The United States National Park Service has been around since 1916 and every park created ever since has not disappointed. From the first park, Yellowstone National Park, to the most recent, New River Gorge, beauty is not hard to find. I have been lucky and fortunate myself to travel around the country and visit 14 of our 64 National Parks. Here are my top three:
Views from the Highline trail in Glacier National Park
Mount Rainier at Mount Rainier National Park
Margerie Glacier at Glacier Bay National Park
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Glacier Bay National Park – This park is just amazing. In the southeastern part of Alaska, it is only reachable by cruise ship. Covering 3.3 million acres, with hundreds of mountains and water that is turquoise from glacial silt, everyone who is lucky enough to travel here will have a great experience. The highlights of this park include Margerie Glacier, John Hopkins Glacier and the Grand Pacific Glacier. When I traveled here, it was downpouring, but honestly, the rain is kind-of what made the day. The contrast of the colorful water, along with the hundreds of waterfalls and the white colored mountains made this excursion special.
Glacier National Park – Now, this is my mother’s favorite park, but it’s my second favorite just because of the one ahead. What stood out to my family and I about Glacier was the Highline trail. This was a 12-mile hike that started on the side of a mountain with an immediate 1,000 foot drop to your left. Views were everywhere. With hundreds of mountains surrounding you, you will sit in awe as you hike this long trek. About 8-miles in, you get to this chalet. Here, you can look out into the park, get a grab to eat, and finally get service to text your grandfather you are still alive. Other parts like Lake McDonald, Logan Pass and Going-to-the-Sun Road are some of the prettiest sights in the country.
Mount Rainier National Park – Mount Rainier. A peak that sticks out 14,411 feet into the blue Washington state sky. Surrounding the peak is a circle shaped cloud. This mountain just simply sticks out. You can see it from miles away as you reach the park. Around the mountain is a green landscape with pine trees that go as far as the eye can see. The mountain is covered in snow and ice, with even some glaciers. Overall, the natural beauty of the mountain, to the pine trees and other surrounding mountains make this park stand alone on my list.
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