Tips for Visiting U.S. National Parks

The United States is home to 433 national park sites covering an astonishing 85 million acres of land.  An impressive 63 of those protected areas are designated National Parks which include some of the most beautiful, pristine lands the country has to offer.

Over the years, other lands were set aside controlled by various US agencies until President Woodrow Wilson signed an act creating the National Park Service on August 25, 1916. 

Today, the National Park Service is dedicated to the incredibly important task of conserving the resources of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education and inspiration of us all and for future generations to come. 

Due to increased popularity, many national parks are now requiring day-use permits and timed entry. Be sure to check current park updates before you go. 

Did you know 4th graders can get a free annual pass to all our national lands including National Parks? Find out how.

National parks across the country have several fee free days where all park entrance fees are waived. Those special dates each year typically include the following:

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (3rd Monday of January)

• National Park Week (usually in April)

• First Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act (August 4)

• National Park Service Birthday (August 25)

• National Publics Lands Day (September 25)

• Veterans Day (November 11 in honor of the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” in 1918 which signaled the end of WWI - Armistice Day)

Another option is the lottery system.  Not all parks offer a lottery, but you can check in at the local ranger station to inquire upon arrival.  Basically, you put your name in for a spot and they raffle off the sites where the person(s) holding the reservation failed to show up.  I have often been lucky enough to get sites this way.  The problem is you will likely have to move from site to site each day depending on availability not to mention it’s always a little nerve wracking not knowing for sure if you will actually get a spot.  

There are almost always quite a few state-run or private campgrounds close by our national parks that you can reserve on the spot or by calling last minute. Many also offer first come, first serve sites. 

There are a few states, especially the 12 western states, which offer alternative primitive camping in specially designated areas near our national parks in case you can’t find availability anywhere else.  These sites typically have no water, no restrooms and no amenities so it may not be your cup of tea, but they do tend to offer solitude, a huge plus if you ask me.  While I’m not a fan of geo-tagging remote spots due to problems with overcrowding, research national forest and BLM land to find alternate locations like this.

When you enter our national parks, you will undoubtedly be given a park specific Visitors Guide which is much more than gorgeous photos you will want to emulate.  These guides typically offer easy to use maps of points of interest and descriptions of each along with information on park history, flora and fauna.  They often give you dates and times for special events including ranger led programs and lectures. 

They also typically provide you with emergency information should you require it. 

If camping, be sure to bring weather appropriate gear.  There are many types of tents to choose from including ones designed for high winds, rain, etc.  Sleeping bags are also rated for weather.  If you are camping in temps that drop to 20F at night, I always bring two zero-degree bags to put one inside the other. You will definitely want something better than a cheap Walmart bag.

Becoming a Junior Ranger means you take an oath to protect our national parks, continue to learn about them and share your story and the importance of our parks with others.

Feeding wild animals also lead to other serious, unintended consequences.  It can result in overpopulation, throwing off the delicate eco-balance between species in an area resulting in unnatural competition or even eradication of a species. This overpopulation also creates public health concerns as many animals spread and carry diseases that are dangerous to humans.  Large concentrations of waterfowl near waterways, rivers and streams can even contaminate water sources. 

Another issue is human safety.  I often see people feeding those cute little squirrels at Zion that come right up to you as you approach the entrance to the Narrows. They’ll look up at you with the cutest little puppy dog eyes, warming your heart, causing you to think what can one little chip hurt? The problem is those adorable little creatures have lost all fear of humans and become very aggressive to the point they are known to rip food right out of your hand They have extremely sharp teeth that can cut right through your flesh so don’t encourage them. 

This should go without saying but be sure to keep an eye on children and small pets around wildlife especially large predators.

Never approach a bear and do not ever get between a mother and a cub.  If you do encounter a bear and have enough room, stay calm and leave the bear plenty of room to avoid you.  If a bear is coming toward you or acting aggressively, make yourself appear as large as possible (i.e. opening up your jacket wide) and make loud noises to scare it off. If you are at a campground, banging pots and pans often does the trick

For more information on camping and hiking in bear country, read my detailed article on bear safety. 

A big issue with creating your own trail is soil erosion. With millions of visitors each year, even a small unofficial trail causes vegetation and roots to get completely trampled on which can lead to significant erosion over time causing long term negative effects especially when rain comes.

Always opt for eco-friendly sunscreen especially if you plan on swimming during your visit to protect the delicate eco systems of our oceans, lakes, rivers and streams.  Sunscreen ends up in our waters when swimming and many of its common ingredients like oxybenzone, octinoxate, paraben, etc. are extremely harmful to coral reefs and sea creatures. There is really no reason not to simply chose one that is reef safe and eco-friendly. 

You may be thinking, doesn’t this go without saying?  Well, you might be surprised.  I cannot tell you how many times, I’ve witnessed people bathing in our national park waterways washing their hair and soaping up like it’s no big deal, or even washing dishes in our pristine waters.  I absolutely want to cry when I come across suds-filled waters along the shores of a beautiful alpine lake or crystal clear, white water river. 

I realize this may be a cultural miscommunication, and that there are places on this planet where it’s customary and acceptable.  I realize good people with good intentions simply may not know this is a problem.  So, I am here to tell you, it is not acceptable on our public lands or in our national parks.  Do not under ANY circumstances, use body soap, shampoo or dish soap in our natural waters.

Please do not wash your dishes or bathe in any lake, river, creek or stream.  It pollutes our water and harms the aquatic flora and fauna.

Women, I am talking primarily to you.  When hiking, always keep a zip lock baggie with you for used toilet paper. I hate the idea of wasting plastic, but I hate the idea of throwing toilet paper on the ground even more. I cannot tell you how sick and tired I am of coming across streams of TP stuck in bushes along the trails I hike. 

Please do not graffiti our national parks. This includes painting rocks or carving names into tree trunks. Visitors come to national parks to experience natural beauty and a sense of discovery—not to hike through a peaceful, pristine landscape only to turn a corner and find graffiti sprayed across a boulder.

Please be respectful. These places are part of our shared heritage and legacy. Help keep them pristine so future generations can experience them as they were meant to be seen.