How to See 7 US National Parks in 2 Weeks

If you're looking for an inexpensive road trip, the US National Parks are a great place to start.

For decades, most Americans just knew the highlight reel---Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Rocky Mountains, etc.---but thanks to Obama's 2015 Every Kid Outdoors program, 2019's savvy Find Your Park campaign, and a COVID spike in domestic travel, visits to the parks are up 15+% from a decade ago and some smaller parks are getting the attention they deserve.

For us, it was the free fourth-grade parks pass that got us started. We had visited most of the state parks near us and wanted to venture farther afield. We had a camper (albeit a very junky one) and a fourth grader, so it seemed a perfect fit.

Here's where the journey took us.

Park 1: Brown vs Board of Education National Park (1 day pitstop)

We started from Indianapolis and travelled to Topeka, Kansas where we stayed overnight. In the morning, we visited the Brown vs. Board of Education National Park. While it's not what most people think of when they hear "national park," it turned out to be one of my favorite stops.

The interactive exhibit takes you through the halls and classrooms of William Frantz Elementary where, in 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges courageously became the first black student to attend a previously all-white school.

Photo Credits: Associated Press (anonymous)

I was moved to tears, and my kids (who attend a very racially diverse inner-city school) were blown away by how much things had changed and, sadly, how some things hadn't changed at all.

More National Historical Parks and Battlefields to Check Out

Sidenote:

If you go with your kids, don't forget to sign them up for the Junior Ranger Program. They will have a blast learning about each park's history and ecosystem and collecting the ranger pins.

Park #2: Rocky Mountain National Park (3 days)

Next, we stopped at Rocky Mountain National Park, which was snowcapped even in late June. The hikes are epic and the weather was a nice break from the summer heat of the Midwest (home) and Utah (our next stop). We ended up do an easy 11-mile hike where we saw a moose and her calf in the wild.

(I would not recommend a hike this long with kids, BTW. Five years later, they still talk about how cruel we were. In our defense, they had a great time until they realized how far we had made them go. Plus, it's a huge park and this long hike barely scratched the surface. This can be their "I-hiked-uphill-to-school-both-ways" story later in life. If I were to return without kids, I would do a shorter hike but with more elevation gain, like Sky Pond or Chasm Lake.)

For accommodation, we camped on Lake Granby, which was surprisingly affordable for as close as it was to the park. Plus, you couldn't beat the view....

While there, we discovered The YMCA of the Rockies Snow Mountain Ranch. Imagine your neighborhood YMCA but with the added benefit of tubing hills, snowshoeing, archery, disc golf, pottery classes, jewelry-making, roller skating, and the kitchen sink. We did the day pass option and ended up liking it so much that we returned later and stayed on-site so we could do even more.

Other options while you're there:

Hot springs (Be sure to check which ones are family friendly before you head out.)

National Forests (another good option for affordable camping)

YMCA of the Rockies Estes Park (the original location on the other side of RMNP)

Park #3: Arches National Park (2 days + 1 day to visit Moab)

The iconic Delicate Arch was well worth the trip. The 3-mile hike to the arch itself (instead of the parking lot viewing area on the other side) is a bit treacherous at the end. Be careful if you're hiking with little ones. We took our six-year-old and she did fine. Just be sure to keep them close by.

Also, be sure to pack tons of water. We ended up going to the trailhead and turning around when we saw this sign. -->

We came back later with two liters per person and still wished we had more.

The National Park Service has to rescue numerous hikers every year who underestimate the heat and lack of shade. Pack wisely.

Park #4: Canyonlands National Park (daytrip from Moab)

About 30 minutes from Arches is Canyonlands, her lesser-known stepsister. It's worth the trip but we found the hiking a bit tricky because the land was so barren that following the trail relied on navigational cairns. Visitors who stack rocks for fun or for staged photos make navigating difficult and the park is less populated than Arches, so you are less likely to run into other hikers. Setting GPS pins on your phone is a good safeguard to assure you are on the right path.

Photo credits: NPS/ Neal Herbert

Park #5: Mesa Verde National Park (1 day)

Two hours southeast is Mesa Verde. Like our first stop, this one was heavy on the history but was a welcome break from hiking. Junior Rangers can practice being archaeologists and learn about the daily lives of the Pueblo.

To Learn More:

If you're really interested by Native American history and are headed back toward Denver, you might make a stop at Manitou Cliff Dwellings Museum near Colorado Springs. They were relocated from the Mesa Verde area to avoid destruction in the early 1900's but still retain their authenticity otherwise. It is not a national park, so it will not be covered by your annual pass.

Pit Stop Possibility:

Consider stopping for lunch in Durango, Colorado on your way for a little throwback to the Wild West. I highly recommend eating at Grassburger.

Park #6: Great Sand Dunes National Park (1 day)

From there, we headed 2 hours east to Great Sand Dunes, a random desert in the middle of mountains. In the morning, there are small pools of water that rises up out of the ground and evaporate as the day goes on.

The geological history of how this strange land came about is fascinating and makes the Junior Ranger info here especially fascinating.

Of course, what the kids remember most is the sand sleds you can rent near the entry to the park. We only rented one since we were on a budget, but that worked out well. Scaling the dunes is quite a workout and we all needed rest in between runs.

DO NOT try to sled on snow sleds. They will not work.

The Oasis Store where you rent the sleds is only open 8AM-5PM. Be sure to arrive early enough to be able to sled and return the equipment before they close. There are other places to rent sand sleds but they are 25+ miles from the park.

Park #7: The Gateway Arch (2-day pitstop)

We headed back east but broke the trip up with a 3-night stop in St. Louis. We visited Arch, knowing that it was under construction at the time and we wouldn't be able to go up in it. Having gone up before, I knew it was more claustrophobia-inducing than it was life-changing. So we opted to visit the history center and picnic along the river instead.

We planned the trip so that we were there on July 4. Since the Arch is such an important American historical site, many of the buildings were in full patriotic regalia and some even had historical reenactors and singers on site.

In the evening, we went to see one of the many fireworks displays the city has to offer. We really wished we had spent a little more time in the fireworks area itself since many of them are actually 2 t0 3-day events. If you just come for the fireworks, you may miss a lot.

St Louis Fireworks Displays

St Louis Zoo

The next day we went to the St Louis Zoo, which is free (although you do have to pay $15 for parking and some attractions cost extra). The kids particularly enjoyed the herpetarium and the insectarium, which many zoos don't have.

If you're planning your trip a few years out, you may be able to see the zoo's 425-acre expansion, Wildcare Park, which will include a safari-type ride and interactive exhibits.

City Museum

I had heard great things about this museum but we had never been, so I decided to splurge and make it our last hurrah before heading home. It far exceeded my expectations and was so fun for everyone, even the adults. My knees were a bit sore from all of the climbing in tunnels, but those can easily be opted out of if you're achy like me.

Be sure not to miss the circus school performances which are entirely staffed by very talented (and limber) children. We also enjoyed Art City, where you can craft anything that comes to your mind with help from the resident artists. Even if you think you're not creative, you'll be inspired.

Note: We did not do the Rooftop add-on because we were on a budget and $8 per person x 5 people seemed steep. I have since heard good things about it, so I might splurge the next time we're there.

Good Eats

If you're in St. Louis, be sure to check out one of their world-famous barbecue joints. We went to Pappy's, where the meat is so valuable that they have security guards manning the outdoor pits. After you try it, you'll understand why.

There are million ways to see and experience the national parks. I'm looking forward to seeing where your park tour takes you!

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Wondering how to finance these and other trips? Check out "I Want to Travel. Now How do I Find Money for It?" and "How to Take Big Trips on Little Budgets."

Want to abroad with the fam instead? Check out "10 Things to See and Do in Nouvelle-Aquitaine."