When you can find the time, visit as many as you can. Our National Parks are consistently beautiful and well-managed, with easily accessible highlights and some truly extraordinary extras for the more adventurous.

For imposing views, I'd recommend approaching the Tetons or Glacier from the east, because both rise abruptly from the plains. But when it comes to awe-inspiring formation processes, it's hard to beat Crater Lake, which was formed when Mount Mazama collapsed after an explosive eruption that makes the Mount Saint Helens blast seem weak. Yellowstone's caldera is bigger, but there's no view of the whole thing from the ground so it's hard to get a sense of the scale. Crater Lake's openness pretty much forces your brain to start wrapping itself around the concept of such an incredible event.