A year ago, I decided to travel to as many national park units as I could without using any carbon-burning vehicles: my idea of therapy. No airplanes, cars or ferries that rely on fossil fuel. My goal is to encourage people to change the way they travel, to help combat the climate crisis. (Although, I can’t help but also include a few of my opinions on other issues, such as Native Americans and Civil Rights.)
There have been a few problems along the way. My car spent a month in the shop due to a car fire (not mine) at a Tesla repair facility in Massachusetts. Some of the park units, like Andrew Johnson’s house in Tennessee, attempt to whitewash the history of slavery. Some districts, like Lauren Boebert’s in Colorado, actively discourage EV charging stations. And too many people in gas-guzzling RV’s questioned my choice to get an electric car, telling me they’re not waterproof and can’t get to remote locations (see photo above).
But overall, it has been a humbling experience to see and learn about our country first hand (see my DK post about guns & coffee). There are 423 official NPS units, not counting President Biden’s recent additions. In just a few months, I crossed the country and visited over 100 sites of all types, from battlefields to nature preserves. Here are a dozen of my favorites. If you follow the links below to my Wordpress blog (no ads), you can see a picture and read a brief post from each visit.
- Best battlefield & military site: Shiloh in Tennessee. The battle road tour is easy to follow & understand, and the cemetery and monuments are moving. (Honorable mention goes to Little Bighorn for the native ranger’s description of the battle).
- Best canyon: Canyon de Chelly in Arizona. Strikingly beautiful, with Navajo guided tours available.
- Best cave: Timpanogos in Utah. Carlsbad may be the largest and Mammoth the longest, but Timpanogos has the most features to see on its regular tour. Also, the hike up to the entrance is simply stunning.
- Best Civil Rights site: MLK in Georgia. Grand in purpose, history and inspiration. (Honorable mention goes to Birmingham’s Civil Rights Institute.)
- Best fossil site: Agate in Nebraska. I loved the diorama, the Native Art collection, and the lush natural setting.
- Best national park: Teddy Roosevelt in North Dakota. Both north & south units have a great variety of natural features, scenic drives, hikes, views and more.
- Best native ruins: Chaco in New Mexico. Well preserved in a remote location, the grand scale of the many pueblo structures here is awesome.
- Best presidential home: Grant in Missouri. Excellent films, exhibits, and informative tour.
- Best rangers: Fort Union Trading Post in North Dakota. Three different rangers here brought to life the personalities, ideas and history brilliantly. (Honorable mention to Organ Pipe for Ranger Kate’s provocative wilderness talk).
- Most tragic site: Big Hole in Montana. The film, the setting, and the tipi-pole memorial all bring the painful story of the flight of the Nez Perce to heart and mind. (Honorable mention to Cane River for its haunting cotton plantation slave quarters).
- Best volcanic site: Craters of the Moon in Idaho. Best camping, hiking, and volcanic features.
- Best wildlife experience: Smoky in Tennessee. I loved the little “Smokey” bear there and the horses rolling and playing. (Whooping Cranes in TR just get an honorable mention, because I didn’t get a photo).
Thanks for reading. Please let me know what your favorite national parks are. I still have many more to visit, and your ideas help. Thanks.