National Park Week 2021
We as a collective are in a bit of a weird situation. In 2020, national parks may have preserved the sanity of many folks in the United States. As more and more people get vaccinated, we are on the precipice of an explosion of travel.
I would bet money that the national parks of the United States will see very high visitation numbers for the remainder of 2021. I am passionate about the preservation of these parks so I share them with love and care as I hope that in turn you will love and care for them as well.
April 17th to the 25th marks one of my favorite weeks: National Park Week. Admission to any national park is free today April 17th.
Tunnel Log, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, California
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park
Entrance fee: $35
2020 visitation: 1.2 million visitors
For: the all-in-one park goer
Often called the less crowded Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks deserve a lot of hype and they never get any credit! In these parks, you will experience incredible ranges. Elevation ranges from 1,370' to 14,494', which means you could access to everything from deep canyons to alpine peaks in a single day if you wanted to.
Though the parks are next to each other, the reason why they are separated is because Sequoia National Park was established in 1890 and Kings Canyon National Park was established in 1940. It is said that Kings Canyon was designated a national park to protect its many large sequoias from logging.
Artists Palette, Death Valley National Park, California
Death Valley National Park
Entrance fee: $30
2020 visitation: 820,000
For: the extremist
Death Valley National Park is considered to be the “hottest, driest and lowest” national park and the hottest place on Earth. In 1913, the park recorded a temperature of 134 ºF/57 ºC! Because of its record-breaking heat, this park is one of few that sees peak visitation numbers in January when the weather is mild (i was there in February and it was 80 ºF).
This park is filled with geologic wonders. From mysterious “sailing stones” that move on their own at the Racetrack Playa to the oxidation of metals in the ground that cause the brilliantly colored rocks of Artists Palette (see above).
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Big Bend National Park
Entrance fee: $30
2020 visitation: 394,000
For: the adventurer
Big Bend National Park is one of the only national parks that has seen an increase in visitation since the start of the pandemic (+25%). Though it was once relatively unknown, this expansive park and plethora of camping options make it the perfect respite from the four walls of your living room during quarantine. It has actually become one of the top vacation destinations in Texas.
Big Bend is currently seeing its first-ever wildfire (which is surprising considering its location). Once it has been fully contained, I have no doubt that folks will be getting right back to those temple-like canyons and starry night skies.
Bear Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Rocky Mountain National Park
Entrance fee: $25
2020 visitation: 3.3 million
For: the wilderness lover
Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most visited national parks in the United States - and for good reason. It boasts over 300 miles of hiking trails, alpine lakes, forested valleys and some of the highest mountains in the continental United States. Despite the crowds, it is surprisingly easy to find yourself alone with nature in this park.
This majestic landscape is constantly shaped by unpredictable weather conditions as the mountains tend to make their own weather. We visited in July and sunny, clear mornings were often greeted by violent afternoon thunderstorms. I don’t like to play favorites, but this park might just have my heart.
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Grand Teton National Park
Entrance fee: $35
2020 visitation: 603,789
For: the historian
Grand Teton National Park has arguably one of the most dramatic and memorable landscapes in the park system. Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding national forests constitute the nearly 18,000,000-acre Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, one of the world’s largest. Though Yellowstone was established much earlier, Grand Teton National Park was established to protect the mountain range in 1929.
The human history of this park goes back much further than that though - at least 11,000 years. Between 1810 and 1940, the area was booming with fur trading companies. You can still see the remnants of that time in the park today.
Safe travels,
V.