North America Eco Map

Monteverde and Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserves

Mist, Wildlife and Cloudy Magic

8.4

Quaker families from Alabama settled here in 1951 and set aside forest to protect their water. Today the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve protects hundreds of bird species and thousands of plants. Walk misty trails and look for resplendent quetzals, bright green birds with long tail feathers.

Highlights:

🦜 Spot rare resplendent quetzals among misty trees
🌉 Walk the hanging bridges for canopy views
🥾 Hike through Monteverde Cloud Forest's biodiversity-rich trails

Yellowstone National Park

Geysers, wildlife and untamed wilderness

8.8

Wolves were returned to the park in 1995 after being killed off decades earlier. Watch them at dawn in the Lamar Valley with a spotting scope. Bison herds cross the roads and stop traffic. Rangers ask visitors to stay on boardwalks near geysers like Old Faithful.

Highlights:

🐃 Spot bison, elk, and bears roaming in Lamar Valley
🌈 Walk the boardwalks of the Grand Prismatic Spring and admire its vivid colors
🌋 Watch Old Faithful erupt and feel the geothermal power of Yellowstone

Yosemite National Park

Nature's Grand Cathedral

8.5

Free shuttle buses loop through Yosemite Valley past waterfalls, meadows and trailheads. Bike flat paths beside the Merced River. Granite cliffs like El Capitan rise 3,000 feet overhead. Visitors store food in metal bear boxes so the park's black bears do not learn to seek human food.

Highlights:

💦 Marvel at Yosemite Falls, one of the tallest in North America
🏞️ Hike to Glacier Point for one of Yosemite’s best views
🧗‍♂️ Stand before the towering granite face of El Capitan

Zion National Park

Red rocks, epic hikes and nature's beauty

8.2

Private cars cannot drive Zion Canyon Scenic Drive for most of the year. Quiet shuttle buses carry hikers to trailheads instead. Walk the Riverside Walk to the start of the Narrows. There the Virgin River runs between tall canyon walls. Desert bighorn sheep often stand on the cliffs.

Highlights:

🚌 Drive or shuttle along the scenic Zion Canyon Road
🌊 Wade through the Virgin River Narrows slot canyon
🧗‍♂️ Hike Angel’s Landing for breathtaking canyon views

Mount Rainier National Park

A Majestic Volcano and Wild Beauty

8.2

The Wonderland Trail circles the volcano for 93 miles through forest and meadows. Backpackers need a permit and must camp at set sites, which keeps the trail from wearing down. Wildflowers fill the meadows at Paradise in late July. Marmots whistle from the rocks and deer graze nearby.

Highlights:

🌼 Explore Spray Park’s wildflower meadows and Spray Falls
🌊 Visit scenic Reflection Lakes and admire Rainier’s reflection
🌄 Hike the Skyline Trail for iconic Mount Rainier views

Grand Teton National Park

Stunning Peaks and Wildlife Wonders

8.6

A paved pathway runs from Jackson towards Jenny Lake, with the Tetons ahead of every biker. Moose wade in the Snake River and elk graze in the meadows. Rangers ask visitors to stay 25 yards from most animals and 100 yards from bears and wolves.

Highlights:

🏞️ Trek through Cascade Canyon for breathtaking views
💧 Explore Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point nearby
🚶‍♂️ Hike the scenic Jenny Lake Loop Trail

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Home of the Giant Sequoias

8.0

Fire helps giant sequoias grow. Heat opens their cones and clears space for seedlings, so rangers set controlled burns in the groves. Walk among trees over 250 feet tall in Giant Forest. A free shuttle runs there in summer, so the car can stay parked.

Highlights:

🕳️ Explore Crystal Cave on a guided tour
🧗‍♂️ Climb Moro Rock for breathtaking panoramic views
🌲 Visit the General Sherman Tree, largest on Earth

Canyonlands National Park

Epic Canyons and Untamed Wilderness

8.3

The Green and Colorado rivers carve this park into three districts. Island in the Sky has cliff top views. The Needles have stone spires and long backpacking trails. Few roads and few people keep the park quiet. It is an International Dark Sky Park, so the Milky Way shows clearly.

Highlights:

🥾 Hike the easy trail to Grand View Point overlook
🚗 Drive scenic Grand View Point Road and stops
🌅 Watch sunrise at Mesa Arch for breathtaking views

Bryce Canyon National Park

Hoodoo Wonderland and Starry Nights

8.2

Few places have skies as dark as this park. Rangers lead full moon hikes and star talks in summer. An astronomy festival also fills the park each June. Tall stone spires called hoodoos glow orange by day. Free shuttle buses cut down traffic along the rim.

Highlights:

🧱 Explore Bryce Amphitheater for stunning rock formations
🌅 Watch sunrise from inspiring viewpoints at Inspiration Point
🥾 Hike the iconic Navajo Loop Trail among hoodoos

Rocky Mountain National Park

Majestic Peaks and Untamed Wilderness

8.7

Summer shuttle buses run to Bear Lake and Moraine Park without charge. Trail Ridge Road crosses open tundra above 12,000 feet where marmots whistle from the rocks. Rangers ask visitors to stay on trails because tundra plants take decades to grow back after being stepped on.

Highlights:

💧 Explore Alberta Falls, a short and beautiful hiking route
🏞️ Climb to Sky Pond for dramatic mountain and waterfall views
🥾 Hike to Emerald Lake via scenic Bear Lake Trail

Olympic National Park

Untamed Wilderness, All in One

8.5

Few parks pack a glacier topped mountain range, rain forest and wild coast into one place. Olympic marmots, found nowhere else, whistle from the alpine meadows. UNESCO has named the park both a World Heritage Site and a Biosphere Reserve. Walk the Hoh Rain Forest and then explore tide pools.

Highlights:

💧 Visit Sol Duc Falls and enjoy the tranquil waterfall
🌲 Explore the lush trails of the Hoh Rainforest
🏞️ Hike to Hurricane Hill for breathtaking panoramic views

Arches National Park

A Desert Wonderland of Stone Arches

8.2

A thin black crust on the desert sand is alive. Called cryptobiotic soil, it holds the ground together and takes decades to heal after one footstep. Rangers ask visitors to stay on trails. A hike to Delicate Arch is still worth it, with more than 2,000 arches in the park.

Highlights:

🌉 Visit Double Arch and climb beneath its massive spans
🥾 Explore Devils Garden Trail with multiple arches
🧗‍♂️ Hike to Delicate Arch, the park’s iconic symbol

Jasper

Raw Wilderness and Starry Skies

8.5

Each October the Jasper Dark Sky Festival fills town with star parties and talks. The town is inside one of the largest accessible Dark Sky Preserves, so streetlights are kept low. Elk wander the streets at dusk. A tram called the Jasper SkyTram climbs above the tree line.

Highlights:

🥾 Hike the scenic Valley of Five Lakes trail
🛶 Explore Maligne Lake and cruise to Spirit Island
🚠 Ride the Jasper SkyTram for panoramic mountain views

Jasper National Park

Untamed Wilderness and Starry Skies

8.8

The Icefields Parkway runs about 140 miles between Banff and Jasper past glaciers, lakes and wildlife. Black bears, elk and mountain goats often appear near the road. Join a guided walk onto the Athabasca Glacier. Drivers slow down here to protect animals crossing the road.

Highlights:

🧊 Walk on the Athabasca Glacier with a guided tour
🐻 Spot elk, moose, and bears along Icefields Parkway
🛶 Cruise Maligne Lake and marvel at Spirit Island

Manuel Antonio National Park

Jungle, Wildlife and Stunning Beaches

7.2

The park limits daily visitors and closes one day each week to give wildlife a rest. Three toed sloths, white faced capuchin monkeys and tiny squirrel monkeys live in the trees. Short rain forest trails lead to white sand beaches with calm water for swimming.

Highlights:

🦜 Spot toucans, iguanas, and colorful tropical birds
🏖️ Relax on the white sands of Playa Manuel Antonio
🐒 Hike jungle trails filled with monkeys and sloths

Vancouver Island

Untamed Beauty and Coastal Charm

8.0

Clayoquot Sound is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve with ancient cedars and wild beaches. Join a small boat trip from Tofino. Humpback whales, sea otters and black bears often feed along the shore. The 47 mile West Coast Trail challenges serious backpackers on the southern end.

Highlights:

🐋 Whale watch from Victoria’s Inner Harbour
🌲 Explore ancient rainforests in Cathedral Grove
🌸 Stroll through the breathtaking Butchart Gardens

Tortuguero National Park

Wildlife and Waterways Adventure

7.8

Biologist Archie Carr began studying nesting green turtles here in the 1950s. A research station and small museum now sit near the village. Join a guided night walk on the beach in season to watch a turtle lay her eggs. Nesting runs from July to October.

Highlights:

🦜 Spot monkeys and toucans in the dense jungle canopy
🛶 Glide through rainforest canals on a guided canoe tour
🐢 Watch green sea turtles nest on the beach at night

Mesa Verde National Park

Ancient Cliff Dwellings and Rich History

7.5

After dark the cliff dwellings stand under one of the clearest night skies in the Southwest. The park is an International Dark Sky Park. Rangers lead stargazing nights in summer. By day, tour Cliff Palace and walk quiet mesa trails past juniper and pinyon trees.

Highlights:

🧗 Tour Balcony House with its ladders and narrow passages
🥾 Hike the scenic Soda Canyon Overlook Trail
🏛️ Explore the ancient cliff dwellings of Cliff Palace

Glacier National Park

Crown of the Continent

8.9

Scientists count fewer than 30 glaciers here, down from about 150 in 1850. Hike to Grinnell Glacier, a long day trip with lake and waterfall views. Free shuttles run along the Going to the Sun Road in summer. Mountain goats and bighorn sheep graze on the slopes.

Highlights:

🌲 Explore Avalanche Lake’s serene hiking trails
🚗 Drive the scenic Going-to-the-Sun Road for views
🥾 Hike to Grinnell Glacier and stunning turquoise lakes

Acadia National Park

Rugged Shores, Sunrise Peaks, Wild Beauty

8.4

Stone bridges carry 45 miles of car free carriage roads through the forest. John D. Rockefeller Jr. paid for them in the early 1900s. Bike or walk past lakes and granite hills. Free shuttle buses link trails and villages, so you can leave the car parked.

Highlights:

🚗 Drive the Park Loop Road for coastal and forest views
🥾 Hike the scenic Jordan Pond Path surrounded by nature
🌅 Watch sunrise from the top of Cadillac Mountain

Corcovado National Park

Costa Rica’s Wildest Rainforest Frontier

8.2

Only licensed guides may lead hikers into this park, so numbers stay small. Scarlet macaws, tapirs and four kinds of monkeys live in the jungle. Hikers follow beach trails to the Sirena ranger station and sleep in a simple bunk. Jaguars live here too but rarely show themselves.

Highlights:

🐢 Watch endangered sea turtles nesting on remote beaches
🌌 Camp under the stars at La Sirena Ranger Station
🥾 Hike Corcovado’s diverse trails through rainforest and coastline

Redwood National Park

Home of the World’s Tallest Trees

8.3

About 45 percent of the old growth coast redwoods left on Earth stand in these parks. Some trees are more than 2,000 years old. Hike through Fern Canyon, where green fern walls rise about 50 feet on both sides. Roosevelt elk graze in the meadows near Prairie Creek.

Highlights:

🥾 Walk the scenic Karl Knapp Trail near Big Tree Wayside
🍃 Explore Fern Canyon’s prehistoric fern-covered walls
🌲 Hike the Tall Trees Grove, home to towering redwoods

El Yunque National Forest

Tropical rainforest paradise in Caribbean

7.7

This is the only tropical rain forest in the U.S. national forest system. Tiny coquí frogs, native to Puerto Rico, sing loudly after dark. The Puerto Rican parrot is one of the rarest birds in the world and lives in these hills. Trails lead to waterfalls and cool pools.

Highlights:

🥾 Explore El Yunque Peak trail, a challenging rainforest hike
🌄 Climb Mt. Britton Tower for panoramic rainforest views
🌊 Hike to the stunning La Mina Falls and swim

Vermont

Green Mountains, Maple Syrup, Pure Charm

8.4

The Long Trail is the oldest long distance hiking trail in the United States. It runs 272 miles along the spine of the Green Mountains. Hike a short section or visit a maple sugarhouse in March to watch sap boil into syrup. Small farm stays and inns line the valleys.

Highlights:

🎿 Ski the snowy slopes of Stowe Mountain Resort
🍦 Tour the Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory
🍂 Admire fall foliage on Vermont’s scenic byways

Big Cypress National Preserve

Florida's wild swamp wilderness experience

7.5

Tunnels under Interstate 75, called Alligator Alley, help Florida panthers cross the road. Only about 200 of these big cats remain in the wild. Paddle a canoe through cypress swamp on the Turner River. Alligators and wading birds are easy to spot from the water.

Highlights:

🛶 Paddle through mangrove tunnels on a guided kayak trip
🐊 Spot alligators and wading birds along the Loop Road
🛻 Take a swamp buggy tour through the cypress landscape

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

Pristine lakes, untouched wilderness paradise

8.4

Permits limit how many groups can enter each day, so the lakes stay quiet. Motors are banned on most of them. Paddle past loons and moose and camp on rocky islands between portages. The wilderness covers more than a million acres of forest and water.

Highlights:

💧 Discover waterfalls like Devil’s Cascade and Johnson Falls
🥾 Hike to Eagle Mountain, Minnesota’s highest point
🛶 Go on an overnight canoe camping trip through lakes

Monteverde

Verdant cloud forests whisper ancient secrets

9.0

Mist rolls over the hills by afternoon, so bring a rain jacket. Small farms near town grow coffee in the shade of tall trees. Join a tour, walk the rows and taste fresh roasted beans. The nearby Santa Elena reserve is run by the local high school.

Highlights:

🪢 Walk the hanging bridges over lush canopy
☕ Tour a local coffee plantation and taste espresso
🌲 Explore cloud forest trails in Monteverde Reserve

Craters of the Moon National Monument

Otherworldly volcanic landscape on Earth

7.7

A free permit is needed to enter the lava tube caves. The rule helps protect bats from a deadly disease. Aboveground, tiny pink buckwheat flowers bloom among the black cinders in early summer. Hike a cinder cone and look out over lava fields that reach the horizon.

Highlights:

🚗 Drive and stop along the 7-mile scenic Loop Road
🦇 Explore lava tube caves with a free permit
⛰️ Hike to the top of Inferno Cone for panoramic views

Katmai National Park

Bears, salmon and volcanic wonders

7.2

Brown bears stand at the lip of Brooks Falls each July to catch jumping sockeye salmon. Rangers limit how many people can stand on the viewing platforms. No roads reach the park. Most visitors arrive by floatplane from King Salmon, so the bears see few people.

Highlights:

🌋 Explore volcanic landscapes shaped by past eruptions
🚁 Fly over the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes
🐻 Watch brown bears catch salmon at Brooks Falls

Voyageurs National Park

Watery wilderness of northern Minnesota

8.0

Loon calls carry across still water at dusk. The park is an International Dark Sky Park, so stars and the northern lights show clearly. Paddle a canoe to a remote campsite or rent a houseboat. Most of the park can only be reached by water.

Highlights:

🛶 Paddle a canoe through the peaceful waterways and explore wildlife
🌌 Witness the breathtaking northern lights over pristine lakes
🚣‍♂️ Explore hidden islands by boat and camp overnight

Waterton Glacier International Peace Park

Where two nations preserve wilderness

8.9

Waterton-Glacier was the first International Peace Park in the world. Grizzlies and wolves roam freely across a border that has no fence. Hike the Crypt Lake trail. It starts with a boat ride and passes through a tunnel cut in the rock. UNESCO also names the park a World Heritage Site.

Highlights:

🛶 Canoe or kayak on serene Waterton Lake
🚗 Drive the scenic Red Rock Canyon Road
🥾 Hike the challenging Crypt Lake Trail with stunning views

Morne Trois Pitons National Park

Volcanic wonders in pristine rainforest

8.0

Titou Gorge is a narrow canyon where swimmers glide between mossy walls to a small waterfall. A hot spring mixes with cool river water at the start. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with rain forest, volcanoes and crater lakes. Dominica calls itself the Nature Island.

Highlights:

💦 Explore the twin Trafalgar Falls and natural hot springs
🏞️ Swim beneath the 50-foot cascading Emerald Pool waterfall
🌋 Hike the challenging trail to the Boiling Lake

Bay of Fundy

Home to world's highest tides

7.6

At Burntcoat Head the tide can rise more than 50 feet, the highest in the world. At low tide, walk across the ocean floor among red mud and stone. Hours later the sea covers it again. Boat trips here also go out to watch humpback whales.

Highlights:

🦴 Discover fossils and cliffs along Fundy National Park trails
🛶 Kayak among towering sea stacks during low tide
🌊 Watch the world’s highest tides at Hopewell Rocks

Banff National Park

Majestic Peaks and Turquoise Lakes

9.2

Grass covered bridges arch over the Trans-Canada Highway so animals can cross safely. Elk, bears and wolves also use dozens of tunnels under the road. Wildlife experts from around the world study this system. The Roam public bus reaches trailheads and lakes, so you do not need a car.

Highlights:

🌊 Explore the scenic Johnston Canyon waterfalls trail
🏞️ Hike to Lake Louise and admire turquoise waters
🚡 Ride the Banff Gondola for spectacular mountain views

Best eco-tourism destinations in North America