Favorite National Park you have visited
Comments
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Yellowstone - BRB, Old FaithfulOf the ones I've been to I'd rank them roughly
Tier 1 - Wood go out of my way to go back anytime I had the opportunity
Yellowstone
Mount Rainier
Arches
Olympic
Grand Teton
Glacier
Tier 2 - Wood gladly visit again
Grand Canyon (was mildly disappointing)
Crater Lake
Rocky Mountain
North Cascades
Great Smoky Mountain
Badlands
Wind Cave
Mammoth Cave
Tier 3 - Glad I visited, wouldn't go out of my way to go back
Gateway Arch
Hot Springs
Shenandoah
Incomplete - just barely been inside, not enough to have a real opinion
Petrified Forest (really liked the little bit of the Painted Desert I saw)
Mesa Verde
Theodore Roosevelt -
Olympic - #TeamJacob or #TeamEdward?Been to Rayonier (obviously), Olympic, Grand Canyon, Glacier & Yellastone. And the Everglades.
If you want to see wildlife from the minute you get there until the minute you leave, Everglades is en fuego. It's great for that. And in its own weird way it can be beautiful.
Glacier was powerful and felt historic. Loved Lake McDonald and the Lodge. Would like to visit Many Glacier on the other side.
But something about ONP ... part of it is that I grew up around it, and the other part of it is the combo of amazing wilderness, yuge fucking trees, alpine, and coast all in one park. It's also isolated out there on the peninsula and, IDK, just a fucking beautiful place.
Yellastone was cool too. Some unique shit there.
I agree with the PBS tag line: America's best idea. -
Yellowstone - BRB, Old Faithful
I'm going to Everglades (and Biscayne and Dry Tortugas) with my dad and oldest kiddos in June. Really pumped for this . Wifey and I did like a thirty minute airboat excursion in the glades when we got off our honeymoon cruise out of Miami but didn't get into the park at all. Will see much more this tim around. Any recommendations in the Everglades area?creepycoug said:Been to Rayonier (obviously), Olympic, Grand Canyon, Glacier & Yellastone. And the Everglades.
If you want to see wildlife from the minute you get there until the minute you leave, Everglades is en fuego. It's great for that. And in its own weird way it can be beautiful.
Glacier was powerful and felt historic. Loved Lake McDonald and the Lodge. Would like to visit Many Glacier on the other side.
But something about ONP ... part of it is that I grew up around it, and the other part of it is the combo of amazing wilderness, yuge fucking trees, alpine, and coast all in one park. It's also isolated out there on the peninsula and, IDK, just a fucking beautiful place.
Yellastone was cool too. Some unique shit there.
I agree with the PBS tag line: America's best idea. -
Olympic - #TeamJacob or #TeamEdward?
I did that hike from the Elwha to the North Fork of the Quinault (of course). Long ass trudge. What is that? 35+ miles? Whatever it was, I learned then: it's quality, not quantity. And we did it in like 3 days. I would say be strategic about exactly what you want to see in ONP and take the most direct route, get there, take your tim and enjoy it. Traversing the whole park in 3 days just ate me up, and I that was when I was younger and in better shape.dflea said:
I agree. That's why Olympic is so awesome. One ridge in from either side, and your ass is in the sticks. Very little of the park is accessible by car, so you don't see too many people - just animals and wilderness. When I was younger, my buddy and I walked in at Brinnon on the Hood Canal side, and walked out a week later at the Queets River on the ocean side. We saw people here and there, but never up close. It was one of the cooler trips I've ever been on.dnc said:
The only reason I can't rank North Cascades higher is because the dams changed up so much of the scenery and I like the illusion of virginity in my NP's. There aren't many views that compare to Shuksan though. And North Cascades should definitely annex Baker.huskyhooligan said:Torn between Rainier and Olympic. Haven't been to many others. Glacier like 30 years ago, and Rocky Mtn a few years ago. Rocky Mtn is cool, but North Cascades just at Artist Point alone puts it to shame. Have been meaning to do the Utah ones, have a friend who works at Zi-uhn. Need to do the California ones too. Crater Lake is cool.
Highly underrated views.
I'd like to do that hike again. I'd like to be 25 again, too.
Correct. You walk a mile into that park from any direction and you are on your own.
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Olympic - #TeamJacob or #TeamEdward?
None. I was a kid last tim I went in there on purpose at the age where you don't pay attention to how you get anywhere. As big as it is, I don't think there's a ton of variation by region.dnc said:
I'm going to Everglades (and Biscayne and Dry Tortugas) with my dad and oldest kiddos in June. Really pumped for this . Wifey and I did like a thirty minute airboat excursion in the glades when we got off our honeymoon cruise out of Miami but didn't get into the park at all. Will see much more this tim around. Any recommendations in the Everglades area?creepycoug said:Been to Rayonier (obviously), Olympic, Grand Canyon, Glacier & Yellastone. And the Everglades.
If you want to see wildlife from the minute you get there until the minute you leave, Everglades is en fuego. It's great for that. And in its own weird way it can be beautiful.
Glacier was powerful and felt historic. Loved Lake McDonald and the Lodge. Would like to visit Many Glacier on the other side.
But something about ONP ... part of it is that I grew up around it, and the other part of it is the combo of amazing wilderness, yuge fucking trees, alpine, and coast all in one park. It's also isolated out there on the peninsula and, IDK, just a fucking beautiful place.
Yellastone was cool too. Some unique shit there.
I agree with the PBS tag line: America's best idea. -
Yellowstone - BRB, Old Faithful
tyfyscreepycoug said:
None. I was a kid last tim I went in there on purpose at the age where you don't pay attention to how you get anywhere. As big as it is, I don't think there's a ton of variation by region.dnc said:
I'm going to Everglades (and Biscayne and Dry Tortugas) with my dad and oldest kiddos in June. Really pumped for this . Wifey and I did like a thirty minute airboat excursion in the glades when we got off our honeymoon cruise out of Miami but didn't get into the park at all. Will see much more this tim around. Any recommendations in the Everglades area?creepycoug said:Been to Rayonier (obviously), Olympic, Grand Canyon, Glacier & Yellastone. And the Everglades.
If you want to see wildlife from the minute you get there until the minute you leave, Everglades is en fuego. It's great for that. And in its own weird way it can be beautiful.
Glacier was powerful and felt historic. Loved Lake McDonald and the Lodge. Would like to visit Many Glacier on the other side.
But something about ONP ... part of it is that I grew up around it, and the other part of it is the combo of amazing wilderness, yuge fucking trees, alpine, and coast all in one park. It's also isolated out there on the peninsula and, IDK, just a fucking beautiful place.
Yellastone was cool too. Some unique shit there.
I agree with the PBS tag line: America's best idea. -
Yellowstone - BRB, Old FaithfulI worked at Canyon Lodge in Yellowstone National Park for two summers in college and it was an incredible experience, really glad I did it instead of doing bullshit internships. It was a very eclectic mix of people who worked there, college students, hippies who worked seasonal jobs year round, retirees who just wanted an excuse to explore the parks, and people on their last chance who were running from something and minimum wage cafeteria work was all they could get. I once drove a guy out of the park who got fired who wore the same Arkansas Razorback sweatsuit everyday, he claimed he played there and was also in the Special Forces, both of which I doubt, he was also a raging alcoholic whose teeth were completely rotted and drank two pints of Black Velvet on the drive and by the time I dropped him off in Gardner Montana he was telling me he was the Devil and didn’t have any money and didn’t know what to do, no idea what happened to him but it was an interesting experience.
The Park itself is amazing, by being there two summers I got to really explore the Park and see the stuff you don’t get to see if your just hitting up Old Faithful and such. Would work 4 days a week, and then go backpacking and fly fishing and drink a lot of beer the other three with my brother, great memories. When I would get bored after work I would just walk around the Canyon and waterfalls, very cool to have as my back yard. I did almost get killed by a female elk who I legit almost ran into on a run and I got charged by a bear who broke off hiking once, but after I shit myself I looked back on those memories fondly. -
Yellowstone - BRB, Old Faithful
Are the rumors of the dope log cabin employee basketball gyms real?Edwin_Bambino said:I worked at Canyon Lodge in Yellowstone National Park for two summers in college and it was an incredible experience, really glad I did it instead of doing bullshit internships. It was a very eclectic mix of people who worked there, college students, hippies who worked seasonal jobs year round, retirees who just wanted an excuse to explore the parks, and people on their last chance who were running from something and minimum wage cafeteria work was all they could get. I once drove a guy out of the park who got fired who wore the same Arkansas Razorback sweatsuit everyday, he claimed he played there and was also in the Special Forces, both of which I doubt, he was also a raging alcoholic whose teeth were completely rotted and drank two pints of Black Velvet on the drive and by the time I dropped him off in Gardner Montana he was telling me he was the Devil and didn’t have any money and didn’t know what to do, no idea what happened to him but it was an interesting experience.
The Park itself is amazing, by being there two summers I got to really explore the Park and see the stuff you don’t get to see if your just hitting up Old Faithful and such. Would work 4 days a week, and then go backpacking and fly fishing and drink a lot of beer the other three with my brother, great memories. When I would get bored after work I would just walk around the Canyon and waterfalls, very cool to have as my back yard. I did almost get killed by a female elk who I legit almost ran into on a run and I got charged by a bear who broke off hiking once, but after I shit myself I looked back on those memories fondly. -
Yellowstone - BRB, Old Faithful
Canyon had an outdoor cement court back by the employee dorms, I can’t speak for the other parts of the park, I never heard that rumor before but doesn’t mean it’s not true.dnc said:
Are the rumors of the dope log cabin employee basketball gyms real?Edwin_Bambino said:I worked at Canyon Lodge in Yellowstone National Park for two summers in college and it was an incredible experience, really glad I did it instead of doing bullshit internships. It was a very eclectic mix of people who worked there, college students, hippies who worked seasonal jobs year round, retirees who just wanted an excuse to explore the parks, and people on their last chance who were running from something and minimum wage cafeteria work was all they could get. I once drove a guy out of the park who got fired who wore the same Arkansas Razorback sweatsuit everyday, he claimed he played there and was also in the Special Forces, both of which I doubt, he was also a raging alcoholic whose teeth were completely rotted and drank two pints of Black Velvet on the drive and by the time I dropped him off in Gardner Montana he was telling me he was the Devil and didn’t have any money and didn’t know what to do, no idea what happened to him but it was an interesting experience.
The Park itself is amazing, by being there two summers I got to really explore the Park and see the stuff you don’t get to see if your just hitting up Old Faithful and such. Would work 4 days a week, and then go backpacking and fly fishing and drink a lot of beer the other three with my brother, great memories. When I would get bored after work I would just walk around the Canyon and waterfalls, very cool to have as my back yard. I did almost get killed by a female elk who I legit almost ran into on a run and I got charged by a bear who broke off hiking once, but after I shit myself I looked back on those memories fondly. -
Yellowstone - BRB, Old FaithfulEdwin_Bambino said:
Canyon had an outdoor cement court back by the employee dorms, I can’t speak for the other parts of the park, I never heard that rumor before but doesn’t mean it’s not true.dnc said:
Are the rumors of the dope log cabin employee basketball gyms real?Edwin_Bambino said:I worked at Canyon Lodge in Yellowstone National Park for two summers in college and it was an incredible experience, really glad I did it instead of doing bullshit internships. It was a very eclectic mix of people who worked there, college students, hippies who worked seasonal jobs year round, retirees who just wanted an excuse to explore the parks, and people on their last chance who were running from something and minimum wage cafeteria work was all they could get. I once drove a guy out of the park who got fired who wore the same Arkansas Razorback sweatsuit everyday, he claimed he played there and was also in the Special Forces, both of which I doubt, he was also a raging alcoholic whose teeth were completely rotted and drank two pints of Black Velvet on the drive and by the time I dropped him off in Gardner Montana he was telling me he was the Devil and didn’t have any money and didn’t know what to do, no idea what happened to him but it was an interesting experience.
The Park itself is amazing, by being there two summers I got to really explore the Park and see the stuff you don’t get to see if your just hitting up Old Faithful and such. Would work 4 days a week, and then go backpacking and fly fishing and drink a lot of beer the other three with my brother, great memories. When I would get bored after work I would just walk around the Canyon and waterfalls, very cool to have as my back yard. I did almost get killed by a female elk who I legit almost ran into on a run and I got charged by a bear who broke off hiking once, but after I shit myself I looked back on those memories fondly.
