Seattle to North Cascades National Park: A Lovely Day Trip – National Park Newbies
Yes, you can take a day trip from Seattle to North Cascades National Park!
North Cascades is located 116 miles north of Seattle and you can see the main attractions of the entire park all in just a few hours.
One day in North Cascades National Park: TL;DR
- Visit the North Cascades Visitor Center
- Drive North Cascades Scenic Highway 20 to Rainy Pass and Washington Pass
- Ross Lake and Diablo Lake Viewpoints
- Hike Thunder Creek Trail
- HikeThunder Knob Trail
- Optional: Thornton Lakes Trail
North Cascades National Park is a hiker’s paradise. There are over 400 miles of trails to explore in the park. You certainly cannot visit all of them in one day – maybe even in one lifetime! We cannot wait to go back to and spend multiple days there!
We’ve done the research so you don’t have to! Now let’s dive into a day trip itinerary from Seattle to North Cascades National Park!
North Cascades was established in 1968.
The park is located 116 miles northeast of Seattle, in the heart of Washington State. It’s not too far from all the National Parks in Washington State, including Olympic National Park and Mount Rainier.
Annual Visitors: Over the last decade, North Cascades has averaged about 27,232 visitors per year.
The park is one of the least visited national parks in Washington and in the US! A big contributing factor to the low number of visitors is the fact that many areas of the park are only accessible via intense hiking and wilderness exploring.
Park | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | Average |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
North Cascades NP | 21,623 | 23,865 | 20,677 | 28,646 | 30,326 | 30,085 | 38,208 | 30,885 | 17,855 | 30,154 | 27,232 |
Annual Visitors provided by the National Park Service stats report
Why it’s Famous: North Cascades has earned its renown as the “American Alps” due to its striking rugged mountain ranges, diverse ecosystems, and sweeping panoramic views.
North Cascades NP is very unique. In fact, if you drive primarily on the North Cascades Scenic Highway 20 and take our recommended stops along the way, you might not even technically step foot in the actual national park!
Wait, what?
North Cascades NP Map
The North Cascades National Park Complex is divided into four distinct sections.
There is the North Cascades National Park North Unit and the North Cascades National Park South Unit. The North and South Units contain most of the wild and primitive trails, campsites, and wilderness areas. Most hikers need to obtain a backcountry permit in order to explore the North and South Unit
Cutting right through the middle of the park (and dividing the units) is the Ross Lake National Recreation Area. This area of the park is by far the most accessible of the Park Complex. It includes three reservoirs: Ross Lake, Diablo Lake, and Gorge Lake.
And finally in the southernmost side of the park, we have the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area. Lake Chelan is located in the Stehekin Valley. Here you will find the Golden West Visitor Center and see one of the deepest lakes in the US: Lake Chelan with a 1,500ft depth, extending 50 miles into the cascade mountains.
Below is a detailed map of the North Cascades National Park Complex
And here is a lovely landscape image of North Cascades NP
Labeled North Cascades National Park Map
Seattle is located approximately 116 miles from the North Cascades National Park visitor center. It is about a 2.5 hour drive from Seattle to North Cascades.
If you are driving or renting a car, you have two primary routes. For both routes you will take I-5 North from Seattle and enter the park near Newhalem, WA.
You can then take WA State Route 530 to Darrington. In Darrington, be sure to hang a left to stay on SR 530. You will take SR 530 all the way up to Rockport, where you will jump on North Cascade Scenic Highway 20 all the way through the park.
The second route also starts on I-5 North, past Mt. Vernon until you get off on Cook Rd (about 68 miles). Cook Rd eventually becomes North Cascades Scenic Highway 20, which you take all the way through the park!
The three closest airports near North Cascades are Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Spokane International Airport (GEG), and Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
SEA to North Cascades is approximately 120 miles and should take you between 2-2.5 hours to reach.
GEG to North Cascades is approximately 380 miles and should take you between 6-7 hours to reach.
YVR to North Cascades is approximately 195 km (121 miles) and should take you between 2.5-3 hours to reach the park. Note that you will have to cross international borders between Canada and the USA in order to access the park!
We’d highly recommend flying into Seattle-Tacoma because it’s closer to the park, but Vancouver would be the second best option!
North Cascades Scenic Highway. ANANYA ANAND on Unsplash
It’s impossible to experience all the places to see in North Cascades on a day trip! The park offers hundreds of miles of hikes and wilderness to explore.
However, here are some of the top activities that can be reasonably accomplished in a long day.
North Cascades Highway 20 is considered one of the most beautiful roads in the United States. It is part of the Cascade Loop National Scenic Byway, which designates roads with intrinsic qualities such as archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and scenic significance.
This picturesque park road cuts through the middle of North Cascades and is the northernmost section of the Cascade Loop. Driving along this road will take you through popular and easily accessible areas within the park, including Diablo and Ross Lake.
You can follow this road all the way to Rainy Pass (about a 55 minute drive), a breathtaking 4,875 feet high mountain pass. The scenic drive alone is worth taking a day trip to North Cascades NP!
A stop along the North Cascades Highway.
Located on the eastern end of Scenic Highway 20, near mile 136, you’ll find two Ross Lake Overlooks. From here, you can enjoy incredible views of the lake and the stunning mountain backdrop of North Cascades.
Keep in mind that there are two overlooks, so if you miss one, don’t worry! These overlooks don’t have trails or access points, but they offer a perfect spot to admire the majesty of North Cascades National Park.
The distinct turquoise color of Diablo will leave a lasting impression in your memory. This Diablo Lake viewpoint was one of our favorite stops along Scenic Highway 20! From the overlook, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the lake, Diablo Dam, and the surrounding mountains.
There is ample parking available at the Diablo Lake area. You’ll also find restrooms, picnic areas, and paved walkways to fully appreciate the vibrant blue lake below.
Overlooking Diablo Lake at North Cascades National Park. Photo Gus Tiffer
Located on the south end of the Colonial Creek South Campground, the Thunder Creek Trail offers a short 2-mile hike. This family-friendly trail takes you through towering ancient trees, a serene understory, and leads to a bridge overlooking Thunder Creek.
Crossing the bridge will take you to the Thunder Campground and more challenging hikes, like the Fourth of July Pass. This trail provides a perfect blend of forest scenery and captivating views of the surrounding mountain ranges.
The Thunder Knob Trail is a moderately easy 3.6-mile round trip hike. You can access the trailhead at the Colonial Creek North Campground, off milepost 130, along the North Cascades highway.
This well-maintained trail winds through an old growth forest, featuring switchbacks that lead to a vista point with views of Diablo Lake and Jack Mountain.
The trail is dog-friendly, as long as your furry friend is on a leash. On this hike, you’ll experience creeks, lovely trees, mountain vistas, and the stunning turquoise view of Diablo Lake.
Top of Thunder Knob Trail. Photo Gus Tiffer
Although we didn’t personally hike up to Thornton Lakes, it’s on our bucket list for our next visit to North Cascades. This 9.7 mile round trip hike showcases the best of North Cascades National Park.
You can access the trailhead off Scenic Highway 20, via a gravel road suitable for all vehicles. If you decide to scramble up to Trappers Peak, you’ll be rewarded with 360-degree views of the Cascade Mountain Range. It’s one of the most beautiful hikes in North Cascades.
We opted not to hike this trail for a couple of reasons. First, we wanted to make the most of our day in North Cascades, and this trail requires several hours. Second, we were recovering from an illness, and our lungs and legs weren’t up to the challenge. Nonetheless, it remains a must-do for our next visit!
For a detailed breakdown of this trail, check out Renee Roaming, one of our favorite photographers to follow!
Let’s discuss how to plan a day trip to North Cascades from Seattle. Remember to stay updated on current park conditions and adjust your plans accordingly. Unexpected events can disrupt even the best laid plans.
On a perfect day, here’s how you should explore the park:
Start by visiting the North Cascades Visitor Center, near the entrance of the park. This takes about 2 hours to reach from Seattle. Aim to arrive around 9am, giving you an opportunity to speak with a ranger and get the latest park updates before exploring further.
Note: The North Cascades Visitor Center in Newhalem is open daily from May 21 to September 30, from 9am to 5pm.
Drive to Rainy Pass and Washington Pass: Next, take the North Cascades Scenic Highway 20 towards Rainy Pass and Washington Pass. This part of the Cascade Loop offers stunning views as you drive through the mountains. The journey usually takes around 1-1.5 hours, unless there is significant construction along the way.
Feel free to make stops whenever something catches your eye!
Take a break and stretch your legs at the Rainy Pass picnic site and trailhead. Parking here costs $5.
You can also stop at the Blue Lake Trail located in between Rainy Pass and Washington Pass (4.4 mile hike, but we would only recommend a short stroll here!)
Hiking at North Cascades National Park. Photo Gus Tiffer
Visit Ross Lake and Diablo Lake:
Head back onto SR 20, retracing your route and stopping at the various overlooks. These overlooks provide easy access to breathtaking views of the lakes and mountains in North Cascades National Park.
The best part is that they are easily reachable, with parking available and short walks to the viewpoints.
Hike Thunder Creek Trail:
After some time behind the wheel, you might want to stretch your legs further. A great option is the Thunder Creek Trail, a short 2-mile hike that allows you to experience an ancient forest and cross a charming creek.
At this point, you can decide to continue on a longer hike or explore more easily accessible sections of the park.
This hike typically takes about an hour.
Hike Thunder Knob Trail:
Another fantastic hike is the Thunder Knob Trail, a 3.6-mile round trip that offers breathtaking views of Diablo Lake, Jack Mountain, and the surrounding Cascade Mountains.
Although the trail includes a few inclines, it is considered moderately-easy and takes approximately 1.5 to 2 hours to complete, depending on the time spent taking pictures and enjoying the scenery.
With all the driving, pit stops, short hikes, and lunch, you will have spent around 5-6 hours in the park by this point.
Even though there is still so much more to see in North Cascades, by late afternoon, you may start feeling tired and ready to head back to your accommodations.
If you’re up for more adventure, consider the Thornton Lakes hike, which includes scaling up to Trappers Peak. Keep in mind that this is a strenuous and lengthy hike, so plan accordingly.
Gus taking photos at North Cascades
Even though it’s only a few hours from Seattle, North Cascades is one of the least visited National Parks in the US. With an average of 27,000 visitors per year, you are very unlikely to find yourself in traffic or in crowds.
Even so, here are a few things to consider when thinking about taking a North Cascades National Park road trip.
Spring in North Cascades National Park brings a burst of life and color after the winter months. It’s a fantastic time for nature enthusiasts and photographers to witness the park’s vibrant rejuvenation.
During spring, the temperatures are mild, ranging from 40°F to 60°F (4°C to 15°C), making it comfortable for hiking and exploring. However, it’s important to note that some trails may still be snow-covered or muddy, so be prepared with proper footwear and equipment.
Summer is undoubtedly the peak season for visiting North Cascades National Park. The weather is generally warm and pleasant, with temperatures averaging between 60°F and 80°F (15°C and 27°C). The long daylight hours provide ample time to embark on extended hikes, camping trips, and other outdoor activities.
With the snow fully melted, summer offers access to a wider range of trails and recreational opportunities throughout the park.
North Cascades in between seasons. Image by Trevor Vannoy on Unsplash
Fall in North Cascades National Park showcases the stunning palette of colors as the foliage transforms into shades of red, orange, and yellow. The crisp air and cooler temperatures, ranging from 40°F to 60°F (4°C to 15°C), create a dramatic atmosphere for hiking, camping, and wildlife viewing.
The park’s trails are less crowded during the fall season, providing a more serene and tranquil experience.
Winter in North Cascades National Park offers a completely different experience for visitors. The park becomes a winter wonderland, with snow covering the mountains and forests. While some areas may be inaccessible due to heavy snowfall, winter enthusiasts can enjoy activities such as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding.
The temperatures during winter range from 20°F to 40°F (-7°C to 4°C), so it’s important to dress warmly and be prepared for the cold weather. During the winter, it’s important to stay up-to-date on park conditions.
Summer in North Cascades. Photo Gus Tiffer
You are unlikely to experience significant crowds around the park during your visit. The most visited months are July – September, with an average of 8,300 visitors per month.
The least visited months are December – January, with an average of… wait for it… 5 visitors per month!
Year | Ja.n | Feb. | Mar. | Apr. | May | Jun. | Jul. | Aug. | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | 11 | 4 | 52 | 66 | 993 | 1,324 | 5,493 | 10,832 | 8,745 | 2,590 | 44 | 0 | 30,154 |
Here’s a breakdown of North Cascades visitors by month in 2022 according to the NPS
In general, North Cascades National Park is one of the least visited parks. Folks do not take a trip to the North Cascades during the winter months because the conditions can be harsh. Roads and campsites may be closed and it’s harder to explore the wilderness areas of the park.
There is no fee to enter North Cascades National Park! It is one of the few national parks without an entrance fee. So, you are free to enjoy the park and everything we shared in this post! The park is open year-round, weather permitting.
Backcountry camping does require a permit and reservations.
All Reservations and permits require a payment of $20, in addition to a non-refundable $6 transaction fee.
To make reservations for backcountry camping at North Cascades:
- Go to Recreation. Gov and search “North Cascades”
- Select “North Cascades Backcountry Permits
- Read the main info including: rules, fees, conditions, and FAQs
- Check availability
- Select your dates, number of people, and select “Daily Groups”
- Choose your starting point (check out this wilderness trip planner for help)
- Choose your campsite based on availability
- Start the checkout process and confirm your personal information
- Proceed to the cart and purchase the item!
- Get excited for your adventure!
Diablo Lake at North Cascades National Park.
North cascades is the perfect park to visit if you want to see some of the tallest mountains and bluest lakes in the US. We couldn’t recommend a North Cascades day trip enough!
Our favorite part was definitely getting to drive through the park on the North Cascades highway. We’ve driven thousands of miles across the country, and this road stands out among the best.
And because it’s only a few hours to North Cascades national park from Seattle, it was an easy decision to visit.
We hope this North Cascades itinerary helps you plan the perfect day trip to one of the most beautiful parks in the country. If and when you go, let us know: [email protected]
Bryce Canyon For Beginners + One Day in Bryce Canyon – National Park Newbies
Bryce Canyon is one of the few parks we’ve visited where we could get up close and personal to the main attraction.
Lots of other parks require hiking into the backcountry or driving several miles to the best view, but at Bryce you can see the entire canyon just a few minutes from the entrance.
This didn’t make it any less meaningful or magical – in fact, it made it better!
It is our 6th most favorite national park to date (as of now).
Let us tell you all about Bryce Canyon National Park for beginners!
Notes from the Newbies
Bryce Canyon Amphitheater
Date Established | 1928 |
Annual Visitors (2022) | 2,354,660 |
Rank in Popularity (by visitors) | 16th |
#1 Reason to Visit | Hoodoos in Bryce Canyon Amphitheater |
Highest Visited Month | September (367,425 in 2023) |
Lowest Visited Month | January (30,960 in 2022) |
Closest Major Airport | Harry Reid (Las Vegas – 270 miles) |
You’ll notice that the park is relatively small and easy to navigate. There is one primary road that runs north to south – Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive.
And the main attraction is quite literally right there – the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater.
Everything to see and do in the park is easy to understand once you get a look at this map. Save and download it before you pay a visit to Bryce!
Bryce Canyon National Park Map Sunrise at Bryce Canyon
We were lucky to see both sunrise and sunset at Bryce Canyon.
There is nothing quite like watching the sunrise slowly light up the canyon. The hoodoos quite literally start to glow orange as the sun peaks beyond the mountains in the backdrop.
Be prepared for plenty of people to be around in the morning – even for sunrise. It’s too beautiful of a view to miss.
Once you run through your activities for the day, make a plan to stop at Sunset Point for sunset. In a similar fashion, watching the light slowly fade from the canyon illuminates how beautiful the hoodoos are when the sun hits them just right.
Near the top of Rainbow Point
Our second tip – that we weren’t quite prepared for – was how challenging the elevation would be.
We should have known (but we didn’t quite do enough research), but be prepared for higher elevation.
What we mean by being prepared is to take it slow, drink water, and don’t be too embarrassed to catch your breath. No shame in taking things slow.
Bryce Canyon averages about 8,000 feet in elevation throughout the park. Altitude sickness is very possible at Bryce Canyon, especially if you are on a long hike.
The highest point in the park is Rainbow Point at 9,115 feet in elevation. This location gives you a stunning overlook of Bryce Canyon and the surrounding Utah desert. When we were up there, I’ll admit that I felt a little dizzy.
Again, drink water and take it slow.
Hiking among the Hoodoos
Something we absolutely loved at Bryce Canyon was the fact that there were people of ages and abilities within the park.
Avid adventurers can climb down into Bryce Canyon and hike the challenging Peekaboo Loop, Queen’s Garden, or Navajo Loop trail. The hikes are doable, but challenging.
Or visitors can walk along the Rim Trail from Sunrise to Sunset Point, which is fully paved and has little elevation gain.
I imagine when we’re older and re-visiting our favorite national parks, that we’ll go to Bryce Canyon and stroll along the Rim Trail together.
The Bryce Canyon Shuttle system is one of the best shuttles we’ve experienced at any national park (the Zion National Park shuttle is probably the best!).
It takes you all around Bryce Canyon and to nearly all of the most popular areas of the park.
It allowed newbies like us to leave our cars parked all day long but not feel limited within the park.
We’d recommend taking the shuttle as far south as it goes and making your way back north. We took the shuttle up to Bryce Point and started the Peek-A-Boo Loop from there (more on that later!)
Hiking the Queen’s Garden Trail
The Queen’s and Navajo combination loop is one of the most popular trails in the park. A park ranger recommended that we hike this trail as early as possible, as it gets fairly full.
I think one of the reasons it’s popular is that it allows you to descend into the canyon, without being too strenuous. This makes it one of the best hikes in the park!
You also get to meander through (and get up close to) the famous hoodoos of Bryce Canyon. It was a really incredible experience.
- Location: Start at Sunrise Point OR Sunset Point
- Best Time to Hike: Morning before it gets crowded and too hot!
- Length: 2.9 miles round trip
- Average Time to Complete: 2-3 hours
- Level: Moderate (625 feet of elevation gain)
- Why it’s Popular: Hoodoos, Queen Victoria, and the Navajo Loop Switchbacks
At the bottom of the Queen’s Garden Trail.
The challenge-level you are ready to embrace will determine on which end you start the hike.
We started this trail at Sunrise Point – the north end of the hike. This side starts at the Queen’s Garden, where you will descend down into the canyon.
The first prominent viewpoint you will eventually reach is the Queen Victoria Hoodoo.
My take here: it’s a bit of a stretch.
It’s cool to see because it’s a notable spot on the trail.
But I wasn’t quite sure what we were looking at until someone directly pointed it out to me.
Others seemed fairly fascinated by it and I could see if you squint your eyes that it would be quite interesting!
Continue south along the Queen’s Garden Trail until you reach the Navajo Loop. From here you have two options back up to Sunset Point: Two Bridges and Wall Street.
We took the Two Bridges route. You will eventually pass Thor’s Hammer and a very challenging set of switchbacks up to Sunset Point.
Wall Street is a bit more “famous” but was closed during our trip. It’s also closed during the winters. It has an even more iconic set of switchbacks.
Either route is challenging back up! We caught our breath, swore a ton, and struggled alongside everyone else. It was really, really fun!
Please note this is NOT an accessible route and will take some serious effort. I’d say we’re fairly experienced hikers and it was still challenging for us.
As we’ve already said, Bryce Canyon is one of our favorite National Parks. Here are the top 5 things we did during our trip that made for a memorable experience!
Sunrise Lighting up Bryce Canyon
Watching the Sunrise at Sunrise Point is a must-do when you visit Bryce Canyon.
Depending on when you go will impact the time the sun rises in the park, but you can generally expect it to rise between 6-8am.
Make sure to arrive early. While there will be plenty of parking, we ran into several groups of people looking to catch the sunrise. It’s a popular place to visit in the
In our opinion, the best spot in the park to watch the sunrise is Rainbow Point, but you’d probably feel jipped if you didn’t see the sunrise at Sunrise Point. So make sure to go there in the early morning!
As the sun rises and lights up the canyon, you will be amazed at the purple and orange hues. It’s spectacular to see the hoodoos brighten into their fantastic natural color.
It’s one of the best times for photography as well!
Sunset at Sunset Point
Next to Sunrise, there’s no doubt that sunsets in the park are equally as fantastic.
The perfect spot to watch the sunset is – to no one’s surprise – Sunset Point.
Located less than 2 miles from Sunrise Point, this area faces the canyon and allows you to soak in the remaining colors in the park.
If you wanted, you could climb slights down into the Navajo Trail to catch the last light on the hoodoos up close. We saw several people finishing their hikes during sunset!
The Wall of Windows on the Peek-A-Boo Loop
I would say this was our favorite hike in Bryce Canyon by far!
Depending on which route you decide to take, the Peek-A-Boo Loop is between 5.5-6 miles.
We started at Bryce Point and ended at Sunset Point, which made it a version of the Peek-A-Book/Navajo Combination Loop.
The absolutely best part of this hike is how close we were able to get to the hoodoos. I mean they are right there in front of you. We walked through them, next to them, right up to them. It was spectacular.
And the second-best part (in my opinion) is that the Peek-A-Boo loop trail is perfectly named. There are switchbacks throughout the trail and just when you think you’ve seen the last of them, another hoodoo “peeks” at you around the corner.
But this is a tough hike. One of the tougher ones we’ve personally been on. I would rate it as moderate-to-strenuous, leaning more toward strenuous.
We were exhausted after the hike, needed plenty of water, and a nap.
But it was entirely worth it and was our favorite experience at Bryce Canyon.
The entire Canyon Rim from Rainbow Point
There are many versions of the Rim Trail you can hike – some easy, some strenuous.
We’d recommend walking the rim of the canyon for as long as you’d like.
Technically, you can hike the Rim Trail from Fairyland Point on the north end of the park all the way up to Bryce Point on the south end (or vice versa). It’s probably easier starting at Bryce Point.
The entirety of the Rim Trail is 5.5 miles with about 540 feet of elevation change and would take you between 4-6 hours to complete (if you planned to stop along the way to admire the view).
Most people meander the Rim Trail between Sunrise and Sunset Points. They are the most centrally located and take you into/out of the canyon. Lots of prominent hiking starts from these two areas.
Again, meander as short or as long as you’d like on the Rim Trail!
Natural Bridge along the Scenic Drive
Lastly, you must drive the Southern Scenic Drive at Bryce Canyon.
This 18 mile road will take you to the highest points in the park, namely, Rainbow Point at 9,115 feet of elevation.
There are multiple stops along the way for you to admire the canyon from different viewpoints. We personally loved Natural Bridge – a giant stone arch visible from the side of the road.
We pulled over and ate some lunch on the scenic drive as there were far less people going through.
The scenic drive highlights how vast Bryce Canyon is. Along the several stops you can peer into the canyon and take in just how vast the canyon and surrounding wilderness are. It’s breathtaking (and not just because of the higher elevation!)
Extreme hikers start the Under-the-Rim Trail at Bryce Point and take it all the way down to Bryce Point. This 22+ mile hike takes several days (2-3). Permits are not required to hike the trail, BUT they are required to camp overnight. Please do you research, but it certainly seems like a bucket-list item.
It’s very possible to see all the best parts of Bryce Canyon all in one day! We’ve outlined what we think is the perfect Bryce Canyon itinerary and what we’d do if we ever go again!
First, make sure you’re lodging in or near Bryce Canyon. We camped at both the North Campground (within the park) and at the Bryce Canyon Pines RV Park & Campground. The RV campground was only 10 minutes from the park entrance and made it easy to get to Bryce.
The key to unlock Bryce Canyon in one day is to arrive early. If you’re planning on seeing the sunrise, then you’ll naturally arrive early. But if not, try to get there before 8am (if possible).
Thor’s Hammer at Bryce Canyon
- Morning: Sunrise at Sunrise Point, hike Queen’s and Navajo Loop Combination Trail
- Mid-day: Lunch at the Lodge at Bryce Canyon, Walk the Rim Trail, and Explore the Southern Scenic Drive
- Late afternoon: See Inspiration Point, Bryce Point and watch Sunset at Sunset Point
Your day will be filled with hiking and driving, but it’ll be entirely worth it!
The main point is to get as many views of the Bryce Canyon Amphitheater as possible. Each of the stops on our short itinerary will allow you to see the canyon from multiple different angles and elevations.
Hiking Among Hoodoos
We hope these details and experience have been helpful as you plan your trip to Bryce Canyon.
Out of all the national parks in Utah, we feel that Bryce Canyon is the best for beginners.
- It’s accessible
- Easy to navigate
- and has memorable hikes throughout the park
So whether you are planning a multi day itinerary or simply planning a day trip, Bryce Canyon is perfect for beginners!
Our Definitive Sequoia National Park Itinerary – National Park Newbies
1-2 days in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park is the perfect amount of time for beginners!
The main attractions in the parks are two incredible giant sequoia trees:
- General Sherman: The largest tree on earth
- General Grant: The second largest tree on earth
But there are museums, countless trails, and one of the most unique hikes we’ve ever taken – all available within the park!
Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park are easy to navigate, less popular than nearby parks, and have two of the most famous trees in the world within walking distance!
Sequoia was our first national park trip together and the only park we have visited multiple times. We jokingly believe it’s our core mission to inspire folks to see sequoia trees in their lifetime.
So if you’re planning to visit Sequoia, look no further than this 1-2 day itinerary to Sequoia National Park!
- Hike General Sherman Tree
- Explore Congress Trail
- Scale Moro Rock
- Explore General Grant
- See Panoramic Point
- Drive Kings Canyon Scenic Byway
- Drive Generals Highway
At the base of a giant Sequoia Tree
Sequoia was the second park established by the National Park Service, just after Yellowstone and right before Yosemite National Park.
In fact, Sequoia National Park was the first park created to protect a living organism – the giant sequoia tree.
The biggest attractions are the giant sequoia groves spread throughout the park. We’ve spent full days here and have still not gotten tired of seeing them!
What’s even more incredible is due to the ecology of Sequoia National Park and the Sierra Nevada Mountains, this is the only place on earth where sequoia trees grow naturally. You are truly getting a one-in-a-million experience.
Let’s dive into how to spend your weekend in Sequoia and Kings Canyon:
At the base of General Sherman
The General Sherman Tree Hike is the most popular attraction within Sequoia – and for good reason! Start the day by visiting this area.
General Sherman:
- Stands at 275 feet tall
- Weighs a world-record 1,385 tons
- Is a world-record 52,500 cubic feet
- And is over 2,200 years old!
It is the single largest tree in the world by volume. It is even sometimes described as the single largest organism on earth.
The hike to General Sherman is 1.2 miles round trip and is easy-to-moderate.
The trail starts near the main General Sherman Tree parking lot off Wolverton Road and descends about 200 feet down to the tree. The hardest part of the trail is coming back up to the parking lot. You will definitely find people stopping to catch their breath along the path!
The area around General Sherman is fun to explore. The tree itself is fenced off and you cannot enter the area, but you can walk around and see it from multiple angles.
It feels surreal to stand next to something so old and so gigantic. We have never quite been able to duplicate this incredible experience at any other National Park.
If for some reason you only had time for one thing at the park, General Sherman would be the one thing to see and explore.
Exploring the Congress Trail
Near the General Sherman Tree is the Congress Trail. We love this particular trail because you can actually stand up close and touch some of the sequoia trees!
Most folks will pair a hike down to General Sherman with the Congress Trail loop. It took us 2-3 hours to explore the entire area.
The Congress Trail itself is a 2.9 mile loop with 470 feet of elevation change. It starts just south of General Sherman and leads you through impressive groves of giant sequoias.
No other trail in the park is as impressive and as immersive as the Congress Trail. Some of the most popular groups of trees are the House Group and the Senate Group.
It’s by far the best hike in Sequoia National Park!
Top of Moro Rock
We mentioned up front that Sequoia has one of the most unique hikes we’ve taken in any national park – this is it!
The Moro Rock Trail is located near the Giant Forest Museum. During the summer, the free shuttle can take you down to the trailhead.
The trail itself is a short, but steep hike to the top of Moro Rock. There are 350 stairs carved into the side of the mountain.
We’d call it strenuous, though I’m sure frequent hikers would find it easy (don’t forget, we’re newbies at this!)
Handrails safely lead you to the top of the rock, where you get a spectacular view of the Sierra Nevada wilderness.
Our favorite part of the hike was walking to the edge of the granite rock and getting a full 360 view of the area.
Moro Rock famously looks over the Great Western Divide Peaks. The Great Western Divide acts as the main dividing line, separating the Kern River on the east from several other rivers on the west, with notable ones being the Kaweah and Tule Rivers.
General Grant Tree Sign: “The Nation’s Christmas Tree”
Your second day is all about exploring Kings Canyon National Park near Sequoia.
Considered a sister park to the north, Kings Canyon is divided into two distinct areas:
- Sequoia groves near the General Grant Tree
- Acres of wilderness to the east primarily accessible on foot or horseback
In fact, over 94% of both Sequoia and Kings Canyon are designated as managed wilderness or wilderness-only.
Grant Grove and Cedar Grove are the only two tourist areas of the park with access to services and facilities.
Avid hikers and backpackers love Kings Canyon for its miles of serene and untouched wilderness.
For newbies like us, on the other hand, we stick primarily to the roads, main attractions, and easier to get places!
We have hopes of doing wilderness trips some day, but for now let us tell you about Kings Canyon!
Photo by Anagha Varrier on Unsplash
Kings Canyon National Park has one of the deepest canyons in North America.
In some areas it reaches depths over 8,000 feet—deeper than the Grand Canyon in some places!
Within the park’s boundaries, you’ll find some of the world’s largest trees, such as the General Grant Tree (more on that in a second!) The Giant Sequoias that have called the area home for thousands of years.
Thanks to its remote location and minimal light pollution, Kings Canyon is a designated International Dark Sky Park, providing unparalleled opportunities for stargazing and astrophotography.
The Kings River flows through the heart of the park and carved out much of majestic Kings Canyon.
Always stoked to see Sequoia Trees
The General Grant Tree is the second largest tree in the world by volume. Second only to our beloved General Sherman, General Grant is gigantic.
General Grant Grove is located on the north end of Sequoia and Kings Canyon, approximately 1 hour north of the General Sherman Tree.
- Age: 1,700 Years Old
- Height: 268 Feet
- Weight: 1,254 Tons
- Volume: 46,608 Cubic Feet (second-largest in the world)
In our experience, General Sherman is a much more popular hike for some reason. In both of our visits, General Grant has been easy to explore with fewer crowds.
But the tree itself is just as magical to experience. General Grant is the widest known sequoia tere in existence – 40 feet across. And this tree looks and feels dense.
With branches curving out hundreds of feet in the air, the General Grant Tree is memorable and lovely to experience.
The General Grant Tree trail is also one of the easiest hikes in the park:
- Easily accessible parking lot
- Entirely Paved
- 0.7 miles (short)
- And takes less than 30 minutes to complete!
There are additional paths around Grant Grove, including a path that takes you to an old cabin called the Gamlin Cabin and a fallen sequoia called the Fallen Monarch.
Across the road from the General Grant Tree Road is Panoramic Point Road.
Passing the John Muir Lodge, this 2.2 mile twisting and winding road takes you up to a roundabout parking lot where the short hike to Panoramic Point begins.
There is plenty of parking, restrooms, and picnic tables – we enjoyed a serene lunch up here!
The hike up to Panoramic Point from the lot is 0.5 miles, paved, accessible, and moderately sloped. Panoramic Point overlooks hundreds of miles of the Kings Canyon wilderness.
Down below is the well-known Hume Lake and above are more High Sierra peaks.
Stop along the scenic highway
One of the absolute must-do experiences during your visit to Kings Canyon National Park is driving along the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway.
This highway takes you through some of the most stunning landscapes this national park has to offer. As you navigate the serpentine roads, you’ll be surrounded by towering granite cliffs, lush forests, and the majestic Kings River flowing alongside.
The sheer scale of the canyon walls is awe-inspiring, and you’ll find numerous viewpoints and pullouts to stop and soak in the panoramic vistas.
From Grant Grove Village to the end of the highway at Kanawyers is about 1 hour. If you are planing to drive this road, you should accommodate between 2-3 hours!
Technically in both Sequoia and Kings Canyon, the Generals Highway is the primary highway connecting both parks.
From the Kings Canyon Visitor Center to the Foothills Visitor Center via the Generals Highway is roughly 50 miles and will take you 1 hour and 45 minutes to drive.
Yes, it is a long day of driving. But there are plenty of stops, lookouts, and beautifully curving roads along the way.
This scenic road will be worth it if you are interested in getting easy views of the Sierra Nevada wilderness.
Staring up at the Giant Sequoias
If you are planning a trip to Sequoia, we hope this post has inspired you!
These parks are some of our favorite places to explore because of the unmatched giant sequoia trees. It’s unlike anywhere we’ve been in the world.
Getting to stand up close to General Sherman, General Grant, and the various other trees in the area make this Sequoia National Park itinerary worth it.
Let us know when you plan on going by emailing: [email protected]
Time to get outside and explore Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park!
Canyonlands National Park for Beginners – National Park Newbies
Despite being the 29th most visited park in the US and the least visited of the Mighty Five National Parks, Canyonlands cracks our top 10 list of favorite national parks.
Perhaps it was because we’d never seen a landscape so vast,
Or because we saw the sunrise light up the desert,
Or because there were times where we felt like we were the only people for miles,
There is something sneakily stunning about Canyonlands National Park.
It’s a great place to kick off your Utah road trip and we think Canyonlands National Park is perfect for beginners!
Notes from the Newbies
Date Established | 1964 |
Annual Visitors | 779,147 |
Rank in Popularity (by visitors) | 29th |
Our Favorite Hike | Mesa Arch |
#1 Reason to Visit | The Incredible Canyon |
Highest Visited Month | May (120,148 visitors in 2023) |
Lowest Visited Month | January (7,243 visitors in 2023) |
Best Time to Visit | Early Spring |
Ideal # of Days to Spend | One Day |
Closest Major Airport | Salt Lake City Int’l (247 miles) |
Flowers in front of the Canyon
There are four distinct areas within Canyonlands:
- Island in the Sky (most visited area)
- The Needles
- The Maze
- The Horseshoe Canyon Unit (least visited)
There are no paved roads that connect each of the areas – you have to drive around or take back country roads.
Island in the Sky has most of the main attractions such as Mesa Arch and Grand View Point. You will find the most popular hiking trails in this area as well.
The Needles District is about a 2 hour drive from Island in the Sky. Its most famous feature are the “needles” – colorful spear-like rocks made of Cedar Mesa Sandstone.
The Maze is the most remote and least accessible area of the park. Permits are required for overnight trips and 4-wheel drive cars are recommended. On another trip, we’ll probably explore this desert back country!
The Horseshoe Canyon sits to the west of the main areas of the park. It is most famous for the Great Gallery – a collection of some of the most ancient and significant rock markings in North America. This section of the park was added to Canyonlands in 1971. This area really gives you a sense of the ancient civilizations that lived and thrived in this area. We didn’t visit this part of the park, but will certainly be back for it.
Canyonlands is unique because it sits at the merger of the Green and Colorado Rivers, which is what has – over time – created all the slots in the canyon below.
Map of Canyonlands National Park Looking down into the Canyon
The best time to visit Canyonlands is in the early Spring or late Fall. Summer tends to be incredible warm here and the winter season brings cool night temperatures. Spring and Fall offer near-perfect weather.
Luckily, the park is open year-round and can be enjoyed throughout the year.
So whether you’re planning a day trip or or will stay in Moab, here are some tips we wish we knew before we visited the park!
Canyonlands is considered a Gold-Tier Dark Sky Park. Simply put, this means that when the night sky is clear, cloudless, and moon-less, there’s no better place to see the stars than at Canyonlands.
What makes it wonderful is how expansive it is without mountains or trees blocking the view. The canyon stretches for miles in all directions.
During our visit, we got a chance to drive into the park in the dark (4 or 5am) and the stars were spectacular even at that time. Had we stayed out all night, we know we would have been in for a real treat.
Sunrise at Mesa Arch
We’ve written about this more in depth (and we’ll dive a little deeper later in this post), but one of the main attractions is to see the sunrise at Mesa Arch.
Located just 6 miles from the Island in the Sky visitor center, Mesa Arch is easy to access and makes for a fantastic early morning hike.
Our number one tip is to get there earlier than you expect – the parking lot was already filling up before the sun even rose!
The Needles: Photo by Clark Wilson on Unsplash
It’s easy to talk yourself out of visiting the Needles District.
It’s a 2+ hour drive from Island in the Sky to the Needles. You have to drive completely out of the park, through Moab, and then back into the park on the southern end.
We nearly did not go simply because we were tired, did not want to drive, and wondered if it would be worth it.
We’ll tell you the short of it: go because it’s entirely worth it!
There were far less visitors on the side of the park. We had a late lunch and snoozed on the side of the road and didn’t see cars for 30-40 minutes at a time.
And you get a chance to see some incredible hoodoo-like pillars of stone and see some incredible views of the other side of the canyon.
Long hikes mean lots of water!
It might go without saying, but you really need to pack water at this park.
There is near zero shade coverage throughout the park. In peak summer, temps can reach over 100ºF. And some of the hikes can be lengthy.
Please bring water, extra snacks, hats, sun screen, and anything else you think you’ll need to protect yourself from the potential heat!
The canyon just behind Mesa Arch
As promised, more on Mesa Arch.
I think what makes Mesa Arch incredible – especially at sunrise – is how the light slowly illuminates the entire canyon.
It was Katie and I’s favorite sunrise in all of Utah.
As the sun comes up, you start to see shapes of rock that you didn’t know were there. Pillars in the distance, the crevices expand below. All the while, Mesa Arch is perfectly framing the sun and canyon behind it. Incredible.
- Location: Island in the Sky District
- Best Time to Hike: Sunrise
- Length: 0.6 miles round trip
- Average Time to Complete: 30 minutes
- Level: Easy
- Elevation Change: 56 feet
- Why it’s Popular: One of the best views in all of Canyonlands
The sun lighting up the canyon
We arrived before sunrise – about 6am (I think the sun rose around 7am when we were there).
There is a very small parking lot at the Mesa Arch trailhead, enough to fit 15-20 cars. There were already visitors there making their way to the arch – so please arrive early!
The hike up to the arch is quite easy. You’ll pass sandy areas, rocky areas, and eventually run into an area where Mesa Arch is located and the canyon spreads for miles before you.
I especially loved roaming the area around Mesa Arch. Yes, the main attraction is the arch, but you can climb around, to the side, and a few feet above the rest of the area. I got some incredible views of Mesa Arch from a different angle, as well as the canyon below.
We lingered around well after sunset. Once the sun began to warm us up and we had nothing more to see or do, we made our way back to the trailhead.
As I already said, the sunrise at Mesa Arch was probably one of our favorite experiences in all of Utah.
There are several additional hikes and sights worth mentioning. Below are a few we got to personally experience while at Canyonlands and would definitely recommend!
At the end of the Grand View Point Trail
Next to Mesa Arch, the Grand View Point Rim Trail was our next favorite hike. We recommend taking this hike immediately after the sunrise at Mesa Arch, because it will still be relatively empty.
The hike starts at the end of Grand View Point Road – you’ll essentially take the main highway all the way until it ends.
There is a nice easy walk to the overlook where you will be blown away by the canyon views. Down below you will see dirt paths and dirt roads. You’re looking at the White Rim Road. This 100-mile loop takes you through some of the most rugged parts of the park. We saw a few bikers and wondered how the heck they were doing it!
Just beyond the overlook is a 2 mile (round trip) trail to Grand View Point Overlook. This hike was relatively easy (although there are some places where you pass boulders or walk right along the rim).
But we LOVED pausing to admire the canyon. It was on this hike that we fully realized why it’s called Canyonlands. It’s vast and ever expanding and we almost couldn’t believe what we were seeing.
The petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock
Although not technically part of the National Park Service, you’ll find the Newspaper Rock State Historical Monument on your way to the Needles District.
It sits about half way on UT-211 between UT-191 and the Needles Visitor Center.
While only a short stop (about 10-20 minutes), we got a chance to see some pretty cool petroglyphs.
What you’re looking at are carvings into the side of the rock made nearly 2,000 years ago. It depicts all sorts of scenes and images – humans with antler-like things on their heads, wheels, horses, feet, and other images.
The coolest part is simply knowing that there were humans – people not too different from us – roaming around thousands of years ago trying to make their mark.
Not to get too philosophical or cheesy, but it certainly makes me pause and wonder. There’s a certain perspective that comes from knowing we are only around for 80-100 years here. And that thousands of years from now we’ll be nothing more than a small mark on the earth.
The cairns on Slickrock Trail
The Slickrock Trail was also in the Needles Area of Canyonlands. This trail is a 2.4 miles round trip loop, moderately challenging, and is a popular one in the Needles District.
Our experience there was very, very hot!
There is little sun coverage and the rocks all around us only made it harder. We paused several times to make sure we were drinking enough water and eating enough snacks to sustain us.
This is a very minor detail, but my favorite feature of the hike were the cairns lined throughout the hike. Cairns are little piles of rocks that sort of guide you in the right direction while on a hike.
When we weren’t sure where to go next, we simply looked for another cairn.
So don’t knock them over, they’re useful!
Dead Horse Point: Photo by Halie West on Unsplash
This is something we didn’t experience, but it’s definitely something we’ll go back and see.
Dead Horse Point State Park is located outside the boundaries of Canyonlands (so I guess not technically in the park), but is a very popular addition to a trip to Canyonlands.
At an area called The Knoll, the road splits in one direction to Canyonlands and in another direction to Dead Horse Point State Park.
The main attraction here is a spectacular view of the curvy and winding Colorado River. You can hike all along the rim to various overlooks such as Dead Horse Point Overlook, Meander Overlook, and Shafer Canyon Overlook.
Again, we didn’t personally experience this. But I put it here as a reminder to myself (and to you of course) to just do it! We didn’t go because we were feeling lazy – I wish we would have.
Sunrise over Canyonlands National Park
I personally think you can see all the best parts of Canyonlands in one long day.
There are certainly areas to explore besides the ones of the main roads of the park. For example, you can apparently go climbing through boulders on 4-wheel drive jeeps in different areas of the park, but us newbies ain’t ready for that!
- Morning: Sunrise at Mesa Arch, Hike Grand View Point Trail, Drive to Dead Horse Point Overlook
- Mid-day: Lunch in Moab (closest town near Canyonlands) and drive to the Needles District, Stop at Newspaper Rock, Hike Slickrock Foot Trail
- Late afternoon: Drive back toward Canyonlands and find a spot to watch the sunset within the park. If you’re brave, stay in the park later for stargazing.
Rim walk at Grand View Point
It’s a little unbelievable to say this: but Canyonlands might have been our favorite of all the Utah National Parks.
It’s unbelievable because Utah has the iconic Zion National Park and the stunning Arches National Park – some of the most popular places in Utah and in the entire USA!
But Canyonlands is sneakily stunning. I think we had low expectations for the park and so we were blown away by how amazing it was.
Canyonlands offers some of the most stunning views we’ve ever seen: Vast. Expanding. Stunning. Mind-blowin.
And the best part? It’s perfect for beginners because you can see the very best of it in one day or less.
If you decide to visit Canyonlands National Park, hit us up! We’d be more than happy to give you our beginner tips and ideas to enjoy your trip to Canyonlands!
Privacy Policy for National Park Newbies – National Park Newbies
Last updated: June 15, 2023
This Privacy Policy describes Our policies and procedures on the collection, use and disclosure of Your information when You use the Service and tells You about Your privacy rights and how the law protects You.
We use Your Personal data to provide and improve the Service. By using the Service, You agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. This Privacy Policy has been created with the help of the TermsFeed Privacy Policy Generator.
The words of which the initial letter is capitalized have meanings defined under the following conditions. The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in singular or in plural.
For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:
-
Account means a unique account created for You to access our Service or parts of our Service.
-
Affiliate means an entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with a party, where “control” means ownership of 50% or more of the shares, equity interest or other securities entitled to vote for election of directors or other managing authority.
-
Company (referred to as either “the Company”, “We”, “Us” or “Our” in this Agreement) refers to National Park Newbies.
-
Cookies are small files that are placed on Your computer, mobile device or any other device by a website, containing the details of Your browsing history on that website among its many uses.
-
Country refers to: Minnesota, United States
-
Device means any device that can access the Service such as a computer, a cellphone or a digital tablet.
-
Personal Data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual.
-
Service refers to the Website.
-
Service Provider means any natural or legal person who processes the data on behalf of the Company. It refers to third-party companies or individuals employed by the Company to facilitate the Service, to provide the Service on behalf of the Company, to perform services related to the Service or to assist the Company in analyzing how the Service is used.
-
Third-party Social Media Service refers to any website or any social network website through which a User can log in or create an account to use the Service.
-
Usage Data refers to data collected automatically, either generated by the use of the Service or from the Service infrastructure itself (for example, the duration of a page visit).
-
Website refers to National Park Newbies, accessible from https://nationalparknewbies.com/
-
You means the individual accessing or using the Service, or the company, or other legal entity on behalf of which such individual is accessing or using the Service, as applicable.
While using Our Service, We may ask You to provide Us with certain personally identifiable information that can be used to contact or identify You. Personally identifiable information may include, but is not limited to:
-
Email address
-
First name and last name
-
Phone number
-
Address, State, Province, ZIP/Postal code, City
-
Usage Data
Usage Data is collected automatically when using the Service.
Usage Data may include information such as Your Device’s Internet Protocol address (e.g. IP address), browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service that You visit, the time and date of Your visit, the time spent on those pages, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.
When You access the Service by or through a mobile device, We may collect certain information automatically, including, but not limited to, the type of mobile device You use, Your mobile device unique ID, the IP address of Your mobile device, Your mobile operating system, the type of mobile Internet browser You use, unique device identifiers and other diagnostic data.
We may also collect information that Your browser sends whenever You visit our Service or when You access the Service by or through a mobile device.
The Company allows You to create an account and log in to use the Service through the following Third-party Social Media Services:
If You decide to register through or otherwise grant us access to a Third-Party Social Media Service, We may collect Personal data that is already associated with Your Third-Party Social Media Service’s account, such as Your name, Your email address, Your activities or Your contact list associated with that account.
You may also have the option of sharing additional information with the Company through Your Third-Party Social Media Service’s account. If You choose to provide such information and Personal Data, during registration or otherwise, You are giving the Company permission to use, share, and store it in a manner consistent with this Privacy Policy.
We use Cookies and similar tracking technologies to track the activity on Our Service and store certain information. Tracking technologies used are beacons, tags, and scripts to collect and track information and to improve and analyze Our Service. The technologies We use may include:
- Cookies or Browser Cookies. A cookie is a small file placed on Your Device. You can instruct Your browser to refuse all Cookies or to indicate when a Cookie is being sent. However, if You do not accept Cookies, You may not be able to use some parts of our Service. Unless you have adjusted Your browser setting so that it will refuse Cookies, our Service may use Cookies.
- Web Beacons. Certain sections of our Service and our emails may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags, and single-pixel gifs) that permit the Company, for example, to count users who have visited those pages or opened an email and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of a certain section and verifying system and server integrity).
Cookies can be “Persistent” or “Session” Cookies. Persistent Cookies remain on Your personal computer or mobile device when You go offline, while Session Cookies are deleted as soon as You close Your web browser. You can learn more about cookies on TermsFeed website article.
We use both Session and Persistent Cookies for the purposes set out below:
-
Necessary / Essential Cookies
Type: Session Cookies
Administered by: Us
Purpose: These Cookies are essential to provide You with services available through the Website and to enable You to use some of its features. They help to authenticate users and prevent fraudulent use of user accounts. Without these Cookies, the services that You have asked for cannot be provided, and We only use these Cookies to provide You with those services.
-
Cookies Policy / Notice Acceptance Cookies
Type: Persistent Cookies
Administered by: Us
Purpose: These Cookies identify if users have accepted the use of cookies on the Website.
-
Functionality Cookies
Type: Persistent Cookies
Administered by: Us
Purpose: These Cookies allow us to remember choices You make when You use the Website, such as remembering your login details or language preference. The purpose of these Cookies is to provide You with a more personal experience and to avoid You having to re-enter your preferences every time You use the Website.
For more information about the cookies we use and your choices regarding cookies, please visit our Cookies Policy or the Cookies section of our Privacy Policy.
The Company may use Personal Data for the following purposes:
-
To provide and maintain our Service, including to monitor the usage of our Service.
-
To manage Your Account: to manage Your registration as a user of the Service. The Personal Data You provide can give You access to different functionalities of the Service that are available to You as a registered user.
-
For the performance of a contract: the development, compliance and undertaking of the purchase contract for the products, items or services You have purchased or of any other contract with Us through the Service.
-
To contact You: To contact You by email, telephone calls, SMS, or other equivalent forms of electronic communication, such as a mobile application’s push notifications regarding updates or informative communications related to the functionalities, products or contracted services, including the security updates, when necessary or reasonable for their implementation.
-
To provide You with news, special offers and general information about other goods, services and events which we offer that are similar to those that you have already purchased or enquired about unless You have opted not to receive such information.
-
To manage Your requests: To attend and manage Your requests to Us.
-
For business transfers: We may use Your information to evaluate or conduct a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of Our assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation, or similar proceeding, in which Personal Data held by Us about our Service users is among the assets transferred.
-
For other purposes: We may use Your information for other purposes, such as data analysis, identifying usage trends, determining the effectiveness of our promotional campaigns and to evaluate and improve our Service, products, services, marketing and your experience.
We may share Your personal information in the following situations:
- With Service Providers: We may share Your personal information with Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Service, to contact You.
- For business transfers: We may share or transfer Your personal information in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of Company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of Our business to another company.
- With Affiliates: We may share Your information with Our affiliates, in which case we will require those affiliates to honor this Privacy Policy. Affiliates include Our parent company and any other subsidiaries, joint venture partners or other companies that We control or that are under common control with Us.
- With business partners: We may share Your information with Our business partners to offer You certain products, services or promotions.
- With other users: when You share personal information or otherwise interact in the public areas with other users, such information may be viewed by all users and may be publicly distributed outside. If You interact with other users or register through a Third-Party Social Media Service, Your contacts on the Third-Party Social Media Service may see Your name, profile, pictures and description of Your activity. Similarly, other users will be able to view descriptions of Your activity, communicate with You and view Your profile.
- With Your consent: We may disclose Your personal information for any other purpose with Your consent.
The Company will retain Your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use Your Personal Data to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.
The Company will also retain Usage Data for internal analysis purposes. Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of Our Service, or We are legally obligated to retain this data for longer time periods.
Your information, including Personal Data, is processed at the Company’s operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are located. It means that this information may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of Your state, province, country or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ than those from Your jurisdiction.
Your consent to this Privacy Policy followed by Your submission of such information represents Your agreement to that transfer.
The Company will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that Your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of Your Personal Data will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of Your data and other personal information.
You have the right to delete or request that We assist in deleting the Personal Data that We have collected about You.
Our Service may give You the ability to delete certain information about You from within the Service.
You may update, amend, or delete Your information at any time by signing in to Your Account, if you have one, and visiting the account settings section that allows you to manage Your personal information. You may also contact Us to request access to, correct, or delete any personal information that You have provided to Us.
Please note, however, that We may need to retain certain information when we have a legal obligation or lawful basis to do so.
If the Company is involved in a merger, acquisition or asset sale, Your Personal Data may be transferred. We will provide notice before Your Personal Data is transferred and becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.
Under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to disclose Your Personal Data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g. a court or a government agency).
The Company may disclose Your Personal Data in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:
- Comply with a legal obligation
- Protect and defend the rights or property of the Company
- Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Service
- Protect the personal safety of Users of the Service or the public
- Protect against legal liability
The security of Your Personal Data is important to Us, but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While We strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect Your Personal Data, We cannot guarantee its absolute security.
Our Service does not address anyone under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 13. If You are a parent or guardian and You are aware that Your child has provided Us with Personal Data, please contact Us. If We become aware that We have collected Personal Data from anyone under the age of 13 without verification of parental consent, We take steps to remove that information from Our servers.
If We need to rely on consent as a legal basis for processing Your information and Your country requires consent from a parent, We may require Your parent’s consent before We collect and use that information.
Our Service may contain links to other websites that are not operated by Us. If You click on a third party link, You will be directed to that third party’s site. We strongly advise You to review the Privacy Policy of every site You visit.
We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third party sites or services.
We may update Our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify You of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page.
We will let You know via email and/or a prominent notice on Our Service, prior to the change becoming effective and update the “Last updated” date at the top of this Privacy Policy.
You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, You can contact us:
- By email: [email protected]
About – National Park Newbies
We love the feeling the parks give us.
The wilderness, the hikes, the views. We breathe deeper whenever we find ourselves in a National Park (and not just because of the hiking!) All we want is to find a way to share our experiences with others – with you!
We, of course, hope you find this site helpful and informative. We hope our posts inspire you to book the flight, buy those hiking boots, and start exploring.
And we hope we can look back on this website and fall in love with the parks all over again.
We are so glad you are here: reading these words, transported from another time, to the exact spot you find yourself today. More than anything, we hope you have found something helpful today and are getting ready for your next adventure. Now, get out of here and start exploring some of the most beautiful places in the world – our beloved National Parks!
For many reasons, Sequoia is our favorite national park – the giant trees being at the top of the list.
But it’s our favorite because it was our first visit together. And as of this writing (August 2023), we’ve gone to 20 more spectacular and inspiring national parks across the US.
Traveling to National Parks has become a focal point of our lives.
Our friends and families will often say something like:
“you’re going on another trip?”
Yes, absolutely yes. Any chance we get, we’re looking at flights and scheming about how we can fit in just one more trip.
We love National Parks and we want you to love them too. We’re glad you found us!
Terms of Service – National Park Newbies
Welcome to National Park Newbies!
These terms and conditions outline the rules and regulations for the use of National Park Newbies’s Website, located at https://nationalparknewbies.com/.
By accessing this website we assume you accept these terms and conditions. Do not continue to use National Park Newbies if you do not agree to take all of the terms and conditions stated on this page.
The following terminology applies to these Terms and Conditions, Privacy Statement and Disclaimer Notice and all Agreements: “Client”, “You” and “Your” refers to you, the person log on this website and compliant to the Company’s terms and conditions. “The Company”, “Ourselves”, “We”, “Our” and “Us”, refers to our Company. “Party”, “Parties”, or “Us”, refers to both the Client and ourselves. All terms refer to the offer, acceptance and consideration of payment necessary to undertake the process of our assistance to the Client in the most appropriate manner for the express purpose of meeting the Client’s needs in respect of provision of the Company’s stated services, in accordance with and subject to, prevailing law of us. Any use of the above terminology or other words in the singular, plural, capitalization and/or he/she or they, are taken as interchangeable and therefore as referring to same.
We employ the use of cookies. By accessing National Park Newbies, you agreed to use cookies in agreement with the National Park Newbies’s Privacy Policy.
Most interactive websites use cookies to let us retrieve the user’s details for each visit. Cookies are used by our website to enable the functionality of certain areas to make it easier for people visiting our website. Some of our affiliate/advertising partners may also use cookies.
Unless otherwise stated, National Park Newbies and/or its licensors own the intellectual property rights for all material on National Park Newbies. All intellectual property rights are reserved. You may access this from National Park Newbies for your own personal use subjected to restrictions set in these terms and conditions.
You must not:
- Republish material from National Park Newbies
- Sell, rent or sub-license material from National Park Newbies
- Reproduce, duplicate or copy material from National Park Newbies
- Redistribute content from National Park Newbies
This Agreement shall begin on the date hereof. Our Terms and Conditions were created with the help of the Free Terms and Conditions Generator.
Parts of this website offer an opportunity for users to post and exchange opinions and information in certain areas of the website. National Park Newbies does not filter, edit, publish or review Comments prior to their presence on the website. Comments do not reflect the views and opinions of National Park Newbies,its agents and/or affiliates. Comments reflect the views and opinions of the person who post their views and opinions. To the extent permitted by applicable laws, National Park Newbies shall not be liable for the Comments or for any liability, damages or expenses caused and/or suffered as a result of any use of and/or posting of and/or appearance of the Comments on this website.
National Park Newbies reserves the right to monitor all Comments and to remove any Comments which can be considered inappropriate, offensive or causes breach of these Terms and Conditions.
You warrant and represent that:
- You are entitled to post the Comments on our website and have all necessary licenses and consents to do so;
- The Comments do not invade any intellectual property right, including without limitation copyright, patent or trademark of any third party;
- The Comments do not contain any defamatory, libelous, offensive, indecent or otherwise unlawful material which is an invasion of privacy
- The Comments will not be used to solicit or promote business or custom or present commercial activities or unlawful activity.
You hereby grant National Park Newbies a non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, edit and authorize others to use, reproduce and edit any of your Comments in any and all forms, formats or media.
The following organizations may link to our Website without prior written approval:
- Government agencies;
- Search engines;
- News organizations;
- Online directory distributors may link to our Website in the same manner as they hyperlink to the Websites of other listed businesses; and
- System wide Accredited Businesses except soliciting non-profit organizations, charity shopping malls, and charity fundraising groups which may not hyperlink to our Web site.
These organizations may link to our home page, to publications or to other Website information so long as the link: (a) is not in any way deceptive; (b) does not falsely imply sponsorship, endorsement or approval of the linking party and its products and/or services; and (c) fits within the context of the linking party’s site.
We may consider and approve other link requests from the following types of organizations:
- commonly-known consumer and/or business information sources;
- dot.com community sites;
- associations or other groups representing charities;
- online directory distributors;
- internet portals;
- accounting, law and consulting firms; and
- educational institutions and trade associations.
We will approve link requests from these organizations if we decide that: (a) the link would not make us look unfavorably to ourselves or to our accredited businesses; (b) the organization does not have any negative records with us; (c) the benefit to us from the visibility of the hyperlink compensates the absence of National Park Newbies; and (d) the link is in the context of general resource information.
These organizations may link to our home page so long as the link: (a) is not in any way deceptive; (b) does not falsely imply sponsorship, endorsement or approval of the linking party and its products or services; and (c) fits within the context of the linking party’s site.
If you are one of the organizations listed in paragraph 2 above and are interested in linking to our website, you must inform us by sending an e-mail to National Park Newbies. Please include your name, your organization name, contact information as well as the URL of your site, a list of any URLs from which you intend to link to our Website, and a list of the URLs on our site to which you would like to link. Wait 2-3 weeks for a response.
Approved organizations may hyperlink to our Website as follows:
- By use of our corporate name; or
- By use of the uniform resource locator being linked to; or
- By use of any other description of our Website being linked to that makes sense within the context and format of content on the linking party’s site.
No use of National Park Newbies’s logo or other artwork will be allowed for linking absent a trademark license agreement.
Without prior approval and written permission, you may not create frames around our Webpages that alter in any way the visual presentation or appearance of our Website.
Content Liability
We shall not be hold responsible for any content that appears on your Website. You agree to protect and defend us against all claims that is rising on your Website. No link(s) should appear on any Website that may be interpreted as libelous, obscene or criminal, or which infringes, otherwise violates, or advocates the infringement or other violation of, any third party rights.
We reserve the right to request that you remove all links or any particular link to our Website. You approve to immediately remove all links to our Website upon request. We also reserve the right to amen these terms and conditions and it’s linking policy at any time. By continuously linking to our Website, you agree to be bound to and follow these linking terms and conditions.
If you find any link on our Website that is offensive for any reason, you are free to contact and inform us any moment. We will consider requests to remove links but we are not obligated to or so or to respond to you directly.
We do not ensure that the information on this website is correct, we do not warrant its completeness or accuracy; nor do we promise to ensure that the website remains available or that the material on the website is kept up to date.
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, we exclude all representations, warranties and conditions relating to our website and the use of this website. Nothing in this disclaimer will:
- limit or exclude our or your liability for death or personal injury;
- limit or exclude our or your liability for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation;
- limit any of our or your liabilities in any way that is not permitted under applicable law; or
- exclude any of our or your liabilities that may not be excluded under applicable law.
The limitations and prohibitions of liability set in this Section and elsewhere in this disclaimer: (a) are subject to the preceding paragraph; and (b) govern all liabilities arising under the disclaimer, including liabilities arising in contract, in tort and for breach of statutory duty.
As long as the website and the information and services on the website are provided free of charge, we will not be liable for any loss or damage of any nature.