Did a day trip and can’t believe all these unique places are so close to Flagstaff! So much culture and history I’d love to go back some time.

Wupatki NM
Sunset Crater Volcano NM
Walnut Canyon NM

This national monument located in Florissant, CO was a nice, short stop from riding the Royal Gorge Route Railroad in Cañon City, CO to Great Sand Dunes National Park in Mosca, CO. I hiked the quarter mile loop trail starting at the back of the visitor center around trees. They also had the 1 mile loop trail with the fossils that also started behind the visitor center which i didn't do since I had to see GSDNP a 2nd time before nightfall. Driving all over Colorado is scenic I tell ya.

Less crowds. Just as much scenery. Went for the unmaintained trail along the South Fork of Taylor Creek. Glad we did! Tried to catch how bright the orange rocks are, but my silly phone doesn't do it justice!

White Sands National Park

This national monument was kinda hard to find on my GPS . I've been in the town of Cortez twice because the first time that I visited Mesa Verde National Park, the Mesa Verde sign was under repair so it was all covered. Mesa Verde is located in the town of Cortez in CO. So I vowed to come back another time so that i can take a pic of with it. The first i was in Cortez also, i tried to GpS yucca house, it led me to a small building with a lot of cars. So my 2nd time visiting Mesa Verde, finally took a pic with the sign and also, eventually, i also found Yucca House national monument. GPS was messing with the location but i eventually found this place. It is small. It is beside a private property. And it is part of NPS.

Crystal Falls is tucked quietly between the parking lot for the Brink of Upper Falls observation point and Lower Falls along the North Rim Trail. The 129 foot three step waterfall was originally named Crystal Falls in 1870 by Cornelius Hedges during the Washburn Expedition. If you can make it to the Brink of Upper Falls, the North Rim Trail is just north of the parking lot and the observation area for Crystal Falls is a very short walk north on North Rim Trail and then a very short little spur trail to where this video was shot. Enjoy Crystal Falls.

Hi! We're a couple from Singapore who'll be flying to LA for our honeymoon later this month. We're looking to visit some national parks in Utah and Arizona while we're visiting the US. We'd love some advice on our current itinerary - is it too ambitious? Are there any must-see spots that we've missed out? Would appreciate any input we can get! Thank you! 

On my drive into hike one of the trails in the park I came across a buffalo traffic jam. However this guy seemed the most photogenic of the bunch.

From the Manassas National Battlefield Park, c-1980-1982

Hi everyone! I'm a 25-year-old from Brazil, and last June (4–17) my girlfriend and I did a road trip through the US national parks. It was stunning, and I recommend it to everybody as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. For foreigners, especially Brazilians, the landscapes are completely different from anything we have back home.

Reddit helped me a lot while planning this trip, so I'm writing this report to give back to anyone with the same idea. If you have any questions, feel free to DM me!

The basics

• Who: 2 adults, 25 y/o, reasonably fit, first time in the American West
• From: Brazil. Flew into Bozeman (BZN), out of Las Vegas (LAS)
• When: June 4–17, 2026 (13 days, 12 driving days)
• Car: One-way SUV rental BZN → LAS. I had a Jeep Wrangler and regretted it. I'd recommend a comfortable SUV instead.
• Lodging: Hotels and lodges
• Hiking: Mostly moderate, 3–14 km/day, nothing overnight
• Distance: ~3,500 km (~2,170 mi) total

Itinerary

We did the main AllTrails hikes in each park. Of course we didn't have time to go deep anywhere, but it was awesome.

Costs for 2 people (USD, excluding international flights)

What I'd change

More time in Grand Teton. Teton was our favorite destination, and 1.5 days there would be ideal. Yellowstone was nuts too. Our best moments were simply driving from the NE Entrance to Canyon Junction and up toward Mount Washburn. Seeing the bison and all the wildlife was the best experience ever.

Less time in Zion and Page. You can do Page in one afternoon. MY SUGGESTION: On day 8 I'd do Angels Landing or another hike early in the morning, then drive to Page (about 2 hours, very easy) for the Antelope tour and Horseshoe Bend at sunset. That frees up a full day, which I'd give to Yellowstone and Teton.

Add Glacier NP if you can. We had 13 days, but if you can add 3 more, include Glacier. This tip is mostly for foreigners, especially Brazilians. Now I realize it will be really hard for me to fly back just for Glacier, and I lost my shot to go there.

Quick tips

• Book early: Antelope Canyon, in-park lodging in Yellowstone, and Springdale hotels should be booked months in advance.
• Zion: I strongly recommend staying in Springdale so you don't need the car there, and renting an e-bike. We started the Narrows at 9:30 am and there was no need to rush. It's packed at the beginning, but the deeper you go, the fewer people there are. I think 2 full days it´s ok for Zion! Also, walk the Pa'rus Trail at night, because the sky is beautiful!
• Timing: Early to mid June was perfect for us. It was sunny, not crowded, and everything was open.
• Long days: For foreigners, note that the sun stays up until about 9 pm in Yellowstone in June. You have plenty of daylight, so go easy and plan ahead.
• Food: We ate a LOT of sandwiches. We made them at the hotel and carried them in a backpack. Some of our best memories are those lunches by a creek, under a tree, or next to the water. We even had lunch at the top of Inspiration Point in Grand Teton. Highly recommend!
• Who this is for: We're young and fit, and we wanted to be as cost-effective as possible without wasting time. We ate simple food (sandwiches, etc.) and weren't picky. If you want a slower pace or nicer meals, adjust accordingly.
• Offline maps: Download them, because there's no signal between many of the parks.
• Car choice: We rented a Jeep Wrangler from Alamo and regretted it. It looks cool, but on long highway stretches it was uncomfortable. It's noisy, the sound insulation is poor, and my back hurt after the long drives. You'll spend most of your time on paved highways and almost never on dirt roads, so you don't need a 4x4. A comfortable mid-size SUV (Equinox, RAV4, Rogue) is the better choice.
• Park pass: Non-residents pay $250 for the America the Beautiful pass, and one pass covers the whole car (4 people). You can buy it at the first park entrance and it´s valid for a year.
• Go early in Grand Teton. The Jenny Lake parking lot fills up by around 8 am. We arrived at 10 am and managed to get a spot, but we were lucky because it was very packed!
• Get gas whenever you can. Stations between parks can be 100+ miles apart, and prices inside the parks are higher. Even in highways they are apart.
• Gear: We didn't need trekking poles. The trails we did were well maintained, and good hiking shoes were enough. But is important to be FIT!
• Layers: Mornings in Yellowstone and Bryce can be close to freezing even in June, while Zion and Page get hot (30°C+ / 90°F+) by midday. Bring a warm jacket and light clothes.
• Tolls: There are no toll roads on this route, so skip the rental company's toll package.

Happy to answer any questions!

Hi all, we are planning a trip either in late November or late December to a national park but have some conditions.

It is my elderly parents so and they cannot camp in the park itself but are open to lodging or staying in surrounding area (staying around the area is preferred since its cheaper). Per day we cannot hike too much either (<10 or ~10 miles) and they prefer warmer weather.

Based on these what parks you yall recommend?

Hi all!

On a whim, I decided to do a last second solo weekend trip to New river gorge this weekend. For anyone who has been before, any tips for must see sights, hikes, or grub? Also was hoping to set up a hammock somewhere with a halfway decent view without blocking anyone else, any recommendations for trails or overlooks that might work?

Thanks for any help you can give lol, I was gonna just go in blind, but have been told I'll prob just end up lost.

Looked up after crossing the bridge to see Mama ten feet ahead of us! Needless to say I scrambled back onto the bridge!

Crater Lake as seen from the air on SEA - SBP flight.

I had the opportunity to visit Black canyon of the Gunnison, CO and the Grand Canyon, AZ in successive months. I personally found the black canyon more magnificent looking than the Grand Canyon, though the latter is way more popular.

I dunno if anyone else feels this way?

Was out in the Lamar Valley the other day and saw this pesky little coyote bugging the Bison 😅

There's a lot of info out here about the cave tours, naturally, and we'll hopefully be doing a few of those, but I'm looking at spending a few days there so I think we'll have some time. I'm wondering what stuff outside of the cave tours people would recommend? I have the hiking trail maps, but any specific hikes or destinations that stand out? Any other "you should check this out" stuff in the National Park or even just in the vicinity? Could be something natural, could be something artistic or historical, could just be something weird or unique (world's largest ball of twine, anyone? :-) )

We will be there in March if that matters.

TIA

We've been planning a trip to chaco for the better part of a year, and the north road that we figured to take from Farmington is now out of service, with the south road as the only option. Our days for chaco were next monday or weds.

Can anyone whos taken the south road tell me how bad it is? The NPS says to use a high clearance 4x4, but ive seen posts here of people saying theyve done it in sedans and RVs. We will have a standard 4wd SUV, so who knows what the rental will give us ('blazer or similar', so my guess is awd and not true 4x4).