US National Parks are some of the most beautiful and truly amazing places the country has to offer. With people having limited vacation time, many travelers want to fit as many destinations as possible into their time away from work. With various types of parks that offer mountains, desert, red rocks, beaches, wildlife, and more, this article gives ample week long National Park Roadtrip itinerary ideas.
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Buy the America the Beautiful Interagency Pass
You will need to purchase a park pass to enter each of the national parks. You should do the math and see if it is beneficial for you to purchase an America the Beautiful park pass, which will allow you into all national parks for a year for one single fee. The America the Beautiful Interagency pass is $80. Also, if you have a 4th grader in your household, you can get a family pass for free to the national parks that is good for a year. Find out more about that benefit here.
What to Pack on Your National Park Roadtrip
- Water!! Whether you use a hydration backpack or carry bottled water, make sure to pack plenty of water when outdoors!
- Sunscreen – Protect your skin from the sun, and do not forget to reapply.
- Hat – More sun protection to block the sun from your face
- Hiking shoes/boots – Some of the hikes are on steep, slick rock, and people wearing regular tennis shoes struggled to keep their footing. Here are the men‘s version of the hiking shoes I love.
- Hiking socks – The best way to prevent blisters is by keeping your feet dry. Moisture-wicking socks are the best way to do that.
- Water Shoes – Some hikes can be in rivers or you may want to take a dip in a swimming hole.
- Hiking Poles – Hiking poles are nice especially when hiking difficult trails.
- Backpack – A backpack is a necessity when hiking to carry your water, snacks, sunscreen, etc. that you may need on your longer hikes.
- RTIC Soft-Sided Cooler – Keep your drinks and sandwich stuff cool in this cooler.
- Packing Cubes – Keep your stuff organized in your luggage with these packing cubes.
- Jacket – Even in warmer months, the temps can be cool so pack a light men’s or women’s jacket.
- Printed Maps/Directions – Cell service is spotty in some national parks, so I recommend you print maps/directions or download offline maps to all hiking trails and parks you plan to visit.
1. Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
- Nearest Cities – Jackson Hole, Wyoming
- Best Time of Year to Visit – Late April to Early October
- Entrance Fee – $35 per vehicle for Yellowstone and $35 per vehicle for Grand Teton
- Is it More Cost Effective to Buy an America the Beautiful Pass? – If these are the only parks you plan to visit in a 12 month span, then no. It will be cheaper to buy 7-day passes to each of the parks.
- Itinerary Summary:
- Days 1-5: Yellowstone National Park
- Days 6-7: Grand Teton National Park
- For more information to help you plan your National Park Roadtrip, visit:
In 1872, Yellowstone became the first national park in the world and is located mostly in Wyoming, U.S.A. The park is known for its unique thermal features, extensive wildlife, and majestic landscapes. Parts of this park will make you feel like you are on another planet, and it is a must-see destination for travelers. The second national park in this national park roadtrip is Grand Teton National Park, named after the highest point (13,775 feet) in the Teton Range. The jagged mountains of the Tetons overlooking a valley of pristine lakes and creeks make this national park the perfect home to wildlife like bear, moose, elk, and more.
2. Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce Canyon National Parks
- Nearest Cities – Las Vegas, Nevada
- Best Time of Year to Visit – April to June and September to November
- Entrance Fee – $35 per vehicle for Grand Canyon, $35 per vehicle for Zion, and $35 per vehicle for Bryce Canyon
- Is it More Cost Effective to Buy an America the Beautiful Pass? – Absolutely
- Itinerary Summary
- Days 1-2: Grand Canyon National Park
- Days 3-5: Zion National Park
- Days 6-7: Bryce Canyon National Park
- For more information to help you plan your National Park Roadtrip, visit:
One of the most unbelievable national parks in the US is the Grand Canyon which has been carved out by the Colorado River for millions of years. The canyon averages 4,000 feet deep and is 277 miles in length. Spend a couple days exploring the South Rim for a couple days before moving on to Zion National Park. Zion has several unique trails such as The Narrows and Angels Landing. Bryce Canyon is famous for its unique hoodoo formations which you can walk among on the Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden Trail. You may be surprised to see the dense trees from Dixie National Forest and peak elevations of 9,115 feet.
3. Olympic, North Cascades, and Mount Rainier National Parks
- Nearest Cities – Seattle, Washington
- Best Time of Year to Visit – Mid-June to Late September
- Entrance Fee – $30 per vehicle for Olympic, no fee for North Cascades, and $30 per vehicle for Mount Rainier
- Is it More Cost Effective to Buy an America the Beautiful Pass? – If these are the only parks you plan to visit in a 12 month span, then no. It will be cheaper to buy 7-day passes to each of the parks.
- Itinerary Summary
- Days 1-3: Olympic National Park
- Days 4-5: North Cascades National Park
- Days 6-7: Mount Rainier National Park
- For more information to help you plan your National Park Roadtrip, visit:
Washington is a gorgeous state peppered with volcanic peaks, waterfalls, and lush forests. Because of its beauty, this state is blessed with 3 stunning national parks. You will start this road trip from Seattle spending 3 days exploring Olympic National Park. Make sure to visit Lake Crescent, Marymere Falls, Sol du Lac Falls, the tide pools of Second Beach and so much more. Next, travel to North Cascades which is known that the American Alps with its giant mountain range and more glaciers than Glacier National Park. This park is one of the least visited parks in the US, so you can avoid the masses here. Lastly, finish your National Park Roadtrip with a bang at Mount Rainier National Park, a glacier-capped, active volcano. This park is one of the oldest and one of the busiest parks, and it is easy to see why.
4. Big Bend, Guadalupe Mountains, and Carlsbad Caverns
- Nearest Cities – El Paso, Texas and Midland, Texas
- Best Time of Year to Visit – November to April
- Entrance Fee – $30 per vehicle for Big Bend, $10 per person for Guadalupe Mountains, and $15 per person for Carlsbad Caverns
- Is it More Cost Effective to Buy an America the Beautiful Pass? – This is a little trickier since 2 of the parks are fees per person instead of a fee per vehicle. If you are traveling with 2 people, then you will break even with the park pass. If you are traveling with more than 2 people, then you should definitely buy the annual pass. For solo travelers, it is not cost effective to buy the Interagency pass if these are the only parks you plan to visit in a 12 month span.
- Itinerary Summary
- Days 1-4: Big Bend National Park
- Days 5-7: Guadalupe Mountains and Carlsbad Caverns National Parks
- For more information to help you plan your National Park Roadtrip, visit:
Big Bend National Park is one of two national parks in Texas. Located on the Texas-Mexico border, this park is remote and vast. If you have ever been to the rest of Texas, you will know this place is like no other in the state. There is no need for strenuous hikes to see big views, ancient dormant volcano, dinosaur fossils, Rio Grande River, and canyons. The second half of this road trip takes you to the other Texas national park, Guadalupe Mountains, and Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. These two parks are only 30 minutes apart even though they are in two separate states.
5. Utah’s Mighty Five National Parks
- Nearest Cities – Las Vegas, Nevada, Moab, Utah, and Salt Lake City, Utah
- Best Time of Year to Visit – April to June and September to November
- Entrance Fee – $35 per vehicle for Zion, $35 per vehicle for Bryce Canyon, $30 per vehicle for Arches, $30 per vehicle for Canyonlands, and $20 per vehicle for Capitol Reef
- Is it More Cost Effective to Buy an America the Beautiful Pass? – Absolutely
- Itinerary Summary
- Day 1: Arches National Park
- Day 2: Canyonlands National Park
- Day 3: Capitol Reef National Park
- Day 4: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (Bonus Park!)
- Day 5: Bryce Canyon National Park
- Days 6-7: Zion National Park
- For more information to help you plan your National Park Roadtrip, visit:
Utah’s Mighty Five includes the national parks of Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion. All of these parks display the best and most unique formations that wind and water erosion has carved in the red rocks of this part of the country. Arches, canyons, and hoodoos are the stars of Utah. With this national park roadtrip, you can see them all plus a bonus park, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
6. Biscayne, Everglades, and Dry Tortugas National Parks
- Nearest Cities – Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Key West, Florida
- Best Time of Year to Visit – November to May
- Entrance Fee – No fee for Biscayne, $30 per vehicle for Everglades, and $15 per person for Dry Tortuga (This does not include the transportation costs.)
- Is it More Cost Effective to Buy an America the Beautiful Pass? – I would not recommend buying the Interagency Pass just for this itinerary. The Dry Tortuga fee is usually covered in the tour costs that you will have to pay anyway to access the island.
- Itinerary Summary
- Day 1: Biscayne National Park
- Days 2-3: Everglades National Park
- Day 4: Key Largo
- Day 5: Dry Tortuga National Park
- Day 6-7: Key West
- For more information to help you plan your National Park Roadtrip, visit:
This national park itinerary is full of water and beach activities as all the national parks exist in southern Florida. Ninety-five percent of Biscayne and Dry Tortuga is underwater, and there is no way to access these parks by car. From Miami or Fort Lauderdale, visit Biscayne National Park first with a boat tour. Spend a couple days exploring swamps, alligators, and other marsh wildlife in the Everglades. Another popular way to explore this park is by kayak or canoe. In this itinerary, you will spend a few days exploring the Florida Keys on your way to Key West. While in Key West, take a day trip to Dry Tortuga National Park either by tour boat or seaplane. Spend the day snorkeling and discovering Fort Jefferson which was used to fight pirates in the Caribbean.
7. Mesa Verde, Canyonlands, and Arches National Parks
- Nearest Cities – Durango, Colorado and Moab, Utah
- Best Time of Year to Visit – April to May and September to October
- Entrance Fee – $20 (Nov-Apr) and $30 (May-Oct) per vehicle for Mesa Verde, $30 per vehicle for Arches, and $30 per vehicle for Canyonlands
- Is it More Cost Effective to Buy an America the Beautiful Pass? – If traveling in the summer months, absolutely. If you are traveling in the winter months, then you will break even with the pass.
- Itinerary Summary
- Days 1-2: Mesa Verde National Park
- Day 3: Natural Bridge National Monument (Bonus Park!)
- Days 4: Moab, UT
- Days 5-7: Arches and Canyonlands National Parks
- For more information to help you plan your National Park Roadtrip, visit:
If you did not want to do the full whirlwind Utah Mighty Five tour, you can opt for this itinerary which slows down your trip. You will begin this itinerary in Southern Colorado at Mesa Verde National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Pueblo Indians inhabited this area by carving homes into the sides of cliffs. To get up close and personal with these cliff dwellings, you will need to book a tour. This trip then takes you to Natural Bridge National Monument where you can explore Utah’s first national monument and the three natural bridges that were formed from erosion. Finish your week in Moab which has loads of outdoor activities as well as explore the two nearby national parks, Arches and Canyonlands.
8. Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon National Parks
- Nearest Cities – Las Vegas, Nevada and Fresno, Sacramento, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and Bakersfield, California
- Best Time of Year to Visit – May to mid-October
- Entrance Fee – $30 per vehicle for Yosemite and a $35 per vehicle fee for both Sequoia and Kings Canyon NPs
- Is it More Cost Effective to Buy an America the Beautiful Pass? – If these are the only parks you plan to visit in a 12 month span, then no. It will be cheaper to buy 7-day passes to each of the parks.
- Itinerary Summary
- Days 1-2: Lake Tahoe
- Days 3-5: Yosemite National Park
- Days 6-7: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
- For more information to help you plan your National Park Roadtrip, visit:
There are several cities that are 2-3 hours away from Yosemite where you can begin this one week itinerary and spend a couple days exploring that city. For this itinerary, though, I have you beginning in Lake Tahoe, which is one of the US’s deepest lakes and straddles the California/Nevada border. From here, spend 3 days in Yosemite National Park where you can look for black bears in Yosemite Valley, drive to Glacier Point for views of Half Dome, and hikes to massive waterfalls. Spend the last couple days in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Sequoia National Parks is home to some of the largest trees in the world including the largest tree by volume, The General Sherman.
9. Glacier, Banff, and Yoho National Parks
- Nearest Cities – Kalispell, Montana and Calgary, Alberta Canada
- Best Time of Year to Visit – Late June to mid-September
- Entrance Fee – $35 per vehicle for Glacier, $21 per group for Banff, and $21 per group for Yoho
- Is it More Cost Effective to Buy an America the Beautiful Pass? – Two of these parks are in Canada, so the Interagency Pass will not apply to them. Therefore, I would not recommend purchasing the annual pass just for this itinerary.
- Itinerary Summary
- Days 1-3: Glacier National Park
- Days 4-6: Banff National Park
- Days 7: Yoho National Park
- For more information to help you plan your National Park Roadtrip, visit:
This national park itinerary is unlike the others in that it involves two parks in Canada. Begin your trip in Glacier National Park where you can see alpine forests, numerous glaciers carved-out lakes, and mountain wildlife. Glacier has 25 “active” glaciers that sculpt the landscape as they melt and slide between mountains. Make sure you bring your passport and follow any other entry requirements because you are headed to Canada! Banff is a beautiful mountain town and the perfect place to stay while you explore the Canadian Rockies. Banff National Park, Yoho National Park, and other nearby sights will amaze you with their beauty.
10. Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes, and Black Canyon of the Gunnison
- Nearest Cities – Durango, Colorado
- Best Time of Year to Visit – April to early June and September to October
- Entrance Fee – $20 (Nov-Apr) and $30 (May-Oct) per vehicle for Mesa Verde, $25 per vehicle for Great Sand Dunes, and $30 per vehicle for Black Canyon of the Gunnison
- Is it More Cost Effective to Buy an America the Beautiful Pass? – If traveling in the summer months, absolutely. If you are traveling in the winter months, then not buying the pass will save you $5.
- Itinerary Summary
- Day 1: Great Sand Dunes National Park
- Day 2: Durango, Colorado
- Days 3-4: Mesa Verde National Park
- Day 5: Durango to Silverton Million Dollar Highway
- Days 6: Black Canyon of the Gunnison
- Day 7: Ouray, Colorado
- For more information to help you plan your National Park Roadtrip, visit:
The three national parks in central and southern Colorado are each unique in their own right. Great Sand Dunes is an unexpected surprise in the middle of a very mountainous state. Spend the day sliding down the giant sand dunes and then cool off in the Medano Creek. Next, head to Mesa Verde, located near Durango, Colorado where the Pueblo Indians carved cliff dwellings for their ancient homes. Make sure to book a tour to see these dwellings up close. Spend one day driving from Durango to Silverton before arriving in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. This park is Colorado’s version of the Grand Canyon. Spend a day hiking the canyon and exploring its north and south rims. Spend the last day in Ouray where you can swim in hot springs and see waterfalls at Box Canyon Falls Park and Cascade Falls Park.
11. Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks
- Nearest Cities – Las Vegas, Nevada and Los Angeles and San Diego, California
- Best Time of Year to Visit – November to April
- Entrance Fee – $30 per vehicle for Death Valley and $30 per vehicle for Joshua Tree
- Is it More Cost Effective to Buy an America the Beautiful Pass? – If these are the only parks you plan to visit in a 12 month span, then no. It will be cheaper to buy 7-day passes to each of the parks.
- Itinerary Summary
- Days 1-3: Death Valley
- Days 4-5: Joshua Tree
- Days 6-7: Las Vegas or Los Angeles
- For more information to help you plan your National Park Roadtrip, visit:
- The Perfect Death Valley Itinerary: How to Spend 1, 2, or 3 Days in this National Park
- The Ultimate San Francisco to Las Vegas Itinerary: 4 National Parks in 7 Days
- The Best Places for Hiking Near Las Vegas
- Two-Day Self-Guided Tour of Las Vegas
- Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon: The Ultimate Day Trip from Las Vegas
- Valley of Fire State Park: The Best Hiking Day Trip from Las Vegas
Death Valley is the largest national park in the continental United States at over 3.4 million acres. The variety of terrain at Death Valley will blow your mind – snow-capped mountains, painted hills, badlands, desert, salt flats, canyons, and a waterfall! Drive 4 hours to Joshua Tree National Park where the Mojave and Colorado deserts meet. Hidden Valley, Arch Rock, Skull Rock, and Ryan Mountain are among the best hikes in this park. Round out your national park roadtrip with a couple days in Las Vegas or Los Angeles, depending on where you start this Mojave Loop.
12. Crater Lake, Redwoods, and Lassen Volcanic National Parks
- Nearest Cities – Portland and Eugene, Oregon and Redding, Reno, and Sacramento, California
- Best Time of Year to Visit – mid-July to mid-October
- Entrance Fee – $30 per vehicle for Crater Lake, $30 per vehicle for Lassen Volcanic, and no costs for Redwoods
- Is it More Cost Effective to Buy an America the Beautiful Pass? – If these are the only parks you plan to visit in a 12 month span, then no. It will be cheaper to buy 7-day passes to each of the parks.
- Itinerary Summary
- Days 1-2: Lassen Volcanic
- Days 3-4: Crater Lake
- Days 5-6: Redwoods
- Day 7: Travel Day
- For more information to help you plan your National Park Roadtrip, visit:
In this itinerary, you will spend 2 days in each park plus an extra day for travel. These parks are not close to any major city or really to each other, so you will need to allow for travel time between the parks. But if you make it out to this area, you should really visit each of the parks while you are in this remote area of the Pacific Northwest. Lassen Volcanic is a great alternative to the much busier Yellowstone with its steaming fumaroles, pristine lakes, and old volcanoes. Crater Lake is a unique park that holds the deepest lake in the USA that formed when Mount Mazama collapsed and is surrounded with impressive waterfalls in Umpqua National Forest. Redwoods National Park is home to the giant trees. You will feel so small while walking and driving next to these massive titans.
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