My Unfinished List of U.S. National Parks
Selfishly, I created this page to keep a personal record of the US National Parks that I’ve been to and notable things about them. I included when I went, what I did when I was there and what I would do differently if I visited them again. I do not have any regrets for not doing certain things at the park, but I wanted to give you something to ponder if you are visiting them yourself. I don’t typically plan out what I want to do when I get to a new place and instead focus on taking it slow when I am there. With that being said, I hope these notes and pictures are interesting and helpful to you!
This page was last updated on 3/13/2024
2024
Rocky Mountain, Colorado
I have been to Rocky Mountain at least four times, as it is the park that I have lived closest to. Two of my visits were spent driving through the park and stopping off at the overlooks. One of the trips was spent hiking with my brother and his girlfriend, Katie. We took a beautiful trail up to Bear Lake (I think). The most recent trip here was with Cosmo and his brother, Stephen. We work up early and spent a day at the park. It was cool to see it in the early morning- foggy and cold, then lighten up when the clouds cleared and the sun came out.
When I went: August and October 2021, October 2022, March 2024
Who I went with: solo trip, siblings, brother and his girlfriend, Katie, Cosmo and Stephen, solo trip
Notable things/places: Lots of trails and overlooks
If I visit again: I will do more hiking.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado
I took a solo camping trip to Black Canyon of the Gunnison because I was really missing traveling and had Birthday PTO to use. It was a 5 hour drive from where I was living, so a lot of my weekend was spent on the road. I arrived at the park at 9:00PM but I had a campsite reserved, so there wasn’t any stress about finding a place to stay. I spent the next day driving around and walking throughout the park. It is a very underrated National Park; as you can see, the views are breathtaking!
When I went: August 13th-15th, 2022
Who I went with: Solo trip- part of my van life travels
Notable things/places: Not very busy, lots of short hiking trails and overlooks, dark sky national park
If I visit again: I will get a permit to go to the bottom of the canyon.
Gateway Arch, Missouri
On my way from Florida to Wisconsin this spring, I drove up to Kentucky, then over to Iowa. I was able to stop at both Mammoth Cave and Gateway Arch on the way. I didn’t spend much time at either park as I had my mind set on driving and not stretching the trip out into too many days. I didn’t have much of a plan for when I would get to either park or how long I would stay at them, so I didn’t have anything booked in terms of extra excursions or added fees. When I got to Gateway Arch, the tram rides to the top of the arch were already full so I was not able to partake. Unfortunately, that is really the main event of the whole place. They have an awesome museum underneath the arch, but not very much to see other than that. I wouldn’t have made a special trip to the arch but since it was partially on my way, I decided to swing by. I wasn’t there for very long but I’m still counting it.
When I went: April 1st, 2022
Who I went with: Solo trip- part of my van life travels
Notable things/places: Pretty grounds, cool museum underneath with a ton of information. Options for a tram ride and theater show.
If I visit again: I will take the tram up to the top of the arch.
Mammoth Cave, Kentucky
At mammoth cave, I took the cheapest option and went into the main part of the cave on a “self-guided” tour. This was partly because all of the other trips were already booked. I’m also slightly claustrophobic so the little time that I spent in the cave was enough for me. I’m still very glad that I went. It is a very unique place and unlike anywhere I have ever been.
When I went: March 31st, 2022
Who I went with: Solo trip- part of my van life travels
Notable things/places: They have a lot of different excursions to do within the cave and there is also hiking outside of the caves.
If I visit again: I will invest in one of the excursions further into the cave. I think the deep cave experience would have been one of a kind despite my claustrophobia. They have a few different options there and all of them have guides, so at least they know the ins and outs of the cave and what is safe.
Everglades, Florida
In hopes of getting away from the cold, I spent most of my January, February, and March months in Florida. I really enjoyed my time there and spent a few weeks down by the Everglades. I camped within the park and was able to explore quite a bit of it. I also splurged on two of their tours which allowed me to see and learn more about the park. There is a lot of wildlife to learn about and see within the park- Alligators, crocodiles, and different birds.
When I went: February 2022
Who I went with: Solo trip- part of my van life travels
Notable things/places: I did the Shark Valley Tram Tour and Flamingo Boat Tour. I also spent a lot of time in Big Cypress National Preserve which is just north of the national park.
If I visit again: I will go on a kayaking or canoeing trip.
Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee/North Carolina
I absolutely loved North Carolina the first time that I visited because it was SO green. I had been wanting to go back ever since, so naturally, I headed that way on one of my van trips. However, I was now traveling in January, not the middle of summer. Nothing was green anymore. I wouldn’t say I was surprised about that, but I was surprised by how chilly it was. We headed down south to get out of the cold and it ended up snowing for a few of the nights. I think visiting the Great Smoky Mountains during the summer would be an entirely different experience, but I am still glad that we made the stop. We drove around the park for most of the visit, stopping off at the numerous overlooks they have along the way. We also did the hike to Cataract Falls which was a bit challenging with the mud and steps, but a few strangers helped us and we were able to make it to the falls.
When I went: January, 2022
Who I went with: Cosmo
Notable things/places: Cataract Falls, lots of overlooks along the drive.
If I visit again: I will go during the spring or summer when everything is lush and green.
2021
Glacier, Montana
I visited Glacier with my cousin, Eden, in August of 2021. This was my first big van trip and it did not disappoint. I drove from Colorado up to Montana and picked him up from the airport before getting to the park. We spent about a week driving through the park and camping in the surrounding towns. There was a lot of hiking, driving, and cooking over my camp stove. Overall, a great experience. The views were beautiful despite the sky being hazy most of the time we were there.
When I went: August, 2021
Who I went with: My cousin, Eden
Notable things/places: Logan Pass, Red Rock Falls, Going-to-the-Sun Road, Running Eagle Falls
If I visit again: I will book a campsite within the park. We spent way too much time looking for spots to camp or booking sites that were unnecessarily far away.
Mesa Verde, Colorado
On my way from Arizona back up to Colorado Springs, CO, I stayed near Mesa Verde for a few nights. I only explored the park for a few hours one day and didn’t give myself nearly enough time. I also didn’t pay attention to where I was going and ended up going to a smaller section of the park instead of the main attraction. It was still cool to see and I drove around quite a bit. Unfortunately, I didn’t take too many pictures while I was there and I only have a few additional videos to look back on. I’m not sure if I will make a trip out of visiting this park again, but if I do I’ll be sure to appreciate it a lot more.
When I went: September, 2021
Who I went with: Solo trip- part of my van life travels
If I visit again: I will be sure to go to the main part of the park and give myself more time to learn about the history.
Grand Canyon, Arizona
The Grand Canyon was the first national park that I visited. The first trip I made was in 2017 with my late friend, Kelsey, and her family. We spent a week in Arizona and took a day trip up to the park. I remember it being very hot and busy at the park. We walked along the edge of the canyon, taking in the view of the canyon below. I returned to the Grand Canyon in 2021 with my boyfriend, Cosmo. This time, we went closer to the end of the day and ended up catching the sunset while we were there. It was a bit hard to see from the angle we were at, but it cast a beautiful glow on the canyon below. Going later in the day also meant that there were less people; it was quiet and very peaceful.
When I went: March 2017 and August 2021
Who I went with: Kelsey and her family; Cosmo
If I visit again: I would ideally get a permit to go down into the canyon. I am not sure how feasible this is but it would be an amazing experience to spend time hiking down by the river that runs through it.
