What national parks haven't you visited, but would like to?

[Pioneer Spirit]

I visited several in the late summer of 1977 but I would like to re-visit them again soon. I've never been farther west than Yellowstone and Grand canyon. I have a hankering to hike around Yosimite, see some giant trees and hike around Tahoe. Who knows what retirement will bring?

[DP89]

My top destinations are something like this

1. Glacier Nat'l Park
2. Olympic
3. North Cascades
4. Acadia
5. Redwood


I'll be visiting Shenandoah next week, even though it's only for a day I can't wait!

[jerry]

Shenandoah NP has some fantastic views. I hiked some of the AT in the park. You won't believe how tame the deer are. They are not shy and are almost like the ISRO fox, looking for handouts. Enjoy your visit.

[DP89]

It turns out the day I was planning on going to Shenandoah they had just a little bit of snow (nothing by Michigan's standards), so they closed off the park for a couple days. It was a bummer but we still explored the Blue Ridge Parkway and did some day hikes.

I'll visit Shenandoah soon enough!

[Sagebrusher]

Yosemite, Olympic, Glacier, Hawaii Volcanoes, Mammoth, any Alaskan Park, any Canadian National Park and of course Isle Royale

[LeftOvers]

The ten least visited national parks are as follows (visitation figures are from 2007):
1) Kobuk Valley, Alaska – 847
2) Lake Clark, Alaska – 5,549
3) American Samoa – 6,774
4) Gates of the Arctic, Alaska –10,942
5) Isle Royale, Michigan – 15,973
6) North Cascades, Washington – 19,534
7) Dry Tortugas Florida – 60,895
8 ) Wrangell-St. Elias, Alaska – 61,085
9) Great Basin, Nevada – 81,364
10) Katmai, Alaska – 82,634
~Ed

With IR (as well as the Alaska parks), you need to take into account it's really just a 3 month season (and a few other people pre & post).
That said, Muir Woods is on my list.

[johnhens]

Some additions:
Dry Tortugas
after reading about Dick Proeneke, Lake Clark,
Glacier Bay
Katmai
Gates of the Artic

There are a few places in Canada I would like to go also.

[fonixmunkee]

1) All of of them



The one I most want to get to, however, is Glacier. It's hard to believe that I've never been there. Seems like it should be Mecca to me.

[sgerbs]

Johnhens, I've read some cool things about Dry Tortugas and would love to get down there. It looks like a neat park even if it isn't very big.

[LarryL]

This is my list of parks I wish to visit, once I visit some of these parks I'm sure I will find others to fill the vacancies.
1) IR - I will be making a trip there in June
2) Glacier
3) Yosemite
4) Yellowstone-Tetons

Went to Glacier NP in 2006 - had a great time. We had a short backpacking trip to Cracker Lake, but it was beautiful. Also went whitewater rafting on the Salmon River.

Went to Tetons in 2008. Planned to backpack the Teton Crest Trail. This had to be changed on site due to huge snow remaining in some of the passes, which required ice axes. We did a watered-down route, but it was still fun. We also went whitewater rafting on the Snake River. We did a day in Yellowstone, but no backpacking.

Even better than the Tetons in Wyoming was the Wind River Range (not a national park) in 2003. I'd highly reccomend it. The Winds are huge - lots of trails, as opposed to the Tetons. We started at Dickinson Park trailhead along the Bears Ears and Lizard Head trails to the Circ of the Towers. Then over Jackass Pass and the Continental Divide to Big Sandy trailhead. Another highlight was following sites along the Oregon Trail through Nebraska and Wyoming. Wagon ruts can still be seen! Great history lesson. I bought a book through the Oregon-California Trails Association (OCTA) by Greg Franzwa (sp?) that re-traces the Oregon Trail using today's roads.

http://www.octa-trails.org/

Luckily, my navigator (it was a boy scout high adventure trip) also was interested in the Oregon Trail history, so we saw a few of the sights that the emmigrants saw along the trail on the 1840s (Ash Hollow in Nebraska, South Pass in Wyoming). We missed a bunch of other places I want to go to (Scotts Bluff, Chimney Rock, Independence Rock, Guernsey Wagon Ruts), but it's hard when you have other people to try to please when you're travelling.

We went to IR in 2002 and are going back this summer! As cool as these other trips to the mountains were, there is something special about IR. Maybe it's the fact that it is an island 4+ hours out in Lake Superior, the moose and wolf study, the fact that it is in the midwest and reasonably close, or the fact that it has this community of interested people. IR is extra special. I can't wait for the trip!

Anyway, maybe I'm OT since some of these are not NPs, but I want to go to:
1. Those sites I missed along the Oregon Trail.
2. Porkies in Michigan.
3. Big Bend in TX.
4. Shawnee SF in southern Illinois.
5. Cahokia Mounds in Illinois. Anybody been there? I can't believe I haven't since I live in Illinois - it sounds interesting and close.
6. Yosemite.
7. Bryce Canyon in Utah.
8. Climb Mt. Mitchell in the Winds - you can hike to the top - not a technical climb.
9. Grand Canyon - was there as a kid, but I want to backpack to the bottom and out. I know some people that have done this and it sounds spectacular.
10. Devils Tower, Wyoming.
11. To be continued?

Again, this is an old thread, but I just wanted to give an update and see if anyone needs or has information.

I made 2 tent backpacking trips to the Porkies since the above wish list, once in late April, once in early November. I know, it is basically winter in the UP at those times, but we lucked out with the weather both times. We missed the colors, but no bugs!!!

The backpacking is very similar to IRNP, which isn't surprising since it's right across the lake.

The April trip - four of us backpacked from Lake of the Clouds down the Lake Superior Trail (very muddy, don't ever do it at this time of the year, and the ranger warned me of this) and tent camped at Lone Rock right on the Lake the first night. Beautiful sunset! We then backpacked up the Big Carp River Trail and camped near the intersection with the Correction Line Trail. The next day we continued along the BCR Trail back to Lake of the Clouds. The views along the escarpment on the BCR Trail are spectacular. We saw a campsite on a ridge overlooking the valley and the lake, and vowed to go back. 8 inches of snow fell in the area several days before we arrived and there was still a lot of snow on the road and parking lot by the lake. There was very little snow on any of the trails. It was in the 40s all 3 days.

The November trip - two of us went back in November and camped at the spectacular site on the ridge. We started at Summit Peak and took the Mirror lake Trail to tent camp at Mirror Lake the first night. We had a little rain and snow overnight, but it wasn't bad and it got into the mid-40s during the day. Then we took the Correction Line Trail to the BCR Trail again to camp on that ridge. On the last day, we continued on the BCR to the North Mirror Lake Trail and then back to Summit Peak. The temp hit the low 50s.

I seriously love the Porkies.

I am planning a backpacking trip for this summer with my adult boys. Does anyone have any info on Pictured Rocks for a destination?

How about Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri?

Thanks.

[odd man out]

I just posted a summary of my prnl trip from last summer. On the other thread. I can post more info and pics if you would like. Let me know if you have specific questions.

I too want to hike the porkies.i have also read great things about big bend. Have been to gc twice. South rim for just a few hours as a kid and more recently for a couple days on the north rim. Neither trip did i get the chance to backpack. Backpacking below the rim is near the top of my wish list. I'd also like to hike in Glacier NP. I'd also like to hike kilimanjaro NP (Tanzania) and the Kungsleden in Abisko NP in Sweden.

[LarryL]

I just posted a summary of my prnl trip from last summer. On the other thread. I can post more info and pics if you would like. Let me know if you have specific questions.

I too want to hike the porkies.i have also read great things about big bend. Have been to gc twice. South rim for just a few hours as a kid and more recently for a couple days on the north rim. Neither trip did i get the chance to backpack. Backpacking below the rim is near the top of my wish list. I'd also like to hike in Glacier NP. I'd also like to hike kilimanjaro NP (Tanzania) and the Kungsleden in Abisko NP in Sweden.

Thanks for posting that on the other thread.

If you want more Porkies info, I can post the two maps with routes.

[odd man out]

Yes, I will take any hints you have on the Porkies

[churchill330]

Yes, I will take any hints you have on the Porkies

X2, I would also be interested in any info (maps, routes, ect) I'v been wanting to do the Porkies, and this may be the year. This may be a good test run for the girlfriends rehabbed knee before another IR trip.

[LarryL]

I'd be glad to. Having trouble recalling how to post pics in here. It's been awhile.