7 National Parks Better Than Glacier National Park

Abstract

• Grand Teton Nationwide Park has gorgeous mountain views that rival Glacier Nationwide Park however with out timed reservations.
• Huge Bend Nationwide Park presents scenic mountains like Glacier, with fewer crowds and winter accessibility.
• Nice Basin Nationwide Park showcases various pure options and free entry, competing with Glacier’s surroundings.

The activity-rich Glacier National Park is excessive on the bucket lists of many vacationers. And for good cause. This serene and luxurious stretch of Montana’s Rocky Mountains contains beautiful mountain peaks, pristine lakes, and among the most stunning views wherever within the nation. Along with the adjoining Waterton Lakes Nationwide Park simply throughout the Canadian border, Glacier Nationwide Park varieties a part of the bigger Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site, preserving distinctive pure assets for all of the world to get pleasure from.

However regardless of its simple magnificence, Glacier Nationwide Park does have a couple of drawbacks. As one of many extra common nationwide parks in america, Glacier can generally see bigger crowds on its common trails and roads, particularly throughout peak vacationer seasons. Moreover, Glacier’s latest implementation of a timed-entry reservation system for a lot of of its hottest areas can create an enormous headache for guests. These components could trigger some vacationers to hunt out different parks as a substitute of a Glacier journey.

Happily, the Nationwide Park System of america has no scarcity of wonderful parks that supply the identical unbelievable views and experiences as Glacier with out lots of the drawbacks. Mountains, lakes, breathtaking climbing trails, and adventurous out of doors actions are all obtainable in lesser-known parks, most of which don’t include the timed reservation necessities or giant crowds that Glacier suffers from. These different nationwide parks specifically are wonderful options to Glacier, offering the identical (and even higher) surroundings with out giant crowds or ticketing hassles.

7

Grand Teton Nationwide Park

Wyoming

In comparison with the a million+ acres of the expansive Glacier Nationwide Park mountain vary, Grand Teton National Park’s roughly 300,000 acres appear fairly small. However what Grand Teton lacks in relative dimension it greater than makes up for in surroundings. Vacationers searching for probably the most breathtaking mountain views within the Northern Rocky Mountains are unlikely to search out surroundings that surpasses Grand Teton’s – together with in Glacier Nationwide Park!

Grand Teton preserves the small however magnificent Teton Vary of Western Wyoming. Whereas any part of the bigger Rocky Mountains could have superb views, the Tetons appear nearly particularly engineered to take one’s breath away. These stark, symmetrical rocky peaks rise dramatically from the comparatively flat grasslands of Jackson Gap Valley, making a stark picture that would not be extra excellent for a postcard – or, in additional trendy phrases, a social media reel.

Regardless of being a couple of third of the scale, Grand Teton Nationwide Park offers alternatives for out of doors actions that simply rival these of Glacier. Guests of various expertise ranges can strive their hand at mountaineering on one of the park’s many climbing routes.

Alternatively, guests who do not need to exert that a lot effort can get pleasure from a scenic drive on considered one of many Grand Teton scenic driving routes. Not like Glacier, Grand Teton does not currently require vehicle reservations for timed entry. So, vacationers can plan a extra spontaneous journey to the mountains with out having to fret about coordinating their schedules or making it to the park at a selected time.

6

Huge Bend Nationwide Park

Texas

The gorgeous however underrated Big Bend National Park is just about what you’ll get for those who transported the scenic mountains and gorges of Glacier Nationwide Park into the warmth of the West Texas desert. Huge Bend additionally options scenic mountains, deep river canyons, and ample alternatives for climbing, tenting, and mountaineering. Nonetheless, Huge Bend sees far fewer guests every year in comparison with Glacier, so a Huge Bend journey is far much less prone to undergo from bigger crowds or closely trafficked roads.

Huge Bend can be an amazing nationwide park vacation spot for anybody touring within the winter months. Whereas heavy winter snows can usually shut off entry to many common areas in Glacier, Huge Bend’s Chihuahua Desert local weather actually doesn’t have that downside! (Although extreme warmth within the summertime could also be one thing to look out for).

Huge Bend Nationwide Park takes its title from the “large bend” of the Rio Grande because it cuts by way of the Chihuahua Desert alongside the Texas-Mexico border. The mix of the river valley, the desert, and the encircling Chisos Mountains creates one of the distinctive and memorable desert scenes wherever within the nation. The park’s magnificent Santa Elena Canyon offers picturesque canyon partitions and deep cliffside views that rival even these discovered on the extra well-known Grand Canyon.

Plus, this space of the Chihuahua Desert can be notable for ample paleontological and archeological treasures. The park’s Fossil Discovery Exhibit presents only a glimpse of the numerous historical fossils uncovered. Likewise, the park’s rocks and cliffs nonetheless bear historical pictographs and different archeological artifacts representing thousands of years of human inhabitation, a lot of which remains to be seen to guests right this moment.

5

Nice Basin Nationwide Park

Nevada

Nevada’s Great Basin National Park is without doubt one of the least-visited nationwide parks within the decrease 48 states, with only 143,265 visitors making the journey in all of 2023. However this considerably ignominious distinction is way from deserved. The comparatively small variety of vacationers who do make the worthwhile journey out to the Nice Basin will discover a almost excellent pattern of the most effective pure options of all the American Nationwide Park System!

Like Glacier, Nice Basin options quite a few scenic mountains, together with the 13,065-foot Wheeler Peak. However Nice Basin additionally contains a number of distinctive pure options, lots of which do not appear to be they might go collectively in a single nationwide park!

Along with snowy mountain peaks, guests to Nice Basin also can discover lakes, desert areas, deep caves, and even glaciers! (In actual fact, Nice Basin’s glaciers are among the many southernmost glaciers in all the U.S.). Guests also can tour the park’s famous bristlecone pine trees, that are among the many oldest residing organisms on Earth!

Nice Basin Nationwide Park takes its title from the larger Great Basin region, which occupies a lot of the state of Nevada. Although the Nice Basin is usually dismissed as a “flyover” area between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, in actuality, this underrated part of the Southwest offers among the nation’s most gorgeous surroundings.

Mountain climbing trails, scenic drives, and ample alternatives for climbing make it a wonderful different to extra common parks like Glacier. Plus, Nice Basin is a very engaging vacation spot for vacationers watching their finances. In comparison with the $35 entrance charge at Glacier Nationwide Park, entrance to Nice Basin is totally free.

4

Sequoia/Kings Canyon Nationwide Parks

California

California’s Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks have a minimum of one particular benefit over Glacier; not like Glacier’s single park unit, this joint nationwide park system offers two unbelievable nationwide parks for the worth of 1!

These two adjoining nationwide parks sit in one of many nation’s most stunning areas, the place the gorgeous mountain peaks and valleys of the Sierra Nevada meet California’s beautiful forests of famed Giant Sequoia trees. Guests to the parks can discover each mountain landscapes and one of many world’s biggest forests with a single entrance charge.

Probably the most well-known attraction within the Sequoia/Kings Canyon park system is its iconic Sequoia forests. Each parks comprise among the most well-known particular person bushes on the earth, together with the towering Normal Sherman and Normal Grant bushes. Exterior of the forest areas, the parks additionally show among the most breathtaking sights wherever within the Sierra Nevada.

Kings Canyon specifically is a powerful valley carved into the rugged peaks of the Sierra Nevada. Just like the panorama at Glacier, Kings Canyon owes its existence to glacial exercise over hundreds of years. However this specific legacy of previous ice ages is even grander in scale than something present in Glacier Nationwide Park!

Moro Rock, a towering granite dome monolith, rivals even the well-known Half Dome monolith in Yosemite Nationwide Park. However much more skilled mountaineering followers are doubtless drawn to the parks for a distinct cause. Mount Whitney, the very best mountain within the contiguous United States and one of many nation’s hottest climbing routes, sits partially on the borders of Sequoia Nationwide Park.

3

North Cascades Nationwide Park

Washington

America’s Nationwide Park System has loads of underrated nationwide parks. However no single park holds the title of “underappreciated” fairly just like the superior however tragically missed North Cascades National Park.

With only around 40,351 visitors in 2023, North Cascades was solely considered one of three nationwide parks within the decrease 48 states (together with Michigan’s Isle Royale and Florida’s Dry Tortugas) that did not crack a minimum of 100,000 guests yearly. However that is all the higher for anybody who acknowledges this gorgeous park for its treasure.

Positioned within the Cascade Vary of Northern Washington, North Cascades could also be, pound-for-pound, probably the most wonderful mountain panorama wherever within the nation, together with the scenic peaks of Glacier Nationwide Park! North Cascades is a very nice different to Glacier for true out of doors aficionados preferring to discover a pristine mountain vary in a way more rugged backcountry surroundings.

Whereas North Cascades Nationwide Park does have accessible trails and customer facilities, a lot of it at present exists as an underdeveloped backcountry perfect for distant hikes and mountaineering adventures. In actual fact, a few of North Cascades’ hardest hikes are in its backcountry areas. Nonetheless, even within the park’s least developed areas, guests will definitely don’t have any scarcity of pure magnificence.

North Cascades preserves all of the extravagant grandeur that the Cascade Vary as an entire is legendary for, together with snowy peaks, beautiful alpine meadows, and picture-perfect lakes. Lots of the park’s lakes are wonderful locations for scenic boating journeys, and the towering Cascade mountains present ample climbing alternatives that rival any discovered at Glacier!

2

Lake Clark Nationwide Park & Protect

Alaska

Any of Alaska’s eight national parks would make a wonderful different to Glacier. In any case, Alaska’s monumental mountains dwarf even the most important peaks in Montana, and Alaskan forests are giant sufficient to suit complete states inside – with room to spare. However for guests who need all of Glacier Nationwide Park’s most superb surroundings on a a lot grander scale, the most effective Alaskan vacation spot is undoubtedly the spectacular Lake Clark National Park & Preserve.

In lots of respects, Lake Clark preserves the perfect illustration of what one photos when pondering of “Alaska.” The park’s quite a few lakes (together with its namesake Lake Clark) sit nestled in the breathtaking Chigmit and Neacolas Mountains. Right here, snowy peaks intersect with deep boreal forests and pristine Alaskan shoreline to create the closest factor to “heaven on earth” that almost all guests will ever expertise. Glaciers, marshlands, and even active volcanoes all mix within the Lake Clark wilderness, making a one-of-a-kind expertise that exceeds even the most effective of a park like Glacier!

Lake Clark guests have greater than sufficient out of doors actions at their fingers to occupy journeys of any size. The park’s huge forests are excellent for rugged, backcountry climbing, whereas Lake Clark and the park’s different our bodies of water are excellent locations for boating, kayaking, and fishing. The 2 mountain ranges that intersect within the park’s borders present ample backcountry climbing routes much more adventurous than the routes in Glacier. And like Glacier, Lake Clark can be dwelling to iconic North American wildlife, together with huge grizzly bears!

1

Wrangell-St. Elias Nationwide Park & Protect

Alaska

The truth that the 13,175-799-acre Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve is the largest single national park in the entire country must be sufficient to ascertain it as an amazing different to well-known however crowded parks like Glacier. However one take a look at any nook of Wrangell-St. Elias’s huge panorama will showcase simply how unbelievable this place really is.

Positioned in Southern Alaska close to the border with Canada’s Yukon Territory, Wrangell-St. Elias primarily protects the 2 majestic mountain ranges that give it its title. The St. Elias Mountains characteristic a monumental array of Pacific Coastal Mountains that embrace among the highest peaks in each america and Canada (together with the transboundary Mount St. Elias, the second-highest mountain in each nations). The Wrangell Mountains, alternatively, are primarily volcanic in origin and embrace a number of energetic volcanoes (together with its namesake Mount Wrangell, a large and energetic protect volcano).

Due to its dimension and panorama, Wrangell-St. Elias is a perfect vacation spot for mountaineering, backcountry climbing, kayaking, and wildlife viewing. The huge boreal forests across the park’s mountains are dwelling to each black and brown bears, in addition to wolves, lynx, mountain goats, caribou, and even American bison!

Regardless of its distant and wild nature, the park does have many accessible climbing trails for guests to get pleasure from, although extra adventurous sorts also can discover loads of difficult backcountry treks as properly. The park additionally presents guests ranger-guided tours that present deep perception into each the pure and human histories of this superb panorama.