Employees' Favorite National Parks
Add to Del.icio.usby Adam Riser
Since Yosemite was officially designated a National Park in 1872, another 390 parks and monuments have been established in every state except Delaware. These locations range from expansive regions like the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska to monuments and historical buildings like Ford's Theater. The next time you need an escape from phones, computers, faxes, televisions, bosses, meetings, deadlines, mortgage, and all the other stuff that makes up daily life, make your way to one of our favorite National Parks.
Arches National Park, Utah
What to do? Hiking, biking, climbing, and camping.
Season?You can go any time of the year, but the summer is generally too hot for all but the burliest of explorers (and those without any common sense).
How much? $25 annual pass. $5 per person (motorcycles and walk-in) or $10 per car. Camping fees apply.
Why go? With over 2,000 natural rock arches, this is one of the most awe-inspiring places you’ll ever visit. No matter where you’ve traveled, you have never seen anything like the sandstone formations in Arches. Roads get you to some of the more popular places, and long trails let you access every corner of the park to see rarely visited natural features. Don't dare go here without reading the Edward Abbey classic Desert Solitaire. In fact, why aren’t you reading it right now?
Recommended Gear:
Ex Officio Air Strip Lite Shirt — sun protection
Merrel Moab Ventilator Hiking Shoes — comfortable, cool feet
Yosemite National Park, California
What to do? Climbing, hiking, camping, biking, horseback riding, fishing, and rafting.
Season? The vast majority go to Yosemite in the fall or spring. Summer is hot in the Valley, but you can find cooler temperatures in the high country. The winter can be brutally cold, but affords amazing scenery and solitude you can’t get during rush season.
How much? $40 annual pass. $20 per car to enter. Free and pay camping available
Why go? As the oldest National Park, Yosemite’s incredible history is enough to draw most people. However, it is rock features like El Cap, Half Dome, and the Leaning Tower that have made the Valley the most famous climbing destination on earth. People travel here for the summer and just never leave. You don’t have to be a climber to enjoy the maze of trails and incredible viewpoints. Standing in a place where Ansel Adams took one of his famous photographs is enough to make you never want to go back to the city.
Recommended Gear:
Metolius Safe Tech Waldo Harness — comfort on aid climbs
Black Diamond Speed Backpack — for both climbing and hiking
Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
What to do? Caving, hiking.
Season? Open year round.
How much? Prices range from free to $48 depending on your age and which tour you want to take.
Why go? With over 365-miles of mapped underground terrain, Mammoth is the largest known cave system on earth, and explorers are still uncovering hidden passages. Guides' tours range from quick jaunts for the little ones to seven-hour trips for those who want full experiences. The terrain ranges from massive rooms that can hold hundreds of people to tiny crawl spaces. Mammoth Cave National Park also has 70-miles of backcountry trails for those who like to stay above ground.
Recommended Gear:
Petzl Canyon Harness — for the technical sections
Petzl Ecrin Roc Helmet — don’t bump your head
Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado / Utah
What to do? Hiking, biking, rafting, checking out the fossils.
Season? All year, but spring and fall are best.
How much? $5 per person (motorcycles and walk-in) or $10 per car. $20 annual pass. Fees apply at some campsites
Why go? Dinosaur skeletons recovered from this park have graced the halls of museums such as the Smithsonian, and plenty of 65-million year old fossils can still be viewed when you visit. The rock faces also include slightly more modern petroglyphs and pictographs left from Native American inhabitants. Take a trip down the Gates of Lodore or Yampa River if you feel like adding some whitewater adventure after a history lesson.
Recommended Gear:
Osprey Stratos 24 Backpack — for the day hikes
Brunton Echo Compact Binoculars — close-up view of distant fossils
New River Gorge, West Virginia
What to do? Climbing, biking, hiking, camping, fishing, horseback riding, and whitewater rafting.
Season? Open year round.
How much? Free.
Why go? The New has beautiful scenery, hiking trails, rock climbing, and a class V river running through the whole thing. If you can’t find something to do here, you should go back to watching TV. The steep, textured sandstone lends itself to both sport and trad routes of immaculate quality. You’ll also find some of the East’s most popular mountain biking trails. The biggest challenge: deciding whether you load the car with your climbing gear, bikes, PFDs, or fly rod.
Recommended Gear:
Petzl Women’s Selena Harness — lightweight, high-performance
DAKINE Nomad Bike Pack — hit the singletrack
Alcatraz Island, California
What to do? Sitting in a cell, reading, eating, visiting day, climbing (fences), and swimming.
Season? All year, for years and years.
How much? 25 to Life!
Why go? Ok, so there’s not a lot of backpacking going on at Alcatraz, but I just couldn’t help myself. After it was converted from a Civil War fort to a prison, The Rock held some of the most-famous prisoners like Al Capone. Even the burliest adventure racer will get a good challenge from the Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon. This race includes a 1.5-mile swim from the island to shore followed by an 18-mile bike ride and another 8-miles of running through the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. I really think this race should be preceded with 18-months of chiseling a hole through a concrete wall with a sharpened spoon.
Recommended Gear:
Black Diamond ATC Guide — rappel to the water
Tributary 13.0 SB Raft — paddle to shore
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
What to do? Hiking, biking, boating, fishing, backcountry skiing, scuba diving, and camping.
Season? Open year round.
How much? $10 per car.
Why go? The deepest lake in the United States fills this 7,700 year old volcanic crater with water so blue that your friends will think you Photoshopped the pictures. Your Crater Lake slideshow will likely have pictures from fishing and scuba diving in the lake, hiking along the Pacific Crest Trail, and camping in the backcountry. Bring your skis in the winter to take advantage of the 533-inches of annual snowfall for some of the best backcountry riding you’ll ever do.
Recommended Gear:
Kokatat MsFit Tour Life Jacket — enjoy the water
The North Face Vario 23 Tent — enjoy the backcountry
Everglades National Park, Florida
What to do? Hiking, fishing, checking out the animals, trying not to get eaten by alligators.
Season? Open year round.
How much? $5 per person (bike and walk-in) or $10 per car. $25 for an annual pass.
Why go? Located at the south tip of Florida, this massive marsh holds an incredible variety of wildlife. The Glades are home to many birds and reptiles the you would be hard pressed to encounter anywhere else in the US. Keep in mind that this is not a petting zoo. Alligators and venomous snakes pose a serious risk to visitors who venture near the water in the wrong places. Though you can hike and camp on several of the islands scattered through the Everglades, a fan boat ride lets you see places that would otherwise be inaccessible.
Recommended Gear:
Outdoor Research Deluxe Spring Ring Headnet — keep the bugs off
Common Sense — don’t get eaten by a gator
Glacier National Park, Montana
What to do? Hiking, camping, climbing, biking, backcountry skiing, and climate research.
Season? Open year round.
How much? $12 per person (motorcycles and walk-in) or $25 per car. $35 annual pass.
Why go? Expansive terrain with steep mountains, giant lakes, and hundreds of miles of trail provides a great experience for anyone from a casual hiker to a serious alpine climber. Glacier includes everything from roadside overlooks for a quick view to secluded backcountry where you’re likely to go days without seeing anyone. The Flathead valley contains the highest concentration of grizzly bears in the lower 48. Global Warming Warning: Scientists predict that “the park formerly known as Glacier” will have no glaciers by the year 2030 at the current rate of melting. Get there before they’re gone, or do your part to stop it.
Recommended Gear:
GoLite Paradigm Jacket — protection from fast-changing weather
The North Face Akila Women’s Backpack — hike into the backcountry
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
What to do? Hiking, biking, fishing, boating, horseback riding, camping, cross country skiing, and watching large animals up close.
Season? Open year round.
How much? $25 per car.
Why go? Need a little more wildlife in your life? This is the place. Grizzly bears, wolves, bison, elk, buffalo, and other animals far too extensive to list here can be found throughout this expansive park. Many people return from this park with stories about hearing a noise behind them and turning around to see an elk a few feet away. As if that wasn’t enough, Yellowstone also includes numerous geysers and 2.2-million acres of some of the most beautiful wilderness anywhere. Several of my co-workers threatened me with bodily harm if I left Yellowstone off this list, and this is a crew not easily impressed.
Recommended Gear:
Black Diamond Spire Trekking Poles — take some weight off your feet
GoPro Digital Hero Camera — bring back proof
And more...
This list could go on and on. A quick “what’s your favorite National Park” e-mail to our employees overflowed my in-box for days with places I’ve always wanted to see and others I had never heard of. Almost everyone said “this is the coolest place on earth” after naming a location no one else had mentioned. For more information, go to the National Park’s website and plan your next days away from the urban landscape.