
With National Parks in Danger, Travel Companies Are Filling the Gaps
While climate change is transforming our summer vacation patterns in many ways—like Scandinavian 'coolcations' —these shifts are simply intended to keep us more comfortable as luxury travelers. But a trend playing out here in the US shows the inverse is true too: With our growing appetite for national parks, the destinations themselves are increasingly relying on travelers to help protect them.
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The dos and don'ts of taking grandparents on holiday - including a very common mistake
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Where do Utah's ‘Mighty 5' national parks rank in the US? The ‘World's Best Awards' lay it out
SALT LAKE CITY () — Utah is famous for its natural beauty. From snow-capped mountains and forested landscapes in the north to red-rock wildlands and desert country to the south, there is a little something for everyone in the Beehive State. The iconic – Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion – highlight Utah's natural vistas and are often go-to destinations for tourism, both locally and nationwide. But how do they compare with the other 58 national parks nationwide? , an online travel magazine, recently throughout the United States as part of its annual '' taking input from editors' picks and reader votes. $25,000 is up for grabs as 6th annual Utah Treasure Hunt begins with first hint The results found that three of Utah's Mighty 5 rank among the Top 25 National Parks in the nation. It may come as no surprise to Utahns to hear ranked the highest, coming in at No. 7, beating out national parks such as the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and the Grand Canyon in Arizona. also made the list, ranking at No. 21, while , home to the famous Delicate Arch that , inched into the Top 25 at No. 24. Yellowstone, which spans over Wyoming, Idaho and Montana, ranked as the top U.S. National Park, according to the World's Best Awards. It was followed closely by the Kenai Fjords in Alaska and the Grand Teton in Wyoming. Together, the three Utah-based national parks bring in roughly 9.1 million visitors per year, according to information provided by the , with Zion National Park drawing in more than half that crowd. More than 15 million visitors came to Utah in 2023 to visit the state's national parks, spending an estimated $1.9 million across hotels, restaurants, gas and retail, among others. The National Park Service estimated the national park tourism industry helped support a total of 26,000 jobs and added $1.7 billion in economic value to the state. A pleasant, seasonal close to the work week for Utah's weather Two boys airlifted to Salt Lake City hospital after being tossed from pickup truck in Duchesne County James Gunn's 'Superman' faces conservative criticism over Trump-era reboot 1,000 US counties without full-time local journalist: Report Parents of 18-year-old killed in car crash earlier this week speak out about loss and road safety Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.