Tips for Traveling Our National Parks

Summer will be soon upon us, and for many small business owners, that means packing up the family car and taking the quintessential American road trip to de-stress and bask in the beauty of one or more of the nation’s national parks.

Although many people associate the development of the National Park Service (NPS) with Theodore Roosevelt, the “conservation president,” it was Abraham Lincoln who took the first step by signing the Yosemite Grant in 1864. This legislation protected iconic natural treasures like Half Dome Rock and the giant Sequoias you can still wander among when you visit the park today. 

Following the establishment of Yosemite National Park in 1872, the Department of the Interior accumulated so much land across the United States that conservationists urged it to create a system of governance to oversee and protect it. Congress signed a bill creating the National Park Service in 1916. 

Still later, in 1967, the National Park Foundation — the nonprofit partner of the NPS — was formed to allow philanthropists to continue protecting this nation’s natural treasures. The organization funds education programs, purchases historic sites, and helps to maintain trails within the park system.

Now that you know a bit about the history of the NPS, read on to learn some practical and insider tips about how you can safely enjoy some of these beautiful places.

Figure out Where to Stay 

If you want to camp or lodge within the parks — especially popular destinations like Yellowstone, Glacier, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon National Parks — the NPS recommends that you book “as far ahead as possible.” That means it is probably too late to secure lodgings within the most famous parks this season. 

However, if you are headed to a popular national park in the West and you enjoy wilderness camping, you do have a couple of appealing options at your disposal. The first is to camp outside the park system on national lands belonging to the Bureau of Land Management. Established by President Truman in 1946, this organization oversees 245 million acres, mostly in the West — about a tenth of the land mass in the United States. 

BLM land is used by cattle ranchers and miners as well as outdoor enthusiasts. But it is “our” land, and you can camp outside designated camping areas for up to 14 days — completely free of charge. If you are willing to rough it, this is a great option, guaranteeing peace and quiet and giving you an opportunity to see reclusive wildlife.

Another option is to camp in wilderness areas adjacent to one of the well-touristed national parks. You may have better luck finding a camping spot in these areas — in fact, you may not need to make reservations, as many are “first-come, first-served.” Sage Creek Wilderness Area, part of Badlands National Park, has one such campground. As a special bonus, it is right near a large prairie dog village, which you and your kids will love.

Don’t Interact with the Wildlife

Remember Yogi Bear and his picnic basket? “Food-conditioned” bears and smaller mammals are a problem in national parks and wilderness areas throughout the United States. 

A perfect example is the rock squirrel that hangs out at the top of Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park. These squirrels are tame and will take food from your hand, but beware — some of them carry a variant of the bubonic plague that killed a third of Europe, and you can end up in the hospital if you get too close. 

By the way, that is also true of the prairie dogs I just mentioned: they can carry the plague, and, unlike the squirrels, who are silent carriers, it is as fatal to them as it can be to us. Never touch a dead animal, not even with a stick!  

Larger animals, like black bears, can become aggressive when conditioned to eating human food, and while bear attacks are uncommon, coming too close to humans is usually a death sentence for the bear that must be put down for the sake of public safety. Always make sure you follow established rules for storing and disposing of food you bring into the park.

Bears are not the only dangerous form of wildlife in the park system. While I drove back from the main attractions at Badlands National Park to the aforementioned Sage Creek Wilderness Area campground, a bison leaped out from a ditch and charged after my car. I floored the gas and only barely managed to elude him. The next day, a park ranger told me that bison can sustain speeds up to 40 mph for short periods of time and that just the other day, one of them totaled someone’s car. 

Never approach one of these dangerous animals — not even to take a selfie! — because they have also been known to charge and gore people.

Look for Routes Less Traveled 

I live an hour from Acadia National Park, which has exploded in popularity in the last decade and can no longer be called a hidden treasure. You now need reservations to travel the Summit Road to Cadillac Mountain and dine al fresco at the Jordan Pond House; neither of those things were true before the pandemic. 

But never fear! You can still have an amazing experience if you follow the insider tips I am about to give you:

• Stay away from Bar Harbor. Unless you have children who are clamoring to purchase souvenirs, or you like noise and crowds, feel free to skip this campy “taffy town.” Northeast Harbor, Seal Harbor, and Southwest Harbor, which also border Acadia, are charming villages with a more laid-back vibe. Sargent Drive, the back way to Northeast Harbor, follows Somes Sound, the only fiord in North America, and you will encounter few tourists on this gorgeous stretch of road.
• Sneak into the Park. You’ll need your pass to travel the must-see Park Loop Road, but few people know that you can park your car at Thuya Garden (a destination in its own right), exit the garden through the rear gate, and access the famous carriage roads and other park trails, including the trail to Sargent Mountain via the Amphitheater — my favorite trail in the entire park.
• Hike the Rockefeller Preserve. The Rockefeller family, whose presence once dominated Seal Harbor, recently donated 2,000 acres of land directly adjacent to Acadia National Park for public use. You may hike on the trails and carriage roads there, and dogs are allowed off-leash in certain areas, including Little Long Pond. The crown jewel of this area is the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden, which includes Asian antiquities and breathtaking views over Bar Harbor and its islands.

Other Roads Less Traveled By

If you are looking to vacation in the Four Corners region — the area where Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado meet — you probably know you have a number of famous parks to choose from, including Zion, Arches, and Bryce Canyon National Parks.

A stunning park in the same region that is overlooked by many tourists, though, is Canyonlands National Park. Divided into three sections by the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers, the park’s most accessible region, Island in the Sky, is a mesa that affords 360-degree views of the surrounding canyon mazes, stretching out to mountain ranges on every side. Primitive camping is available at Willow Flats on a first-come, first-served basis for $15 a night.    

Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota is another one of my favorites — it’s the park where I’ve seen the most wildlife in a single day, including bison, elk, mountain goats, antelope, coyotes, and golden eagles. It’s also not too far from Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorial if you are itching to check them out.

Another amazing park that people overlook — or at least, people who are not from Texas — is Big Bend National Park. Known for its dark night skies, wild herds of peccary, and beautiful spring wildflowers, it’s also not as hot in the summer as, say, Houston. The desert altitude keeps the heat under control, and the temps dip at night, making it possible to take a morning hike through the stunning mountainous terrain. 

Don’t like the West? If you’re a fan of marine sea life, Biscayne National Park may be for you. A short distance from Miami, Florida, most of the park is aquatic, and you can snorkel, dive, canoe, kayak — even do some fishing and lobstering. The park is home to coral reefs, shipwrecks, sea turtles and manatees, and over 600 species of native fish. 

Last but not least, the only park on this list I have never personally been to: the brand-new (2020) New River Gorge National Park & Preserve in West Virginia. You can do some first-class white river rafting and rock climbing here, and you can hike through an old-growth forest, but the thing that most intrigues me is the fact that New River Gorge contains ghost towns, remnants of the bygone coal mining era. If you are interested in Appalachian history, this 70,000-acre park may be the vacation spot for you. 

So how about it? Even the most diligent entrepreneur needs to improve their work-life balance. A vacation close to home could be just the thing to get you back on track.