NATIONAL PARKS: Favorite / Least Favorite / Under-the-radar

Under the radar: Carlsbad Caverns. Awesome and unique

Least Favorite: The Utah Big 4 got old to me, too similar. I'm not saying they don't all have some amazing qualities and worth visiting as they are. I just wouldn't recommend seeing them all together on the same trip.

Favorite and Under the Radar: Mount Rainier National Park (Popular on the West Coast but few from my part of the country have even heard of it)

Least Favorite: Hot Springs

Favorite: Yellowstone. So much there, many of which can’t be found anywhere else. It does lack dramatic mountains, but Grand Teton is right next door.

Least favorite: Cuyahoga Valley. It shouldn’t be a National Park.

Under the radar: Olympic. It’s not totally under the radar, but many people just think about the rainforest while the park has so much more. The Pacific coast portion of the park is a massive hidden gem.

Glacier by far has the most scenic backcountry in the lower 48.

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Overrated: Everglades.

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I had a terrific experience in the Everglades unlike any place I’ve been to. We got lucky on the timing so the weather allowed us to do a “wet-hike” as they called it.

Essentially it was an all day experience and due to Covid you provided your own transportation which was actually better than crammed in a tour bus. It was only 2 parties with 6 people total.

We start by driving to the park museum to explore and meet up where they guide give some interesting info then all pile into our own cars and drive to the next spot. About 5 stops total.

Highlights were:

Wet hike walking through the Everglades for about 90 minutes with water up to your knees occasionally but feet submerged the entire time. You see tons of animals (mainly birds) and exotic plants. The guide was super knowledgeable.

Kayaking through the freshwater mangroves with both crocs and gators all around but we were never in danger. About an hour. The mangroves were awesome to kayak through

Kayaking in saltwater where we got up close to some manatees until we went into open water to watch the sunset.

Highly recommend. But go in late March/early April when there are no mosquitoes.

Favorite - Lake Clark National Park (Also why I decided to live here)

Least Favorite - None

Under the radar - Big South Fork - Just because so many people go to the Smokies and overlook this incredible Park.

Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras are incredible national seashores that are under appreciated.

favorite:
yellowstone

least favorite:
hot springs

under the radar:
tie between big bend, great sand dunes & sequoia

we plan our vacations around national parks. this year we are going to channel islands in april and hopefully the WA state parks in september.

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rater Lake is downright stunning; like nothing else I've visited. The combination of the water color mixed with the surrounding caldera cliffs is incredible. Also, it leaves quite a bit of wonder to think of the volcano that was there and now what is remaining.

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This is my under the radar pick too. I hardly ever see people mention wanting to go there but it has to be one of the prettiest spots on the entire planet.

And If you see it in the Summer, you could go back when it's covered in snow and it almost looks like an entirely different place.

Favorite: Glacier, with honorable mention to Grand Teton.

Honestly cannot think of one that I've been to and not enjoyed. I guess my least favorite is Great Smoky Mountains, but there's nothing wrong (it's actually great for what it is), just doesn't compare to out West.

Favorite: Glacier or Zion

Least Favorite: Grand Canyon because of the disney-like crowds, but I've never hiked that far down in the canyon, which is a completely different experience than just hiking along the rim.

Under-the-Radar: I guess it'd be Olympic since not as many people go there. Its awesome, and I would like to visit again.

We are going to Yosemite and Death Valley in April for the first time. Very excited.