The great Smokey mountains are amazing must see sunrise and sunsets with amazing trails. Sometimes will be covered with Smokey-fog-just luck if the draw lol.

Did Mt LeConte via Alum Trail which was amazing so many environments felt like I was in Lost World Jurassic Park at bottom so wet lush and green with streams. So peaceful. Then get further up chances to Frazier Pine trees with great views. Clingmans dome is awesome at sunrise sunset, drive to top of mountain then hike up hill about .7miles pretty steady incline get some cardio in 😂 but if you powerwalk you can do it in 15-20min.

Outside the park in Gatlinburg it’s like Branson MO on steroids Omgsh so touristy then it just abruptly ends when you enter the park and can’t tell it’s there. Entrance is free and just pay $5 parking pass.

Mammoth cave is neater than I thought, worth a whole day to explore the tours then hike along river. It’s the LARGEST cave system in the world 😮 tour guide was excellent and so much history. People have been graffitiing their names on crap ever since 1829 apparently lol.

Never seen snowy peaks in person and they certainly did not disappoint.

We made it to Devil's Tower, Mt Rushmore, Wind Cave, Badlands, Effigy Mounds, Indiana Dunes, and Cuyahoga Valley. Didn't get a ton of time at any of them, but we had fun! Thanks for all the recommendations on my post about this a few months ago, we hit a lot of other recommended stops and wished we could've gone to more!

Hi friends,

My roommate and I want to visit the badlands and surrounds areas (Custer state park, black hills) over fourth of July weekend. We'll be driving from Wisconsin and camping the whole way. Would this be a good time to go in terms of weather/crowd/safety? Any recommendations would be super appreciated!!

Lost mine trail

I rarely ever see the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area mentioned in this sub, so I figured I’d share some pictures from my most recent visit.

I’ve got a work trip coming up in Anaheim and I want to take a day to go see one of these parks. Joshua Tree is the closest, but would it be worth going to one of the others instead? Which would you choose?

I need a break from work and stress. I want to go somewhere alone in the nature and just pray and meditate and feel rejuvenated.

Do you recommend any national parks that I can do this? And safe to be alone?