Ranking All The National Parks I Visited This Summer

This summer, I visited the USA on a two-week road trip with G Adventures. This involved a small group of us piling into a minivan and chasing some of the most iconic landscapes of the American Southwest.

By the end of the trip, I’d visited six national parks: Yosemite, Death Valley, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Joshua Tree. Some really did live up to the hype, some surprised me, and a couple didn’t quite click in the way I expected.

While I only spent a relatively short while in each park, I feel that the hikes, viewpoints, or sheer variety of scenery I experienced gave me a solid feel for each. Here’s how I’d rank all the national parks I visited this summer, from least favourite to most favourite.

6. Death Valley National Park

Death Valley is the lowest, hottest, and driest place in North America. It’s essentially a desert valley, and the extreme conditions have led to a unique landscape of dunes, canyons, and salt flats. It really does look incredible, and I’d never seen anything like it, so it gets a lot of points for uniqueness and beauty.

That being said, I visited Death Valley in July. The temperature clocked in at a scorching 107.6°F (42°C) at 10 am. I dread to think what the temperature would have climbed to after midday. This heat, coupled with the total lack of shade, made exploring outside the car for too long impossible.

We got out to explore Badwater Basin on foot, making it only a short way from where we parked before admitting the sun had defeated us and turning back. This meant we primarily drove around the park in our air-conditioned minivan, which, to be fair, was a very fun experience. The landscape is striking even when viewed through a window.

Visiting Death Valley in July is definitely not ideal, and I think with cooler temperatures, this national park could’ve landed higher on this list. If you’re planning a visit, I’d save Death Valley for late autumn through spring, when it’s possible to enjoy the viewpoints and walks without feeling as though you’re being cooked alive.

5. Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park doesn’t play around with its name. You want Joshua trees? You’ll find thousands of them here. They’re actually a type of yucca plant rather than real trees, with tall, spiky branches that give them a slightly sci-fi look. They can grow up to around 12 metres tall and live for centuries, which is impressive considering how harsh the desert is.

As we entered the park, our guide put on U2’s The Joshua Tree album, which was inspired by the desert landscapes of the American Southwest. The music matched the scenery perfectly, and it created such a nice atmosphere as we cruised past the trees and rock formations.

Skull Rock was one of my favourite spots. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a giant boulder shaped like a skull with deep eye sockets carved by erosion. A very unusual and memorable sight. Another highlight was walking the Hidden Valley Nature Trail; it’s a short, easy loop, but a great way to see the landscape up close.

While the landscape really is something you won’t find anywhere else, it did start to feel a little repetitive after a while. I tend to gravitate more toward mountains, lakes, and forests, so Joshua Tree didn’t quite hit the same emotional beat for me. Still, I’m glad I got to see it because it really is stunning, and unlike any other national park we visited.

4. Grand Canyon National Park

The Grand Canyon really needs no introduction. It’s probably the most iconic landmark in the USA. This, coupled with my dad saying it was one of the most impressive things he’d ever seen, had me going in with very high expectations. So I was surprised to find myself a little underwhelmed. Don’t get me wrong, the sheer scale is unbelievable, and it is very impressive, but it didn’t quite strike me the way I expected it to.

Hiking the Bright Angel Trail was the highlight of my visit. It takes you below the rim and into the canyon itself, giving you a good sense of just how deep, layered, and expansive it really is. As you descend deeper and deeper, the views get better and better. I highly recommend this hike if you want a richer feel for the canyon.

We also walked the Rim Trail, which stays above the rim and takes you to a series of viewpoints along the edge. Each viewpoint gives a slightly different perspective or angle, and it’s a lovely, peaceful way to see more of the canyon without too much exertion. There are also shuttle stops along the route, so it’s much more accessible than Bright Angel.

I’m glad I saw the Grand Canyon, and I had a great time there, but the parks higher up this list hit me in a slightly more memorable way. I think part of that is because the views are so vast, and so familiar from photos, that it almost felt too big to take in. It didn’t have that same immersive feeling that some of the other parks gave me.

If you’re wondering why the landscape photo of the Grand Canyon above looks a little hazy, it’s because there was sadly a wildfire on the North Rim.

3. Zion National Park

Zion is simply beautiful. I was completely mesmerised as we entered the park, with the red canyons rising above pockets of greenery, and the Virgin River weaving along the valley floor. Driving into Zion was breathtaking on its own, but the scenery only got better once we started exploring on foot.

Most of my group chose to do The Narrows, a world-famous hike through a slot canyon where you walk through the often waist-deep river between towering sandstone walls. I’m sure it’s an incredible experience, but three others and I opted for the Emerald Pools Trail instead. I’m not great with being in water, so The Narrows wasn’t for me.

The scenery on the Emerald Pools Trail was wonderfully varied, shifting between red rock walls, cool shaded sections, green valleys, small waterfalls, and the pools themselves tucked into the cliffs. It was hot, but there was enough shade that it felt very manageable, and the constant change in scenery kept it interesting the entire way.

I completely understand why Zion is a favourite for so many people. The landscape is beautiful, varied, and dramatic, and I’d love to return one day to explore more of it. Angel’s Landing is top of my list for next time, although it does require a permit.

2. Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon was the wild card of the trip. I barely knew anything about it beforehand and assumed it would look similar to the Grand Canyon. I was very wrong. It felt like stepping into a fantasy novel.

Despite its name, Bryce Canyon isn’t actually a canyon in the traditional sense. It’s a series of natural amphitheatres carved into the edge of a high plateau, filled with thousands of hoodoos (tall, jagged rock spires). It was unlike anything I’d ever seen.

We hiked the Navajo Loop while in Bryce, which is short but spectacular, and it ended up being one of the highlights of my entire trip. It takes you down into a cool, shaded corridor that feels completely different from the wide-open vistas above. Because we hiked in the late afternoon, the sun was already dipping low enough that the high rock walls blocked most of the heat, making it a really pleasant walk.

I was also surprised by how calm Bryce felt. It was quieter than the Grand Canyon by miles, and that peaceful atmosphere made the scenery feel deeply immersive. Thanks to the colours, shapes, and completely unexpected beauty, Bryce Canyon completely blew me away.

1. Yosemite National Park

Yosemite was the one that stole my heart. Everything about it felt dramatic and alive: the granite cliffs, the deep valleys, the waterfalls, the forests, the wildlife. It felt completely different from the desert parks; greener, richer, and far more varied.

We hiked the Mist Trail, which was easily my favourite hike of the whole trip. It takes you up to two waterfalls: first Vernal Falls, and then onto the quieter Nevada Falls. The route packs in an incredible amount of variety: shaded forest paths, steep stone steps, waterfalls, and sweeping views across the valley. The scenery changes constantly as you climb up, and it gets better and better the higher you go. Reaching the top was very rewarding.

Yosemite was also where I saw the most wildlife. Deer, birds, squirrels, and even a black bear! After spending so much time in deserts and canyons, Yosemite felt vibrant and full of life in a completely different way. We spent the longest time here out of all six parks, and I’m so glad we did. There was so much to see that it felt like we’d barely scratched the surface.

I’d go back in a heartbeat, and when I return to the USA for another national park road trip, Yosemite will be at the top of my list.

Conclusion

I hope I didn’t come across as negative about any of the parks earlier in this list. I had a fantastic time in every single one, and I genuinely loved every second of this road trip. I was merely being honest about which places resonated with me the most.

Sometimes it’s the scenery, sometimes it’s the atmosphere, sometimes it’s the experiences you have that shape your impression. For example, the Mist Trail in Yosemite was one of the best hikes I’ve ever done, which made it impossible not to put Yosemite at #1. If I’d done a different hike, maybe I would have felt differently about it.

Travel is personal, and what completely steals one person’s heart might feel different to someone else. But all six parks were incredible in their own way, and seeing them back-to-back made me appreciate just how varied and beautiful the American Southwest really is.

More from this road trip 🥾⛰️

• Visit my Hiking Hub to see all my hiking content
• How to hike the Grand Canyon’s Bright Angel Trail
• Hiking the Grand Canyon’s Rim Trail
• Bryce Canyon’s Navajo Loop trail guide
• Hiking the Emerald Pools Trail in Zion
• Trail guide for Yosemite’s Mist Trail

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