10 Must-See National Parks You Can Easily Explore by Car

Discovering the great outdoors is a timeless adventure, and there’s no better way to experience the beauty of nature than by visiting some of the most breathtaking national parks. Fortunately, many of these parks are easily accessible by car, offering convenience without sacrificing the awe-inspiring sights. To make the journey even smoother, choosing the right car is essential, and a car auction can help you find the perfect vehicle. You can easily find any car auction locations in your state on A Better Bid.

Now we present a comprehensive guide to ten must-see national parks that you can effortlessly explore by car. 

1. Yellowstone National Park

The first national park in the world, Yellowstone National Park, is a place spread out through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. The place has varied landscapes with geysers, hot springs, waterfalls, and rugged mountains.

Key Attractions:

• Old Faithful Geyser: Watch the famous geyser erupt with dazzling regularity.
• Grand Prismatic Spring: You will be amazed by the colors of the largest hot spring in the U.S.
• Yellowstone Lake: The largest high-altitude lake in North America, emanates serene beauty.
• Mammoth Hot Springs: The terraces developed by the hot water from these springs.

2. Grand Canyon National Park

Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park is famous not only for its colossal scale but also for the highly diverse, intricate, and colorful landscape it boasts.

Key Attractions

• South Rim: It’s spectacular and has good accessibility.
• Desert View Drive is one of the scenic drives with several lookouts.
• It is dubbed with the name Hopi Point and cherished by many aficionados as witnessing the finest sunrise and sunset panoramas in its category.
• Eagle Point Skywalk: limitless thrills as you walk on the glass bridge above the canyon.

3. Yosemite National Park

In California, Yosemite National Park is renowned for its most beautiful granite cliffs, waterfalls, giant sequoias, and diverse ecosystems.

Principal Attractions:

• Yosemite Valley has many outstanding landmarks within the beauty of El Capitan, Half Dome, and Yosemite Falls.
• Glacier Point: Reveals the surrounding Yosemite Valley from its top, Half Dome, and the High Sierras.
• Mariposa Grove: hike amongst the ancient giant sequoia trees, which date back to over 2,000 years.
• Tioga Road—a drive through beautiful landscape offering breathtaking vistas and entrance to high-country trails.

4. Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park—one of the most famous and best known of wildlife variety, plus very ancient mountains— lies right on the border that separates North Carolina from Tennessee.

Key Attractions:

• Cades Cove: A broad, verdant valley and one of the best vantage points for viewing wildlife.
• Newfound Gap Road: The Center of the Park with Dazzling Views.
• Clingmans Dome: It is the highest point of the park, and from here, one can see views from a 360-degree observation tower.
• One way loop road; views of rushing streams, old growth forest, and well preserved log cabins along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.

5. Zion National Park

Utah’s Zion National Park: famous vivid crimson sheer rocky peaks above canyons, stunning rock formations.

Main Attractions:

• Drive around Zion Scenic Drive: A beautiful drive with countless points of interest to pull over to view the landscape.
• Angels Landing: A highly strenuous hike with beautiful views of Zion Canyon.
• The Narrows: Hike in the narrowest section of Zion Canyon, with walls a thousand feet tall.
• Kolob Canyons: Less crowded area with beautiful red rock formations and some scenic drives.

6. Rocky Mountain National Park

Located in Colorado, there are great mountains, lovely alpine lakes, and diverse wildlife in the Rocky Mountain National Park.

Key Attractions

• Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved road in the United States, with breathtaking views.
• Bear Lake: It is an impressive alpine lake that is accessed quickly and offers many hiking opportunities.
• Alpine Visitor Center: Discover how park life adjusts to the extreme alpine environment; views from this high-altitude center are grand.
• Wild Basin Area—This is the least crowded, filled with beautiful waterfalls and serene meadows.

7. Acadia National Park

Situated by the sea in Maine, Acadia National Park is a center of attraction with its rocky beaches, woodlands, and granite peaks.

Key Attractions:

• Cadillac Mountain; highest point on East Coast; sunrise views of brilliance.
• The Park Loop Road, a 27-mile scenic loop going through the heart of Acadia.
• Jordan Pond: This is a pristine lake with the Bubbles rising at either end—two rounded mountains.
• Sand Beach: This is a unique beach made of sand, lying between the mountains and the ocean.

8. Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park, Montana, is everything rugged mountain, alpine meadow, and clean lake.

Key attractions:

• Going-to-the-Sun Road: A mountain scenic road overlooks dramatic landscapes and great opportunities for wildlife sightings.
• Lake McDonald: The largest lake in the park, takes the prize for reflection.
• Many Glacier: Among the best tracks and scenic outlooks in the entire park.
• Logan Pass: The highest point of Going-to-the-Sun Road with spectacular views and access to the trailhead.

9. Shenandoah National Park

Minutes away from Washington D.C., beautiful mountain scenery in Virginia at Shenandoah National Park with part of the Appalachian Trail.

Key Attractions:

• Skyline Drive: A 105-mile road, it stretches the whole length and breadth of the park and provides some stupendous views.
• Old Rag Mountain, the panoramic sighted range with challenging hiking trails, stands high.
• Dark Hollow Falls: Short walk to a beautiful fall.
• Big Meadows: This is a large meadow with excellent wildlife viewing and picnic areas. 

10. Joshua Tree National Park 

The main draw for crowds to California’s Joshua Tree National Park is Joshua Trees, covering it against beautiful desert landscapes. 

Key Attractions

• Hidden Valley: An area that offers many enjoyable footpaths and rock climbing landscapes.
• Keys View: Overview looking out at the surroundings of Coachella Valley. 
• Cholla Cactus Garden: A dense concentration of cholla cacti, as they glow from first light until last.
• Barker Dam: An historic water reservoir speaking quiet reflections of the area’s past history and beauty. 

Road-tripping these national parks allows one to travel close to the landscapes of America’s natural beauty with so much comfort and convenience. All these parks offer attractions and are very peculiar to them, hence making them very interesting to pay a visit to.