Want to visit all 63 national parks? This guide will show you exactly how to plan, organize, and complete your journey.
💡 Before we dive in:
Grab my FREE National Parks Checklist + Tracker to map your journey and track every park you visit.
How Long Does It Take to Visit All 63 National Parks?
Most people complete all 63 parks in:
- 2–3 years → aggressive travel pace
- 5–10 years → realistic for most people
- 10+ years → slower, experience-focused approach
📌 My advice: Don’t rush it. This isn’t a race! It’s a lifetime of experiences.
How Much Does It Cost to Visit All National Parks?
This is a tough one, but here goes. A realistic range:
- Budget traveler: $8,000–$15,000
- Mid-range: $15,000–$30,000
- Longer travel trips: $30,000+
Biggest costs:
- Flights (especially Alaska & the islands)
- Lodging
- Gas
💡 Money-saving tip: Buy the America the Beautiful Pass ($80/year for US residents). It pays for itself after ~3 parks. Senior Citizens can get a lifetime pass for the same price!
Stop Thinking of it as just a “Checklist”
If you treat this like a race, you’ll burn out fast.
Instead:
- Slow down
- Explore deeper
- Let each park feel different
The goal isn’t just 63 stamps—it’s 63 experiences.
Use a Regional Strategy (This Changes Everything)
Trying to “wing it” across all 63 parks = expensive chaos. Trust me, I’ve learned the hard way!
Instead, group parks like this:
🌄 Southwest (Best First Region)
- Arizona: Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Saguaro
- Utah: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef
- Nevada: Great Basin
- New Mexico: Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands
📌 Best for: first-time park travelers
Why: close together + iconic views
🌊 California + Pacific Northwest
- California: Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Redwood, Lassen, Pinnacles, Channel Islands
- Oregon: Crater Lake
- Washington: Olympic, Mount Rainier, North Cascades (plus visit Seattle while you are in the area!)
📌Pro tip: Don’t try to do all of California at once—split it into 2–3 trips
🏔️ Rocky Mountains Region
- Wyoming: Yellowstone, Grand Teton
- Montana: Glacier
- Colorado: Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde, Black Canyon, Great Sand Dunes
- South Dakota: Badlands, Wind Cave
📌 Best combo: Yellowstone + Grand Teton Seriously two of the most amazing places you’ll ever go and they are right next to each other!
❄️ Alaska + Remote Parks (Advanced Level)
- Denali, Glacier Bay, Katmai, Gates of the Arctic, etc.
✔️ Reality check:
- Some require planes or boats
- Some have no roads
- These will be expensive so be prepared!
📌 Start with Denali & Kenai Fjords
🌴 East Coast + Midwest
Includes:
- Great Smoky Mountains
- Acadia
- Everglades
- Shenandoah
- Mammoth Cave
- Cuyahoga Valley
📌 Easier to knock out in shorter trips
Plan Smarter (Not Harder)
📅 Best Time to Visit
- Summer: best weather, biggest crowds
- Spring/Fall: BEST overall choice
- Winter: perfect for desert parks
🏕️ Booking Strategy
- Campgrounds: book 6 months ahead
- Lodges: book 6–12 months ahead
- Popular parks: plan EARLY
🎟️ Permits & Reservations (CRITICAL)
Many parks now require:
- Timed entry
- Hiking permits (Zion’s Angels Landing)
- Sunrise reservations (Haleakalā)
📌 Always check ahead—this changes often!
Know the Hardest Parks to Visit
These require the most effort:
- Alaska parks (remote access)
- Dry Tortugas (boat or seaplane)
- Isle Royale (ferry only)
- Channel Islands (boat required)
📌 Plan these LAST
Make Each Visit Count
My #1 tip?
📌 Talk to a park ranger!
Tell them:
- how long you have
- what you want to see
- your skill level
They’ll give you better advice than Google ever will.
🐻 Wildlife Safety (VERY IMPORTANT!)
- Stay 100 yards from bears/wolves
- Stay 25 yards from other wildlife
- Never feed animals
- Respect the park signs and listen to the Park Rangers
Track Your Progress (Make It Fun)
Here’s how to make your journey unforgettable:
- Passport stamps
- Junior Ranger badges (yes, adults can do it!)
- Stickers / magnets / traditions
- Bark Rangers
📌 Or use a printable National Parks Tracker to see your progress at a glance.
📌 To make your quest even more fun and organized, I created a National Park Travel Planner! It includes:
- Master list of all 63 parks
- Trip planning pages (daily itinerary, budget, accommodations)
- Space to log your memories and photos
If I Were Starting From Scratch…
Here’s the exact plan I’d follow:
Year 1: Utah + Arizona parks
Year 2: California + Pacific Northwest
Year 3: Rockies + Midwest
Year 4+: Alaska + remote parks
Final Thoughts
Visiting all 63 national parks is a massive goal, but I promise you, it’s one of the most rewarding and life-affirming things you will ever do.
Don’t be overwhelmed.
Start with one park.
Plan your first trip.
And go from there.
The parks belong to you. Go explore them!
Happy trails, everyone! Regina
PS – Join our Visit All 63 US National Parks Community over on Facebook to connect with others on the journey!