Visit a National Park on your USA bucket list

“After a brief stroll around Bear Lake Loop, we spent the rest of our morning hiking to Lake Haiyaha and Emerald Lake. Under clear and sunny skies, we enjoyed awe-inspiring panoramic views of rugged peaks and sprawling forest. We passed little chipmunks, rugged boulders and mountain streams, and we lingered, taking our time to appreciate the natural world around us.”

“We camped under the lush green landscapes of the Great Smokies, Olympic Mountains and Yellowstone, fought unforgiving heat by soaking ourselves in a cool emerald pool amid the desolate beauty of the Southwest, appreciated diverse flora and fauna in the mountains of Appalachia, Rockies, Sierras and Cascades, cooked dinners with local ingredients from farm stands and seafood markets, and curled up at night in our tiny Frostline kit tent I desperately sewed together myself to save a few dollars.”

“The catch: We had only one day to explore the park, so we knew we had to make the most of it. Our timed reservation entry for Rocky Mountain was from 5-7 a.m. on Sunday, which meant we had to enter the park during that period but could stay all day. We woke up at 4 a.m., ready to hit the road. After a two-hour drive, my friend and I arrived in the park and began our journey along the Bear Lake Road corridor, the park’s gateway to trails, camping, scenic views and more. We faced minimal traffic in the park, quickly passing through the checkpoints and easily finding parking. Although we were visiting one of the most popular areas of Rocky Mountain during peak season, it certainly didn’t feel that way.”