Planning a trip to the US National Parks: follow the Obamas and visit the American parks

Last year in August, President Obama and his family choose to visit the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone park to encourage more Americans to come to the National Parks.

The 58 US National parks are extremely popular and more and more people have been interested in visiting them since the opening of the first one, the Yellowstone Park, in 1872.

Here is an average for the last 5 years (2005-2009) of the 15 most visited parks:

1. Great Smoky Mts NP – 9,277,878 entries
2. Grand Canyon NP – 4,373,602 entries
3. Yosemite NP – 3,443,840 entries
4. Yellowstone NP – 3,043,811 entries
5. Zion NP – 2,647,370 entries
6. Grand Teton NP – 2,504,912 entries
7. Acadia NP – 2,128,171 entries
8. Glacier NP – 1,962,441 entries
9. Hawaii volcanoes – NP 1,448,973 entries
10. Mount Rainier NP – 1,130,013 entries
11. Shenandoah NP – 1,095,030 entries
12. Bryce Canyon NP – 1,036,124 entries
13. Everglades NP – 997,125 entries
14. Sequoia NP – 966,814 entries
15. Badlands NP – 883,114 entries

I had the chance to go to the Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone Park, Grand Canyon Park and drove through the Badlands National Park. I had to postpone my trip to the Grand Teton and to Glacier Parks a few years ago, but I can’t wait to discover them in the near future.

Using Frequent Flyer Miles:

Get ready to purchase your airline ticket at least 6 months in advance if you want to be able to go when you really want to and to have more flexibility.

Booking hotels in the parks:

If you want to reserve a hotel or a campground in a park, you need to call one of the following websites below. It is better to call than to email. Use the toll free number.

If you plan a trip for July and August, book early. Six months ahead is not exaggerated. If you need to cancel, they will charge you a small fee.

Click here for xanterra website: http://www.xanterra.com/national-parks

To reserve with the nationalpark system click here:

http://www.nationalparkreservations.com/grandcanyon_lodge.htm

Call 1-866 875 8456 Free hotline for inside the US

or 1-406 862-8190 outside of the US

 

Booking outside the parks:

There are numerous hotels outside of the parks. They may not be as convenient as you have to go in and out of the park every day but it is a solution and generally they are located next to many restaurants.

Book early anyway as most let you cancel with a 24 hour notice.

 

How busy are the parks?

Most people tend to come during the summer months, but I recommend also the beginning of the Fall, the end of May or the beginning of June. Avoid Memorial and Labor Day.

 

Sunsets watching in the parks:

Find a spot quick early to watch sunsets in the parks. It is a very popular time of the day when everyone gathers to admire the landscape and take pictures.

How many days should you stay?

In parks such as Yellowstone, Glacier Park or the Grand Canyon, I highly recommend to stay 4 to 5 nights. Distances between the sights is greater than you think, driving can be slow, and you probably will stop more often than you think. Just getting to the park from the airport you land in can already take you half a day.

Should you visit many parks at once during your vacation?

I recommend it if you are planning to go to parks which are close in distance or if you just want to do a couple of sights in each.

What to see and do?

Most parks are good for hiking, camping, fishing and wildlife watching. In Yellowstone you can also see geysers and hot springs.

 

Best time to see the animals:

It is the best in early morning and at nightfall. Pick a place, wait and be patient.

How dangerous are the parks?

• Read the booklet they gave you when you enter the park and do some research about keeping safe before traveling. Injuries can happen!
• It is important to not get too close to the edges of the cliffs, climb or walk where it says ‘Keep out’. Falls have happened in the Grand Canyon for instance. Rock slides happen. There have been already many injuries and fatalities in Yellowstone geyser basins, hot springs or any other geologic features. Also be careful not to sprain your ankles.
• Wildlife can show up when you the least expect it. An encounter for instance with an alligator in the Everglades or a Grizzly Bear in Glacier Park could be deadly. Bisons in the Yellowstone Park injure more people annually than bears.
• Be careful with bug bites like mosquitoes and ticks.

 

So will you be like President Barack Obama and visit the US National Parks this year?