Plan the Ultimate Road Trip – Where to Find the Best East Coast National Parks

Visiting a national park can, and usually does, change your life. For some, a whole new appreciation for nature and what makes it so special. For others, a heightened sense of internal peace or gratitude. There’s a myriad of reasons we cherish them as we do but you don’t need to be an outdoor enthusiast to appreciate the value and wonder these sacred lands hold. 

Usually, the big names of Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Glacier, Zion, and Rocky Mountain dominate the discussion of the best in the U.S. I’m here to challenge that notion. Yes, all those parks are gorgeous and shouldn’t be missed, but the East Coast has plenty of amazing public preserves worthy of your time. 

Which leads me to this article. What are the best national parks on the East Coast? How do they rank amongst themselves and why do people go visit them? What are the main attractions? Why should you go? So many questions! But don’t fear, because I am here to answer them all! 

In this piece, I’ll go over the top 7 and why they’re so distinct. I’ll start with the lower-ranked parks and work my way up to the top spot! I’ll even try to throw in a fun fact or two! Who knows, you might fall in love with a couple of these and head to one on your next vacation! 

So sit back, hang out, and learn a bit about the 7 best East Coast National Parks. There’s a load of info to go over, so let’s get into it, shall we?

Before we get into the creme-de-la-creme, I have to go over a few honorable mentions that shouldn’t be ignored. Their borders might not fall along the coast, but they are equally brilliant in scope and nature. I just had to include them!

**HONORABLE MENTION #1** Hot Springs National Park (Arkansas)

Up to 4,000 years before Europeans arrived, the Indigenous people of modern-day central Arkansas used the warm therapeutic waters of native hot springs as sacred healers. Fast forward to today where these same natural fountains are still held in high regard and for similar reasons. I guess people never change! 

As you probably guessed, the main draw for the next entry on the list is the 47 hot springs located within the park. Even though you can’t soak directly in them, and for good reason since the average temperature of the spewing waters reaches 143° F, you can still receive their benefits.

The only real way to enter and bathe in the waters is in one of the two remaining fully functional bathhouses located on Bathhouse Row. There you have the option of a traditional bath (using facilities and amenities of the times) at Buckstaff Bathhouse or more modern techniques at Quapaw Bathhouse. If on the fence, try each! 

Besides the lure of the amazing springs, typical activities like hiking, biking, and general exploration litter the park. Come for a day or stay for a week. Either way, you will not regret it!

Fun fact – Hot Springs National Park is the oldest protected area in the National Park System! It first was designated a reservation in 1832, but that wasn’t enough. After years of pushing, it finally reached national park status in 1921, predating Yellowstone National Park by 40 years!

**HONORABLE MENTION #2** Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky) 

Another near miss qualifying as “East Coast”, yet still incredibly unique, this list would feel incomplete without including Mammoth Cave. What makes it so you ask? Let me tell you. The largest cave system in the world! Yep, that’s right, here in the good ole U.S. of A. Definitely wouldn’t have been my first guess!

It’s unthinkable how far these passages go but cave scientists (or speleologists, yes I had to look that up) have certainly tried! They have surveyed more than 400 miles throughout Mammoth Cave but estimate there could be upwards of 200 miles plus, waiting to be explored. That’s more than double the second-largest system, found in Mexico, comes in at. Not a place you want to get lost in. 

As you can imagine, the cave system dominates the activities found at Mammoth Cave National Park. There are numerous tours you can join, ranging from the ultra-mild to the ultra-wild! Here are a few that stand out – 

• Historic Tour: This classic tour visits many historic spots that made Mammoth Cave famous. You’ll go through thousand-year-old tunnels, explore huge rooms, and descend deep into the cave. It’s ideal for those interested in history and want a sense of adventure!
• Frozen Niagara Tour: If you’re not up to staying underground for too long, the Frozen Niagara tour might be for you. It’s short, fairly easy, and famous! In it, you’ll find the prominent Frozen Niagara flowstone. A seemingly frozen waterfall formed over millions of years! This tour is only a quarter of a mile long and contains 64 steps. Great for those with mild mobility issues. 
• Grand Avenue Tour: Pick this if you want to know everything Mammoth Cave has to offer. It’s a 4-hour journey that’ll take you through slot canyons, tubular passageways, and narrow  tunnels. There are hundreds of steps and numerous steep sections. If you want to spend half the day inside a cave, sign up for this! 
• Wild Cave Tour: If you want something “extreme”, the Wild Cave Tour has you covered! It’s so intense in fact, you’ll need to bring a buddy. Prepare to spend most of the day on your stomach as you crawl, slither, and squeeze your way through tight crawl spaces and the most physically demanding areas. Not for the faint of heart! Enter at your own risk! 

Fun fact – The Kentucky cave shrimp have evolved to live exclusively in pitch-black cave environments found only in the underground streams of Mammoth Cave. They’re eyeless and nearly transparent. I guess you don’t need to look your best in complete darkness! 

**HONORABLE MENTION #3** New River Gorge National Park (West Virginia)

New River Gorge is the last, but not least, of the bonus parks that don’t quite make the list. It’s situated in southern West Virginia and west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, excluding it from the East Coast. Almost New River!

If you’ve never heard of it, that’s understandable because It’s the 63rd, and newest, entry to the official National Parks list, recently making it in 2020. Some locals think 63 is West Virginia’s lucky number since it coincidentally became a state in 1863! There’s also a Route 63 that runs through the state but that might be a bit of a reach 🙂

This place is fantastic! No surprise to you or me, the chief attraction is the 1,000-foot-deep gorge that cuts through the park. Almost everything to see or do revolves around this impressive valley. From fishing in the New River below to exploring the hiking trails above, the massive ravine takes center stage.

Thrill-seekers from all over the world flock to the illustrious whitewater rapids contained within the park’s borders. The upper half of New River is mellow never passing class III rapids but if you want a gnarlier experience, class V lies in wait in the lower half. Either way, this is the place to strap in if you want some of the most challenging or scariest neck-breaking torrents east of the Mississippi.

Rock climbers rejoice! If you’d rather stay dry or want a different type of workout, look into climbing one of the 1,500 established climbing routes available along the rugged sandstone cliffs that line the gorge. This park has also quickly become one of the most popular climbing destinations in the country, especially for those who fall into the advanced/expert categories. If you’re new to the sport, don’t worry, I’m sure you can still find a few suited for your level!

Fun fact – Despite its name, New River is one of the oldest in the world. Geologists think it’s between 260 million and 325 million years old, making it possibly the second-oldest river on the planet!

Best National Parks on the East Coast

Alright, are you ready for miles of hiking trails, great camping, and a climb to the top of what the best national parks in the east have to offer?! I hope so! Let’s get into it!

7. Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)

There’s a reason so few people (80,000 visitors) come to this park each year, even though it’s arguably one of the most stunning on the list, and that’s its location. Dry Tortugas National Park is a group of seven islands roughly 70 miles west of Key West and 106 miles north of Cuba. No driving to this park, all visitors must travel by boat or seaplane. It doesn’t even have an airport! 

What it does have is unfathomable beauty! Everywhere you look there’s crystal clear waters, pristine coral reefs, a wide array of sea and avian wildlife and so much more. 

It’s prime for water lovers especially, containing some of the best snorkeling and scuba diving in the entire Gulf of Mexico, as well as fishing, general boating, and swimming. If you want to stay on land, that’s no problem, since you can camp here if you so choose.

One of the main things to see and learn about is Fort Jefferson. As the name implies it’s a 19th-century fort that was used sporadically as a military installation, re-fueling point, refuge, and prison throughout the 1800s. Its most famous guest?  Dr. Samuel Mudd, the physician who set the broken leg of John Wilkes Booth. Random! 

All-in-all, Dry Tortugas is a wonderful place you have to see with your own eyes to appreciate. If you have the chance to go, go! 

Fun fact – Fort Jefferson was built using over 16 million bricks! Talk about detail! 

6. Congaree National Park (South Carolina)

Next up is Congaree National Park situated 30 minutes southeast of Colombia, South Carolina. The park is on the smaller side, only about 40 square miles, but packed to the gills with a rich biodiversity that’ll make any ecologist blush. 

The standout feature of the park has to be the ancient trees that tower over the seasonal floodplain below. So named “Champion trees”, these goliaths are the largest of their species and dwarf any nearby competitor. The forest itself is the largest collection left of old-growth bottomland hardwoods in the U.S. Incredible! 

Speaking of the floodplain,10 times each year the nearby Congeree River floods the park, saturating it with vital nutrients and sustaining the local plant and animal life. One of the more popular ways to explore the park is by hopping in a canoe and