Favorite National Park

mxgsfmdpx

WKR
Joined
Oct 22, 2019
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4,266
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Central Arizona
I spent 5 days exploring Wrangell St Elias National Park in September and didn't even come close to making a dent in it. Absolutely breathtaking place.

Emerald Bay State Park isn't a "National Park" it's a state park, but the desolation wilderness back country that surrounds it is my happy place.
 

Nine Banger

Lil-Rokslider
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Sep 28, 2023
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117
Congaree NP

It's an unlogged bottomland forest with great trails that bring you by the largest known specimens of many different species of southeastern tree.
 

F_Man

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Nov 11, 2022
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Glacier is probably my favorite, been there several times. Lots of cool hikes and views. Shuttle system lets you do some good point to point hikes. Saw a grizzly swimming in a lake one time.

Would love to go back to Olympic some time. Going from rain forest to alpine in a short amount of time is interesting. Saw lots of blacktail deer there.

Crowds really ruin everything for me though. Why can't I be the only one there....
 
Joined
Nov 16, 2023
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Glacier is tops for me. Lot's of people when I went but plenty of places to get away from the crowd. Drove to Kintla Lake right at daybreak saw a massive bull elk and did not see another person till about 10:00.

Yellowstone on the other hand I can't say I'd ever go back. To many dumb tourists who have no concept of what a wild animal is and think they can pet every bison or elk they see. And if I had a dime for every traffic jam I was in because somebody stopped in the middle of the road to take pictures of what they thought was a wolf but was actually a yote.... well I'd have about 50 cents I guess.
 

AdamLewis

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Dec 21, 2014
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91
I did grand canyon, big bend and Glen canyon/ lake powell a couple years ago. All were awesome but big bend was my favorite, that view...
Big Bend is my favorite at the moment. Big, not crowded, not overly developed. Close to me by Texas standards.
 

jzelk

FNG
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Nov 1, 2021
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14
Zion is cool, but the crowds are rough. Theodore Roosevelt is beautiful. The Chanel Islands are pretty cool too.
 

bradmacmt

Lil-Rokslider
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Nov 14, 2014
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175
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MT
Despite Yellowstone being just down the road, Acadia is probably my sentimental favorite.
 

JF_Idaho

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Oct 1, 2023
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Treasure Valley
Grew up going to Yosemite, so it holds a special place.

Would never go there now with 3+ hour lines and way too many people.
 

thegrouse

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Feb 11, 2021
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229
Location
Texas
I think Yosemite or Grand Tetons for the scenery. Big Bend and Canyonlands get in your blood.
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2016
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662
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Midwest
1. Isle Royale because there were virtually no people.

2. Joshua Tree because there were very few people and it was VERY easy to use the desert to our advantage to make those that were there vanish.

Those of you that can tolerate the massive overcrowding in many of the others are cut from a different cloth. I don’t think you could pay me enough to deal with city folk in their natural element, traffic.
 

energy369

FNG
Joined
Feb 13, 2023
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10
For the parks I've been to; Rocky Mountain National Park, yellowstone & Smokey Mountain National Park.
 

Seeknelk

WKR
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Jul 10, 2017
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778
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NW MT
Grew up going to isle royale on fishing trips and camping at the dock/shelters so that holds a special place for me. Even worked out there a bit, taking down a water tower etc. one fall. Live near glacier now and it's an amazing place also but so busy and I'd much rather do my hiking where I can hunt/scout. But I really need to experience more of glacier. Also, have worked in there on projects. Not a bad view, drive, if you go early morning.
 

NRA4LIFE

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Nov 20, 2016
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washington
My wife and I celebrated our 30th anniversary at the Grand Canyon. That was awesome. Neither of us had been there. Yellowstone is cool, but way too crowded now. It was nice 40 years ago. Will never get to see Yosemite, as I would have to enter CA, which ain't gonna happen.
 

Luke S

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Jul 7, 2019
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150
I lived in Midland, TX for a few years. Guadalupe Mountains National Park was about 3 hrs away. Just close enough for good weekend trips. I wouldn't travel across country for it but it was a cool experience. You start in the desert and hike up to a mountain bowl that has trees. I would do it in January and Febuary and get Rocky Mountain like experience without the snow. Big Bend was a bit farther off but it was amazing too (just don't go in the warmer months).
 
Joined
Feb 12, 2022
Messages
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My wife and I celebrated our 30th anniversary at the Grand Canyon. That was awesome. Neither of us had been there. Yellowstone is cool, but way too crowded now. It was nice 40 years ago. Will never get to see Yosemite, as I would have to enter CA, which ain't gonna happen.
California is a whole lot more than LA and San Francisco.

And conveniently most of the people are in the cities. Some incredibly beautiful country to be seen.
 
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