5 Tips for Exploring US National Parks

A visit to one of the US National Parks makes for a great trip for all levels of adventure. Below are some tips to help you plan the perfect trip, whether it’s a day or a week, and see the best that the parks have to offer in a safe and enjoyable way. 

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A Weekend at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Trip Location: Tennessee
Number of Days: 3 days/3 nights
Stops: Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Being that we live on the east coast, it’s not always easy for us to explore national parks for a weekend, since most parks are at least a 5 hour flight away and then some decent driving time on top of that. With our goal of seeing every national park in the US and our limited PTO, Great Smoky Mountains National Park was the perfect weekend getaway for us.

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Hiking Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park

The Summit of Old Rag

Being that we live in Maryland, we have spent quite a bit of time in Shenandoah National Park. My favorite hike in Shenandoah is the famous Old Rag.

Distance: 9.1 miles

Elevation gain: 2,415 feet

Difficulty: Strenuous

Trailhead Location: 2509 Nethers Road, Sperryville VA

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A 7-Day Road Trip: Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion National Parks

My very first U.S. National Park road trip has been a tough one to beat! The southwest is truly an amazing, other worldly place. I went on this trip with my friend, Alyssa, over spring break in April of 2015. We were going for budget friendly and maximizing our time exploring within our limited time frame of 1 week. In this post, I’ll share our 7-day road trip itinerary through Grand Canyon, Bryce, and Zion National Parks including stops at Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, and Lake Powell.

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