National Parks Road Trip
National Parks are one of the greatest ideas the United States has ever had. With the advent of the first national park in 1872 (Yellowstone), there have been 58 more protected areas in the United States designated as National Parks. Since are they so awesome, why not try to visit them all?
There are over 2 x 1059 different routes you could take to visit the 47 national parks that lie in the contiguous United States (we checked). It could take a very, very long time to use a computer to find the absolute optimal route, and by then you could have visited all 47 National Parks in the US, as well as the other 11 in Alaska and Hawaii. As a bonus, you could have also visited all of the National Monuments, Historic Places, Lakeshores, and more (There are more than 350 of these combined!).
Looking for an Epic road trip?
Luckily, there was someone out there who created an algorithm to speed this whole process up. Randy Olson created a blog post outlining this, as well as creating an optimal road trip across the US. His road trip includes National Parks, but does not come close to visiting all of them. That’s where we come in!
A curated box of outdoor gear, centered around a theme… every month / season!
In this road trip that we have constructed, we give you a pretty optimal route to take you to all 47 national parks. We chose to exclude Hawaii as it is pretty hard to drive to. We also chose to exclude Alaska due to distance from the contiguous 48 – maybe a separate Alaska National Park map is in order?
An optimal route to take you to all 47 national parks
Note:
- This route is 15,758 miles and would take you 11 days, 14 hours and 30 minutes to drive straight through each location.
- Kings Canyon is currently closed due to the wildfires that are consuming California’s forests right now, and because of that it is not included in the interactive version.
- You’ll have to take a ferry to three of these National Parks, but these directions will take you as close as you can get on land.
We also included a couple of interactive maps. The link below shows you the routes you can take (made by yours truly!).
This interactive Tableau map shows you direct lines to each destination, and you can hover over each destination for more information about each national park.
Happy road-tripping!
— Written by Travis Tamez // Have an idea for another road trip? Let him know!
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Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!
Been to most but want to see which ones I missed. Have been to all. 48
Here is a list of all of the National Parks in the United States, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks_of_the_United_States. Hopefully you can find the ones you haven’t visited yet!
I thought there is 46 National Park in the lower 48. There must be two new ones. Please comment.
Hi Chris!
It seems the newest National Park is Pinnacles, established in January of 2013. The next oldest are the Great Sand Dunes, in Colorado. Here is a list of all of them https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks_of_the_United_States, you can sort them by the date they were established. I hope that helps!
I stumbled upon Pinnacles in the summer of 2014, when I was in Paso Robles, CA for a wine event. It was neat to know it was so new to the system. (I seem to recall there is a Pinnacles East and a Pinnacles West, right? I don’t recall which side I visited). That park was so new and hardly anyone was there. Because I was unaware of that park I did not bring along hiking boots so my walking around time was limited. Still, what a neat experience.
LOVE Spring Mountain Ranch in Nevada!
This is a Nevada state park. It is beautiful there, but not part of the National Park Service system.
Any estimates on how much a trip of this length would cost?
I’m sure others could be more detailed, but a rough estimate of just the gas cost: 15,758 miles at let’s say 24 mpg (or insert yours here) at the current national average gas price of $2.26/gal = 15,758 / 24 * $2.26 = $1,484. Not shabby, if you ask me. Depends on the vehicle you drive (mpg), time of year (gas price), and local gas prices.But factor in about 5 oil changes along the way!
Calculating lodging, food, daily expenses is more complicated, I’d say. But lodging doesn’t have to be expensive – staying for free at national forests, BLM, truck stops, etc. (quite easy out west) with the occasional $20 campsite. The days they give are straight driving, so double that for nights plus maybe double it to get a day or two extra at each site (minimum), it’ll take at least 40 days. I’d say you could do at least half of those nights for free, others for $20ish, so maybe around $500. Cheaper than some people’s rent for a month, especially if split two or more ways! Amazing, really, how “cheap” (monetarily) these types of trips can be, considering the life enrichment. Finding the time is the biggest obstacle, I think!
Let’s see … 15,758 miles (that’s $1,052 in gas) … 11½ driving days (or 35 days & nights) … 48 parks (or 120 more days at 2½ days per park) … that’s $7,750 for room and $4, 650 for board …
That’s $13,452 and six months away from home!!! Now THAT’S a road trip!
Wowwee Zowwee! What kind of gear would you bring on that trip?? Like, the ultimate outdoor gear package… We got some ideas!
You are forgetting the cost of the entrance fees. If you are a senior you can get a life time Golden pass that cost $10 and includes all passengers in the vehicle. Other than that the entrances fees can be a lot more.
I just took a 10 day road trip with a rental car from Oregon, to Idaho, to Utah, to Colorado, to New Mexico where I stayed five days and to Arizona, to California and back to Oregon, with a brief rest stop every two hours for the dogs and accommodations at Motel 6 and La Quinta Inns, which allow dogs with no extra charge and my total expenses were a little over $1K. I took along an upright cooler with a telescoping handle and wheels and prepared all my meals in the motel provided microwave and frig, with only a couple of stops for cafe meals. Next time the only thing I’d do different is allow more time for sightseeing, which would of course add to the cost.
You’re missing Isle Royals. A very important national park in the continental US.
It’s there, just take a look at the map! Our original map didn’t have it since you have to take a ferry or plane to it, but we decided to include it later on.
The map lists Isle Royale National Park as Copper Harbor, Michigan, which is the town from which the ferry departs (and probably the location of the mailing address for the park). Isle Royale is a beautiful place. It is as unspoiled as any National Park in the country.
Your list is incomplete as it misses the national preserves… Big Cypress in Florida and Big Thicket in Texas. Both are part of the National Park Service.
as. Fulltime volunteer for oir National Parks, Refuges, Historic sites, Seashores and Forests I can appreciate our NWR’s, but in this case he is only talking about the National PARKS:-)
What about Valley Forge National Park? Gettysburg National Park?
Valley Forge is a National Historical Park; Gettysburg is a National Military Park. Though the categories have similar names, neither is a National Park, which is a different designation entirely.
Sleeping Bear Dunes was left out of Michigan. Catch it on lake Michigan before heading up to Isle Royale
That’s a National Lakeshore, not a National Park.
Sleeping Bear Dunes is also a National Park as well as a National Lakeshore.
The NPS designates it as only a National Lakeshore. http://www.nps.gov/state/mi/index.htm
You’ve completely forgotten about Alaska and Hawaii. While you could ferry your car to Alaska, easily, I understand Hawaii might be difficult. We can’t just pretend they don’t exist though! They are amazing.
They mentioned in the description that this map only includes the lower 48 states. So, while they “miss” AK and HI in the map, they still acknowledge them. 🙂
So you’re missing some parks, whatever. Thanks for doing this much legwork to begin with! excellent resource.
Ditto. This is great and to think we could do it all in 11 days! I would take my time and maybe spread it out over a month but so nice to know it’s possible!
you forgot The Oregon Caves National Park & Preserve http://www.. =( best hidden and missed park on the map. http://www.nps.gov/orca/index.htm
Oregon Caves is a national monument, not a national park.
After visiting all the 50 states… I decided to visit all of the US National Parks…. had never heard of Wolf Trap until this map ??? Have only 4 more to go: Great Basin & Gates of the Arctic & Kobuk Valley & Lake Clark…. just wondering what #11 is in HI & AK– my list only has 8 in AK & 2 in HI… guess I need to double check my list of National Parks .. Have also been to the USVI National Park in St John…
This is the trip that my husband and I plan to take on our 1 year retirement from our full time jobs and then return home and work part time for as long as we can…..about 4 years to go before the trip….our dream
Ck out Tin Can Tourist on Facebook and RVillage.com and Escapees.com great resources for hitting the open trail (road).
Highly recommend getting the National Geographic national park book gives great suggestions on time of year where to stay and what to do at each park. We did this in 2010 and it was helpful
Been to all but three NP in continental US some in HI and AK, all Battlefield NP, many National Monuments. Our National Parks are the gem of this country. We need to demand that congress support them for all of us and our future generations. I Would like a current map showing all NP. They do occasional create new ones. Planning an RV trip late next summer and hope to get the three remaining.
http://www.nps.gov/hfc/cfm/carto-detail.cfm?Alpha=nps
Why does your route not include the parks in Michigan???
Technically there’s only one National Park in Michigan… where we get our name from – Isle Royale! We’re from Michigan and love the state dearly. We would never cheat our home state!
How could you leave out Pictured Rocks or Sleeping Bear Why drive right through Michigan with out those stops!
Not technically National Parks but National Lake Shores. We would never cheat our Michigan treasures. Never!
In the National Park Service list of 59 National Parks, Wolf Trap NP for the Performing Arts is not one of them. It is listed in the Other Designation category. Also National Parks in the Virgin Islands and American Samoa.
There are over 400 units administered by the National Park Service.
Fifty-nine units are NATIONAL PARKS; 47 of these are in the 48 contiguous states. Another 8 are in Alaska, 2 in Hawaii, 1 in American Samoa, and 1 in US Virgin Islands.
The majority of park service units are not parks: national monuments, national preserves, national historic sites, national historical parks, national memorials, national battlefields, national cemeteries, national recreation areas, national seashores, national lakeshores, national rivers,national parkways, and national trails. These designations will be part of the name of the site, for example Gulf Islands National Seashore, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Obed Wild and Scenic River, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, Stone River National Battlefield, Shiloh National Military Park, etc.
These are no less as interesting or important than the national parks, they just have do not meet the criteria to be a park. I urge you to visit all of them as well as the numerous public lands administered by other federal and state agencies. We have an abundance of public lands just waiting for you to discover them.
Okay, taking off my tourism development hat to say that I LOVE our NPS system and I am on a mission to visit every national public land as my bucket list. I have made quite a dent in the list, but there are still many to go. This map will be very helpful in planning future trips.
Also, y’all do the Junior Ranger booklets when you visit. You’ll get a really good overview of the unit as well as have fun doing it. Don’t forget to get sworn in and get your badge~
Also, get a National Parks Passport! Each park has a stamp (or 2 or 3 or 4!!) for their park. The stamp contains the park name and the date you visit. The Passport book has pages for all regions of the country. It’s a fun way to remember ALL the places you’ve visited.
Thank you so much for compiling this list and route! I am saving it as my dream trip to do as soon as I’m able, would love to find someone who would be just as enthusiastic as me to go along for the ride!
No problem! We’re glad you’re loving it! Took a lot of time to put together…
God & I visited his creations on my Harley. From Gulf Shores National Seashore in Florida, down I-10 to Yosemite, North to Mount Olympus, back thru the Badlands, down thru the midwest to my home in Florida. 6 weeks, 33 parks, and 7000 miles. I am ready to go again with God as my co-pilot…
Delaware river national park in pa/nj isn’t listed????
Never mind, it’s a national recreational area
A minute saved is a minute eanedr, and this saved hours!
What about Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee, NC?
smokey mountains is on this map
Isn’t it amazing how many people just want to prove you wrong?
I am glad to see someone else mentioned this. I was thinking the same thing. It’s amazing how critical people are, rather than just appreciating. I think this is awesome!
This s is one of the reasons our congress cannot work together.
So many people are just simply negative. My guess is most of them do not even want to see these national treasures. They just like to criticize the efforts of others.
Enjoy all journeys however you take them! Namaste
we did this trip in 2010 quit our jobs took 4.5 months. pinnacles wasn’t around and not sure what this NP of the arts was you added but wasn’t aware of that. Epic trip $80 national park annual pass. http://www.drivetopark.com
If you can I highly recommend it. Amazing experience. Our country is beautiful!
No way! What was your favorite?
Yosemite! Other favorites Mt Rainier, especially Paradise area (I’m from the area but swear it’s top notch), Yellowstone, Arches and Bryce nearby, Carlsbad Caverns, Glacier, anywhere we saw bears 😉 Crater Lake is also breathtaking!
Once you are age 62, a National Park Lifetime Pass is only $10! 🙂
Yellowstone; Oldest and Best
Thank you so much for this list. I am wondering how many of those critical posters actually visit these places???
ALSO, FYI, if you are disabled you can get a lifetime pass for free.
What a great resource…thank you!!
Any time! Check back soon, we’re releasing another map / infographic next week.
“But factor in about 5 oil changes along the way!” Basically zero oil changes if you are using the AMSOIL Signature synthetic oil and in general improves your milage as well. Great route planning. In the bucket list to do with my Beemer K1200GT. OnlineMotorOil.com
Thanks for the SPAM, lowlife.
Why is the Buffalo National River and Park not on the list? Located in North central Arkansas
The Buffalo River is a National River not a National Park. But it is still ridiculously awesome, just a different designation.
Thank you!!!
I am interested in learning what non-RV vehicles people have used for this marvelous adventure, especially those who managed to adapt their vehicle to accommodate sleeping some of the time. I want to avoid paying the higher cost of lodging as much as possible, but I do not want to tent. I want to take my time with this trip.
We use an extended cab Doge Ram 1500, with a custom extended height topper lined with carpet and sliding side screened/tinted windows. It has a door for entry at night and the whole back panel opens up providing shelter from rain or shade rather than a tailgate and we have a flat board with folding legs to pull out from truck bed for a table. We added USB solar charge station, solar fan, led lighting, net on ceiling to hold clothes, and dark curtains. We use an air sleep pad and memory foam topper that rolls up against the rear window (bedding included). We have two small tubs for gear, one tub for dry goods, fishing gear, camp chairs, dog bed, cooler and clothing. We removed the rear seats, and the dog bed/dog, fishing gear, cooler and day trip items stow there, rest of gear we put in the front seats at night. Our Lab Vinney can stay in truck topper (with sliding windows fully open, water dish, and fan) for two or three hour stretches comfortably, although we do not take him when we spend more than three days in a NP. We spent three weeks on the road last year, Grand Teton, Yellowstone and Glacier, stayed in National Forest dispersed camping, NP campgrounds (campground showers), with one night in hotel for a treat mid trip. Works great, we don’t have to deal with hassle of camper and increased fuel cost and it is hard sided (we Velcro bear spray by door). We do many three and four day trips routinely.
Earlier someone wondered about cost of a trip like this. We have taken several long motorcycle trips and with 2 purchased meals a day, hotels averaging $100 plus gas and other expenses, a good average is $1000 for every 1000 miles. There is definitely room to budget it down.
7000 miles from Texas to Maine and back, 31 days for about $6500. We go slow, taking in all the sites and stay in a different hotel almost every night.
National Parks are always at the top of the list. We will definitely use your map. Thanks.
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In the past few years Keweenaw County in northern MI has become a “National Park” & if not, what “National” has it become? All old buildings, cemeteries etc are being brought up to code. My great grandfather’s tombstone in the Ahmeek area north of Calumet was knocked down many years ago is up right like many others & there is a new white fence along US 41 where it is located… much of the tall grass is cut down & now Lilly of the Valley bloom alongside wild blueberries. It didn’t take me long to be able to show it to my daughter as it has in past visits to the UP. I had a tour of the old Calumet High School where my parents graduated & it is truly a wonderful place to go to school with all new modern equipment. All floors & desks are sanded & resurfaced, looking very nice. I have wonderful memories of vacations visiting all my relatives up there. June
Per the NPS, it’s a National Historic Park. http://www.nps.gov/state/mi/index.htm
Some folks – including myself for a while – are confused by
thank you so much for this wonderful resource. I want to visit them all and you have done the work for me
You missed one of the best in the USA and in Michigan, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park!
Per the NPS, it’s a National Lakeshore. http://www.nps.gov/state/mi/index.htm
“An optimal route to take you to all 48 national parks” I don’t think so…let me know how that drive to Volcanoes National Park (on the Big Island in Hawaii) goes.
There’s ALWAYS at LEAST ONE in every crowd.
The description clearly says they are leaving out HI (and AK) that very reason.
To everyone commenting that the post “missed” a National Park here or there: the national parks system is comprised of 408 units, but only 59 are specifically “National Parks.” Others are National Lakeshores, Monuments, Historical Parks, Rivers, etc. That being said, just hitting the National Parks proper would lead you to miss out on some of the coolest bits of America. Whenever I plan my trips to see a park, I always check out what’s nearby and try to get in those spots that may not have received the parks designation (sometimes they are more impressive than the parks themselves). A good example is Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave NM in SD. I really enjoyed Jewel Cave more as a cave, but Parks are sometimes designated as such because of their historical, cultural, or ecological relevance. In short, America is awesome, see as much of it as you can!
This is at least a 60 day trip to make sure you enjoy !
Ok, im ready!
Been a wife a mom now going to be a grandmother at the age of 47. The last time I took a trip similar to this was when my father put in the time and the money to take me and my family across country. I was a very lucky girl. My husband has only been to few places in his lifetime and i want him to experience this for himself.
I have an RV and will leave asap. I would like to take this exact trip, journal every day the time & cost and report it back to everyone!
I will certainly look forward to reading your journal, Christy!
I have just sold my home and buying an RV to make this trip. I will be starting this trip in the spring. Your map will be very helpful.
Did you take the trip? Any feedback, things to be aware of, comments?
My daughter, who is 22 years old visited many of these National Parks on a roadtrip with her friend and thoroughly enjoyed her trip across America, though on a very tight budget. Best summer vacation ! Wish your list was published before 🙂
Hi! Wondering when would be the optimal time to do this trip? Summer? We’ve always wanted to go to Isle Royale as we live in Michigan, but we’ve heard that sometimes it’s very buggy. I’m assuming there are times of year to avoid other parks as well. Have you found there is “best” time to do this?
Someone mentioned a book in comment 13 that sounded like it might have what you’re looking for.
Thank you so much for this resource! Quitting my job and taking this adventure this upcoming April. Can’t wait.
Can you take us with you, por favor??
Wait a minute I don’t see Great Smoky Mountains national Park!?!? Which is the most visited national park of all….. Maybe I’m over looking something but I don’t see it on the route. Someone set me straight.
I knew I should have looked more before commenting… I see now, was looking at wrong map and unable to delete comment
There are 18 National Parks in Pennsylvania. Are you going to any of them? You should consider Valley Forge Park.
While there are 18 locations in PA under the NPS umbrella, PA has zero that meet the “national park” designation.
Thank you – an excellent resource! From some of the comments, it seems your National Parks map has generated an interested in other map categories: National Preserves, National Historic Sites, and National Seashores!!
Hey Fergus! We’re working on some exciting new maps and packages too boot! Thanks for the kudos and stay tuned.
Two of my dearest friends and I did 75% of this trip when we graduated from college. Epic trip, in a 4 door Acura, no cooler, tent camping unless we were near a city where we knew someone. We visited nat’l seashores, etc along with the nat’l parks. Amazing. One of my favorite experiences of all time. We left from Toledo, Oh and went north to the UP and Sleeping Bear Dunes, up to the UP and wow. Just wow. This was in 1997, and I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. 3 months of bliss, we took our time and loved it. Thank you for sharing!
OK. Sure, these all great places. But this list would still leave you 348 areas shy of seeing the whole 409 areas in the National Park System, leaving out a lot of wonderful and amazing places. Our family list says we need to make it to about 250 more places before we can say we’ve seen the system.
Excellent. Keep going! I’m envious.
Any chance you will make another map and include all the categories that others have mentioned – I mean, if making the trip – I’d want to see them ALL!
This is my dream trip! At least I have the southeast covered already. If I had an acceptable alternative to boarding my dogs, I would be on the road today with this wonderful map! Now a shout out for the National Park Travelers Club’s website, where you can find hoards of valuable information from people that travel to these parks and the other NPS sites as an obsession. The stamping locations, if you collect those, are updated continuously, as well. Full access to the website is yearly membership dues of about five dollars or so (don’t remember what I paid) and is a worthwhile investment.
To the critics out there, this is an accurate map of the parks in the lower 48 states. There are currently a total of 59 sites with National Park designation, with some being very remote in Alaska and some being across water, such as in American Samoa and St. John’s, VI.
I take that back, Wolf Trap (near Washington DC) is not a national park though its name implies it is, but is listed as “other designations.” If I were on this trip, I would build in a lot of the other sites, especially national monuments, which have similar attributes as the “parks.”
These people missed some many National Parks, National Monuments, and World Heritage Sites that it isn’t even funny.
They even missed the Homestead National Monument in NE. That is a very important NM.
I would definitely not use this map as any example of a road trip of National Parks….you will miss some very important places.
As MANY people have pointed out as WELL as the article, this map is ONLY for National Parks in the 48 contiguous United States.
NOT National Historic Parks
NOT National Monuments
NOT National Seashores
NOT World Heritage Sites (good grief)
NOT anything else that isn’t simply a “National Park.”
If you are unhappy then please create your own map so that thousands of clueless people such as yourself can nitpic it at their leisure. KThx
I love you map, thanks for making it. BUT, where is Isle Royal National Park on the map, that place is awesome! It is an Island with lakes that have islands
It’s there! Where did you think we got our name from?? :p
Great Map! Our family has visited many of the National Park, Monuments,Lakeshores, ect..I would love to attempt this trip. Thanks for doing the leg work on this route. Can’t wait to try this some day!
Time to face the music armed with this great inimnoatfor.
Many thanks, good work!
“did” the East Coast last Fall (90 days) flying back to Augusta April 2016 to pick up RV and drive west – 4 months!!
You missed two parks in Mississippi. The Vicksburg National Military Park, and the Natchez Trace Parkway, which is the longest national park.
and you missed reading comprehension in school.
Thank you for taking the time to make this map. It is evident that you put a lot of love and passion into this, not to mention time. I hope to take my grandkids on some version of this. I am smart enough to google what’s in the areas we are entering, and in no way expect you to mention every conceivable nook, cranny and national something that just may not be a park.
Kudos,
juju
Hey Juju,
You’re pretty rad. Thanks so much for your kind words. We’re currently working on creating some exciting new maps and working with partners. Stay tuned for some ultra sweet happenings!
Now I feel studpi. That’s cleared it up for me
I would interested to see the ‘Every state’ map and this map out together. I feel if you are already going out an epic trip like this you should go that extra mile of you would. 😉 let me know if you make that one. This one is amazing- definitely one of my Wanderlust goals!
Ok, Molly, we’ll bite! Can you elaborate slightly more?? Love the idea!
There are 46 National Parks in the lower 48. I don’t know what the other 2 you mention would be. Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts is not a national park, nor is Copper Harbor, MI – it is a gateway to Isle Royale.
We just did all 46 in the lower 48, along with a number of national monuments, historical sites, and battlefields. Check out our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/portabellajourney
I would so do this Road Trip. I have been dreaming about this for years and now here it is right in front of me. This has got to be an omen.
Great you took the time. One of the best things I’ve seen on the internet. Makes me angry so many people post negative shit in my opinion.
Mark, you are correct. I just saw the posting on my Facebook feed today. I took the time to read the whole thing comments and all. Sad that some folks posted negative comments or tried to point out errors that were not, in fact, errors. I guess they just didn’t read before commenting. I live just blocks away from the William Howard Taft National Historic Site. There is a NPS sign in front but the home is a SITE not a PARK.
Thank you so much for this map. I just saw the posting on my Facebook feed today. I read the entire thing including the comments. Looks like some folks posting negative comments didn’t bother to read the post. In 2012, I took what I called the Great Western Trek. I was a recent retiree and had received an invitation to a wedding outside of Missoula, MT. With the help of AAA I planned a 30-day road trip that took me from Cincinnati, OH to Santa Fe, NM then up through Colorado and Utah to Montana. (After the wedding I continued west to Vancouver, BC, then down the Pacific coast to Portland, then headed east to Ohio). I was able to visit several National Parks, Monuments and Sites including Arches, Canyonlands, Craters of the Moon, Yellowstone, Glacier, the Olympic Peninsula, the Badlands, Jewel Cave, Wind Cave, Devil’s Tower and others. I stumbled upon the Minute Man Missile site which I believe was a brand new site at that time. I used my own car and put about 5,000 miles on it. The next time I plan on checking out those smaller RVs to save on motels.
Not to rain on any parades but I noticed inaccuracies in numbering/math and locations on the map.
The O.P. is correct in that there are 59 “National Parks.” However, the written number 48 (for the contiguous United States – because 11 were subtracted) is incorrect and differs from the 47 locations found on the map (47 is the proper number of “National Parks” in the contiguous U.S.).
59 total “National Parks”
– 2 in U.S. territories (America Samoa and Virgin Islands – excluding for same reasons as AK/HI)
– 2 in Hawaii
– 8 in Alaska (making Alaska/Hawaii 10, not 11 as stated)
_____________
47 National Parks in the contiguous United States (including three “islands” that may not be accessed by car – Channel, Royale, Dry Tortugas)
As stated earlier, the map has 47 locations but one is actually NOT a “National Park” (Virginia has two map indicators but only has 1 official “National Park” – Shenandoah). However, Kings Canyon in California was omitted from the map which would make up the missing 47th location. I thought this was perhaps due to it being closely grouped with Sequoia but Grand Teton and Yellowstone have their own indicators respectively.
I did enjoy this post very much so please don’t think I’m trying to come down on the original poster. Hopefully my “corrections” are welcomed (and correct – pretty positive they are).
You are correct! I mistakenly included Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts when making this as I saw ‘National Park’ in the title. I also excluded Kings Canyon as at the time there were wildfires and it was closed, thus Google Maps not letting me add it to the itinerary. Thanks for letting me know, I will update this map accordingly. PS – I appreciate the time you took to research this!
We visited 10 National Parks and 3 national Monuments, in 15 days a few years back. In order Yosemite NP, Devils Post Pile NM, Great Basin NP, Arches NP, Canyonlands NP, Monument Valley NM*, Capitol Reef NP, Bryce Canyon NP, Zion, NM, Escalant-Grand Staircase NM, Grand Canyon NP, Sequoia NP and Kings Canyon NP. All were visited by car except Monument Valley, which was where we turned around on our airplane ride over Canyonlands.
FYI – ALL units of the National Park System are national parks, that means there are currently 409 national parks. Their designations may be National Park, National Seashore, National Military Park, and on and on. Even National Monuments administered by the National Park Service are national parks. The name of a unit is decided by the US Congress (unless it was created by use of the 1906 Antiquities Act, then its a National Monument). So, please know that the folks in the gray and green uniforms are caring for all 409 parks, not just a few of them.
Once you finish visiting all the “National Park” designated national parks, go check out all the “National Battlefield” and “National Historical Park” and all the other sites. Every one of them is special in their own way. The trick is to get out and enjoy your parks!!! #FindYourPark
On the wikipedia page for the US National Parks it says this.
“Other units of the National Park Service are sometimes incorrectly referred to as national parks; they are listed here.” – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks_of_the_United_States
It does become confusing with this wording. Feel free to edit it on wikipedia though if you believe it’s wrong!
KT
FYI – you are incorrect.
All units of the National Park Service system, are exactly that, UNITS of the NPS. They are not National Parks, which is a specific sub-category. There are 59 National Parks, and a total of 412 units (I’m assuming you haven’t updated to include Stonewall; I’m not sure which other two you are missing). There are also affiliated areas, as well as National Heritage Areas; the National Trails System; and National Wild & Scenic Rivers System which all have some oversight by the NPS. However NONE of these are “National Parks.” Only the 59 areas specifically designated as actually being “National Parks” are such.
Yes, the other areas are certainly worth checking out. As a NY resident, I don’t have any National Parks in my state, but I have some very wonderful NPS units, including the Statue of Liberty (National Monument), Niagara Falls (National Heritage Area), Fire Island (National Seashore) and Sagamore HIll (National Historic Site). And I’ve been to all of them. As a matter of fact, my NPS “Bucket List” started off as seeing all my NPS sites within my home state, not seeing all 59 National Parks, although it now has expanded to include that.
All the units are interesting in their own way — that’s why they are part of the NPS. They simply aren’t all “National Parks.”
Once you finish visiting all the “National Park” designated national parks, go check out all the “National Battlefield” and “National Historical Park” and all the other sites. Every one of them is special in their own way. The trick is to get out and enjoy your parks!!! #FindYourPark
Wow, lots of great comments and ideas. I have been on a 8 month road trip which has included 13 states and 38 National Parks, Monuments, Battlefields, etc… I am doing it in a RV on a budget of approx. $1600/month. I don’t have motel costs or the restaurant costs. I have food costs which amount to approx$7.00/day. Fuel costs, well you can figure that out at 8 mpg. My camping costs average $15 per night. One cost that I haven’t seen on the posts in Park Entrance fees, which range from Zero to $25 per park. Unless you have one of the associated park passes.
I would recommend that anyone who wants to do this trip, buy a rv or trailer and take you time.
OH yea, get yourself a National Park Passport for less than $10. It includes all the parks etc… Don’t forget to get your cancellation stamps.
Come join me on Cosmos Tours “National Parks and Canyon Tour” …….it’s 13 days out west. I took this trip in 2006 and now, 10 years later I am headed back. White water rafting, strolling in Cody Wyoming’s Wild Bill Hickox’s museum, a covered wagon bar-b-que in Jackson Hole, gazing at the Hoodoo’s in Bryce Canyon NP…..are but a few of the fun things we do on this trip. Come Along.
Michael D. Mosley, Author of Memoirs of A World Traveler 20 Years” Amazon
This is pretty Clever, but its too bad you chose to exclude Alaska, and heres why; more than half of the US National Park acreage is in Alaska.
Essentially, your route is excluding -MOST- of the National Parklands in the Country.
Sure Alaska Parks are remote, but in terms of Wildness, and preservation of Natural and Cultural resources, Alaska Parks are bigger, more pristine, wilder, and better preserved than any lower-48 parks you can think of. They have fewer visitors, smaller NPS administration per acre, less development, (I.E. roads, buildings, NPS infrastructure) more wildlife, etc. In this regard, you could argue that Alaska maintains the -best- National Parklands in the country. Excluding Alaska is like missing the whole point of the National Parks.
You can get into the National Parks for free if you have a fourth grader with you. 😉
I don’t know whether this has been mentioned already but The Golden Age Pass is the best financial investment I have ever made. I urge all seniors who are eligible to get one, or at least one per family.
People who are disabled can get a free lifetime pass as well.
Thanks for all the work you’ve put into this labor of love! Our family has been exploring the parks since my children were 2 and 5 years old (they are now 31 and 34) and the National Park Pass, at $80 per year, is not only a worthwhile investment put a ticket to paradise. My husband and I now have our Golden Age passes (affectionately known as ‘geezer passes’) and are hoping to visit the final handfuls of NPs remaining on our ‘to do’ list this spring (Death Valley, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Pinnacles, Joshua Tree, Carlsbad and Saguaro). I would encourage everyone who loves and cherishes these gems to make contributions to the National Park Foundation or the other various foundations set up to help individual parks (Yellowstone, Shenandoah, Acadia, etc.) since the system has been badly underfunded for decades. If you’re an Amazon shopper, you can sign up for Amazon Smile and a portion of each purchase will be donated to the charity you choose… the National Park Foundation is on that list. Also, although making the trip in one grand sweep may seem tempting, taking the time to hike more than a couple hundred feet from the parking areas will never disappoint. Simply sublime! One more thing, if you are blessed with the opportunity to visit Glacier NP and have some extra time, the Garden Wall Trail along the continental divide from Logan Pass is superb. Although out of the country, the four Canadian National Parks that straddle the Divide (Yoho, Kootenay, Banff, and (much farther north) Jasper are worthwhile destinations for outdoor experiences as is Waterton Lakes NP
But where is Indiana Dunes National Park!!!
Indian Dunes is a National Lakeshore, not a National Park. This trip only encompasses the National Parks in the lower 48 states.
Thank you for your hard work in creating this map! I have seen many of these beautiful places, but not others, so will definitely make use of this map.
I cannot believe how many stupid people have commented on this article… lol Holy cow, you morons! The guy says it’s a national park map – and you yahoos are sniping at the guy for not adding crap that ISN’T considered a national park. Sorry you’ve had to endure so many dumb people, man! Nice job on putting the map together. Rest assured, there are still some of us (It’s a minority anymore) but some of us that still know how to read and aren’t complete idiots.
DITTO!!!!!
This is AWESOME! I have been searching and looking for some direction for our “round the U.S.” Road trip! And bam! You appeared! Fabulous work on our NP system.
Pics from the Tahoe travelers to follow!! Thanks!
My family of 4 are planning a NP trip this summer for 5 weeks. We are in the market to rent an RV, any suggestions? We live in the south. Thanks for the map it has been a gem in our planning.
Thank you for the awesome map!!!
This is amazing!!!!
Is there a way to delete parks we have already been too or start from another location?
Little editing in the article needed, lower 48 is contiguous 48 (article says “47” when talking about why you didn’t include my state & HI).
Thanks,
Ed
Fairbanks, AK
Thank you for all the work you did. This will help us so much in planning our upcoming trip, starting in 2017.
Here we come USA 🙂
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I just started planning a trip around the US and this is the perfect starting point for deciding our route. Thank you also to the people who commented with additional tips on the National Park Service. And even a thank you to the haters who posted incorrectly that you “missed one” – because some of those sound interesting to add to our itinerary 🙂
We took a year and a half off and have seen all these plus the two in Hawaii!
http://www.highwaysandblueskies.com
My family and I just finished a 10 day national park tour. We visited 6 national parks through Utah, Colorado and South Dakota, as well as The Four Corners and Custer State Park. Best way to give our kids life long memories.
I took a three-day road trip to five of the parks. Read about it here. http://www.diwatafb.com/lifestyle/the-time-i-visited-five-national-parks-in-four-states-in-three-days
Don’t forget — the Every Kid in a Park initiative allows anyone with a 4th grader (2015-2016 school year) to get into National Parks for free (including their families!!). In many cases, parking is waived too. It’s a great initiative and worth taking advantage of if you can!! Here’s the link: https://everykidinapark.gov/
Thanks for the effort you put into this. I can tell that like myself you are highly passionate about traveling the US NP system. This is shown clearly by your repeated futile attempts to respond to the constant barrage of “you missed.” Piece of advice if I may; don’t bother arguing with these jackasses. If they are not willing to do a little research on their own and check their facts before calling you out on yours then they don’t deserve your time. I understand the first couple, and it is always nice when the author actually replies. However, when you have to respond repeatedly to the same comments they clearly didn’t bother reading the posts. Save your breath and energy for those that share the same passion. Safe travels my friend…
Thank you for all your hard work & dedication in putting this route together. I am looking forward to taking my grandkids to see these sites. We are going to break the trips up into regions over the years..
My son and I visited 18 National Parks and monuments in 2 weeks back in ’09. We took 3000 pictures, tossed out 2000 of them. We drove 6000 miles in January, from Charlotte to Zion and Grand Canyon and back. Now I look forward to revisiting most and visiting more with my wife, preferably in the spring and fall, when she retires in the fall of ’17.
Hi Isle Box,
Am curious, have YOU done this wonderful – sounding trip?
If so, what were some of your highlights? Lowlights? What type of vehicle were you in? Number of people who traveled with you?
And on a personal note, what did you do about food?
Hey Amy! I read your comment as I was posting mine below and wanted to respond. In my comment I mention that my husband and I did this trip and more. I will answer your questions here but if you want to read about the entire trip you can check out our blog of our travels at dedosdoamerica.com!
We have a top 5 list of parks and there were a few least favorites which we discuss on the blog.
We drove a toyota yaris, but we tent camped for most of the trip. It was just us 2.
We ate a lot of sandwiches and meals that are easy to make camping.
Feel free to email me at dedosdoamerica@gmail.com if you have any other questions!
Thanks so much for putting this together! My husband and I took a 4 month road trip across the US from March to July based on this article of yours. We visited all 47 national parks in the contiguous 48 and for every state that didn’t have a park with did something outdoor/nature related there. We also flew to Alaska for 33 hours when we were driving through Washington. Then after the road trip ended we flew to Hawaii to get married for the grand finale. Again, thank you so much for this article! Without stumbling across it I don’t know that we would have thought about doing it, but with this as inspiration we got to do all 50 states and 47 national parks in 4 months!
If you are interested in reading about our travels you can check out at blog at dedosdoamerica.com and we also have a YouTube channel with over 300 videos from our trip. 🙂
Hot springs national park was the first national park, not Yellowstone
Sorry Amanda – Hot Springs National Park was not signed under park protection until 1921. Yellowstone has almost 50 years on it. Yellowstone, as Wyoming was not yet a state, became our first NP in 1872.
-The Other Amanda
Travis,
As a junkie of Google Maps, thank you for creating these (and thank you for introducing me to the fun of Tableau).
I’m taking a survey course on the National Parks and have committed to the start of a NP road trip. Your maps popped up in my search result.
Thank you for the great tool and my introduction to Isle Box.
The Other Amanda
Thanks pertaining to giving these kinds of superior info
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It’s crazy that people sitting in front of computer wouldn’t at least google their inquiry prior to typing on said computer to someone who did a great deal of work that they are wrong, when in fact they are not…awesome map! My bucket list just got a new, BIG, item on it. Thank you for doing the work!
My wife & I will someday be taking this trip (hopefully on a Harley)! Our bucket list is to see them all. Thus far we have seen 20 but would love to se each & every one of those again plus the rest. I just wanted to say thank you so very much for pulling all of this information together. Let the critic be critical & I’ll go see this beautiful country we are so lucky to live in!
Brent Pearcy
Lebanon, Missouri
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I love this map. I’ve seen before and would love to take the grand tour.
I see others have done the math on costs. Has anyone done a true plan of how much driving between sites, spending time at each site and driving to the next? 11 days or 35 days of just driving doesn’t incorporate time into enjoying each of these great parks. Some require more time than others. This also is the whole plan. Taking that time off and funding the whole thing could be a challenge. Is there a Part A during summer 2018, Part B during summer 2019, Part C during summer 2020?
We are SO going to do this. Planning starts now!! We will take at least two months to do it.
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