Explore America's National Parks, Monuments & Historic Places

From the iconic landscapes of Yellowstone, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon to historic landmarks, national monuments and scenic protected areas, National Parks Explorer helps you discover the best of America's public lands. Browse our growing collection of destinations, compare park types, explore official visitor information and use the filters below to quickly find places by name, state, country or category. Whether you're planning your next road trip or simply exploring from home, your adventure starts here.

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63 places found

National Park

Pinnacles National Park

California United States

Pinnacles National Park protects a rugged landscape of towering rock formations, narrow canyons, talus caves, chaparral, and oak woodlands in central California. Formed by ancient volcanic activity and shaped over millions of years by erosion and movement along the San Andreas Fault, the park is an outstanding destination for hiking, rock climbing, wildlife watching, and exploring unusual geological features. Hiking is one of the best things to do in Pinnacles National Park. Trails climb through steep canyons and along rocky ridges, providing panoramic views across the surrounding landscape. The High Peaks area is especially rewarding, with trails winding among dramatic volcanic formations and providing excellent opportunities to watch for soaring birds. California condors are one of the park’s greatest wildlife attractions. These enormous and endangered birds can sometimes be seen flying above the High Peaks and surrounding ridges. Turkey vultures, golden eagles, prairie falcons, and many other bird species also inhabit the area. Pinnacles is also known for its talus caves, created when massive boulders fell into narrow canyons and formed passages beneath them. Bear Gulch Cave and Balconies Cave provide adventurous hiking experiences when conditions and seasonal access allow. Visitors should bring a flashlight and prepare for uneven, dark, and sometimes wet terrain. Rock climbing is another major part of the Pinnacles experience. Numerous routes use the park’s distinctive volcanic formations, attracting climbers from throughout California. Photography, camping, birdwatching, stargazing, ranger programs, and wildflower viewing provide additional reasons to visit. Pinnacles Campground is located on the eastern side of the park. Traditional hotel lodging is outside the park, with accommodations and visitor services available in communities such as Hollister, Soledad, and surrounding areas. Whether you come to hike the High Peaks, explore a talus cave, watch for California condors, or climb the park’s volcanic rock formations, Pinnacles National Park offers a surprisingly wild outdoor escape within reach of California’s major coastal cities.

National Park

Redwood National and State Parks

California United States

Redwood National and State Parks protect some of the world’s tallest trees along a spectacular section of the Northern California coast. Ancient redwood forests are the main attraction, but the protected landscape also includes wild rivers, open prairies, oak woodlands, rugged beaches, and miles of Pacific coastline, creating far more variety than the park’s famous trees alone might suggest. Walking beneath old-growth coast redwoods is the defining experience for most visitors. Trails range from short forest walks to longer hikes through remote groves, river valleys, and backcountry landscapes. The enormous trees create a cool, shaded environment filled with ferns, mosses, and other vegetation that gives the forest an almost prehistoric character. Fern Canyon provides one of the parks’ most distinctive hiking experiences. Steep canyon walls covered with lush ferns surround a shallow creek, creating a dramatic contrast with the towering redwood groves nearby. Gold Bluffs Beach adds coastal scenery, while Prairie Creek combines old-growth forest with open meadows where Roosevelt elk can sometimes be seen. Scenic driving is another excellent way to experience Redwood National and State Parks. Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway passes directly through ancient forest, while other roads connect overlooks, beaches, rivers, and trailheads throughout the region. Hiking, wildlife watching, photography, camping, biking, beach walks, ranger programs, and seasonal paddling opportunities provide additional things to do. With numerous distinct areas spread across many miles, spending more than one day allows travelers to experience both the northern and southern sections. Traditional hotels are located outside the park boundaries. Crescent City, Klamath, Orick, Trinidad, Arcata, and other Northern California communities provide lodging, restaurants, and visitor services, while developed and backcountry campgrounds offer opportunities to stay within the protected landscape. Whether you come to stand beneath the world’s tallest trees, hike Fern Canyon, watch elk, explore the Pacific coast, or include the redwoods in a Northern California road trip, Redwood National and State Parks offer an unforgettable combination of ancient forest and wild coastline.

National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park

Colorado United States

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of Colorado’s premier outdoor destinations, combining soaring mountain peaks, alpine lakes, broad valleys, forests, wildlife, and spectacular high-elevation scenery. Located northwest of Denver, the park protects more than 400 square miles of the southern Rocky Mountains and offers experiences ranging from easy scenic drives to challenging wilderness adventures. Hiking is one of the most popular things to do in Rocky Mountain National Park. More than 350 miles of trails lead through forests, meadows, mountain valleys, alpine tundra, and rugged high country. The Bear Lake Road corridor provides access to some of the park’s most popular destinations, including Bear Lake, Sprague Lake, and Moraine Park, while experienced hikers can find demanding routes throughout the surrounding mountains. Trail Ridge Road is another highlight of a summer visit. This spectacular seasonal highway crosses the Continental Divide and climbs above 12,000 feet, providing sweeping views across the Rockies and access to the alpine tundra. On the western side of the park, the Kawuneeche Valley offers a different landscape with trails, wildlife habitat, the Colorado River, and access from the community of Grand Lake. Wildlife watching is an important part of the Rocky Mountain experience. Elk are among the park’s most recognizable animals, while visitors may also encounter mule deer, bighorn sheep, moose, marmots, and many other species. Photography, scenic driving, fishing, camping, backpacking, ranger programs, and guided outdoor experiences provide additional ways to explore the park. Estes Park is the primary gateway for visitors approaching from the east and offers a large selection of hotels, cabins, restaurants, shops, and visitor services. Grand Lake provides accommodations and services near the park’s western entrance. These gateway communities make it possible to combine days in the mountains with comfortable lodging outside the park. Whether you are planning a Colorado road trip, a hiking vacation, a wildlife-focused visit, or a mountain getaway from Denver, Rocky Mountain National Park rewards travelers who explore different elevations and both sides of the Continental Divide.

National Park

Saguaro National Park

Arizona United States

Saguaro National Park protects the iconic desert landscapes surrounding Tucson, Arizona, where forests of giant saguaro cacti rise across the valleys and mountains of the Sonoran Desert. Divided into two separate districts on opposite sides of the city, the park combines cactus-covered hills, rugged mountain wilderness, hiking trails, scenic drives, wildlife, and spectacular desert sunsets. The Tucson Mountain District, commonly called Saguaro West, lies west of Tucson and contains dense stands of saguaros across a rugged desert landscape. Bajada Loop Drive provides access to viewpoints, picnic areas, and trailheads, while Signal Hill combines sweeping desert scenery with a short walk to ancient petroglyphs. On the opposite side of Tucson, the Rincon Mountain District, or Saguaro East, stretches from the desert floor into the Rincon Mountains. Cactus Forest Drive provides an easy introduction to this side of the park, while hiking trails climb from cactus country into higher-elevation grasslands and forests. Hiking is one of the best things to do in Saguaro National Park. More than 165 miles of trails range from short desert walks to demanding wilderness routes. Visitors can also enjoy photography, birdwatching, cycling, horseback riding, backcountry camping, ranger programs, and scenic drives. Wildlife is surprisingly diverse. Depending on location and season, visitors may encounter javelinas, coyotes, desert tortoises, roadrunners, reptiles, and numerous species of birds. Spring wildflowers and blooming cacti can add bursts of color to the landscape, while sunrise and sunset transform the desert with dramatic light. There are no traditional hotels inside Saguaro National Park, but Tucson offers an extensive selection of resorts, hotels, vacation rentals, restaurants, spas, outfitters, and guided desert experiences. Whether you spend a few hours driving through cactus country, hike into the Rincon Mountains, photograph a desert sunset, or explore both districts over several days, Saguaro National Park provides an accessible introduction to the remarkable ecology and scenery of the Sonoran Desert.

National Park

Sequoia National Park

California United States

Sequoia National Park protects one of California’s most extraordinary mountain landscapes, where enormous giant sequoias rise among forests, granite peaks, deep canyons, rivers, and high-country wilderness in the Sierra Nevada. Established in 1890, the park is best known for its remarkable trees, but exploring beyond the famous groves reveals a destination filled with hiking, scenic viewpoints, waterfalls, wildlife, and rugged mountain scenery. The Giant Forest is the centerpiece of many first visits. Here, visitors can walk among some of the largest trees on Earth, including the General Sherman Tree. Nearby trails such as Congress Trail and Big Trees Trail provide opportunities to explore the grove at a slower pace and appreciate the remarkable scale and ecology of the giant sequoias. Moro Rock offers a completely different perspective. A steep staircase climbs the granite dome to panoramic views across the Sierra Nevada and surrounding wilderness. Crescent Meadow provides gentler forest and meadow scenery nearby, while the Lodgepole area gives hikers access to destinations such as Tokopah Falls and trails leading farther into the mountains. There are many things to do in Sequoia National Park beyond visiting its famous trees. Hiking, backpacking, wildlife watching, photography, camping, ranger programs, winter recreation, and cave tours provide different ways to experience the landscape. Mineral King offers a more remote high-elevation destination for travelers interested in rugged mountain hiking and wilderness. Wuksachi Lodge provides lodging inside Sequoia National Park near the Giant Forest area. Additional hotels, cabins, restaurants, and visitor services can be found in Three Rivers and communities outside the park. Sequoia is administered together with neighboring Kings Canyon National Park, making the two parks a natural combination for a longer Sierra Nevada vacation. Whether you come to stand beneath the General Sherman Tree, climb Moro Rock, hike through ancient groves, or explore the high country, allow enough time to discover how dramatically Sequoia changes from the foothills to the mountains.

National Park

Shenandoah National Park

Virginia United States

Shenandoah National Park protects more than 200,000 acres of forests, waterfalls, mountain streams, wildflower meadows, and panoramic views along Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Located within easy reach of Washington, D.C., the park is an outstanding destination for hiking, scenic drives, wildlife watching, weekend getaways, and classic fall road trips. Skyline Drive forms the backbone of Shenandoah National Park, following the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains for 105 miles. Dozens of overlooks provide opportunities to stop and enjoy views across the Shenandoah Valley and Virginia Piedmont, while trailheads along the route lead deeper into the mountains. With more than 500 miles of trails, hiking is one of the best things to do in Shenandoah. Routes range from short walks to waterfalls and viewpoints to challenging mountain hikes and multi-day backcountry adventures. Old Rag Mountain is one of the park’s most famous hikes, while Dark Hollow Falls and Whiteoak Canyon attract visitors looking for waterfalls and forest scenery. The Appalachian Trail also follows the mountains through much of the park. Wildlife adds another dimension to a Shenandoah vacation. Black bears, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, songbirds, and many other species inhabit the forests and meadows. Big Meadows is especially rewarding for wildlife watching, photography, stargazing, and experiencing the changing seasons. Lodging inside Shenandoah includes historic mountain accommodations at Skyland and Big Meadows Lodge along with rustic cabins at Lewis Mountain. Additional hotels, cabins, restaurants, and vacation accommodations can be found in gateway communities such as Front Royal, Luray, and areas surrounding the Shenandoah Valley. Whether you are escaping Washington for a weekend, hiking through the Blue Ridge Mountains, searching for waterfalls, or driving Skyline Drive beneath brilliant fall foliage, Shenandoah National Park offers a remarkably accessible mountain experience within the eastern United States.

National Park

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

North Dakota United States

Theodore Roosevelt National Park protects a rugged landscape of colorful badlands, rolling prairie, winding rivers, and abundant wildlife in western North Dakota. Named for the president whose experiences in this region helped shape his commitment to conservation, the park combines remarkable Great Plains scenery with bison, hiking, scenic drives, history, and some of the quietest landscapes in the National Park System. The park is divided into three separate areas. The South Unit, located beside the town of Medora, is the most visited and provides an excellent introduction to the North Dakota badlands. Scenic roads, overlooks, trails, and prairie dog towns reveal a landscape of layered hills and open grasslands shaped by erosion and the Little Missouri River. The North Unit lies farther away and offers a more remote experience. Here, dramatic badlands formations rise above the river valley, with scenic overlooks and hiking trails providing opportunities to explore away from larger crowds. The Elkhorn Ranch Unit preserves the location where Theodore Roosevelt established a ranch during the 1880s and developed a lasting connection with the landscape. Wildlife watching is one of the best things to do in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Bison roam both major units, while visitors may also encounter elk, pronghorn, mule deer, prairie dogs, coyotes, and many species of birds. Wild horses can also be seen in the South Unit. Hiking, horseback riding, photography, camping, backpacking, scenic driving, ranger programs, and stargazing provide additional ways to experience the park. The Maah Daah Hey Trail also connects landscapes throughout the wider region. There are no traditional hotels inside Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Medora provides the most convenient selection of lodging, restaurants, shops, and visitor services for the South Unit, while communities near the North Unit offer additional options. Whether you come for bison and wildlife, presidential history, hiking, or a North Dakota road trip, spending time in both the South and North Units reveals the scale and solitude that make Theodore Roosevelt National Park unique.

National Park

Virgin Islands National Park

U.S. Virgin Islands United States

Virgin Islands National Park protects much of the island of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, combining white-sand beaches, clear Caribbean waters, coral reefs, tropical forests, historic sites, and scenic hiking trails. The park offers a rare national park experience where snorkeling, swimming, hiking, boating, and island history can all be part of the same tropical vacation. Trunk Bay is one of the park’s most famous destinations, known for its beautiful beach, turquoise water, and opportunities for snorkeling. Other beaches such as Cinnamon Bay and Maho Bay provide additional places to swim, relax, paddle, and look for marine life in protected coastal waters. Snorkeling is one of the best things to do in Virgin Islands National Park. Coral reefs, rocky shorelines, and seagrass beds support colorful fish, sea turtles, rays, and other marine species. Guided snorkeling trips, boat charters, sailing excursions, and kayaking tours provide additional ways to explore the waters surrounding St. John. The island’s interior offers a completely different experience. Hiking trails cross tropical forests, climb to scenic viewpoints, and connect with historic landscapes. Reef Bay Trail is one of the best-known routes, while other trails lead to secluded beaches, ruins, and quieter sections of the park. Historic sites throughout St. John preserve complicated stories of Indigenous peoples, European colonization, plantations, and enslaved Africans. Places such as Annaberg provide important context for understanding the human history behind today’s protected landscape. Camping is available at Cinnamon Bay, while hotels, villas, vacation rentals, restaurants, shops, and visitor services are concentrated around Cruz Bay and elsewhere on St. John. Additional accommodations and tours are available on neighboring islands. Whether you come to snorkel with sea turtles, relax on a Caribbean beach, hike through tropical forest, explore historic ruins, or sail between islands, Virgin Islands National Park combines natural beauty and cultural history in one of the most distinctive destinations in the National Park System.

National Park

Voyageurs National Park

Minnesota United States

Voyageurs National Park protects a vast landscape of interconnected lakes, rocky islands, forests, wetlands, and waterways along Minnesota’s northern border with Canada. Unlike national parks built around scenic roads, Voyageurs is a water-based destination where boats, canoes, kayaks, and houseboats provide access to many of its most memorable landscapes. Rainy Lake, Kabetogama Lake, Namakan Lake, and Sand Point Lake form the heart of the park. Their countless bays, islands, and rocky shorelines create outstanding opportunities for boating, paddling, fishing, wildlife watching, and exploring places that cannot be reached by road. Houseboating is one of the most distinctive things to do in Voyageurs National Park. Renting a houseboat allows travelers to move through the interconnected waterways while combining transportation and accommodations. Boat rentals, water taxis, guided fishing trips, and other commercial services also make it possible to experience the park without bringing your own watercraft. Camping provides another classic Voyageurs experience. Most campsites are located along the lakes and can only be reached by boat, creating a much greater sense of solitude than a traditional roadside campground. Hiking trails, guided boat tours, photography, canoeing, kayaking, birdwatching, and ranger programs provide additional ways to explore. Kettle Falls is one of the park’s best-known historic destinations and can only be reached by water. It is also home to the only concession-operated lodging and restaurant located inside Voyageurs National Park. Gateway communities around International Falls, Kabetogama, Ash River, and Crane Lake provide additional resorts, cabins, hotels, boat rentals, outfitters, and visitor services. After dark, the remote northern setting provides excellent opportunities for stargazing and, under favorable conditions, viewing the northern lights. Winter transforms the lakes again, opening opportunities for snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Whether you explore by houseboat, fish a quiet bay, paddle between islands, camp beside the water, or experience the frozen lakes in winter, Voyageurs National Park rewards travelers who embrace the water as the main route into the wilderness.

National Park

White Sands National Park

New Mexico United States

White Sands National Park protects an extraordinary landscape of brilliant white gypsum dunes rising from the Tularosa Basin of southern New Mexico. Surrounded by desert and mountains, the constantly shifting dunes create a landscape that can resemble snow even beneath the intense New Mexico sun. Hiking, sledding, photography, scenic driving, and unforgettable sunsets make White Sands one of the most distinctive national parks in the Southwest. Dunes Drive provides the easiest introduction to the park. The scenic road travels eight miles into the heart of the dune field, passing trails, picnic areas, viewpoints, and places where visitors can leave their vehicles and walk directly onto the white sand. The farther you travel from the visitor center, the more completely the dunes dominate the landscape. Hiking is one of the best ways to experience White Sands National Park. Five marked trails provide options ranging from short interpretive walks to more demanding journeys across open dunes. The Alkali Flat Trail offers a challenging adventure into the heart of the dune field, while shorter routes provide easier opportunities to discover desert plants, wildlife, and the constantly changing patterns created by wind. Sand sledding is another signature White Sands experience. Visitors can ride down selected dune slopes using appropriate sleds, turning the natural landscape into an unusual desert playground for both adults and children. Photography is especially rewarding around sunrise and sunset, when shadows emphasize the curves and ripples of the dunes and changing light creates subtle colors across the white gypsum. Stargazing, picnicking, wildlife watching, ranger programs, and scenic walks provide additional things to do. There are no hotels or traditional overnight accommodations inside White Sands National Park. Nearby Alamogordo provides the closest major selection of hotels, restaurants, fuel, and visitor services, while Las Cruces offers additional lodging farther west. Whether you come to hike across gypsum dunes, try sand sledding, photograph a New Mexico sunset, or include White Sands in a longer Southwest road trip, the park offers a landscape unlike anywhere else in the United States.

National Park

Wind Cave National Park

South Dakota United States

Wind Cave National Park offers two remarkably different worlds in the southern Black Hills of South Dakota. Beneath the surface lies an extensive cave system filled with unusual formations and narrow passages, while above ground a landscape of mixed-grass prairie, rolling hills, and ponderosa pine forest provides habitat for bison, elk, prairie dogs, and other wildlife. Exploring Wind Cave itself is the centerpiece of many visits. The cave is especially known for boxwork, a delicate honeycomb-like formation that appears throughout large sections of the underground system. Visitors can enter the cave only on ranger-guided tours, with several tour options providing different levels of difficulty and opportunities to discover its geology and history. The landscape above the cave deserves just as much attention. More than 30 miles of hiking trails cross prairie, forest, ridges, and creek valleys. Rankin Ridge provides panoramic views across the southern Black Hills, while longer trails offer opportunities to experience quieter areas of the park. Wildlife watching is one of the best things to do in Wind Cave National Park. Bison roam freely across the prairie, and visitors may also encounter elk, pronghorn, mule deer, prairie dogs, coyotes, and many species of birds. Scenic drives along U.S. Highway 385 and South Dakota Highway 87 provide additional opportunities to experience the landscape. Camping, photography, backcountry hiking, ranger programs, birdwatching, and stargazing offer more ways to explore beyond a cave tour. The park also combines naturally with Custer State Park, Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park, and other Black Hills destinations. Traditional lodging is not available inside Wind Cave National Park. Nearby Hot Springs and Custer provide hotels, cabins, restaurants, and other visitor services. Whether you come to explore underground passages, watch bison on the prairie, hike through the Black Hills, or add Wind Cave to a larger South Dakota road trip, allowing time for both the cave and the surface reveals what makes this national park unique.

National Park

Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve

Alaska United States

Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve protects an immense wilderness of glaciers, rivers, volcanoes, forests, and some of the highest mountains in North America. Covering more than 13 million acres in southeastern Alaska, it is the largest national park in the United States and offers a scale of wilderness that can be difficult to comprehend until you experience it firsthand. McCarthy and Kennecott provide one of the most accessible introductions to the park. The historic Kennecott mining district preserves impressive buildings from Alaska’s copper-mining era beneath towering mountains and glaciers. Walking through the area combines human history with extraordinary scenery. Root Glacier is another highlight. Trails from the Kennecott area provide views and access toward the glacier, while guided glacier hikes allow properly equipped visitors to explore ice features with experienced local guides. The surrounding landscape offers many additional opportunities for hiking and backcountry adventures. Only a small portion of Wrangell–St. Elias can be reached by road. McCarthy Road and Nabesna Road penetrate different parts of the wilderness, providing access to trailheads, historic sites, camping areas, and remote landscapes. Beyond these corridors, aircraft become an important form of transportation. Flightseeing is one of the most spectacular ways to experience Wrangell–St. Elias National Park. Small aircraft can reveal enormous glaciers, icefields, mountain ranges, and remote valleys that are almost impossible to appreciate from the ground. Guided rafting, mountaineering, backpacking, wildlife watching, photography, and wilderness trips provide additional adventures. There are no large national park resort complexes, but McCarthy and the Kennecott area offer lodges, cabins, restaurants, guiding services, and other seasonal visitor facilities. Additional accommodations are available in communities surrounding the park. Whether you explore Kennecott, hike toward Root Glacier, drive a remote Alaska road, fly above immense icefields, or disappear into the backcountry, Wrangell–St. Elias rewards travelers who plan carefully and allow enough time to experience America’s largest national park on its own enormous scale.

Discover America's National Parks and Protected Places

Information & Disclaimer

National Parks Explorer strives to present accurate and up-to-date information collected from official and trusted sources, including the National Park Service. While we make every effort to keep this information current, information may be incomplete, inaccurate, outdated or subject to change without prior notice, including access requirements, permits, reservations, operating hours, alerts, fees, road and trail conditions, weather and other visitor information.