We Asked 5 Travel Experts to Pick the Best National Park for First-time Visitors-These 2 Iconic Parks Rose to the Top

"But when we pressed travel experts and industry insiders further, two parks came to the top for national park newbies: Grand Canyon National Park and Yellowstone National Park. Diane Eichler, senior vice president of marketing at Kampgrounds of America, agrees that both parks are fantastic choices for first-timers. "You can step out of your car and immediately be surrounded by views people dream about for years," she says. "But what really makes these parks special is slowing down and actually spending time in them.""

""From the moment one steps onto the brink of the canyon rim, the views are overwhelming, in the best of ways," Johnson says. The mostly paved Rim Trail on the South Rim stretches roughly 13 miles. There are frequent shuttle stops, railings at major viewpoints, and plenty of benches. There is year-round lodging both inside the park and in the gateway town of Tusayan, Arizona, and it's easy to get to from Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG) or Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)."

Grand Canyon and Yellowstone emerge as top entry points to the U.S. national park system for newcomers due to iconic scenery and visitor-friendly infrastructure. Grand Canyon’s South Rim offers immediate, overwhelming rim views with a mostly paved 13-mile Rim Trail, frequent shuttle stops, railings, benches, and year-round lodging both inside the park and in nearby Tusayan. Convenient air access includes Flagstaff Pulliam (FLG) and Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX). Easily experienced vistas reward stepping from a vehicle and slowing down to spend time. An early South Rim 'Grand Tour' to catch sunrise enhances the visit.

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