U.S. National & State Parks Travel Guide
Explore America’s National & State Parks
From the granite cliffs of Yosemite to the red-rock landscapes of Utah, national and state parks have become some of the places I’m most drawn to when I travel. These are the landscapes where I feel most connected to the land, the light, and the stories held in every trail, canyon, forest, and stretch of coastline.
I’ve spent years hiking, camping, photographing, and road-tripping through parks across the U.S., from well-known places like Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Zion, and Arches to quieter landscapes such as Point Reyes National Seashore, Montana de Oro State Park, Point Lobos, and Morro Bay State Park. Some of my favorite experiences have happened outside the most famous national parks, which is why this guide includes national parks, national seashores, monuments, and state parks rather than limiting the collection to one designation.
This page brings together the parks I’ve written about in detail so far, with firsthand guides to hiking, camping, wildlife, photography, and planning your visit. I’ll continue adding new guides as I return to old favorites and explore new protected landscapes.
National Parks & Seashores
Some of my most memorable trips have centered around America’s national parks and protected coastlines. From photographing Yosemite’s granite cliffs to hiking the windswept trails of Point Reyes and rafting through the Grand Canyon, these places have shaped the way I travel—slower, more observant, and usually with a camera close by.
I don’t have full destination guides for every park yet, so the links below point to the most useful firsthand stories and planning resources I’ve published so far.
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite is one of those places that never feels ordinary, no matter how many times you visit. The scale of the granite walls, waterfalls, meadows, and changing light makes it one of my favorite parks to photograph and return to throughout the year.
One of the most memorable seasonal experiences is Horsetail Fall during Firefall, when the setting sun can make the waterfall glow orange against El Capitan. My current Yosemite guide focuses on planning for and photographing this brief February phenomenon.
Point Reyes National Seashore
Point Reyes is probably my favorite park and one of the places I feel most connected to in California. I love the windswept cliffs, open grasslands, tule elk, fog, and the sense that the landscape is always changing with the weather.
It’s also a place I keep returning to for hiking and photography because the landscape can feel completely different depending on the weather. My current Point Reyes guide focuses on some of the best hikes and viewpoints across the seashore.
Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon is one of the most humbling landscapes I’ve experienced, and seeing it from the river gave me a completely different perspective than viewing it from the rim. Rafting through the canyon made the scale, heat, geology, and isolation feel much more immediate.
My current Grand Canyon guide focuses on what I packed for a multi-day rafting trip, including photography gear, clothing, and river essentials.
CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS
Some of the parks I return to most often are much closer to home. Montana de Oro State Park and Morro Bay State Park are both part of my regular Central Coast life, and I’ve spent years hiking, camping, photographing wildlife, and exploring their trails and coastline.
They offer very different experiences; Montana de Oro feels wilder and more rugged, while Morro Bay State Park is closely tied to the estuary, marina, and bay, but both are places I know well and keep coming back to.
Morro Bay State Park
Morro Bay State Park brings together so much of what makes this part of the Central Coast special: a quiet estuary, a working marina, coastal trails, abundant birdlife, and sweeping views across the bay.
I love how easy it is to have completely different experiences here in the same day. Hike Black Hill in the morning, watch birds around the estuary, launch a kayak from the marina, or simply slow down near the water. My full guide covers the campground, map, trails, wildlife, and practical tips for planning a visit.
Montana de Oro State Park
Montana de Oro State Park feels rugged, open, and beautifully untamed, with coastal cliffs, tide pools, beaches, and miles of trails overlooking the Pacific.
I spent years camping and hiking here before eventually moving to nearby Los Osos, and it remains one of the places I know best. My full guide brings together the park’s best hikes, Bluff Trail, tide pools, camping, wildlife, and practical tips for planning a visit.