National Parks are "...for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of this and future generations." These are special places to learn, experience, retreat and surrender. They are full of iconic structures and history, breathtaking vistas, glimpses of wildlife, dark, starry nights and peace and quiet. As a family we collectively cherish the Parks and feel that they provide the best ingredients for happiness, creativity, togetherness and memories that last a lifetime.
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| Roadtrip to... Banff! |
Unfortunately and fortunately, this is not a unique perspective and while National Park visits can be stressful, crowded and perhaps not what you expected for your own family. Here are a few tips from our travels in National Parks to help you make the best of your adventures.
Go early, stay late and take breaks as needed. Yellowstone in the summer can feel more like Disneyland than one of the wildest places on the planet. We've learned that Yellowstone is still extraordinary if you go early, stay late, take a long(er) hike and find time to rest and relax at critical moments (Stop for ice cream, for example, at Old Faithful Lodge which has huckleberry!). Breathe. You're on vacation...in a super-volcano!!
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Chocolate ice cream at Mammoth Terrace Grill while passing through Yellowstone.
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Try a different path. When every park visitor seems to be headed in the same direction, take the next exit and try the other direction. We eventually realized this after getting stuck in line after line in
Yosemite. Ultimately, we landed in our own piece of paradise but only after stepping off the beaten path. You might also head out in more difficult weather conditions if you have the right gear. We had Angel's Landing nearly to ourselves on a rainy spring day in Zion.
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| Taken while sitting in line to exit Yosemite. |
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| Spring Rain in Zion |
Don’t spread yourself too thin.
Stay longer and know that you can come back. National Parks are huge, and they change. It's worth coming back, maybe in a different way (on foot, bike or boat instead of by car) or during a different season. For example, the contrast of the Grand Canyon with and without snow. And, we have driven to
Banff and Jasper at every available opportunity and I'm not sure we will ever get our fill of adventure in the Canadian Rockies.
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| Beautiful, crisp, clear, warm day. Headed to the bottom! |
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Sloppy hike followed by a hot chocolate at El Tovar.
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| Mount Edith Cavell: a Tonquin Valley backpacking trip is still on the bucket list. |
Don’t sweat the minutiae.
Leave space for the unexpected. Per Kenedy: “life happens while you’re planning.” We've left significant opportunity for spontaneity in our travels, i.e. no idea where we were going to sleep, but ended up finding great new places like Ross Cedars (Idaho) and Fernie, BC. Caveat: don’t go overboard because not knowing can be stressful, especially in busy parks or where cell service and wifi are spotty or nonexistent.
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| Ross Cedars |
Say hello to the person on your right. Take the time to meet your neighbors, they are on their own unique journeys and have incredible stories and advice to share. We have met wonderful people that fill us with hope and happiness and learned many new, diverse perspectives from talking to people along the way. They are kind, generous, frienly, happy and worth the minute for a friendly chat!
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| Friendly, island-hopping Kiwis (New Zealanders) en route to Glacier Bay |
Stay in the park.
Staying in the park is darker and quieter, opens up time for longer days, less waiting, and enables more diverse experiences (and light). Most parks have numerous campgrounds with campsites that pop up available at the last minute. The lodges are architectural icons worth a lesson and a tour in and of themselves. Staying at, for example Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park, feels like a step back in time and is a true privilege. I am in awe that we are still allowed in most of these buildings.
Take advantage of the Park Service programs.
Parks have a wealth of educational programming--everything from ranger-led hikes to evening talks and junior ranger badges. Yellowstone has a junior scientist program. At Two Medicine campground, the ranger dressed up as a mountain goat and the kids learned that male and female mountain goat horns are different. We learned all about edible and non-edible berries and the plants that repopulate glacial landscapes during a ranger-led tour at
Wrangell-St Elias.
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| Evening Program at St Mary campground in Glacier |
Hope these are helpful. Now go forth and find your Park!
