We’re back for 2022 with updates!! Nothing says Happy Holidays like a “Best Books” list. Today we’re sharing an updated list of some of favorites on a “Best National Park Books” to buy for the Park Chaser on your Christmas shopping list.
Just a reminder that the links below are affiliate and buying through these links will help us chase more parks!
If you have a smaller reader on your shopping list, don’t miss our “Best National Park Books for Kids List”
Whenever we are looking for our next park to chase, it always seems like we look to the same places for ideas and inspiration. Word of mouth from the trips of fellow Park Chasers usually gets our vacation wheels a’turning. So do our Facebook and Instagram feeds. But 9 times out of 10 though, the idea for our next park to chase comes from something we’ve read.
Since our first trip to Glacier in 2010, we’ve been voracious collectors of books about our National Parks. Our bookshelves and nightstands have a steady supply detailing the photography, history, and conservation of our parks. We keep a running list from the Visitor’s Centers and bookstores on our vacations and ask for them as Christmas and Birthday gifts later in the year. And we have often found that a few minutes of flipping through color photos of beautiful places can take the edge off what otherwise seemed like a long work day.
Quick Look
Today we thought we’d share some of our favorites. Some of these have inspired us to pack our bags and set sail, and others were souvenirs from the places we’ve been. Mostly, we hope picking up a new page-turner encourages you to do some #parkchasing of your own.
The Best National Park Books to Buy a Park Chaser
National Geographic Complete National Parks of the United States
Published just in time for the holiday gift-giving season, this is the latest in Nat Geo’s series on the parks. With more than 500 pages of full-color photos, maps, and historical info on the parks it’s the place to start for all-thinks park inspiration.
The National Parks Cookbook
New for 2022, cookbook author Linda Ly has created one of the first cookbooks dedicated to capturing the favorite recipes of the national parks. Find beloved recipes like the Hiker’s Stew from Phantom Ranch and the Lake McDonald Lodge Elk Burger along with recipes and flavors inspired by the places we love.
Mapping America’s National Parks: Preserving Our Natural and Cultural Treasures
Do you love collecting maps and unigrids on your visits to the parks? Get an insider look at how the park service creates the cartography we all enjoy. Published by the NPS with a forward from Ken Burns
The National Parks: America’s Best Idea
Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan have inspired thousands of people to visit the National Parks. Including The Park Chasers. Their historical book (and PBS documentary) inspired our best idea ever: to take our very first National Park vacation in 2010. This is a gorgeous coffee table book with full-color images of the best of the park system.
The National Parks: An American Legacy
This book was one of our favorite Christmas gifts and arguably one of the best photography collections of the parks ever produced. It is a must-have coffee table selection for anyone who enjoys the National Parks and scenic photography.
There and Back: Photographs from the Edge
Our top pick for 2021, if you didn’t catch this one last year, it’s still a great option for gift giving this year. Many of the shots in this collection of Jimmy Chin’s greatest photography happen in our parks, including Denali and the famous Free Solo accent of Yosemite’s El Capitan.
The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America
It’s hard to imagine where our protected lands would be without President Theodore Roosevelt’s passion for the national parks. Douglas Brinkley’s careful history of Roosevelt’s conservation work should be on everyone’s stack for the #NPS100 Centennial celebration.
America’s National Parks: A Pop-Up Book
Every time we spot this pop-up book in a bookstore, one of us has to open it up and flip through it – the Grand Canyon page is terrific!
Subpar Parks: America’s Most Extraordinary National parks and Their Least Impressed
One of the most popular national park Instagram accounts, Subpar Parks shares gorgeous WPA inspired art with hilarious one-star reviews of our national parks. This gift book is one of our favorites to give to fellow #parkchasers.
Our National Monuments: America’s Hidden Gems
Chasing a visit to the 400+ national park units involves stops at hundreds of national monuments. This coffee table book is a great reminder that some of our best public spaces are the less-traveled monuments.
The Centennial: A Journey through America’s National Park System
Written by one of our 2019 Park Chaser Profiles, David Kroese, this is the first published narrative covering all 400+ National Park Service sites, a two-year adventure across every state and territory. Join David and experience the inherent marvels within America’s diverse landscapes and their fascinating human and natural history, revealed in engaging context, poetic descriptions, and heartfelt appreciation. The Centennial: A Journey Through America’s National Park System is an odyssey of self-discovery and fulfillment through the nation’s soul.
Fodor’s The Complete Guide to the National Parks of the West (Full-color Travel Guide)
We’ve used this guidebook on more trips than we can count. This edition has ALL the latest on park reservation systems and the best front-country camping. While it may not always capture our Park Chasing style, it is a good starting point to inspire trips and extra planning!
The Art of the National Parks
Fifty-Nine Parks believes that public lands and the art of printmaking are traditions worth preserving. Each of Fifty-Nine Parks’ posters are beautifully screen printed in the United States and represent artists from around the world. The poster series is archived by the Library of Congress, and a portion from each poster sale is donated to support the conservation of American public lands.
Backpacker The National Parks Coast to Coast: 100 Best Hikes
Hands down the most popular way to get out in the parks is to go for a hike. Backpacker magazine put together this guide to the best hikes in the National Parks for the 2016 centennial. It has good day and multi-day hiking trips for all skill levels and interests. It will help every Park Chaser in planning their next National Park adventure.
National Park Roads: A Legacy in the American Landscape
If you don’t want to see the park on foot, then certainly enjoying one of the Great National Park Drives is in order. The road trip has become an American childhood right of passage for many. With stops in the national parks being a highlight of these trips.
Walks of a Lifetime in America’s National Parks
Winner of the 2020 Foreword Indie Book of the Year – Nature award, Walks of a Lifetime covers the adventures of Bob and Martha Manning, Hiking Ambassadors for the American Hiking Society. Walks in this book range from short hikes to multi-day backpacking trips to some of the best spots in the NPS.
Complete Guide to the National Park Lodges
During our visits to Glacier, Crater Lake, Grand Canyon, and Mount Rainier, we’ve been lucky enough to stay in national park lodges. From the massive Old Faithful Inn to the smaller cabins and lodges, this book will inspire all of your next National Park stays.
Other Gift Ideas
The Best National Park Children’s Books
It’s mid-August which can only mean one thing for families: back-to-school is on the brain! Whether your family is heading towards in-person, virtual, homeschool, road
9 Gifts for a National Park Lover [Updated 2021]
UPDATED – 8/1/2021 – We’ve heard this story before. You’ve got everyone else crossed off your list, the holiday shopping is nearly done. Except for
The Best Summer Road Trip Books for Kids
The tent is packed and the sleeping bags are loaded up. The plans are made for your perfect summer road trip to a National Park.
4 thoughts on “Best National Park Books to Buy a Park Chaser [Updated 2022]”
Pingback: Back to School: The Best National Park Books for Kids - Park Chasers
Pingback: 9 Gifts for a National Park Lover - Park Chasers
Pingback: December Giveaway - The Centennial By David Kroese - Park Chasers
Pingback: 30 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day At Home - Park Chasers