Scott McCandless: O, say, you should see our national parks

Our national parks have been described as “America’s Best Idea.” As the summer travel season heats up, go see if you agree.

The trip can be short. Here in our backyard, you can visit the Harry S. Truman Home in Independence.

If you want to drive a bit farther, head east to the Lincoln Home and restored area in Springfield, Ill. Or if you’re a Civil War buff, head south and visit Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield in southern Missouri. Stop in at George Washington Carver National Monument, and then wrap up your jaunt at Pea Ridge National Military Park in northwestern Arkansas.

Or consider a longer road trip. Whether with family or friends, pack up the car and go.

Our family typically headed west. One summer we drove up to South Dakota, stopped first in barren Badlands National Park, and then continued to iconic Mount Rushmore. It’s one thing to see a photo of Washington, Jefferson, Teddy and Abe. It’s quite another to see those massive stone heads in person. I thought it would be corny, but it was great — particularly the night program. Top off your trip at Devil’s Tower nearby and walk around the base.

Maybe you spend your family vacation in Colorado. Drive north out of Denver and spend a day in Rocky Mountain National Park, driving Trail Ridge Road the width of the park. Plan B: Swing south and visit Great Sand Dunes National Park, where you can rent plastic discs and slide down the dunes. Continue to southwest Colorado and see the grand and mysteriously vacated cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park.

How about northern Arizona and southern Utah? The Grand Canyon overwhelmed me with its size and scope. A better fit for us was Bryce Canyon with its fantastic hoodoos. Swing north to Arches National Park, and hike back to see Delicate Arch, featured on Utah’s state license plate.

At the end of each day, remember — these are not just names on a map or pictures in a travel book. These are places that give us the luxury of interrupting our daily routines — places to anticipate and to refresh, places to create memories.

For some, that may be our first national park, Yellowstone. And that is a good choice, what with Old Faithful (and its Inn), Geyser Basins and the “Grand Canyon of Yellowstone” with its upper and lower falls.

But for us, that place is Grand Teton National Park, just 30 miles south of Yellowstone. The grand mountain range rips up from the sagebrush grounds below. We hiked around crystal Jenny Lake, and then headed back for supper at the Pioneer Grill. Afterward, we walked out to Willow Flats, pulled out our binoculars, and searched for moose at dusk.

What if you don’t have an entire week? Add a day or two to your business trip. Flying to LA? Visit Channel Islands National Park. Off to Miami? Drive over to the Everglades or down to Key West and take the ferry to Dry Tortugas. Seattle? Mount Rainier.

The point is — do it. Make your kids “Junior Rangers.” Spend a night in a park lodge. Take pictures. Buy that blue-backed “Passport to your National Parks,” and stamp it at each Visitor’s Center (always the first stop). All will be prized possessions.

Throw a frame around that national parks map from your passport, and when you get home, pop a pin in each visited park. You’ll be surprised how often you go back and take a look.

Remember — each year, when you painfully write that check to the IRS, you’re not paying taxes. You’re making a contribution to our national parks.

This story was originally published June 7, 2015 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Scott McCandless: O, say, you should see our national parks."