These 18 Unreal National Parks Need to Go on Your Bucket List ASAP

They don't call it "America the beautiful" for nothing. The US has some seriously incredible national parks, so if you're thinking of planning a vacation, consider doing it in a nature-filled setting. We rounded up the best national parks our country has to offer — see if you agree with the locations that made the list.

01
Badlands National Park, SD
Flickr user Always Shooting

Badlands National Park, SD

The beautiful park filled with stunning rock formations is also filled with wildlife. You might see bison, prairie dogs, or bighorn sheep while exploring the area. They also offer an awesome night sky program where you can take in the beautiful starry skies with telescopes that the park happily provides.

02
Death Valley, CA
Flickr user Scott Taylor

Death Valley, CA

This is the hottest, driest, and lowest national park in the country, but that's what makes it such a fascinating area to visit. It's a great place for hiking, camping, mountain biking, and birding.

03
Grand Canyon, AZ
Flickr user U.S. Department of the Interior

Grand Canyon, AZ

The views of these one-mile-deep canyons in Arizona will totally take your breath away. The most popular place to enjoy the area is at the South Rim — you can find trip accommodations just a short drive from the park.

04
Arches National Park, UT
Flickr user jungle jim3

Arches National Park, UT

Choose an Arches hiking trail or float along the Green River. Just make sure to see the incredible, colorful rock formations that gave this park its name.

05
Yellowstone National Park, WY
Flickr user Malcolm Manners

Yellowstone National Park, WY

This national park has the world's largest concentration of geysers. If you appreciate wildlife, Yellowstone is filled with bison, grizzly bears, and wolves — it has one of the last intact ecosystems in this type of terrain. Visit in the Spring to enjoy the gorgeous nature in bloom or visit in the Winter if you're looking for some peace and quiet.

06
Yosemite National Park, CA
Flickr user Todd Petrie

Yosemite National Park, CA

The beauty of Yosemite National Park is its vast variety of natural features. You can explore the massive meadows, tall Seqouia trees, and impressive Sierra mountains. It's easy to book lodging or camping reservations when planning your visit.

07
Glacier National Park, MT
Flickr user TravelingOtter

Glacier National Park, MT

What's most beautiful about Glacier is its huge lakes surrounded by snow-capped mountains. If you crave adventure, you can go zip-lining, rafting, cross-country skiing, or Jeep exploring. It's hard to run out of activities in this area.

08
Acadia National Park, ME
Flickr user Steven Isaacson

Acadia National Park, ME

One of the most popular national parks on the East Coast is Acadia. It's home to one of tallest mountains on the US Atlantic coast and many hikers enjoy climbing the granite peaks.

09
Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
Flickr user Andrew E. Russell

Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

If you're going to Rocky Mountain National Park, make sure to bike or drive down Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous paved road in the country. There are also over 300 miles worth of hiking trails to try out.

10
Redwood National Park, CA
Flickr user Redwood Coast

Redwood National Park, CA

Feast your eyes on the tallest trees in the world. You can also explore the prairies, rivers, and wildlife that fill this majestic park.

11
Olympic National Park, WA
Flickr user John Walker

Olympic National Park, WA

The lush land that makes up Olympic National Park includes hot springs and pools of water. You can also tour the rainforest.

12
Zion National Park, UT
Flickr user cjarv2010

Zion National Park, UT

Zion is awesome because it offers guided canyoneering, rock climbing, mountain biking, and hiking. In the Summer, the Virgin River also a great place to go river tubing.

13
Denali National Park, AK
Flickr user Christoph Strässler

Denali National Park, AK

Denali is Alaska's most popular land attraction. The quiets lands have glacial rivers running through them and the tundra is an incredible terrain to explore.

14
Mount Rainier National Park, WA
Flickr user Jeff

Mount Rainier National Park, WA

Check out Mount Rainier itself, an active volcano. The park is also home to over 150 waterfalls that can be seen on many of the area's hiking trails.

15
Bryce Canyon National Park, UT
Flickr user PiConsti

Bryce Canyon National Park, UT

Everyone comes to Bryce Canyon to see the Hoodoos — pillars of rock left standing from the forces of erosion. A great way to explore the canyon is to go horseback riding.

16
Everglades National Park, FL
Flickr user Diana Robinson

Everglades National Park, FL

Everglades National Park is a unique place to see endangered species like the manatee, crocodile, and Florida panther. Make sure to check out the Shark Valley Tram Tour, a popular way to explore the wetlands.

17
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN
Flickr user daveynin

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN

Known for the bluish haze that settles over the mountains, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park sits between North Carolina and Tennessee. The most beautiful time to visit is Fall, when all the leaves change color.

18
Volcanoes National Park, HI
Flickr user sodai gomi

Volcanoes National Park, HI

Two of the world's most famous volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa, sit within this park. You can go on different hiking trails that will take you through lava tubes and over lava flows.