Guide to US National Parks: How to See Everything

I have tried to gather all my experience of traveling through national parks in this article, so I am sharing my observations and recommendations.

Get ready for a long read :)

If you are planning your first trip to the national parks of the United States, here is some basic information you should know:

1. Annual pass. If you plan to visit more than 2-3 national parks at a time, get an Annual Pass. It is valid for a whole year and costs $80, giving you access to more than 2,000 recreational areas in America. You can check the list of parks on the website. For comparison, entry to a single park costs between $10 and $35 per vehicle, so an Annual Pass will save you a lot of money.

2. Duration of the trip. National parks are simply huge. If you plan to spend one day visiting a park, you probably won't see much. Therefore, I recommend going for at least two days, booking a place at a campsite or hotel in a nearby town, and enjoying the incredible beauty of nature.

3. Seasonality and trails in parks. Most national parks in America are open year-round, but seasonality is still particularly relevant for some. For example, in Sequoia National Park, free shuttles—buses that can take you anywhere in the park—do not run between September 8 and May 22. Some routes are even closed to visitors. Therefore, before visiting a park, check the park's schedule and activities on the National Park Service website.

4. Parking. During the peak season (May-September), it is quite difficult to find a parking space close to the main attractions of the park, so it is advisable to arrive early in the morning. Most parking lots are located near tourist centers (Visitor Centers) and major attractions. In America, it is not worth breaking the rules and parking your car in a disabled parking space — not only will you be fined between $200 and $1,000 (depending on state laws), but you will also be met with disapproving looks.

Bonus Tip: I recommend purchasing a Passport to Your National Parks (it costs $10). It is a small book with a list of all the national parks in America, where you can mark your visit to the park as a souvenir (stamp, date, or sticker). Stamps are completely free, but stickers can be purchased for $2 and up.

Now let's take a virtual tour of the most famous parks in Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California and figure out what to see, where, and when.

I am sharing my personal experience, observations, and the results of tons of reading about America's national parks :)

Yosemite National Park, California

Yosemite is rightly considered one of the most beautiful parks in the United States. It's no coincidence that its views inspired Apple to create the Yosemite operating system — you can see the famous El Capitan mountain on the Macbook screensaver. You should set aside at least a few days for the park, and even better, stay there at a campsite. You can book a camping spot here. The park is so huge that one day will definitely not be enough. It covers an area of approximately 3,000 square kilometers.

Where to start your trip: The drive to the park from San Francisco takes about 4 hours (195 miles/314 km), and from Los Angeles, 5-6 hours (313 miles/504 km). In any case, it's a long drive, so be prepared.

Free shuttles run within the park. You can view the map and schedule here.

When to go: The park is open year-round. The ideal time to visit, when the park has comfortable temperatures (+15-20°C), is September. Please note that some roads may be closed due to snowfall from November to May, or even June.

What to see: Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, Yosemite Tunnel View, Glacier Point, El Capitan, Mariposa Grove. Yosemite is also famous for its waterfalls (note: in summer they will not be very full, so it is better to plan your trip for spring): BridalVeil Fall, Vernall Fall, Upper Yosemite Fall.

To really get to know the park, you need to choose a trail – a walking route for tourists. It is worth considering the difficulty, length, and time you have available. There are more than 60 trails in Yosemite.

Below is a list of the most popular ones among tourists:

Mirror Lake Trail

• Starting point: Yosemite Valley (Mirror Lake Trail)
• Length: 2.4 miles/3.8 km round trip
• Estimated hiking time: 1-3 hours
• Difficulty: easy (best to go in spring or summer)

Half Dome Trail

Half Dome is a huge granite rock and one of the symbols of Yosemite Park.

• Starting point: There are several starting points: Glacier Point, Little Yosemite Valley, John Muir Trail)
• Length: 20 miles/32 km round trip from Glacier Point
• Estimated hiking time: 10-14 hours
• Difficulty: very steep climb and difficult trail. To get here, you need a special permit, which is issued randomly. You can read more about it here

Upper Yosemite Falls

• Starting point: Lower Yosemite Falls
• Distance: 7.6 miles/12 km (round trip) from the Lower Yosemite Falls trail
• Estimated hiking time: 6-10 hours
• Difficulty: very strenuous (elevation at the peak of Yosemite Falls is 1,989 m)

Four Mile Trail

• Starting point: Four Mile Trailhead (Yosemite Valley) or Glacier Point
• Length: 4.8 miles/7.7 km (one way)
• Estimated hiking time: 3-4 hours (one way)
• Difficulty: very strenuous. The trail is closed during winter

A complete list of trails with descriptions can be found at the link.

Park entrance fee: $35 per car

Sequoia National Park, California

Sequoia National Park is the only one of its kind, home to giant sequoia trees that can reach 3,000-4,000 years of age and nearly 100 meters in height. Sequoias grow only in this region; you won't find them anywhere else on earth. I had dreamed of coming here for almost 10 years, and when I saw these giants, I simply couldn't believe my eyes and that nature could create such a wonder of the world!

Best place to start your trip:

It is best to travel to the park from San Francisco or the small towns of Fresno or Visalia. Please note that the road to the park climbs thousands of kilometers up a very steep mountain serpentine. It is advisable to go there with experienced drivers. The schedule of free shuttle buses that run through the park can be found here.

When to go: The park is open year-round, but the peak season is usually from July to mid-September. Starting in September, due to weather conditions and lower temperatures, some trails begin to close, and free shuttle buses stop running throughout the park.

What to see: Be sure to visit the Giant Forest Museum, where you can learn a lot of useful information about both the park itself and the sequoia tree. Visit the General Sherman Tree, the largest sequoia in the park. It is almost 84 meters tall, weighs about 2 tons, and is 2,700 years old!

Also, check out Tunnel Log—this is where, back in 1937, an 83-meter-tall, 6-meter-diameter sequoia tree fell, which was over 2,000 years old. Since it was impossible to remove it at the time, it was left in place and a tunnel was carved through it, which crowds of tourists now drive through in their cars and take photos for social media.

Trails

General Sherman Tree

• Starting point: upper or lower parking lot (General Sherman Parking Lot)
• Length: 1 mile/1.6 km
• Estimated hiking time: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: easy

Parker Group

Starting point: First stop in Giant Forest

The Parker Group is a group of eight sequoias symbolizing the eight members of the family of James Parker, who was the superintendent of Sequoia National Park.

Crescent Meadow

• Starting point: Crescent Meadow parking lot
• Distance: 1.8 miles/2.9 km
• Estimated hiking time: 2 hours
• Difficulty: easy

Moro Rock Trail

Moro Rock is a huge granite rock, about 100 million years old (!), with an excellent view of the entire park.

• Starting point: Crescent Meadow Road (parking lot at Moro Rock)
• Length: 0.5 miles/0.8 km (round trip)
• Estimated hiking time: depends on your pace (350 steps up)
• Difficulty: moderately difficult

In addition, from mid-May to November, you can visit Crystal Cave in Sequoia Park. For technical details, useful information, and online tickets, visit the website.

Park entrance fee: $35 per car

Grand Canyon (Grand Canyon National Park North Rim), Arizona

The Grand Canyon needs no introduction. It is one of the deepest and longest canyons in the world. It is almost 450 kilometers long, 30 kilometers wide, and more than 1.5 kilometers deep. Its size is impressive, and when you see it for the first time, you simply can't believe your eyes!

Where is the best place to start your trip:

Las Vegas is the closest point of departure to the park. However, it is worth noting that there are three entrances to the park: north, south, and west.

• The South Rim is the most visited part by tourists.
• The North Rim is more remote and less popular with tourists.
• The western part (The Hualapai Tribe and Skywalk) is where the Skywalk glass bridge hangs over the canyon. The bridge is located outside the park and requires a separate fee (about $70 per person).

The distances between these entrances are enormous, so this should definitely be taken into account when planning your route.

• From Las Vegas to the South Rim – 278 miles/447 km (4.5 hours)
• From the South Rim to the North Rim – 212 miles/341 km (4 hours)
• From Las Vegas to the North Rim – 275 miles/443 km (4.5 hours)

We arrived at the North Rim at sunset, and it was the most beautiful sunset of my life! When the sun spreads its red color across this gigantic wonder of the world, you want to freeze for a moment and remember this moment for the rest of your life.

What to see:

• North Rim: Vista Encantada, Point Imperial, Valhalla Overlook
• West Rim: Skywalk Bridge
• South Rim: Grand Canyon Village, Mather Point, Yavapai Point

Park entrance fee: $35 per car

Zion National Park, Utah

Zion National Park is one of the oldest national parks in Utah. It stretches for 600 km across the state. Although it is less popular among European tourists than its neighbor, the Grand Canyon, it is very popular with Americans.

Where to go from:

It takes about 3-4 hours to drive from Las Vegas to Zion National Park. I recommend stopping in Springdale on the way to the park to see the fantastic sunset overlooking the park's red rocks and experience the real American countryside.

When to go: The park is open year-round, but it gets very hot in the summer (temperatures can rise above 30°C). The ideal season to visit is September-October ( ). Free shuttle buses run in the park (every 7 minutes).

What to see: Zion National Park Lodge, The Grotto, The Narrows

Trails

Lower Emerald Pools Trail

• Starting point: Zion Lodge
• Length: 1.2 miles/1.9 km (round trip)
• Estimated hiking time: 1 hour
• Difficulty: easy

Angels Landing

This is one of Zion's most breathtaking trails, offering fantastic views from the top of the mountain.

• Starting point: The Grotto
• Length: 5.4 miles/8.7 km (round trip)
• Estimated time: 4 hours
• Difficulty: strenuous (be sure to wear comfortable shoes)

Observation Point Trail

• Starting point: Weeping Rock
• Distance: 8 miles/12.9 km (round trip)
• Travel time: 6 hours
• Difficulty: strenuous

Park entrance fee: $35 per car

Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada

Valley of Fire is an incredibly beautiful park in Nevada with fantastic Martian landscapes.

Best place to start: The drive from Las Vegas to the Valley of Fire takes just over two hours one way. The distance from Vegas is about 100 km.

When to go: The park is open year-round. But keep in mind that it gets very hot here in the summer, with temperatures reaching +45...+49 °C, making it difficult to walk around. It is more comfortable to visit the park in late autumn or winter, when the daytime temperature does not exceed +24 °C.

What to see: Valley of Fire Highway, Arch Rock, Rainbow Vista, Fire Canyon, Elephant Rock

Trails

The Fire Wave

• Starting point: White Domes Road/Mouse's Tank Road
• Length: 1.5 miles/2.4 km (round trip)
• Estimated hiking time: 45-60 minutes
• Difficulty: easy

White Domes Loop

• Starting point: White Domes Road
• Length: 1.1 miles/1.8 km (round trip)
• Estimated hiking time: 30-40 minutes
• Difficulty: easy

Park entrance fee: $10 per car

This is just a small part of what America has to offer. It would take more than a month, or even a year, to see all the beauty this country has to offer.

So travel, don't spare any expense on emotions — it's one of the most rewarding investments in our lives!