Everyone has that thing that really gets their juices pumping. For some it’s wildlife, for some it’s the history of a place. What’s your favorite? If I had to chose one, I’d say I appreciate a good canyon more than anything else. I’m always looking for new, exciting, and interesting canyons. I have ranked everywhere I’ve been in a number of categories and awarded them Traveling Beard Awards. I haven’t been everywhere, but I do meticulous research of national parks and monuments, state parks, recreation and conservation areas, and anything else that appears on my radar. I’ve marked places I haven’t actually been to myself with as asterisk* and I give awards to the places I’ve been.

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Best Canyons

  1. Grand Canyon NP

  2. Zion NP

  3. Canyonlands NP

  4. Canyon de Chelly

  5. Big Bend NP*

  6. Bryce Canyon NP

  7. Yellowstone NP

  8. Black Canyon of the Gunnison

  9. Palo Duro SP*

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Best Hiking

  1. Zion NP

  2. Yosemite NP*

  3. Bisti Badlands

  4. Yellowstone

  5. Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks

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Best Views

  1. Yosemite NP*

  2. Zion NP

  3. Grand Teton

  4. Yellowstone

  5. Death Valley

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Best Caves

  1. Carlsbad Caverns NP

  2. Mammoth Caves NP*

  3. Wind Cave NP*

  4. Kartchner Caverns SP*

  5. Jewel Cave NM*

  6. Timpanogos Cave NM*

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Best Gift Shop

  1. Grand Canyon

  2. Carlsbad Caverns

  3. Death Valley

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Best Scenic Drives

  1. Zion NP

  2. Arches NP

  3. Yosemite NP*

  4. Valley of Fire SP

  5. Monument Valley TP

  6. Colorado NM

  7. Capitol Reef NP

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Best Mountains

  1. Denali NP*

  2. Banff NP*

  3. Mt. Rainier NP*

  4. Grand Teton NP

  5. Glacier NP*

  6. Gates of the Arctic NP*

  7. Death Valley NP

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Best Wildlife

  1. Yellowstone NP

  2. Grand Teton NP

  3. Isle Royale NP*

  4. Everglades NP*

  5. Theodor Roosevelt NP*

  6. Algonquin PP

  7. Badlands NP

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Best Colors

  1. Yellowstone NP

  2. Death Valley NP

  3. Bryce Canyon NP

  4. Petrified Forest NP

  5. Valley of Fire SP

  6. Badlands NP

  7. Grand Canyon NP

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Best Flora

  1. Redwoods NP*

  2. Sequoia NP*

  3. Joshua Tree NP

  4. Saguaro NP*

  5. Acadia NP*

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Best Waterfalls

  1. Niagara Falls SP

  2. Yellowstone NP

  3. Yosemite NP*

  4. Letchworth SP

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Dude Approved

  1. White Sands NP

  2. Petrified Forest NP

  3. Valley of Fire SP

  4. Mojave National Preserve

  5. Goblin Valley SP

  6. El Morro NM

  7. Salinas Pueblo Missions NM

  8. Coral Pink Sand Dunes SP