Map Shows the Ultimate U.S. National Park Road Trip

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If exploring the breathtaking beauty of our National Park System in one road trip is something on your bucket list, this may be the perfect map for you. Back in 2016, for the 100^th anniversary of the National Park Service, blogger Randy Olson devised an optimal route to see the most epic national parks across the nation.

The U.S. National Park System technically consists of 59 parks, but 12 of them are in Alaska, Hawaii and other U.S. territories. This road trip is focused solely on those you can reach by car in one trip within the Continental 48.

Even with the reduction of the parks outside the Lower 48, Olson included 47 others along his route that stop in 23 different states. If you've never been to the Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains, Joshua Tree, or any of the other great National Parks, this may be the best way to see them in one shot.

Those determined to finish the trip full of scenic drives can do so in approximately two months! The route covers 14,498 miles. Olson starts his trip at the Grand Canyon, but he designed the route as a loop, so you could begin anywhere on the map and travel in whichever direction you'd like.

Here's the full list of national parks in order and a visual of the route:

The Ultimate U.S. National Park Road Trip

1. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
2. Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona
3. Saguaro National Park, Arizona
4. Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas
5. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
6. Big Bend National Park, Texas
7. Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas
8. Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
9. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee
10. Everglades National Park, Florida
11. Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
12. Biscayne National Park, Florida
13. Congaree National Park, South Carolina
14. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
15. Acadia National Park, Maine
16. Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio
17. Isle Royale National Park, Michigan
18. Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota
19. Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
20. Badlands National Park, South Dakota
21. Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota
22. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
23. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado
24. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado
25. Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
26. Canyonlands National Park, Utah
27. Arches National Park, Utah
28. Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
29. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
30. Zion National Park, Utah
31. Great Basin National Park, Nevada
32. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
33. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
34. Glacier National Park, Montana
35. North Cascades National Park, Washington
36. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
37. Olympic National Park, Washington
38. Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
39. Redwood National and State Parks, California
40. Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
41. Yosemite National Park, California
42. Kings Canyon National Park, California
43. Sequoia National Park, California
44. Pinnacles National Park, California
45. Channel Islands National Park, California
46. Joshua Tree National Park, California
47. Death Valley National Park, California

This post was originally published on June 16, 2017. It was updated on March 9, 2022. 

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