Favorite national park?

My personal favorite is the Outer Banks National Seashore in North Carolina, but that's because we went there for our honeymoon, so it has sentimental value. :)

I was fortunately to have been to a number of national parks/monuments in the last 18 months: Yellowstone, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Devil's Tower (National Monument), Roosevelt (North Dakota), Jewel Cave, the Badlands, Mount Rushmore, Bighorn Canyon, Zion, the Olympic Peninsula, and Cape Cod National Seashore. Glacier has to be my favorite, with Yellowstone a close second. But if I was to pick a place to live, I'd live in Cape Cod.
 
Yes, Cape Cod is really lovely. I have a cousin in Sandwich and visit every few years. It does get very crowded in the summer season and winters can be icy but if you are retired, who cares? Earlier this week one of my friends from work(she hails from rural Louisiana originally) proposed that we consider making a summer car trip to Maine. I immediately chimed in with "We have to go to Acadia!". I am thinking that just after Labor Day might be less crowded but will have to think about it more.
 
Back in '81 I quit my job and traveled west. Stopped at Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Devil's Tower,the Badlands, Mount Rushmore, Yosemite etc. The Badlands and Yosemite were my favorites..and I visit Cape Cod every year as I live in Mass.
 
Likewise, trying to visit all NPs as well as stay in all NP Lodges. This past Sept.husband and I had FANTASTIC trip through the "string of pearls" -- FIVE NPs in southern Utah. Unbelievable scenery and geology for a Florida girtl. Had so much fun we added on two days and slipped in to southern Colo to see Mesa Verde Cliff dwellings. I racked up 6 NATIONAL PARKS and 3 park lodge stays in a 9-day tour.

One of our best trips in US.

Annual pass is a treasure, and if you are age 62 you can get LIFETIME pass for only $10.00 which admits you and THREE more adults. It's now a "multi-agency" pass covering all stuff Parks Service as well as other agency properties. A TREASURE.
 
After visiting about 15 national parks, I'll vote for Grand Canyon as well. I've done a half dozen backpacking trips down into the canyon, staying as long as 6 days. It's much more impressive when you get to wander around endlessly, instead of a quick glimpse from a crowded rim. I'll be moving to central Arizona after my retirement in 2010, specifically to be close enough to Grand Canyon that I can hike there on a regular basis.
 
Yellowstone was my favorite. I thought Bryce was extremely beautiful.
 
From my years in California, I gotta vote for Yosemite. It's just beautiful, time after time. Though Sunday afternoons in Muir Woods and a wonderful slice of Apple Pie at the cafe were a delight as well.
 
Ronstar said:
Grand Canyon - been there 3 times. Hopefully the 4th will be a rim to rim hike
Click to expand...

I have loved all the NP's I have visited - Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Grand Canyon, Acadia.

Rafted the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon this summer with the wife and kids. It was awesome, we went with O.A.R.S. Spent 6 days on the river then hiked up the Bright Angel to the South Rim. A buddy and I are going back next September to do a rim-to-rim starting at the North Rim. Can't wait. Got two nights at Phantom Ranch and meals so we can just carry 7 pound daypacks vs. 40 pound backpacks.

Ronstar I will let you know how my r2r goes. I expect it to be nothing less than life altering.

Edited to add: I can't believe I forgot Volcanoes and Haleakala. Both terrific in very different ways, hiking out at night to see the Red Lava at Volcanoes and spending a day hiking down the Sliding Sands trail then across the crater floor and up the other side at Haleakala. Seeing rare Silversword plants and Nene geese, and hiking down through the clouds!
 
Favorite National park

I was able to spend vacation and seen my favorite Cape Cod National Seashore, in particular Race Point Beach.
 
I would vote for Yosemite as my favorite. I also like Mt. Lassen which nobody has mentioned. My first time there was 2 years ago. We hiked to the top of Mt Lassen it is about a five mile around trip with a 2,000 feet elevation gain. When we got to the top a Dutch guy was there with a mini-keg of Dutch beer. He shared it with those of us who packed a lunch to have on the peak. It was sure a lot better than the water we brought. Lassen is a beautiful park that is not that well known and not as crowded as others. Here is a link to some pictures.

Lassen Volcanic National Park - Photo Galleries (U.S. National Park Service)
 
Freein05 said:
I would vote for Yosemite as my favorite. I also like Mt. Lassen which nobody has mentioned. My first time there was 2 years ago. We hiked to the top of Mt Lassen it is about a five mile around trip with a 2,000 feet elevation gain. When we got to the top a Dutch guy was there with a mini-keg of Dutch beer. He shared it with those of us who packed a lunch to have on the peak. It was sure a lot better than the water we brought. Lassen is a beautiful park that is not that well known and not as crowded as others. Here is a link to some pictures.

Lassen Volcanic National Park - Photo Galleries (U.S. National Park Service)
Click to expand...


Hey Lassen was great! We did the trail up through the sulfur.Didn't spend a great deal of time since we were cutting over to hit the coast. So memorable! We cut over from there. Went through I still forgot the route across country. Needless to say we ran into a gully with basically no cell connection or cb. Ended up hitting a huge rock that plopped right in the middle of the road. So a Cal Trans guy with a plow stopped to help us. He was there to clear off the rocks from the slides. I changed the tire to the spare. We had to drive all the way back about 20 miles to a small town and buy a new tire. Good folks got us on the way quick. Real interesting drive from Lassen to the west part of CA ;)

Those little trip ups make a good adventure. :)
 
I'll be enjoying the one I will live across the street from, down the street from, and 1.5 miles from........

Acadia National Park.
 
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