Let’s face it, the U.S. national park system has some amazing destinations for adventurous travelers to visit, offering everything from snowcapped peaks to sprawling deserts and endless coastlines to explore. Choosing which ones to visit can be a challenge at times, especially when classic destinations like Yellowstone and Yosemite are on the list. Thankfully, Popular Mechanics is here to help, offering up a list of the 50 best national parks in each of the 50 states, making it easier to decide where to go no matter where you’re at.
As you can probably imagine, Pop Mech’s list is in alphabetical order, running from Alabama to Wyoming. In between, you’ll find all of the other 48 states too, along with an entry for the best national park to visit in that particular state. In the case of this article, the term “national park” has been extended to include not only the true national parks, but also the forests, preserves, monuments, and other locales that fall under the National Park Service’s purview. For instance, in the aforementioned Alabama, the go-to destination is Little River Canyon National Preserve, while in in Arkansas it is the Buffalo National River. Never fear however, as the iconic national parks –– such as Denali in Alaska and Rocky Mountain in Colorado –– are well represented here too.
With 2019 now upon us, it’s a great time to start thinking about your travel plans for the year ahead. I know I’ve already started to plot out some destinations that I’ll hit later this year. The national parks are always a favorite and this list, which is presented in the form of a slideshow, is perfect for sorting through many of the fantastic options the park system has to offer.
Check out the entire list here.
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