View from Artist’s Point, Yellowstone National Park

The US National Parks, Trip Planning

The American National Parks have been preserved in a pristine natural state so there are no villages and towns within their perimeter as in Europe – the villages marked on the National Parks website maps are concessions and accommodation. This means:

• All shops are licensed concessions and often expensive. Ensure you have shopped for basics such as  sunscreen, insect repellent, over the counter drugs etc before entering the park
• Accommodation (including campsites) is very limited and gets booked up a long way in advance.  The quality of the accommodation varies from park to park but in our experience it is often very expensive for the quality you receive, you are definitely paying for location. The gateway communities just outside the parks have a greater variety of options for sleeping and eating as well as greater supply so are subsequently cheaper
• Whilst you can buy food in the parks again it tends to be expensive and we find not necessarily to our taste. We tend to make our own picnic where possible. Having said that nothing beats the taste of an ice cream sat outside a park shop at the end of a long hot walk!

Rio Grande, Big Bend National Park, Texas

Visit the Visitor Center on arrival to orient yourself, obtain maps, advice and guidance and an up to date weather forecast. The Rangers run various talks and guided walks that are free to attend and often very interesting and informative so it is well worth getting a timetable before you travel or on arrival to see if something appeals. There is also a Junior Ranger Program for younger visitors aimed at helping children engage with the Park and various Ranger led activities from bug hunts to campfire stories.

Be aware of hazards in the Park. The Parks are often subject to a number of natural hazards from the weather, flora and fauna and the landscape. These are not benign environments and adequate care must be taken to remain safe. Again, your best source of advice is the Rangers who will be happy to help you enjoy the Park safely. The main source of injury is apparently sunburn followed by ankle injuries from attempting to walk unsuitable trails in flip flops or sandals. Also remember for those Parks at altitude such as Yellowstone or Grand Teton, you are a long way above sea level and may need to drink more and take it easy for the first few days whilst your body adjusts to the altitude. Otherwise you may end up with a headache or feeling a little nauseous.

Arches National Park, Utah

You may struggle to obtain large scale maps of the Park before you arrive. The US has no equivalent of the Ordnance Survey and so the maps available vary from Park to Park. You will be given a tourist map on arrival at the entrance station. This will be suitable for driving through the park and identifying where all the major sights and facilities are but will be inadequate for hiking. The Ranger Station / Visitor Center will sell a range of trail guides and maps and will be able to give advice on what is best suited to your requirements.