My Top 5 National Parks

Hello everyone! Today is the last day of National Park Week! If you did not know, National Park Week starts on Earth Day and is a week to share your love for the National Parks! You can see the posts I made for National Park Week on my instagram @mountain.dreaming! 

As National Park Week comes to a close, I wanted to share my top 5 favorite National Parks. For each Park, I will share my favorite hike, favorite non-hike, and a favorite memory. 

1. Grand Teton, Wyoming
• Favorite Hike: Cascade Canyon (9.1 Miles) 

  

  My favorite spot along Cascade Canyon

  
  
• Favorite Non-hike: Scenic float trip on Snake River
  
  
  
• Favorite memory: On our first trip to Grand Teton in 2020, Evan and I thought it would be a good idea to hike to Lake Solitude in one day. We had never hiked before and did not know what we were getting ourselves into. We started at 7 in the morning and did not make it to the lake until 1 in the afternoon. I remember I was so tired and getting frustrated at other hikers passing us and saying, “You’re almost there!” for what felt like had been miles. I had mentally given up, my feet hurt so bad, and Evan had to literally pull me across the grassy field to finally see the lake. Did I mention this hike was a total of 14.7 miles and the last half mile to the lake was a 20% grade? Our day ended at the hotel room at 8 in the evening.

  

  Me enjoying a rest on the hammock by Lake Solitude

  
  
2. Galcier, Montana
• Favorite Hike: Avalanche Lake (5.9 Miles) 

  

  Beautiful view at the end of the trail

  
  
• Favorite Non-hike: Kayking on Lake McDonald
  
  
  
• Favoite memory: Another great idea turned bad…the day we got to Glacier happened to be the same day that the main road to Logan’s Pass finally opened. It was July, but Glacier still had a lot of snow when we got there. There was one hike at Logan’s Pass that we really wanted to do, Hidden Lake. What should have been an “easy to moderate” hike was one of the hardest hikes we have ever done. The trail was covered in feet of snow and all up hill. One mistep and you were going to slide all the way back down the hill. We watched fellow hikers slipping and sliding the whole way up and even saw a few fall. It was neat to watch some hikers use their coats as sleds to slide back down though.

  

  Evan posing on the snow covered Hidden Lake Trail

  
  
3. Yellowstone, Wyoming
• Favorite Hike: Both times we have been to Yellowstone we did not do any of the hikes. There are two short “trails” that give you an up close view of the the Lower Falls (0.7 miles) and the Upper Falls (0.3 miles) in Canyon Village that we really enjoyed. 

  

  Brink of the Lower Falls

  
  

  

  Brink of Upper Falls
  

  
  
• Favorite Non-hike: Grand Canyon of Yellowstone Overlook
  
  
  
• Favorite Memory: On our second trip to Wyoming in 2021, we brought Evan’s parents with us. On our first day to Yellowstone, we pulled off at a random spot that we thought was a restroom. It turned out to be a picnic area that had a short boadwalk trail along the river called LeHardys Rapids. The water was so loud and beautiful and Evan’s mom was crying. We asked her why she was crying and she said, “I just can’t help but think, if this place is so beautiful, then how beautiful heaven must be.” 

  

  LeHardys Rapids

  
  
4. Zion, Utah
• Favorite Hike: Angel’s Landing (4.4 Miles)
• Favorite Non-hike: Driving Mount Caramel Highway 
  
  
  
• Favorite Memory: Angel’s Landing is one of the hardest, but most rewarding hikes we have ever done. There are a lot of switchbacks and the infamous Walter’s Wiggles made me want to turn around more than the narrow, chain section of the trail did. The view from the top and seeing how far we climbed was worth the challenge in the end. 

  

  Evan and me top of Angel’s Landing

  
  
5. Rocky Mountain, Colorado 
• Favorite Hike: Bear Lake to Dream Lake to Emerald Lake (3.0 miles)

  

  Dream Lake

  
  
• Favorite Non-Hike: Driving the one-way Old Fall River Road to the Alpine Visitor Center

  

  One of my favorite views from Old Fall River Road

  
  
• Favorite memory: It was a colder day when we drove up Old Fall River Road and it was especially cold when we got to the top. It truly is “the little things in life” as one of my favorite memories was sharing a bowl of chicken noodle soup to warm us up and observing a group of elk from the cafe window.
  
  
  
  
  
  I hope you enjoyed reading about my Top 5 Favorite National Parks! Be sure to check out my instagram @mountain.dreaming to hear more about them!