8 Road Trips Through Iconic U.S. National Parks

After months glued to my computer, I high-tailed it out of my home in North Carolina in 2021 and lived out of my well-loved Honda CR-V. For the next few months, I traveled solo across the country, and seeing screensaver-worthy sights like the Grand Tetons in real life brought actual tears to my eyes. The trip made me develop a serious appreciation for the sheer diversity and beauty of U.S. national parks.

I also realized that some national parks are conveniently clustered together or within a few hours driving distance of each other. A road trip, as I discovered, is a conducive and fun way to visit as many parks as possible, while taking in the country’s majestic views along the way. Travelers can witness a variety of desert, mountain, and beach landscapes that are beautiful no matter the season.

So pack your camping gear (or book at one of our recommended hotels below), put on a podcast, and roll out on these eight national park road trips.

Related: This Pass Makes Visiting National Parks Easier and Less Expensive

1. The Blue Ridge Parkway

• National parks visited: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Shenandoah National Park
• Start: Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina
• End: Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
• Approximate distance: 469 miles
• Recommended time: 5 days

This is one of the best road trips for the fall, when sourwood, oak, and other deciduous trees in the Southeast turn an array of warm colors. Starting from North Carolina’s entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the drive winds north to Virginia. Stop within the Great Smoky Mountains to explore the views across its approximately 800 square miles. Make time for a hike up to Kuwohi to take in vistas from the park’s highest point, revealing hilly peaks formed by 300 million years of erosion and weathering. Shenandoah National Park sits at the northern portion of this road trip, offering plenty of overlooks and leg-stretching hikes along its 105-mile Skyline Drive. The trek up Old Rag Mountain, a 3,284-foot peak, is a six- or seven-hour workout for those up for the challenge.

The route that connects these two parks is the carefully constructed roadway known as the Blue Ridge Parkway. Named after the blue color released by the trees into the atmosphere surrounding the Appalachian Mountains, the parkway snakes across 469 miles to connect the Great Smoky Mountains with Shenandoah and travelers to more than 369 miles of hiking trails.

Where to stay

• Book now: Glamping Collective

The Blue Ridge Parkway passes by some of Appalachia’s major towns and cities, including Asheville, North Carolina. Drive about half an hour west of Asheville to the small town of Clyde and stay at the Glamping Collective, a property offering glass cabins and incredible mountain views. Amenities here include hot tubs, fire pits, and access to five miles of private hiking trails.

Courtesy of Jesse Collins/Unsplash

2. Wyoming’s Best Hits

• National parks visited: Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park
• Start: Cheyenne
• End: Cody
• Approximate distance: 800 miles
• Recommended time: 10 days

While Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks are famous for good reasons, there are plenty more sites along the way that merit a slow journey across the state.

A 10-day drive will unlock the variety on offer, from ancient fossils to Old Faithful. Start in the city of Cheyenne for some history about cowboys and railroads, then wind through Medicine Bow National Forest for rock climbing or a hike among the reddish igneous rock formations of Vedauwoo. Stop to soak in the mineral hot springs of Saratoga, then settle into the town of Jackson as a base for hiking among the waterfalls and lakes in Grand Teton before finishing up at Yellowstone‘s geysers. Finally, enjoy Shoshone National Forest before indulging in a slow-cooked supper at Cody, Wyoming’s Cody Cattle Company.

Itinerary: National Parks, Hot Springs, and the Great American Frontier: The Ultimate Wyoming Road Trip

Where to stay

• Book now: The Cloudveil, Autograph Collection

It’s worth spending some time exploring Jackson’s square dancing venues, art galleries, Saturday farmers’ market, and eateries like Cream + Sugar (ice cream) and Hand Fire Pizza (housed in a former movie theater). Accommodations range from renovated motor lodges to wellness-focused stays. The 96-room Cloudveil, Autograph Collection offers the comfort of a boutique hotel (private fireplaces, custom wood furnishings, and plush sitting areas) with easy access to downtown and the surrounding mountains and parks.

3. Beyond California’s Coast

• National parks visited: Yosemite National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Sequoia National Park
• Start: Yosemite National Park
• End: Sequoia National Park
• Approximate distance: 130 miles
• Recommended time: 3 days

California is home to endless road-trip itineraries. This particular forest-and-mountain option goes through the eastern Sierras in the state’s interior. Starting in Yosemite National Park, travelers can ogle famed splendors like the vertical rock formation El Capitan and Horsetail Fall. (For a short time during winter, the waterfall gives the illusion of being on fire.) Afterward, a drive along CA-41 and CA-180 brings road-trippers to Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, which are home to some of the largest and oldest trees in the world. Try forest bathing under trees more than 250 feet high, or hike the paved Congress Trail and see the General Sherman Tree—the largest tree on Earth by volume.

Given this relatively low-mileage itinerary, there’s room for flexibility on either side of the trip. Head upstate to Tahoe National Forest and Lassen Volcanic National Park, while the south is home to the dry lands of Joshua Tree National Park and Death Valley National Park. If you’re eager for some ocean, consider one of the Golden State’s other legendary drives: the Pacific Coast Highway.

Timing is everything in a road trip, and it’s especially important in a large state with differing climates. Snowfall in the Sierra Nevada region closes some roads in the wintertime (such as Tioga and Glacier Point roads in Yosemite), while scorching temperatures in Death Valley (more than 120°F) make the summer excursion a sweaty challenge. You could also come to Sequoia National Park in the fall, and witness evergreens contrasting with the reds and yellows of a fall foliage display.

Where to stay

• Book now: The Ahwahnee Hotel; Paradise Ranch Inn

The Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park opened in 1927 and has a long history of hosting celebrity guests, including Queen Elizabeth II, John F. Kennedy, and I Love Lucy actress Lucille Ball. The property features 97 hotel rooms, parlors, and suites, in addition to 24 cottages on its grounds, with Half Dome, Glacier Point, and other park sights in view. About a 40-minute drive from Sequoia National Park is Paradise Ranch Inn, with four tiny houses, four glamping tents, and one stargazer tent. The tiny houses have kitchenettes and cedar hot tubs with saunas, and the tents have access to a well-equipped outdoor kitchen.

Related: These Cooler, Less-Crowded National Parks Are Best in Summer

Courtesy of Lisha Riabinina/Unsplash

4. Utah’s Mighty Five

• National parks visited: Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park
• Start: Arches National Park
• End: Zion National Park
• Distance: 370 miles
• Recommended time: 7 days

Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef form Utah’s “Mighty Five” network of national parks. Their locations, along a somewhat linear line across the state, make for a relatively easy and immensely rewarding road trip through canyon country. Starting among the orange rocks, vaults, and spires of Arches National Park and passing through with the Colorado River–carved crevices of Canyonlands, this journey feels like a visit to Mars. The otherworldly scenery continues with the Navajo Sandstone domes of Capitol Reef and the hoodoos of Bryce, where multi-colored rock layers (known as the “Grand Staircase”) stretch all the way to Zion.

Summer is a popular time for visiting this area, but a winter road trip has surprising perks worth considering: Zion gets 70 percent of its visitors between April and September, but only 2–3 percent in each winter month of December, January, and February. The lack of crowds isn’t the only plus. Colder weather brings seasonal opportunities, like cross-country skiing in Bryce.

Where to stay

Book now: Lodge at Bryce Canyon; Under Canvas Bryce Canyon

The Lodge at Bryce Canyon first opened in 1925, designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood (the architect who also designed the Old Faithful Lodge at Yellowstone and the Ahwahnee at Yosemite). The 114-room property (which includes suites, motel rooms, and cabins) is the sole accommodation inside the park, with access to restaurants, a general store, and a laundry facility. Many natural excursions are accessible on foot—it’s only a 5-minute walk to the start of the 5.5-mile Rim Trail. Or try the 50 glamping tents at Under Canvas Bryce Canyon, which is 15 minutes from the park, have king-size beds (twins in the kids’ tents) and either private or shared bathrooms. Come nightfall, fix s’mores at the communal fire while you gaze up at the stars (Bryce is a certified Dark Sky Park).

5. West Virginia’s Wonders

• National park visited: New River Gorge National Park
• Start: Blackwater Falls State Park
• End: New River Gorge National Park
• Distance: 200 miles
• Recommended time: 3 days

New River Gorge is one of the youngest national parks in the country; it became the 63rd national park in 2020. Despite its name, the river is not new—it’s between 260 million and 325 million years old, making it one of the oldest waterways in North America. While locals have long known about all the state has to offer, a three-day adventure is enough to prime visitors on West Virginia’s major points of interest. Start the trip in Blackwater Falls State Park, where hikers can climb steps to a 57-foot cascade. Then drive about 30 miles south to get to Seneca Rocks, a formation that rises 900 feet above the New River.

Can’t get enough excitement from the hairpin turns it takes to get to New River Gorge National Park? Then don’t miss the opportunity to do some whitewater rafting on the New River, which offers class II–IV rapids, depending on the stretch. It’s a great place to try out the activity as a beginner, but experienced rafters should keep their calendar open for the six weeks or so following Labor Day when the rapids are wild.

Don’t sweat it if high-intensity waters aren’t in your plans. Hiking is always available as a tried-and-true way to get the lay of the land. If you have time for one hike in this national park, Afar’s own Jessie Beck recommends the 2.2-mile Endless Wall Trail: “It’s especially magical at sunrise, when fog and mist drift in and out of the canyon.”

Where to stay

• Book now: Adventures on the Gorge

Travelers can get their bedding and excursions handled in one place with Adventures on the Gorge, which offers trips including whitewater rafting and ziplining as well as accommodations. Its landing location is about a mile from New River Gorge National Park and has wooden cabins with one to six bedrooms. Some are simple but comfortable, while the deluxe cabins have hot tubs, firepits, and porches.

Photo by Varina C/Shutterstock

6. Florida Keys

• National parks visited: Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park
• Start: Everglades National Park
• End: Dry Tortugas National Park
• Distance: 150 miles
• Recommended time: 3 days

Drive across Florida’s southern tip for some of the most memorable marine ecosystems and underrated national parks in the nation. The Everglades are the starting point for this road trip, introducing travelers to the “river of grass” Marjory Stoneman Douglas fought to conserve. (Her book The Everglades: River of Grass was published in 1947, the same year the Everglades became a national park.) From the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center, it’s about a 20-mile drive east to get to Homestead Bayfront, where travelers can take a boat out to Biscayne National Park. The park is 95 percent water, and its few strips of land are only accessible by boat, so the most convenient option is to explore on a guided tour.

After coming back to the mainland, hop on Florida’s Highway 1 for another 135 miles—stopping for the occasional seafood dish, of course—before ending at Key West. The car stops here because Dry Tortugas National Park is 70 miles west and can only be reached via boat or plane. Spend the day in a national park that’s 99 percent water and explore the 30 species of coral in its reefs, then hop on that 1 percent of land to explore the historical Fort Jefferson.

Where to stay

• Book now: Ocean Key Resort & Spa

Key West is a practical base for those taking a day trip to Dry Tortugas. The 100-room Ocean Key Resort & Spa is one stay to consider for sunset views and Caribbean cuisine. With a calendar full of live music and other nightly events, the resort provides convivial ways to relax after a day of travel.

Courtesy of freddie marriage/Unsplash

7. New Mexico to Texas

• National parks visited: White Sands National Park, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Big Bend National Park
• Start: White Sands National Park, New Mexico
• End: Big Bend National Park, Texas
• Distance: 450 miles
• Recommended time: 5 days

It’s difficult to encompass every national park in the Southwest on one road trip, so this particular route focuses on those in New Mexico and Texas. The journey starts in White Sands National Park, where visitors can take the eight-mile Dunes Drive into the world’s largest gypsum dune field. (Gypsum is a mineral used in drywall and toothpaste.) Drive about 185 miles to get to New Mexico’s other national park on the itinerary, Carlsbad Caverns, which contrasts the hot desert experience by plunging visitors into the depths of more than 119 limestone caves.

From the caves, it’s only about 35 miles to Texas’s Guadalupe Mountains National Park, where hiking to the highest natural point in the state, Guadalupe Peak, provides panoramic views of the surrounding desert and mountains. Fuel up, because it’s about 235 miles to get to the next park, Big Bend, located near the border of Mexico. But while the trip may be long, it’s worth the effort: Big Bend is a stargazer’s dream: It’s the least light-polluted national park in the lower 48.

There’s a lot to cover in this trip. After loading up on barbecue and stopping for car snacks at beloved Texan gas station chain Buc-ee’s, you can start planning your next road trip in the Lone Star State.

Where to stay

• Book now: Gage Hotel

If you don’t want to spend the night at one of Big Bend National Park’s campgrounds, drive around 40 minutes north to get to the park gateway town of Marathon, which Afar contributing editor Nicholas DeRenzo describes as a “funky town [that] oozes Old West charm and feels a bit like Marfa before the art-school kids arrived.” Base yourself in the Gage Hotel, a 1927-founded property that embraces the western theme, complete with leather furniture and cow skulls on the walls. The pool provides a very welcome respite for summer travelers.

Courtesy of Georg Eiermann/Unsplash

8. Olympic Peninsula Loop

• National park visited: Olympic National Park
• Start and end: Olympia, Washington
• Distance: 335 miles
• Recommended time: 5 days

Explore the Pacific Northwest in all its glory on this Olympic Peninsula road trip in Washington State. The route mostly follows U.S. 101 before turning to U.S. 12 and 8 at the southern portion and looping back to the state capital of Olympia. Notable stops on this route include Sequim (which draws visitors in summer with its lavender fields) and Forks, the rainiest town in the lower 48 that was made famous by the Twilight series—and serves as a good base for checking out the Pacific coastline.

Deeper in the peninsula is the nearly 1-million-acre Olympic National Park, which packs in mountains characteristic of the Pacific Northwest and blue-green lakes. Hikes abound here, like the three-mile round-trip Hurricane Hill trail that offers 360-degree views of the park. But perhaps the most popular destination in the park is the Hoh Rain Forest—one of four rainforests in the state—a mossy, temperate ecosystem home to Sitka spruce, black bears, river otters, and the endangered northern spotted owl.

Where to stay

• Book now: Kalaloch Lodge at Olympic National Park

Kalaloch Lodge at Olympic National Park, 35 miles southwest of Forks, is an ideal overnight base for exploring the Pacific Coast. The waters by the property are part of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, more than 3,100 square miles that are home to at least 300 species of fish and 29 species of marine mammals, including orca and humpback whales. From the wood-paneled cabins, guests can walk to the Pacific, whose waters are especially magnificent come sunset.

This article was originally published in 2023 and most recently updated on June 11, 2025, with current information.