Earth Day is April 22 and National Park Week is April 16-24. It’s the perfect time to get outside and show Mother Nature some appreciation by visiting one of America’s 58 national parks!
With the warmer weather comes the end of the school year, and the end of the school year means summer vacation. This year, planning a fun family trip can literally be a walk in the park.
And there’s also lots to celebrate. Last year was the 50th anniversary of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and this August, the National Park Service will be celebrating 100 years of service. Plus, along with the National Park Foundation, they recently kicked off the Find Your Park movement to inspire all people to connect with, enjoy and support America’s national parks.
If you’re planning a family trip to a national park, why not try one of these five fun ways to get moving (and have an adventure!) while there:
1. Rock Climbing: Does your family love to scramble and climb up rugged rock faces and even glaciers? Then why not hit up a park with craggy outposts and beautiful sand formations, such as Arches National Park. If you have some climbing newbies in your group, Yosemite National Park’s Yosemite Mountaineering School & Guide Service can help train and accompany climbers in the park’s many beautiful climbing areas.
2. Hiking: Throughout our national parks, you and your family can choose a variety of hiking options from scenic strolls through fields of wildflowers to strenuous climbs to the tops of waterfalls. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is full of trails for the whole family including an eight-mile trip along the Appalachian Trail, a three-mile hike to Baskins Creek Falls that includes footbridge crossings to a 25-foot waterfall, or an eight-mile round trip through old-growth forest.
3. Horseback Riding: Experience the wild badlands on horseback. Many parks have miles and miles of trails open to horse use. Fulfill your western dreams and meet real working cowboys when you go riding in Yellowstone National Park, or ride through the prairies of Theodore Roosevelt National Park where the late president himself rode in the late 19th century.
4. Sandboarding: Who says you can’t ski in the summer? Grab some downhill skis, a snowboard or a flat-bottomed plastic sled and set off on a wild ride down the sand in Great Sand Dunes National Park.
5. Canoeing or Kayaking: For those who prefer rowing over hiking, grab a canoe or kayak and paddle your way through a park. View snow-capped mountains while gliding through the waters of Glacier Bay, and with more than 80,000 acres of glacier-carved lakes, Voyageurs National Park is perfect for those who love the water.
