known for its rugged coastline, picturesque mountains, and forests. The total area of the park is around 47,000 acres on the Schoodic Peninsula and adjacent islands, as well as on the mainland. The best place or center of attraction in Acadia National Park is the coastal areas, beaches, rocky cliffs, and perfect island for filming and pictures.

Sieur de Monts Spring, Abbe Museum, and Jordan Pond House are the historical and remarkable places of Acadia National Park. Apart from these, tons of other places you can visit because Acadia is rich in cultural and historical sites. For those who love the outdoors as well as being in nature, the park is a must-see destination. It offers a unique combination of incredible scenery, a legendary cultural past, and a wide range of activities for the whole family.

What is the Nearest Airport to Acadia National Park? How to reach

The nearest major airport to Acadia National Park is Bangor International Airport. It is located 46 miles away from Acadia National Park but is well connected to the major cities of the United States. There is a shuttle service between the airport and Acadia National Park during the summer and fall seasons.

10. Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana

On February 15, 2019, it was re-designated as the country's 61st national park after being approved by Congress in 1966 as the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The 15,000-acre Indiana Dunes National Park offers a variety of surroundings, including oak and beech trees, meadows, marshes, and sandy beaches. It is situated along the shores of Lake Michigan. Visitors can go swimming, hiking, biking, fishing, boating, and camping, and there are over 400 plant and animal species, 300 bird species, and reptiles and amphibians. Because, it provides chances for swimming, hiking, and other activities. The park is a wonderful place for outdoor enthusiasts.

More than three million people come to Dunes National Park every year. The highest dune in the park is 192 feet at Michigan Lake Tom (the highest dune in the park), and the lowest is 597 feet at Michigan Lake as well.

What is the Nearest Airport to Indiana Dunes National Park? How to reach?

The nearest airports to Indiana Dunes National Park are Gary Regional Airport, South Bend Regional Airport, Chicago's Midway International Airport, and Chicago O'Hare International Airport, and their distances are 11 miles, 35 miles, 43 miles, and 54 miles, respectively. Every airport has transportation services, including shuttles or rental cars with Indiana Dunes National Park.