Best National parks that youd been too

• Dr.Pizza

  

  I have had recently the chance to see the grand Canyon and Joshua trees national parks. The GC (grand canyon) was very cool and immense but to just look at i found a little overwhelming and left kind of feeling like i was disappointed. I think if i was able to hike down in it and spend a couple days exploraing the canyon, it would be so cool to do.
  Joshua tree was very cool. Not only were the great joshua trees all around the park but the park offered great views and very interesting rocks. It reminded me of a adult play ground and i wanted to climb on everything. We got to camp beside giant rocks to which was very cool.
  
  What national parks have you been to that are the best and what did you like the most about them. Im taking recommendations for my next adventrue!
• Midstate01

  

  Grand Canyon was amazing. But I sort of agree that you can only look at it so much. Hiking it would make it 10 times better for sure. But we had a little one and it was December and snowy.
  Muir Woods- just outside San Francisco. It's a redwood forest and the trees are huge. It's not like the main one that's much further north, but still awesome.
  Waimea canyon state park- it's on the island of Kauai and it's the mini grand Canyon. Also just past it is a really cool view of the valley on the na pali coast where a lot of jurassic park was filmed
  Mt Rushmore- not sure if this counts as a park but it's incredible. Took me probably 20 minutes to convince myself that it wasn't fake. Also you have the crazy horse memorial and Custer state Park which are both close by and awesome.
  Yosemite national park- the mountains are lakes are beautiful. There is a ton to do.. but again with a little one, we did mostly "window shopping" of the views.
  Garden of the gods- Colorado Springs. This place was way better than I expected. Red Rock that is just standing in crazy formations. One of the prettiest places I've been. Also pikes peak is nearby and definitely worth the drive up.
  
  
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• Fab4Runner

  

  Midstate01;1807579 wrote:Grand Canyon was amazing. But I sort of agree that you can only look at it so much. Hiking it would make it 10 times better for sure. But we had a little one and it was December and snowy.
  Muir Woods- just outside San Francisco. It's a redwood forest and the trees are huge. It's not like the main one that's much further north, but still awesome.
  Waimea canyon state park- it's on the island of Kauai and it's the mini grand Canyon. Also just past it is a really cool view of the valley on the na pali coast where a lot of jurassic park was filmed
  Mt Rushmore- not sure if this counts as a park but it's incredible. Took me probably 20 minutes to convince myself that it wasn't fake. Also you have the crazy horse memorial and Custer state Park which are both close by and awesome.
  Yosemite national park- the mountains are lakes are beautiful. There is a ton to do.. but again with a little one, we did mostly "window shopping" of the views.
  Garden of the gods- Colorado Springs. This place was way better than I expected. Red Rock that is just standing in crazy formations. One of the prettiest places I've been. Also pikes peak is nearby and definitely worth the drive up.
  
  
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  Not a national park, but I agree with you. I thought Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Custer State Park (Needles Highway in particular) were all awesome. I had an amazing time in South Dakota and can't wait to go back.
  
  Other than Cuyahoga Valley National Park, I haven't been to any. I love to travel, but so far none of my trips have included any national parks.
• CenterBHSFan

  

  Midstate01;1807579 wrote:Muir Woods- just outside San Francisco. It's a redwood forest and the trees are huge. It's not like the main one that's much further north, but still awesome.

  Indeed, the woods are very beautiful. You feel so small and you can't help but realize that your imagination has been wandering lol
  
  Along these same lines, have you had the chance to hike Mount Tamalpais? If you get there at the right time (no fog) the view is breathtaking. Great trails and picnic areas, too.
• Automatik

  

  I haven't been anywhere worth mentioning unfortunately.
  
  But Zion is at the top of my list.
  
  
  My sister (lives in CO) has been to some amazing places out west. I am jealousy.
• QuakerOats

  You're not far from Battery Park
• Automatik

  

  I'd rather check out Acadia National Park. My friend was there last weekend. Looks awesome.
• MontyBrunswick

  

  st mary's glacier!
• Midstate01

  

  CenterBHSFan;1807589 wrote:Indeed, the woods are very beautiful. You feel so small and you can't help but realize that your imagination has been wandering lol
  
  Along these same lines, have you had the chance to hike Mount Tamalpais? If you get there at the right time (no fog) the view is breathtaking. Great trails and picnic areas, too.

  I have not. I've seen the sign though and honestly never even looked it up. I'm gonna go look it up now though because my wife is off all next week so we are gonna hit up a bunch of places.
  
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• GOONx19

  

  Acadia is the only place I've been. We camped around in Maine for a couple weeks when I was in middle school. The hiking was great. Almost hit a moose in the fog one night, though.
• Apple

  

  I've been to quite a few. Denali NP in Alaska has been the best so far. Saw 11 grizzlies the day we were there. Grand Canyon was cool too.
• ernest_t_bass

  

  Smokey Mountains National park is good
  Rocky Mountains National park is good
  Devils Canyon
  Mount Rushmore
  Badlands
  Graden of the Gods (outstanding)
  Pikes Peak
• Dr.Pizza

  

  Ive have been to both Zion and Bryce Canyon as their in the same part of the state just 2 hours a part. Both were very impressive. Id would like to check out yosemite sometime and yellowstone too but its hard to get to california haha
• j_crazy

  

  I've been to:
  
  Yellowstone (lived 20 miles from there for 2 yrs) - explored a ton, camped in fishing bridge, Grant Village, Lewis Lake. Awesome. 10/10 would live there again
  Teton - Explored a ton, camped at Jenny Lake. Awesome
  Acadia, Badlands, Wind Cave, Big Bend, Theodore Roosevelt, Hot Springs, Smokey Mountain - Explored a little, only day trips. Cool, but I didn't get to explore enough to make a well informed decision.
  
  Mount Rushmore underwhelmed me. There just isn't much to do there.
• queencitybuckeye

  Dr.Pizza;1807702 wrote:Ive have been to both Zion and Bryce Canyon as their in the same part of the state just 2 hours a part. Both were very impressive. Id would like to check out yosemite sometime and yellowstone too but its hard to get to california haha

  The California part of Yellowstone is amazing.
• Commander of Awesome

  

  Crater Lake so far is my favorite. Just an amazing place.