# Which National Park Did You Last Visit? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 11, 2018, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960 "2018-12-11T20:42:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/41 "2018-12-12T03:15:01Z")
Valley Forge, earlier this month. 5+ mile group run. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/42 "2018-12-12T03:18:39Z")
X-US: Arikok National Park on Aruba, 2 weeks ago In US: Historic Jamestowne NP in 2016. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/43 "2018-12-12T03:20:59Z")
Basic NPS it would be Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Include the battlefields and it would be Fort Necessity. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/44 "2018-12-12T03:22:26Z")
I thought that this would have an “easy answer”, but apparently that sort of thing is not allowed these days. The last time we visited a National Park was in 2012, when we went to the Grand Canyon. I discovered just now that the Gateway Arch in St. Louis was made a National Park in 2018; we visited it on a cross country trip in 2014, but it was not a NP at the time. So it all depends on whether the OP wants to know “What was the most recent place you visited that is currently a National Park?”, or “What was the most recent place you visited that was a National Park when you were there?”… ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/45 "2018-12-12T04:02:27Z")
It has to be either Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia or Valley Forge Park. I live near both and us locals have used Valley Forge for hiking and other recreation since before it was a national park. I haven’t actually visited Independence Park, at least not as a destination, since I was a kid; but when I worked in center city I’m pretty sure I strolled through the area more than once. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/46 "2018-12-12T04:07:57Z")
I’ve never visited one. There aren’t many in the Northeast. I’ve been to several battlefield parks and national historical sites. Probably the most recent one was Kinderhook, the home of Martin van Buren. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/47 "2018-12-12T05:10:37Z")
No fair. Most of the National Parks are in the western half of the country. I drove through Hot Springs National Park about three years ago. I actually visited Mammoth Cave about six years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/48 "2018-12-12T07:18:34Z")
Grand Canyon, early November. Not crowded, and since we have our senior National Parks pass, free. And the weather was great. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/49 "2018-12-12T11:22:58Z")
[Table Mountain National Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_Mountain_National_Park), yesterday. For National Parks I _don’t_ actually live right next to and walk my dog in, it would be the [Garden Route NP](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garden_Route_National_Park). Although the parks situation in South Africa is weird - we have National Parks, but we also have Provincial-level parks that in at least two provinces are of more-or-less equal status with the NPs. So I don’t see any difference between visiting a CapeNature Wilderness Area like [Cederberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cederberg) or a National Park like[West Coast](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Coast_National_Park). ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/50 "2018-12-12T11:23:07Z")
Camped in Banff, and we drove thru a couple more on the way home. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/51 "2018-12-12T11:49:05Z")
I was recently at the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and visited the Lighthouse (off season so couldn’t climb up), the Wright Brothers memorial, and the Ft Raleigh National Historic Site. As for National Parks proper, that may be [Pukaskwa](https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/on/pukaskwa) (puck-a-saw) which I visited last year (free admission due to Canada’s sesquicentennial)\ Brian ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/52 "2018-12-12T12:10:50Z")
[Audley,](https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/royal-national-park) [Ku-ring-gai Chase](https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/kuringgai-chase-national-park) and [Murray Valley](https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/murray-valley-national-park). You guys are aware there are national parks outside the US, yes? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/53 "2018-12-12T12:37:47Z")
Acadia National Park on Mt. Desert Island, Maine, last summer. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/54 "2018-12-12T12:54:28Z")
Mesa Verde, last September. Learned new stuff every day and expanded my consciousness. The camping is really Glamping- good wifi at the campground, store and showers and hot breakfast within walking distance, and semiprivate campsites. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/55 "2018-12-12T13:04:08Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > You win a fabulous prize! You can pick it up at Phantom Ranch anytime within the next 24 hours. 😃 Hey! We put an amendment into the Constitution to prevent cruel and unusual punishment. As I discovered after taking a mule down some years ago, there are no pain-free ways of getting to the bottom of Grand Canyon.\* Speaking of which, my last NP visit was Grand Canyon in June; we make it there every two years or so to rejuvenate. We like to stay in Bright Angel lodge. \*There is always a helicopter ride, I suppose, but those are for a medical emergency only. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/56 "2018-12-12T13:20:19Z")
[Point Reyes](https://www.nps.gov/pore/index.htm), this past May. Stunning!! ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/57 "2018-12-12T14:24:34Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > I thought that this would have an “easy answer”, but apparently that sort of thing is not allowed these days. Its allowed but for some reason its just tough for us Dopers. We often find ourselves saying something like “technically speaking”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/58 "2018-12-12T15:35:27Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > Its allowed but for some reason its just tough for us Dopers. We often find ourselves saying something like “technically speaking”. 😉 I think you forgot an apostrophe there. Wait, its a trap! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/59 "2018-12-12T15:58:19Z")
> [@Mr.Duality](#): > > Mesa Verde, last September. Learned new stuff every day and expanded my consciousness. The camping is really Glamping- good wifi at the campground, store and showers and hot breakfast within walking distance, and semiprivate campsites. Yeah! I never even thought to check for a wi fi signal, but I did appreciate the store and breakfast place just over the tiny hill. I’d say if they provided a pre-made tent then it would definitely go over the edge into full-on glamping. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2018, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960/60 "2018-12-12T15:58:20Z")
[Bryce Canyon National Park](https://www.nps.gov/brca/index.htm) Absolutely stunning! It was like being on another planet. We spent 6 weeks touring the parks of the Southwest, and this was our favorite. > [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > I discovered just now that the Gateway Arch in St. Louis was made a National Park in 2018; we visited it on a cross country trip in 2014, but it was not a NP at the time. I was living in St. Louis when the arch was completed. It took them a while to get the two sides to actually align. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-national-park-did-you-last-visit/825960.md?page=4)