What are your favorite American National Parks? (architectural, snake)

[JerichoHW]

Originally Posted by kanhawk

Thanks for posting that. I've been there a few times and it is truly a beautiful place. The drive out there is great too. The lighthouse is awesome, set on a very steep cliff. They have regular tours.

I love it!! Has to be on my favorites list, I have always wanted to go Backcountry camping there, maybe I should go soon.

[Scraper Enthusiast]

I've been to the following:

1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NC, TN)
2. Everglades National Park (FL)
3. Acadia National Park (ME)
4. Guadelupe Mountains National Park (TX)
5. Petrified Forest National Park (AZ)
6. Saguaro National Park (AZ)
7. Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)
8. Kings Canyon National Park (CA)
9. Sequoiah National Park (CA)
10. Arches National Park (UT)
11. Rocky Mountain National Park (CO)
12. Mt. Ranier National Park (WA)
13. Carlsbad Caverns National Park (NM)
14. Glacier National Park (MT)
15. Yellowstone National Park (WY, MT, ID)
16. Grand Teton National Park (WY)

My favorites:

For scenery: Glacier National Park & Rocky Mountain National Park
Honorable Mention: Great Smoky Mountains National Park

For Wildlife: Yellowstone National Park (By far the best for wildlife viewing).

[LauraC]

The Top 10 Most Visited National Parks in 2006 were:

1 Great Smoky Mountains NP 9,289,215
2 Grand Canyon NP 4,279,439
3 Yosemite NP 3,242,644
4 Yellowstone NP 2,870,295
5 Olympic NP 2,749,197
6 Rocky Mountain NP 2,743,676
7 Zion NP 2,567,350
8 Cuyahoga Valley NP 2,468,816
9 Grand Teton NP 2,406,476
10 Acadia NP 2,083,588

[howefortunate]

My favorite national park is Yosemite. The huge granite mountains, forests, and waterfalls are absolutely awesome. The valley of Yosemite gets a lot of visitors, but there are very remote parts of Yosemite where you can backpack and see no one. The beauty is amazing no matter what season you go. Spring is best for viewing the waterfalls....Fall has breathtaking foilage....Winter will find the park blanketed in snow.

[goozer]

Originally Posted by LauraC

The Top 10 Most Visited National Parks in 2006 were:

1 Great Smoky Mountains NP 9,289,215
2 Grand Canyon NP 4,279,439
3 Yosemite NP 3,242,644
4 Yellowstone NP 2,870,295
5 Olympic NP 2,749,197
6 Rocky Mountain NP 2,743,676
7 Zion NP 2,567,350
8 Cuyahoga Valley NP 2,468,816
9 Grand Teton NP 2,406,476
10 Acadia NP 2,083,588

And I've heard that some absurdly high percentage (like 90% or more) of those 9+ million annual visitors to Great Smokey Mountains NP never venture more than 50 feet from their vehicles, if they get out at all. Sad.

[JavaPhil]

Not one of you mentioned Katmai NP or Wrangell-St Elias NP (The largest in the country BTW). How about Gates of the Arctic NP or Kenai Fjords NP. <sigh>

I know, we're not really the US. Just northern wannabes.

[westhou]

Sam Houston National Forest is really cool

[Billiam]

Originally Posted by JavaPhil

I know, we're not really the US. Just northern wannabes.

Wait...Alaska's not in Russia?

[JavaPhil]

We're really just a small island off the coast of California. See any news program, and there we are!

[Billiam]

OH YEA! Now I remember. the person who made the map is so funny, calling it iceland just because alaskas cold