National Parks

Cole

Well-Known Member
After my recent trip to Mt. Rainer, our desire to see more has increased significantly. Looking for opinions on parks and places to stay. I prefer green over sand, so was thinking Tetons, or Glacier or something like that, if we don't just plant Mt. Rainer again and add in Olympic.

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Just did Acadia N.P. in Maine last week. Less crowds mid-week. More crowded near Bar Harbor. Stayed at Mount Desert Campground outside the N.P. Basically seemed like it was always 13min drive to anywhere we wanted to go. Visited Southwest Harbor, Bass Harbor, Northeast Harbor, Seal Harbor, Sand Beach and Bar Harbor. Brought kayaks, but weather kept us off the water. Hiked a bit and took a "ferry" ride to an island outside Northeast Harbor for late lunch/early dinner.
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Just did Acadia N.P. in Maine last week. Less crowds mid-week. More crowded near Bar Harbor. Stayed at Mount Desert Campground outside the N.P. Basically seemed like it was always 13min drive to anywhere we wanted to go. Visited Southwest Harbor, Bass Harbor, Northeast Harbor, Seal Harbor, Sand Beach and Bar Harbor. Brought kayaks, but weather kept us off the water. Hiked a bit and took a "ferry" ride to an island outside Northeast Harbor for late lunch/early dinner.
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Thanks, right now I just want to go west for actual mountains.
 
After my recent trip to Mt. Rainer, our desire to see more has increased significantly. Looking for opinions on parks and places to stay. I prefer green over sand, so was thinking Tetons, or Glacier or something like that, if we don't just plant Mt. Rainer again and add in Olympic.

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My vacations are normally somewhere between the Rockies & the Pacific Ocean and I've visited many of the NP's out there. I prefer the SW, in particular southern UT and the east side of the Sierra Nevada's (Owens Valley), but I also like to get in some green time. I've visited the NW parks you mentioned and my favorite by far was Glacier. There's some big wildlife, good hiking and the scenery is spectacular with mountains, valleys and lakes, and of course glaciers (if there's any left).
 
I’ve been fortunate to see a lot of NPs out west. It’s mostly because I’m a geology dork.

There used to be a NP Passport…I have no idea where mine went.

Still on my list to see are the CA parks.
 
I’ve been fortunate to see a lot of NPs out west. It’s mostly because I’m a geology dork.

There used to be a NP Passport…I have no idea where mine went.

Still on my list to see are the CA parks.
Any favorites?
 
I saw Zion on a grand circle tour….

Something like this…


Brice will melt you brain, arches is pretty cool as well.
 
Checkerboard Mesa - Zion....

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The Narrows - Zion - walls are only about 1,000' high here. I think they rise to 2,000 a bit upstream.
and by upstream, they mean up the stream.

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Zion/Bryce/GC was a very memorable trip.

It may have produced one of the most epic beer pics ever -
While sipping a beer on the deck of the north rim lodge and looking over the canyon,
the view was dominated by this feature.

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Then I looked down at my beer. I kid you not.

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I know you said green over sand but if you miss Zion park, you have not lived. Not huge drive from Las Vegas….

Must try the hike of death( angles landing)


Make sure you get in the lottery for your attempt to hike this and get the permit. Did this years ago and then found out about the permit now and the wait lines. It’s awesome if you can do it but crazy how times have changed.
 
I would 100% not recommend the area for a vacation, but if you happen to be in Nashville or Louisville, Mammoth Cave is definitely worth the drive. I went there on a road trip with family last year and had zero prior knowledge or interest and I was completely blown away by the scale and beauty. Very different than everything else that's been mentioned, but definitely recommended.
 
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