Happy National Parks week! If you follow us on Instagram, you may have seen that we teamed up with a few friends to bring you on a tour of some of our favorite National Parks in the West. We started at Olympic National Park and hit Yosemite National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Grand Canyon National Park and Zion National Park. Join our newsletter this week for our top tips for exploring “America’s Best Idea”.
We started off in Olympic National Park with Mikah Meyer. He’s the first person to visit all 400+ National Park Service sites in a single journey. Mikah’s trail tips are essential for safe travel in whichever National Park is your destination.
1️⃣ Pack for the weather
2️⃣ Dress in layers
3️⃣ Always stop at the Visitor’s Center upon arrival at a new park
Learn more about Mikah and his trip to Olympic National Park:
Adventure rating: 󠅓 🌲🌱🌿🌎🌦
Cozy rating: 🎶📓
Next, we visited Yosemite with Teagan Maddux, a San Diego-based outdoor adventure photographer. As tempting as it is to sleep in while you're on vacation, Teagan recommends waking up early to catch the sunrise!
Although she says the sunrises in Yosemite are beautiful no matter where you watch them, here are three spots to sip your morning coffee with a view:
1️⃣ Tunnel View: Pictured above, and may remind you of an old Apple Wallpaper…
2️⃣ Valley View: Best during Spring and Summer months, and less busy than the iconic Tunnel View.
3️⃣ Glacier Point: Arguably one of the best vistas in all of Yosemite! Prepare to set an early alarm, it can take over 45 minutes to ascend to this spot.
Want to learn more about Teagan’s trip to Yosemite?
Adventure rating: 󠅓🏞📸🌄
Cozy rating: 🚐💤☕️☕️
In search of warmer weather, we set off to the Joshua Tree desert with Aisha Drayton.
She recommends soaking in the vibrant pink and purple hues of sunset at the Cholla Cactus Garden! But just like Mikah, don’t forget to pack warm layers (and a Joshua Tree Original Puffy) - the desert gets cold when the sun goes down!
Fun Fact: Despite their name, Joshua Trees aren’t trees— they’re succulents!
See the sunset for yourself!
Adventure rating: 󠅓🌵🏜
Cozy rating: 🌅🌅
Want cozy and convenience in the heart of Grand Canyon National Park? Jacey West showed us just how to do it! Go tent camping in the park and stay at the Mather Campground, which is located near the South Rim and has picnic tables, fire pits, bathrooms (with flush toilets!), and the best part— it’s just a 15-minute walk from the Rim of the Grand Canyon.
Jacey’s Tip: Book your site a few months in advance!
Adventure rating: 󠅓🏜🌵🏜
Cozy rating: 🏕🏕🏕
Last, but certainly not least, the Fontes Four Pack took us on their family trip to Zion National Park in southern Utah.
Fontes’ Tip: Get your hiking permit in advance if you plan to hike Angels Landing. This permit requirement started on April 1st, 2022 in response to the concerns about crowding and congestion on this strenuous trail to reach the summit of Angels Landing.
You can still hike the beautiful West Rim Trail without a permit all the way up to Scout Lookout. “The views from Scout Lookout are absolutely incredible and are the perfect spot to take a break and just soak up the views!”.
Ready for a family adventure?
Adventure rating: 󠅓🥾🌄🌅
Cozy rating: 🏜🏜
Have something to share? Let us know! We'd love to hear your ideas, or hit us up just to chat.
