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8 National Parks Your Family Needs to Visit Before the Kids Grow Up!

National-Parks-to-Visit-With-Kids

“Hey guys, want to go to the Grand Canyon this weekend?”

“No thanks.”

“That’s too far.”

“I’m so glad I have to work.”

“I’m not doing that.”

Excuses, excuses fly from the mouths of our four teenagers who seem done with family adventuring and memory-making.

That’s why you do a 7-month family sabbatical around the USA and hit as many National Parks as you can before your kids become teenagers! We had our foursome exactly where we wanted them in 2014 when we wore out our National Park pass traveling 44 states by RV.

Here are 8 of our National Park Service Family Favorites

Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina.

1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – North Carolina and Tennessee

Roaming Elk at Great Smoky National Park.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is gorgeous in the fall. We loved our time here!

Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah

2. Bryce Canyon National Park – UtahFamily hiking at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah

We loved hiking all through Bryce Canyon and enjoying the beautifully unique scenery!

Are you familiar with Utah’s Mighty Five National Parks? We only hit two of them and hope to knock out the other three soon!

Zion National Park in Utah

3. Zion National Park – Utah

Zion National Park and the Narrows hike was a family favorite.

Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming

4. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming

Buffalo at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming

Yellowstone is just one of those popular National Parks that you just have to go to one day. It’s really amazing to witness Old Faithful spout up right in front of you!

Family hiking around Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming

Glacier National Park in Montana

5. Glacier National Park – Montana

West Glacier National Park in Montana

Glacier National Park is out of this world! Despite the rainy weather and cooler temperatures, this park was absolutely stunning.

Junior Ranger program at West Glacier National Park in Montana

Get your kids involved in the Junior Ranger program, where they can earn badges or patches by filling out workbooks at each National Park for free.

National Park Junior Ranger badge collection

Our kids have quite the collection of earned badges and have many fun memories attached to each one.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park in Carlsbad, New Mexico

6. Carlsbad Caverns National Park – New Mexico

Family hiking at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in Carlsbad, New Mexico

Carlsbad Caverns was one of a few caves we hit along our tour of the US. Try to go when the “Bat Flight” program happens every evening from Memorial Day through October at 7 p.m.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park ranger guided candlelight cave tour

Or take a candlelit guided tour through the cave for a unique experience!

Mount Rushmore National Park in Black Hills, South Dakota

7. Mount Rushmore National Memorial – South Dakota

Kids looking at Mount Rushmore National Monument in Black Hills, South Dakota

Mount Rushmore is a must-see. Here are my tips when visiting this American icon!

Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming

8. Devils Tower National Monument – Wyoming

DevilsTowerkids

Devils Tower is only a 2 1/2 hour drive from Mount Rushmore.

Devils Tower National Monument Deer in Wyoming

How many of these National Parks have you been to?

Which National Park is your family favorite?

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