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A family sharing an incredible view at Arches National Park in Utah
Adam Clark
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Americans and those who visit the USA from abroad have access to 59 national parks, whose characteristics and opportunities, taken together, are more diverse than those of anywhere else in the world.

From the frigid peaks of Gates of the Arctic’s Brooks Range, to the subtropical wetlands of Florida’s Everglades. From the below-sea-level simmer of California’s Death Valley, to the mist lifting off the ridges of Shenandoah in Virginia. From glaciers to mangroves to waterfalls to canyons to towering forests. If you visited all 63 of the USA’s national parks, you would have a good understanding of our planet’s geology and ecology. Many of these park names may be familiar to you. Some you may be hearing for the first time. But whether they see over 10 million annual visitors (Great Smoky Mountains) or barely a 1,000 (Kobuk Valley), all are worth a trip. Here’s some inspiration to get you planning.

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve

The largest park in the country, Wrangell-St. Elias lies in a corner of southern Alaska, adjacent to the Yukon's Kluane National Park just over the border. Its 52,000 square kilometers make for a whole lot of potential exploration. Go on a hike along the Skookum Volcano Trail.

Aerial view of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve

Aerial view of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve
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Canyonlands National Park

Just south of Moab and the more recognized Arches National Park, Canyonlands also features some impressive sandstone arch formations, as well as canyons of monumental scale, carved by the Colorado and Green rivers.

Stunning view of Mesa Arch and Canyonlands National Park

Stunning view of Mesa Arch and Canyonlands National Park
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Utah Office of Tourism
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Shenandoah National Park

Encompassing a long strip of both the Blue Ridge Mountains and adjacent Shenandoah River Valley, Shenandoah National Park in Virginia gets super popular during the fall, when leaf peepers arrive to complete the 169-kilometer Skyline Drive.

The spectacular colors of autumn in Shenandoah National Park

The spectacular colors of autumn in Shenandoah National Park
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Yellowstone National Park

The world's first national park is also one of its most unique and well visited. The 8,806 square kilometers of Yellowstone hold geysers, mountain lakes, forests, river canyons, waterfalls, and many threatened species. The park's Grand Prismatic Spring is the third-largest hot spring in the world.

Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park

Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park
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Congaree National Park

Congaree protects a vast tract of marshy hardwood forest along the river of the same name just southeast of Columbia, South Carolina. Its old-growth cypress trees are some of the tallest in the eastern USA.

A boardwalk cutting through the cypress trees of Congaree National Park

A boardwalk cutting through the cypress trees of Congaree National Park
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Death Valley National Park

Low and hot – Death Valley is home to both the lowest elevations and hottest temperatures in the USA, but the landscape in this part of California and Nevada is actually incredibly diverse, ranging from saltpans like the Devil's Racetrack to snow-capped mountains reaching 3,353 meters.

Hiking the otherworldly landscapes of Death Valley National Park

Hiking the otherworldly landscapes of Death Valley National Park
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Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce sits in southern Utah and features a massive collection of natural amphitheaters covered in rock formations known as hoodoos.

Colorful spires called hoodoos in Bryce Canyon National Park

Colorful spires called hoodoos in Bryce Canyon National Park
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Andrew Smith
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky is surrounded by kitschy tourist towns and is the most visited national park, thanks to its location near the East Coast and free admission. Still, once you're there, you can see scenes like this.

The lush peaks of Great Smoky Mountains National Park shrouded in haze

The lush peaks of Great Smoky Mountains National Park shrouded in haze
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Raphael Tenschert/Tennessee Tourism

Grand Teton National Park

Named for the largest of its three signature peaks, Grand Teton National Park also contains lakes, forest, and a section of the Snake River. It sits just south of Yellowstone in western Wyoming, and together they represent one of the largest protected ecosystems in the world.

Rugged mountains and a serene valley in Grand Teton National Park

Rugged mountains and a serene valley in Grand Teton National Park
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Olympic National Park

Covering nearly 405,000 hectares on the peninsula of the same name in northwestern Washington, the terrain of Olympic National Park is super variable, ranging from Pacific coastline to alpine peaks to temperate rainforest.

Exploring the Ozette Triangle Coastal Trailhead in Olympic National Park

Exploring the Ozette Triangle Coastal Trailhead in Olympic National Park
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Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve

One of the country's newest national parks (designated in 2004), Great Sand Dunes lies in the San Luis Valley of southern Colorado. Featuring the tallest sand dunes on the continent, backed by multiple 3,9620-meter mountains, this is also one of the few places in the country where you can try sandboarding.

Exploring the terrain at Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve

Exploring the terrain at Great Sand Dunes National Park
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Visit Alamosa

Yosemite National Park

The central draw of Yosemite is the 18-square-kilometer valley of the same name, with its glacially carved peaks, sequoia groves, and spectacular waterfalls. To beat the crowds, get out and explore some of the other areas in this massive park in the Eastern Sierras.

Yosemite National Park, the jewel of California's national parks

Yosemite National Park, the jewel of California's national parks
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Craig Wolf
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Arches National Park

This aptly named park in eastern Utah, just north of Moab, is home to some 2,000 sandstone arches that come in all shapes and sizes. One of the most photographed in Arches is the Delicate Arch.

Marveling at the star-filled sky from Delicate Arch in Arches National Park

Marveling at the star-filled sky from Delicate Arch in Arches National Park
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Jacob W. Frank
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Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve

There are no roads leading to Glacier Bay in southeastern Alaska, so your choices for getting there are: by raft via the Tatshenshini and Alsek Rivers (from Canada), by plane (usually out of Juneau), or, most commonly, by cruise ship.

Stunning scenery in Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve

Stunning scenery in Glacier Bay National Park
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Mark Kelley/Travel Alaska

Kings Canyon National Park

Like Sequoia National Park next door, Kings Canyon is home to some seriously massive trees. Seen above is a stout ponderosa pine on the Bubbs Creek Trail.

View overlooking Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon National Park

View overlooking Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon National Park
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Big Bend National Park

Expansive desert plains, 2,377-meter mountains, and high Rio Grande canyons, including the Santa Elena Canyon, define Big Bend National Park in western Texas. It's also distinguished as an International Dark Sky Park, marking it a great place for stargazing.

Distinctive river and red rock vistas in Big Bend National Park

Distinctive river and red rock vistas in Big Bend National Park
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Denali National Park & Preserve

As far as views from the visitor center go, this one is pretty spectacular. The 2.54 million hectares of Denali, in central Alaska, encompass the highest section of the Alaska Range including Mount McKinley, North America's tallest peak. In this landscape of glaciers and river valleys, you might spot abundant wildlife such as grizzly bears, caribou, gray wolves, golden eagles, wolverines, and Dall sheep.

Wildlife and rainbow sighting in Denali National Park & Preserve

Wildlife and rainbow sighting in Denali National Park & Preserve
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Michael DeYoung/Travel Alaska

Everglades National Park

Preserving one of the most significant wetland ecosystems anywhere in the world, southern Florida's Everglades protect rare species such as the Florida panther and American crocodile. The water in Everglades National Park is actually an enormous river that runs from Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay.

Canoeing the 9 Mile Pond Trail in Everglades National Park

Canoeing the 9 Mile Pond Trail in Everglades National Park
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©Corey Warren
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Grand Canyon National Park

For the past several million years, the Colorado River has been slowly but steadily grinding its way through the rock of the Colorado Plateau in northern Arizona. Reaching a width of 29 kilometers and a depth of 1,829 meters, the Grand Canyon is on a scale of few other places on Earth.

A scenic overlook on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon

A scenic overlook on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon
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Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve

As its name suggests, this is the northernmost park in the USA, and is also one of the largest. Its predominant geographic feature is the Brooks Range. With zero road access, you have to hike or fly in, but once there, you've got pretty much an endless list of wilderness hiking and camping options.

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