Most articles ranking America’s National Parks are based on other people’s impressions and not necessarily from the experience of the author. That’s because it’s quite the feat to travel to every single national park in one consecutive trip, AND manage to document one’s impressions along the way. That’s where we come in!
In 2017, my husband and I road tripped to all the US national parks. It took us 7 months, 25,000+ miles of driving (see our route), 26 flights, and countless trails hiked. Along the way, we passed through 39 US States, 2 US Territories, and drove some of the most beautiful roads in the country. So if you’re looking for first-hand details then you’ve come to the right place!
Update – four new national parks have been added since our road trip, namely Gateway Arch, Indiana Sand Dunes, White Sands, and New River Gorge National Parks. We will update this blog post once we get a chance to visit, but for now, this is just based on the 59 national parks that were designated as of 2017.
America’s National Parks – Ranked Best to Worst
My husband and I ranked all the national parks on numerous factors, including their beauty, trails, accessibility, transport, crowds, facilities, how photogenic they were, etc. Here is a breakdown of the categories:
- Facilities – proximity to lodging, variety of lodging types and affordability, food availability, bathrooms, visitor centers, showers, etc.
- Trails – the actual park trails, as well as other opportunities for adventure such as snorkeling, rafting, diving, boating etc.
- Scenery – overall beauty of the park, including landscapes, wildlife, and buildings.
- Photogenic – how easy the park was to photograph and how well it translated into images
- Crowds/Transport – how busy the park was and overall how easy it was to get there and transport yourself around (e.g. ability to self drive versus having to take park buses etc.)
Note – some of the park’s had the same score so in those situations we ordered them alphabetically.
Remember, this is an overall ranking, with some parks scoring lower due to things like the extreme methods visitors must take to access them, or often due to large crowds dampening the overall experience of a beautiful park.
I also put together a checklist of all the national parks, so you can mark each off as you visit them! It’s free to download via my travel resource library! Click the image below.
10 Highest Ranked National Parks
1. Grand Teton National Park
Location: Wyoming
Score = 45/50
- Facilities: 9/10
- Trails: 10/10
- Scenery: 10/10
- Photogenic: 10/10
- Crowds/Transport: 6/10
North America is home to some incredible views, but you just can’t beat the Tetons… This was our 5th visit to the park and it won’t be our last. So why did Grand Teton National Park score so highly? Simple – it is insanely beautiful, easy to access and get around, has great hikes, camping opportunities, nearby accommodation and restaurants, and the crowds are manageable even in the peak of summer. With stunning hiking trails and guided wildlife tours, there is something in this park for everyone!
Guides to help you plan a visit to Grand Teton National Park:
- Ultimate Guide to Exploring Grand Teton National Park
- Epic Yellowstone to Grand Teton Road Trip Itinerary
- 12 Best National Parks to Visit in the Fall
2. Kenai Fjords National Park
Location: Alaska
Score = 44.5/50
- Facilities: 8/10
- Trails: 9.5/10
- Scenery: 10/10
- Photogenic: 9/10
- Crowds/Transport: 8/10
Kenai Fjords was our highest ranked Alaskan park and our second highest overall. Why? For it’s sheer beauty, accessibility, incredible wildlife, amazing hikes, and ample photography opportunities. We can’t wait to return this summer! Check out our park guide here.
3. Wrangell St. Elias National Park
Location: Alaska
Score = 44/50
- Facilities: 8/10
- Trails: 10/10
- Scenery: 10/10
- Photogenic: 9/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7/10
I’m itching to get back and explore the backcountry and mountain ranges of Wrangell St. Elias National Park… I feel like we just scratched the surface! The Wrangell Mountains are out of this world beautiful! Plus, you can drive to the park in only 4-5 hours from Anchorage (or around 8 hours from Anchorage to Kennicott) with the option for also flying there. Once in the park visitors can access accommodations and restaurants (McCarthy/Kennicott) and the crowds are minimal even in the height of summer.
RELATED: 15 Least Crowded National Parks
4. Denali National Park
Location: Alaska
Score = 43/50 (equal with Mount Rainier)
- Facilities: 7/10
- Trails: 10/10
- Scenery: 10/10
- Photogenic: 10/10
- Crowds/Transport: 6/10
Everything is on another scale in Denali – the grizzly bears, mountains, roads, rivers, valleys… (this list could go on). The park is also home to America’s largest peak, Denali at a crazy 20,310 feet. We had an incredible time exploring the park, despite the weather being a little fickle. It can feel intimidating trying to plan a trip to a park of this scale, so I’d recommend taking a national park walking tour or even exploring the park on a guided jeep excursion.
5. Mount Rainier National Park
Location: Washington
Score = 43/50 (equal with Denali)
- Facilities: 7/10
- Trails: 10/10
- Scenery: 10/10
- Photogenic: 10/10
- Crowds/Transport: 6/10
Mount Rainier will always be one of our favorite parks and we were stoked it made the top 5 of this list. Large crowds in summer were the main reason it didn’t score even higher, but we think it’s worth the visit regardless. Mount Rainier is relatively accessible from Seattle, and you can visit on a guided tour to make it even easier. Some places just need to be seen to be believed!
Guides to help you plan a visit to Mount Rainier National Park and nearby:
- Ultimate Guide to Exploring Mount Rainier National Park
- 17 Breathtaking Hikes in Mount Rainier National Park
- 18 Incredible Hikes in Washington State
- 7 Best Hikes near Seattle, Washington State
6. Yosemite National Park
Location: California
Score = 42.5/50
- Facilities: 9.5/10
- Trails: 10/10
- Scenery: 10/10
- Photogenic: 10/10
- Crowds/Transport: 3/10
It’s not surprising that Yosemite was one of America’s first recognized national parks. Its incredible beauty, opportunities for adventure, rock climbing, and easy-to-access nature really do make it a park for everyone. Similar to Mount Rainier, Yosemite would have scored higher if the crowds weren’t so large. Our recommendation is to visit some of the less-visited areas and try to go during off-peak months; Yosemite valley makes a great day trip for hikers looking to escape San Francisco. Check out our park guide here.
7. Glacier Bay National Park
Location: Alaska
Score = 42/50
- Facilities: 6.5/10
- Trails: 10/10
- Scenery: 10/10
- Photogenic: 9.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 6/10
We were not expecting Glacier Bay to make the top 10! Why? We visited on a cruise ship in 2012 and despite enjoying the experience we weren’t absolutely awe struck. This time was completely different. We were in the area for multiple days, which allowed for adventures on the land and sea. We got closer up to the glaciers, saw more wildlife and hiked some gorgeous vast forest trails. We plan to return for a backcountry kayaking trip someday in the (hopefully) near future!
8. Glacier National Park
Location: Montana
Score = 41.5/50
- Facilities: 8.5/10
- Trails: 10/10
- Scenery: 10/10
- Photogenic: 9.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 3.5/10
Oh Glacier, you continue to steal our hearts over and over again. This was our third visit to the park and it definitely won’t be our last. Home to large, you guessed it, glaciers, this national park offers insanely beautiful scenery, ample wildlife, epic hiking trails, and even rafting opportunities. Plus, the views along the Going-to-the-Sun Road are really something else…
9. Katmai National Park
Location: Alaska
Score = 41/50 (equal with Lake Clark)
- Facilities: 6/10
- Trails: 9/10
- Scenery: 10/10
- Photogenic: 10/10
- Crowds/Transport: 6/10
Katmai National Park is one of the few places in the world that allows such an up close experience with wild bears. At Brooks Falls there are raised viewing platforms that visitors can “safely” observe bears fishing for salmon. It was quite the experience and one we hope to have again! Check out our trip report.
RELATED: The 15 Most Underrated National Parks in America
10. Lake Clark National Park
Location: Alaska
Score = 41/50 (equal with Katmai)
- Facilities: 6/10
- Trails: 9/10
- Scenery: 10/10
- Photogenic: 10/10
- Crowds/Transport: 6/10
We LOVED Lake Clark National Park. The main reason it didn’t score in the top 5 is because of the Park’s remote nature, lack of facilities, and expensive transportation (floatplanes). I wrote a blog post on our experience staying on Upper Twin Lake.
RELATED: 15 Least Crowded National Parks
Middle Ranked National Parks
Some of our favorites are in this bunch, like Bryce Canyon, Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone, Zion, Big Bend, North Cascades, Redwood, Gates of the Arctic, and Virgin Islands. Our rating system meant that many of the crowded or hard to access parks scored lower despite some incredible scenery. We wanted to provide a score based on our overall experience, not just how beautiful each park was.
11. Olympic National Park
Location: Washington
Score = 40.5/50
- Facilities: 7.5/10
- Trails: 10/10
- Scenery: 9/10
- Photogenic: 8/10
- Crowds/Transport: 6/10
Guides to help you plan a visit to Olympic National Park:
- 14 Amazing Things To Do in Olympic National Park
- 24 Hour Getaway to the Olympic Peninsula from Seattle
- 9 Best National Parks to Visit in Spring
- 11 Incredible Beginner-Friendly Hikes in Washington State
12. Bryce Canyon National Park
Location: Utah
Score = 40/50 (equal with Rocky Mountain, Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, Kings Canyon)
- Facilities: 7.5/10
- Trails: 9/10
- Scenery: 9/10
- Photogenic: 8.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 6/10
Guides to help you plan a visit to Bryce Canyon National Park:
- Ultimate Bryce Canyon National Park Guide and Itinerary
- Epic Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary
- 12 Best National Parks to Visit During Fall
13. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Location: Tennessee and North Carolina
Score = 40/50 (equal with Rocky Mountain, Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, Kings Canyon)
- Facilities: 8/10
- Trails: 9/10
- Scenery: 9/10
- Photogenic: 9/10
- Crowds/Transport: 5/10
Check out our park guide here.
14. Kings Canyon National Park
Location: California
Score = 40/50 (equal with Rocky Mountain, Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, Great Smoky Mountains)
- Facilities: 7/10
- Trails: 8.5/10
- Scenery: 8.5/10
- Photogenic: 8/10
- Crowds/Transport: 8/10
15. Rocky Mountain National Park
Location: Colorado
Score = 40/50 (equal with Kings Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, Great Smoky Mountains)
- Facilities: 8/10
- Trails: 9/10
- Scenery: 9/10
- Photogenic: 8.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 5.5/10
Read our guide on the best national parks to visit during fall
16. Yellowstone National Park
Location: Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
Score = 40/50 (equal with Rocky Mountain, Bryce Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains, Kings Canyon)
- Facilities: 9/10
- Trails: 9/10
- Scenery: 9.5/10
- Photogenic: 9/10
- Crowds/Transport: 3.5/10
Guides to help you plan a visit to Yellowstone National Park:
- Ultimate Yellowstone National Park Guide and Itinerary
- Epic Yellowstone to Grand Teton Road Trip Itinerary
17. Death Valley National Park
Location: California
Score = 39.5/50
- Facilities: 7.5/10
- Trails: 7/10
- Scenery: 8/10
- Photogenic: 8.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 8.5/10
Guides to help you plan a visit to Death Valley National Park:
- Ultimate Guide to Death Valley National Park
- 9 Best National Parks to Visit in Spring
- 9 Spring Travel Destinations to Inspire Your Next Trip
18. Grand Canyon National Park
Location: Arizona
Score = 39/50 (equal with Zion)
- Facilities: 8/10
- Trails: 8/10
- Scenery: 8/10
- Photogenic: 8/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7/10
19. Zion National Park
Location: Utah
Score = 39/50 (equal with Grand Canyon)
- Facilities: 8.5/10
- Trails: 10/10
- Scenery: 9/10
- Photogenic: 9/10
- Crowds/Transport: 2.5/10
Guides to help you plan a visit to Zion National Park:
- Ultimate Zion National Park Guide
- Epic Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary
- 9 Best National Parks to Visit in Spring
- Epic USA Road Trip Bucket List and Packing Guide
20. Big Bend National Park
Location: Texas
Score = 38.5/50 (equal with North Cascades, Redwood)
- Facilities: 7.5/10
- Trails: 7/10
- Scenery: 7.5/10
- Photogenic: 7.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 9/10
Read our guide on the 12 best national parks to visit during fall, featuring Big Bend National Park
RELATED: The 15 Most Underrated National Parks in America
21. North Cascades National Park
Location: Washington
Score = 38.5/50 (equal with Big Bend, Redwood)
- Facilities: 5/10
- Trails: 9/10
- Scenery: 9/10
- Photogenic: 8.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7/10
Read our guide on the 11 best national parks to visit in summer, featuring North Casacades National Park
22. Redwood National Park (and State Parks)
Location: California
Score = 38.5/50 (equal with Big Bend, North Cascades)
- Facilities: 7.5/10
- Trails: 7.5/10
- Scenery: 8.5/10
- Photogenic: 8/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7/10
Guides to help you plan a visit to Redwood National Park:
- Ultimate Redwood National Park Itinerary and Guide
- Epic Big Sur Road Trip Itinerary: Explore California’s Pacific Coast
- Winter California Road Trip to the Redwoods and Yosemite
23. Arches National Park
Location: Utah
Score = 38/50 (equal with Crater Lake)
- Facilities: 8/10
- Trails: 7.5/10
- Scenery: 8/10
- Photogenic: 8/10
- Crowds/Transport: 6.5/10
Read our Utah National Parks Itinerary and Guide
24. Crater Lake National Park
Location: Oregon
Score = 38/50 (equal with Arches)
- Facilities: 7/10
- Trails: 7/10
- Scenery: 8.5/10
- Photogenic: 8.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7/10
Read our Oregon 7 Day Road Trip Itinerary
25. Acadia National Park
Location: Maine
Score = 37.5/50 (equal with Great Basin, Shenandoah, Virgin Islands)
- Facilities: 9/10
- Trails: 6.5/10
- Scenery: 8/10
- Photogenic: 7/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7/10
Guides to help you plan a visit to Acadia National Park and nearby:
- 9 Absolute Best Things To Do in Acadia National Park
- 12 Best National Parks to Visit in Fall
- Ultimate New England Road Trip Itinerary
26. Great Basin National Park
Location: Nevada
Score = 37.5/50 (equal with Acadia, Shenandoah, Virgin Islands)
- Facilities: 6.5/10
- Trails: 7.5/10
- Scenery: 8/10
- Photogenic: 7/10
- Crowds/Transport: 8.5/10
27. Shenandoah National Park
Location: Virginia
Score = 37.5/50 (equal with Acadia, Great Basin, Virgin Islands)
- Facilities: 9/10
- Trails: 8/10
- Scenery: 7/10
- Photogenic: 6.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7/10
Read our guide on the Best Things To Do in Shenandoah National Park
28. Virgin Islands National Park
Location: St. John, US Virgin Islands
Score = 37.5/50 (equal with Acadia, Shenandoah, Virgin Islands)
- Facilities: 7.5/10
- Trails: 7.5/10
- Scenery: 8/10
- Photogenic: 7.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7/10
29. Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
Location: Hawaii
Score = 37/50 (equal with Lassen Volcanic)
- Facilities: 7.5/10
- Trails: 7/10
- Scenery: 8/10
- Photogenic: 7.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7/10
30. Lassen Volcanic National Park
Location: California
Score = 37/50 (equal with Hawai’i Volcanoes)
- Facilities: 5/10
- Trails: 8/10
- Scenery: 8.5/10
- Photogenic: 7.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 8/10
31. Joshua Tree National Park
Location: California
Score = 36/50
- Facilities: 8/10
- Trails: 7/10
- Scenery: 7/10
- Photogenic: 7/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7/10
32. Haleakalā National Park
Location: Hawaii
Score = 35/50
- Facilities: 5.5/10
- Trails: 8/10
- Scenery: 8/10
- Photogenic: 8/10
- Crowds/Transport: 5.5/10
33. Canyonlands National Park
Location: Utah
Score = 34.5/50 (equal with Sequoia)
- Facilities: 7/10
- Trails: 6/10
- Scenery: 7/10
- Photogenic: 6.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 8/10
Read our Utah National Parks Itinerary and Guide
34. Sequoia National Park
Location: California
Score = 34.5/50 (equal with Canyonlands)
- Facilities: 7/10
- Trails: 8/10
- Scenery: 7/10
- Photogenic: 5.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7/10
35. Great Sand Dunes National Park
Location: Colorado
Score = 34/50
- Facilities: 4/10
- Trails: 7/10
- Scenery: 7/10
- Photogenic: 7/10
- Crowds/Transport: 9/10
36. Badlands National Park
Location: South Dakota
Score = 33.5/50
- Facilities: 6.5/10
- Trails: 4/10
- Scenery: 7.5/10
- Photogenic: 7.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 8/10
37. Isle Royale National Park
Location: Michigan
Score = 33/50 (equal with American Samoa, Saguaro)
- Facilities: 6/10
- Trails: 7.5/10
- Scenery: 6.5/10
- Photogenic: 6/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7/10
38. National Park of American Samoa
Location: American Samoa
Score = 33/50 (equal with Isle Royale, Saguaro)
- Facilities: 3/10
- Trails: 7/10
- Scenery: 8/10
- Photogenic: 7/10
- Crowds/Transport: 8/10
39. Saguaro National Park
Location: Arizona
Score = 33/50 (equal with Isle Royale, American Samoa)
- Facilities: 8.5/10
- Trails: 6/10
- Scenery: 5/10
- Photogenic: 6/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7.5/10
Read our guide to the best national parks to visit in spring!
40. Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Location: New Mexico
Score = 32.5/50 (equal with Mesa Verde)
- Facilities: 4.5/10
- Trails: 7/10
- Scenery: 7.5/10
- Photogenic: 6/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7.5/10
41. Mesa Verde National Park
Location: Colorado
Score = 32.5/50 (equal with Carlsbad Caverns)
- Facilities: 6.5/10
- Trails: 7/10
- Scenery: 5/10
- Photogenic: 5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 9/10
42. Capitol Reef National Park
Location: Utah
Score = 32/50 (equal with Gates of the Arctic, Mammoth Cave)
- Facilities: 5/10
- Trails: 5/10
- Scenery: 7/10
- Photogenic: 6.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 8.5/10
Guides to help you plan your visit to Capitol Reef:
43. Gates of the Arctic National Park
Location: Alaska
Score = 32/50 (equal with Capitol Reef, Mammoth Cave)
- Facilities: 0/10
- Trails: 8/10
- Scenery: 10/10
- Photogenic: 9/10
- Crowds/Transport: 5/10
Check out our park guide here.
44. Mammoth Cave National Park
Location: Kentucky
Score = 32/50 (equal with Gates of the Arctic, Capitol Reef)
- Facilities: 7/10
- Trails: 6.5/10
- Scenery: 6.5/10
- Photogenic: 5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7/10
45. Hot Springs National Park
Location: Arkansas
Score = 31.5/50 (equal with Petrified Forest)
- Facilities: 9/10
- Trails: 6/10
- Scenery: 5/10
- Photogenic: 3/10
- Crowds/Transport: 8.5/10
46. Petrified Forest National Park
Location: Arizona
Score = 31.5/50 (equal with Hot Springs)
- Facilities: 6/10
- Trails: 6/10
- Scenery: 5/10
- Photogenic: 5.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 9/10
47. Everglades National Park
Location: Florida
Score = 31/50 (equal with Theodore Roosevelt)
- Facilities: 6/10
- Trails: 6/10
- Scenery: 6/10
- Photogenic: 6/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7/10
48. Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Location: North Dakota
Score = 31/50 (equal with Everglades)
- Facilities: 5/10
- Trails: 5/10
- Scenery: 6.5/10
- Photogenic: 6/10
- Crowds/Transport: 8.5/10
10 Lowest Ranked National Parks
We still enjoyed our time at these parks but felt the overall experience wasn’t as good as the higher-scoring parks. Please don’t be put off visiting any of the places below – they were still 100% worth seeing.
49. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Location: Colorado
Score = 30/50 (equal with Guadalupe Mountains)
- Facilities: 6/10
- Trails: 5.5/10
- Scenery: 6/10
- Photogenic: 3.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 9/10
50. Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Location: Texas
Score = 30/50 (equal with Black Canyon of the Gunnison)
- Facilities: 4/10
- Trails: 6.5/10
- Scenery: 5.5/10
- Photogenic: 5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 9/10
51. Dry Tortugas National Park
Location: Florida
Score = 28.5/50 (equal with Wind Cave, Voyageurs)
- Facilities: 3/10
- Trails: 6/10
- Scenery: 7/10
- Photogenic: 5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7.5/10
52. Voyageurs National Park
Location: Minnesota
Score = 28.5/50 (equal with Wind Cave, Dry Tortugas)
- Facilities: 6.5/10
- Trails: 5/10
- Scenery: 5.5/10
- Photogenic: 4/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7.5/10
53. Wind Cave National Park
Location: South Dakota
Score = 28.5/50 (equal with Voyageurs, Dry Tortugas)
- Facilities: 4/10
- Trails: 5.5/10
- Scenery: 6/10
- Photogenic: 4.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 8.5/10
54. Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Location: Ohio
Score = 27.5/50
- Facilities: 8/10
- Trails: 5/10
- Scenery: 4.5/10
- Photogenic: 4/10
- Crowds/Transport: 6/10
55. Kobuk Valley National Park
Location: Alaska
Score = 27/50
- Facilities: 0/10
- Trails: 7/10
- Scenery: 8/10
- Photogenic: 7/10
- Crowds/Transport: 5/10
56. Channel Islands National Park
Location: California
Score = 26/50 (equal with Pinnacles)
- Facilities: 2/10
- Trails: 7/10
- Scenery: 6/10
- Photogenic: 5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 6/10
57. Pinnacles National Park
Location: California
Score = 26/50 (equal with Channel Islands)
- Facilities: 4/10
- Trails: 5.5/10
- Scenery: 5/10
- Photogenic: 4/10
- Crowds/Transport: 7.5/10
58. Biscayne National Park
Location: Florida
Score = 25/50
- Facilities: 5/10
- Trails: 5.5/10
- Scenery: 4.5/10
- Photogenic: 3.5/10
- Crowds/Transport: 6.5/10
59. Congaree National Park
Location: South Carolina
Score = 23.5/50
- Facilities: 5.5/10
- Trails: 4/10
- Scenery: 3/10
- Photogenic: 3/10
- Crowds/Transport: 8/10
How long is your National Park bucket list now?!
I hope we have inspired you to explore these beautiful parks and to get outside and do everything in your power to help cherish protected areas, respect our beautiful natural spaces and follow the National Park Service’s guidelines. Don’t forget to check out our US National Park Bucket List!
More National Park Tips
- How to Plan the Perfect National Parks Visit
- 15 Least Crowded National Parks in the US
- The 15 Most Underrated National Parks in America
- Comprehensive Mount Rainier National Park Guide
- The Ultimate Guide to Exploring Grand Teton National Park
- In-depth Guide to Visiting Yosemite National Park
PIN for later Planning!
Thanks for sharing such an amazing article. I would love to visit there.
Thanks for the great list! I do take exception to Black Canyon of the Gunnison getting a 3.5 rating for “photogenic”. Did you actually SEE it? It’s spectacular! That said, great list and thanks again…
Hello there, You’ve performed a fantastic job. I’ll certainly Dig it and in my view suggest it to my friends. Greate post. Keep writing such kind of info. I’m really impressed. Everything is very open with a precise clarification of the issues
I was sort of disappointed. I was hoping to see East Coast Parks included.
Great post! Found the trail rating to be inconsistent. Great Smoky Mountains has maybe 300+ miles of trails which gave it a 9/10 yet Denali which maybe has 20 miles of trails got a 10/10. I was also surprised to see Grand Canyon, which has the epic and long hikes across the rim was only a 8/10. Of course quantity does not always trump over quality, but it’s just strange to me that parks with so few trails got a perfect score while others with many miles of fantastic trails were barely above average.
Thanks! Just wanted to mention that the trail scores were not based on the amount or length of a park’s trails, rather how amazing/scenic they were
Thank you for this post. I found it helpful.
This is obviously one great post. Thanks for the valuable information and insights you have provided here.
Great post. Thank you for sharing.
For anyone who sees Ohio as disappointing go to Hocking Hills instead of Cuyahoga. To me its a lot more beautiful
Hi Renee, nice list. Your bias for the northwest part of the US and it’s parks is strong – draw a triangle from Yosemite through Yellowstone and 14 of your top 15 are in this region or Alaska. It just means you think trees/green/mountains make the best experience. My wife and I started two years ago visiting national parks – we hope to hit about ten or so per year. (The three in Washington are next) What we have discovered is every park is so different and unique and each must be appreciated for what it offers on its own merits as opposed to what it offers compared to others. For example, Consider the drive in entrance to each park and the feeling you get when one just grabs your attention: like driving up the road in Arches and rounding the bend into the valley or the feeling of driving to a jungle of cactus in Saguaro. I guess I am saying each park is number 1 in its own way and maybe a ranking of the best highlight/trail/photo opportunity would be more valuable to your readers?
I love this ranking. I will book mark it to keep myself coming back to this post!
This is such a great list! They way you scored, organized, and summarized is so useful!
I’m off on my journey to visit as many as possible starting in 2021! Here’s to checking them all off the list! Wish me luck!
Such a detailed & helpful guide. Loved the pics! Bookmarking this one 🙂
Born and raised St Louisan here…if you haven’t already taken your trip to the Gateway Arch, I’d advise that you find something else big and spectacular to center that trip on, with the Arch as a quick stopover point. The arch is a way to spend a boring afternoon, in order to be just slightly less bored. A couple hours tops, in the heart of a downtown that is the opposite of thriving, and a view that will make you go, “huh?!” I love my city, but oof. Good luck with that one. At least you may get some laughs out of it when you get there. No doubt it’ll end up to be the lowest ranking. Happy travels!
The all look stunning✨
I am 15 years old and have been to 50 national parks. I hope to get to the 5 Alaska parks that you can’t drive to next year. I have been documenting the parks on my YouTube channel, National Park Wild. I am curious as to whether you’ve gotten to the 3 newest parks yet and how much you like them. I also would appreciate if you saw some of my videos and told me what you think. Thanks, Renee.
My Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkHUX-NG1Tzxmx0IU8zNOLg
This post is very helpful, I am bookmarking this for future. Thank you so much, I love the way you have given separate scores for each aspect, which means we can choose what we like the most!
Scenery should trump all other considerations (except maybe for Gates of the Arctic, where access is probably the most difficult)
That’s why I have the ranking breakdowns, so people can see for themselves what scores the parks received. I plan to do another blog post on which parks are the most stunning just based on scenery
The overall score for Bryce Canyon (40) does not equal the sum of it’s individual scores (they add to 39.5). Can you let us know what the discrepancy is? I’m referencing these scores in a research paper for school 🙂 Looking forward to purchasing and reading your book!
Also hoping you can double check Congaree NP (off by 1), Glacier NP (off by 0.5) for us? Basically wondering if we should reference the overall scores or the categorical scores.
Hi Samantha. Are you able to email me more about this study that you say is based on my trip and personal findings? info@reneeroaming.com
Absolutely! Just sent you a message 🙂
I am impressed you made it to all the parks, let alone in 7 months! My husband and I have been to 37 of the 62 so far. Honestly, I was surprised to see Petrified Forest ranked that highly. Guadalupe Mountains was a real disappointment. Many of the parks you ranked the lowest are among the parks we haven’t visited yet. Gotta make it to all of them!
Thanks so much for this list! My favorites are certainly Canyonlands and Arches! (Arches can get a little busy, though)
It’s clear that you and I have very similar taste. I always tend to favor mountainous parks, and the ones in Alaska are just beyond. It’s so hard to rate these since they’re all astounding.
Thanks for this list!!
Thanks for ranking the National Parks. It will help me plan my future travels.
By the way, I am looking at NPS website here: https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/national-park-system.htm . It shows 62 National Parks. Sounds like 3 more got added since your last update. Please check it out.
Great pics!!
Hi great project and site. I noticed you didn’t visit grand canyon North rim. Although not officially a separate park to the South rim it feels like a different one and is bigger and more spectacular than many other parks. Did you end up going there?
Awesome PICS
Awesome PICS!
Hi Renee! Great post and it’s so incredible how you got to see all of the national parks, that is just mind blowing since a lot of people don’t get the chance to do that. I’ve seen 9 national parks so far and I did it all within a year (with not having many months to travel) so I can’t imagine all the dedication and time you put to this. Now I can see from your post what almost each one is like.
This is so cool! It’s on my bucket list to visit all of them as well; the last two summers I’ve been trying to see as many as I can. I’ve been to 20 of these 59 plus Indiana Dunes! I will be adding another 5 next month!
Thanks for this list. So envious of all the beauty you’ve seen! Our country is truly beautiful.
You may want to check the picture you posted for Dry Tortugas in Florida. We were there in the spring and that it not accurate. Thanks again for the inspiration.
Gosh you are right! I had accidentally uploaded a photo from Biscayne. All fixed now, thank you 🙂
I really enjoyed your list… they are all beautiful indeed. I am sad you used the word “worst”. None of these deserve to be associated with such a negative word.
Love that you are promoting our national parks and have been able to visit so many. I think when you start ranking the parks it becomes very subjective and what in your opinion ranks as “worst”could be in someone else’s opinion “best”.
Ratings for crowded conditions is entirely dependent on the time of year one visits each park. Scenery and Photogenic is all in the eyes of each individual and how they interpret beauty. Lack/abundance of facilities is also open to personal preferences. Trails also can be judged using a wide criteria.
Guess I would rather you presented info about each park but allowed each traveler to determine their own favorites after their own personal visit.
This is a reallllllly great ranking! We’re working our way through all the NP’s as well except at a much slower pace! I agree with other commenters that seeing the breakdown of your scoring would be super beneficial. It would allow people using your list as a guide to better determine if an area you ranked low or high Is a dealbreaker for them. For example, being a geologist, and from California, and visiting Yosemite and Death Valley more times than I can count… I find that Death Valley has far more to offer in terms of beauty, rugged nature, adventures, and photography than Yosemite. The crowds at Yosemite kill a lot of the vibe for me personally and outweigh any driving I need to do between spots in Death Valley. I read your info about Death Valley and nothing in it tells me why the points were so low. I know this was your ranking of your experience/preferences which is why more info on the ranking would be a huge help! Thanks!!
This is a wonderful post and your photos are STUNNING! One of the items on my Bucket List is to visit as many National Parks s I can and take photographs while doing so. I will keep this post as a guide. Thank you!
Really inspiring! The photos are great however in your rankings the pic you have under Guadalupe National Park is actually a shot of the del Carmen mountains in Big Bend National Park. Great pic but not accurate.
You are right! Thanks for pointing out that error Steve, I have now updated the photo
Did ya forget Sequoia National Park? or did I not see it and Crater Lake National Park.
They are all there!
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Good list, even though it is subjective. I prefer northern forests and lakes to deserts. Most of the Alaska parks take some serious travel to get to but they are huge and the most impressive.
Gateway arch in St. Louis was changed from National monument to national park after the visitor center was renovated. Why? I don’t know. I thought it was perfectly fine as a National monument.
Also check out my attempt at ranking here
https://journey2allnationalparks.com/general/best-national-parks/
Gateway is not a national park but, in fact, a national recreation area. Not the same designation. Very cool to see someone visiting all the parks all within a year. As an Arkansas native and someone who has been to about half of the parks so far, I’m very much surprised to see Hot Springs so high on the list ahead of Wind Cave, Black Canyon, Channel Islands, and Pinnacles. However, I think that this brings up a great point that there is something for everyone in our national parks system and everyone is going to enjoy every park in a different way.
Gateway is a National Park now, happened in early 2018
The only thing I was surprised by was low ratings on a few for photogenic. They all looked so pretty, I don’t know how you could not want to rate them all high! Although that would probably defeat the purpose of the rating. 😂 I look forward to one day visiting them all, too. For now, I’ve only done 4 with plans for 2-6 more. So many to go!
We are heading to Crater Lake next week. Unfortunately there are fires burning in the area again. : ( What was your favorite trail there, and your favorite viewpoint?
My husband and I also shoot with Sony a7rII ‘s ; )
Great to know about your passion. I have visited 33 of the 59. Mostly not done away from main land NPS. Liked your post very much although YNP ranked 16 is too low ranking from my opinion. Anyway I must respect your opinion as you have made a visit to all 59, a huge achievement.
We are also in the misdst of visiting all national parks…. 47 done right now. Even after 47, I still rank Yellowstone as #1 for the sheer variety and beauty. It has elements of so many of the other parks all in one. The main downside is the crowd but if you go in shoulder season and willing to put up with the weather, and go hike in the trails, no problem!
You sure you ranked Pinnacles right on this list? Seems crazy for that to be so low, and when you click over to the guide via the link, it’s ranked much higher.
We didn’t include the rankings on our individuals guides, you may be getting confused with the park number (order in which we visited each one)
This ranking is tremendously subjective. Yellowstone is easily one of the single best. Grand Teton is beautiful but the wildlife is hardly equal to the scenery. Katmai is amazing, in fact the cover Brown Bear at Brooks Falls is the cover photo along with I assume Renee standing overlooking I am not even sure where. Fact is the National Parks are easily one of America’s Best Ideas. I have been a member of the National Park Foundation for years and have worked at several. I have never been to them all. My Brother Kermit and I have donated about a thousand acres to the USA. Fortunately there is still some private farm and ranch land that is very well managed.
Hello! I was wondering how much time we would need to do all four national parks in Colorado!? How much time would you allot for each? Also on a separate leg we are planning to do the Tetons, Yellowstone and Glacier and since you’re the expert I was also wondering how much time for those as well (sorry for bugging). You guys are a real inspiration to me and my husband, thank you for sharing your life with us!
We’re only at 8 national parks! 🙂 We moved to the US a little over a year ago and have been continuously blown away by how beautiful and well-maintained the national parks are (well, the ones we’ve visited anyway). Thanks for sharing this list – so much more travel inspiration here!
Thank you for this blog! I’m trying to make all the parks, also. Will visit Alaska this month, but know I won’t have time to make all the parks there. I have been to 29 parks. Love to see what our beautiful country offers!
It’s very cool to see how others rate their top parks! A few of our favorites were toward the end of your list. Goes to show that EVERYONE can have a different experience at each of our National Parks! Thanks for sharing 🙂
For sure, I love that we all have different experiences 🙂
Great post about all the national parks, loved to read which ones you liked most.
Thanks for reading Angelique! 🙂
Wow what a fantastic evaluation of all the parks. Incredible photos and and lots of very helpful info and stats. Amazing work Renee and Matt.
Thank you!!!
Hmm, we really have a different take and some of your worst were our best. I can only say that although everything has its beauty, not everyone sees it. Obviously, we have a different lens.
Absolutely, and that’s why this is a personal opinion piece and not fact. Everyone is going to appreciate different parks and different things about each park. I make it pretty clear at the beginning of this post that it’s just based on the experience I had and the things I like to see.
Very cool! Here is another National Park to add to the list – El Yunque National Forest.
Thanks for reading! I would love to visit El Yunque but the reason it didn’t make this list is because it’s a National Forest, not Park.
Wow, Stunning pictures! You must have been patient to wait for just the right lighting for some of these pictures.
We are in the process of visiting all 59 National Parks. While we’ve been to the Gateway Arch, I still can’t really accept that it was named a National Park! It’s not deserving!
I also created a ranked list of National Parks, but based not on my ratings (although I rate them also in my blog), but based on visitation and distance. Check it out at https://journey2allnationalparks.com/general/best-national-parks/ and see what you think.
Of course, most of the fun is to debate this list. There is no definitive rank order. Everyone has their take on it. I’m surprised Teton #1 while Yellowstone is #16! I do agree Congaree is #59.
Also check out my blog at https://journey2allnationalparks.com/
Thanks Sidney! I agree with you about Gateway Arch… seems like a very odd choice for a national park! Love our stat heavy your post is – super informative!
This is an incredible list and so helpful and useful ,you do amazing work thks David
Thank you! 🙂
Hi Renee! First, love this post! I regularly refer back to it 🙂 however, after recently visiting Gates of the Arctic, I slightly disagree with your assessment of transport/crowds. While most people fly in, it is also possible to hike in from the Dalton Highway and definitely visible from the highway. Moreover, it’s closer to Coldfoot and Bettles than Kobuk Valley, making it less likely that weather will impede flights. So while transport there isn’t super easy, it’s not nearly as hard to reach as Kobuk and so, in my opinion, should probably have a higher score, if only by a little bit.
This is amazing. Thanks for showing us this. Can you please comment on how you rated these? Just curious.
Yeah, if you read the intro you’d know.
As Steve mentioned, I have some information at the beginning of the post talking about how we ranked the parks. Thanks for reading!
Hi,
I get your point system. Did i miss the breakdown though? I see the totals, but I am not seeing the categories like in your example. Oh and Steve, If i missed it, please dont be rude!
I totally agree with MP. I’d love to see how you rated each park, rather than just the sum. My personal preference puts a lot more emphasis on crowds and trails over facilities and how photogenic a place is, plus I could calibrate your scale using my own impressions of parks I’ve visited. It’s just a suggestion – thanks for putting this together!
I just recently added the breakdowns for each park. I hope that helps!
Love to see which ones you liked from best to worst. Trying my hardest to see all 59 but it is a long process! I am at 14 right now and I will see Glacier, Channel Islands, Hot Springs, Acadia and Great Sand dunes in the next year. I am so excited!
14 is amazing! Glacier is a real gem! Enjoy 🙂