Are you planning a national park visit this year? America\u2019s national parks, monuments, and recreation areas are very popular places to visit anytime. You can explore seashores, drive a scenic parkway, visit a historic battlefield, or hike the famous Appalachian Trail.\u00a0\u00a0With over 420 different places to explore you should definitely have a plan before you go! Here\u2019s the best guide for planning your national park visit!<\/p>\n We have been to over 40 of these amazing sites and hope to provide you with some inspiration to go check them out!\u00a0\u00a0Whether you are a history buff, an avid hiker, love the smell of the ocean, or just want to take a scenic drive, there\u2019s a reason for everyone to visit national parks.\u00a0\u00a0Read on for information about when to go, where to stay, how much it costs, and tips for what to bring with you.<\/p>\n\n Some of the bigger national parks and monuments can be especially busy during the on-season (typically March-October).\u00a0\u00a0And some parks are too hot in the summer or inaccessible in the spring and winter due to snow.\u00a0\u00a0The time of year you should go truly depends on what you want to do in the park.\u00a0\u00a0Here are the best national parks to visit by season.\u00a0\u00a0These are just suggestions because you can absolutely go to many parks at any time of year.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Note<\/strong>: These are our national park choices as we\u2019ve found that many of the monuments and recreation areas were not as busy.\u00a0\u00a0Make sure you do your research before you go to ensure the best experience.<\/em><\/p>\n Springtime is beautiful in most places because of the colorful flowers, freshly sprouting tree leaves, baby animals, and powerful waterfalls.\u00a0\u00a0Spring also has cooler temperatures and maybe fewer crowds!\u00a0\u00a0Here are the best national parks to visit in the spring:<\/p>\n Despite the crowds, there are definitely some parks that you should visit in the summer.\u00a0\u00a0The activities available, warmer temperatures, and snow finally melting make these the best national parks to visit in summer.<\/p>\n In the fall months, many children have gone back to school so you may find fewer crowds during the week.\u00a0\u00a0Cooler temperatures provide optimum hiking opportunities and beautiful foliage.\u00a0\u00a0Check out our best national parks to visit in the fall!<\/p>\n There are many national parks to visit in winter.\u00a0\u00a0Mostly it would be the more southern parks due to cooler temperatures.\u00a0\u00a0There are also some that are just amazing to see covered in snow!\u00a0\u00a0The red rocks in Utah\u2026check it out!<\/p>\n National parks and monuments have a fee to get in and typically, it can range from $20-40 for a 7-day visit.\u00a0\u00a0That\u2019s unlimited access to the park for a week.\u00a0\u00a0If you plan to visit more than a couple in a year, you need to check out the National Park Pass!\u00a0\u00a0It will save you money!<\/p>\n America the Beautiful Pass<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is available to everyone!\u00a0\u00a0This pass is great.\u00a0\u00a0It gives you access to over 2,000 national parks and recreation areas\u2026for one price! The pass has an annual fee of $80 or less depending on your situation.\u00a0\u00a0They offer military, disabled, 4th-grade students, volunteer, and senior passes, in addition to the regular pass.\u00a0\u00a0If you plan to see more than two national parks or recreation areas in a year then you need this pass!\u00a0\u00a0You will save money!\u00a0\u00a0So how do you get one?<\/p>\n Many of the parks and recreation areas have them at the entrance gates or visitor centers.\u00a0\u00a0Check\u00a0HERE<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to see which parks have this option.<\/p>\n You can also purchase the pass online at the\u00a0USGS Store<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Be aware that you need to do this early because your pass is mailed to you.\u00a0\u00a0You don\u2019t receive an image or number to use in the meantime, you have to wait for it to come in the mail.\u00a0<\/p>\n Call 888-ASK-USGS, extension 2 to purchase by phone. This pass also comes in the mail, so you will have to wait for it.<\/p>\n Need a place to eat?\u00a0\u00a0Check out the park website to find restaurants, snack bars, or park stores for all your food needs.\u00a0\u00a0The smaller parks may not have any food options so be prepared with some snacks and drinks.\u00a0\u00a0Many of the towns near the parks and monuments have small grocery stores so you can stock up.\u00a0Also, reusable water containers are good to bring as there are water fill stations in many areas of the parks or monuments.<\/p>\n Another option is to bring food with you. These can be quick and easy snacks<\/a><\/strong>, or full meals. There are so many awesome places to have a picnic with a view!! <\/p>\n Note<\/strong>: Some parks and nearby towns may have restaurants and stores that are only open during their on-season. Check the NPS website<\/a><\/strong> for the most up-to-date information for your destination!<\/em><\/p>\n If you visit a national park or monument that\u2019s not quite within driving distance to your home, you may want to find a place to stay.\u00a0\u00a0Many of the bigger national parks, such as Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, or Yosemite, have really nice hotels, RV parks, camping, and other places to stay in the park.\u00a0\u00a0Check out the NPS app<\/a><\/strong>, nps.gov<\/a><\/strong>, or recreation.gov<\/a><\/strong> to find accommodations in the parks.\u00a0\u00a0The towns in the surrounding areas of the parks have hotels, motels, resorts, or campgrounds as well.\u00a0\u00a0You can also check out Airbnb for great stay options.<\/p>\n So how long should to plan to visit a national park or monument? It all depends on what you plan to do. My minimum is 2-3 days for most parks, but there are some you can see in a day and others that could take a week or more. <\/p>\n The key is planning. Make sure you research ahead of time so you know how much time you need to do everything you want. Would you like to do all the hikes? Are you planning to attend a ranger program? Are you booking a rafting trip? These are all things to think about when planning to visit national parks because they are all different. <\/p>\n Each park or monument will have its top, well-known sights.\u00a0\u00a0Old Faithful at Yellowstone, El Capitan at Yosemite, Delicate Arch at Arches, or the Presidents at Mount Rushmore, to name a few.\u00a0\u00a0Check out the NPS app<\/a><\/strong> or nps.gov<\/a><\/strong> to find out what those sights are and how to see them.\u00a0<\/p>\n Some places require reservations to see certain sights, so make sure you do your research.\u00a0\u00a0If you are going to visit during the \u201con-season\u201d, you may also need reservations to get into the park.\u00a0\u00a0Many parks also have shuttles and some require reservations to ride.\u00a0\u00a0You can make reservations for shuttles and more on recreation.gov<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n If you plan to do any backcountry hiking, you usually need to apply for a permit so verify before you go as some permits are limited.\u00a0\u00a0You can also go to the visitor centers to find out more information on hiking and the permits required.\u00a0\u00a0The rangers can tell you about any programs they offer, such as stargazing, ranger-led tours, or Junior Ranger Programs.<\/p>\n There are many companies that provide tours of national parks and monuments. We\u2019ve seen jeep tours, helicopter tours, guided hiking tours, horseback riding tours, rafting tours, etc.\u00a0\u00a0Our favorites have been the Pink Jeep Tours<\/a><\/strong> at the Grand Canyon, Yellow Bus Tours<\/a><\/strong> at Yellowstone, and the boat tours<\/a><\/strong> at Glacier.\u00a0\u00a0Check out the national park website for more information on available tours of the park or monument you are going to.<\/p>\n The apps below are really useful when planning a national park visit to see all they have to offer. We use one or a combination of all the apps depending on where we are going. Some of the bigger parks have so many sightseeing and hiking opportunities that using multiple apps gives us the information we need for exploring efficiently. The\u00a0National Park Service App<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is by far the one we use the most and is all-inclusive.<\/p>\n This is the official\u00a0NPS app<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and IT\u2019S FREE!\u00a0\u00a0You can select by state and it will list everything in the area\u2026national parks, national monuments, historic trails, etc.\u00a0\u00a0There are more than 400 loaded on here! Pretty cool.\u00a0\u00a0Alerts are posted, as well as park entrance fees.\u00a0\u00a0It also has hiking\/sightseeing suggestions for different times of the day, what to do, where to stay self-guided tours, and more.\u00a0\u00a0The park calendar of events and park news is available, and for those with national park passports, it lists the stamp locations!\u00a0\u00a0There is parking and visitor center information and how to visit with pets.\u00a0\u00a0You can even download the park information to use offline.\u00a0\u00a0This is essentially the park website on the app!\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n If you are looking for a tour guide then this is the app to get.\u00a0\u00a0Gypsy Guide<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0gives you detailed information and history through a driving tour with audio narration and is a good way to entertain your children! This app is great because it works off of GPS and not WIFI.\u00a0\u00a0Most national parks have little to no internet so this is an easy way to explore.\u00a0\u00a0It tells you where to go, what to see, and how to see it!\u00a0\u00a0This is not free, but well worth the purchase as you learn a lot!\u00a0\u00a0You download the app and then purchase each park or bundle of parks you wish to visit.\u00a0\u00a0Prices start at $4.99.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Another awesome FREE app is the National Park Trail Guide. It\u2019s great because you can select which national park you are visiting or click on what\u2019s nearby.\u00a0\u00a0The app gives you an overview of the park, \u201cgems\u201d (most popular sights\/trails), best hikes, photos, and family-friendly ideas.\u00a0\u00a0You can click on the trail map and zoom in to see trails, gems, and other points of interest.\u00a0\u00a0There is also a section at the bottom with local information such as food, camping, shuttles, and other useful tidbits.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Note<\/strong>: Not all the national parks are on this app but they are working on it. Available for iOS and Android.<\/em><\/p>\n All Trails<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0is all about trails.\u00a0\u00a0Whether you want to hike, bike, or just explore, you can find what you need on this app.\u00a0\u00a0You can browse by what activity you plan to do or search what\u2019s nearby.\u00a0\u00a0The app tells you what the trails are rated; easy, moderate, or hard.\u00a0\u00a0It gives you the length, approximate time to complete, whether it\u2019s dog-friendly, the elevation gain, and so much more.\u00a0\u00a0There are hiker reviews and the weather forecast.\u00a0\u00a0I like this app because the reviews for the trails are usually recent so you can find out tips about the trail before you go.<\/p>\n 1. Get there\u00a0EARLY!<\/strong> Many parks recommend arriving before 8 am or late in the afternoon, depending on what your plans are for the day. You can avoid traffic, beat the crowds, it\u2019s cooler, you\u2019ll see more wildlife, and it\u2019s the best time for photography!!<\/p>\n 2. If you plan to do multiple hikes or sights, start at the end of the park<\/strong> and work your way back. Research ahead of time which trails\/sights you want to see using one of the apps listed above.<\/p>\n 3. Bring refillable water containers<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0Many parks have water refill stations and recommend using them.<\/p>\n 4. Wear layers and appropriate shoes<\/strong>. Higher elevations can be cooler so be prepared.<\/p>\n 5. Pack a picnic<\/strong> to enjoy nature and avoid the crowds at lunchtime! At the very least, pack snacks<\/a><\/strong>!<\/p>\n 6. Sunscreen\/sunglasses\/hats<\/strong> are important, especially in the higher elevations.<\/p>\n 7. Bear Spray<\/strong>: Check each national park\u2019s website because this may be highly suggested depending on where you are going.<\/p>\n 8. Don\u2019t forget your camera!!<\/strong> How can you prove to your friends you saw a bear if you don\u2019t have a picture?<\/p>\n Bonus Tip!<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0A fun way to keep track of the national parks and monuments you\u2019ve been to is to get the National Park Passport<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0You can purchase one at most visitor centers or online.\u00a0\u00a0There are places in the visitor centers or ranger stations to get them stamped.\u00a0\u00a0We have so many stamps we had to get additional pages!!<\/p>\n![\"planning](\"https:\/\/hintonthetrail.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/IMG_4275.jpg\")
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Map of all National Parks & Monuments<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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<\/a>Best Time to Visit National Parks<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Spring Parks<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Summer Parks<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Fall Parks<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Winter Parks<\/strong><\/h3>\n
How Much Does It Cost?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
How to Get Your National Park Pass<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nPlaces to Eat<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Where should you stay?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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How Long to Stay?<\/h2>\n
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What is there to do?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\n<\/a><\/p>\n
Check Out Local Tour Companies<\/h2>\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\nBest Apps for Planning a National Park Visit!<\/h2>\n
National Park Service App\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nGypsy Guide<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nNational Park Trail Guide<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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All Trails<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nTips for Planning a Great National Park Visit!<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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