Since summer and camping season is almost upon us, I figured I’d compile a list of my favorite national parks in the U.S. that I’ve been to.

When I visited each of these parks I tent camped with friends, which is definitely the way to go. In my opinion, tent camping (or really any type of camping, I’m going to try to get into car camping soon) is always the best way to fully experience the natural beauty of these parks. So, I’ll put which campground we stayed at in here as well (if I can find it).

Arches

Arches National Park is home to the most unique views I’ve ever seen, with gigantic naturally occurring arching rock formations that will blow you away. Walking through here will make you feel like you’re on a different planet, and Arches is not a place you will forget any time soon.

Canyonlands

Since it’s about a 30 minute drive from Arches, you should definitely visit Canyonlands while you’re in the area. The views in Canyonlands National Park are easily some of the most expansive on this list, as you can see for dozens of miles when you’re on the rim of the canyon.

When we visited in 2021, we stayed at Ken’s Lake Campground in the Spanish Valley not far from Moab, and it was the perfect place to stay. There was plenty of open space and it was nice and quiet.

Glacier

Glacier National Park in Montana holds a special spot in my heart, maybe because it’s the place that made me fall in love with mountains or maybe it’s because it was my favorite of the camping trips that I’ve gone on with my friends, but regardless it’s one of the prettiest places I’ve ever been to in the world.

It rivals Switzerland in how beautiful the views are, with crystal blue lakes and towering snow-capped mountains, and I highly recommend you camp while you’re here so you can fully appreciate the endless beauty of the park.

We stayed at Big Creek Campground in Flathead National Forest, and it’s my favorite campsite I’ve ever stayed at. We were right on the bank of the North Fork of the Flathead River, and it could not have been more perfect.

Rocky Mountain

Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes Park, Colorado is a must-see if you’ve never been before, as it has some of the best and most expansive mountain range views the U.S. has to offer. With towering mountains and scenic valleys, the stunning views of the Rockies that the park boasts are unparalleled.

Zion

Zion National Park is another must-see if you’re near Canyonlands or Arches, and it’s definitely my favorite of the three. The sweeping valleys and scenic vistas will blow your mind, and it has some of my favorite hikes I’ve ever been on – check out my post on that here.

From what I hear, they might be closing down Angel’s Landing to hikers at some point, so do it while you still can! It’s really a life changing hike.

---

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed the post, drop a like and comment below and follow the blog for a new post every Wednesday at 12pm MST. While you’re at it, click on the social icons below to follow the Instagram and TikTok for more travel content!

Have a great week!