Thrilling Park Activities

Are you ready for adventure and unbelievable sights?

Climbing Angels Landing in Zion or rafting the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon are escapades not soon to be forgotten by the participant. Following are some of the National Parks “Top Ten” category activities which you may not want to miss.

1. Bioluminescent kayaking tour in Salt River Bay (Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve, St. Croix) - One of seven bays in the world which provide this dazzling display of Mother Nature. Watch the waters light up at night fall.

2. Hiking to the Narrows in the Virgin River (Zion National Park) - Most hiking organizations rate this as one of the top ten hikes in the country. 30 feet wide at its narrowest point, with 2,000 feet high vertical walls, a feeling of awe will sweep over you. Plan for July or September, the best months to have the water level low enough to make the hike. You will get wet. Use a walking stick and sturdy shoes.

3. Brooks Falls platform for viewing brown bears (Katmai National Park) - Practically everyone has seen photos of bears catching salmon which are jumping upstream against a wall of falling water. And not just one bear, we are talking dozens. Well, this is the place for those iconic photographs. The effort to get to the elevated boardwalk and viewing platform is its own unforgettable adventure since Katmai National Park is located down the Alaskan Peninsula. Brooks Lodge will take care of all the logistics, once you are ready for the trip.

4. Climbing Half-Dome (Yosemite National Park) - Do not arrive in Yosemite Valley to tackle this rock legend without plenty of preparation. The trip is either 14 or 16 miles, there-and-back, depending on the two routes, and 4,800 feet in elevation gain. But climbing the near vertical backside of Half-Dome via the steel cable system provides a reward few will experience. The park has a reservation system, allowing only 300 hikers a day to climb. Be on the trial by 5 AM to insure you reach the summit before the mandatory turn-around time set by the park rangers.

5. Snorkeling (Trunk Bay, Virgin Islands National Park… Buck Island Reef National Monument, St. Croix… Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas National Park) - Snorkeling is a water sport of which most people can partake. Concessionaires who service some of these locations have all the gear you will need to enjoy view our world’s underwater habitat.

6. Climbing Old Rag Mountain (Shenandoah National Park) - One mile of rock scramble, nine miles of hiking, and 2,300 feet of elevation climb makes this the most difficult, and memorable, adventure in Shenandoah National Park. Wait until you reach the peak and can view 360-degrees of the best the East Coast has to offer.

7. Scrambling down to the Gunnison River (Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park) - The “easiest” path is the Gunnison Route, 1,800 feet down over 1.5 miles, but this should still only be tried by experienced hikers/climbers who can navigate scree fields. The route is practically one long scree field. A couple of iron and rope chains are located at the more intense spots. If you still want to experience the Gunnison River but without the exhaustion, drive on the East Portal Road to the east entry of the river into the park.

8. Landing on Surprise Lake (Aniakchak National Monument) - This is the ultimate float plane trip. Over 100 miles southwest from King Salmon lies the Aniakchak Caldera, the largest active volcano in the world (6-mile diameter). Granted, it is pretty peaceful, but steam still rises from dome vents. To circle the inside of the caldera, then land on the unforgettable lake, is an experience not to be missed. Problem is the weather. The NPS says fewer than 100 people a year make it into the caldera, partly due to the logistics of getting to the monument, but then having sunny skies so the pilot can get into the crater and the lake.

9. Taking the Glacier Bay Boat Day-Trip (Glacier Bay National Park) - I rank this in the top ten only because my one experience included six humpback whales, ten orcas, five brown bears, dozens of sea otters, hundreds of Stellar sea lions, two bighorn sheep, bald eagles, and countless other birds. And that does not include getting up close to the Margerie and Great Pacific glaciers. The trip, though, can be hit-or-miss with the wildlife. I was fortunate. A couple I met a week later said they went the day after me and saw only the sea lions and otters.

10. Kayaking open waters (Channel Islands National Park, Apostle Islands, Pictured Rocks National Seashore, Biscayne National Park) - The sea caves at Channel Islands pits one against the forces of the Pacific Ocean. The waters are a bit calmer on the lakes and in Biscayne Bay. But, what a rush of adrenaline paddling into and out of caves and shoreline.