Are you an avid traveler and nature-lover? Do you dream of visiting all the national parks in the United States?
If so, you might be wondering how long it would take to road trip all national parks. Well, wonder no more! In this article, we’ll explore the various factors that can impact your road trip and give you an estimate of how long it would take to visit all 63 national parks.
Factors Affecting Your Road Trip
Before we dive into the estimated time it would take to visit every national park, let’s examine some of the factors that can impact your road trip.
Mode of Transportation
If you’re planning on road tripping to every national park, then obviously your mode of transportation will be by car. However, if you’re interested in hiking or camping in any of the parks, then you might need to consider other modes of transportation such as hiking or biking.
Time Constraints
Another factor to consider is how much time you have available for your road trip. Are you planning a year-long adventure or trying to fit everything into a month-long vacation? The amount of time available will definitely impact how many parks you can visit and how much time you can spend at each one.
Seasonal Availability
Keep in mind that some parks may not be accessible during certain times of the year due to weather conditions. For example, Glacier National Park is typically closed from October to May due to snowfall. Be sure to research seasonal availability before planning your itinerary.
Estimating Your Road Trip
Now that we’ve discussed some of the factors that can impact your road trip, let’s estimate how long it would take to visit all 63 national parks in the United States.
Assuming you’re starting from one end of the country (either the east or west coast) and driving straight through to the other end, it would take approximately 120 hours of driving time to cover the 7,500 miles between Acadia National Park in Maine and the National Park of American Samoa in American Samoa.
However, this doesn’t take into account stops at each park, which is the whole point of a national park road trip! Assuming you spend an average of two days at each park (including travel time), you’re looking at a minimum of 126 days (or just over four months) to visit all 63 parks.
Of course, this is just a rough estimate and doesn’t account for any unforeseen circumstances or travel delays. It’s also important to remember that some parks may require more time than others due to their size or popularity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, road tripping to all 63 national parks in the United States is no small feat. It would take a minimum of four months to visit them all, assuming you spend two days at each park and drive straight through from one coast to the other.
However, the experience of visiting each park and immersing yourself in nature is well worth the effort. So start planning your itinerary and get ready for an adventure you’ll never forget!