In Canada we have a city that is entirely within a national park! Banff, Alberta. Banff has a much smaller population than any city on your list though
banff is a resort town. there are similar examples within the usa too, like gatlinburg tennessee, which is completely surrounded by the great smoky mountains national park. most national parks have a town that is used as a "gateway" to the park, and sometimes that town happens to be within the park. still cool though. and banff is lovely.
Banff is only like an hour from Calgary though, and the suburb of Canmore directly abuts the park, so I think it'd still count as urban. Used to live in Calgary! The park was a wonderful amenity.
Toronto has Rouge National Urban Park which is located next to the Toronto Zoo and I’m pretty sure was an old trash heap that’s now connected to the trail system. Never been but it looks nice.
I live outside Cleveland and having the valley is an absolute treasure. its home to some baeutiful rock formations known as the ledges. very glad it was preserved
Never heard of most of these parks but now I want to visit them! Ireland has only 6 national parks, 5 of which are smaller than the area of Cork City (187km2). Most are located in rural, mountainous areas in the west, far from urban centres. The only which could be considered as an urban park is Wicklow Mountains National Park within County Wicklow and a small part of southern County Dublin, not far from the edge of Dublin's urban area. The Glendalough glacial valley and monastic site within the NP is a popular daytrip from Dublin, about an hour's drive from the city centre.
I happened to visit Hot Springs National Park about a month ago. I thought it was very particular that the national park was in town A little gem of a town!
The reason why I love this channel is every once in a while I'm reminded of places I knew and loved. Something made me remember going through the Dixie Caverns. I had completely forgotten about that place. Good memories
as a person who lives near Cuyahoga Valley National park it's a very nice to have an urban national park. great video as always. looking forward to your next video
Thanks for highlighting Miami, I hope visitors take a day to visit the everglades on their trips it's a nice refuge from the usual hustle and bustle of South Florida.
Love hearing about Indiana Dunes! I grew up in Michigan City and spent a lot of my childhood in the area. When it was elevated from state park to National Park I was SOOOO happy :)
In Austria we have a nationalpark alonng the free flowing Danube and its floodplain of which a quartier is within the citylimits of Vienna, Austrias capital.
It's not fit for this list but where I live in Maine we are so blessed to be a managable drive from Acadia National Park You can just go there for the day and then go home, and it's so good to get out of the city for the day and appreciate nature's beauty.
I’ve actually been to 7 of the 8! Visited Cuyahoga and Indiana Dunes in October, Gateway Arch in March, and only missing Saguaro. Keep up the great videos
For the close ones, I think Shenandoah would count. There a multiple metro areas within a relatively short drive. I’ve had plenty of day trips there from the DC suburbs
I grew up in Cleavland before the Valley was a national park. Even as a recreational area, it was fantastic. It is not even a day trip, one can easily fit into a morning or afternoon. Also, the multi day hike from the south end to the north is wonderful.
In 2017, I went to Cuyahoga national park because it was the closest to me in Fort Wayne Indiana. It seemed like a city park with lots of people riding bikes. It has a train that goes through the park and it is part of Ohio and Erie Canal heritage area. I grew up by the Indiana dunes and it was known as a lakeshore within a state park. Now you have a national park within a state park. We used to go to Mount Baldy in Michigan City and climb up the big sand dune. They closed it when a kid go sucked into the sand. You can climb the dunes in the state park which is fun. Gateway arch seems to small to be a national park. It is also not a park for people who don’t like tight spaces. The history is interesting though. I went to Saguaro national park in 2019, both sides are lovely.
It's always surprised me that the columbia gorge isn't a national park or it would definitely be on this list. It makes sense though, the gorge is a very important travel corridor so national scenic area is the best they could do.
the dunes! a staple of the area where i was raised. i was hoping you were going to mention that park in this video, so i was very surprised to hear that you actually just went there! awesome video as always
I grew up not far from Congaree, and went there many times when it was a National Monument. It didn’t have as many developed trails and boardwalks, so we ended up going through the swamp on foot. It really is a wild place for being in a metro area of almost a million people. Obviously it’s best now that there are trails to stay on the path so as not to damage the ecosystem. We had a guide who could help us go through less vulnerable areas.
As a former Cleveland resident, cheers for mentioning the Cuyahoga Valley NP. It’s truly a beautiful place. Tons of hiking, several waterfalls and even two ski areas. There’s also the Cuyahoga Scenic Railroad that follows the path of the canal as far south as Canton, well outside of park limits. It does themed tourist excursions like the polar express and wine and beer rides. As a current DC resident, I might have considered Rock Creek Park in Washington DC. It was the third park established by Congress in 1890 and is currently administered by the NPS. It basically bisects the city so it’s very accessible to a large population and it’s quite beautiful. The signs leading into and around the park are the national park signage with the arrowhead insignia. So I’d say it counts. Another national park very close to DC is Great Falls NP, another one split into east and west halves on the VA and MD sides of the Potomac. It sits on the fall line and the rapids are pretty insane, especially after heavy rain. It’s one of my favorite spots in the area.
I love your videos I've been subscribed since almost the beginning. I have a suggestion. When you make list episodes you might want to try a title screen transition in between each subject.
Rouge Valley National Park in Toronto Canada is within the city borders and a wonderful place for hiking, walking, canoeing... also has a wonderful beach on Lake Ontario.
Thanks for the refresher. I went to all of these 15+ years ago before van life was trendy. Its nice to have a few parks in the east. I have fond memories of Hot Spings, Congaree, and Everglades. Biscayne is just a day at the beach. Cuyahoga I barely remember, honestly. I really can't believe Gateway got the designation. Might as well give it to the Statue of Liberty and Rushmore. Indiana Dunes was a National Lakeshore which i thought was a fine designation but didnt bring the tourist dollars, i suppose.
I'm surprised Shenandoah was overlooked as an honorable mention. It's not far at all from the DC suburbs. If Olympic counts for Tacoma, surely Shenandoah counts for say, Manassas, Virginia.
@phoebebridgersnuts Yeah, DC has tons of NPS admistrated sites within it. None are any of the 63 National Park designations though. Rock Creek Park and other nearby parksbare parks operated by the NPS, but they aren't "National Parks". It's weird. That's why a lot of people are upset with Gateway Arch NP and to a smaller extent, Cuyahoga NP, have the same designation as Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon and not the lesser designation like Rock Creek Park.
I've never heard of Hot Springs, Arkansas. I really want to go there. I appreciate the way they built the town & structures in a way that sorta blends with the natural surroundings. (Gives me a sorta japanese vibe/but unique to its own place & personality)
We live about 30 minutes from Hot Springs National Park. We love HSNP. The thermal springs are so fascinating as they bubble up out of the ground. The bathhouse spas are styled after European spas from the 19th century. You can go a massage and spa treatment with the thermal waters that are just amazing. The Promenade behind the bathhouses makes for a leisurely walk. Of course the views from East and West Mountains are spectacular. You can hike trails in the mountains above the city and feel like you’re far away from any urban area. Then, after the hike, pop into a unique restaurant downtown within about five minutes. I highly recommend Hot Spring National Park.
That was more than interesting. That was fascinating! It is hard to decide which one I would like to go to. I think Gateway Arches and Hot Springs National Parks would be really good choices. There is one park, the most visited park, that I feel could belong to this list: The Great Smokey Mountains National Park. I remember the first time I went by it. Wee stood in Asheville, NC which honestly is practically in the park. Several years later, I stood in a KOA campground that was only about 10 or 15 miles from the park. I then went with a friend to his family reunion near the park. I went with him 2 years in a row. It was definitely country. But it was also closeby. Thanks again for a very interesting video. See you in the next one!
Lots of National Historical Parks in found in the middle of US cities but they typically aren't naturalistic landscapes but structures. School kids on tours types of Parks.
Hot Springs combines hot natural spring water, eclectic restaurants, museums, walking trails, bath houses, and historic hotels.... The only drawback is there is not night life or Ranger night program. The camping area within the national park is small.
Jean Lafitte nat’l preserve is in French Quarter New Orleans, in multiple sites including downtown and outside the city in the swamplands. It includes the old US Mint building which is now the New Orleans Jazz Museum hosting free concerts most days. Its namesake was a historical blacksmith & pirate of the Caribbean, who ran amok of the US for decades. Legend has it he was such an effective pirate Andrew Jackson asked for and received Lafitte’s help in the battle of New Orleans. His blacksmith shop still stands in the French Quarter, but it’s a piano bar now.
Could also argue that Volcanoes National Park is one of them (or at least an honorable mention), only 40 minute drive from center of the park to Hilo Hawaii
One urban national park I know of outside the US is a park (don’t recall the name) just outside of Turku, Finland. It’s a tract of forest right along the fjords that lead out into the Baltic. A friend was living in Turku for a six month contract with one of the telecom companies that had transferred them over from a US office. They were there over the summer of 2002, and we went to visit them over the July 4th holiday (US Independence Day) and some of their coworkers went to a lot of trouble to get permits from park officials, and the local fire department to set off fireworks in the park, and even went to Helsinki (about an hour or two by train) to the only store that sold fireworks in the country (or maybe the only one open year round?) to make sure we were able to celebrate and feel welcome. They even did their best to do a cookout for us, although they only had access to an electric grill, but it made good burgers anyway. We were able to set up on a beach right along the fjord, which is also the main ship channel for Baltic ferries, which are sort of mini cruise ships, and a couple came by as we were there, so we got applause and some cheers from folks out on deck. It was a surprisingly great time, and the hospitality was genuinely touching. Much love for Finland.
Not sure if mentioned already, but I have two examples. One is Teide National park in Tenerife (Canary Islands), with 300’000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area of Santa Cruz and around 150000 in Adeje-Arona, whose city limits coincide with those of the national park. Actually the 900000 inhabitants live less than an hour away by road from one of the entrances to the park. Another one is Helsinki, which has in its metropolitan area not one but two city parks: Nuuksion KP in Espoo (around an hour in public transit from downtown Helsinki) and Sipookorven KP partly inside the city of Helsinki. Oddly enough, only Nuuksio makes it to the top three of most visited national parks in Finland. Anyways, I love your channel, which helps me understand the States outside their stereotypes we Europeans associate with it and actually find out that NYC isn’t the coolest the USA has to offer, thankfully for you.
Toronto, Canada has the world’s largest national park located in a major city. It comprises the eastern boundary of the city and stretches north and east. In includes, forests, farms, and the epic Rouge River valley, gorgeous in the Autumn.
I’m a big fan of national parks and nature in general. I’m a teenager and from a very middle class family in Indiana, so I haven’t had a chance to go to many yet. The ones I have been to are Indiana Dunes, Gateway Arch (which I think should be a national historical park instead), Mammoth Cave, and the Grand Canyon.
Gateway arch really doesn’t deserve to hold the title of national park. I’m glad you’ve gotten to see Grand Canyon and mammoth cave. I hope that as time goes on you get to see many more - this country has endless beautiful sites to explore
My dad worked at Indiana Dunes when it was a National Lakeshore years ago, back when it was considered a "turkey farm" (where they sent those with poor behavior, someone a higher-up didn't like, folks like that I think?). He also briefly worked at what is now Gateway Arch NP, when it was known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. He disagrees with those NPS units being designated National Parks, and I agree for at least Gateway Arch.
I feel like New River Gorge NP should count as an urban park, or at least an honorable mention. It is only an hour drive from the capital in Charleston WV and is located in what was once a fairly industrialized area.
I grew up very close to Indiana Dunes N.P. In fact, one house I lived in was inside the borders of the park. (Unfortunately, the house has since been demolished.) I haven't been back in quite some time and need to get back.
In India, we have many national park "inside" a large city. The difference between US and India is, our national parks are made to prevent people from visiting. Chennai with 12million people has Guindy National Park inside city, Mumbai with 20+million people has Sanjay Gandhi National Park (with leopard..etc), Srinagar has Salim Ali National park, Bengaluru with 14million people has Bannerghatta national park..etc
It will be quite hot when you visit Saguaro NP. Consider visiting early in the day or in the early evening. If you do any hiking take LOTS of water with you. The Tucson Mt. unit (west of the city) is my preference of the two sections. Also do not miss the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum just south of the park. If you like aircraft there is an excellent museum called the Pima Air and Space museum in Tucson.
Including everything up to Jupiter as "Greater Miami" would be a pretty controversial take down here in Florida lmao, Broward and Palm Beach counties are big and populated enough to be their own distinct entities. The collective name is "South Florida". Still, appreciate the spotlight. I knew from the thumbnail you'd be talking about us though it was a bit disorienting seeing the area flipped on its side, I'm guessing because it fits the screen better horizontally.
Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve, while not classified as a National Park, is a very strange city surrounded by the Jacksonville metro area, with parts of it in neighborhoods.
Nice list, you forgot the most urban one of all. Klondike Gold Rush in Seattle. It seems like it's a National Park over it's domain. It's in Pioneer Square in Seattle and it has the same vibe a many local National Parks visitor centers.
I'm currently in St Louis, its so weirdd going to the Arch here knowing its a national park and its surrounded by a highway and downtown (and a casino lol)
Many years ago I used to live in the Akron-Cleveland area, I did visit and pass through the then Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area on a frequent basis. While it is a National Historic Site and not a national park. I have been to Steamtown National Historic SIte in Scranton, PA on multiple occasions. Steamtown was originally a private heritage railway in Vermont before the owner moved it to Scranton. Steamtown proved not to be economically viable as a private enterprise and was made a national historic site by a local member of the US House of Representatives in 1986.
I was aware of some of the various distinctions such as "National Monument", "National Recreation Area" and various historic battlefields. But I was surprised in watching this not to see certain parks that are administered by the NPS that are in fact parks such as the MLK Historic Cite, Independence park in Philadelphia or the National Mall. But in following up I learned that there is a distinction between a "National Park" and a "National Historic [Historical] Park." I'm not quite sure what that distinction is other than the name but that explains many of those. It's then very curious why Gateway Arch National Park is given the more familiar distinction. I'd love to learn more.
Sitio Histórico Nacional de San Juan is the San Juan metro area of 2.5 Million people, and it is a US National Park. I'd say that's probably more urban than any of the ones listed.
Minor quip but Miami is actually the 9th largest metro in the US. Behind DFW, Houston, DC, Philadelphia, and Atlanta, as well as the three you mentioned
Think you'll ever do an interesting features of NY vid? I don't mean like your states explained series, that was cool too lol. I mean like, the Adirondack mountains, the Tug-Hill Plateau, the 1000 islands, the St. Lawrence Valey, and the faultline that supposedly cuts through it all. at least 2 of the 1000 islands have bloody castles on them lol. There are some underwater villages from when the Seaway was put in and the river flooded. It's a weird, beautiful, and dying region.
I live in Colorado and Rocky mountain is a long ways away Denver metro area I would say it should be on this list because it literally backs two towns and one city I can't exactly remember the city named but it is considered a city
Estes Park perhaps...from my visit there during the autumn of 1973! 'Quite close to Boulder as I recall... although I'm very familiar with huge areas of wilderness and wildlands throughout North America, eh? 😅 🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦
You missed the most urban National Park, Lowell National Historic Park. It's in the heart of Lowell MA, unlike the others it preserves the mills that started the industrial revolution in the US.
You forgot the great smoky mountains national park which sits just a short drive outside the Knoxville Marysville metro and is one of the most visited parks I. The country.
You missed a few that would’ve been cool. Like the White House as well as New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. These have absolutely no natural component but are still literally within urban areas
Well, it's actually a National Memorial, but Roger Williams National Memorial in down city Providence, RI is certainly more urban than most of these on the list.
Kinda unrelated I’m chilling in the lodge at paradise at Mt.rainier. I was expecting snow I was not expecting needing a gps and snow shoes. Just came from Olympic.
Great video, as always. Thoroughly enjoyed it! However, I have a suggestion for a park you may have overlooked. How about Great Falls National Park? It is only 17 miles from Downtown Washington, DC (30 minute drive) and far less considering the Northern Virginia and Maryland suburbs. Beautiful park! Love to visit. It is a fantastic and stunning oasis, right on the outskirts of a huge urban region.
Head to squarespace.com/thatisinteresting to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code thatisinteresting
Really excited for the new national park series!
In Canada we have a city that is entirely within a national park! Banff, Alberta. Banff has a much smaller population than any city on your list though
banff is a resort town. there are similar examples within the usa too, like gatlinburg tennessee, which is completely surrounded by the great smoky mountains national park. most national parks have a town that is used as a "gateway" to the park, and sometimes that town happens to be within the park. still cool though. and banff is lovely.
Gattlinburg is just outside the park similar to Springdale is to Zion. Banff is actually within the park
@@jar1345 i believe you're correct, my bad. the map i was looking at showed it as an enclave.
Banff is only like an hour from Calgary though, and the suburb of Canmore directly abuts the park, so I think it'd still count as urban. Used to live in Calgary! The park was a wonderful amenity.
Toronto has Rouge National Urban Park which is located next to the Toronto Zoo and I’m pretty sure was an old trash heap that’s now connected to the trail system. Never been but it looks nice.
I live outside Cleveland and having the valley is an absolute treasure. its home to some baeutiful rock formations known as the ledges. very glad it was preserved
Never heard of most of these parks but now I want to visit them! Ireland has only 6 national parks, 5 of which are smaller than the area of Cork City (187km2). Most are located in rural, mountainous areas in the west, far from urban centres. The only which could be considered as an urban park is Wicklow Mountains National Park within County Wicklow and a small part of southern County Dublin, not far from the edge of Dublin's urban area. The Glendalough glacial valley and monastic site within the NP is a popular daytrip from Dublin, about an hour's drive from the city centre.
I happened to visit Hot Springs National Park about a month ago. I thought it was very particular that the national park was in town A little gem of a town!
The reason why I love this channel is every once in a while I'm reminded of places I knew and loved.
Something made me remember going through the Dixie Caverns. I had completely forgotten about that place. Good memories
as a person who lives near Cuyahoga Valley National park it's a very nice to have an urban national park. great video as always. looking forward to your next video
Thanks for highlighting Miami, I hope visitors take a day to visit the everglades on their trips it's a nice refuge from the usual hustle and bustle of South Florida.
Visited Everglades in 2016. Just took the regular tour but it was fantastic.
Love hearing about Indiana Dunes! I grew up in Michigan City and spent a lot of my childhood in the area. When it was elevated from state park to National Park I was SOOOO happy :)
I lived in gary for a bit and it was a getaway. Tho it fucked over a lot of guys owning land over there.
This is truly an excellent TH-cam channel. You hard work had produced quality educational travelogues.
Indiana Dunes is a great place to visit, glad you enjoyed it.
In Austria we have a nationalpark alonng the free flowing Danube and its floodplain of which a quartier is within the citylimits of Vienna, Austrias capital.
This is such an awesome video!!!! Thanks for giving our National Parks some love :)
It's not fit for this list but where I live in Maine we are so blessed to be a managable drive from Acadia National Park
You can just go there for the day and then go home, and it's so good to get out of the city for the day and appreciate nature's beauty.
I went to Acadia last year and proposed to my wife. Used to live in the lake region near sebago. Love Acadia, 2 cats was delicious 👍🏻
You live in maine😹😹😹😹😹
I’ve actually been to 7 of the 8! Visited Cuyahoga and Indiana Dunes in October, Gateway Arch in March, and only missing Saguaro. Keep up the great videos
Same for me. Been to 7 of the 8. Only one I haven't been to is Hot Springs.
For the close ones, I think Shenandoah would count. There a multiple metro areas within a relatively short drive. I’ve had plenty of day trips there from the DC suburbs
Rock Creek in DC would be a nice addition to the list. Beautiful area that’s great for biking jogging and hiking. At one point it had a horse stable.
Although it may be run by the NPS, it’s not listed as a true National Park
Honestly, not sure of the distinction but I keep seeing online that it’s America’s 3rd oldest national park, even stated on official website.
@@Hippydaze35 must be third oldest national park service site. Not 3rd oldest national park
@@Turd1esFTW ahh ok, thanks!
I grew up in Cleavland before the Valley was a national park. Even as a recreational area, it was fantastic. It is not even a day trip, one can easily fit into a morning or afternoon. Also, the multi day hike from the south end to the north is wonderful.
In 2017, I went to Cuyahoga national park because it was the closest to me in Fort Wayne Indiana. It seemed like a city park with lots of people riding bikes. It has a train that goes through the park and it is part of Ohio and Erie Canal heritage area. I grew up by the Indiana dunes and it was known as a lakeshore within a state park. Now you have a national park within a state park. We used to go to Mount Baldy in Michigan City and climb up the big sand dune. They closed it when a kid go sucked into the sand. You can climb the dunes in the state park which is fun. Gateway arch seems to small to be a national park. It is also not a park for people who don’t like tight spaces. The history is interesting though. I went to Saguaro national park in 2019, both sides are lovely.
It's always surprised me that the columbia gorge isn't a national park or it would definitely be on this list. It makes sense though, the gorge is a very important travel corridor so national scenic area is the best they could do.
the dunes! a staple of the area where i was raised. i was hoping you were going to mention that park in this video, so i was very surprised to hear that you actually just went there! awesome video as always
I grew up not far from Congaree, and went there many times when it was a National Monument. It didn’t have as many developed trails and boardwalks, so we ended up going through the swamp on foot. It really is a wild place for being in a metro area of almost a million people.
Obviously it’s best now that there are trails to stay on the path so as not to damage the ecosystem. We had a guide who could help us go through less vulnerable areas.
Your info about Florida was wildly fascinating!
As a former Cleveland resident, cheers for mentioning the Cuyahoga Valley NP. It’s truly a beautiful place. Tons of hiking, several waterfalls and even two ski areas. There’s also the Cuyahoga Scenic Railroad that follows the path of the canal as far south as Canton, well outside of park limits. It does themed tourist excursions like the polar express and wine and beer rides.
As a current DC resident, I might have considered Rock Creek Park in Washington DC. It was the third park established by Congress in 1890 and is currently administered by the NPS. It basically bisects the city so it’s very accessible to a large population and it’s quite beautiful. The signs leading into and around the park are the national park signage with the arrowhead insignia. So I’d say it counts.
Another national park very close to DC is Great Falls NP, another one split into east and west halves on the VA and MD sides of the Potomac. It sits on the fall line and the rapids are pretty insane, especially after heavy rain. It’s one of my favorite spots in the area.
8:30 i grew up in the city in this photo. Coral Spring, Florida. Crazy, I can see Coral Glades High School, Church by the Glades and more
I love your videos I've been subscribed since almost the beginning.
I have a suggestion. When you make list episodes you might want to try a title screen transition in between each subject.
Rouge Valley National Park in Toronto Canada is within the city borders and a wonderful place for hiking, walking, canoeing... also has a wonderful beach on Lake Ontario.
Thanks for the refresher. I went to all of these 15+ years ago before van life was trendy. Its nice to have a few parks in the east. I have fond memories of Hot Spings, Congaree, and Everglades. Biscayne is just a day at the beach. Cuyahoga I barely remember, honestly. I really can't believe Gateway got the designation. Might as well give it to the Statue of Liberty and Rushmore. Indiana Dunes was a National Lakeshore which i thought was a fine designation but didnt bring the tourist dollars, i suppose.
Yes! First State National Park in Wilmington, DE.
You channel is so amazing you amount work & research is implacable! Keep that good work Your subscriber here..
I'm surprised Shenandoah was overlooked as an honorable mention. It's not far at all from the DC suburbs. If Olympic counts for Tacoma, surely Shenandoah counts for say, Manassas, Virginia.
@phoebebridgersnuts Yeah, DC has tons of NPS admistrated sites within it. None are any of the 63 National Park designations though. Rock Creek Park and other nearby parksbare parks operated by the NPS, but they aren't "National Parks". It's weird. That's why a lot of people are upset with Gateway Arch NP and to a smaller extent, Cuyahoga NP, have the same designation as Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon and not the lesser designation like Rock Creek Park.
I've never heard of Hot Springs, Arkansas. I really want to go there. I appreciate the way they built the town & structures in a way that sorta blends with the natural surroundings. (Gives me a sorta japanese vibe/but unique to its own place & personality)
Highly recommend it. Haven't been there in years, but its a great little city.
i’ve lived in hot springs my whole life until a few weeks ago i just moved to denver. definitely visit
We live about 30 minutes from Hot Springs National Park. We love HSNP. The thermal springs are so fascinating as they bubble up out of the ground. The bathhouse spas are styled after European spas from the 19th century. You can go a massage and spa treatment with the thermal waters that are just amazing. The Promenade behind the bathhouses makes for a leisurely walk. Of course the views from East and West Mountains are spectacular. You can hike trails in the mountains above the city and feel like you’re far away from any urban area. Then, after the hike, pop into a unique restaurant downtown within about five minutes. I highly recommend Hot Spring National Park.
That was more than interesting. That was fascinating! It is hard to decide which one I would like to go to. I think Gateway Arches and Hot Springs National Parks would be really good choices.
There is one park, the most visited park, that I feel could belong to this list: The Great Smokey Mountains National Park. I remember the first time I went by it. Wee stood in Asheville, NC which honestly is practically in the park.
Several years later, I stood in a KOA campground that was only about 10 or 15 miles from the park. I then went with a friend to his family reunion near the park. I went with him 2 years in a row. It was definitely country. But it was also closeby.
Thanks again for a very interesting video. See you in the next one!
I was thinking the same thing. It’s only an hour outside of knoxville, TN.
Lots of National Historical Parks in found in the middle of US cities but they typically aren't naturalistic landscapes but structures. School kids on tours types of Parks.
Hot Springs combines hot natural spring water, eclectic restaurants, museums, walking trails, bath houses, and historic hotels.... The only drawback is there is not night life or Ranger night program. The camping area within the national park is small.
Jean Lafitte nat’l preserve is in French Quarter New Orleans, in multiple sites including downtown and outside the city in the swamplands. It includes the old US Mint building which is now the New Orleans Jazz Museum hosting free concerts most days.
Its namesake was a historical blacksmith & pirate of the Caribbean, who ran amok of the US for decades. Legend has it he was such an effective pirate Andrew Jackson asked for and received Lafitte’s help in the battle of New Orleans. His blacksmith shop still stands in the French Quarter, but it’s a piano bar now.
Could also argue that Volcanoes National Park is one of them (or at least an honorable mention), only 40 minute drive from center of the park to Hilo Hawaii
One urban national park I know of outside the US is a park (don’t recall the name) just outside of Turku, Finland. It’s a tract of forest right along the fjords that lead out into the Baltic. A friend was living in Turku for a six month contract with one of the telecom companies that had transferred them over from a US office. They were there over the summer of 2002, and we went to visit them over the July 4th holiday (US Independence Day) and some of their coworkers went to a lot of trouble to get permits from park officials, and the local fire department to set off fireworks in the park, and even went to Helsinki (about an hour or two by train) to the only store that sold fireworks in the country (or maybe the only one open year round?) to make sure we were able to celebrate and feel welcome.
They even did their best to do a cookout for us, although they only had access to an electric grill, but it made good burgers anyway.
We were able to set up on a beach right along the fjord, which is also the main ship channel for Baltic ferries, which are sort of mini cruise ships, and a couple came by as we were there, so we got applause and some cheers from folks out on deck. It was a surprisingly great time, and the hospitality was genuinely touching.
Much love for Finland.
Not sure if mentioned already, but I have two examples. One is Teide National park in Tenerife (Canary Islands), with 300’000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area of Santa Cruz and around 150000 in Adeje-Arona, whose city limits coincide with those of the national park. Actually the 900000 inhabitants live less than an hour away by road from one of the entrances to the park.
Another one is Helsinki, which has in its metropolitan area not one but two city parks: Nuuksion KP in Espoo (around an hour in public transit from downtown Helsinki) and Sipookorven KP partly inside the city of Helsinki. Oddly enough, only Nuuksio makes it to the top three of most visited national parks in Finland.
Anyways, I love your channel, which helps me understand the States outside their stereotypes we Europeans associate with it and actually find out that NYC isn’t the coolest the USA has to offer, thankfully for you.
My wife and I love Congaree. Always so peaceful there.
Toronto, Canada has the world’s largest national park located in a major city. It comprises the eastern boundary of the city and stretches north and east. In includes, forests, farms, and the epic Rouge River valley, gorgeous in the Autumn.
I’m a big fan of national parks and nature in general. I’m a teenager and from a very middle class family in Indiana, so I haven’t had a chance to go to many yet. The ones I have been to are Indiana Dunes, Gateway Arch (which I think should be a national historical park instead), Mammoth Cave, and the Grand Canyon.
You should try to make it up to Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore this summer! They have a really nice scenic drive
Gateway arch really doesn’t deserve to hold the title of national park. I’m glad you’ve gotten to see Grand Canyon and mammoth cave. I hope that as time goes on you get to see many more - this country has endless beautiful sites to explore
My dad worked at Indiana Dunes when it was a National Lakeshore years ago, back when it was considered a "turkey farm" (where they sent those with poor behavior, someone a higher-up didn't like, folks like that I think?). He also briefly worked at what is now Gateway Arch NP, when it was known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. He disagrees with those NPS units being designated National Parks, and I agree for at least Gateway Arch.
I've been questioning Gateway Arch NP since its creation
I work at the steel mill in burns harbor Indiana and can confirm that we are still pumping out steel. Something like 3-5 million tons a year
I feel like New River Gorge NP should count as an urban park, or at least an honorable mention. It is only an hour drive from the capital in Charleston WV and is located in what was once a fairly industrialized area.
my favorite urban national park is the klondike gold rush national historical park, which is just a museum in downtown seattle
17:07 Charleston is not the largest metro area, it is actually Greenville, Charleston is 3rd
You took the South Shore to my hometown of Chesteron, IN!! Nice -- loved the shoutout :) Did you go to Dune Park or Ogden Dunes?
I grew up very close to Indiana Dunes N.P. In fact, one house I lived in was inside the borders of the park. (Unfortunately, the house has since been demolished.) I haven't been back in quite some time and need to get back.
In India, we have many national park "inside" a large city. The difference between US and India is, our national parks are made to prevent people from visiting. Chennai with 12million people has Guindy National Park inside city, Mumbai with 20+million people has Sanjay Gandhi National Park (with leopard..etc), Srinagar has Salim Ali National park, Bengaluru with 14million people has Bannerghatta national park..etc
Stoked to be going to Saguaro and Hot Springs this summer :D
It will be quite hot when you visit Saguaro NP. Consider visiting early in the day or in the early evening. If you do any hiking take LOTS of water with you. The Tucson Mt. unit (west of the city) is my preference of the two sections. Also do not miss the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum just south of the park. If you like aircraft there is an excellent museum called the Pima Air and Space museum in Tucson.
Congaree is amazing! It's soo peaceful!
Aren’t you missing Rock Creek Park in DC? I live right next to it so it’s super accessible to many in and just outside DC.
Including everything up to Jupiter as "Greater Miami" would be a pretty controversial take down here in Florida lmao, Broward and Palm Beach counties are big and populated enough to be their own distinct entities. The collective name is "South Florida". Still, appreciate the spotlight. I knew from the thumbnail you'd be talking about us though it was a bit disorienting seeing the area flipped on its side, I'm guessing because it fits the screen better horizontally.
The dams on the cuyahoga river are being removed now u can kayak from northern akron all the way to lake erie
Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve, while not classified as a National Park, is a very strange city surrounded by the Jacksonville metro area, with parts of it in neighborhoods.
I've always thought that one of the things the USA does just right is the parks and recreation areas. 👍
Great video.
7:08 you can thank Henry Flagler for that railroad
It’s theorized that Cuyahoga Valley’s high visits are inflated by commuters passing through to go to work
Nice list, you forgot the most urban one of all. Klondike Gold Rush in Seattle. It seems like it's a National Park over it's domain. It's in Pioneer Square in Seattle and it has the same vibe a many local National Parks visitor centers.
the simple answer: not a national park 😊
Kind of weird because I live in Florida which everyone loves, but it’s on my bucket list to visit Cleveland so I can visit the national park there…
I'm currently in St Louis, its so weirdd going to the Arch here knowing its a national park and its surrounded by a highway and downtown (and a casino lol)
Many years ago I used to live in the Akron-Cleveland area, I did visit and pass through the then Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area on a frequent basis.
While it is a National Historic Site and not a national park. I have been to Steamtown National Historic SIte in Scranton, PA on multiple occasions. Steamtown was originally a private heritage railway in Vermont before the owner moved it to Scranton. Steamtown proved not to be economically viable as a private enterprise and was made a national historic site by a local member of the US House of Representatives in 1986.
I was aware of some of the various distinctions such as "National Monument", "National Recreation Area" and various historic battlefields. But I was surprised in watching this not to see certain parks that are administered by the NPS that are in fact parks such as the MLK Historic Cite, Independence park in Philadelphia or the National Mall. But in following up I learned that there is a distinction between a "National Park" and a "National Historic [Historical] Park." I'm not quite sure what that distinction is other than the name but that explains many of those. It's then very curious why Gateway Arch National Park is given the more familiar distinction. I'd love to learn more.
What about presidio and golden gate?!
Sitio Histórico Nacional de San Juan is the San Juan metro area of 2.5 Million people, and it is a US National Park. I'd say that's probably more urban than any of the ones listed.
Santa Rosa CA had a state park inside the city called Annadel State park. 5000 acres for a city of 150000 people.
3 times as big as Central Park.
Welcome to Chicago!!
Minor quip but Miami is actually the 9th largest metro in the US. Behind DFW, Houston, DC, Philadelphia, and Atlanta, as well as the three you mentioned
Think you'll ever do an interesting features of NY vid? I don't mean like your states explained series, that was cool too lol. I mean like, the Adirondack mountains, the Tug-Hill Plateau, the 1000 islands, the St. Lawrence Valey, and the faultline that supposedly cuts through it all. at least 2 of the 1000 islands have bloody castles on them lol. There are some underwater villages from when the Seaway was put in and the river flooded. It's a weird, beautiful, and dying region.
I know it's a National Historic Park, but the San Antonio Missions are a nice park right in the middle and south of downtown.
In Sydney, Australia, if you drive outside the city, you’ll be in the Blue Mountains National Park
Would love to see a New river gorge video
Gatineau Hills is just north of Ottawa-Gatineau in Canada
I figured the okc memorial would be on this list, but maybe it’s only maintained by the national park service and not actually a national park?
How did you miss Presidio National Park in San Francisco?
the simple answer: not a national park 😊
Dunes! Dunes! Dunes! DUNES! DUNES!
Im currently in the my job that is in this frame rn XD XD 7:40
Missed Red Rock NP, literally with a Las Vegas address….
Golden gate national park is right in the heart of San Francisco
I haven't ever been to a national park, there's Big Bend and the Guadalupe Mountains in-state, but Hot Springs is closer
Did the great Smokey mountains not qualify?
Based on your description of Biscayne Bay, Ian going to guess you never visited. Biscayne Bay is accessible by car also.
14:34 isn't Klondike Gold Rush museum in Seattle the smallest national park? 🤓
klondike gold rush isnt a national park 🤓🤓🤓
I still have no idea how Indiana Dunes became a national park and The Sleeping Bear Dunes is still regulated as a national lakeshore.
I live in Colorado and Rocky mountain is a long ways away Denver metro area I would say it should be on this list because it literally backs two towns and one city I can't exactly remember the city named but it is considered a city
Estes Park perhaps...from my visit there during the autumn of 1973! 'Quite close to Boulder as I recall... although I'm very familiar with huge areas of wilderness and wildlands throughout North America, eh? 😅
🇨🇦 🍁 🇨🇦
You missed the most urban National Park, Lowell National Historic Park. It's in the heart of Lowell MA, unlike the others it preserves the mills that started the industrial revolution in the US.
That's a "National Historic Park", not a "National Park".
I wouldn't mind camping in one of these parks
Oh God, Indiana sand dunes, don't bring me back there
Great Falls National Park fits the bill. It's a short drive from Washington DC.
Not less than an hour with the traffic these days lol
Idea: places that *should* be legit national parks but aren’t (yet)
You forgot the great smoky mountains national park which sits just a short drive outside the Knoxville Marysville metro and is one of the most visited parks I. The country.
You missed a few that would’ve been cool. Like the White House as well as New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. These have absolutely no natural component but are still literally within urban areas
Well, it's actually a National Memorial, but Roger Williams National Memorial in down city Providence, RI is certainly more urban than most of these on the list.
hot springs! my home town
Kinda unrelated I’m chilling in the lodge at paradise at Mt.rainier. I was expecting snow I was not expecting needing a gps and snow shoes. Just came from Olympic.
Great video, as always. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
However, I have a suggestion for a park you may have overlooked. How about Great Falls National Park? It is only 17 miles from Downtown Washington, DC (30 minute drive) and far less considering the Northern Virginia and Maryland suburbs. Beautiful park! Love to visit. It is a fantastic and stunning oasis, right on the outskirts of a huge urban region.
the simple answer: its not a national park 😊