If you follow my blog closely, you know how much of a national parks enthusiast I am. I believe that preserving the world’s incredible landscapes and national parklands is a great way to do that. In the United States, we are blessed with many outstanding parks. I am planning an Eastern National Parks road trip to explore some Eastern parks I have yet to visit.

In this eastern national parks road trip guide, I will outline the route that I have planned. This includes the parks that I plan to visit, some of the epic hikes I plan to take, and some of the planning I did to put this trip together. Of course, after touring these amazing parks, I will be posting some detailed guides on how best to explore these incredible parklands.

Eastern National Parks Road Trip Itinerary

Over a week, I plan on driving a loop itinerary as I explore several incredible parks in the eastern United States. This eastern national parks road trip will cover just short of two thousand miles and will require almost thirty hours of driving. However, I plan to break that driving up into small, manageable chunks over the seven days. For more details on my itinerary, please see the map I included below.

Mammoth Cave National Park

The first stop on my eastern national parks road trip is a park that I have been to in the past but didn’t have a lot of time to explore. While Mammoth Cave National Park may not be one of the more well-known parks in the United States, it is pretty incredible. It is one of the longest cave systems in the entire world. On this trip, I plan to explore the cave system on a tour, as well as do some hiking around the park.

List of Things to See and Do

• Cave Tours
• Great Onyx Cave
• Cedar Sink
• Mammoth Cave Railroad and Bike and Hike Trail
• Horseback Riding
• Sunset Point
• Collie Ridge
• Night Stargazing in the Park
• Hike the Sand Cave Trail
• Paddle the Green River

New River Gorge National Park

The second parkland on my eastern national parks road trip itinerary is America’s newest national park. The stunning New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia has only been a national park since 2020. This spectacular landscape is known for its incredible hiking, climbing, and whitewater adventures. One interesting adventure I plan on doing is the renowned bridge walk. Walking underneath the iconic New River Gorge Bridge should be an experience to remember!

List of Things to See and Do

• The Canyon Rim
• Grandview Overlook
• Thurmond Historic District
• Sandstone Falls
• Hawks Nest State Park
• Babcock State Park
• The Bridge Walk
• Endless Wall Trail
• Kaymoor Miner’s Trail
• Long Point Trail
• Fayette Station Road
• Rafting, Biking, and Climbing
• Concho Rim Overlook
• Castle Rock Trail
• Tunnel Trail
• Turkey Spur Overlook
• Sandstone Falls

Shenandoah National Park

After exploring New River Gorge, my next stop on my eastern national parks road trip will be to nearby Shenandoah National Park. This is one of the top national parklands in the Eastern United States and is a gold mine of incredible hiking trails and viewpoints.

In addition to driving the infamous Skyline Drive and hiking to some incredible waterfalls, the highlight of the visit for me will be doing the Old Rag Mountain hike. This class 3 hike includes some of the most technical rock scrambling in the Eastern United States and should be an epic adventure.

List of Things to See and Do

• Skyline Drive
• Old Rag Mountain Loop Hike
• Dark Hollow Falls
• Hawksbill Mountain
• Mary’s Rock Summit
• Rose River Falls
• Bearfence Mountain Hike
• Doyles River Falls
• Hazel River Falls
• Sugarloaf Loop
• The Appalachian Trail
• Stony Man Mountain
• Limberlost Trail

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

The final stop on my eastern national parks road trip is Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio. I will be stopping at the park on my way back home and I cannot wait to explore it. The Cuyahoga Valley is simply breathtaking and has some of the best hiking trails in the Midwest United States. What a way to cap off an incredible national parks road trip.

List of Things to See and Do

• Erie Townpath Trail
• Ride on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
• Canal Exploration Center
• Tinkers Creek Gorge Scenic Overlook
• Bridal Veil Falls
• Deer Lick Cave and Bridal Loop Trail
• Brandywine Falls
• Blue Hen Falls
• The Ledges Trail
• The Ledges Overlook
• Kendall Lake
• Everett Covered Bridge
• Beaver Marsh

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