Summer's not over yet! Isn't there some place you need to visit before the summer sun falls on 2008? What about visiting one of America's top national parks?

I took a look around and found some "best of U.S. National Parks" list and came up with a few you might find interesting.

First up is Away.com's Top 10 U.S. National Parks list:

Great Sand Dunes, CO
Great Smoky Mountains, TN
Shenandoah, VA
Glacier, MT
Sequoia & Kings Canyon, CA
Kenai Fjords, AK
Big Bend, TX
Bryce Canyon UT
Olympic, WA
Arches, UT


I like this list, although I'd substitute Zion National Park for Bryce Canyon. Don't get me wrong, Bryce Canyon is a unique place to visit; I found hiking through the limestone "hoodoos" fun and cool. Hoodoos, by the way, are the limestone spires you'll find in Bryce Canyon. They're pretty eerie. For me it felt like I was in an aquarium, minus the water and fish. So, after a few days there I got a little hoodoo fatigued. Sometimes I feel that way when I visit Sedona. I love Sedona, but after awhile all that red rock gets to be a bit much.

Anyway, here's what those hoodoos look like:



Again, interesting, but if I had to choose between visiting Bryce and visiting Zion, I'd go for Zion. I liked the hiking more, and there were towns closer to the park, so I had more choices when it came to dining. I also liked the lodging better at Zion. All-in-all it was just a better experience.

Now we come to GORP's recommendations. GORP, like Away.com, is part of Orbitz. GORP is all about the outdoors and national parks. This list is their "Reader's Choice" awards:

1. Glacier, Montana
2. Big Bend, Texas
3. Bryce Canyon, Utah
4. Yellowstone, Wyoming
5. Zion, Utah
6. Acadia, Maine
7. Sequoia, California
8. Grand Teton, Wyoming
9. Rocky Mountain, Colorado
10. Denali, Alaska

But, they came out with another "top U.S. National Park" list, this one for those seeking solitude and adventure from June through September at the lesser-known parks:

Biscayne, Florida
Mammoth Cave, Kentucky
Voyageurs, Minnesota
Lake Roosevelt, North Dakota
Gunnison, Colorado
Sequoia, California
North Cascades, Washington
Crater Lake, Oregon
Glacier Bay, Alaska
Lake Clark, Alaska


Of course, if you're seeking solitude, you may want to stay away from the places on the next list, the "10 Most-Visited National Parks, 2007" list put out by the National Park Service. Do remember, though, that they're popular for a reason, so they're worth a visit if you don't mind the crowds:

1. Blue Ridge Parkway
2. Golden Gate National Recreation Area
3. Great Smoky Mountains
4. Gateway National Recreation Area
5. Lake Mead National Recreation Area
6. George Washington Memorial Parkway
7. Natchez Trace Parkway
8. Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
9. Grand Canyon
10. Cape Cod National Seashore