Most people can probably name one or two national parks in Utah, but many have never heard of Capitol Reef. Founded in 1971, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, is home to a dramatic geologic “fold” in the Earth’s crust. From the ground, the Waterpocket Fold resembles cliffs and buttes, but from the air, the long […]
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Category: Natural Beauty
Zion
Ever wonder what’s so amazing about Zion National Park in southern Utah? Start with spectacular canyon walls of red and white rock, add lush greenery and a river at the bottom, and finish with breathtaking views from the canyon floor and from above, and you can start to understand why Zion National Park is one […]
Bryce Canyon
Visiting Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah is like visiting another world. It’s home to some of the most bizarre rock formations around. This valley, full of wind-eroded red spires known as “hoodoos,” is justifiably world renowned and was protected as a National Park in 1928. While you’ll find hoodoos elsewhere, you won’t find them […]
Glen Canyon
With iconic sites like Horseshoe Bend within its boundaries, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is not only a place for boating but a great place for hiking and incredible scenery. Straddling Utah and Arizona, the park is home to Lake Powell, one of the largest and scenic manmade lakes in America. It was established in […]
Navajo
Navajo National Monument in northern Arizona was created in 1909 to protect the sites of three ancient Puebloan ruins. Its name is derived from its location within the Navajo Nation rather than the people who lived there and abandoned these settlements several centuries ago. Visitor Rating (write your own review below) ILNP Rating ILNP Park […]
Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, was founded in 1872 as the first National Park. Why a National Park? Because Wyoming and Montana weren’t states yet! But what a great place to start the National Park concept, the first of its kind in the world. Yellowstone is unique as the home of the world’s largest concentration of […]
Grand Teton
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, established in 1929, is home to the spectacular Rocky Mountain scenery of the Teton range in Northwestern Wyoming. The Tetons boasts craggy peaks, beautiful lakes, forests and plenty of wildlife. Visitor Rating (write your own review below) ILNP Rating Scenery Uniqueness Wildlife Diversity ILNP Park Review In a Word. “Stately” […]
White Sands
Ever wonder what it would be like to wander across seemingly infinite dunes of brilliant white sand? Then White Sands National Park is the place for you to satisfy that urge. The park protects an enormous field of white gypsum sand that doubles as a test range for missiles. Visitor Rating (write your own review […]
Badlands
What’s to love about a bunch of eroding cliffs? Everything! While not as beautiful as the erosion in Grand Canyon or Zion, Badlands offers a great way to explore some amazing scenery in a very accessible and “hands-on” way that’s great for families. Visitor Rating (write your own review below) ILNP Rating Scenery Uniqueness Wildlife […]
Wind Cave
Is Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota worth seeing when the cave is closed? That was the question before me when I visited in the summer of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. It wasn’t just the pandemic, though, elevator repairs had kept Wind Cave from offering cave tours for more than a year, and […]
Curecanti
Most people visiting Curecanti National Recreation Area do so driving through on US 50 or boating on Blue Mesa Reservoir. If this is all you do, you would miss the real beauty of Curecanti which is off the beaten path but still readily accessible for those willing to take the back roads. Visitor Rating (write […]
Joshua Tree
Joshua Tree National Park, California is a wild desert landscape of rock formations and the iconic trees for which it was named. Established as a National Monument in 1936, it was upgraded to a National Park in 1994. Visitor Rating (write your own review below) ILNP Rating Scenery Uniqueness Wildlife Diversity ILNP Park Review In […]