OutsideJun 29, 2026
National Parks Out West Get All the Hype, but I Prefer Our Eastern Ones. Here’s Why.
Sure, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon are impressive, but our national parks columnist argues national parks in the East rival their popular counterparts out West when it comes to biodiversity, accessibility, and more.
21 things in this story
- YellowstoneSightYellowstone National Park, United Stateswater is boiling and tie-dyed
- Grand CanyonSightGrand Canyon Village, United Statescontemplated the insignificance of humankind
- Angels LandingTrailSpringdale, United Stateshit by vertigo
- Half DomeSightYosemite Valley, United Statesawestruck at the sheer size of the rock
- New River GorgeNature reserveOak Hill, United StatesEstablished in 1978 as a national river and redesignated in 2020, the park and preserve stretches…
- Great Smoky MountainsPlaceGatlinburg, United StatesThey are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains and form part of the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province.
- EvergladesPlaceHomestead, United StatesJust an hour from Miami, the 1.5 million acres of Floridian flora and fauna that make up the Everglades are home to…
- BiscaynePlaceHomestead, United StatesWithin sight of Miami, yet worlds away, Biscayne protects a rare combination of aquamarine waters, emerald islands, and…
- Dry TortugasPlaceKey West, United StatesThe park preserves Fort Jefferson and the several Dry Tortugas islands, the westernmost and most isolated of the…
- Denali National ParkHotelDenali, United Statestallest mountain in the U.S.
- El CapSightYosemite Valley, United Statestallest vertical rock face in the world
- Crater Lake National ParkPlaceCrater Lake, United Statesdeepest lake in the U.S.
- Great Smoky Mountains National ParkPlaceGatlinburg, United Statesbiodiverse regions, black bears and massive elk
- Sequoia National ParkPlaceThree Rivers, United Statessheer volume of the trees is awesome
- Shenandoah National ParkPlaceLuray, United Stateshardwood forest painted red, yellow, and orange
- GSMNPPlaceGatlinburg, United Statessynchronous fireflies coordinate their light show
- Appalachian TrailTrailGatlinburg, United Statesmost famous footpath in the world
- Blue Ridge ParkwaySightAsheville, United Stateslongest linear park in the country
- AcadiaNature reserveBar Harbor, United States
- ShenandoahPlaceLuray, United States
- CongareePlaceHardeeville, United States