I put together a summer road‑trip itinerary through the American West that linked some of the region’s most memorable national parks and landscapes, and I’m sharing the full route to help others planning a similar trip.


I put together a summer road‑trip itinerary through the American West that linked some of the region’s most memorable national parks and landscapes, and I’m sharing the full route to help others planning a similar trip.

While Crater Lake National Park in southern Oregon may not be as well-known as some of the other parks in the Western United States, that doesn’t mean it isn’t every bit as beautiful. In fact, as lake parks go, it may be the most beautiful in America. Centered around a deep, water-filled volcanic crater that has formed the deepest lake in North America,

White Sands is one of the most stunning landscapes in the United States. Not only is it the largest collection of sand dunes in the United States, but the beautiful white, gypsum sand dunes are also some of the most unique sand dunes found anywhere in the world. While gypsum is one of the most common minerals on the planet, because it easily dissolves in water, it is very rarely found on the surface of the ground. These unique and amazing traits made White Sands worthy of becoming a National Monument back in 1933.

Consisting of 117 known caves, the biggest of which spans roughly 8 acres and is the largest accessible cave chamber in North America, Carlsbad Caverns is one of the most unique landscapes in the American National Parks system. In addition to being an amazing landscape, the national park is also home to some fantastic wildlife.

If you love going to national parks but are on a budget that has been limiting you and your family from enjoying them as much as you would like to, the US National Parks Service has an offer that might be music to your ears. If you have a child that is in fourth grade, they qualify for the Every Kid Outdoors free national parks pass from the US National Parks Service. With this pass, your child can get your entire family into any US National Park for free.

If you are into hanging out by the lake, camping out on a beautiful summer night, and doing some challenging hiking, then you will absolutely love Indiana Dunes. The park has some of the most beautiful beaches in the great lakes, which should come as no surprise as the park is known for its gigantic coastal sand dunes.

If you haven’t been paying attention to the news concerning the US national parks lately, you may not be aware that there is a growing problem in the parks system. They are becoming far too popular and far too easy to access. Now, you may be wondering how the parks being too popular and too easy to access are problems, and on the people, I wouldn’t blame you for thinking that.

Imagine a place where cactuses grow to be as big as telephone poles, the sunsets look like they came right out of a postcard, and the roadrunner you grew up watching on cartoons really does scurry around the landscape. If that sounds intriguing to you, then you will absolutely love Saguaro National Park in Arizona.

The month of February has brought some very big news for the national parks system in the United States. This month, the United States National Parks Service announced the addition of a new national park. The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has officially been designated as America’s 61st national park. This is great news for all of those who love beautiful places and want to see those places preserved.

I have put together a list of the Top 20 most beautiful viewpoints in America’s national parks. These are viewpoints that take my breath away and keep me wanting to come back to see them again-and-again.

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