Sleeping outside isn’t for everyone, but if you’re willing to give it a shot and not sure where to start, we’ve put together this comprehensive guide to camping for beginners. For starters, know that you don’t need all of the best gear to start out with, you just need the basics.
National parks have become increasingly popular over the past few decades, with the most popular parks receiving millions of visitors each year. While there’s no substitute for visiting America’s most-loved national parks, we’ve come up with a list of alternatives that are worth checking out, especially if you’re looking for less crowded places.
If you’re looking to get the most out of your next vacation, there’s really no better place than Greater Zion. Between lounging in resort pools with unobscured canyon views and hiking exposed ridges in Zion National Park, there is so much to be seen and done in this part of southwest Utah. Nestled alongside the Virgin River, Greater Zion is truly a unique area.
17 tips to help you better explore a national park.
Choosing what to do when visiting a national park is not an easy task. There are just so many options! While most travelers just drive in, take some pictures at the lookouts, and might stay one to two nights in the park, we recommend exploring each national park on a deeper level. Learn about the geologic or natural history of the area or experience unique outdoor activities in the park. To be qualified as a national park by the National Park Service, only 3% of the entire park area could be used for infrastructure, such as highways, trails, campsites, visitor centers, lodges etc., while the other 97% are protected areas. There are at least over 100 things we could list when visiting a national park, however, we will only highlight the absolute must-do’s.
Many of us have visited, or at least heard of, a lot of the national parks in the Western United States. But the middle of the United States also has some national parks that, although maybe aren’t as well-known, are still most certainly worth visiting.
I have lived in Wyoming my entire life, besides a year long stint in Idaho. Unfortunately, I can count on one hand the times I have been to Yellowstone National Park. My husband was set to deploy with the military the first week of July, 2019. On June 28th, 2019 I got the harebrained idea that we were going to have one last “Hurrah” and take a family camping trip to Yellowstone.
I moved to Sedona, Arizona in December 2017, having only been once before to visit. On my previous trip, I had spent several days basking in the glory of the Red Rocks and the famous glow of the energy vortexes. It was my 27th birthday. Six months later, when the opportunity to move to Sedona presented itself, I took a leap of faith. I knew Arizona was magic and I wanted to be in it.
Interested in Zion National Park winter time activities? Well, there’s actually more to do than you’d think. Two of the most popular hikes in Zion—Angel’s Landing and the Narrows—are typically hike-able all winter long. Plus, the park is WAY less crowded, rates are cheaper, and the snow adds another dimension of beauty.
Oh boy, it’s cowboy country! In this national parks road trip itinerary we’ll take you from Salt Lake City up to a few of the most iconic national parks, but not without passing through a myriad of smaller, more quaint, less-traveled towns that Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho have to offer.