Ten National Park Travel Destinations to Visit in 2025
Since 1904 (when recording began), about 15 billion people have visited America’s national parks. That’s almost double the world’s population! That being said, only a handful of visitors have visited all 63, and some of the national parks still experience a relatively small number of visitors per year.
That’s because many parks are quite remote, require significant preparation and planning, and may only offer a short seasonal window in which visitors can access these public lands.
Since the parks are so diverse, we thought we’d offer an overview of ten parks we’re taking a look at for 2025, including easily accessible parks, more remote destinations, parks that are perfect for spur-of-the-moment day trips, and other sites that require more calculated, thought-out travel plans.
Enjoy the overview, and if a particular park catches your eye, our Illustrated 63 American National Parks poster collection has over 300 original designs inspired by vintage poster art and travel art, a wealth of wanderlust and nostalgia awaiting your perusal!
Before we get into our top ten national parks for 2025, check out the highlight reel below for snippets of ADG peeps exploring the USA and the parks (and working like busy bees at our cozy Nashville studio!)
1). Gates of the Arctic National Park
Gates of the Arctic National Park stands like a crown at the very crest of America. It is only one of two U.S. national parks that lie entirely north of the Arctic Circle, a landscape unlike anything else in the Lower 48. As the National Park Service describes it:
“Wild rivers meander through glacier-carved valleys, caribou migrate along age-old trails, endless summer light fades into aurora-lit night skies of winter. Virtually unchanged, except by the forces of nature.”
The Park Service uses the term “virtually unchanged” intentionally. This park has no roads, bridges, or buildings. With the exception of Indigenous tribes that still practice subsistence living within the park, Gates of the Arctic has no human infrastructure. There are no established hiking trails, presenting a unique experience for park travelers to truly go off the beaten path and enjoy a backcountry experience.
We are excited to learn more about America’s northernmost national park, and if you too are inspired to visit the park, put those thoughts into a visual “bucket list wall” with national park art of Gates of the Arctic National Park!
2). Kobuk Valley National Park
A biological crossroads thousands of years in the making, Kobuk Valley National Park is the site of one of the world’s last great animal migrations. Every year, thousands of caribou migrate through the park, crossing the Kobuk River at Onion Portage, a place that presents unique opportunities for scientific study and subsistence living for the tribes that have called this region of Alaska home for generations.
As the National Park Service describes it:
“Caribou, sand dunes, the Kobuk River, Onion Portage – just some of the facets of Kobuk Valley National Park. Thousands of caribou migrate through, their tracks crisscrossing sculpted dunes. The Kobuk River is an ancient and current corridor for people and wildlife. For 9,000 years, people came to Onion Portage to harvest caribou as they swam the river.”
This park is also home to an incredible landscape of sand dunes, a rare feature in the wild Alaskan backcountry. The dunes, combined with the park’s other landscapes, create a biodiversity range that is unique to this area.
Often voted as the best national park in Alaska, it’s important to have something to remember Kobuk by. Beautiful national park wall art awaits!
3). Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is the first of its kind. Its creation launched not just a national trend, but an international movement of countries setting aside lands as wildlife and nature preserves. Designated in 1872, Yellowstone National Park launched what would become “America’s Best Idea.” One of the largest parks on the roster and one of the most-visited, the park is known for its wildlife, geothermal features, and iconic landscape.
Here’s how the National Park Service describes Yellowstone, the flagship American national park:
“Within Yellowstone’s 2.2 million acres, visitors have unparalleled opportunities to observe wildlife in an intact ecosystem, explore geothermal areas that contain about half the world’s active geysers, and view geologic wonders like the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River.”
Yellowstone was made into a protected natural space so long ago (the park is more than 150 years old), it is one of the planet’s last and largest nearly intact natural ecosystems. It was preserved before the U.S. went through the most transformational phases of its Industrial Revolution, so even as the American landscape around it changed, much of Yellowstone stayed the same. That fact alone makes it worth visiting.
National park travel tips help you prepare, but what about visual inspiration? Click over to our Yellowstone poster art for fun ideas on must-sees in America’s first national park.
4). Everglades National Park
There’s nothing else like it anywhere in the world. Everglades National Park is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. It’s also an incredibly unique ecosystem known for diverse habitats, rich plant and animal life, and a peculiar mix of fresh water and salt water.
Here’s how the Park Service describes Everglades:
“Everglades National Park protects an unparalleled landscape that provides important habitat for numerous rare and endangered species like the manatee, American crocodile, and the elusive Florida panther. An international treasure as well, a World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve, a Wetland of International Importance, and a specially protected area under the Cartagena Treaty.”
One of the most popular features of the Everglades is its wildlife! Check out our national park art of Everglades for a glimpse at the types of animals you may see living their best life in this Florida paradise.
5). Isle Royale National Park
It’s the least-visited national park in the Lower 48, but it’s also the most re-visited park on the entire roster, meaning the park sees more return visitors than any other national park! Given that one of our team members is currently planning his fourth trip to Isle Royale, we can speak to the truth in what the island’s park rangers say:
“Isle Royale has a way of drawing you back.”
Isle Royale National Park is located on an island in Lake Superior, in the state of Michigan. It is only accessible by ferry or seaplane, and the park is only open during the late spring, summer, and early fall. It is also one of the most undeveloped parks, with no automobiles in the park and only the most basic of comforts. A true backcountry experience awaits!
For some good old-fashioned travel inspiration to one of America’s most iconic nature spaces, check out this assortment of national park illustrations, many of which were inspired by ADG’s trips to the island!
6). Shenandoah National Park
Over 200,000 acres of protected lands are all organized under one designation: Shenandoah National Park. The park offers over 500 miles of hiking trails in Virginia, including 101 miles of the famous Appalachian Trail. Visitors tour the first-ever Civilian Conservation Corps camps and well-preserved cabins that once served as vacation retreats for U.S. presidents. The park is also a favorite for its healthy wildlife populations and incredible views from scenic lookouts scattered throughout the mountainous region.
Park rangers who work in Shenandoah describe it like this:
“Shenandoah National Park is a land bursting with cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, fields of wildflowers, and quiet wooded hollows. With over 200,000 acres of protected lands that are haven to deer, songbirds, and black bear, there’s so much to explore.”
A trip to Shenandoah National Park deserves a souvenir to remember it by, and original travel art of this mountainous paradise will look great on any wall. Take a look at ADG’s original Shenandoah illustrations here.
7). National Park of American Samoa
Only the most committed national park enthusiasts make it to National Park of American Samoa, as it’s arguably the most remote park. It typically requires a flight from the mainland U.S. to Hawaii (6-11 hours in the air, depending on where one departs from). Once one is in Hawaii, they’ll have to take another flight to American Samoa, which takes another six hours.
But once travelers arrive, they’re in for an experience they won’t soon forget. Here’s how park rangers describe this tropical paradise:
“National Park of American Samoa invites you to discover the vibrant culture and stunning landscapes of the South Pacific. Experience a world unlike any other, where natural beauty and cultural heritage are protected for future generations. Join us in exploring these islands of sacred earth!”
A trip to National Park of American Samoa is an achievement, an adventure, and a victory all in one. It deserves something to remember the experience by. Check out original poster art and American Samoa park art here.
8). Yosemite National Park
The Gem of California, Yosemite National Park is just one of the state’s nine national parks, and even though each of the nine are special and unique, we’ve got our eye on Yosemite for 2025. The Yosemite Valley, in particular, is a stunning panoply of rock formations, waterfalls, rushing rivers, beautiful forests, lush meadows, and unique geological features.
We get a rush of wanderlust whenever we listen to what the Park Service has to say about Yosemite. Quoting an excerpt:
“Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra. First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.”
Pick up some Yosemite art for your bucket list/travel wall. These original national park posters would make excellent memorabilia for the trip of a lifetime!
9). Zion National Park
Utah has five national parks, with Zion National Park attracting the most visitors. Over 4.6 million people visited the park in 2023, making it one of the top ten most visited parks on the roster.
We can see why. Dramatic and brilliantly colored sandstone cliffs, towering canyon walls shaped over eons by the Virgin River, slot canyons, stunning views, and strikingly lush river valleys contrasting against the arid, desert landscape, Zion National Park is a wilderness dream come true. Here’s how the NPS describes this natural paradise:
“Follow the paths where people have walked for thousands of years. Gaze up at massive sandstone cliffs of cream, pink, and red that soar into a brilliant blue sky. Experience the tall, stretching walls of a narrow slot canyon. Zion’s unique array of plants and animals will enchant you as you absorb the rich history of the past and enjoy the excitement of present-day adventures.”
A trip to Zion is one that anyone won’t soon forget. Decorate with Zion National Park art to create a permanent keepsake of the park, something that can be seen on one’s wall or mantle daily.
10). Olympic National Park
Home to the largest temperate rainforest in the Lower 48, Olympic National Park stands out and is a major bucket list item for 2025. The park has a wide range of ecosystems due to its unique geographic features. For example, at its mountain peaks, one will find glaciers. In its valleys, rainforests. At sea level, beautiful beaches with sea stacks, driftwood washed ashore, and picturesque coastline.
Here’s how park rangers describe Olympic:
“With its incredible range of precipitation and elevation, diversity is the hallmark of Olympic National Park. Encompassing nearly a million acres, the park protects a vast wilderness, thousands of years of human history, and several distinctly different ecosystems, including glacier-capped mountains, old-growth temperate rainforests, and over 70 miles of wild coastline.”
Check out these national park prints and Olympic National Park posters for travel inspo!
Here’s to a Year of Adventure and a Lifetime of Memories
In a recent interview with Nashville’s The Tennessean (Tennessee’s largest newspaper), ADG Founder and Creative Director Joel Anderson had this to say when asked about the deeper meaning behind what he and his team of artists and illustrators are doing when they travel the country/world then return to their cozy Nashville studio to make art of their journeys:
“Our fans use our art to tell their stories. When they display our prints, they ‘Decorate With Adventure’. So I guess you could say we are all about The Art Of Adventure!”
We hope you’re as excited as we are for a new year of travel and adventure. We’ll create new art of all the beautiful places that excite us. We hope that art will inspire you to see some of the most incredible locations across America and the world.
Happy trails,
-Ren Brabenec
Anderson Design Group Staff Writer
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