25 Insider tips for visiting US national parks

4. Visit mid-week or early in the day
Even if you visit a national park during high season, you can still avoid the crowds. You can head to the park first thing in the morning before most tourists arrive or visit in the middle of the week to avoid the weekend rush.


5. Pack sensibly
When exploring national parks, you’ll want to bring durable, comfortable gear. Essentials include hiking boots, sunscreen, waterproof jackets and layered clothing. On our Alaska Adventure tour, which takes you to national parks like Denali and Wrangell St-Elias, you’ll need to pack cold-weather, waterproof clothing like jackets, hats, gloves and snow boots.

6. Check weather conditions before arriving
Before arrival and a few hours before visiting the park, check the weather so you can pack accordingly. Even if the weather seems good in the morning, a thunderstorm could blow in during the afternoon, so it’s best to be prepared.

10. Always check out the visitor center
During your visit, stop at the visitor center in whichever national park you're visiting. Run by the National Park Service, these centers are great spots to learn more about the park, with interactive exhibits, displays, archival footage and more.


11. Talk to the park rangers
Representing the National Park Service, Park Rangers are one of your best resources for understanding and learning about our national parks by answering questions for park visitors and enforcing rules.

12. Take a guided tour
You’ll get so much more out of your national park trip if you go on one of our small group guided tours, as they provide a much more immersive and educational experience than you’ll usually find on solo excursions. Our local guides have a wealth of information on each national park you visit, so you can find out everything you could ever want to know.

16. Bring a good camera
On your national parks visit, you’ll see mind-blowing desert or forest landscapes, rock formations, a variety of native wildlife and more. Bringing a high-quality camera will mean you can take great photos of your experience and be able to look back at them for years to come.


17. Leave our national parks better than you found them with Leave No Trace
Many national parks are home to entire ecosystems, fragile geological formations and unique landscapes that are protected for their natural and cultural significance. Leave No Trace principles help preserve these places by minimizing human impact, so always adhere to its seven principles: Plan ahead and prepare, travel and camp on durable surfaces, correctly get rid of your waste, leave what you find, minimize campfire impacts, respect wildlife and be considerate and mindful of other visitors.

18. Respect wildlife
When you’re on your national park trip, you’ll probably see all sorts of wildlife, such as moose and grizzly bears in Denali or brown bears and bison in Yellowstone. While you might want to get as close to them as possible, it’s important to respect their boundaries and maintain a safe distance.

22. Download helpful apps like the National Park Service app
Download useful apps like the NPS app and the Weather App to get up-to-date information to make your trip more enjoyable and safe.


23. Visit under-the-radar parks
While you might want to head to famous national parks like Grand Canyon or Acadia, lesser-known parks like Mesa Verde National Park are equally incredible places to explore and discover. Plus, they have fewer crowds. Our tours go to big-name parks and ones more off-the-beaten-path, so on our Discover Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons tour, you can visit Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park.

24. Be mindful of campfires
Untended campfires pose a serious threat, so help prevent forest fires by never lighting campfires in prohibited areas and always ensuring authorized fires are properly extinguished.

25. Embrace the digital disconnect
Cell service in national parks can sometimes be patchy. Our final tip for visiting any US national park is to make the most of this so you can be fully present in what will be an unforgettable experience.