Spring 2026 Planning Guide

Skip the crowds.
Find your park.

We crunch the data on all 62 national parks — crowds, trails, camping, costs — so you can pick the right one.

Featured Parks

Three parks, three different vibes — from mega-popular to hidden gem.

A crowd of people standing along a wooden boardwalk watches a geyser erupt.

Yellowstone

ID, MT, WY

Comfortable

On March 1, 1872, Yellowstone became the first national park for all to enjoy the unique hydrothermal wonders. Today, millions of people come here each year to camp, hike, and enjoy the majesty of the park.

The sun sets behind large red and white towers of sandstone.

Zion

UT

Very Crowded Dark Sky

Follow the paths where people have walked for thousands of years. Gaze up at massive sandstone cliffs of cream, pink, and red that soar into a brilliant blue sky. Experience the tall, stretching walls of a narrow slot canyon. Zion's unique array of plants and animals will enchant you as you absorb the rich history of the past and enjoy the excitement of present-day adventures.

Tents set up in a wooded area.

North Cascades

WA

Room to Breathe Hidden Gem Free Entry

Less than three hours from Seattle, an alpine landscape beckons. Discover communities of life adapted to moisture in the west and recurring fire in the east. Explore jagged peaks crowned by more than 300 glaciers. Listen to cascading waters in forested valleys. Witness a landscape sensitive to the Earth's changing climate. Help steward the ecological heart of the Cascades.