Located in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, Yosemite National Park dazzles its visitors with natural splendor. The park boasts spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant Sequoia groves, and biological diversity, and has more than 300 species of vertebrate animals. It is visited by over 3 million people every year most of whom spend their time in Yosemite valley, a 7 mile long canyon cut by a river and then widened and deepened by glacial action. The park is a United Nations World Heritage Site.

Snapshots of what to see and do

• Yosemite Valley - Catch views of one of the highest waterfalls in the world as well as meadows, cliffs, and unusual rock formations in the valley.
• Glacier Point and Badger Pass - Glacier Point offers a commanding view of the Yosemite Valley. From mid-December through early April visitors can enjoy downhill and cross-country skiing at Badger Pass.
• Tuolumne Meadows - Take the Tioga Road Highway 120 East and you will be rewarded with a 39 mile scenic drive between Crane Flat and Tuolumne Meadows.

First come, first served campgrounds

Camp 4 (aka Sunnyside) is in the Valley and offers tent sites only. Each morning at 7 or 8 am the rangers distribute any available sites. There is often a line of seekers. If the campground is filled, check out the following campgrounds outside of the Valley which are less popular than those in the Valley:

• South of Yosemite Valley
• Bridalveil Creek
• North of Yosemite Valley
• Crane Flat
• Tamarack Flat
• White Wolf
• Yosemite Creek
• Porcupine Flat
• Tuolumne Meadows

If you are interested in getting a site at a popular reserve-only campground call a few days ahead of your arrival date, you just might find a vacancy. Because of the extreme popularity of Yosemite campgrounds people are forced to reserve sites far in advance and often cancel at the last moment. Go ahead, give it a shot!

Be sure to check YosemiteSites.com for reservation information. The site shows you exactly how many tent campsites are available in each campground and information is updated on a daily basis.

Yellowstone National Park was the world's first national park. Visitors come to explore the active geysers, hot springs, and other thermal areas, as well as the intriguing wildlife and natural beauty of the park. Grizzly bears, wolves, bison and elk roam free and call Yellowstone home. Another World Heritage site, it is a great place to strap on your hiking boots and explore the many trails in a park that is about the size of Rhode Island. Do make sure you stay on the well established paths and trails to avoid breaking through the fragile ground into scalding hot water. To give you a sense of the ethereal beauty of this area, when a well intentioned visitor asked a Yosemite ranger what he'd do if he only had a day to visit the park, the ranger replied, "I'd weep".

Snapshots of what to see and do

• Upper Geyser Basin - If it's geysers you're after, Upper Geyser Basin is your spot. The basin has more than 100 geysers within a one square mile area.
• Midway Geyser Basin - The basin sits on a hill overlooking the Firehole River. The runoff from this geyser creates streaming, colorful trails in the river.
• Yellowstone Lake - This is the largest freshwater lake at an elevation over 8,000 feet in the country. It spreads 20 miles east to west and 30 miles north to south.
• Mt. Washburn - A trail leads up the mountain to a lookout tower near the 10,243 foot summit. This is a great place to spot bighorn sheep.

First come, first served campgrounds

Seven of the twelve campgrounds in Yellowstone operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Most have RV sites with no hookups. If you are willing to roll the dice, this is a good option of scoring a site. The seven campgrounds are:

• Indian Creek
• Lewis Lake
• Mammoth
• Norris
• Pebble Creek
• Slough Creek
• Tower Fall

These campgrounds are self-registration so you drive around until you find an available spot and then fill out a form and put it and the money in a canister. They have volunteer hosts on site. Tower Fall, Slough Creek and Pebble Creek are typically the most popular and can fill up by early morning.

Why visit Grand Teton National Park? From stunning mountain vistas and shimmering alpine lakes to abundant wildlife and world class skiing, the question is why wouldn't you visit! A regal mountain range that stands at 7,000 feet above the valley floor, these mountains play host to coniferous forests and alpine meadows, often splashed with wildflower color. With lakes that are set against the foot of these grand mountains, Grand Teton offers picture book scenery and serenity.

Snapshots of what to see and do

• Cathedral Group turnout - This turnout offers a great view of the three highest peaks in the Teton range: Teewinot, the Grand Teton and Mt. Owen.
• Teton Glacier turnout - About 4 miles north of Moose Junction on Teton Park Road, this turnout highlights the largest glacier in the park.
• Snake River Overlook - This overlook is along U.S. 26/89/191. Ansel Adams took a famous photograph of the Tetons from this site.
• Signal Mountain Turn - off the park road south of Jackson Lake Junction. A fairly narrow paved spur road climbs to a parking area, then a very short walk to the summit gives an excellent 360 degree view of Jackson Hole.

First come, first served campgrounds

Five of the seven Grand Teton National Park campgrounds and RV parks are first come, first served. The five are:

• Colter Bay Campground
• Gros Ventre
• Jenny Lake
• Lizard Creek
• Signal Mountain

Jenny Lake Campground is a tent-only campground and very popular so you must be there first thing in the morning to get a site. Similarly Colter Bay's Campground sites fill by noon. Lizard Creek offers views of the Tetons and fishing and sites tend to fill by 2pm. Signal Mountain offers a mix of spruce and fir trees, hillsides, and lake and mountain views. Gros Ventre is the largest campground and is the last to fill.

The two other campgrounds Colter Bay RV Park and Flagg Ranch accept advanced reservations and we mention them as they are the only campgrounds with RV hookups. Colter Bay is an RV-only campground.

As if it needs any introduction at all. Grand Canyon National Park is home to the mile deep (1610 m) canyon. The park is massive - 1.2 million acres to be exact. Visitors to the park are able to gain vantage points of the canyon by the North and South Rim. It is here that the vastness of this gash in the earth can be fully appreciated. Not only is this area a geologist's dream, it holds surprises for the intrepid adventurer either on foot, mule, river or air.

Snapshots of what to see and do

• Desert View (South Rim) - Take in canyon and Colorado River views from this historic Watchtower.
• North Rim - This 215 mile drive offers visitors the ability to enjoy the canyon in solidarity. Only open during summer.
• Havasupai Indian Reservation - Expect world class waterfalls and rustic lodge accommodation.

First come, first served campgrounds

Desert View Campground on the South Rim is usually full during the early afternoon during the summer months, so get in before noon. There are no first come, first served campgrounds on the North Rim.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most-visited national park in the United States, with 9-10 million visits per year. The popularity of the park isn't without legitimacy. The park has a world class diversity of plant and animal life, beautiful mountain views, and Southern Appalachian mountain culture.

Snapshots of what to see and do

• Hike - Go for a hike on many of the Park's trails, including the Appalachian Trail.
• Morton Overlook - The overlook is close to a mile above sea level and offers spectacular views.
• US 441 - This highway runs north to south through the park connecting Gatlinburg, Tennessee to Cherokee, North Carolina and offers several pull offs that have great views. The highway has steep grades and tunnels.

First come, first served campgrounds

There are ten campgrounds in the park. Mid-March through October, most of the campgrounds are available on first come first served basis. These include:

• Abrams Creek
• Balsam Mountain
• Big Creek
• Catalooochee
• Cosby
• Deep Creek
• Look Roc

Go to the visitors center when you arrive at the park as they post the vacancies at the campgrounds. If the reservation campgrounds (Cade Cove, Elkmont and Smokemont) have open spots, they will offer first come, first served to fill them.

There are also a large number of private options that skim the park, and you can find campgrounds and RV parks along the Great Smoky Mountains with our Smart Search

Unlike most other parks, visitors to Zion walk on the canyon floor and look up to rock formations and high sandstone cliffs. Zion attracts backpackers, hikers, canyoneers, and climbers. Park highlights include high plateaus, a maze of narrow, deep, sandstone canyons, and remarkable rock towers and mesas. Within the park's 229 square miles, there is a maze of narrow gorges and canyons to explore, with more than 15 miles of paved trails and a further 100 miles of wilderness trails in the backcountry to delight novices to experts.

Snapshots of what to see and do

• The Narrows - The Narrows is an extremely popular off-trail hike. The route follows the North Fork of the Virgin River, along the floor of a very narrow canyon with impossibly high walls. This trek is one of the park's most amazing destinations. The full hike is a 16-mile one-way trip. Wading will be required, so wear footwear and leg coverings that can get wet!
• Zion Canyon Scenic Drive - This 6 mile road leads you through Zion Canyon and past incredible rock formations, and colorful sandstone cliffs rising 2,000 to 3,000 feet from the canyon floor. The road into the canyon is closed to private vehicles from mid-March until November.
• Kolob Canyons - Kolob Canyons is a less-crowded area of the park that contains beautiful red-rock canyons, incredible overlooks, and lush scenery. A visitor center is located at the entrance to Kolob Canyons, just off of Interstate 15.

First come, first served campgrounds

Lava Point is about a 1-hour drive from Zion Canyon on the Kolob Terrace Road. It is first come, first served. Watchman Campground is located 0.25 mile from the South Entrance. Beginning March 6, 2010 part of the campground will be available on a first come, first served basis. It can fill up as early as 10 AM and normally is full by 2 PM. South Campground is 0.5 mile from the South Entrance. It's open March through October and is first come, first served. RV Sites are also available.

Geologists would have a field day in Glacier National Park. The park, which sits on the northern border of Montana, is home to rock formations that date back anywhere between 1600 to 800 million years ago. Not surprisingly, glacier features such as lakes, valleys, and remnant glaciers abound. It is the perfect place to explore by car and on foot. Drive the Going to the Sun Highway and stop off at places that take your visual fancy. Hike up plateaus, to spectacular vantage points. A reward for adventurers.

Snapshots of what to see and do

Going to the Sun Highway - This drive is a must. The highway, which bisects the park east and west, crosses the Continental divide at 6,646-foot-high Logan Pass. Other highlights include cedar forests, windswept alpine tundra, and several scenic viewpoints.

First come, first served campgrounds

Thirteen campgrounds in Glacier National Park offer around 1,000 sites. Eleven of them are first come, first served:

• Apgar
• Avalanche
• Bowman Lake
• Cut Bank
• Kintla Lake
• Logging Creek
• Many Glacier
• Quartz Creek
• Rising Sun
• Sprague Creek
• Two Medicine

Get to the campgrounds around 9 AM to check in as people tend to leave the campground in the early morning. The most popular campground is Many Glacier.

Rocky Mountain National Park is home to the Continental Divide. As such it is cut into two areas with distinct landscapes; a dry and heavily glaciated eastern side, and a wetter, forested western side. The park offers great opportunities for hikers, backpackers and rock climbers to fully engage themselves in beautiful surrounds. Only 2 hours out of Denver, this is one of the most accessible parks in the system.

Snapshots of what to see and do

• Fauna - Elk, deer, chipmunks, ground squirrels, beavers, porcupines, foxes, and coyotes can be spotted in meadows and in and around lakes and streams. Bring a camera.
• Lily Mountain - This short 3 mile hike will lead you to a great view of the front range.
• Bluebird Lake - This 12 mile round trip hike is filled with scenery. You will pass by three major waterfalls with gorgeous views as you make your way to Bluebird Lake.

First come, first served campgrounds

• Longs Peak
• Timber Creek

There are no electric, water or sewer hookups at any campsites.

The first National Park east of the Mississippi, Acadia National Park sits along the rugged Maine coastline. The park attracts nearly 3 million visitors per year, and for good reason - peninsulas jut out into the cold chilly ocean water and cliffs dot the landscape. Glacial ice sheets, 20,000 years ago, left their mark with passes cut, mountain tops rounded into the visions they are today and lake beds gorged deep. This whole peninsula region is best discovered by car. Leaf peepers can also enjoy the spectacular foliage that attracts international visitors over the Fall.

Snapshots of what to see and do

• Fauna - Acadia plays host to a variety of birds, as well as garter snakes, the American Bullfrog, and the North American red-bellied salamander.
• Egg Rock Light - The lighthouse was erected in 1875 and sits on a barren ledge in the middle of Frenchman Bay.
• Carriage Roads - Grab your bicycle and hit the carriage roads. The roads are closed to automobiles, so you can take in the views without worrying about traffic.

First come, first served campgrounds

Seawall Campground is the only no reservation campground. This has both RV and tent sites with no hookups.

Given its designation of United States National Monument in 1923, it is no surprise that Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the most popular National Parks in Utah. The park plays host to nearly one million visitors per year and offers its visitors 35,835 acres to explore. Nowhere else can you see the raw forces of natural erosion more tangibly than Bryce Canyon. Winds and rains have cast a spell over the area to create hoodoos, rock spires that seem to levitate against the laws of gravity. Hikers and horseback riders are spoilt for choice, and the hardest part about Bryce is working out what to experience first.

Snapshots of what to see and do

• Bryce Point - Bryce Point offers panoramic views of the hoodoos and park landscape.
• Inspiration Point - Also located along the Rim Trail and accessible by car, Inspiration Point not surprisingly offers, you guessed it, inspirational views. Sunset is the best time to visit.
• Navajo Trail Loop - 1.3 mile loop that takes you amongst the hoodoos, rock spires and pinnacles of the canyon. With a steep series of switchbacks that take you to steep Wall Street gorge. Not to be missed!

First come, first served campgrounds

There are two campgrounds and both operate on a first come first serve basis (you can also reserve some sites there too):

• North Campground
• Sunset Campground