We've all got different tastes at Turner PR, but there's at least one thing we can all agree on: the U.S.'s National Parks are incredible. There's never been a better time to celebrate these natural wonders than now, with the National Parks Service's 100th anniversary taking place in 2016. The festivities are already getting going.
REI, the nation's largest consumer co-op, just announced a partnership with the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America's national parks. The partnership includes the just-launched Find Your Park program, which encourages people to find their own personal connections within the network of national parks and public lands.
TURNER has plenty of personal connections with our national parks (and recreation areas and wildlife refuges and state parks), so we put together a guide to a few of our favorites.
I have visited Glacier twice while visiting my boyfriend’s family in Montana (part of what makes it special is our local guides!). The trails and terrain are beautiful and we always spot lots of wildlife.
What To Pack: Be sure to bring an extra storage bag for collecting huckleberries along the trails…or just eat them all immediately like I do.
That’s like asking me to pick a favorite sibling! I’ve had the opportunity to visit several (I even have the Passport!), and they all have so many different things to offer. It’s not quite a national park, but one that I have been to regularly and have many fond memories of is Lake Powell, in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and at the beginning of Grand Canyon National Park. I go every year with my family, and it’s a week of sun, water, campfires, solitude and fun. I highly recommend taking a houseboat out, and bringing a couple smaller boats or jet skis to explore the gorgeous canyons and national monuments that spider out throughout the lake. Next on my list, Zion National Park in Utah.
What To Pack: An extra swimsuit! You live in your swimsuit all day, so having a spare when one is wet from swimming, water skiing or tubing is key. Don’t forget the (biodegradable) sunscreen, too!
Mammoth allows you to hike for miles inside the Earth. It’s a different perspective on the vastness of nature.
What To Pack: Bring a breathable base layer, like Merino Wool, that will adjust to the shifting temperatures deep in the caves to the above-ground hiking trails.
I love every minute that I get to spend in the Grand Tetons; it’s just an awe-inspiring place, particularly if you go in the winter (which is off-peak, and you can hike for days without seeing anyone else).
What To Pack: My go-to packing item, always, is Band-Aids. Because I generally need them for all of my outdoor adventures. I keep them stuffed in every pocket.
As a North Carolina native, I've spent countless family vacations hiking and camping in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. While it might be the busiest national park in the nation, I can assure you it never feels that way. My insider tip: Visit in the fall for the best scenery — the explosion of autumn color along the Blue Ridge Parkway will literally take your breath away.
What To Pack: Don’t forget the bug spray.
Niagara has some great hiking trails and you can’t beat the views. The power of the water is always amazing as well.
What To Pack: As perhaps the whitest person on the planet, I never leave home without some serious sun block.
This beautiful wildlife refuge in Sanibel, Florida is an awesome sanctuary for beautiful birds and other wildlife in the area, and they also allow kayaking and other ways to explore it — the perfect way to get out and enjoy awesome Florida weather!
What To Pack: When traveling, you definitely need sunscreen! Basic, but with lots of time on the water and in the sun, it’s a must!
Canyonlands National Park in Utah will always have a special place in my heart. I’ve been mountain biking in Moab as long as I can remember and there’s something so magical about being surrounded with hundreds of feet of red walls at the bottom of a canyon.
What To Pack: Flip Flops – there’s nothing like taking off your cleats at the end of the day and wiggling your toes!
My grandparents retired in Whitefish, Montana, so as a kid I spent many summers with day trips to Glacier. I was in awe of the beautiful peaks and lakes from St. Mary and Hidden Lake to Rocky Point Trail. My grandfather took us fishing and we enjoyed hikes and picnics. Glacier had a big Grizzly population so the goal was always to see a bear, but it might be best that I only ran into mountain goats.
What To Pack: One essential item? My grandparents were essential. And sneakers.
Canyonlands is super eclectic (despite being in the desert and visitors expecting it to be very similar throughout) – there are three distinct districts (and each couldn’t more varied), Island in the Sky (which is the most accessible to someone in a time-crunch or who is just viewing via their vehicle), the Maze and the Needles. All are incredible areas. The latter two are best experienced via some extended time in the backcountry. I also love the history of Canyonlands – for the ultimate trip, take Edward Abbey’s book Desert Solitaire into a week-long backcountry tour. Abbey famously was a park ranger in the area (Arches, specifically), but much of the narrative takes place in Canyonlands and neighboring Dead Horse Point State Park (also where Thelma and Louise famously drive off a cliff). The other plus of Canyonlands is The White Rim Trail. You can’t ride bikes in most national parks, but you can along the White Rim, and it’s a great way to take in the Canyonlands area.
What To Pack: If you’re hiking…a good pair of hiking boots are pretty helpful, because you’re likely in for a decent dose of deep sand! Also, good maps and map finding skills are a necessity. VERY IMPORTANT. Water – there’s very little to no water in most parts of this park.
Growing up, I spent summers camping on the St. Croix with family and friends; hiking, relaxing, eating s’mores and swimming in the river. And it’s not everyday you can say you swam from Minnesota to Wisconsin and back! (In case you’re unfamiliar, much of the St. Croix River acts as a state line division)
What To Pack: Bug spray.
Yosemite National Park is my favorite park for an obvious reason: I grew up there. Yosemite is not only my base camp, but my jumping off point for adventure. Growing up, Yosemite gave me miles of trails to hike and opportunities to meet visitors from all over the world. This sparked my love of adventure and travel at a young age. I basically learned to walk on granite slabs and as I grew older, spent my free time hiking through the backcountry.
What To Pack: There are two essential items. The first item is a bear can. The bears in Yosemite are super talented at swiping human food, but this makes it hard for them to survive on their own. The second item? My two-person REI Camp Dome tent. With a great tent, you can make every high country lake, peak or creek you visit a temporary (but ridiculously beautiful) summer home.
This park in western North Dakota is where a young Theodore Roosevelt went to find solace following several devastating personal losses. He later said that he would never have become president without his experiences in these rugged and beautiful badlands. He also formulated his ideas for conservation during this time which would later make him the father of the national park system. The park is also a great way to experience the West (badlands, buttes, mesas, wild horses, bison, elk, prairie dogs, etc.) without leaving the Midwest.
What To Pack: The trails are amazing, so make sure you have a great pair of hiking boots to go along with sunscreen and appropriate layers of clothing.
For those of us in Denver, RMNP is kind of like our big backyard. It's pretty amazing to have something like this just waiting to be explored an hour away. I've spent a lot of time up there in the past decade, but I feel as though I've barely scratched the surface. Last summer's trip was so much fun -- a slightly harrowing drive on Trail Ridge Road (the highest continually paved road in North America), astonishing panoramic vistas ... and more moose than I've ever seen before.
What To Pack: I'm a big fan of road trip snacks -- I can't get enough the sweet/salty nuts from Boulder's Olomomo.
I first went there as a kid on a field trip. I knew it would be beautiful, but I wasn’t expecting to see wild horses. Every time I go back, I catch that same nostalgic feeling of surprise seeing them.
What To Pack: Bring your a beach chair and just take it all in.
Tyler Wilcox
Tyler Wilcox : August 12, 2019