The 411 on US National Parks
Summer is nearly over, so now is your chance to get outside and enjoy the last moments of beautiful weather! In the US, there are so many places to enjoy the great outdoors, especially since we have a wonderful and extensive national park system.
A day hike in a nearby park is a great and easy way to get a taste of nature.
But… sometimes a day or two just isn’t enough to satisfy that craving for fresh air, so a multi-night camp trip is a must!
Planning a multi-day camping trip is an affordable vacation and a fun way to see the country, but sometimes it can be bit confusing trying to figure out where to go and how to plan, especially if you’ve never done it before.
Here is a little summary of how the park service works and the easiest way for you to reap the benefits of the $3 billion system:
National Park Service
The US National Park Service (NPS) is responsible for the management of 417 different sites. The designation of such sites can fall into any of the following categories: battlefield, historic site, historic park, lakeshore, memorial, military park, monument, park, preserve, recreation area, reserve, river, scenic trail, seashore, and more.
The criteria for the designation and the party that designates can also vary. For example, a national park is an area set apart for some outstanding scenic feature or natural phenomena. They’re set up for enjoyment, education, and inspiration for future generations.
While a national monument, for example, is reserved by the government because they contain objects of historic, prehistoric, or scientific interest. Usually, national monuments are established by presidential proclamation (ex: bears ears) and can vary greatly in size.
One thing they all have in common is that they are all worth a visit!
Some fun facts about the national park system:
In 2017, there were 330 million recreational visits to sites managed by the NPS!
National parks contain:
- 18,000 miles of trails
- 247+ species of threatened or endangered plants and animals.
- 75,000+ archeological sites
- Nearly 27,000 historic and prehistoric structures.
- 167+ million museum items
Now, if that doesn’t inspire you to visit a national park, I don’t know what will…
National Forest
We have most of the “nationals” listed above, so what’s a national forest?
While the purpose of national parks is to preserve the land by attempting to leave it as untouched and as pristine as possible, a national forest may be used for various activities.
National forests, as well as national grasslands, are supervised by the USDA Forest Service, and allow the land to be used by the public for activities such as grazing, wildlife, fishing and timber.
Because of the larger variety of use, there is a much larger area dedicated to national forests.
State Park
A state park is basically the same idea as a national park, but it is designated and managed by the state government.
Frontcountry Camping
Frontcountry camping (or car camping) is camping at a designated campsite within a park. Each campsite varies in the amenities offered, but typically there will be bathrooms (maybe showers), a designated area to cook, and seating areas. Campsites are reserved, and often reservations are required if you’d like to secure a spot (popular campsites fill up well in advance).
At larger, more popular parks, there may be a camp store offering basic cooking ingredients (marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate bars) and maybe even a small restaurant.
Frontcountry camping is best if you want to do a few day-hikes and then have a comfortable place to cook dinner and relax with a cocktail. It’s great if you are bringing a lot of gear that you don’t want to carry (such as a stove top cook station) because you can park your car close to your camp.
Backcountry Camping
Backcountry camping is when you hike into a park and camp off trail. There are rules about where you can camp (distance from the main trail, etc…). For backcountry camping, you will need to carry in all of your gear (tent, sleeping supplies, food, and water) and carry out your waste. Much more planning is required with backcountry camping.
Often, permits are required if you plan to do backcountry camping, especially at the more popular parks. Before doing any backcountry camping, you should check the permit requirements. Each park has their own permit system (lotteries, reservations in advance, day of lotteries, etc…).
For some spots, such as the wave in Arizona, the permits are so limited that you may not even be able to get one!
When we were planning our cross-country road trip, I had researched the various parks we planned to visit and their permit requirements so I could create calendar reminders for when the permit applications were open for each different park!
Backcountry camping is great if you really want to spend some time in the wild. Taking a multi-day hike into the forest is a great way to escape.
Backcountry camping can also be more physically challenging because of the weight on your back and the distances that you’ll hike in a day. The feeling of accomplishment can be a great reward!
America the Beautiful Pass
If you are planning to visit a few national parks, I highly recommend purchasing the America the Beautiful Pass ($80 annually). With the pass, you have daily access to most federal lands (managed by 5 different agencies) including national parks, national wildlife refuges, national forests, and national grasslands. Plus, camping is either free or discounted.
There is reciprocity at some state-level parks as well. Check the particular park regulations prior to your visit.
Collecting Stamps
If you are planning to visit some national parks this summer, why not pick up a national parks passport? You can get your passport stamped at the ranger station, and you’ll have a memorable log for each of your visits.
Now that we’ve gone over the basics, let me tell you about our experience at two very different parks:
Big Bend National Park (Texas)
It is no secret that I’m in love with Big Bend. I won’t go into much detail here since I’ve already done a full post on B.B. Let me just reiterate, if you are looking for a quiet yet totally beautiful national park, Big Bend is a great option. Just because it is on the least visited list, doesn’t mean it isn’t special!
Great Smoky Mountains (Tennessee)
The Great Smokies are a perfect spot to visit if you are new to camping, and don’t want to feel totally out of your comfort zone. You won’t have to feel alone, and if you really end up hating it, there are even hotels just outside of the park that you could move to.
If you’re looking for a quiet and relaxing trip, you may think the Great Smokies are out of the question, but that just isn’t true. The park is big enough that you can find a suitable escape. We did!
Last summer was our cross-country road trip where we visited and camped in several national parks, state forests, and state parks. You can follow our experience here, here and here.
If you are still trying to figure out how to soak in those last moments of summer, definitely consider a camping trip to a national park. You will not be disappointed; there is a national park for everyone!
Have you gone camping recently? What is your favorite national park?
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