Ready to experience the great outdoors in all its glory? From the snowy mountains of Colorado to the desert canyons of Arizona, featured here are some of the most visited national parks across the United States. See why millions of travelers continue to flock to these protected lands every year and learn about some of the coolest must-see attractions along the way.
Great Smoky Mountains is one of the most popular national parks in the U.S., drawing in approximately 10 million visitors each year. Known for its lush scenery and beautiful waterfalls, this park offers 800 miles of hiking trails across east
Tennessee and west North Carolina. This extraordinary park is teeming with wildlife and boasts an amazing number
of wildflowers. It is home to over 1,660 angiosperms and is often referred to as “The Wildflower Park� by its many visitors.
The Grand Canyon is worldrenowned, bringing in visitors from all over the globe to experience Arizona’s breathtaking beauty for themselves. This 277-mile long canyon offers
a variety of sightseeing options. Take in the sights of the Colorado River along the South Rim, enjoy a stroll on the Hualapai Tribe’s famous skywalk attraction, or book a Grand Canyon helicopter tour to experience unbeatable views from up in the sky. Visitors can also immerse
themselves in the land’s natural charms with backcountry hiking trails that will challenge even the most avid of trailblazers.
Montana’s Glacier National Park is spread across over a million acres and features stunning views of majestic mountain ranges. One of the park’s most
notable highlights is the Going-to-the-Sun Road, a 50-mile marvel that allow visitors to take in wild scenery and gorgeous glaciers. Another item to add to your bucket list is Hidden Lake. This beautiful body of water
offers spectacular views for hikers as well as excellent opportunities for catch-andrelease fishing.
Sandstone canyons and towering mesas are abundant in Zion Canyon, Utah’s most popular national park. Fans of desert scenery won’t want to miss this alluring attraction, which is home to Kolob Arch – the world’s largest arch measuring at a whopping 310 feet. Don’t forget to visit the Tuacahn Amphitheater nearby for a wide variety of stage plays and musical acts surrounded by dazzling canyon views.
Situated atop North America’s largest
supervolcano, Yellowstone National Park is famous for its geothermal features, including geysers, mud pots, hot springs, and fumaroles. This national park is home to the greatest concentration of wildlife in the lower 48 states. Visitors can see bears, moose, bison, bald eagles, elk, mountain lions, and much more.
Deemed America’s “first national park” in 1872, this iconic piece of natural history set the bar for the U.S. national park system as we know it today.
Valleys, meadows, and waterfalls are just some of the many sights that make up the massive wilderness of Yosemite National Park. Trailblazers from all over
come to experience the Half Dome, a large granite dome that offers hikers an extreme day hike complete with cable ascents, misty trails, and wide-ranging scenery that is almost unsurpassed. Be sure to check out
Yosemite Falls during your visit, one of the tallest waterfalls in North America with a drop-off of 2,425 feet.
There’s something for everyone in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park. Visitors can take part in everything from ancient hiking trails and wildlife sightseeing to cattle ranch and cross-country skiing activities.
Experience the sights like never before along Trail Ridge Road, a 48-mile stretch that winds upward through magnificent landscapes to a steep elevation of 12,183 feet. Wetlands, forests, and alpine tundra make up the diverse ecosystem here, offering travelers the opportunity to see a wide variety in just a short amount of time.
Papillon is the world’s oldest and largest sightseeing company since 1965, with over 600,000 passengers taking part in flying tours over the Grand Canyon each year. Enjoy a variety of unique destinations, including Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, Monument Valley
and Lake Powell, and experience breathtaking excursions by helicopter, horseback, river rafting, and more. Visit us online at www.papillon.com or call 1-888-635-7272 for more information and to book your tour today.
Sources • http://www.npca.org/exploring-ourparks/visitation.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/ • http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-top20nationalparks-pgphotogallery.html • http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/national-parks/mostvisited-parks-photos/#/great-smoky-mountains-national-park-fallfog_89492_600x450.jpg