17 Books That Will Inspire You To Visit America’s National Parks

By Joel Anderson

This beautiful coffee table book is a celebration of the 100 years of wilderness and wonders at the 59 (at time of publication) National Parks.

By Joe Yogerst

This great read from National Geographic is a sequel to their best-selling 50 States, 5,000 Ideas, and gives readers inspiration for 5,000 places to visit in 100 different national, state, and city parks from Alaska to Florida and everywhere in between!

By Esther Tome

This picture-perfect coffee table book highlights the raw and natural beauty of America’s National Parks, from Glacier Bay in Alaska to the Everglades in Florida.

By Matt Noble

This book is filled with gorgeous photography of all 61 (at the time of publication) National Parks, in alphabetical order from Acadia to Zion!

By Becky Lomax

This newly-released tome covers all 62 National Parks, including the newest addition of White Sands National Monument in New Mexico! Not only does it have pretty pictures, but it is filled with practical planning tips and expert advice.

By Jon Waterman

This book is written by a former ranger at the National Parks and goes beyond pictures with informative graphics with details about the wildlife, climate, culture, and archaeology about “America’s Greatest Idea.”

By Mel White

Another great contribution to this list from National Geographic, Complete National Parks is just that — a complete guide to planning your dream trip to the National Parks with practical information, historical background, and detailed maps, and beautiful photos.

By National Geographic

This is National Geographic’s flagship, best-selling guide filled with 300 photos and 80 maps, as well as travel planning tips and itineraries, and secret spots for the best photo ops for the wildlife and scenery.

By Kim Heacox

National Geographic is the G.O.A.T. when it comes to National Parks books. And this gift-worthy illustrated history features the best photographs accompanied by the storied history of the parks as a celebration of their 100th anniversary.

By Lonely Planet

This list wouldn’t be complete without including a contribution from the authors from the Lonely Planet who give expert advice on what to do, what to see, and where to stay in all 59 (at the time of publication) of America’s National Parks.

By Renee Hahnel

If you’re not already following Renee Roaming on Instagram then you are missing out. She and her husband Matthew embarked on a 7-month journey to visit all 59 (at the time of publication) National Parks and put together this book filled with their gorgeous photography, top planning tips, and stories from the road.

By Erika Hueneke

This is another great option if you are looking for an informative book combined with beautiful pictures of America’s National Parks, from Golden Gate Bridge on the West Coast to Acadia National Park all the way on the East Coast.

By Andrew Thomas

This stunning photographic journey through America’s National Parks would make a beautiful addition to any coffee table book collection! In addition to the gorgeous photography and informative details, there are also quotes interspersed from notable personalities such as Mark Twain detailing personal reflections about the National Parks.

By Dayton Duncan & Ken Burns

This book is an accompaniment to the well-known documentary of the same name and takes an interesting look at the history of how America’s National Parks, which have been dubbed “America’s Best Idea,” came to be. It delves into the evolution of the park system that has come to protect some of America’s most breathtaking landscapes.

By Ian Shive

This book coincides with the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service and includes breathtaking photos of the protected landscapes of the 59 (at the time of publication) National Parks, and looks towards the next 100 years of enjoying this American legacy.

By QT Luong

Treasured Lands is another great gift option for any coffee table book lover. It pays homage to all 62 National Parks through vivid photographs and aims to inspire readers to visit the parks and recreate the images for themselves.

By Michael Joseph Oswald

This complete guide to all 59 (at the time of publication) National Parks touts itself as “the only guidebook you’ll need to explore the United States National Parks.” It extensively details the hotels, restaurants, and attractions available in each park and includes more than 450 photographs, 160 maps, and 50 hiking tables to help plan your trip.

• Acadia
• American Samoa
• Arches
• Badlands
• Big Bend
• Biscayne
• Black Canyon of the Gunnison
• Bryce Canyon
• Capitol Reef
• Carlsbad Caverns
• Channel Islands
• Congaree
• Crater Lake
• Cuyahoga Valley
• Death Valley
• Denali
• Dry Tortugas
• Everglades
• Gates of the Arctic
• Gateway Arch
• Glacier
• Glacier Bay
• Grand Canyon
• Grand Teton
• Great Basin
• Great Sand Dunes
• Great Smoky Mountains
• Guadalupe Mountains
• Haleakala
• Hawaii Volcanoes
• Hot Springs

• Indiana Dunes
• Isle Royale
• Joshua Tree
• Katmai
• Kenai Fjords
• Kings Canyon
• Kobuk Valley
• Lake Clark
• Lassen Volcanic
• Mammoth Cave
• Mesa Verde
• Mount Rainier
• National Park of American Samoa
• North Cascades
• Olympic
• Petrified Forest
• Pinnacles
• Redwood
• Rocky Mountain
• Saguaro
• Sequoia
• Shenandoah
• Theodore Roosevelt
• Virgin Islands
• Voyageurs
• White Sands National Monument
• Wind Cave
• Wrangell-St Elias
• Yellowstone
• Yosemite
• Zion