10 Of America’s Most Stunning National Parks Close To East Texas

(East Texas) Every day we go to work, most of us earn vacation time or paid time off (PTO) for vacation. As employees, we all look forward to spending our vacation away from the routine of the job.

Why National Parks Make Great Vacation Spots

Vacation is a time to relax, refresh, reflect, explore, and enjoy our time away from work. We'll spend our vacation time with our family, traveling the Lone Star State. We'll even travel to see other parts of the U.S. Others will travel internationally to see amazing marvels and landscapes.

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America’s National Park History

The U.S., however, has some of the best views in the entire world, right here in our own backyard. It was March 1872 when President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act into law. This act protected more than 2 million acres of land in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho for preservation. Then, in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the National Park Service and, in essence, creating our national park system.

The National Park Service manages more than 60 national parks throughout the U.S. They cover a diverse natural landscape where each park is unique and offers a dramatic look at nature, our history, and a look back in time.

National Parks My Family Has Visited and Loved

One of my family’s favorite things to do on vacation is visit a national park. So far, we have been to:

• Yellowstone National Park - Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming
• Grand Teton National Park - Wyoming
• Great Sand Dunes National Park - Colorado
• Rocky Mountain National Park - Colorado

READ MORE --> This Is Why Yellowstone National Park Should Be On Your Bucket List

National Parks on Our Bucket List

There are many others that we would love to visit. Redwood National Park in California, the Grand Canyon in Arizona, and Denali National Park in Alaska are just a few.

Plan Your Next Park Adventure

With so many national parks and spring break and summer vacation coming up, there are some national parks close (or relatively close) to East Texas that you can visit. It's great to get outdoors, explore nature, and learn about our great nation and why these lands were set aside as national treasures.

Happy exploring, y'all!