Trip Ideas & Things to Do

Here are some ideas of how you can plan a visit to a national park if you're interested in transportation.

Showing results 1-10 of 115

Valles Caldera National Preserve
Take a Scenic Drive through Valle Grande
- Type: Things To Do
- Subtype: Scenic Driving
- Locations: Valles Caldera National Preserve
- Duration: 30-90 Minutes
- Reservations: No
- Pets: Yes
- Location: Main Entrance
- Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- Time Of Day: Day
The Valles Caldera Entrance Road is a scenic, four-mile-long gravel road through the heart of Valle Grande. This drive offers outstanding wildlife viewing opportunities, volcanic vistas, and several places to get out and explore on foot.
Blue Ridge Parkway
Become a Blue Ridge Parkway Junior Ranger
- Type: Things To Do
- Subtype: Junior Ranger Program
- Locations: Blue Ridge Parkway
- Duration: 20-120 Minutes
- Reservations: No
- Pets: Yes
- Location: Blue Ridge Parkway
- Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- Time Of Day: Day
Becoming a Blue Ridge Parkway Junior Ranger is exciting and rewarding! Pick up your Junior Ranger Folder and instructions at any park visitor center. Then travel the parkway to get site-specific activity sheets along your journey.
Golden Spike National Historical Park
Engine Hour Tours
- Type: Things To Do
- Subtype: Guided Tours
- Locations: Golden Spike National Historical Park
- Duration: 20-30 Minutes
- Reservations: Yes
- Age: 01-99 years old
- Pets: Yes
- Location: Engine House
- Season: Winter, Spring, Fall
- Time Of Day: Day
Tour visitors meet at Visitor Center at times below to participate in the tour. Mid-October thru Late-April Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday - ONLY* 10:30 AM 1:00 PM 3:00 PM
Chiricahua National Monument
Bonita Canyon Drive
- Type: Things To Do
- Subtype: Scenic Driving
- Duration: 60-90 Minutes
- Reservations: No
- Pets: Yes
- Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- Time Of Day: Day, Night, Dawn, Dusk
This 8-mile paved drive winds up the valley through rock formations, oak, cypress, and pine forests, to Massai Point. Massai Point overlook has a 360-degree view of the Wonderland of Rocks and the surrounding valleys and mountains.
Bicycles in Pea Ridge National Park
- Type: Things To Do
- Subtype: Road Biking
- Duration: 30-120 Minutes
- Reservations: No
- Age: 5-95 years old
- Pets: Yes
- Location: Beginning of Park Tour Road
- Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- Time Of Day: Day
Cycling at Pea Ridge National Military Park is a great way to discover the true scope of the park, both in size and meaning. It is also a wonderful opportunity to experience a quiet peaceful place of nature in bustling Northwest Arkansas.
Steamtown National Historic Site
Ride a Train
- Type: Things To Do
- Subtype: Guided Tours
- Duration: 1-10 Hours
- Reservations: Yes
- Pets: No
- Season: Summer, Fall
- Time Of Day: Day, Night
Steamtown's seasonal train rides offer a unique National Park experience. Rail experiences vary from short 30-minute trips exploring the park’s historic railroad yard to full-day trips through the Poconos.
Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park
Half-Day at Black Canyon
- Type: Trip Idea
- Subtype: Kid Friendly,Relaxed,Inspirational,Outdoors,Road Trip
- Duration: Half Day
- Topics: Canyons and Canyonlands, Geology, Trails, Mountains, Natural Sounds, Night Sky, Astronomy, River and Riparian, Rock Landscapes and Features, Scenic Views, Roads, Routes and Highways, Wilderness, Climate Change, Explorers and Expeditions, Fossils and Paleontology, Schools and Education, Watersheds
- Activities: Front-Country Hiking, Scenic Driving, Museum Exhibits
Only have half a day for your summer visit to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park? Here are Ranger Jeremy's recommendations to help you make the most of your trip!
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Drive to Williams Ranch
- Type: Things To Do
- Subtype: Scenic Driving
- Duration: 4-6 Hours
- Reservations: Yes
- Pets: Yes
- Location: Williams Ranch
- Season: Winter, Spring, Fall
- Time Of Day: Day
If you have a high-clearance, four wheel drive vehicle, the primitive dirt road to Williams Ranch provides a unique opportunity to get off the beaten path and get close to the remote and imposing western escarpment of the Guadalupe Mountains. The Williams Ranch Road is currently CLOSED.
Steamtown National Historic Site
Explore the Roundhouse
- Type: Things To Do
- Subtype: Museum Exhibits
- Duration: 10-60 Minutes
- Reservations: No
- Pets: No
- Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- Time Of Day: Day
The combination of a working railroad yard and a world-class railroad museum gives visitors a chance to do more than just step back in time. The Roundhouse has been adaptively rehabilitated to allow Steamtown's mechanics to care for the locomotives with light-duty maintenance and repairs.
Wind Cave National Park
Wind Cave Geology Driving Tour
- Type: Things To Do
- Subtype: Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Duration: 60-90 Minutes
- Reservations: No
- Pets: No
- Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- Time Of Day: Day, Dawn, Dusk
The geology driving tour is a great way to see the park while learning about the rich geologic history of the Black Hills. On this 20 mile long tour, you will travel back in time and view Wind Cave's rock record to get a glimpse into its past.