NATIONAL PARKS

The 25 Best Vacation Spots in the U.S. for 2022

One upside to living in a country as large as the United States is the ability to enjoy a wide variety of vacations without even needing a passport. Whether you prefer hiking or sunbathing, here are 25 vacation destinations for every kind of traveler.

A brown bear fishing at Katmai National Park in 2018.

Katmai National Park’s Brown Bears Are Busy Bulking Up for Fat Bear Week—And You Can Livestream Their Progress

The 24/7 live cams show the bears fishing for salmon and relaxing on river shores.

Visitors take in the grandeur of coast redwoods at Muir Woods in Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

11 Urban National Parks You Can Visit This Summer

Enjoy nature, beef up your historical knowledge, and spend quality time with friends or family in these public lands within, or just outside, major U.S. cities.

11 Facts About Glacier National Park

More than 3 million people visited its snow-covered peaks in 2021, making Glacier the 27th-most visited park in the national park system.

Betty Reid Soskin preserved the history she had experienced first-hand.

Betty Reid Soskin, America's Oldest National Park Ranger, Has Retired at Age 100

She was the National Park Service’s oldest ranger and brought her astonishing lived experiences to the job.

The 10 Most Family-Friendly National Parks in the U.S.

From the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone, these are the best national parks for families traveling with kids.

11 Trailblazing Women Who Made National Park History

Although the first few years of the National Park Service were dominated by male employees, it didn’t take long for women to make their marks.

Doctors in Canada Can Prescribe Annual National Park Passes to Patients

Soon, patients in Canada will have a good reason to make spending more time in national parks part of their regular health routine.

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AllTrails Shows You the Best Biking and Hiking Trail Maps Around the World

AllTrails's database of hiking and biking trails makes exploring the great outdoors feel much less intimidating.

You Can Visit Any National Park for Free on These Days in 2022

These are the dates to visit a National Park System property in 2022 if you want to enter free of charge.

The 16 Most Dangerous National Parks in the U.S.

These are the national parks where a fun vacation is most likely to turn into an emergency situation.

10 Facts About Joshua Tree National Park

Only two hours outside Los Angeles, Joshua Tree National Park has always had a glamorous cachet. But it also has a fascinating history filled with Hollywood-style drama.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Autumn.

10 Facts About Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Ohio's Cuyahoga Valley National Park is one of the most-visited national parks in the United States.

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Inside the Yellowstone National Park Jail and Justice Center

The sprawling Yellowstone National Park sees enough criminal activity to warrant its own jail facility, court, and judge. Sentences can include fines and even a lifetime ban from the premises.

Jordan Pond in Maine's Acadia National Park.

The 20 Best Fall Vacation Destinations

Goodbye, beaches. Hello, fall foliage. From the Grand Canyon to Kauai, Hawaii, here’s where to head this autumn.

Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska.

Looking to Get Outdoors But Escape the Crowds? These are America’s 20 Least-Visited National Parks

For a more tranquil experience, consider heading to one of the national park system's least-visited properties.

Employee of Grand Teton National Park seated on a truck.

20 Odd Jobs With America's National Parks

Park rangers make up just a fraction of the 22,000 people employed by U.S. National Parks. Here are some unexpected jobs offered by the service.

51 Must-Visit National Park Properties Across America

From Acadia to Zion, these are the best U.S. national park properties in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C.

Sunrise at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

America's 10 Most Visited National Parks

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is basically the popular girl in high school that you can’t hate because she’s really nice and fun.

Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears, which stopped being a national landmark in 2006.

National Historic Landmarks Can Lose Their Status—Here’s How

The National Park Service can revoke designation if a landmark “ceases to meet criteria.” Here’s what that means.

Want to Improve Your Health? Listen to the Sounds of National Parks

Will taking a stroll through a national park make you feel less stressed? According to this study, the answer is probably yes.

You Can Sleep in a UFO in the Middle of Joshua Tree National Park

Long before it became a Joshua Tree glamping dream, this UFO-shaped 'Futuro House' lived at the first Playboy Club Hotel.

Wolf Spotted Near Yosemite for the First Time in a Century

A young male wolf traveled hundreds of miles to Mono County east of Yosemite National Park in California, making him the first wolf to visit the area in over 100 years.

You can grab a private island in West Virginia.

Rent a Private Island in West Virginia's New River Gorge, America's Newest National Park

West Virginia's New River Gorge National Park is home to a seven-acre island featuring a cozy three-bedroom cabin, three rivers, and tons of outdoor activities—with nary another soul in sight.

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