Activities in the Parks

Photography

Release your innter shutterbug! Taking photographs lets you capture a piece of the park you're in and take it home with you, without actually removing anything - a big no-no! Every single park in the country offers a fruitful playground for photographers of all levels, ranging from artistic to recreational to commercial. Preserve the memories you make in the parks by clicking here and learning more about photography.

Picnicking

Yogi had the right idea - pack up those "sandwich-type goodies" and "pic-a-nic" baskets for your next roadtrip! Whether your destination be a national park, recreation area or monument, picnicking embraces nature's intimate serenity. Listen to birds chatter, animals scamper and breathe in the fresh air while indulging in your favorite outdoor snacks. Prove your smarter than the average bear by packing out more than you pack in, helping to preserve our picnic-friendly parks!

Apache Lake • Bartlett Reservoir • WestWorld • Horseshoe Reservoir • Lake Pleasant • plus 4186 more ...

Rafting

A great way to experience wilderness, rafting takes you over the river and through the woods on an adventure of your favorite riparian park! Numerous float trip possibilities await park visitors from leisurely paddles to swiftly paced oarsmanship. Available in parks as accessible as the Grand Canyon to the vast Alaskan backcountry of Lake Clark National Park, your next rafting trip awaits you in America's great outdoors!

Ranger-led Programs

One of the best ways to appreciate the hidden treasures of the park is in the company of a park ranger. Park rangers can help you better "read" the landscape, from its natural history, to the imprint man has left on the land. Join a park ranger for a nature walk, a bridges tour, an evening star watch or a lecture about the park's geology.

Rock Climbing

American rock climbing takes its roots in the national parks and draws visitors from around the world to come and play. Dare to ascend the breathtaking granite walls of El Capitan's The Nose, in Yosemite. Choose from hundreds of routes at Joshua Tree, or try some crack climbing at Wyoming's awe-inspiring spire, Devils Tower, with continuous cracks up to 400 feet long! Rock climbing is an exciting way to experience the parks in a less traditional way, but remember to stay safe and listen to local rules and regulations. Click here to learn more about climbing safety and locations in the system.

Sailing

Swing the jib starboard and embrace the historic activity of sailing! Instrumental in the development of civilization, sailing combines a mastery of varying wind and sea conditions. Today, people enjoy the wind in their sails for recreation or sport - racing, cruising and "daysailing" or dinghy sailing. Not all NPS sites have the open waters to offer sailing, though scenic riverways like Saint Croix or national seashores like Cape Cod are of the most majestic waters in the country. Click here to embark on your nautical voyage!

Scuba Diving

Coral Reefs aren't the only wonders to be discovered underwater - shipwrecks saturate the system with opportunities to explore historic vessels in the depths below national lakeshores, parks and even monuments! Dive below the surface of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to swim your way through large sections of the Walter L Frost's wooden hull, machinery, boilers and related artifacts. If it's bright colors that strike your flippers, the coral reefs and rare sea creatures of Virgin Islands National Park display a diverse spectrum of color. An abundance of mystery lay beneath the water surface - click here to investigate America's very own water-logged mysteries.

Sledding

Snow or sand, daylight or moonlight, sledding shows its many faces within the National Park System. Navigate the dunes of White Sands National Monument atop waxed plastics snow saucers or glide down a snowcovered hill under the coyote howling moonlight at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Click here to discover the location of your next exhilirating sled-driven adventure!

Snorkeling

Kelp forests, sea caves, coral reefs and coves await the awe-struck eyes of snorkelers, an activity only requiring flippers, dive mask, snorkel and ability to swim! From east to west coast, the National Park System offers some of the best snorkeling in the world. Glide atop the undulating waters of California's Channel Islands, explore the majesties of Biscayne's underwater world or travel to the undisturbed inlets of the National Park of American Samoa. Wherever your next park trip takes you, be sure to bring your swim trunks and adventurous spirit, you never know what awaits a snorkeler below the surface!

Snowmobiling

Although there are alternatives in some parks, snowmobiling can often be the most efficient way to tackle large tracks of snow and ice in the winter and it's a lot of fun! New innovations are transforming snowmobiles into cleaner-burning, quieter vehicles, and guided tours are encouraged or mandated to reduce both the volume of users and the impact to land and wildlife. Click here to find out about permitted locations within the system.

Snowshoeing

Do you enjoy the challenge of breaking trail or following loosely established routes during the long winter months? Then throw on those webs, or more commonly known as snowshoes, and walk the snow of your favorite public land! Snowshoeing is one of the best ways to experience the stark silence and the exhiliration of snow-covered wilderness. Join a guided hike through the backcounrty of Grand Teton National Park or explore Gunnison Basin within the limits of Curecanti National Recreation Area. Whether you're up for a blistery walk or backpacking expedition, snowshoes can carry you over the snow of these winter wonderland parks!

Stargazing

On a clear, moonless night in Great Basin National Park, thousands of stars, five planets, meteors, man-made satellites and the Milky Way can be seen with the naked eye. Get an astounding glimpse of a natural, unpolluted night sky within the boundaries of America's national parks. Nestled far from urban light disturbance, parks such as Joshua Tree, Guadalupe Mountains and Mesa Verde not only offer visitors a celestial sight, star talks and star parties present educational opportunities for the whole family.

Surfing

Surf's up dude! The NPS boasts both coastal and island parks, each providing a unique hunt for great waves. East meets west coast culture at Cape Hatteras and Fire Island National Seashores, where surfers dot the horizon offshore. If your board points west, visit Channel Islands in California for a gnarly adventure. Drop into the ultimate wave during your next park-filled vacation.

Swimming

When the weather's hot, what could be better than plunging into a clear, cool lake, river, or pond? Whether you're swimming in the saltwater of Acadia's coastal waters, the seven sacred pools of Oheo Gulch in Haleakala National Park, or the icey cold lakes in Glacier National Park, swimming is a great way to cool-off, relax, and have some good old-fashioned fun in the parks. Locations are widely available in many parks, just remember to find out about local rules and regulations and designated swimming areas before your visit.

Trail Running

With over 20 designated historic and scenic trails and hundreds of trails throughout the entire system, trail running exposes thousands of zipgzagging miles of park bliss. From the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park to Scott Paul trail in North Cascades National Parks, your own two feet can cover many miles of national park, national monument, and national trail ground. Lace up those crosstrainers and hit the ground running on America's scenic trails!