10 Best National Parks in the United States for Solo Women Adventurers
With 63 designated national parks in the United States, choosing which ones are best for a solo adventure as a woman can feel overwhelming. Not only do you want to pick options that allow for unforgettable scenery and wildlife encounters, but you also want to know that they are easy to navigate, provide safe trails and have nearby accommodations and restaurants for single travellers.
While which parks are the best can be a matter of personal preference, the choices in this list provide a balance of world-class nature, hikes for all abilities and activities that are ideal for adventurous women who are travelling alone.
Yellowstone National Park
Wyoming, Montana and Idaho
Yellowstone is one of the more popular parks in the United States for families, but it is also an ideal option for solo women adventurers due to how easy it is to get around the park, the number of available facilities and more than enough to see for days on end. With Lamar and Hayden Valleys, it’s a haven for wildlife lovers no matter what time of year you choose to visit.
Useful tip: Head to Yellowstone in the winter for a truly magical experience without all of the crowds.
Read more: Park website
New River Gorge National Park
West Virginia
While it’s not the easiest to get to from Canada, this park has some beautiful yet accessible trails that shouldn’t be missed during autumn. The park is centered around the New River, which has some of the best whitewater rafting in the United States. It’s manageable size makes it the perfect area for weekend exploration.
Useful tip: The park’s annual Bridge Day, typically taking place in October, shouldn’t be missed. Base jumpers leap off the New River Bridge while it is closed to cars for the day so spectators can watch.
Read more: Park website
Everglades National Park
Florida
If you would like to escape the cold and enjoy some Florida sun while also getting an adventure in, the Everglades have that in spades. The park is best explored by kayak, with a number of tours taking you into the backcountry. It’s the only place to see both alligators and crocodiles together in their natural habitat, and it’s a birding paradise with over 400 different species.
Useful tip: Get to the Shark Valley area of the park so you can rent a bike and take on the 24-km paved path lined with gators!
Read more: Park website
White Sands National Park
New Mexico
For photography opportunities, White Sands National Park offers some of the most stunning sunrises and sunsets in the park system. Its compact size and limited road systems also make it easily accessible, while a number of trails also include boardwalks. If you want to add a bit of adventure to your visit, you can rent a board from the visitor centre and take a ride down one of the gypsum dunes.
Useful tip: Consider stopping by Carlsbad Caverns National Park, another perfect option for solo adventurers just a short drive away.
Read more: Park website
Grand Teton National Park
Wyoming
You can’t go wrong with the mountain views in Grand Teton National Park. There are a number of trails for all levels of hikers that are simple to find via the park’s well-planned road system and nearby Jackson Hole offers a plethora of restaurants and accommodation options. It’s also a wonderful destination to visit year-round due to the world-class Snow King Ski Resort.
Useful tip: The National Museum of Wildlife Art is definitely worth a visit—you’ll recognize a number of areas in the park portrayed in paintings and sculptures.
Read more: Park website
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Tennessee and North Carolina
Head to the south of the park for a quieter, less commercialized experience that offers access to day hikes on the Appalachian Trail. These are usually pretty popular, so you won’t have to worry about hiking without running into other visitors. Cozy cabin rentals are also in abundance in the area, offering a respite after a long day exploring the most popular national park in the United States.
Useful tip: Don’t miss Cades Cove for a scenic drive and a chance to spot the Smokies’ most famous wildlife residents, like elk and bear.
Read more: Park website
Glacier National Park
Montana
As an easy border crossing from Alberta and British Columbia, Glacier National Park has exploded in popularity over the past few years for a number of reasons. For solo adventurers, one reason might be the scenic, ranger-led hikes that you can join for free. On top of educational programs that allow you to meet other park enthusiasts, Glacier’s shuttle system provides free transportation and makes it much easier to get around the expansive park.
Useful tip: Need to rent bear spray? The park has several locations where you can grab a cannister that you can return after your hikes.
Read more: Park website
Bryce Canyon National Park
Utah
Imagine wandering through magical hoodoos snapping stunning photos or watching the pink hued sunset over the canyon. Not only is Bryce visually stunning, it is also entirely manageable to get around using your own car—its small size and well-laid-out road system allows for easy navigation to trailheads and overlooks.
Useful tip: Combine Bryce with the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument for a variety of desert landscapes.
Read more: Park website
Kenai Fjords National Park
Alaska
The best way to explore Kenai Fjords National Park is by the park’s boat tours or kayak, which takes the pressure of planning off and allows you to enjoy the park’s natural beauty and variety of wildlife. See if you can spot humpback whales enjoying the summer waters as they feed for upcoming migrations or snap a photo of some clumsy puffins. After you’ve seen the park by water, take a quick hike to Exit Glacier for an afternoon activity.
Useful tip: Plan for some extra time in the town of Seward so you can sample some friendly seafood restaurants.
Read more: Park website
Capitol Reef National Park
Utah
Often overlooked by its more popular Utah cousins, Capitol Reef is a hidden gem offering towering arches, an experience like that of Zion’s Narrows without the water in the Grand Wash hike and history of the Fremont and Ancestral Puebloan Peoples. The park also features several scenic drives for non-hikers, offering activities for all types of solo adventurers.
Useful tip: Make sure to stop by the Gifford Homestead for a slice of apple pie baked using apples from the park’s orchards.
Read more: Park website
While every national park in the United States can be visited solo, certain ones are more geared toward exceptional experiences for women adventurers travelling alone. Whether you plan on taking on a trail guided by park rangers or snag pictures of bison playing near geysers, these parks are meant for women looking to experience some of the best scenery in the country while feeling safe doing so.
I plan on purchasing a camper soon and other than The New River Gorge I haven’t been able to explore these parks but with this information it will sure make planning my trip much easier.