Exploring Our National Parks

Exploring a vast landscape is always good for the soul, so trying adding some of these to your road trips or weekend getaways this year. You won’t regret it!

USA

White sand beaches, swamps, stalagmite-filled caves, glaciers, hot springs you can swim in (and ones you definitely can’t), rainforests, scorching deserts, volcanoes (dormant and active). The USA’s 60 national parks, scattered throughout the U.S. and its territories, truly have it all.

Alaska: Denali 1917, Gates of the Arctic 1980, Glacier Bay 1980, Katmai 1980, Kenai Fjords 1980, Kobuk Valley 1980, Lake Clark 1980, Wrangell – St. Elias 1980

American Samoa: American Samoa 1988

Arizona: Grand Canyon 1919, Petrified Forest 1962, Saguaro 1994

Arkansas: Hot Springs 1921

California: Channel Islands 1980, Death Valley 1994, Joshua Tree 1994, Kings Canyon 1940, Lassen Volcanic 1916, Redwood 1968, Sequoia 1890, Yosemite1890

Colorado: Black Canyon of the Gunnison 1999, Great Sand Dunes 2004. Mesa Verde 1906, Rocky Mountain 1915

Florida: Biscayne1980, Dry Tortugas 1992, Everglades 1947

Hawaii: Haleakala1916, Hawaii Volcanoes 1916

Idaho: Yellowstone 1872

Kentucky: Mammoth Cave, 1941

Maine: Acadia, 1919

Michigan: Isle Royale, 1940

Minnesota: Voyageurs, 1975

Montana: Glacier 1910, Yellowstone 1872

Nevada: Great Basin1986

New Mexico: Carlsbad Caverns 1930

North Carolina: Great Smoky Mountains, 1934

North Dakota: Theodore Roosevelt 1978

Ohio: Cuyahoga Valley 2000

Oregon: Crater Lake1902

South Carolina: Congaree 2003

South Dakota: Badlands1978, Wind Cave1903

Tennessee: Great Smoky Mountains 1934

Texas: Big Bend1944, Guadalupe Mountains 1966

U.S. Virgin Islands: Virgin Islands 1956

Utah: Arches 1971, Bryce Canyon 1928, Capitol Reef 1971, Canyon lands 1964, Zion 1919, Virginia Shenandoah 1935

Washington: Mount Rainier 1899, North Cascades 1968, Olympic 1938

Wyoming: Grand Teton 1929, Yellowstone 1872

Canada

National parks are a country-wide system of representative natural areas of Canadian significance. By law, they are protected for public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment, while being maintained in an unimpaired state for future generations.

Alberta

Banff – National Park. UNESCO World Heritage Site and Canada’s first National Park (1885).
Elk Island – National Park. Alberta plains oasis for rare and endangered species.
Jasper – National Park. UNESCO World Heritage Site and glacial jewel of the Rockies.
Waterton Lakes – National Park. International Peace Park; where the Rocky Mountains meet the prairie.

British Columbia

Glacier – National Park. British Columbia’s lush interior rainforest and permanent glaciers.
Gwaii Haanas – National Park Reserve. Haïda culture and coastal rainforest on Queen Charlotte Islands. National Marine Conservation Area Reserve. This rich natural and cultural environment protects 138 of the Queen Charlotte Islands.
Kootenay – National Park. UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring the famous Radium Hot Springs.
Mount Revelstoke – National Park. Rainforest of 1,000-year-old cedars and spectacular mountains.
Pacific Rim – National Park Reserve. Pacific Coast Mountains make up this marine and forest environment.
Yoho – National Park. UNESCO World Heritage Site in Rockies.
Manitoba
- Riding Mountain – National Park. Protected “island” area in the Manitoba Escarpment.
- Wapusk – National Park. One of the largest polar bear denning areas in the world.
New Brunswick
- Fundy – National Park. Atlantic’s sanctuary with world’s highest tides.
- Kouchibouguac – National Park. Intricate Acadian blend of coastal and inland habitats.
Newfoundland and Labrador
- Gros Morne – National Park. UNESCO World Heritage Site amid Newfoundland’s wild natural beauty.
- Terra Nova – National Park. Remnants of the Eastern Newfoundland Ancient Appalachian Mountains.
Northwest Territories
- Aulavik – National Park. Over 12,000 km² of arctic wilderness on Banks Island.
- Tuktut Nogait – National Park. Calving ground for the Bluenose caribou herd.
- Nahanni – National Park Reserve. Northwest Territories’ UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Wood Buffalo – National Park. UNESCO World Heritage Site larger than Switzerland.
Nova Scotia
- Cape Breton Highlands – National Park. Home to Cabot Trail, a land blessed with spectacular cliffs.
- Kejimkujik – National Park. Nova Scotia’s inland of historic canoe routes and portages.
- Nunavut
  - Auyuittuq – National Park. Baffin Island landscapes containing northern extremity of Canadian Shield.
  - Quttinirpaaq – (Ellesmere Island) National Park. Most remote, fragile, rugged and northerly lands in North America.
  - Sirmilik – National Park. Northern Baffin Island landscape containing Eastern Arctic Lowlands and Lancaster Sound.
  Ontario
  - Bruce Peninsula – National Park. Landscapes including the northern end of Niagara Escarpment.
  - Fathom Five – National Marine Park. The spectacular underwater of the Niagara escarpment in Georgian Bay.
  - Georgian Bay Islands – National Park. Captivating islands representing Lake Huron’s landscape.
  - Point Pelee – National Park. Most southern point on Canadian mainland.
  - Pukaskwa – National Park. Canadian Shield’s ancient landscape on Superior’s North Shore.
  - St. Lawrence Islands – National Park. Canada’s smallest national park located in Ontario.
  Prince Edward Island
  - Prince Edward Island – National Park. A protected area with spectacular coast.
  Québec
  - Forillon – National Park. The Jewel of the Gaspé where land meets sea.
  - La Mauricie – National Park. Lakes winding through forested hills for canoe and portage activities.
  - Mingan Archipelago – National Park Reserve. A string of islands carved out by wind and sea.
  - Saguenay–St. Lawrence – Marine Park. A rich diversity of marine life : whales, seals, plants and birds of all kinds.
  - Saskatchewan
    - Grasslands – National Park. Saskatchewan’s rare prairie grasses, dinosaur fossils, and badlands.
    - Prince Albert – National Park. Protects slice of northern coniferous forest and wildlife.
    Yukon
    - Ivvavik – National Park. Calving ground for the Porcupine caribou herd.
    - Kluane – National Park and Reserve. Yukon’s UNESCO World Heritage Site contains Canada’s highest peak.
    - Vuntut – National Park. Northern Yukon’s unique non-glaciated landscape.