Travel Channel 

Stroll through these parks to decide which one you would like to take your family on for this year's vacation. You'll discover historic battlefields, famous landmarks and, of course, extraordinary landscapes.

Acadia National Park, Maine

Acadia National Park, Maine The first national park established east of the Mississippi, Acadia is mix of mountains, lakes, woods and shoreline.

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Badlands National Park, South Dakota The Badlands is home to the world's richest fossil beds from the 23-25 million-year-old Oligocene era.

Big Bend National Park, Texas

Big Bend National Park, Texas Bordered by the Rio Grande River, Big Bend's desert and mountain landscape is a world of contrasts.

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah Water erosion from rain created the monoliths and "hoodoos" visible in the park today.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico These underground labyrinths will entertain spelunking enthusiasts and novices alike.

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon A misnomer, Crater "Lake" is actually a caldera, a volcanic crater with a diameter of more than half a mile.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio Home to the Ohio and Erie Canal, the park pays homage to the area's history of canal transport.

Death Valley National Park, California

Death Valley National Park, California The stunning vistas and abandoned ghost towns are well-worth the scorching trek through this desert.

Everglades National Park, Florida

Everglades National Park, Florida The Everglades is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles live together.

Glacier National Park, Montana

Glacier National Park, Montana This glacially carved wilderness offers over 700 miles of maintained trails for visitors to explore.

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska This park is a diverse landscape of mountains, beaches, fjords, lakes and glaciers.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona The canyon is by definition a void of land, yet it has become a tangible "thing," filling people with hope and wonder, and the itch to explore.

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming Hot air balloon trips offer stunning views of the region's rolling valleys, craggy mountains and wilderness.

Great Basin National Park, Nevada

Great Basin National Park, Nevada Because the streams and rivers have no outlet to the sea, this region is called the Great Basin.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Spread across portions of Tennessee and North Carolina, this park stretches 800 square miles.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii One of nature's finest wonders is the sprawling black sands of Punalu'u Beach.

Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas Nicknamed The American Spa, Hot Springs has welcomed visitors for more than 200 years.

Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado Perched precariously in alcoves of rock walls are the cliff dwellings of the mysterious Anasazi people.

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington This 14,000 foot-tall volcano, looming over surrounding wilderness, boasts over 2 million visitors per year.

Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona Explore a sea of petrified wood and prehistoric rock carvings in this awesome desert landscape.

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia Spread out along a beautiful stretch of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this park is packed with stunning vistas.

Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota Named after the rugged French-Canadian trade voyageurs, the park is an intricate network of islands and coves.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming Formed by volcanoes, Yellowstone is quite possibly the grandest example of a national park.

Yosemite National Park, California

Yosemite National Park, California Yosemite Valley is home to most of the park's largest attractions, including El Capitan, Upper Yosemite Waterfall, the sequoias, Glacier Point and Bridalveil Falls.

Zion National Park, Utah

Zion National Park, Utah The colorful canyons and rock formations that have made Zion so attractive to tourists were shaped over time by the Virgin River