National Geographic Ultimate Guide to the National Parks: A Complete Tour of All 63 U.S. Parks

by National Geographic Society

Full of expert advice on the best trails, scenic drives, wildlife spotting, must-do adventures, and more, this comprehensive guide is the ultimate resource for your next great escape to all 63 national parks in the U.S.

Discover America’s wildly beautiful landscapes, monuments, and historic places with carefully curated expert recommendations, complemented by brand-new National Geographic photography to inspire your next   

Tips and tricks to experience the best every park has to offer, from the otherworldly sand dunes of New Mexico’s White Sands National Park to the northern wonderland of the Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska  Maps of every park highlighting points of interest, including a pull-out wall map to pin your progress as you make your way through every parkExpert recommendations for the best walking and hiking trails, scenic overlooks, campgrounds, drives, and wildlife spottingCurated lists of thrilling adventures from kayaking and biking to backpacking and sand-boarding Park ranger recommendations for off-the-beaten-path sites and hidden gems within every parkPlanning information from when to visit; park fees, passes, and reservation requirements; and visitor center information and accommodations Beautiful and never-before-seen National Geographic photography that will inspire you to pack your bags and get out and explore And so much more! 
Whatever outdoor adventure is calling your name—from rafting the Colorado River to climbing majestic peaks to forested nature walks—you’ll find what you’re looking for in this comprehensive guidebook. All that’s left to do is pick your park and go explore!

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Nature

736 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2026

About the author

The National Geographic Society (NGS), headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations in the world.
Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical conservation, and the study of world culture and history. The National Geographic Society's logo is a yellow portrait frame—rectangular in shape—which appears on the margins surrounding the front covers of its magazines and as its television channel logo. Through National Geographic Partners (a joint venture with The Walt Disney Company), the Society operates the magazine, TV channels, a website, worldwide events, and other media operations.

Reviews

[Cidney Ko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got this from the library. I want to buy a copy, it’s so good! I get overwhelmed when seeking travel information on the internet/reddit, because it can pull you in a million directions. This book is so concise and straightforward.
I took many notes and planned a road trip this summer to a few national parks. This has so much excellent info on where to stay/side trips you can take. And after recently doing Big Bend I think it’s really solid advice! Can’t wait to explore all of the national parks 🥰

[Robert Bollinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous book loaded with striking pictures of each individual park and a wealth of information about the parks (seasonal availability of features and ranger assistance, contact info and suggestions, even if and where dogs are allowed). The parks are grouped by regions of the US with a bit of an intro to their locations and then each park (all 63!) is given a detailed overview of various options involving camping (indoor and out), hiking, exploring, driving and floating. All of these choices are explored in detail and abound with ranger tips and recommendations. A sizable chunk of more obscure and limited options are also mentioned where appropriate (stargazing, horseback, caving, and winter adventures to name a few) with the same attention to detail and the potential guidance of rangers when needed and available. As befits a National Geographic publication it goes almost without saying that the maps are fabulous ( 1 for each park , overviews of each region and an enclosed fifty state map that shows them all) rife with detail that allows the reader to anticipate where many of the suggested locations are to be found in each park and the general site of all the parks in the US. As a vacation planner this book will be invaluable to all nature lovers, loaded with potential sites and providing an easy (well indexed) jumping off point for the opportunity to be inspired by these magnificent vistas. For the dreamer or the explorer this book is highly approved and will be referenced and gazed upon many times in the years to come, in fact it may be invaluable as a resource after the recent cutbacks in Park funding and ranger layoffs that the national park system is currently enduring. Here's hoping that will change and soon !

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway and I am providing a voluntary and honest review of this book.

[Autumn Batty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much for the giveaway my husband and i can’t wait to look and plan our visits to parks

[Debbie Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book in a giveaway and started flipping through it as soon as it was delivered. The pictures or beautiful and can’t wait to check out some more national parks!

[Jean C Wilcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book. Our entire family is enjoying this. A great overview of each park with many photos. I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

The photography is the best thing about this book. One thing which really caught my eye is there's not much to do if you're handicapped.

[Paul Mastrodonato · Rating 5 out of 5]

Made me want to get in my car right now and drive to each national park we have.