National Parks

I’m done with this IB shit. I can’t keep pushing paper around for 90hrs a week. I’m planning on taking a year off and driving across the US to visit every National park. Just imagine standing beside Yosemite falls, or seeing the sunrise atop Cadillac Mountin, or hiking the Narrows at Zion and so many more adventures. I have enough money saved up right now and I’m ready to live my life. Where should I start? Who’s wants to join me? (Serious)

 
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Good timing. My gf and I just spent a week hitting the big 5 national parks in southern Utah. This includes Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands. An amazing experience and I couldn't recommend it enough. Coming from the northeast it was unlike anything I've ever experienced, and I have camped in Moab a couple of years ago, been to the Rockies a few times, SoCal. But man it's like you're on another planet.

We did the Angles Landing hike in Zion (look it up) and I'm pretty sure it's one of the most dangerous hikes in the country. The later quarter of it your're scrambling up rock piles with only a chain to hold on to. If you fuck you up you'll fall about 1,000ft to the valley floor, a couple of people died and fell back in March. Granted I think most of the falls/deaths are by people standing too close to the edge and slipping, which is avoidable.  But once you're at the top you have the most insane 360 degree view of the park. We also did the Hells Revenge offroad trail in Moab, we rented these beasts Kawasaki UTV things and did this epic 4x4 trail for a couple hours. Then we met up with some friends and camped in Moab close to Canyonlands park. They all took acid and mushrooms but I just had an edible and went to bed around 11pm because I was beat.

I'm going to turn into a National Park junkie and try to hit as many as I can. I'm a few hours from Acadia and I've never been, but am planning a trip to do it soon. 

My ranking of the Utah parks is 1) Zion, 2) Canyonlands 3) Bryce, 4) Tied w/ Capitol Reef and Arches. 

 

I also did this trip and it has been one of my favorite vacations ever.

The angels landing hike is a must do in my opinion. One of the most breathtaking and surreal views I have ever experienced.

I wanted to do the narrows but it was flooded when we were there, but I think it’s fine in the summer months.

Also check out monument valley - this place is pretty cool and if you are into photography you can get some sick shots here.

Horseshoe bend and antelope canyon are two great stops along the way too.

Some slept on national parks that I think are pretty awesome and don’t really get mentioned I the same sentence as Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Death Valley, etc: Great Sand Dunes, Craters of the Moon, Dinosaur National Monument, Carlsbad Caverns, Redwood, Sequoia, White Sands, Rocky Mountain, Grand Tetons, Denali

 

What a cool trip. I've been to all five but not all in one go. My ranking is pretty close - I'd go Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Arches, Capitol Reef. Angel's Landing was insane - my wife and I got to the saddle point after the initial switchbacks and looked up at the final ascent and I said OH HELL NO but we did it anyways. Thought I was going to throw up the whole time.

That whole part of the country is without peer in the world. Even driving down 89 in northern Arizona by the Vermilion Cliffs - like nothing else I've ever seen.

I love national parks. My favorite is probably Zion, although I'm partial to Rainier. Biggest letdown? Probably Shenandoah - it's a pretty drive, but hard to say it's national park worthy. Bonus points for the Everglades for just being really, really unique.

"Son, life is hard. But it's harder if you're stupid." - my dad
 

I'm jealous, this is my pipe-dream in the scenario where I quit and have gardening leave. So many amazing places to see in the US and Canada. Seconding the Canyonlands (Bryce, Zion, Grand) parks others have mentioned.

You absolutely should go to Yellowstone. Yeah its a fucking cliche, but its one of the coolest places I've ever visited. When I was there there were bison wandering around Ol' Faithful and on the paths. You can't really imagine how massive these things are until you've seen them in person. The fact that it could blow up (and is overdue to) and end humanity is awesome to think about. The "grand canyon of yellowstone" is also pretty cool

Other cool places to check out that I've been to and can recommend:

Adjacent to Yellowstone are the Tetons which are cool - in the opposite direction is Cody Wyoming which isn't a park but still worth a stop on any road-trip IMO if you like the "wild west" portion of American history

Sedona, Monument Valley - neither are a NP but generally a landscape that's super dope

Crater Lake, as a day trip

Mt Hood/St Helens/Rainier corridor is generally a pretty cool place but again these are more like day trips

Rocky Mountain NP (the rockies up in BC/AB in Canada are way better than Colorado in my biased opinion)

Olympic NP in Washington - people sleep on this one. It has such an insane variety of cool shit ranging from dense temperate rainforests to alpine lakes and glaciers and stunning pacific coastline with hidden beaches.

 

Bruh just moves to a small no-name shop that is remote. The pay is lower but you still get to travel while doing M&A.

 

Also, skip the Yellowstone and start with Zion. Yellowstone is just going out of style.... 

 

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