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Let’s See All The National Parks

National Park Week Part 2

Let’s see all the National Parks. That’s the goal, but if you’re just getting started, here’s our recommendation for our National Parks Top 10 list.

Let’s See All The National Parks in California
Sequoia National Park, California

If you love trees like I love trees, especially really big trees, then Sequoia is the place for you. I literally teared up the first time we arrived and saw our first sequoia. On our second trip to Sequoia, on our way back from Yosemite, we spotted a baby bear cub rolling in the meadow. Once we realized the mama wasn’t too far away, we hiked off in the other direction.

Top 10 National Parks: Sequoia National Park
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Top 10 National Parks: Sequoia National Park
Zanne, hugging that giant sequoia
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Zanne, hugging that giant sequoia
Sequoia National Park
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Sequoia National Park

Death Valley National Park,
California

The road turning into Artist Palette
The road turning into Artist Palette
Death Valley National Park
Top 10 National Parks
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Death Valley National Park

Death Valley is on my Top 10 National Parks list because of its raw, diverse beauty. In one National Park, you go from towering sand dunes to salt plains below sea level, to Artist Palette Dunes of sand and rock the colors of ice cream. If its adventure you crave, this is the National Park for you.

And so the adventure begins
Zanne just outside Death Valley National Park
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Zanne just outside Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park
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Death Valley National Park
Top 10 National Parks
Death Valley- the lowest point in America

King’s Canyon National Park,
California

Kings Canyon is the sister (brother?) park to Sequoia, as they come together and turn from one park to the other. The twisty road from Sequoia turns to a miss of sequoia trees, towering pines, and mountains. I personally felt the energy from Sequoia was comforting while the energy in King’s Canyon was energizing (I would be interested if others had the same experience, please comment below). King’s Canyon echoed of the melting mountain snow crashing down through the valley in a rushing creek. You can visit both parks in one day if you wanted, or make it part of your road trip to Yosemite. To check out more about our trips to Yosemite click here.

The Majestic Kings Canyon National Park 
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National Parks Top 10
The Majestic Kings Canyon National Park
King's Canyon National Park
King’s Canyon National Park
General Sherman, Kings's Canyon National Park
Top 10 National Parks
National Parks Top 10
General Sherman, Kings’s Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park
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King’s Canyon National Park

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Barker's Dam, Joshua Tree National Park
Barker’s Dam, Joshua Tree National Park
Sunset at Joshua Tree

Along with Death Valley, Joshua Tree has the most diversity in its landscapes from the National Parks that we have seen. In the spring, hiking to Barker’s Dam is an amazing journey and a fairly easy hike through the rocks and wildflowers. By June, the desert takes over once again and any hiking through the dry desert should be done in the very early or late hours. But that’s a key secret-the sunsets at Joshua Tree are some of the most amazing that I’ve ever seen, with the sky ablaze against the silhouettes of the Joshua Trees. I dedicated a whole blog to our golden hour sunset experience, as well as another on my first road trip to Joshua Tree.

Sunset at Joshua Tree
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Top 10 National Parks
Sunset at Joshua Tree
National Parks Top 10
Cholla Gardens at Joshua Tree National Park

Within a day, you can drive through the park and see fields of Joshua Trees as plentiful as a yard full of dandelions. You can drive through endless piles of boulders as if they were dropped from the sky. Then view the black rolling mountains, and walk (carefully) through the cholla.

National Parks Top 10
WhereGalsWander was honored to have one of our Instagram photos of Joshua Tree shared by National Park Photography
Skull Rock
Joshua Tree National Park
National Parks Top 10
Skull Rock, Joshua Tree National Park

Mojave National Preserve

Ok, Mojave is technically not a national park and it’s a national preserve. I loved getting to take the road that cuts right through this desert on our way from Los Angeles to Vegas and on to Utah.

Mojave National Preserve
Mojave National Preserve
Mojave
Driving through the Mojave

Let’s See All The National Parks in Nevada

Great Basin National Park, Ely, Nevada

Zanne at Great Basin National Park

Literally all the National Parks inNevada are…Great Basin National Park. But, how often do you get to explore under a National Park? Great Basin makes our top 10 National Parks list for one reason: Lehman Caves. On my road trip across the Loneliest Road in America, I made a brief one hour stop at Great Basin.

Looking up at the ceiling of Lehman Caves

A few important things to note about exploring Lehman Caves: you have to reserve a tour in advance (like a few weeks in advance). There is a fee to take the tour. Do not take this tour if you are claustrophobic or have a fear of dark, tight spaces. There are areas where it is softly lit. But there are other areas where you solely rely on the small flashlight that you are responsible for bringing (BYOF-bring your own flashlight). You cannot bring anything with you into the caves-only a flashlight, and your camera or phone, and absolutely nothing else that cannot fit in your hand (no purses, no backpacks). You may want to wear a jacket because it was chilly, even in July.

I thought it was one of the coolest and unique experiences to explore part of the earth worn away by time and moisture. This is definitely a park I want to return to and explore further.

Squeezing through the crevice
Inside Lehman Caves, Great Basin National Park
WhereGalsWander.com
Inside Lehman Caves, Great Basin National Park
Lehman Caves, Great Basin National Park
WhereGalsWander.com
Lehman Caves, Great Basin National Park

Want More National Parks?

Check out the first five favorite national parks here. We included some additional photos below so you can take in our National Parks Top 10 all at once. Where to next? On our list is Yellowstone, Glacier, Smoky Mountains and Banff. In the meantime, we are just grateful we had a chance to see some of these amazing places. Also check out separate posts on Joshua Tree

Channel Islands National Park
Zion National Park
Weeping Rock, Zion National Park
Yosemite, Hetch Hechy National Park
Yosemite
Grand Canyon

Zanne

Zanne is the Founder, Editor, Administration, and Publisher of WhereGalsWander along with the title of Chief Trouble Maker. Blame her for everything.

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