Top Ten National Parks: No. 5
Discovering the Beauty of America's National (and other) Parks
Alright, it’s time for the best of the best — our Top 5!
Honestly, of all the National Parks on our ranking, I would visit any of them again in a heartbeat, especially the ones we’re getting to now!
Last time …
We looked at Great Smoky Mountains National Park! It’s one of our most-visited National Parks, but it never gets old! Set in a prime vacation spot, it is ideal for those who are thinking about embarking on a National Park tour for the first time.
Our number 5 National Park is …
one of the most famous National Parks in the world.
What lies behind those rocks is truly one of the most amazing sights these eyes have ever seen!
That’s because what lies behind these particular rocks is none other than …
The Grand Canyon!
Accessible at two different points (from the North Rim and the South Rim), Grand Canyon National Park offers truly breathtaking views of one of the most amazing natural features our country has to offer, from multiple vantage points.
Scenery:
I still remember the anxiousness my heart felt as we drove in toward the South Rim from Flagstaff, AZ (which is an awesome place to visit in its own right). I remember thinking as we made the hour and a half long drive or so — “Okay, where is it?!” That’s because the topography leading up to the Grand Canyon is just … well, kind of “blah,” by comparison.
Don’t get me wrong. The desert views that we were seeing were neat, and certainly different compared to the piney forest of North Louisiana I was used to seeing. But …
We were on a mission — a mission to find one of America’s most iconic landmarks, and just simple desert scenery wasn’t cutting it.
So, onward we drove.
I kept thinking to myself, “How can the Grand Canyon be in the middle of all of this (relatively flat desert)?” Something just wasn’t adding up.
And then we get there …
Oh my, when I say BREATHTAKING, I truly mean breathtaking!
Words cannot describe it. Pictures cannot do it justice. These pictures are maybe 1/100th as pretty as seeing it in person. You just HAVE to go there! Seriously, start planning your trip today!
For scenery, Grand Canyon N.P. is a no brainer — a perfect 5.0 out of 5 stars!!
Variety:
You may be thinking: “Okay, that is beautiful, but isn’t it essentially just a huge hole in the ground?”
Kinda. Also, a hiker’s paradise. A camper’s paradise. Thrill-seekers’ paradise, too!
See that trail?
It goes all the way to the bottom! Seriously! You can hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon to the Colorado River below! (We had small kids. We made it down 100 feet or 2, then went back up!)
Variety - 4.0 stars.
Wildlife:
We saw some elk around some of the campsites, which was totally unexpected.
Other big animal sightings might include mule deer, bighorn sheep, bison, California condor, bats, or even a cougar.
Wildlife - 4.5 stars.
Camping/Lodging:
There are plenty of camping sites to choose from at the Grand Canyon. We chose the Mather Campground, which was a great experience.
If you want to stay in a hotel, you may have to drive a little further for this park. There are some lodges located within or just outside the park, but you have to book them far in advance, and they can be pretty pricey.
For Camping/Lodging, Grand Canyon N.P. gets 4.0 stars!
Other Amenities/Recreation Opportunities:
Check out the nearby Hoover Dam, or take a helicopter ride into the canyon itself. Ride a burrow down into the canyon, OR take a rafting trip down the Colorado River and view the Grand Canyon from below! (This is on my bucket list for sure!)
Grand Canyon N.P. gets 4.0 stars in this category.
Busyness:
This National Park’s overall score does take a bit of a dip here. That’s because this one is so popular that it is America’s 4th most visited National Park. That’s 4.53 MILLION people visiting a relatively small park (visitor space-wise), so …
Grand Canyon N.P. only gets 3.0 stars here.
Accessibility:
This park fairs decently well in this category.
Here’s how far this park is from several major cities:
Las Vegas, NV - 4.25 hours west
Phoenix, AZ - 3.5 hours south (closest)
Albuquerque, NM - 6 hours east
Salt Lake City, UT - 9 hours north
For accessibility, Grand Canyon gets 4.0 stars!
Personal Experience:
One of our best experiences in a National Park ever, our visit to the Grand Canyon in the fall of 2019 was unforgettable! I was extremely impressed with the transit system in the park, which made getting around from point to point super easy. Busses came along every so often, so we didn’t have to drive our own vehicle within the park much at all.
As far as the memories that we made — again, I cannot put into words how breathtakingly, AMAZINGLY beautiful this park is! You just HAVE to see it to understand how amazing this place is. We only visited the South Rim (and if you want to visit both Rims, just understand that you have to make a several hours long drive to do so [unless you take a helicopter], because, well, you’re driving around a GIANT hole in the ground!). So we definitely plan to go back one day, and hopefully visit the North Rim next time, which I hear is uniquely beautiful in its own way.
For personal experience, Grand Canyon is our first park to come in with a perfect 10.0 stars! That’s 5.0 bonus points for Grand Canyon, which brings us to our …
Overall Rating:
Grand Canyon National Park comes in with a final average score of 4.81 stars, which makes it our number 5 favorite National Park!
Grand Canyon National Park — No. 5 on our top 10 ranking!
We hope that you will come back later as we reveal our no. 4 favorite National Park!
Until next time,
Keep exploring, friends!
— Chase