10 best national parks for non-hikers
Visiting a national park does not necessarily have to involve hiking. There are a variety of activities available for all ages, such as white-water rafting, sandboarding, fossil hunting, rock climbing and horseback riding.
What are great national parks for individuals who don’t like hiking?
If you want to see what a specific national park has to offer, search for the park you want to go to on the National Park Service’s main website. After selecting your park, hit “Menu,” shown with a three bar symbol, and click the arrow on “Plan Your Visit.” After doing so, you will see a drop-down menu. Click “Things To Do.”
Most of the parks below also contain scenic drives that are great for breaks and relaxation on your trip.
Badlands National Park — Fossil hunting
Badlands National Park in South Dakota is known for its rugged terrain with rocky formations and deep canyons. This park contains one of the world’s richest fossil beds.
During your visit, check out the Fossil Preparation Lab, where individuals can interact with paleontologists and park staff to study fossils found in the Badlands, according to the National Park Service.
Scenic drive suggestion: Badlands Loop Road.
Canyonlands National Park — White-water rafting
In Utah, Canyonlands National Park has amazing canyons and rock formations shaped by the Colorado River. The park allows guided white-water rafting tours that vary in length of days.
The National Park Service shares links to all of the companies who are authorized.
Before going, make sure to remember important safety tips such as wearing life jackets, holding paddles properly, staying in the boat, knowing how to swim, refraining from panicking and listening to your guide, per Raft Masters.
Scenic drive suggestion: White Rim Road.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park — Scenic railroad
Cuyahoga Valley National Park, in Ohio, features a landscape of forests, waterfalls and the Cuyahoga River. Visitors can enjoy taking a scenic train ride to view the entirety of the park, hopefully seeing some wildlife along the way.
According to the National Park Service, trains have been in the Cuyahoga Valley for over 100 years. Today, a train continues to run in the park, stopping at different stations to pick up passengers.
Scenic drive suggestion: Riverview Road.
Dry Tortugas National Park — Boating, fishing and snorkeling
Dry Tortugas National Park, situated off the coast of Florida, is a beautiful spot with clear waters, coral reefs and an old fort called Fort Jefferson.
Per the National Park Service, Dry Tortugas offers a wide range of water activities for you, your family and friends:
Scenic drive suggestion: There are no scenic drives; however, consider taking a ferry instead.
Great Basin National Park — Stargazing
Found in Nevada, Great Basin National Park has tall mountains, old pine trees and cool caves to explore. It’s also widely known as a great place for stargazing.
According to the National Park Service, with limited light pollution, visitors can see thousands of stars, including the Milky Way at night. Popular areas within the park to stargaze include the Astronomy Amphitheater near the Lehman Caves Visitor Center and Mather Overlook along the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive.
Want to get the best stargazing experience? Try some of these tips below, per BBC Sky at Night Magazine:
Let your eyes adapt to darkness: Do not get on your phone and use red light to see where you are walking.
Learn stars, constellations and other space features: Use stargazing apps, preferably with a red screen or the brightness lowered.
Remember that telescopes are not needed: You can spot planets without one.
Look at meteor shower dates.
For optimal stargazing, it’s best to choose a time when the moon is not visible, as its brightness can overshadow the stars and diminish the viewing experience.
Scenic drive suggestion: Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive.
Great Sand Dunes National Park — Sandboarding and sand sledding
Great Sand Dunes National Park, located in Colorado, features towering sand dunes against the backdrop of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
Go surfing or snowboarding in the heat! At the Great Sand Dunes, retailers outside of the park allow individuals to rent sand sleds and sandboards to bring into the park and slide down the big dunes, per the National Park Service.
Scenic drive suggestion: Take a four-wheel drive vehicle on the Medano Pass Primitive Road.
Hot Springs National Park — Bathhouses
Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas is known for its historic thermal springs. Instead of hiking, visitors can explore bathhouses from the early 20th century.
Within the park, individuals can fully submerge into thermal water at two bathhouse locations. Spas and steam rooms are also available inside, according to the National Park Service.
Scenic drive suggestion: Hot Springs Mountain Scenic Drive.
Lassen Volcanic National Park — Horseback riding
Lassen Volcanic National Park, found in California, showcases a landscape shaped by volcanic activity, featuring steaming fumaroles, boiling mud pots and rugged peaks.
Over 100 miles of Lassen Volcanic allow horseback riding. Individuals can also stay overnight with their horses at certain stock corrals, per the National Park Service.
Scenic drive suggestion: Lassen Volcanic National Park Highway.
Yellowstone National Park — Camping
Yellowstone National Park, spanning Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, is known for geysers and wildlife. The park offers a high number of places to sleep, from camping to staying at lodges.
There are 12 campgrounds with over 2,000 campsites offered within Yellowstone. They also operate nine lodges with over 2,000 rooms. All locations are highly rated, according to the National Park Service.
Scenic drive suggestion: Grand Loop Road.
Zion National Park — Rock climbing
Zion National Park, in southern Utah, is known for its red rocks and narrow slot canyons, cut by the Virgin River. While there are a numerous amount of activities to choose from, one popular option is rock climbing.
Per the National Park Service, among rock climbers, Zion’s cliffs are world renowned. However, many routes are seasonal, closed at times to protect nesting falcons.
To avoid accidents, follow these suggestions from Rock About Climbing Adventures:
Use proper equipment.
Climb with a partner.
Take a lesson beforehand.
Assess the terrain and weather conditions.
Listen to your body.
Scenic drive suggestion: Zion Canyon Scenic Drive.
