51 National Parks In A Single Trip? Here’s The Route That Helps You Do It

The dream of every wanderlust-filled traveler: conquering all of the U.S. national parks in the contiguous United States (AKA the lower 48), from towering mountains to sprawling deserts, lush forests to wild coastlines. It’s an inspiring thought, isn’t it?

Until you imagine zigzagging across the country like a caffeinated deer trying to dodge traffic, inevitably missing a handful of must-see stops. But fear not! This guide is about to save your sanity (and your gas money).

While many have valiantly tried to map the perfect park-hopping route, this one is the real deal. Why? Because it hits every single national park in the lower 48, laid out in a logical, loop-able fashion.

No unnecessary backtracking, no ridiculous detours, just good, efficient, adventurous fun. And whether you’re a serious adventurer with a thing for checklists, a retiree finally ticking items off the bucket list, or a family determined to give the kids a front-row seat to America’s jaw-dropping landscapes, this route is your answer.

Oh, and we’ve made navigating even easier by including the primary visitor center for each stop to collect your stamps. We know you wouldn’t dare visit Yosemite and skip the iconic Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, after all.

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Planning For The Long Haul

Before you pack your snacks and Spotify playlists, remember this isn’t a casual weekend jaunt. This is a marathon… a glorious, once-in-a-lifetime road trip. Think road warrior meets documentary filmmaker.

And depending on how fast you want to move, tackling all 51 parks could take months. Some even choose to space this out over multiple seasons or even years, adding a sensible touch to an otherwise wild adventure.

A few words of wisdom from travel veterans in the know: Make sure your vehicle can handle the miles (and the occasional dirt road). Stock up on gear that helps you survive both desert heat and damp coastal mornings.

Prepare to fall asleep in one time zone and wake up in another. And though the route can be circular, you can start and end wherever you please (it’s the road trip equivalent of a choose-your-own-adventure book).

But the beauty of this route lies in its variety. You’ll cruise through everything from the towering peaks of the Rockies to the alien landscapes of White Sands, from misty rainforests in the northwest to the flat, golden prairies of the Midwest.

And not only are you checking off bucket list items, but you’re also getting a front-row seat to every major ecosystem in the country. The reward? Epic tales, mind-blowing views, and that unbeatable satisfaction of knowing you’ve seen it all.

The Route, Stop By Stop

1. Acadia National Park – Hulls Cove Visitor Center
2. Cuyahoga Valley National Park – Boston Mill Visitor Center
3. Indiana Dunes National Park – Indiana Dunes Visitor Center
4. Isle Royale National Park – Rock Harbor Visitor Center
5. Voyageurs National Park – Rainy Lake Visitor Center
6. Theodore Roosevelt National Park – South Unit Visitor Center (Medora)
7. Badlands National Park – Ben Reifel Visitor Center
8. Wind Cave National Park – Wind Cave Visitor Center
9. Rocky Mountain National Park – Beaver Meadows Visitor Center
10. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve – Great Sand Dunes Visitor Center
11. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park – South Rim Visitor Center
12. Mesa Verde National Park – Mesa Verde Visitor and Research Center
13. Canyonlands National Park – Island in the Sky Visitor Center
14. Arches National Park – Arches Visitor Center
15. Capitol Reef National Park – Capitol Reef Visitor Center
16. Bryce Canyon National Park – Bryce Canyon Visitor Center
17. Zion National Park – Zion Canyon Visitor Center
18. Great Basin National Park – Lehman Caves Visitor Center
19. Grand Teton National Park – Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center
20. Yellowstone National Park – Canyon Visitor Education Center
21. Glacier National Park – Apgar Visitor Center
22. North Cascades National Park – North Cascades Visitor Center
23. Mount Rainier National Park – Henry M. Jackson Memorial Visitor Center
24. Olympic National Park – Olympic National Park Visitor Center (Port Angeles)
25. Crater Lake National Park – Steel Visitor Center
26. Redwood National and State Parks – Thomas H. Kuchel Visitor Center
27. Lassen Volcanic National Park – Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center
28. Yosemite National Park – Yosemite Valley Visitor Center
29. Kings Canyon National Park – Kings Canyon Visitor Center (Grant Grove)
30. Sequoia National Park – Foothills Visitor Center
31. Pinnacles National Park – East Pinnacles Visitor Center
32. Channel Islands National Park – Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center (Ventura)
33. Joshua Tree National Park – Joshua Tree Visitor Center
34. Death Valley National Park – Furnace Creek Visitor Center
35. Grand Canyon National Park – Grand Canyon Visitor Center (South Rim)
36. Petrified Forest National Park – Painted Desert Visitor Center
37. Saguaro National Park – Red Hills Visitor Center (West)
38. White Sands National Park – White Sands Visitor Center
39. Carlsbad Caverns National Park – Carlsbad Caverns Visitor Center
40. Guadalupe Mountains National Park – Pine Springs Visitor Center
41. Big Bend National Park – Panther Junction Visitor Center
42. Hot Springs National Park – Fordyce Bathhouse Visitor Center
43. Gateway Arch National Park – Gateway Arch Museum and Visitor Center
44. Mammoth Cave National Park – Mammoth Cave Visitor Center
45. Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Sugarlands Visitor Center
46. Everglades National Park – Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center
47. Dry Tortugas National Park – Garden Key Visitor Center
48. Biscayne National Park – Dante Fascell Visitor Center
49. Congaree National Park – Harry Hampton Visitor Center
50. New River Gorge National Park – Canyon Rim Visitor Center
51. Shenandoah National Park – Dickey Ridge Visitor Center

Parks Not Included

These parks are not included because they are not part of the lower 48, making them less accessible during a road trip.

1. National Park of American Samoa – American Samoa
2. Virgin Islands National Park – U.S. Virgin Islands
3. Haleakala National Park – Hawaii
4. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park – Hawaii
5. Katmai National Park – Alaska
6. Kenai Fjords National Park – Alaska
7. Kobuk Valley National Park – Alaska
8. Lake Clark National Park – Alaska
9. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park – Alaska
10. Gates of the Arctic National Park – Alaska
11. Denali National Park – Alaska
12. Glacier Bay National Park – Alaska

Why This Route Works

Now, you might be thinking, why not just wing it? Trust me, you don’t want to. This route crushes DIY efforts because it minimizes backtracking, makes geographical sense, and positions you conveniently near services like food, lodging, and those all-important fuel stops.

By sticking to this plan, you’ll avoid rookie mistakes… like going over the same mountain pass three times or detouring hundreds of miles just to loop back two days later. Plus, you’ll spend less time lost and more time conquering the open road like the travel ninja you were born to be.

And before we call it a day, let’s give a big round of applause (or at least a polite nod) to Randal Olson, the data scientist from Portland, Oregon, who made the majority of this route possible (we added a few parks and adjusted when we thought it made sense).

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