Hiking America's National Parks

Karen Berger has hiked thousands of miles of trails in the national parks of the United States. She is the author of 20 books, including America’s Great Hiking Trails and America’s National Historic Trails. Jonathan Irish has photographed on all seven continents and in more than 80 countries. For the 2016 National Park Service Centennial, Irish went on assignment to photograph all of America’s national parks. Sally Jewell served as U.S. secretary of the interior from 2013 to 2017, overseeing the nation’s national parks, wildlife refuges, and public lands under President Barack Obama. With more than 1.6 million members and supporters, National Park Conservation Association is the voice of America’s national parks, working to protect and preserve the nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for present and future generations. It celebrates the parks—and works tirelessly to defend them—whether on the ground, in the courtroom, or on Capitol Hill. From its national headquarters in Washington, DC, and 27 regional offices, it calls on its program and policy experts, committed volunteers, staff lobbyists, community organizers, and communications specialists to ensure that national parks are well protected.

“2023-24 Lowell Thomas Travel Award for Best Travel Guidebook. This is a gorgeous, oversized guide. The excellent photography paired with clear text make it a winner. The organization of the book is straightforward—by national park is what most users of the guide would surely want. The vast travel experiences of writer Karen Berger and photographer Jonathan Irish are evident.” —Society of American Travel Writers“A quick armchair trip through the pages of Hiking America’s National Parks, an inspirational coffee table book by author Karen Berger and photographer Jonathan Irish might change that. The “hiking” in the title can be taken lightly —this is not a guide for hardcore overnight campers. The majority of the walking trails described here are short, sweet ambles, many less than a mile long, but the scenery they’ll take you through is jaw-dropping with waterfalls, sand dunes, glaciers, and gargantuan rock formations. Sure, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon are here, but those are the London and Paris of national parks, just two of a surprising 63. At South Dakota’s Wind Cave National Park, you can walk underground, engulfed in the eerie breathing sounds caused by airflow patterns; or up above, through a vast prairie populated by pronghorn antelopes and black-footed ferrets. Congaree National Park, in South Carolina features a boardwalk winding through an often-flooded forest, where groundwaters dramatically mirror the canopy of hardwood trees. There’s even a hike for travelers who remain hellbent on outdoing their far-flung friends: a stroll in the National Park of American Samoa, closer to Australia than the continental United States.” —Passport Magazine“From half-mile nature walks on accessible boardwalks to strenuous full-day hikes and backpacking adventures, this new book has information for all skill levels. Or, you can just sit back and enjoy the pictures.” —National Parks Conservation Association