Visiting National Parks With Kids: Practical Tips You Need to Know Before You Go

Yellowstone became America's first national park in 1872. Today, there are 63 national parks in 30 states and two U.S. territories. America's national parks are filled with many natural wonders, including mountains, lakes, geysers, dunes, caves, endangered wildlife, and much more. Although national parks can be a place for the rugged adventurer to find challenging terrain for camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities, that's not all the park system has to offer. There are plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy the beauty of nature with your family, even with small children in tow.

Watching your kids get their first glimpse of a towering waterfall or spotting a herd of bison in the distance can be a magical experience. However, it's easy to get overwhelmed if you haven't planned properly. We've got you covered with practical tips and a few suggestions on which national parks might be best to bring little ones.

Preparing Ahead for a National Park Visit With Kids

The first step is deciding where to go. You can find everything you need to know about the national park system on the National Park site. Here you can search parks by state or by topics of interest. You can also find up-to-date information on the parks, such as road closures, weather conditions, closed trails, wildlife advisories, or any other alerts.

Next step, decide where you are staying. Once you know where and when you are going, it's time to book your lodging. Lodging and campsites in national parks can fill up months in advance.

Finally, you may want to consider buying an annual pass. The America the Beautiful annual pass is currently $80 for U.S. residents and $250 for nonresidents. An annual pass will save you money if you are planning on visiting parks on multiple days. Also, if you have a 4th grader, be sure to check out the Every Kid Outdoors program for a free pass.

What Types of National Parks Are Best for Young Kids?

A national park trip with young children will probably look a lot different than if you were traveling with older kids or teens. For example, hiking with young kids is doable, but you'll want to look for shorter trails. You may also want to consider scenic drives that incorporate frequent stops.

With 63 national parks, there are a lot of options to choose from. However, we've listed a few of our top picks below based on what you are looking for:

Easy Trails

• Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming has plenty of kid-friendly activities and easy hikes.
• Arches National Park in Utah offers short hikes that will give you amazing views of the scenery.

Scenic Drives

• Utah's “Mighty 5” (including Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion) offer some of the most scenic drives in the country.
• Badlands National Park in South Dakota has the 39-mile Badlands Loop Road (SD 240), where you can see prairie dogs, pronghorns, bison, and bighorn sheep from the comfort of your car.

Beaches or Lakes

• Indiana Dunes National Park offers swimming in Lake Michigan, soft sandy beaches, tall dunes for climbing, short hikes, and camping.
• At Olympic National Park in Washington, kids can visit easy-to-access tide pools, like at Ruby Beach, where they can get an up-close view of crabs, barnacles, sea stars, and sea anemones.

Become a Junior Ranger

Another fun way to get your kids more engaged is signing them up for the Junior Ranger program. You can find out if the park you are visiting offers the program on its website. When you head to the park, be sure to check out the visitors' center, where you can pick up a free booklet filled with activities. Kids can earn badges for completing activities.

Practical Tips for a Smooth Vacation

Perhaps the most important thing to think about when you're traveling with kids is that your priorities shift from what they were when you were traveling without kids. Even if you've paid the park fee, don't fall into the trap of thinking you need to see everything in one day. The goal isn't to see every sight, but to enjoy wildlife together.

With that in mind, we've got some practical tips for keeping things fun and low-stress.

• Start early in the day to beat the crowds. National parks tend to become busier as the day goes on. Or consider visiting at off-peak times, such as after dinner.
• Pay attention to the weather. Depending on the season, you may encounter snow, impassable roads, or blazing hot mid-day sun.
• As with any trip with kids, pack snacks and plenty of water. Snacks can help you get through a long drive or even provide motivation to finish a hike when everyone gets tired. And don't forget about water. You may need more water than you realize, for example, if you are touring a hot and dry place, like the Grand Canyon, during summer.
• Bring the proper gear. If you're hiking, be sure everyone is wearing sturdy hiking shoes. Flip flops are not going to cut it on rocky, muddy trails. And don't forget sunscreen, hats, and sun protective clothing.

In the end, it's all about making the experience enjoyable for everyone and letting your kids connect with nature on a whole new level. Don't worry about getting the perfect Instagram photo or reaching the top of the summit. You can create special memories and nurture your child's appreciation of wildlife when you do a little bit of planning ahead and remember to stay flexible.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Emily Rose Photography/Shutterstock.com