The 5 most beautiful national parks i have visited
I had a friend ask me what are my top prettiest national parks we have visited, I really had to think about that for a while because they are all so beautiful, but when i think of pretty I envision breathtaking blue waters, majestic snow-capped mountains, and awe-inspiring waterfalls, and these parks come to mind:
Here are my top five most beautiful parks that we visited, along with the reasons why:
Arches National Park-Utah
Rocky Mountain National park-Colorado
olympic national park-washington
acadia national park-maine
glacier national park-montana
arches national park:
When I envision Arches National Park, I picture towering rock arches that are a stunning red-orange hue against the most breathtaking blue skies I have ever seen. Coming from Florida, where the landscape is predominantly flat, witnessing the grandeur of massive rock formations like the arches felt almost surreal! The park is home to over 2,000 natural arches, each with its unique shape, beautifully scattered across a mesmerizing red rock landscape.
Memorable Hike to Delicate Arch
My favorite hike was to Delicate Arch, which is particularly stunning at sunrise; I can only imagine how beautiful it must be at sunset as well. The trail spans three miles and is classified as moderate, which I found pretty easy. The only slightly nerve-wracking section is the final stretch, where there's a steep drop-off. It's advisable to stay close to the rock wall, especially if you're with young children, and take your time navigating this area. Once you pass that area, you're rewarded with an unbelievable view of Delicate Arch, which stands at an impressive 46 feet tall and 32 feet wide!
One of the park's highlights is the abundance of short trails leading to incredible viewpoints and some you can see just by parking and walking up like park avenue.
Delicate arch-arches national park
Rocky Mountain National Park:
Rocky Mountain National Park exceeded all my expectations! I did a lot of research and viewed plenty of content about the park, but nothing compares to experiencing its beauty in person. One of my favorite aspects was the lakes, especially when viewed from the high mountain elevations.
Another thing I thought was really cool about RMNP is Trail Ridge Road, known as the longest continuous paved road in the United States, reaching an impressive peak elevation of 12,183 feet above sea level. There are sections of this road that rise above the tree line and lack guardrails!!
Memorable Moments
My absolute favorite experience at Rocky Mountain was waking up to witness the sunrise at Sprague Lake. During my research, I read about many visitors spotting moose, and we were fortunate enough to see a couple of them at sunrise! This required an early rise at 4 a.m. to enter the park by 5 a.m., but it was undoubtedly worth it. That early morning adventure will forever be etched in my memory!
Sprague Lake- 5am
Olympic National Park:
Olympic National Park is the most diverse park I have ever visited. It feels like stepping into three distinct places in a single trip: enchanting rainforests like the Hoh Rainforest, rugged coastlines with stunning coastal stacks and tide pools, and majestic, snow-capped mountains.
It was surreal to start our day in the rainforest and finish it along the coast! This park is rich with layers that contribute to its uniqueness. If you're dreaming of a getaway that offers the experience of several vacations in one, this is your park!
Memorable Moments:
One of my favorite memories from our time in Olympic National Park was exploring Second Beach. As a Florida girl, it was surreal to witness dark sand, moody skies, towering sea stacks, and vibrant tide pools. We spent hours observing the tide pools, marveling at starfish, green anemones, sea urchins, and more.
Second Beach-Olympic National Park
Acadia National park:
Acadia national park is located on mount desert island and bar harbor. when you think about New England charming coastal towns this is exactly what i picture. unlike the other parks we have visited, acadia almost has a small town cozy feel. the park is relatively small and easy to navigate.
not only is it a beautiful park but the LOBSTER is to die for! fresh lobster is literally everywhere you go and i still dream about just how amazing it was. there are also the most adorable boutique shops in bar harbor so make sure you add time in to explore bar harbor while you are there.
memorable moments:
i have so many memorable moments from acadia but my favorite is getting to cadillac mountain at sunrise! from october-march it is the first place in the united states to see the sunrise. the view when you are on the mountain is surreal with soft sunrise colors over the atlantic ocean with beautiful mountains as the backdrop! I dream about that amazing sunrise often.
*We went in early october and i am glad we did because we were able to see the most beautiful fall foliage!
Jordan Pond-Acadia National Park
Glacier national park:
i was not prepared at just how beautiful glacier national park would be! it is really hard to describe it because all of the photos and videos i saw before we went did no justice…you have to see it in person and soon because a lot of scientists predict the glaciers will be gone by 2030!! when i think back on glacier national park i think snow-capped mountains and the most stunning Turquoise waters.
going to the sun road is the major road that takes you through the park and the road literally hugs a cliff. it’s 50 miles of unreal views of glaciers, meadows, and waterfalls. it is worth going to this park just to drive going to the sun road!
memorable moments:
i have several memorable moments from visiting glacier national park but my very favorite was going hiking in the logan pass area. we went late afternoon and were actually stopped on the trail by bighorn sheep! we all had to stop to let these magnificent animals cross. we were also able to see momma and baby mountain goats!
Logan Pass hike-Glacier National Park
There are countless breathtaking national parks to explore, but these five are my absolute favorites when it comes to natural beauty! I hope this blog inspires you to decide which park or parks you'd like to visit.
We have thoroughly explored the top national parks and have created blogs and curated itineraries to help you in planning your next adventure. Below, you’ll find a link to our blog and itineraries. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or if you would like to collaborate on crafting a personalized itinerary for your next vacation.
Happy Travels!
Mandy
