A few hot takes! (1) Would love to see a national park in Puerto Rico and Guam - El Yunque would probably be the best fit in Puerto Rico, and Guam National Wildlife Refuge could be a fit in Guam. (2) I don't think single-monument sites should be a national park (Devil's Tower, Rainbow Arch); this precedent is broken with Gateway Arch becoming a NP, but that's a whole different conversation :)
Don't forget Mt Baker, the Washington Pass area, Artist Point area, Owyhee Canyonlands, Three Sisters, Oregon Coast (Cape Perpetua area, in particular), Newberry Volcanic, and the Columbia River Gorge as well.
Shoutout to Apostle Islands in Wisconsin, it's almost different places depending on the season. Truly the pinnacle of great lakes scenery and recreation
Great list. I would also add the Eastern Sierras in California, which is made up of the Inyo NF and John Muir Wilderness. This place has some of the most gorgeous alpine lakes in the country and one of my favorite areas to hike in. Also, Mt Baker in Washington, Mt Hood in Oregon, and the Beartooth Mountains in Montana.
The Pacific Northwest is deserving of way more national parks (whether or not locals think they should become one for various reasons). But as far as national park caliber material, IMO many places in the PNW can easily compete or match up to most of the western national parks, and deserve to have the honor of national park status. I highly recommend visiting. I have hiked all over the Pacific Northwest (so I am giving away some of our secrets in this comment). Mt St Helens National Volcanic Monument - Easily deserving of park status. The fact that Lassen Volcanic is one, and St Helens isn't, is crazy. Lassen became a national park really only because it was perhaps the first volcano to erupt in the continental US at the time since the park service creation, and be documented. Its also not even a national monument managed by the park service. It's managed by the forest service, (under the USDA, not the Dept. of the Interior). So it receives far less funding than even national monuments under the national park system. North Cascades National Park - Ok this is already one, but its missing two of the most stunning and touristy places in that area: Artist Point and the Washington Pass areas. Fantastic and stunning mountainous day hikes with stunning views, comparable even to Glacier National Park, imo. Especially if you hike the Washington Pass area in fall, when the larches are in full color (think evergreen trees but they turn yellow and lose their needles every fall). The North Cascades are both THE most glaciated mountains in the lower 48 (Glacier NP can't even compare in this regard), and its also by far the most rugged mountain range in the lower 48 (there was once a calculable study done comparing mountain ranges). It's also apparent once you really get in there and do some of its fantastic mountain hikes. Three Sisters Volcanic National Park - (My proposed name for it, or one could name it "Cascade Volcanoes National Park". This is an area of the Cascades chock full of large and small volcanoes, lava flows, cinder cones, lakes, glaciers, obsidian flows, and a ton of stunning mountainous scenery. Its like having a piece of Hawaii in the lower 48. It's definitely by far, the most stunning place you can see in the lower 48 of the volcanic/cinder cones/lava flows sort of scenery type. It cannot be compared and has no match in the US, outside of Hawaii and maybe Alaska. Owyhee Canyonlands National Park - This may become one of the very next national parks in the US., as there are actual proposals making it as far as congress and could even be designated next year (under the antiquities act, by the president, as a national monument-often in recent history the first step before becoming a national park), and its located in eastern Oregon. Its a stunning and massive, rugged area of deep canyons and interesting orange rock formations that look like they are out of the Southwest. Plus having some things unique to it too. The rocks are Rhyolite lava, not sandstone, and some places have odd holes all over (look up the Beehive formations in Owyhee Canyonlands). Its also probably the best place in the lower 48 for stargazing, as it has perhaps the darkest skies in the lower 48. Its super remote out there. Columbia River Gorge and Mt Hood National Parks. - The Gorge is the real highlight here, as it has the greatest concentration of waterfalls in the lower 48 probably, and some of the tallest and most scenic too. But the gorge is a massive 2,000 to 4,000 foot-deep canyon that the massive river cuts through, and the scenery changes from lush rainforest to desert grasslands in just over an hour of driving. The only reason it never became a national park, (rather a national scenic area, under the forest service), was because Gorge communities didn't want to lose as much development rights/potential. But IMO, it should become a national park but create cut-outs around the towns, and the rest of the area can either remain as part of the national scenic area, or have some other designation. Kind of like how Red River Gorge National Park and North Cascades National Park both combine national recreation areas and actual national park lands into one park complex. I add Mount Hood to the park because Mt Hood is also a stunning mountain and very picturesque, and very historic. The argument by the NPS a long time ago that "we already have a big Cascade volcano, and its Rainier" is dumb. We also have numerous "canyon parks" and "mountain parks" across the Rocky Mountains, Southwest, and Sierras. And we have quite a few in the Appalachians as well, that are "same-y". Mt Hood is definitely deserving of it, if all the other places can be one too. I'd even argue Mt Shasta in California could be one too-long ago there was a park movement for it, but it never happened. Same with Mt Baker in Washington. (Imo, Mt Baker SHOULD be a national park, but I'd either combine it with North Cascades, or make it its own park but combine their management like Kings Canyon and Sequoia, or like my proposed Columbia River Gorge, National Scenic Area, and Mt Hood National Parks would do). Lastly, I would designate the area around Cape Perpetua on the Oregon coast. The Oregon coastline is by far more stunning than the Washington coastline in Olympic NP, and features a lot of wildlife and old growth forests too. Features such sights as Thor's Well and Spouting Horn, as well as basalt lava flows that creep out into the Ocean like they do in Hawaii. The whole area there is by far the most mountainous part of the Oregon coast too, with some dramatic mountains reaching the ocean and deep rainforest valleys filled with massive and ancient old growth trees. Nowhere else in the lower 48 quite like that. The Bandon area of the Oregon Coast is also stunning, but it's not federal public land, as far as I know, and not as wild as the whole Cape Perpetua area and coastline in that greater area, so that's also why I'm choosing Cape Perpetua to represent the stunning Oregon (and greater PNW) Coast on the national parks list. (Reposting here because relevant to the video topic)
I think Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan should be elevated to Nation Park. Yeah its already under NPS status but when its only a National Lakeshore I think it gets way overlooked. Very stunning and surreal landscape. Easily blows Indiana Dunes out of the water.
Yeah, Indiana Dunes is not that thrilling… Sleeping Bear easily surpasses it in rugged beauty. & there isn’t an active steal mill beside it. Nothing against steal mills, but… really?!? 🤔
It is such a slap in the face that Indiana sands dunes is a NP. Gateway Arch should hands down absolutely should be a Monument. As should be Hotsprings but I guess it is one of oldest federally protected lands.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula is a top tier pick. So much variety in scenery and geology, from sand dunes to coves and cliffs, dozens of waterfalls and inland lakes, pine and birch forests, it has it all.
You should do a version of this in the East. The West is definitely more impressive, but there's a lot of beautiful sights in the East that are overlooked and deserve park status
I don't want the Adirondacks as a national park for sure, NY does a fine job maintaining it and considering many people still live inside the park it would be damn near impossible for the national parks service to keep the charming towns that give the park is unique character
@@AdamSmith-gs2dv National parks can create cutouts around them, or combine national park lands and national recreation lands (or other designations) to create national park complexes, i.e. like how Red River Gorge National Park and North Cascades National Park do it.
I honestly think some of the ozark areas could be national parks like the Buffalo National River combined with some of the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas. The same with Ozark National Scenic Riverways combined with parts of the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri. The Ozarks are underratted honestly.
I’d agree! Based on my experience, it’s a desert environment with a diverse desert ecosystem and landscape and is different from Joshua tree, and only about 2 hours apart from each other!
Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois is a great candidate for National Park Status. It has towering bluffs, caves, natural arches, overhang shelters, native american petroglyphs, hundreds of waterfalls, and extreme rare ecosystems as far as unique plant life found nowhere else, and the World Famous Snake Road (La Rue Pine Hills). This area has a greater diversity of reptiles and amphibians than any other place in the world
Devils Tower is known as Americas 1st National Monument and if you've been its a well deserved title. The history and native myths surround the tower as a monument to worship or conquer.
After reading about how deep Hells Canyon is, we went to the western side (not the Idaho side). We hated it and couldn't wait to leave. On the other hand, we loved NE Oregon's Wallowa mountains, though they're probably not quite worthy of National Park status.
From places I've been/frequent: Na Pali Coast SWP, Oregon Coast (Boardman) S. Scenic Corridor, Tongass NF & W, "Range of Light" Sierra NF, Canyon de Chelly NM, Modoc NF and Plateau. Even National Seashore designation for the first 3.
The most obvious one for me would be Black Hills National Forest. Also, Shoshone National Forest is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been, but the problem is it’s so close to Yellowstone.
Nice video. And I enjoyed reading the comments. Fun to think about all the beautiful places we can visit in the US. I agree with you that Alaska is the most beautiful state by far.
Nice video! There are some places that should be national parks that aren’t, & a few recently added national parks that should probably just be places… 🤷♂️
Thank you! I agree with that statement as these places are worthy of park status while I definitely don’t think Gateway Arch should be a national park.
@@NationalParkWild A few are pretty weak, no doubt. I watched your ranking video & would agree with much of the lower ranked parks. One that you didn’t mention, but I would put pretty high on the list of possible future parks would be Chiricahua NM in southeastern Az. It’s kinda like a Bryce Canyon, a wonderland of black hoodoos that have green moss growing on their northern sides. Cool channel man… 👍
I agree about NePali coast, and Waimea canyon state park should be part of it. It already feels like a National Park, and they already charge 15-30 dollars at each parking site within. There is hiking, wildlife, vistas, and so much variety here, and it feels truly sacred. Thanks for this video; I always enjoy your content.
I'm glad you enjoy the channel. I don't really have the most impressive gear so I don't think a video on that would be very good, but I appreciate the suggestion.
Allegheny National Forest, The Adirondacks and The Delaware Water Gap all deserve to be National Parks, especially the Adirondacks (though I’m biased given I am from Upstate New York). It’s absolutely breathtaking, especially during Autumn.
Come on down to the Smokies to see what the Adirondacks would look like as a national park: crowded full of tourists with cheesy towns like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge just outside the gates. Keep the Adirondacks as it is so no one besides people from NY know about it
Definitely the Adirondacks. I’m a New Englander in CT and I summited Mt Marcy once, they’re an incredible mountain range every bit as good as the mountains of northern New England. They’re extremely slept on unfortunately. Most mountain enthusiasts like myself in New England have no idea what an amazing place it is there. The Catskills too.
I think, Colorado NM needs to get upgraded to NP, A NP of the Northwoods in Northern WI and the UP, Black hills should be a NP combination with Tribal Park, Valley of Fire is a possibility, I could also see the Mississippi River Delta as one as it kinda like a mini everglades.
That's one of the top 3 poorest places in America (the other 2 being the pine ridge reservation, and the eastern Kentucky/west virginal "coal country" area. I doubt they would make a national park there but if they ever did it could be huge for the prosperity of the area. If you've been to the delta you know them folks know hard times
Big Bend Ranch State Park, Chinati Mountains (and Pinto Canyon), The Davis Mountain preserve and Black Gap. pretty much any of the Mountain areas in Texas
I came here to say the Davis mountains but if you live in texas you already know that'll probably never see the light of day. Texans love owning land and 98 percent of the state is privately owned. The Davis mountains is stunning though. I drove around there and explored what I could last year and to me it rivals big bend np and guadalupe mountain np and is more beautiful in some spots
It’s too bad that the idaho farm bureau lobbies against craters of the moon becoming a national park due to shipping/freight restrictions on US 20 that would come with.
Tongass National Forest is huge and encompasses much more than just the Juneau area. You can drive a short way into it from British Columbia into Hyder, AK. The NFS has a bear-viewing platform - you need to obtain a permit online and pay a small fee.
You have overlooked a couple spots in the East. The list was completely Western and another of the mentions were similar to current parks. I agree with Craters of the Moon, but I would add Red River Gorge in Kentucky. It has the second highest concentration of natural arches in US. The Red River is a wild scenic River. It is well known for rock climbing, hiking, and kayaking. The sand cliff bluffs are amazing with scenic overlooks. The geological features are fascinating. It has historical significance from ancient Indians dwelling beneath the cliffs. It has ecological diversity and has an endangered plant species that exists only beneath the cliffs of this area, the white haired goldenrod. I would also put Pictured Rock National Lake Shore in Michigan on this list. Stunningly beautiful!
I don't know, I think you're stretching it a bit on some of those. I've been to Dinosaur National Monument and I could see that being added for it has a lot going on there as you pointed out. Tongas looks like a real possibility as well but Alaska already has 8 or 9 National Parks so maybe not. I do agree that every place you highlighted is better than several that already are National Parks such as Indiana Dunes, Gateway Arch and Congaree.
Grandfather Mountain State Park + Linville Gorge and that entire Blue Ridge Parkway section in NC is also stupid beautiful and deserves NP status if they wanted another Eastern US national park, but the question comes back to whether it is different enough from Smoky Mountains or Shenandoah National Parks.
Most of Southern Utah, Northern Arizona could be a national park. Grand Staircase-Escalante, Glen Canyon, Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs, Bears Ears, Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly, Rainbow Bridge, Antelope Canyon, Havasu Canyon etc. Kauai as a whole could probably be a national park also, at least Kokee State Park and Waimea Canyon along with the Na Pali coast. Really all of Hawaii could be a national park, incredible place.
Those are all great places but problem is some of those places are on Native American Reservation, such as Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly, Antelope Canyon and Havasu Falls so they could not be National Parks.
@@williamworrall8065 Most likely. There are plenty of state parks within the White Mountain national forest, and within those they have their own restrictions. Cannon Mtn in Franconia State park is the only state run ski resort, and a wonderful one at that. There’s lots of restrictions on what they can build also in the Presidential range. To me they’re on par with national park status but I think they prefer to run it by the state instead.
@@williamworrall8065 New Hampshire does prefer to have the state park services run things, I know that. They have only 1 state run ski resort, Cannon, in Franconia Notch State Park. It’s without a doubt on par with National Park status, but they like to run things themselves.
Fun fact: San Juan National Forest is where Colorado's last grizzly was killed. It mauled a bow hunter guide, who stabbed it in the neck with an arrow. Agreed that it doesn't make sense to make it a Nation park, too much recreation and, I'm sure, logging, grazing and mining leases.
I think fort Robison and toadstool geologic park should combine together to make a National park sure it’s in Nebraska but it is very pretty and very underrated
That would be amazing… plus there’s some weird things with the plants in Okefenokee… for instance two species of carnivorous pitcher plant, Sarracenia minor and Sarracenia psittacina grow to MASSIVE sizes only in Okefenokee… and I’m talking like 3x as tall as anywhere else
White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire. They’re full of incredible hiking and skiing, amazing views including Mt. Washington which has the world record for fastest winds ever recorded and now the coldest wind chill ever recorded. They prefer to run things by their state park services, which I respect, but the terrain is so beautiful and special up there, to me it’s national park level majesty. We’re visiting Acadia for the first time in August, im really skeptic it’s going to be on the same level of natural beauty. Go drive through Franconia Notch or Crawford Notch in the Whites it’s impossible not to be in awe.
I completely agree. While I haven't seen more than a third of the Appalachians, the White Mountains of NH are better than any other section I've seen anywhere.
Why are we talking about National Parks like it’s the highest ranking or something? What makes our public lands so great is the variety of recreation areas. National Forest allow camping that is 100 times better than National Parks. Recreation Areas have restrictions on motorized vehicles that help protect the landscapes. Not that there should never be other National Parks, but we need to keep great National Forest, State Parks, and Recreation Areas as well.
Man, I have a list of like 40 places that should be national parks 😅 I think the National Parks System should be a top 100 list of best natural areas in USA
First those trees in the Mojave National Preserve are called Joshua Trees and they are protected. I remember when Clinton tried to establish the Mojave as a national park he got resistance from Congress and the state of California. The Mojave desert covers a large portion of California and Nevada. There are several military bases in the Mojave. As a preserve there are restrictions. The desert has the tortoise which is protected. I think your attitude is a bit narrow. There are several possible locations in the east. One such place is the Adirondack Mountains. Some of the highest mountains in the northeast and great recreational region.
You’re right that there are many great places that didn’t make the list. Most of the ones I put in here are places I have been to and really enjoyed, I just haven’t gone to as many places in the East.
@@NationalParkWild up in the Death Valley region, in the late 60s Charley Manson had his cult family up there and it was believed that there are bodies buried in there. They used ground penetrating confirmed this but park service said no digging. The region up there is important to the Native Americans. They referred it as the spiritworld. When I was attending college, we had an aide that was Cherokee. He would go up to the “spiritworld” once, back at the university someone looking for my friend. I told her he’s up in the “spiritworld.” She thought he died. If you ever visit a region, visit the Adirondack Mountains. Highest peak is 5344 feet.
Here me out: Another Utah/Arizona National Park, and a huge one at that. Take Glen Canyon NRA, Rainbow Bridge NM, Natural Bridges NM, and the core of both Grand Staircase Escalante NM and Bears Ears NM and merge them into Grand Staircase National Park. Like Canyonlands, this would have districts (Escalante, Bears Ears and Powell perhaps?). Not only does this include Rainbow Bridge, but also Grosvenor Arch and Jacob Hamblin Arch, plus many more. It includes fossil beds that we are just beginning to explore but that have already yielded spectacular finds (4 new types of ceratops since the 90s!) which is only discussed at a tiny BLM visitor center in Big Water, north of Page right now. The area is famous for slot canyons, and the Coyote Gulch and Skutumpah Road areas have some incredible slots most people don't know about. And of course, there's always the joys of Lake Powell to consider... when it recovers. The other key here is that a big park like this can absorb a lot of visitors and spread them out to minimize impact if managed right. This could allow a potential Grand Staircase NP to relieve pressure from Arches and Zion, which are being overrun (or loved to death) by crowds currently. This also helps tiny gateway towns like Boulder and Escalante, which were promised a tourism boom by President Clinton when he made GSENM. I live at the Grand Canyon and spend a lot of time exploring Northern Arizona and Southern Utah, so I think about this a lot. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
I am fully aware it will now never happen, but one site that should have become a national park is Lake Tahoe, CA/NV. If any site deserved to be preserved, it is Lake Tahoe. Probably the last window to make Lake Tahoe a national park was in the Theodore Roosevelt administration. At that time the Lake Tahoe basin was still not extensively developed and lightly populated enough to make it feasible for the Federal government to obtain the land. Now, as is glaringly obvious to anyone who has visited the Lake Tahoe area, the lake area is way too developed.
As an avid national park visitor for 50+ years, it is disheartening to see how crowded some of them have become (Zion, Acadia, Glacier, Arches to name a few). While many of these suggestions are worthy nominees, I think the more remote and environmentally sensitive ones should remain as they are. That way, perhaps they won't fall victim to the drive-up, take a quick photo, then go on our way mindset. Parking at most current national parks is a nightmare these days and don't get me started on having to reserve a campsite months in advance. I am pushing 70 and miss the good old days when one could visit and camp without advance planning.
That's why I like reading the comments here describing all the great places that are NOT National Parks (yet). While some of them are already crowded, like the White Mountains of NH, many of the places mentioned are relatively unknown. So if you want a place to yourself, the places in the comments here are the places to investigate. There are also a lot of National Parks which are under-visited and well worth seeing, like Theodore Roosevelt, Big Bend, Great Basin, and even a couple in CA: Lassen and Channel Islands. (I haven't been to any of these myself.)
No more national parks period or state parks in Utah are better maintained less crowded and better to go to the second you make a national park people flood them damage them and over crowd them.
Just a personal opinion, things like scenery and landscape should not be an importan reason to consider a place a national park, things like protecting endangered wildlife and preserve the ecosystem are more important things to consider when creating a new national park.
I don’t want any of these to be national parks because of the increased crowds and you couldn’t take your dog on trails. National Park status would ruin them.
NO to Glen Canyon. I want to continue to kayak with my dog! National Parks are SO unfriendly to dogs!! I live at Lake Powell half the year and we don’t need more people!
Not sure what your criteria is for 'a' national Park.' Is it just standards of recreational fun? As a Nat'l Park follower for years, I agree with some of your choices, I don't see all of your choices. 1st, Devils Tower NM as with Rainbow Arch, are already protected, but lack the Moniker of a National Park to drive tourism. Well, how important is notoriety? With Devils Tower, it is the first 'National Monument', and is an excellent example of what a Nat'l Monument should be - - a highly notable, one of a kind scientific, cultural or natural phenomenon. Which by default implies that a Nat'l Park should have multiple values, including scenic beauty, unique natural features and some cultural content. Thus, some Nat'l Parks, I agree, should be removed from that designation and returned to an older designation. 2nd, identifying and entire National Forest to become a National Park (aside from bureaucratic issues) would be setting aside lands that are only surrounding the highest quality scenery/resources. Your example of Tongass National Forest is the simplest to explain. You identified Mendenhall Glacier as the premier resource, so maybe just the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area should be considered as a National Park? Since most of your suggestions are already protected as federal or state conservation areas (i.e,; monuments, parks), what is the purpose of changing names other than to increase notoriety? I'd prefer to systematize the federal naming system to enhance public understating of what each type of unit represents, otherwise, you'll continue to get name changes like: Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (i.e., the St. Louis Arch) becoming Gateway Arch National Park.
I agree that Devils Tower is just perfect to remain as it is, the best of the National Monuments. I would like to make more national parks only if the new parks are likely to be in the top half of all National Parks on most people's lists. In other words, they should make you go, "Wow!"
I've been to both Pinnacles and Joshua Tree when they were both still National Monuments. They were well worth visiting, but should they have been elevated to NP status?
In my state the number one obvious place is the Davis Mountains. Multiple people feel the same way and I've included a video a guy recently made that shows why ua-cam.com/video/LNNsjapq4GA/v-deo.html Outside of Texas the two main places that pop in my head is somewhere in the upper Peninsula of Michigan like pictured rocks and the other being somewhere in Maine or the white mountains in New Hampshire. Most of the parks are in the west and rightfully so the west is amazing but there are plenty of places in the East that will take your breath away.
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Finally
Would you consider making one for the East? There’s definitely gotta be something in the East deserving of NP status
A few hot takes! (1) Would love to see a national park in Puerto Rico and Guam - El Yunque would probably be the best fit in Puerto Rico, and Guam National Wildlife Refuge could be a fit in Guam. (2) I don't think single-monument sites should be a national park (Devil's Tower, Rainbow Arch); this precedent is broken with Gateway Arch becoming a NP, but that's a whole different conversation :)
I think Mt St Helen's, Mt. Hood, craters of the moon, John day fossil beds, Oregon caves, Oregon dunes, and Hartford reach
Don't forget Mt Baker, the Washington Pass area, Artist Point area, Owyhee Canyonlands, Three Sisters, Oregon Coast (Cape Perpetua area, in particular), Newberry Volcanic, and the Columbia River Gorge as well.
Shoutout to Apostle Islands in Wisconsin, it's almost different places depending on the season. Truly the pinnacle of great lakes scenery and recreation
Great list. I would also add the Eastern Sierras in California, which is made up of the Inyo NF and John Muir Wilderness. This place has some of the most gorgeous alpine lakes in the country and one of my favorite areas to hike in. Also, Mt Baker in Washington, Mt Hood in Oregon, and the Beartooth Mountains in Montana.
The Pacific Northwest is deserving of way more national parks (whether or not locals think they should become one for various reasons). But as far as national park caliber material, IMO many places in the PNW can easily compete or match up to most of the western national parks, and deserve to have the honor of national park status. I highly recommend visiting. I have hiked all over the Pacific Northwest (so I am giving away some of our secrets in this comment).
Mt St Helens National Volcanic Monument - Easily deserving of park status. The fact that Lassen Volcanic is one, and St Helens isn't, is crazy. Lassen became a national park really only because it was perhaps the first volcano to erupt in the continental US at the time since the park service creation, and be documented. Its also not even a national monument managed by the park service. It's managed by the forest service, (under the USDA, not the Dept. of the Interior). So it receives far less funding than even national monuments under the national park system.
North Cascades National Park - Ok this is already one, but its missing two of the most stunning and touristy places in that area: Artist Point and the Washington Pass areas. Fantastic and stunning mountainous day hikes with stunning views, comparable even to Glacier National Park, imo. Especially if you hike the Washington Pass area in fall, when the larches are in full color (think evergreen trees but they turn yellow and lose their needles every fall). The North Cascades are both THE most glaciated mountains in the lower 48 (Glacier NP can't even compare in this regard), and its also by far the most rugged mountain range in the lower 48 (there was once a calculable study done comparing mountain ranges). It's also apparent once you really get in there and do some of its fantastic mountain hikes.
Three Sisters Volcanic National Park - (My proposed name for it, or one could name it "Cascade Volcanoes National Park". This is an area of the Cascades chock full of large and small volcanoes, lava flows, cinder cones, lakes, glaciers, obsidian flows, and a ton of stunning mountainous scenery. Its like having a piece of Hawaii in the lower 48. It's definitely by far, the most stunning place you can see in the lower 48 of the volcanic/cinder cones/lava flows sort of scenery type. It cannot be compared and has no match in the US, outside of Hawaii and maybe Alaska.
Owyhee Canyonlands National Park - This may become one of the very next national parks in the US., as there are actual proposals making it as far as congress and could even be designated next year (under the antiquities act, by the president, as a national monument-often in recent history the first step before becoming a national park), and its located in eastern Oregon. Its a stunning and massive, rugged area of deep canyons and interesting orange rock formations that look like they are out of the Southwest. Plus having some things unique to it too. The rocks are Rhyolite lava, not sandstone, and some places have odd holes all over (look up the Beehive formations in Owyhee Canyonlands). Its also probably the best place in the lower 48 for stargazing, as it has perhaps the darkest skies in the lower 48. Its super remote out there.
Columbia River Gorge and Mt Hood National Parks. - The Gorge is the real highlight here, as it has the greatest concentration of waterfalls in the lower 48 probably, and some of the tallest and most scenic too. But the gorge is a massive 2,000 to 4,000 foot-deep canyon that the massive river cuts through, and the scenery changes from lush rainforest to desert grasslands in just over an hour of driving. The only reason it never became a national park, (rather a national scenic area, under the forest service), was because Gorge communities didn't want to lose as much development rights/potential. But IMO, it should become a national park but create cut-outs around the towns, and the rest of the area can either remain as part of the national scenic area, or have some other designation. Kind of like how Red River Gorge National Park and North Cascades National Park both combine national recreation areas and actual national park lands into one park complex.
I add Mount Hood to the park because Mt Hood is also a stunning mountain and very picturesque, and very historic. The argument by the NPS a long time ago that "we already have a big Cascade volcano, and its Rainier" is dumb. We also have numerous "canyon parks" and "mountain parks" across the Rocky Mountains, Southwest, and Sierras. And we have quite a few in the Appalachians as well, that are "same-y". Mt Hood is definitely deserving of it, if all the other places can be one too. I'd even argue Mt Shasta in California could be one too-long ago there was a park movement for it, but it never happened. Same with Mt Baker in Washington. (Imo, Mt Baker SHOULD be a national park, but I'd either combine it with North Cascades, or make it its own park but combine their management like Kings Canyon and Sequoia, or like my proposed Columbia River Gorge, National Scenic Area, and Mt Hood National Parks would do).
Lastly, I would designate the area around Cape Perpetua on the Oregon coast. The Oregon coastline is by far more stunning than the Washington coastline in Olympic NP, and features a lot of wildlife and old growth forests too. Features such sights as Thor's Well and Spouting Horn, as well as basalt lava flows that creep out into the Ocean like they do in Hawaii. The whole area there is by far the most mountainous part of the Oregon coast too, with some dramatic mountains reaching the ocean and deep rainforest valleys filled with massive and ancient old growth trees. Nowhere else in the lower 48 quite like that. The Bandon area of the Oregon Coast is also stunning, but it's not federal public land, as far as I know, and not as wild as the whole Cape Perpetua area and coastline in that greater area, so that's also why I'm choosing Cape Perpetua to represent the stunning Oregon (and greater PNW) Coast on the national parks list.
(Reposting here because relevant to the video topic)
I think Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan should be elevated to Nation Park. Yeah its already under NPS status but when its only a National Lakeshore I think it gets way overlooked. Very stunning and surreal landscape. Easily blows Indiana Dunes out of the water.
Yeah, Indiana Dunes is not that thrilling… Sleeping Bear easily surpasses it in rugged beauty. & there isn’t an active steal mill beside it. Nothing against steal mills, but… really?!? 🤔
I feel that a lot of National Lakeshores are more impressive than Indiana Dunes. For example, Pictured Rocks.
@@NationalParkWild Indeed! Pictured rocks would also make for a great national park than just a lake shore.
It is such a slap in the face that Indiana sands dunes is a NP. Gateway Arch should hands down absolutely should be a Monument. As should be Hotsprings but I guess it is one of oldest federally protected lands.
@@theparkjunkie steel mills...... Gateway Arch made of steel...... coincidence
The best case for Dinosaur is that it would be called Dinosaur National Park, instantly the coolest name
They could put giant gates with flaming torches at the entrance and of course you know what music you'll hear as you enter. lol
Jurassic National Park ?
My best friend, Nice video... Beautiful place Enjoy watching this video... Have a nice day.
Dinosaur National Monument is amazing. I'm glad it's getting recognition
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula is a top tier pick. So much variety in scenery and geology, from sand dunes to coves and cliffs, dozens of waterfalls and inland lakes, pine and birch forests, it has it all.
You should do a version of this in the East. The West is definitely more impressive, but there's a lot of beautiful sights in the East that are overlooked and deserve park status
I don't want the Adirondacks as a national park for sure, NY does a fine job maintaining it and considering many people still live inside the park it would be damn near impossible for the national parks service to keep the charming towns that give the park is unique character
@@AdamSmith-gs2dv National parks can create cutouts around them, or combine national park lands and national recreation lands (or other designations) to create national park complexes, i.e. like how Red River Gorge National Park and North Cascades National Park do it.
West is the best😁
@@AdamSmith-gs2dv Aside from the people living in it part, same for Baxter State Park. Maine does a fine job managing it.
I honestly think some of the ozark areas could be national parks like the Buffalo National River combined with some of the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas. The same with Ozark National Scenic Riverways combined with parts of the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri. The Ozarks are underratted honestly.
I agree
Mt. Saint Helen’s in southwest Washington is a place I always thought should be a park
It is. It's a national monument administered by the US forest service
Anza Borrego Desert State Park for me! One of the most beautiful places I’ve been to with incredible diversity of landscapes and wonderful trails
I’d agree! Based on my experience, it’s a desert environment with a diverse desert ecosystem and landscape and is different from Joshua tree, and only about 2 hours apart from each other!
Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois is a great candidate for National Park Status. It has towering bluffs, caves, natural arches, overhang shelters, native american petroglyphs, hundreds of waterfalls, and extreme rare ecosystems as far as unique plant life found nowhere else, and the World Famous Snake Road (La Rue Pine Hills). This area has a greater diversity of reptiles and amphibians than any other place in the world
Devils Tower is known as Americas 1st National Monument and if you've been its a well deserved title. The history and native myths surround the tower as a monument to worship or conquer.
Pisgah Forest, Pisgah Ranger district near Brevard in The blue ridge mts of North Carolina. Love it there.
Hells canyon in idaho is very impressive, and the deepest canyon in the US. It’s a very cool area deserving of NP status.
Taking a jet boat trip up into Hells Canyon is a real treat!
After reading about how deep Hells Canyon is, we went to the western side (not the Idaho side). We hated it and couldn't wait to leave. On the other hand, we loved NE Oregon's Wallowa mountains, though they're probably not quite worthy of National Park status.
All your selections were in Rocky Mountains and Alaska. Next time try to Balance with some Great Lakes/ Mississippi Delta/East Coast locations.
From places I've been/frequent: Na Pali Coast SWP, Oregon Coast (Boardman) S. Scenic Corridor, Tongass NF & W, "Range of Light" Sierra NF, Canyon de Chelly NM, Modoc NF and Plateau. Even National Seashore designation for the first 3.
The most obvious one for me would be Black Hills National Forest. Also, Shoshone National Forest is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been, but the problem is it’s so close to Yellowstone.
Custer State Park would be a great National park
Nice video. And I enjoyed reading the comments. Fun to think about all the beautiful places we can visit in the US. I agree with you that Alaska is the most beautiful state by far.
Great video! Great list! I like devil's tower in Wyoming too!
Nice video! There are some places that should be national parks that aren’t, & a few recently added national parks that should probably just be places… 🤷♂️
Thank you! I agree with that statement as these places are worthy of park status while I definitely don’t think Gateway Arch should be a national park.
@@NationalParkWild A few are pretty weak, no doubt. I watched your ranking video & would agree with much of the lower ranked parks.
One that you didn’t mention, but I would put pretty high on the list of possible future parks would be Chiricahua NM in southeastern Az. It’s kinda like a Bryce Canyon, a wonderland of black hoodoos that have green moss growing on their northern sides.
Cool channel man… 👍
Gateway Arch NP, we're looking at you. Indiana Dunes NP and Cuyahoga NP, pick up the pace.
I agree with you about Colorado National Monument. My wife and I visited in October and were blown away by its beauty
I agree about NePali coast, and Waimea canyon state park should be part of it. It already feels like a National Park, and they already charge 15-30 dollars at each parking site within. There is hiking, wildlife, vistas, and so much variety here, and it feels truly sacred. Thanks for this video; I always enjoy your content.
Kauai has beautiful sites. I appreciate your comment.
I just found your channel and it's cool. Can u do a video on what camera and gear you bring on your trips? Thanks and happy adventures.
I'm glad you enjoy the channel. I don't really have the most impressive gear so I don't think a video on that would be very good, but I appreciate the suggestion.
Allegheny National Forest, The Adirondacks and The Delaware Water Gap all deserve to be National Parks, especially the Adirondacks (though I’m biased given I am from Upstate New York). It’s absolutely breathtaking, especially during Autumn.
Come on down to the Smokies to see what the Adirondacks would look like as a national park: crowded full of tourists with cheesy towns like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge just outside the gates. Keep the Adirondacks as it is so no one besides people from NY know about it
@@AdamSmith-gs2dv I spent two hours seeing what exactly you were talking about and I might delete this comment 😬
Definitely the Adirondacks. I’m a New Englander in CT and I summited Mt Marcy once, they’re an incredible mountain range every bit as good as the mountains of northern New England. They’re extremely slept on unfortunately. Most mountain enthusiasts like myself in New England have no idea what an amazing place it is there. The Catskills too.
Mt. St. Helens
I think, Colorado NM needs to get upgraded to NP, A NP of the Northwoods in Northern WI and the UP, Black hills should be a NP combination with Tribal Park, Valley of Fire is a possibility, I could also see the Mississippi River Delta as one as it kinda like a mini everglades.
I've also thought about the delta as a possibility too.
That's one of the top 3 poorest places in America (the other 2 being the pine ridge reservation, and the eastern Kentucky/west virginal "coal country" area.
I doubt they would make a national park there but if they ever did it could be huge for the prosperity of the area. If you've been to the delta you know them folks know hard times
Big Bend Ranch State Park, Chinati Mountains (and Pinto Canyon), The Davis Mountain preserve and Black Gap. pretty much any of the Mountain areas in Texas
I came here to say the Davis mountains but if you live in texas you already know that'll probably never see the light of day. Texans love owning land and 98 percent of the state is privately owned. The Davis mountains is stunning though. I drove around there and explored what I could last year and to me it rivals big bend np and guadalupe mountain np and is more beautiful in some spots
I believe there were proposals sometime in the 1900s for Palo Duro canyon to become a national park but some of the ranchers wouldn’t sell their land.
It’s too bad that the idaho farm bureau lobbies against craters of the moon becoming a national park due to shipping/freight restrictions on US 20 that would come with.
Pictured Rocks, Sleeping Bear, and Apostle Islands along with Boundary Waters are all far more deserving of national park status than Indiana Dunes.
I like Devil's Tower as well. One National Monument that you did not mention that could be on par with any NP is Chiricahua in Arizona. Amazing.
Great vid! I'm definitely gonna add some of these spots on my road trip next year.
Thanks! I hope you love the places you travel to.
the Missouri National Recreational River in SD and NE would make for a nice little park
El Yunque should be a National Park to help preserve the biodiversity there
That’s a great pick and if I didn’t limit this to places I’ve been to, it would have made the list.
Tongass National Forest is huge and encompasses much more than just the Juneau area. You can drive a short way into it from British Columbia into Hyder, AK. The NFS has a bear-viewing platform - you need to obtain a permit online and pay a small fee.
Absolutely agree with #9. I was impressed with the scenery there. Having bighorn sheep right by the road guards did not hurt, either🙂
You have overlooked a couple spots in the East. The list was completely Western and another of the mentions were similar to current parks.
I agree with Craters of the Moon, but I would add Red River Gorge in Kentucky. It has the second highest concentration of natural arches in US. The Red River is a wild scenic River. It is well known for rock climbing, hiking, and kayaking. The sand cliff bluffs are amazing with scenic overlooks. The geological features are fascinating. It has historical significance from ancient Indians dwelling beneath the cliffs. It has ecological diversity and has an endangered plant species that exists only beneath the cliffs of this area, the white haired goldenrod.
I would also put Pictured Rock National Lake Shore in Michigan on this list. Stunningly beautiful!
Pictured rocks is stunning. The whole UP is just amazing
Surprised you didnt mention Katahdin Woods and Waters and the surrounding state parks in Maine.
Shhhhhhh don’t tell anyone! We are good on visitors 😇
You forgot pictured rocks, Michigan
Red River Gorge and Cumberland Falls. Both in southern Kentucky.
I don't know, I think you're stretching it a bit on some of those. I've been to Dinosaur National Monument and I could see that being added for it has a lot going on there as you pointed out. Tongas looks like a real possibility as well but Alaska already has 8 or 9 National Parks so maybe not. I do agree that every place you highlighted is better than several that already are National Parks such as Indiana Dunes, Gateway Arch and Congaree.
Grandfather Mountain State Park + Linville Gorge and that entire Blue Ridge Parkway section in NC is also stupid beautiful and deserves NP status if they wanted another Eastern US national park, but the question comes back to whether it is different enough from Smoky Mountains or Shenandoah National Parks.
Most of Southern Utah, Northern Arizona could be a national park. Grand Staircase-Escalante, Glen Canyon, Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs, Bears Ears, Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly, Rainbow Bridge, Antelope Canyon, Havasu Canyon etc.
Kauai as a whole could probably be a national park also, at least Kokee State Park and Waimea Canyon along with the Na Pali coast. Really all of Hawaii could be a national park, incredible place.
The whole route 12 in Utah is a masterpiece and you can spend days and days just exploring places off of it.
NO on Glen Canyon. I like that l can take my dog on the lake with me
Those are all great places but problem is some of those places are on Native American Reservation, such as Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly, Antelope Canyon and Havasu Falls so they could not be National Parks.
White mountains, Adirondacks, Valley of Fire
I might be very wrong but I believe white mtns and adirondacks don’t want to be national parks because of skiing restrictions
@@williamworrall8065 Most likely. There are plenty of state parks within the White Mountain national forest, and within those they have their own restrictions. Cannon Mtn in Franconia State park is the only state run ski resort, and a wonderful one at that. There’s lots of restrictions on what they can build also in the Presidential range. To me they’re on par with national park status but I think they prefer to run it by the state instead.
@@williamworrall8065 New Hampshire does prefer to have the state park services run things, I know that. They have only 1 state run ski resort, Cannon, in Franconia Notch State Park. It’s without a doubt on par with National Park status, but they like to run things themselves.
What about Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada? Do you think it deserves the promotion to national park status?
Fun fact: San Juan National Forest is where Colorado's last grizzly was killed. It mauled a bow hunter guide, who stabbed it in the neck with an arrow.
Agreed that it doesn't make sense to make it a Nation park, too much recreation and, I'm sure, logging, grazing and mining leases.
I've seen things that look like devils tower in the Columbia river gorge
Colorado National Monument should absolutely be up there. Chugach State Park in Alaska would probably be a top candidate for me too.
Pretty darn close to my list of deserving parks to upgrade. Would also highly recommend Pictured Rocks NL and Big South Fork NRRA!
I think fort Robison and toadstool geologic park should combine together to make a National park sure it’s in Nebraska but it is very pretty and very underrated
How about doing a video on National Parks that should be demoted? I vote for Cuyahoga Valley.
I love the idea, though I am concerned about the backlash that video would most likely attract.
@@NationalParkWild Might be a little predictable too. We know darn well you'll give gateway arch and Indiana dunes the boot. lol
Pictured rocks national lakeshore in Michigan UP is worthy in my opinion
Okefenokee should be a National Park since it is the largest swamp in America.
That would be amazing… plus there’s some weird things with the plants in Okefenokee… for instance two species of carnivorous pitcher plant, Sarracenia minor and Sarracenia psittacina grow to MASSIVE sizes only in Okefenokee… and I’m talking like 3x as tall as anywhere else
Thanks this was a good video 👍🏽
I’m glad you liked it
White Mountain National Forest of New Hampshire. They’re full of incredible hiking and skiing, amazing views including Mt. Washington which has the world record for fastest winds ever recorded and now the coldest wind chill ever recorded. They prefer to run things by their state park services, which I respect, but the terrain is so beautiful and special up there, to me it’s national park level majesty.
We’re visiting Acadia for the first time in August, im really skeptic it’s going to be on the same level of natural beauty. Go drive through Franconia Notch or Crawford Notch in the Whites it’s impossible not to be in awe.
I completely agree. While I haven't seen more than a third of the Appalachians, the White Mountains of NH are better than any other section I've seen anywhere.
Why are we talking about National Parks like it’s the highest ranking or something? What makes our public lands so great is the variety of recreation areas. National Forest allow camping that is 100 times better than National Parks. Recreation Areas have restrictions on motorized vehicles that help protect the landscapes. Not that there should never be other National Parks, but we need to keep great National Forest, State Parks, and Recreation Areas as well.
mojave national preserve was supposed to become a national park when it was created but it was turned into a preserve instead for mining and ranching
Valley of fire state park in Nevada would be a great national park
Red river gorge in Kentucky!
Chiricahua National Monument definitely deserves a spot in the list!
I haven’t personally visited it so it wasn’t considered, but I agree that it is deserving of park status.
Cascade siskiyou natoinal monument or big thicket natoinal preserve
I think what should be added to this list should be cooper rock, Ohioplye state park, and Niagara Falls should be a national park
Good picks!
Niagara Falls should be, but the best parts are in Canada.
Man, I have a list of like 40 places that should be national parks 😅 I think the National Parks System should be a top 100 list of best natural areas in USA
First those trees in the Mojave National Preserve are called Joshua Trees and they are protected. I remember when Clinton tried to establish the Mojave as a national park he got resistance from Congress and the state of California. The Mojave desert covers a large portion of California and Nevada. There are several military bases in the Mojave. As a preserve there are restrictions. The desert has the tortoise which is protected.
I think your attitude is a bit narrow. There are several possible locations in the east. One such place is the Adirondack Mountains. Some of the highest mountains in the northeast and great recreational region.
You’re right that there are many great places that didn’t make the list. Most of the ones I put in here are places I have been to and really enjoyed, I just haven’t gone to as many places in the East.
@@NationalParkWild up in the Death Valley region, in the late 60s Charley Manson had his cult family up there and it was believed that there are bodies buried in there. They used ground penetrating confirmed this but park service said no digging. The region up there is important to the Native Americans. They referred it as the spiritworld. When I was attending college, we had an aide that was Cherokee. He would go up to the “spiritworld” once, back at the university someone looking for my friend. I told her he’s up in the “spiritworld.” She thought he died.
If you ever visit a region, visit the Adirondack Mountains. Highest peak is 5344 feet.
I think Bruno sand dunes Idaho should be one
That would be cool!
Is that not Dream Lake at 2:24?
Monument valley should definitely be national park level but will never be and its probably right.
The Navajo nation might disagree with this.
Here me out: Another Utah/Arizona National Park, and a huge one at that.
Take Glen Canyon NRA, Rainbow Bridge NM, Natural Bridges NM, and the core of both Grand Staircase Escalante NM and Bears Ears NM and merge them into Grand Staircase National Park.
Like Canyonlands, this would have districts (Escalante, Bears Ears and Powell perhaps?). Not only does this include Rainbow Bridge, but also Grosvenor Arch and Jacob Hamblin Arch, plus many more. It includes fossil beds that we are just beginning to explore but that have already yielded spectacular finds (4 new types of ceratops since the 90s!) which is only discussed at a tiny BLM visitor center in Big Water, north of Page right now. The area is famous for slot canyons, and the Coyote Gulch and Skutumpah Road areas have some incredible slots most people don't know about. And of course, there's always the joys of Lake Powell to consider... when it recovers.
The other key here is that a big park like this can absorb a lot of visitors and spread them out to minimize impact if managed right. This could allow a potential Grand Staircase NP to relieve pressure from Arches and Zion, which are being overrun (or loved to death) by crowds currently. This also helps tiny gateway towns like Boulder and Escalante, which were promised a tourism boom by President Clinton when he made GSENM.
I live at the Grand Canyon and spend a lot of time exploring Northern Arizona and Southern Utah, so I think about this a lot. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
I am fully aware it will now never happen, but one site that should have become a national park is Lake Tahoe, CA/NV. If any site deserved to be preserved, it is Lake Tahoe. Probably the last window to make Lake Tahoe a national park was in the Theodore Roosevelt administration. At that time the Lake Tahoe basin was still not extensively developed and lightly populated enough to make it feasible for the Federal government to obtain the land. Now, as is glaringly obvious to anyone who has visited the Lake Tahoe area, the lake area is way too developed.
As an avid national park visitor for 50+ years, it is disheartening to see how crowded some of them have become (Zion, Acadia, Glacier, Arches to name a few). While many of these suggestions are worthy nominees, I think the more remote and environmentally sensitive ones should remain as they are. That way, perhaps they won't fall victim to the drive-up, take a quick photo, then go on our way mindset. Parking at most current national parks is a nightmare these days and don't get me started on having to reserve a campsite months in advance. I am pushing 70 and miss the good old days when one could visit and camp without advance planning.
That’s a fair view, I hope this edited at least stay beautiful for years to come.
That's why I like reading the comments here describing all the great places that are NOT National Parks (yet). While some of them are already crowded, like the White Mountains of NH, many of the places mentioned are relatively unknown. So if you want a place to yourself, the places in the comments here are the places to investigate. There are also a lot of National Parks which are under-visited and well worth seeing, like Theodore Roosevelt, Big Bend, Great Basin, and even a couple in CA: Lassen and Channel Islands. (I haven't been to any of these myself.)
Niagara Falls should be upgraded from a state park to a national park or at least national monument.
Yeah I'd say National Monument would be best. Sadly I think its too overbuilt with the cities and tourist junk to be a national park.
No. Let it be unknown and let Canada have all the shitty tourists
Breaks Interstate Park in Virginia and Kentucky
Alpine lake wilderness in Washington state should be a National park
No more national parks period or state parks in Utah are better maintained less crowded and better to go to the second you make a national park people flood them damage them and over crowd them.
Not that Utah needs another National Park lol, but damnit, Bonneville Salt Flats is one of the most amazing places on earth.
It definitely is spectacular.
Just a personal opinion, things like scenery and landscape should not be an importan reason to consider a place a national park, things like protecting endangered wildlife and preserve the ecosystem are more important things to consider when creating a new national park.
Brandon Falls, DE
Apostle islands in WI
My choice................Canyon de Chelly National Monument in Arizona, second choice Coal Mine Canyon also in Arizona on Navajo land.
Do the other way around! Sites that are national parks but probably shouldn't be.
I don’t want any of these to be national parks because of the increased crowds and you couldn’t take your dog on trails. National Park status would ruin them.
Only the Alaska and Hawaii locations should qualify
NO to Glen Canyon. I want to continue to kayak with my dog! National Parks are SO unfriendly to dogs!! I live at Lake Powell half the year and we don’t need more people!
Not sure what your criteria is for 'a' national Park.' Is it just standards of recreational fun? As a Nat'l Park follower for years, I agree with some of your choices, I don't see all of your choices. 1st, Devils Tower NM as with Rainbow Arch, are already protected, but lack the Moniker of a National Park to drive tourism. Well, how important is notoriety? With Devils Tower, it is the first 'National Monument', and is an excellent example of what a Nat'l Monument should be - - a highly notable, one of a kind scientific, cultural or natural phenomenon. Which by default implies that a Nat'l Park should have multiple values, including scenic beauty, unique natural features and some cultural content. Thus, some Nat'l Parks, I agree, should be removed from that designation and returned to an older designation. 2nd, identifying and entire National Forest to become a National Park (aside from bureaucratic issues) would be setting aside lands that are only surrounding the highest quality scenery/resources. Your example of Tongass National Forest is the simplest to explain. You identified Mendenhall Glacier as the premier resource, so maybe just the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area should be considered as a National Park? Since most of your suggestions are already protected as federal or state conservation areas (i.e,; monuments, parks), what is the purpose of changing names other than to increase notoriety? I'd prefer to systematize the federal naming system to enhance public understating of what each type of unit represents, otherwise, you'll continue to get name changes like: Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (i.e., the St. Louis Arch) becoming Gateway Arch National Park.
I agree that Devils Tower is just perfect to remain as it is, the best of the National Monuments. I would like to make more national parks only if the new parks are likely to be in the top half of all National Parks on most people's lists. In other words, they should make you go, "Wow!"
Chiricahua in my opinion should be a national park. Much better than Pinnacles NP, personally
Totally fair. I haven’t gone there yet but I would like to.
I've been to both Pinnacles and Joshua Tree when they were both still National Monuments. They were well worth visiting, but should they have been elevated to NP status?
Can we take NP status away from the Gateway Arch? Modern art doesn't belong.
Glen Canyon is cool but I don't think it should be a national park. It's not a natural landscape. The main feature of it is a man made resevoir.
Some are thinking because of drought that Lake Powell should be drained.
@@spinlok3943 My understanding is Glen Canyon was stunning BEFORE is was flooded by the dam.
In my state the number one obvious place is the Davis Mountains. Multiple people feel the same way and I've included a video a guy recently made that shows why ua-cam.com/video/LNNsjapq4GA/v-deo.html
Outside of Texas the two main places that pop in my head is somewhere in the upper Peninsula of Michigan like pictured rocks and the other being somewhere in Maine or the white mountains in New Hampshire. Most of the parks are in the west and rightfully so the west is amazing but there are plenty of places in the East that will take your breath away.
Why is Zion so overrated?
When I went, I didn’t like it. It’s one of the worst to me.
It has 2 of the best hikes on the planet. Angel's Landing and The Narrow's. Great canyoneering spots like The Subway and many more.
@@TheSpirobulldog it was so small too