Yes, the national parks are open, along with their profound appeal as an inventory of America’s most special places. That allure is stronger than ever in this pandemic era, when so many of us, weary of staying home, long to experience beauty and adventure in the great outdoors.
It’s not too late to plan a national park getaway for this year. But the experience will be different, and it’s important to plan carefully to avoid disappointment. The first step is to simply choose a less-visited destination where physical distancing is built in. Fewer crowds makes for a better park experience anyway. Consider one of the relatively unsung yet definitely beautiful parks featured in this article’s photos.
There’s an upside to a 2020 park visit, by the way: Visitation is down at some parks and some parks are limiting entry (Yosemite allows 1,700 vehicles per day, for instance). Keep the following tips in mind and you just might have your best park experience ever.