Best National Parks in USA Ranked in Every Way Possible

For me, national parks are the best thing about The United States of America.

USA is truly blessed to have national parks of such immaculate beauty and incredible diversity.

Currently, you will find 63 national parks in USA covering forests, geysers, glaciers, deserts, snowcapped mountains, canyons and more.

Each of these 63 national parks have their own charm and distinctiveness. Ideally, every travel enthusiast should try to experience all national parks at least once in their lifetime.

Nevertheless, if you can’t do all but want to experience the best, I have tried to rank the national parks in every possible way.

This is a daunting task considering all of them are just perfect. I have tried to take as much local recommendations as possible for the rankings.

Therefore, if you want to experience the best national parks as per your specific interests, these lists are for you.

Before We Get Started

Before we get started with our best national parks in USA lists, do keep in mind the following.

1) These are personal opinions and are not scientific in any way.

2) If you have your own favorite for any category, please let me know in the comments. It will really help readers to truly comprehend the best national parks for the specific group.

3) This is an ever-evolving page. New categories and rankings will be added constantly. If you want me to add a new ranking category, please feel free to ask.

NOTE: For the most incredible experiences in any national park in US, check Viator USA National Parks section.

Complete List of National Parks in USA sorted Alphabetically

Before we get into the specific rankings, let us take a look at all the national parks.

Here’s the list of all 63 national parks in US organized alphabetically along with the state(s) they are located in.

1. Acadia National Park – Maine
2. American Samoa National Park – American Samoa
3. Arches National Park – Utah
4. Badlands National Park – South Dakota
5. Big Bend National Park – Texas
6. Biscayne National Park – Florida
7. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park – Colorado
8. Bryce Canyon National Park – Utah
9. Canyonlands National Park – Utah
10. Capitol Reef National Park – Utah
11. Carlsbad Caverns National Park – New Mexico
12. Channel Islands National Park – California
13. Congaree National Park – South Carolina
14. Crater Lake National Park – Oregon
15. Cuyahoga Valley National Park – Ohio
16. Death Valley National Park – California, Nevada
17. Denali National Park – Alaska
18. Dry Tortugas National Park – Florida
19. Everglades National Park – Florida
20. Gates of the Arctic National Park – Alaska
21. Gateway Arch National Park – Missouri
22. Glacier National Park – Montana
23. Glacier Bay National Park – Alaska
24. Grand Canyon National Park – Arizona
25. Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming
26. Great Basin National Park – Nevada
27. Great Sand Dunes National Park – Colorado
28. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – North Carolina, Tennessee
29. Guadalupe Mountains National Park – Texas
30. Haleakalā National Park – Hawaii
31. Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park – Hawaii
32. Hot Springs National Park – Arkansas
33. Indiana Dunes National Park – Indiana
34. Isle Royale National Park – Michigan
35. Joshua Tree National Park – California
36. Katmai National Park – Alaska
37. Kenai Fjords National Park – Alaska
38. Kings Canyon National Park – California
39. Kobuk Valley National Park – Alaska
40. Lake Clark National Park – Alaska
41. Lassen Volcanic National Park – California
42. Mammoth Cave National Park – Kentucky
43. Mesa Verde National Park – Colorado
44. Mount Rainier National Park – Washington
45. New River Gorge National Park – West Virginia
46. North Cascades National Park – Washington
47. Olympic National Park – Washington
48. Petrified Forest National Park – Arizona
49. Pinnacles National Park – California
50. Redwood National Park – California
51. Rocky Mountain National Park – Colorado
52. Saguaro National Park – Arizona
53. Sequoia National Park – California
54. Shenandoah National Park – Virginia
55. Theodore Roosevelt National Park – North Dakota
56. Virgin Islands National Park – U.S. Virgin Islands
57. Voyageurs National Park – Minnesota
58. White Sands National Park – New Mexico
59. Wind Cave National Park – South Dakota
60. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park – Alaska
61. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
62. Yosemite National Park – California
63. Zion National Park – Utah

Now that we know all the national parks, let us get into the rankings.

Best National Parks in USA Rankings

Here are our rankings for the best national parks in US.

10 Best National Parks in US for Kids, Toddlers and Families

1. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
2. Grand Canyon National Park – Arizona
3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Tennessee, North Carolina
4. Yosemite National Park – California
5. Zion National Park – Utah
6. Acadia National Park – Maine
7. Rocky Mountain National Park – Colorado
8. Everglades National Park – Florida
9. Bryce Canyon National Park – Utah
10. Olympic National Park – Washington

10 Best National Parks in US for Hiking and Trekking

1. Yosemite National Park – California
2. Zion National Park – Utah
3. Glacier National Park – Montana
4. Grand Canyon National Park – Arizona
5. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Tennessee, North Carolina
6. Rocky Mountain National Park – Colorado
7. Mount Rainier National Park – Washington
8. Olympic National Park – Washington
9. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
10. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks – California

10 Best National Parks in US for Camping

1. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
2. Yosemite National Park – California
3. Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming
4. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Tennessee, North Carolina
5. Glacier National Park – Montana
6. Zion National Park – Utah
7. Acadia National Park – Maine
8. Olympic National Park – Washington
9. Shenandoah National Park – Virginia
10. Joshua Tree National Park – California

10 Best National Parks in US for Glamping

1. Zion National Park – Utah
2. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
3. Grand Canyon National Park – Arizona
4. Glacier National Park – Montana
5. Yosemite National Park – California
6. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Tennessee, North Carolina
7. Joshua Tree National Park – California
8. Acadia National Park – Maine
9. Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming
10. Shenandoah National Park – Virginia

10 Best National Parks in US for RV Camping

1. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
2. Grand Canyon National Park – Arizona
3. Yosemite National Park – California
4. Zion National Park – Utah
5. Glacier National Park – Montana
6. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Tennessee, North Carolina
7. Rocky Mountain National Park – Colorado
8. Bryce Canyon National Park – Utah
9. Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming
10. Olympic National Park – Washington

10 Best National Parks in US for Wildlife

1. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
2. Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming
3. Everglades National Park – Florida
4. Denali National Park – Alaska
5. Glacier National Park – Montana
6. Olympic National Park – Washington
7. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Tennessee, North Carolina
8. Rocky Mountain National Park – Colorado
9. Isle Royale National Park – Michigan
10. Katmai National Park – Alaska

10 Best National Parks in US for Summer

1. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
2. Glacier National Park – Montana
3. Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming
4. Acadia National Park – Maine
5. Olympic National Park – Washington
6. Rocky Mountain National Park – Colorado
7. Yosemite National Park – California
8. Mount Rainier National Park – Washington
9. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Tennessee, North Carolina
10. Sequoia National Park – California

10 Best National Parks in US for Winter

1. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
2. Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming
3. Rocky Mountain National Park – Colorado
4. Yosemite National Park – California
5. Bryce Canyon National Park – Utah
6. Zion National Park – Utah
7. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Tennessee, North Carolina
8. Olympic National Park – Washington
9. Mount Rainier National Park – Washington
10. Everglades National Park – Florida

10 Best National Parks in US for Autumn and Fall

1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Tennessee, North Carolina
2. Shenandoah National Park – Virginia
3. Acadia National Park – Maine
4. Rocky Mountain National Park – Colorado
5. Cuyahoga Valley National Park – Ohio
6. Glacier National Park – Montana
7. Mount Rainier National Park – Washington
8. Yosemite National Park – California
9. Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming
10. Ozark National Scenic Riverways – Missouri

10 Best National Parks in US for Spring

1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Tennessee, North Carolina
2. Shenandoah National Park – Virginia
3. Yosemite National Park – California
4. Zion National Park – Utah
5. Grand Canyon National Park – Arizona
6. Acadia National Park – Maine
7. Bryce Canyon National Park – Utah
8. Olympic National Park – Washington
9. Death Valley National Park – California, Nevada
10. Joshua Tree National Park – California

10 Best National Parks in US for Dogs

1. Acadia National Park – Maine
2. Shenandoah National Park – Virginia
3. Great Sand Dunes National Park – Colorado
4. Cuyahoga Valley National Park – Ohio
5. Petrified Forest National Park – Arizona
6. Congaree National Park – South Carolina
7. White Sands National Park – New Mexico
8. New River Gorge National Park – West Virginia
9. Grand Canyon National Park – Arizona
10. Zion National Park – Utah

10 Best National Parks in US for Beauty

1. Yosemite National Park – California
2. Grand Canyon National Park – Arizona
3. Glacier National Park – Montana
4. Zion National Park – Utah
5. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
6. Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming
7. Olympic National Park – Washington
8. Bryce Canyon National Park – Utah
9. Acadia National Park – Maine
10. Denali National Park – Alaska

10 Best National Parks in US for Biodiversity

1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Tennessee, North Carolina
2. Everglades National Park – Florida
3. Olympic National Park – Washington
4. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
5. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks – California
6. Shenandoah National Park – Virginia
7. Big Bend National Park – Texas
8. Biscayne National Park – Florida
9. Channel Islands National Park – California
10. Redwood National and State Parks – California

10 Best National Parks in US for Natural Diversity

1. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
2. Olympic National Park – Washington
3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Tennessee, North Carolina
4. Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming
5. Big Bend National Park – Texas
6. Yosemite National Park – California
7. Denali National Park – Alaska
8. Everglades National Park – Florida
9. Glacier National Park – Montana
10. Acadia National Park – Maine

10 Best National Parks in US for Stargazing

1. Big Bend National Park – Texas
2. Bryce Canyon National Park – Utah
3. Grand Canyon National Park – Arizona
4. Death Valley National Park – California, Nevada
5. Great Basin National Park – Nevada
6. Joshua Tree National Park – California
7. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
8. Glacier National Park – Montana
9. Arches National Park – Utah
10. Capitol Reef National Park – Utah

10 Best National Parks in US for Sunrise

1. Grand Canyon National Park – Arizona
2. Acadia National Park – Maine
3. Bryce Canyon National Park – Utah
4. Haleakalā National Park – Hawaii
5. Zion National Park – Utah
6. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
7. Joshua Tree National Park – California
8. Arches National Park – Utah
9. Badlands National Park – South Dakota
10. Shenandoah National Park – Virginia

10 Best National Parks in US for Sunsets

1. Grand Canyon National Park – Arizona
2. Zion National Park – Utah
3. Joshua Tree National Park – California
4. Yosemite National Park – California
5. Bryce Canyon National Park – Utah
6. Arches National Park – Utah
7. Everglades National Park – Florida
8. Olympic National Park – Washington
9. Death Valley National Park – California, Nevada
10. Badlands National Park – South Dakota

10 Best National Parks in US for Snow Peaks

1. Denali National Park – Alaska
2. Mount Rainier National Park – Washington
3. Glacier National Park – Montana
4. Rocky Mountain National Park – Colorado
5. Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming
6. Yosemite National Park – California
7. Olympic National Park – Washington
8. North Cascades National Park – Washington
9. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks – California
10. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Tennessee, North Carolina

10 Best National Parks in US for Glaciers

1. Glacier National Park – Montana
2. Denali National Park – Alaska
3. Kenai Fjords National Park – Alaska
4. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park – Alaska
5. Mount Rainier National Park – Washington
6. North Cascades National Park – Washington
7. Olympic National Park – Washington
8. Gates of the Arctic National Park – Alaska
9. Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming
10. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho

10 Best National Parks in US for Uniqueness

1. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
2. Grand Canyon National Park – Arizona
3. Everglades National Park – Florida
4. Death Valley National Park – California, Nevada
5. Joshua Tree National Park – California
6. Carlsbad Caverns National Park – New Mexico
7. Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park – Hawaii
8. Mammoth Cave National Park – Kentucky
9. Great Sand Dunes National Park – Colorado
10. Dry Tortugas National Park – Florida

You may also like to read:

The Greatest Spots for Boondocking near Zion National Park

Best Glamping in Asheville, NC: Discover your Nirvana

Final thoughts

I do want to reiterate that the above rankings are by no means scientific.

These are just personal opinions. Please do share your own opinions and preferences.

Finally, if possible, do try to visit all national parks in US at least once in your lifetime.

They are a national treasure and the best part of USA.

NOTE: For the most incredible experiences in any national park in US, check Viator USA National Parks section.