Planning And Preparing For A National Park Trip

Above, North Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since I was a teen of 14, I have been to numerous national parks over the years. Planning for a national vacation (usually camping) had become second nature and since I have a motorhome, I don't have to pack so much as most of what I need is already in the RV.

Planning and preparing for a national park trip is the topic of an article in National Park Traveler. It has many tips what are useful.

It begins with:

During my February visit to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado, I remember sitting in the rental car after braving that incessant, freezing winter wind, eating a snack and thawing out with hot coffee from a thermos. Scanning the parking area, I noticed a young couple in their 20s parked beside me preparing to explore the area. Unlike me, covered head to toe in wool and insulated down and looking like a colorful version of the Michelin Man, this young man wore flared jeans and a jean jacket over his hoodie. His travel partner wore a hoodie over her multi-colored Lycra tights. Both wore sneakers. Each threw a blanket over themselves before advancing into that wall of freezing wind. I’m not certain 10 minutes even passed before I saw those same two scurrying back to clamber into their vehicle and drive away. Were they just acting on a spontaneous whim to quickly check out Great Sand Dunes, or had they intended a further exploration, realizing too late they had not thoroughly planned for winter’s bone-chilling elements?

Nowadays, a visit to a unit of the National Park System requires at least a minimal amount of planning and preparation. Some park units require timed entry reservations, lodging and campsite spots fill up faster, tours sell out quickly, and available rental vehicles might be hard to come by for a specific date. Whether you fly, drive, cruise, or ride the rails, planning ahead for your national park travel avoids these above-mentioned issues and ensures a smoother, more enjoyable stay.

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