Crater Lake is a park like no other. Boasting the deepest body of water in the continental United States and nestled inside a dormant volcano, Crater Lake provides an almost alien-like waterscape adventure. Not a fan of water? The surrounding 183,244 acres of mountains and forests should be a treat.

• Open all year, though summer is the most popular time
• Two campgrounds
• Crater Lake is 1,943 feet deep
• Crater Lake National Park is comprised of 183,224 acres
• Recommended activities: Cycling, Boat Tours, Hiking, Trolley Tours, Snowshoe Hikes, Cross-Country Skiing

Located in Texas, Big Bend National Park is home to mystifying West Texas sunsets and the mighty Rio Grande. Cliffs peek over water-cut canyon beds to reveal the millennia-old waters that formed the beautiful surrounding landscapes. As large as the state of Rhode Island, there should be plenty to see and do at Big Bend.

• Established in 1935
• 1200 species of plants
• 450 species of birds
• 1,252 square miles of parkland
• Contains Northern sector of the Chihuahuan Desert

Much like Big Eyed Fish Outfitters, Acadia National Park is truly where the mountains meet the sea. With the highest peak on the Atlantic coast and more than two dozen other mountains lining the shore, Acadia offers some of the most breathtaking views in the country. The tall, forested trails of the park offer some of the most gorgeous hiking and biking on the whole East Coast!.

• Highest Peak on Atlantic coast: Cadillac Mountain, 1,530 feet
• Became the first national park east of the Mississippi River in 1919
• One of the best spots in the country to view the Milky Way at night

Another beautiful western park makes the list, and it’s the first of the Utah parks. Conveniently located in the southwestern corner of the state near bordering Nevada and Arizona, Zion is the perfect stop for those visiting Salt Lake City, Las Vegas or the West Coast. Offering canyon views, river access, and natural formations such as the Crawford and Kolob arches, Zion is an oasis in the desert.

• Began as Munkuntuweap National Monument in 1901 but was renamed Zion National Park  in 1919
• On-site Human History Museum
• An abundance of stone arches

A fitting choice for the first national park in our parks system, Yellowstone is as fantastical as ever. Yellowstone National Park is an expanse of land so diverse and gorgeous that initial reports from first-time visitors were deemed fictitious. An otherworldly landscape awaits you with hot springs, mudpots, waterfalls, and forests to be discovered.

• Established in 1872
• Spans 3500 miles into Montana and Idaho
• Contains America’s largest buffalo herd
• Home of Old Faithful, world-famous geyser

A true staple of the American family vacation, Yosemite National Park features some of the camping, hiking, and mountain views the West Coast has to offer.  If Yellowstone was the first officially recognized national park, then Yosemite was where the spirit of the national parks system was born. A center of early conservation work, Yosemite was saved by a group of ordinary and conscientious citizens. From the granite majesty of El Capitan to the roaring wonder of Yosemite Falls, this park is a must.

• Established in 1890
• Draws 4 million visitors a year
• 747,956 acres
• Features largest waterfall and granite monolith in the U.S.

A personal favorite of the Big Eyed Fish family with deep ties to our organization, Rocky Mountain National Park has played no small part in our love for the outdoors. Rocky Mountain National Parks is an enchanting place where aspens and pines reach toward the sky throughout scenes of mountains and clearwater lakes. All it takes is a step outside your tent or cabin to appreciate the awe-inspiring sight of a Rocky Mountain sunrise or sunset.

• Established in 1915
• Features the highest altitude visitors center in the National Parks System
• Summer and autumn offer wildflowers, running streams and excellent hiking weather
• Recommended activities: hiking, mountain climbing, camping, and fishing

Nestled among the Sierra Nevada mountains, Sequoia National Park is the home of giants.  The colossal redwoods and the highest mountain in the continental United States offer perspective into just how tiny we are. If the trees, mountains, and surface, in general, aren’t your thing then 200 marble caverns await for a subterranean adventure.

• Sequoia National Park established in 1890
• Kings Canyon National Park established in 1940
• Both parks share miles of boundary
• Offers terrestrial, aquatic and subterranean sites to explore