Embark on an unforgettable adventure in the United States' most spectacular national parks
From lunar-like deserts and striated canyons to snow-capped mountains and alpine valleys teeming with wildlife – as far as national parks go, the USA has it all. With a local leader by your side, you'll explore the most iconic sections of the parks, as well as lesser-known gems that you won’t find in the travel guides. Our United States national park tours offer something for all kinds of adventurers, whether you want to hike through slot canyons in Zion, join a real-life wolf tracker in Yellowstone, tick off bucket-list-worthy hiking trails in Yosemite or witness the most beautiful night skies you've ever seen in Denali. It’s time to dust off those hiking boots... the parks are waiting!
US national parks travel deals
| Departing | Trip name | Days | From EUR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
23 Oct 2023Western USA National Parks Loop |
Western USA National Parks Loop Las Vegas to Las Vegas |
5 | ||
18 Apr 2024Zion Glamping Adventure |
Las Vegas to Las Vegas |
4 | ||
19 May 2024Hiking in Yosemite National Park |
Hiking in Yosemite National Park San Francisco to San Francisco |
5 |
Our US national park tours
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Set off on a five-day adventure through some of the USA’s most epic scenery, including...
5 Days
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2106
Follow your feet on this 5-day walking tour that shows off the very best of Yosemite...
8 Days
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1975
Explore rugged Utah on this eight-day adventure. Hit Zion National Park, Monument...
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1200
Take a five-day road trip from Los Angeles to Vegas, stopping by Joshua Tree National...
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814
Hit the road from Las Vegas to San Francisco on a six-day adventure, stopping by...
Tailor-Made trips
Take four or more on an exclusive trip and tailor your itinerary
6 Days
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2935
Take a discovery tour of Wyoming’s highlights, with plenty of wildlife-spotting and...
6 Days
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3070
Explore Anchorage, Denali National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park, and Seward on foot...
10 Days
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3280
From the famed LA streets to the glitz of the Vegas strip, travel through the hush of...
4 Days
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2035
Explore Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon and Antelope Canyon on this glamping adventure...
5 Days
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3540
Explore Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park,...
12 Days
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6460
Discover the best of Alaska on a 12-day hiking adventure taking in Anchorage, the Kenai...
5 Days
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1920
Explore the Sierra Nevada Range on a 5-day small group hiking tour which includes...
6 Days
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3200
Explore the best of Montana on a leisurely trip including the Missouri River, Glacier...
10 Days
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5305
Explore the rugged landscape of icy Alaska. From Anchorage, circle the Kenai Peninsula...
13 Days
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1815
Take an adventure through California, Arizona, Utah and Nevada past Joshua Tree, Grand...
11 Days
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2230
Travel from LA via Joshua Tree, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Yosemite, Sierra Nevada to...
6 Days
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2870
Explore South Dakota and Yellowstone National Park, Badlands National Park, Little...
6 Days
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2510
From Pike Place Market to Mt Rainier, this 6-day tour of the Pacific Northwest packs in...
6 Days
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3715
Take the family on a 6-day adventure in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks....
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3190
Discover Alaska on a 7-day walking tour looping from Anchorage along the Kenai...
8 Days
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3760
Discover wild Alaska with a week exploring Denali National Park, Kenai Fjords National...
6 Days
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2510
Explore the USA’s West Coast on a six-day small group tour which includes Portland,...
9 Days
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3530
Explore Las Vegas, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef, Arches National Park, Zion...
14 Days
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2980
Beginning in Las Vegas, see Zion, Moab and Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, Yosemite, the...
5 Days
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2830
Discover the best of the USA’s Wild West on a six-day family Zion ranch stay in Utah....
6 Days
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2910
Hike Denali National Park in Alaska and see North America’s second-tallest peak, Denali...
7 Days
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3040
Discover the best of Colorado on a 7-day adventure that visits Rocky Mountains National...
18 Days
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4145
Travel for 18 days from Los Angeles to San Francisco, passing through Las Vegas, the...
5 Days
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2205
Explore Joshua Tree and Death Valley on a five-day small group tour which includes...
6 Days
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3050
From peaceful seaside towns to diverse wildlife and a dramatic national park, discover...
8 Days
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3320
Take an 8-day winter trip in Alaska, visiting Anchorage, Sheep Mountain, Talkeetna,...
12 Days
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6175
Explore South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana on a 12-day small group tour which includes...
11 Days
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4865
From Seattle to San Francisco, this 11-day tour packs in all the highlights
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5695
Discover the best of Colorado and New Mexico on a 12 day adventure through Rocky...
6 Days
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2000
Escape the crowds, see incredible views, sleep under the stars, check out waterfalls...
4 Days
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2280
Discover Yosemite in winter on a 4-day small group tour that stays in Airstream...
5 Days
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3400
Surround yourself with nature on a 5-day snowshoeing small group winter tour through...
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2120
Strap on snowshoes and take in the winter beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park on a 4...
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1395
Experience Utah’s most famous national park as a standalone canyon country experience...
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1930
Experience the very best of the Olympic Peninsula with a perfect balance of challenge...
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2275
See the best of this iconic national park on three spectacularly diverse, hand-picked...
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1435
See the best of Yellowstone on an Intrepid small group hiking and camping adventure...
4 Days
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1215
Escape the crowds, see incredible views, sleep under the stars, and backpack through...
4 Days
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1615
Experience Death Valley’s narrow canyons, vast dune fields, lava flows, scenic...
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1590
Experience Joshua Tree’s surreal landscapes, cool oases, and famous Joshua Trees on a 4...
5 Days
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1995
See the best of this iconic national park on five spectacularly diverse, hand-picked...
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1830
Avoid the crowds and see the best of Southern Yellowstone National Park’s backcountry...
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3425
Enjoy the luxuries of a lodge and rustic dining each evening in different locations...
6 Days
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2110
Experience Utah’s most famous national park destinations and see the best of Zion,...
6 Days
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3730
Explore the high alpine ridges, glaciated volcanoes, dramatic waterfalls, wildlife, and...
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2820
Drive, hike and explore your way through Nevada and California, hitting Yosemite...
17 Days
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From Los Angeles to San Francisco, take a trip through the USA’s best National Parks....
Popular US national parks
Highlights of US national parks
Marvel at Grand Prismatic Spring
Grand Prismatic Spring is full of heat-loving microbes that create a rainbow rim of vivid colours around the edge of the water. At a mighty 370 feet wide and 160 feet deep (FYI, that's bigger than a soccer field and taller than a 10-story building), it's also the largest hot spring in the US. Walk along the boardwalk to get up close to the hypnotising colours or hike to the overlook for an impressive bird's eye view. Grand Prismatic Spring is the kind of site that needs to be seen to be believed.
Hike Zion's Virgin River Narrows
Imagine wading through turquoise river passages and looking up to see giant canyon walls towering 1000 ft (305 m) above you. A 'hike' doesn’t quite cut it – tackling Zion's iconic Narrows trail is an exciting adventure that will have you wading through ankle-deep (and sometimes waist-deep) water passages, swimming in natural sandstone pools, and doing the odd bit of rock scrambling. Hidden away from the crowds, this is the Zion that most don't get to see.
Watch Old Faithful erupt
Yellowstone is home to over 10,000 thermal features – including the highest concentration of geysers on the planet – but Old Faithful is the superstar. Watch safely from the sidelines as this mighty cone geyser shoots 14,000 litres of hot water high into the air. There are around 20 eruptions a day, with each lasting two to five minutes. Listen out for the powerful roaring sounds as Old Faithful begins to erupt as well as the gurgling plughole sounds of other geysers nearby.
Explore Grand Staircase Escalante
Escape the crowds and enjoy the endless vistas of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument – an epic national monument brimming with otherworldly plateaus, arches and cliffs that you could spend a lifetime exploring. Get lost in the labyrinths of sandstone boulders and rock formations, take a peek inside Peek a Boo slot canyon, hike to the hoodoos in Devil’s Garden, or cool off in the Utah heat by taking a refreshing dip in the Lower Calf Creek Falls.
Go wild in Denali
Denali National Park puts the 'wild' in wilderness. Wake up surrounded by dazzling snow-capped peaks, catch a glimpse of grizzlies and other Alaskan wildlife, watch the magical northern lights dance in the night sky, or lace up your hiking boots and tackle one of the park's many trails. You might also like to learn about the diverse traditions, language and culture of Alaska’s Indigenous peoples at the Alaska Native Heritage Centre.
Take a dip in Cathedral Lakes
Most people hike to Cathedral Lakes to enjoy a picturesque picnic. We have a better idea: plunge into the cold, crystal clear water before coming up for air to see the huge steeple-looking peak towering over you. The views – and maybe the cold water – will take your breath away. If swimming in cold water isn’t your thing, follow the 8-mile trail around Lower and Upper Cathedral Lakes to enjoy Yosemite's alpine scenery and impressive granite pinnacles reflecting perfectly on the water.
US national park tour reviews
US national parks FAQs
Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards
From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).
However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.
Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.
The US is home to an impressive 423 national parks, monuments, and protected sites. Of this number, 63 are classified as national parks.
The best time to visit a national park really depends on what you want to experience on your trip. The US is a huge country with diverse weather, foliage, and wildlife. Most parks change quite dramatically from season to season. Our trips run all year round but spring through to early fall is the most popular time to go when the weather is mild, crowds are smaller, and hiking conditions are good.
The 10 most visited national parks (The National Park Service, 2020) are:
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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Yellowstone National Park
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Zion National Park
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Rocky Mountain National Park
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Grand Teton National Park
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Grand Canyon National Park
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Cuyahoga Valley National Park
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Acadia National Park
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Olympic National Park
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Joshua Tree National Park
Cell phone service, WiFi, and internet access varies and some parks will have coverage while others may be completely cut off. Most visitor centers, lodges, and restaurants will offer free internet access but it’s worth reading up on coverage or checking with your guide before your trip begins so you can be prepared.
Absolutely. Everyone that travels with Intrepid is required to purchase travel insurance before their trip begins. Your leader will log your travel insurance details on the first day of the trip. In addition to health and hospital care, travel insurance can cover you for things like personal liability, trip cancellation, curtailment, and loss/damage of personal belongings.
Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. In fact, we make a donation on behalf of every traveller. Trips to this country directly support our global Intrepid Foundation partner, Eden Reforestation Projects.
Eden Reforestation Projects
Eden Reforestation Projects are helping to mitigate climate change by restoring forests worldwide; they also hire locally and create job opportunities within vulnerable communities. Donations from our trips support restoration across planting sites in 10 countries around the globe.
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