Of the 420+ units in the National Park Service system, only 63 have earned the most prestigious title of National Park. While not all of them are equal, each of these special places is full of history and wildlife, while protecting some of America’s most treasured natural landscapes. Here we have ranked our favorite National Parks, unfortunately being forced to leave out some truly iconic ones. Click here to view more of our Top 10 lists.
Our first hardcopy guidebook to 50 National Parks was released in October 2019!
10. Wrangell-St. Elias (Alaska)
Drive to McCarthy and walk on a glacier
9. Grand Canyon (Arizona)
You don’t know it until you’ve been to the bottom

8. Everglades (Florida)
Get in a boat to really experience the ’Glades
7. Carlsbad Caverns (New Mexico)
Spectacular cave and bat flight program
6. Great Sand Dunes (Colorado)
America’s sandbox is tons of fun

5. Virgin Islands (U.S. Virgin Islands)
A variety of activities await in this tropical paradise
4. Sequoia (California)
Visit the big trees in the snow

3. Capitol Reef (Utah)
Drive the dirt roads for the best scenery
2. Death Valley (California)
A wide range of elevations and sights
…and finally, our #1 National Park!

1. Yellowstone (Wyoming)
The world’s first is still the best
Honorable Mentions
Great Basin (Nevada)
Explore the alpine region and tour the cave
Rocky Mountain (Colorado)
Everyone should drive Trail Ridge Road at least once
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Congrats on the guidebook publication! I’m so happy to see Capitol Reef on this list. We just visited Great Sand Dunes last week. So awesome!
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