One of my favorite question in the whole wide world is “What do you like better? This, or that?” Usually, it’s something dumb like “who do you like better.. me or Guido?” which I asked my dad a ton with humorous results (I never won!). Whenever I have posed those words in the past, usually you're about to hear something stupid. But this, this is serious. It’s a list of the best National Parks during the Summer of Baseball 2008 (in my eyes, at least). I visited 18 parks in all, which is just 12 less than all of the baseball parks I will visit. So, needless to say it was a large part of my trip, especially during my time out west. I had to make some real tough decisions on whether or not park “A” was better than park “B”, but I thought about all of the good things the park had to offer and came up with my results. I really did like them all in some way (except #18) making this list incredibly hard to come up with. But.. here it is.. The Greatest Hits: National Park Edition.
18. Badlands National Park: Unlike the Danish territory of Greenland, the name of this place truly fits the bill. This place is baaad. I thought the main draw of the park was not scenic at all. I really don't know why anybody would want to come here.
Distinctions: WINNER: Ugliest Scenery
WINNER: Worst of the Worst
RUNNER-UP: Like Dust?
17. Death Valley National Park: Besides the fact that I almost got into some serious trouble because of dehydration, I wasn't all that crazy about this park. Simply put, it wasn't all that pretty. It was very dusty and the mountains were hardly that impressive. I think the only reason why this place is a national park is because it is home to the lowest land spot on North America. That's cool, but "national park" worthy? Hardly.
Distinctions: WINNER: FUCK it's Hot!
WINNER: Like Dust?
RUNNER-UP: Ugliest Scenery
RUNNER-UP: Worst of the Worst
16. Zion National Park: This place is low because of the high crowds that stopped me from even being able to park in order to get on the bus. And with this place, if you can't get on the bus, there isn't much of a draw with the other parts of the park. I didn't spend much time here but from what I saw I didn't miss much.
Distinctions: RUNNER-UP: Least Accessible
15. Carlsbad Caverns National Park: I liked what the park had to offer, but it wasn't exactly a pretty thing to see. It's more of an interesting place than anything else. You won't be taken aback by what's inside and instead will be like "that's odd" and move on. Because of this, there isn't much redeeming value to the park.
Distinctions: WINNER: Sooo Creepy!
WINNER: Most Annoying Park Rangers
14. Sequoia/King's Canyon National Parks: The twin combo of these joint-parks provided something that wasn't very special. The vast majority of the landscape is something you can see damn near anywhere in the west and it's not nationally recognized there. This place has some big Sequoia trees mixed in, but not to a level that makes the trees themselves feel unique to the area.
Distinctions: RUNNER-UP: FUCK it's Hot
RUNNER-UP: Damn That's a BIIIIIG Tree
13. North Cascades National Park: I really enjoyed the scenery of this area. It is pretty much exactly how I picture the state of Washington. But, the park itself was nothing more than a drive through an area that wasn't even considered part of the park, but only a small gap between it's top and bottom half. There really isn't much to do here unless you're super hardcore and backpack for weeks in the middle of the wild regions of the park itself.
Distinctions: WINNER: Fullest of Life
WINNER: Least Accessible
12. Yellowstone National Park: This is an okay place to check out. It's got tons of things to see. The thing that it's most known for.. the geothermal activity.. is something that you'll find interesting but not exactly breathtaking. It's biggest redeeming quality is it's other landscapes, but that part doesn't feel very different than other places.
Distinctions: WINNER: Biggest Crowds
WINNER: Most Overrated
11. Bryce Canyon National Park: In a largely unknown park resides some very unique land structures that really make this place stand out. It's tall hoodoos (tall thin projections from ground) that are in such tight concentration is something that can't really be seen elsewhere. The views of the surrounding area are pretty picturesque too. But, only a small part of the park has the interesting features, which kind of sucks.
Distinctions: WINNER: Craziest Land Structures
10. Crater Lake National Park: I hardly got to see much of the park due to weather, but from what I did see I liked, as the lake felt very unnatural in its blueness. It pretty much is the purest thing you can see in any of the parks. But after awhile you realize it's just a big (albeit pretty) lake and you would like to do something else, but the park is solely about the lake, so it can get old.
Distinctions: RUNNER-UP: Most Stunning Single View
RUNNER-UP: Is This Real?
RUNNER-UP: Is There Anything Else Here??
9. Acadia National Park: The only east coast park during my trip was a good one. The coastal landscape is very special and when the area is shrouded in a mist like it was for me, it becomes even more special as everything feels very surreal. You can't get the kind of things you feel here in many other places.
Distinctions: WINNER: Am I Dreaming?
RUNNER-UP: Sooo Creepy!
8. Rainier National Park: This place may be named after Mount Rainier, but it is hardly the only draw. The landscape around the mountain is very Washington-esque, with tons of greenery and hilly landscapes. And unlike its northern neighbor park, it is real accessible, so you can get a better feel for the park itself.
Distinctions: RUNNER-UP: Most Diverse Landscape
RUNNER-UP: BRRRR!
7. Grand Teton National Park: It may seem like any other mountain-based park from afar, but when seen up close, you can tell that these mountains are unlike any other. The jagged peaks of the Tetons are unrivaled in the States. The trails that shoot through the area with the peaks always in sight make exploring this area first-rate.
Distinctions: WINNER: Most Insane Mountains
RUNNER-UP: AHH.. Now THIS is Relaxing
6. Redwood National Park: The trees don't seem like anything special until you're actually walking right next to them. Then, this place is awe-inspiring. The densely populated giants make everything else living seem small in comparison. It really makes you realize how small we really are in the grand scheme of things.
Distinctions: WINNER: Damn That's a BIIIIIG Tree
WINNER: I Feel So Effing Small!
WINNER: Smallest Crowds
5. Arches National Park: The high concentration of the highly eroded and delicate arches is a remarkable sight to behold. There's literally hundreds of arches here, and each one is impressive. The fact that many many arches are just a hike away is a definite plus as the beauty of this place can be seen with ease.
Distinctions: WINNER: Most Accessible
RUNNER-UP: Craziest Land Structures
4. Olympic National Park: Going to this place is like going to three different parks in one. High country mountains, lush jungle, untouched beach.. you get them all, and this place isn't very big. Each one produces an unforgettable experience as each area is top notch. The mountains are breathtaking, the jungle is dreamlike, and the beach is beautiful in its wildness. Many hours can be spent in one of the areas, and you get three.
Distinctions: WINNER: Most Underrated
WINNER: Most Diverse Landscape
RUNNER-UP: Am I Dreaming?
RUNNER-UP: Fullest of Life
3. Glacier National Park: This place is in the middle of nowhere. And that's a good thing, because what you get is a very peaceful atmosphere in the middle of the giant glacier-covered landscape with the huge lakes that were created from the glaciers. The endless walking paths that cover the area make experiencing the beauty a cinch.
Distinctions: WINNER: Ahh.. Now THIS is Relaxing
WINNER: BRRRR!
RUNNER-UP: Most All-Around Amazing Views
RUNNER-UP: Most Accessible
RUNNER-UP: Smallest Crowds
RUNNER-UP: Most Insane Mountains
2. Yosemite National Park: Even though this is one of the most populated parks in the country, it is one of the best. I could tell, even though the smoke screwed up my views. It's because of the amazing landscapes. The traditional high-mountain views proved to be one of the most stunning compared to the other similar parks, and the huge granite mountain walls were truly incredible in size.
Distinctions: WINNER: Most All-Around Amazing Views
RUNNER-UP: The Best of the Best
RUNNER-UP: I Feel So Effing Small!
RUNNER-UP: Biggest Crowds
1. Grand Canyon National Park: Even though this park is pretty much of the canyon itself, it still is the best. Why? Because the canyon is truly one of a kind, and not just in the U.S. but in the entire world. When looking out at the vast emptiness, it really becomes hard to comprehend how it all is possible. The incredibly unique view of this place (especially from the north rim) makes this the best park to see if natural beauty is what you're after.
Distinctions: WINNER: The Best of the Best
WINNER: Most Stunning Single View
WINNER: Is This Real?
WINNER: Is There Anything Else Here??
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