As most of you know, Minhee and I – and our three kids (12, 10, and 8 ) are driving about 7000 miles around the country (mostly around the West and Midwest) for our sabbatical. We’re loosely making things up as we go along – which is both very adventurous and very stressful. But one of my hopes is to show my family – especially our urban kids – the amazing beauty of this country.
During my younger and single days, I drove through every single state in the Mainland U.S. and attempted to visit every single national park. I was pretty close.
While we won’t be able to visit every state or every park, my goal for our sabbatical road trip is to visit a handful of them. We were recently able to spend several hours at one of my favorite national parks, Arches National Park. It’s definitely in my top 3 if not my favorite. While you’re not able to see much wildlife, there’s something about the rocks and the dizzying shades of light that’s throughout the park including numerous spots and “caves” where it’s probably about 20-30 degrees cooler that the area temperature.
This country is so amazing and beautiful so here’s a simple question – both for my curiosity and for our planning:
What’s your favorite national park and why?
Any you’d like to recommend?
Here are some pics from our visit to Arches National Park:
Filed under: , arches national park, family, national parks, road trip, utah
I love the southwest. I went through Zion, Bryce, and capitol reef over a period of 6 or so days. I wish I could’ve spent 6 in each. I still think those are my favorite.
Short trek away from Arches (relatively speaking)… hope you & your family are enjoying your time!
Eugene –
There are several wonderful ones we have enjoyed over the years. Yosemite and Yellowstone are both great. We also enjoy Garden of the gods in Colorado Springs, CO. Very similar to Arches, only on a smaller scale. If you are near Lake Superior the Apostle Islands are absolutely beautiful. If you need a rustic respit from the travels and want to stay in a RUSTIC cabin away from civilization in Northern Wisconsin for a few days e-mail me. You could stay at ours for free. Its on a beautiful (though small) lake. Enjoy the journey.
~ Jeff
thanks for these trips. i’d like to see if we can stop by garden of the gods for sure.
Driving 7000 miles just makes me want to crawl in a hole. I hate auto trips. Prefer to fly and then stay in one place for awhile. I am not a good tourist.
I’ve done 7 cross country trips – alone.
This…during my extreme introverted ‘i-wanna-be-john-the-baptist’ days.
I’ve been to Yosemite and thought the whole package of the park was as beautiful as anything I’ve seen. Grand Teton National Park was just as beautiful. But neither compares to Crater Lake National Park. Nothing compares really.
Yosemite is a great suggestion.
Went as a kid and I need to return again. Gonna put it on our list.
I’m a Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado) fan since I live by it and it’s so beautiful. However, my favorite of the many that I’ve visited is Acadia National Park in Maine. Such a different place. So amazing. God got it right with that area. Well, O.K., He always gets it right.
Thanks Tom.
Rocky Mountain was amazing. So beautiful that it was breathless. And I mean that in various ways. The elevation knocked me out for couple days.
Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia Nat’l Parks are gorgeous! Take your family to hike Half Dome in Yosemite … an experience you don’t forget…
I’ll go with Yellowstone, it’s got all the wildlife, Old Faithful, it’s near the Grand Tetons and Jacksonhole in the Wyoming part and those are some very beautiful rocky mountains as well, National Park there too I think and that is very green and lush, it’s like the Swiss Alps. I could go local myself but Yellowstone is one of the best known along with I am sure, the Grand Canyon. They all must have their charms though. Going to the East, if you ever see the Smokey Mountains, those are beautiful too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Parks_of_the_United_States They are all listed here. I think too, there are other National Monuments or something, different.
Arches is one of my favourites….glad you enjoyed it!! I don’t know of anything that can compare with Bryce at sunrise or sunset. The colours are amazing!! The Grand Tetons park is just stunningly beautiful. Mesa Verde is southwest Colorado rounds out my top three. Not only is the high desert geography lovely and serene, the experience of hiking through the ancient pueblo ruins is completely unique. Enjoy!!
The Tetons are fantastic. A few miles from Yellowstone, but empty. It is not a national park, but the Bridger Wilderness in Wyoming is beautiful. Enjoy the national parks, especially Arches. Thank you for your words at the Feast. I count it a privilege to have heard you preach. Enjoy the Sabbath.
Grand Teton National Park is listed as a National Park. http://www.grand.teton.national-park.com/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Parks_of_the_United_States
Grand Teton National Park since 1929, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Teton_National_Park Jackson Hole is beautiful. Not exactly “empty”.
Rocky Mountain National Park is a great place for a family to visit. The eastern entrance is from the quaint city of Estes Park where there are hotels, shops, great munchies, a lake in the mountains, and go-kart rides. The park has big horn sheep on the mountains plus herds of elk and even some moose. Trail Ridge road is open in the summer allowing you to drive at over 12,000 feet to the Alpine Visitors Center. Chances are that snowbanks will still be there near the lodge which you can lay in and make snow angels on a warm summer day.
Dave
Dave:
Yup. We stayed at the YMCA at Estes Park for about 5 days. So beautiful.
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Oh, this brings back wonderful memories. Along with the Grand Canyon, my favorite national park is Bryce, Olympic, Shenendoah, Smoky Mountain, Everglades, and Acadia.
Yes, I know that’s more than one, but how could you begin to choose? It’s like asking which child is your favorite.
Garden of the Gods? Might as well go with Carlsbad Caverns!
Wisconsin, go to the Dells, those are beautiful but not a National Park that I know of.
I love Crater Lake but Yellowstone has Mooses and Bears, I like the wildlife too.
Big Thicket is something in Texas, maybe just a wildlife reserve.
Beautiful pics!
Arches is definitely my favorite so far, as well. I grew up in Grand Junction CO, just over the border from Moab, and I have many fond memories of taking short road trips out to Arches and Dead Horse Point. I miss it…