Why visit Glacier National Park, Yellowstone and other parks: As summer winds down, it's time to plan a visit to your nearest one

This scenic turn-out in Glacier National Park made an ideal picnic spot when we visited, just before colors began to change. Autumn is an uncrowded, beautiful and comfortable time to visit a national park

NOW'S THE PERFECT TIME AS AUTUMN APPROACHES TO ENJOY YOUR NATIONAL PARKS

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS

PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

"The Carpe Diem Kids"

Why visit Glacier National Park? Why see Yellowstone National Park or head north to Banff?

If you’re looking for a reason to book your late-summer mountain getaway, parks are it.

Glacier National Park

The "Crown of the Continent" a million-acre mosaic of turquoise lakes, jagged peaks, and wildflower-filled meadows, truly comes alive in the late summer and early fall months.

Whether you’re a hardcore hiker or a scenic-drive enthusiast, here is why Glacier belongs on your "summer swansong" bucket list:

OUR SUMMER always winds down with visits to Yellowstone National Park, which we are lucky enough to have within easy driving distance. Glacier and Teton parks are a bit further from home, but we try to visit them both at least once a year.

But the fall Yellowstone trek is a favorite tradition. We love this trip, which we plan after Labor Day weekend, to avoid crowds and take advantage of cooler temperatures, wildlife on the move and changing scenery as fall colors cloak the hillsides and valleys.

This photo is one reason why you should visit a national park in late summer or early fall. Here, aspen cloak Grand Teton National Park. Aspen are also glorious in Yellowstone and Glacier. Many people visit more than one park.

OUR NATIONAL parks have something for everyone so it is possible to plan a specific theme of fall fun, whether bird watching, biking, critter spotting or family oriented hiking and photo taking treks.

There are bison and bears in Yellowstone, mountain goats in Glacier, mule deer and elk in Bryce Canyon and Zion, big horn sheep in Yosemite, and a variety of these animals in many of our parks, along with lush bird life, squirrels, bobcats, foxes and raccoons.

Yosemite and other parks have bike boardwalks, Mesa Verde has cliff dwellings, and Yellowstone of course is famous for its geysers and thermal pools.

The Lower Falls at Yellowstone National Park are an annual attraction for millions of visitors. Nature in our national parks is particularly pretty as crowds thin and autumn approaches.

If you're a fan of magnificent trees, Sequoia is the national park for you and Utah's Canyonlands and Arches are known for spectacular stargazing. Family or couples hiking is a favorite family sport in Yellowstone and Hawaii's Volcanoes National Park.

We have 63 national parks in the United States.  We're proud that Yellowstone was the first national park in the world.  More than 100 other countries also have national parks, places dedicated to preserving wildlife and nature. There are many on the continent of Africa where you can find mountain gorillas in Uganda's national parks. Gabon, Kenya and Tanzania offer spectacular landscape and large animal viewing. 

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers in Zion, taking a break during a fun hike.

Our neighbor to the north, Canada, has 37 national parks including Banff, Waterton and Jasper. It also has11 national park reserves. From Asia to South America, national parks offer an insight into how countries preserve diverse ecosystems, magical landscapes, and spectacular wildlife.

START PLANNING your U.S. park trip by contacting our National Park Service.  It offers a wealth of information on preparing for a visit: park maps, calendars, directions, operating hours, where to stay and instructions on obtaining park passes. 

Prepare by learning how to make a park visit both safe and enjoyable. Get updated information on wildlife activity, road closures and detours and insights into the effects of human actions on the environment. It's a great way to start a family dialogue -- painless learning and opening doors to a lifetime of appreciating these national treasures. If this year isn't in the cards, start planning a visit for 2026.

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers at the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park, with its iconic and eye-catching cornerstone. laid by President Theodore Roosevelt.

MORE INFORMATION:

National parks in the United States: nps.gov

National parks in Canada: parks.canada.ca

Throughout the world: globalnationalparks.com

A delightful period set awaits viewers just before the house lights dim, for "The Importance of Being Earnest" at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's season 90 in Ashland, Oregon.

UP NEXT: Oregon Shakespeare Festival offers three magnificent and diverse theaters, a roster of unforgettable performances and production values equal to Broadway's best or London's finest West End shows. We take readers to this gem of a festival in southern Oregon's charming town of Ashland, and look at the plays which make this 90th season one of the festival's best.  Remember to explore, learn and live, and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on the arts, nature, travel, cruising, train trips, city tours, family and more. Please share the link with like minded people:  www.whereiscookie.com