With the National Park Service turning 100 this August 25th, popular data scientist Randy Olson created The Optimal U.S. National Parks Centennial Road Trip. However, Randy's map has some problems.
A few hundred to be exact...
Randy's road trip visits the 47 National Parks in the lower 48 United States, leaving out the twelve in Alaska, Hawaii, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands (understandably, the lack of access roads and ocean crossings makes it difficult for a road trip). He states that "the U.S. national park system, it consists of 59 protected areas" then suggests visiting "all of the national parks in one epic road trip."
But Randy leaves out over 300 accessible national park system sites.
During this year of the Centennial especially, we should remember that the National Park Service actually offers 412 sites (including National Lakeshores, National Monuments, National Scenic Trails, etc.), not just the 59 National Parks popularly recognized and shared as "all of the national parks."
That's why I teamed up with fellow parks enthusiast Adam Larsen to build "The Optimal National Park Service Road Trip." We created this map to raise awareness of the other wonderful 353 sites and because we are each on our own journeys to visit all 412 units of the National Park Service:
Myself, Mikah Meyer (TBCMikah.com), visiting all 412 on one continuous trip in an attempt to not only become the first person to do so, but also the youngest person to experience all 412 units. And Adam Larsen and his wife Danyel (SoManyParks.com), currently at 182 parks on a quest to visit all 412 during summer and teaching breaks.
This optimal route takes into account the 375 National Park Service sites accessible in the lower 48 United States and is a great reminder that while only 27 states and 2 territories have a capital N, capital P National Park, all 50 states and every territory have at least one National Park Service site.
Click here for an interactive map and details on its creation. See an ordered list below.
This route begins at the Washington Monument and ends at the Lincoln Memorial to reflect the start/end locations of my 2016 - 2019 trip, but a road tripper could easily start at the national park nearest to them.
So what are you waiting for?
There's still over four months left in 2016 to go #FindYourPark. You can even do it in 2017 for the 50th Anniversary of the National Park Foundation, 2019 for the 100th anniversary of the National Parks Conservation Association, or any year thanks to organizations and dedicated individuals like NPS Director Jonathan Jarvis (below) making sure all 412 parks are around for 100+ years to come.
The National Park Travelers Club even helps track any NPS visit with a Passport.
See you on the road!
About the Authors:
Mikah Meyer planned his first road trip at age 19. When his expected launch date turned out to be only ten days after his road-trip-loving father's funeral, Mikah's journey taught him the healing power of travel. Having since done an annual road trip to honor that experience, including a 260 day, 16,400 mile Dream Road Trip at age 25, Mikah's goal is to take one "epic" road trip every five years for the retirement his father never got, and he might never get. Having just turned 30, he is now on a quest to visit all 412 U.S. National Park sites to encourage greater youth and LGBT involvement. To support his self/donations-funded project, visit: TBCMikah.com/donate
Adam Larsen is an enthusiastic nerd who loves education, data, traveling, playing trumpet, and writing code. He and his wife Danyel are on a long-term journey to visit every unit in the National Park Service. They are chronicling their many trips on their website SoManyParks.com and on Instagram and Twitter. Adam is currently employed as Assistant Superintendent at a K-12 school district in northern Illinois and also owns and operates Aurora Educational Technology, a data consulting and software development business. He and Danyel both work in education, which affords them wonderful opportunities to travel in the summer and see America’s National Parks, but they would probably leave and travel full-time if the right company came along to sponsor their journey.
List of the 375 National Park Service sites on this road trip:
1. Washington Monument
2. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
3. Constitution Gardens
4. Korean War Veterans Memorial
5. Theodore Roosevelt Island
6. Fort Washington Park
7. Thomas Jefferson Memorial
8. Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
9. World War I Memorial
10. Greenbelt Park
11. Carter G. Woodson Home National Historic Site
12. White House
13. Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
14. Manassas National Battlefield Park
15. Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac
16. Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
17. Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument
18. National Mall
19. National Capital Parks
20. Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site
21. Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
22. Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
23. Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park
24. Rock Creek Park
25. Clara Barton National Historic Site
26. Monocacy National Battlefield
27. Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
28. Appalachian National Scenic Trail - Headquarters in Harpers Ferry
29. Antietam National Battlefield
30. Catoctin Mountain Park
31. Gettysburg National Military Park
32. Eisenhower National Historic Site
33. Hampton National Historic Site
34. Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
35. Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park
36. Assateague Island National Seashore
37. First State National Historical Park
38. Valley Forge National Historical Park
39. Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site
40. Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial
41. Independence National Historical Park
42. Great Egg Harbor Scenic and Recreational River
43. Gateway National Recreation Area
44. Governors Island National Monument
45. Federal Hall National Memorial
46. Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
47. Morristown National Historical Park
48. Statue of Liberty National Monument
49. Castle Clinton National Monument
50. Thomas Edison National Historical Park
51. General Grant National Memorial
52. Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site
53. Hamilton Grange National Memorial
54. Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site
55. African Burial Ground National Monument
56. Stonewall National Monument
57. Fire Island National Seashore
58. Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
59. Weir Farm National Historic Site
60. Springfield Armory National Historic Site
61. Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
62. Roger Williams National Memorial
63. New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
64. Cape Cod National Seashore
65. Saint Croix Island International Historic Site
66. Acadia National Park
67. Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site
68. Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
69. Boston African American National Historic Site
70. Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site
71. John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site
72. Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
73. Boston National Historical Park
74. Adams National Historical Park
75. Salem Maritime National Historic Site
76. Lowell National Historical Park
77. Minute Man National Historical Park
78. Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site
79. Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
80. Saratoga National Historical Park
81. Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
82. Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
83. Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
84. Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site
85. Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
86. Middle Delaware National Scenic River
87. Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
88. Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site
89. Steamtown National Historic Site
90. Fort Stanwix National Monument
91. Women's Rights National Historical Park
92. Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
93. Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site
94. Johnstown Flood National Memorial
95. Flight 93 National Memorial
96. Friendship Hill National Historic Site
97. Fort Necessity National Battlefield
98. Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park
99. Shenandoah National Park
100. Richmond National Battlefield Park
101. Petersburg National Battlefield
102. Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
103. Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
104. Booker T. Washington National Monument
105. Bluestone National Scenic River
106. New River Gorge National River
107. Gauley River National Recreation Area
108. Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
109. First Ladies National Historic Site
110. Cuyahoga Valley National Park
111. James A. Garfield National Historic Site
112. Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial
113. River Raisin National Battlefield Park
114. Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park
115. Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument
116. William Howard Taft National Historic Site
117. George Rogers Clark National Historical Park
118. Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial
119. Mammoth Cave National Park
120. Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
121. Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area
122. Obed Wild and Scenic River
123. Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park
124. Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
125. Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
126. Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site
127. Ocmulgee National Monument
128. Andersonville National Historic Site
129. Jimmy Carter National Historic Site
130. Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
131. Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site
132. Horseshoe Bend National Military Park
133. Little River Canyon National Preserve
134. Russell Cave National Monument
135. Stones River National Battlefield
136. Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail
137. Tupelo National Battlefield
138. Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site
139. Shiloh National Military Park
140. Fort Donelson National Battlefield
141. Ozark National Scenic Riverways
142. Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site
143. Jefferson National Expansion Memorial
144. Lincoln Home National Historic Site
145. Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
146. Effigy Mounds National Monument
147. Pullman National Monument
148. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
149. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
150. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
151. Isle Royale National Park
152. Keweenaw National Historical Park
153. Grand Portage National Monument
154. Voyageurs National Park
155. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
156. Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
157. Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
158. Pipestone National Monument
159. Missouri National Recreational River
160. Homestead National Monument of America
161. Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
162. Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site
163. Harry S Truman National Historic Site
164. Fort Scott National Historic Site
165. Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
166. George Washington Carver National Monument
167. Pea Ridge National Military Park
168. Fort Smith National Historic Site
169. Chickasaw National Recreation Area
170. Washita Battlefield National Historic Site
171. Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument
172. Lake Meredith National Recreation Area
173. Fort Larned National Historic Site
174. Nicodemus National Historic Site
175. Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site
176. Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
177. Capulin Volcano National Monument
178. Fort Union National Monument
179. Pecos National Historical Park
180. Great Sand Dunes National Park
181. Great Sand Dunes National Preserve
182. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument
183. Rocky Mountain National Park
184. Scotts Bluff National Monument
185. Fort Laramie National Historic Site
186. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
187. Devils Tower National Monument
188. Jewel Cave National Monument
189. Wind Cave National Park
190. Mount Rushmore National Memorial
191. Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
192. Badlands National Park
193. Niobrara National Scenic River
194. Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site
195. Theodore Roosevelt National Park
196. Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site
197. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
198. Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
199. Yellowstone National Park
200. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway
201. Grand Teton National Park
202. Fossil Butte National Monument
203. Timpanogos Cave National Monument
204. Golden Spike National Historic Site
205. City of Rocks National Reserve
206. Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
207. Minidoka National Historic Site
208. Craters of the Moon National Preserve
209. Craters of the Moon National Monument
210. Big Hole National Battlefield
211. Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site
212. Glacier National Park
213. Nez Perce National Historical Park
214. Whitman Mission National Historic Site
215. Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area
216. Lake Chelan National Recreation Area
217. North Cascades National Park
218. Ross Lake National Recreation Area
219. San Juan Island National Historical Park
220. Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve
221. Olympic National Park
222. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park - Washington Unit
223. Mount Rainier National Park
224. Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
225. Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
226. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
227. World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument - California Unit
228. Lava Beds National Monument
229. Crater Lake National Park
230. Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve
231. Redwood National Park
232. Whiskeytown-Shasta-Trinity National Recreation Area
233. Lassen Volcanic National Park
234. Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial
235. Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site
236. John Muir National Historic Site
237. Fort Point National Historic Site
238. Point Reyes National Seashore
239. Golden Gate National Recreation Area
240. San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
241. Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park
242. Muir Woods National Monument
243. Pinnacles National Park
244. Sequoia National Park
245. Kings Canyon National Park
246. Yosemite National Park
247. Devils Postpile National Monument
248. Manzanar National Historic Site
249. Death Valley National Park
250. César E. Chávez National Monument
251. Channel Islands National Park
252. Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
253. Cabrillo National Monument
254. Joshua Tree National Park
255. Mojave National Preserve
256. Castle Mountains National Monument
257. Lake Mead National Recreation Area
258. Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument
259. Great Basin National Park
260. Bryce Canyon National Park
261. Cedar Breaks National Monument
262. Zion National Park
263. Pipe Spring National Monument
264. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
265. Rainbow Bridge National Monument
266. Capitol Reef National Park
267. Natural Bridges National Monument
268. Arches National Park
269. Colorado National Monument
270. Curecanti National Recreation Area
271. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
272. Dinosaur National Monument
273. Canyonlands National Park
274. Hovenweep National Monument
275. Yucca House National Monument
276. Mesa Verde National Park
277. Aztec Ruins National Monument
278. Chaco Culture National Historical Park
279. Valles Caldera National Preserve
280. Bandelier National Monument
281. Manhattan Project National Historical Park - New Mexico Unit
282. Petroglyph National Monument
283. El Malpais National Monument
284. El Morro National Monument
285. Petrified Forest National Park
286. Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site
287. Canyon De Chelly National Monument
288. Navajo National Monument
289. Wupatki National Monument
290. Walnut Canyon National Monument
291. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
292. Grand Canyon National Park
293. Tuzigoot National Monument
294. Montezuma Castle National Monument
295. Tonto National Monument
296. Hohokam Pima National Monument
297. Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
298. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
299. Tumacácori National Historical Park
300. Coronado National Memorial
301. Saguaro National Park
302. Chiricahua National Monument
303. Fort Bowie National Historic Site
304. Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
305. Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
306. White Sands National Monument
307. Chamizal National Memorial
308. Guadalupe Mountains National Park
309. Carlsbad Caverns National Park
310. Fort Davis National Historic Site
311. Big Bend National Park
312. Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River
313. Amistad National Recreation Area
314. Padre Island National Seashore
315. Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
316. San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
317. Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
318. Waco Mammoth National Monument
319. Big Thicket National Preserve
320. Cane River Creole National Historical Park
321. President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site
322. Hot Springs National Park
323. Buffalo National River
324. Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
325. Arkansas Post National Memorial
326. Poverty Point National Monument
327. Vicksburg National Military Park
328. Natchez National Historical Park
329. Natchez Trace Parkway
330. New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park
331. Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
332. Gulf Islands National Seashore
333. De Soto National Memorial
334. Big Cypress National Preserve
335. Everglades National Park
336. Dry Tortugas National Park
337. Biscayne National Park
338. Canaveral National Seashore
339. Fort Matanzas National Monument
340. Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
341. Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve
342. Cumberland Island National Seashore
343. Fort Caroline National Memorial
344. Fort Frederica National Monument
345. Fort Pulaski National Monument
346. Fort Sumter National Monument
347. Charles Pinckney National Historic Site
348. Congaree National Park
349. Ninety Six National Historic Site
350. Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
351. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
352. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
353. Andrew Johnson National Historic Site
354. Cowpens National Battlefield
355. Kings Mountain National Military Park
356. Blue Ridge Parkway
357. Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
358. Moores Creek National Battlefield
359. Cape Lookout National Seashore
360. Cape Hatteras National Seashore
361. Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
362. Wright Brothers National Memorial
363. Colonial National Historical Park
364. Fort Monroe National Monument
365. George Washington Birthplace National Monument
366. Thomas Stone National Historic Site
367. Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memorial National Military Park
368. Prince William Forest Park
369. Piscataway Park
370. George Washington Memorial Parkway
371. World War II Memorial
372. Vietnam Veterans Memorial
373. Ford's Theatre National Historic Site
374. Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site
375. Lincoln Memorial
How is Mikah getting to all these spots in one trip? Check out his self-converted cargo van in The Transformation of Vanny McVanface. See his growing route at the bottom of each TBCMikah blog.