Planning a national parks road trip? Check out these multi-park itineraries

What’s better than a national park road trip? A national parks road trip—plural. Whether you’ll be driving through desert landscapes, along rugged coastlines, or through vast mountain ranges, exploring multiple national parks in one journey offers the chance to see how America’s outdoors flow from one landscape to the next, to connect with American history, and to see just how damn pretty this country can get.

But planning such a huge trip can be a huge chore. So, let’s narrow it down: Here are a handful of itineraries for some of the best national parks road trips, all combining exquisite scenery with adventure (and a dose of Americana).

Note: The itineraries below are simple starting points. Adjust them to your schedule, budget, and interests for your own epic national parks road trip.

1. The Grand Circle: Utah and Arizona’s Red-Rock Wonders

Best Time to Visit: Spring or fall
Suggested Duration: 8-10 days
Distance: 878 miles
Includes: Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Grand Canyon National Park

Covering six iconic parks in Utah and Arizona, the Grand Circle is one of the most popular national park road trips—it’s the only itinerary here that has an official name.

Your journey begins in Las Vegas, heading toward the towering sandstone cliffs of Zion National Park. Take a day to hike the winding Virgin River in The Narrows or at Emerald Pools before making the 2-hour drive to Bryce Canyon National Park.

Bryce Canyon is the kind of national park where you park the car, walk three feet to the rim, and gasp. Home to a surreal landscape of hoodoos, get here at sunrise or sunset to see the landscape absolutely glow. Hike down into the canyon via the Navajo Loop, or settle in for the 18-mile Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive, one of the best scenic drives in America’s national parks.

From Bryce, drive to Capitol Reef National Park, a lesser-known but equally spectacular park with colorful canyons, cliffs, and the ancient petroglyphs of the Fremont people. Continuing the journey eastward, you’ll reach Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park near Moab, Utah. Arches is famous for its more than 2,000 natural stone arches, while Canyonlands offers vast, rugged beauty, with towering mesas and dramatic viewpoints like the iconic Mesa Arch.

End your trip by heading south to Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. The South Rim of the Grand Canyon provides breathtaking views of nature’s immensity, all carved by the tiny Colorado River. The perfect grand finale to your Grand Circle trip.

Options to extend: Petrified Forest National Park, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Monument Valley Tribal Park, Antelope Canyon, Dead Horse Point State Park, Horseshoe Bend

2. California’s Coastal and Mountain Wonders

Best Time to Visit: Summer
Suggested Duration: 10-14 days
Distance: 549 miles
Includes: Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, Point Reyes National Seashore, Yosemite National Park, Pinnacles National Park

California’s wild landscapes provide a lush backdrop to this national parks road trip. Start your adventure in Sequoia National Park, home to some of the largest trees in the world. Spend a day hiking through the Giant Forest to witness the General Sherman Tree, one of the largest trees on Earth. If you’re traveling in summer, make the short drive into Kings Canyon National Park—adjacent to Sequoia—to witness its high landscape of towering cliffs, deep canyons, and giant trees.

Continue westward toward the coast, where you’ll reach Pinnacles National Park, known for its dramatic rock spires and talus caves, as well as the opportunity to spot endangered California condors.

From Pinnacles, head north along the iconic Pacific Coast Highway to Point Reyes National Seashore, a stunning coastal park just outside of San Francisco. The rugged cliffs, sprawling beaches, and wildlife (including elephant seals and tule elk) make this lesser-known spot a must-see.

Next, head inland to Yosemite National Park, where you’ll encounter dramatic waterfalls, granite cliffs like El Capitan and Half Dome, and the scenic beauty of Yosemite Valley. As John Muir said, “No temple made with hands can compare with Yosemite. Every rock in its wall seems to glow with life.”

Options to extend: Tahoe National Forest, Death Valley National Park

3. Rocky Mountain Majesty: Colorado and Wyoming

Best Time to Visit: Summer
Suggested Duration: 7-10 days
Distance: 561 miles
Includes: Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park

For those heeding the call of the mountains, this national parks road trip through Colorado and Wyoming delivers some of the highest scenery in the country. Begin in Denver and drive northwest to Rocky Mountain National Park. Take the scenic Trail Ridge Road—one of the highest continuous paved roads in the country—and choose between 350+ miles of hiking trails, wander around alpine lakes, and scout for wildlife like elk and moose.

From Rocky Mountain National Park, drive north to Wyoming and Grand Teton National Park. The sharp, jagged peaks of the Teton Range rise dramatically from the valley floor, creating one of the most recognizable mountain ranges in the U.S. Spend time hiking around Jenny Lake or taking a boat tour before heading north to Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first national park.

Yellowstone has the highest density of geothermal features on Earth (it is a supervolcano, after all!). Check out the famous Old Faithful geyser, as well as colorful hot springs like the Grand Prismatic Spring. Plan to spend several days here—nab a hotel in the park, if you can—exploring the diverse landscapes, from the geyser basins to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Odds are you’ll spot a bison or a grizzly bear or two, too.

Options to extend: Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wind River Range, Big Sky

4. New England: A Fall Foliage History Tour

Best Time to Visit: Fall
Suggested Duration: 5-7 days
Distance: 501 miles
Includes: Acadia National Park, Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park

For those seeking fabulous fall color, New England is the place to be, and a national parks road trip is an exquisite way to experience the region’s vibrant autumn foliage. Begin your journey at Acadia National Park in Maine, where you can drive the Park Loop Road for panoramic views of rugged coastlines, forests, and colorful trees (or just take the free Island Explorer shuttle!). Don’t miss the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain, one of the first places in the U.S. to catch the sun’s morning commute.

From Acadia, head west to Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park in Vermont, where you’ll experience more beautiful fall scenery along with a glimpse into the region’s conservation history. The park’s forested landscapes and historic mansion make it a peaceful stop—and a restful one compared to these outdoorsy itineraries.

Continue south into New Hampshire to visit Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, the former home and studio of sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The autumn setting makes it an ideal place for a serene, art-filled walk among gardens and trees draped in fall colors.

End your journey at Minute Man National Historical Park in Massachusetts, where the vibrant foliage contrasts with the historical significance of the American Revolution’s opening battlefields.

Options to extend: White Mountain National Forest, Bear Brook State Park, Casco Bay

5. Pacific Northwest Adventure: Washington and Oregon

Best Time to Visit: Summer
Suggested Duration: 8-10 days
Distance: 811 miles
Includes: Mount Rainier National Park, Olympic National Park, Crater Lake National Park, Redwood National and State Parks

The Pacific Northwest is made for nature lovers, what with its endless supply of lush forests, volcanic landscapes, and rugged coastlines. Begin your trip in Mount Rainier National Park, where the iconic, snow-capped peak of Mount Rainier dominates the landscape. Wildflower meadows and waterfalls offer stunning photo opportunities during the summer.

From Mount Rainier, head west to Olympic National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that ranges from temperate rainforests to alpine peaks and pristine coastline. Spend a day hiking the Hoh Rainforest and another exploring the rugged beaches of the park’s coastal environs.

Cross into Oregon and visit Crater Lake National Park, home to the deepest lake in the US, formed by the collapse of an ancient volcano, Mount Mazama. The crystal-clear blue water and surrounding cliffs make for hard-to-believe scenery.

End your road trip at Redwood National and State Parks on the northern California coast. These parks protect some of the tallest trees on Earth—trees that have been nearly wiped out of existence. But they’re here for now, and with any luck, so are you.

Option to extend: Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, Oregon beaches, Columbia River Gorge, Mount St. Helens

Tips for Your National Parks Road Trip

• Buy a National Parks Pass: Since you’re visiting multiple parks, save money on entrance fees with a parks pass.

• Plan Ahead: National parks can get incredibly crowded, especially in peak season. Make reservations for campgrounds, lodges, or park entrances well in advance—for spots like Yellowstone and Yosemite, that means an entire year.

• Pack Smart: Be prepared for a variety of climates and terrains. Many parks have drastic temperature changes between day and night, not to mention elevation. Like Olympic, where elevations can range from 0 to more than 10,000 feet.

• Respect Wildlife: Keep a safe distance from animals, and never feed wildlife. It’s important for their safety—and yours.

• Leave No Trace: Help preserve the beauty of the parks by following Leave No Trace principles. Pack out what you pack in, and always stay on designated trails.

• Commemorate Your Trip: Love national parks? Check out this national parks gift guide.

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