Tom Wight of Hartville has taken on the hefty venture of visiting all 424 of America’s national parks and sites within one year.
Wright is a National Park Service enthusiast and has been from a young age.
Choosing a favorite park is extremely hard, according to Wright.
“A problem with trying to have a Top 5 or Top 10 list is that the 424 parks are so varied in their purpose and presentation,” he said.
However, Wright was able to hunker down and choose Top 5 parks based on each of the unique experiences they brought. So, without further ado, these are the Top 5 national parks you should definitely visit, according to the national park expert:
1. Zion National Park, Utah
Zion National Park is a must-see and a must-do, according to Wright. It is a great spot for hiking with beautiful scenery including the “emerald pool” and vast canyons. It was also Utah’s first national park.
2. Thomas Edison National Historic Park, New Jersey
According to Wright, this is a must-see for engineers and scientists. The park includes an opportunity to tour the Edison family home, along with rare historical photos. This was where modern America was invented.
3. Olympic National Park, Washington
Olympic National Park is a unique one. “This is the only place in America where you can visit all four distinct ecosystems in one day,” Wright explained. The wilderness is vast and ready to be explored at this beautiful national park.
4. Yosemite National Park, California
Yosemite is one that Wright will never get tired of visiting. Best known for its waterfalls, the protected park offers so much more once you begin to explore it. Things to do and places to go are endless in this vast park.
5. The National Mall, Washington, D.C.
Known as “America’s front yard,” Wright cannot resist all the rich history that belongs here. “I love to walk to all the monuments. Even though the “National Mall” is established its own unique NPS unit, it covers 15 or so other stand-alone parks such as Lincoln Memorial, WW2 Memorial, Korean War Memorial, etc… ” he said.
Read Tom Wright’s full story and follow his quest to break the world record of visiting all 424 parks within one year here.