Recommendations for accessible national parks?

I haven't done much long distance traveling in my life and I'm trying to change that by starting with some national parks here in the US. I'm located in the northeast and I have some time set aside in October for a trip.
I'm looking for something that has plenty to experience over the course of a few days but is also relatively accessable. Something close-ish to an airport and doesn't require too much hiking would be ideal (I got bad feet).

Zion looks appealing and Yosemite also comes to mind. Anyone have any thoughts or experiences to share? Looking to get my toes wet with flying out to places.

The Southwest has much to offer. As you mentioned Zion there is also Bryce Canyon, the areas around Moab, Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley, Sedona and the surrounding areas, Hovenweep and of course the Grand Canyon just to mention a few in that general area.
Do a little research online to get an idea of what you might like. I’ve been out there several times and have never been disappointed.
I’m sure others will add to the list and each has a way they like to travel and what subject matter they prefer to photograph
Yosemite is in California and is worth a separate trip as well as the Pacific coast, Oregon and Washington.

all the "must see" stuff is crowded, and done before - although you might bring new insight to it.

i'd start by looking close to home... You might be surprised at what you find, and also the resultant images.

jvo said:

all the "must see" stuff is crowded, and done before - although you might bring new insight to it.

i'd start by looking close to home... You might be surprised at what you find, and also the resultant images.

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Done close to home plenty. Also this is more than just photography, I just want to experience new things.

Since you asked for some experiences…The travel I do is not just for photography. My wife likes to sleep later than me so I generally go out early to photograph and then we’ll do other activities although I will carry a daypack with a camera. We have had a number of interesting experiences while travelling some of which surprisingly yielded good photos.
One of our trips to Sedona along with another couple while going to a spot (one of the vortex areas) we encountered / met a woman who claimed to be a psychic. Amazingly she was very accurate about us without any prior knowledge of us. The other couple were both physicians and I am a dentist and my wife a college grad and when the conversation with her started we were thinking “oh yeah”but she was right on. Back in town we bought a cd of indigenous flute music to play in the car as we sought out the other vortex spots
On a separate trip also to Sedona, I went out to photograph. I stopped and set up my tripod and camera and took a couple of photographs and then drove eighteen miles on a dirt road to some old ruins. When I set up to photograph I found one of my eyeglass lens was missing. I searched the trail and car and couldn’t find it. I was returning to town hoping to replace it and as I approached the first place I stopped something on the road was glistening in the sunlight. I stopped and got out and couldn’t believe it but it was the lens I lost. Thirty-six miles and I found a two inch piece of glass on a dirt road with the sun in just the right angle to the lens to my eye in a moving car.
Neither of the photographs at those spots were particularly impressive but the “events“ are lasting memories.
On most trips I do find time for serious photography as well.

I finally went on my lifetime trip in 2018 with my wife to see the southwest parks. See the road trip link for Google Maps. It was over 16 days, so it might be too long for you, although we stayed in artsy Santa Fe first for 3 days and then rested for 3 days at the end in Sedona. You can skip those stays, although the relaxing was worth it, and the sites were pretty nice as well.

We also stayed in motels along the way in Monument Valley, Moab, Bryce, Zion, and Grand Canyon, and did day trips to see the sites by car. We don't like to walk, and there was plenty to see at the nearby car parking spots.

Monument Valley allows a 13-mile valley drive that takes you around all the monuments. It's free if you stay at the motel, which I recommend because the room balcony views are terrific, breakfast is great, and they have a great Navajo Museum, as the hotel is owned by them.

Google maps https://maps.app.goo.gl/Vpjd6zccgNgjZrP29
Some pictures: https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanklein2000/albums/72157694819890421/

I’m not sure of your age but if old enough if you don’t already have one you can get a pass from the park service that provides for free admission to all national parks for free after paying for the pass. It’s good for the vehicle so others with you are covered and it’s effective for life. When I got mine it was $15 but that was twenty years ago.

jeffreyg said:

I’m not sure of your age but if old enough if you don’t already have one you can get a pass from the park service that provides for free admission to all national parks for free after paying for the pass. It’s good for the vehicle so others with you are covered and it’s effective for life. When I got mine it was $15 but that was twenty years ago.

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If you're under 62, you can get a lifetime pass for a set fee that covers all national parks. There are various options including for vets, seniors, etc.

We frequently vacation "out west" most often in late September or early October. So far, we have visited Rocky Mountain National Park, Zion, Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands, Grand Canyon (North rim), Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier.

There are at least three ways to talk about accessibility: 1. getting to the park; 2. finding accomodations in or near the park, and, 3. seeing the attractions within the park.

RE #1: If you have never been out west, most Easterners are shocked to discover how big the American west is. Some of these parks are very remote, and not really what I would call easily accessible unless you are prepared to spend a lot of time driving a car. We usually drive (from Missouri), so I cannot comment on how easily one might be able to get to these parks from an airport.

RE #2: Some national parks have a town or small city not too far from the park where you can find hotel/motel accomodations or commercially operated campgrounds and restaurants. For example, it's 33 miles from Moab to Canyonlands National Park. Accomodations inside the National Parks -- such as lodges, cabins, and camping sites -- fill up every night during the peak season, so you will want to get reservations. There may be a camp store inside the park with very basic food items, but I suggest bringing a good supply of your own food into the park. Except for possibly Yosemite, where I've heard the bears are very good at getting to your food.

As for #3, once you get inside the National Parks, most of the major attractions are no more than a couple miles hike from the parking lot. But first you must find some place to park your car. Last time I visited Yellowstone (June 2018), the parking lots to the main attractions were all full, and we got so frustrated we just left the park without walking to any of the sights. If I had paid $20 to get in, I would have been pissed, but we have the senior pass, so admission was free.

Some parks offer a shuttle service or bus to the attractions, which may be preferable to trying to find a parking spot.

I love our National Parks, but so do MANY others. For me, the crowds almost ruin the experience. It is still possible to escape the crowds if one is willing and able to walk more than four or five miles. Later in the season, there is slightly less crowding, but if you wait too late they start closing the roads and campgrounds.

For clarity, does "accessable" mean easy to get to or do you mean ADA accessible?

In addition to the National Parks there are many National Monuments are that worth the visit. Fewer crowds, cheaper, most do not require reservations. Here in Arizona the Saguaro National Monument now a Park near Tuscon has decent trails, airport access, near many hotels and restaurants. There is the State park, The Lost Dutchman State Park, about 2 hours east of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, good trails, the trails that go deeper into the park are not all that walkable and are hikes, but the trails that front the mountains are easy to hike. Nearby are hotels.

While you will be in the wide open spaces and some of the drives are long they are often scenic and in many areas you can pull off to photograph. If possible try to stay in the parks. That makes parking easier and drives in the parks are quite scenic. Off season will be less crowded. In addition to the places I mentioned I’ve been to many places in the West. We fly from Miami then drive. Usually we plan a circle and fly back from where we started.

Death Valley is a couple of hours out of Los Vegas. Joshua Tree is close to Palm Springs CA

Getting a car in LV, then going through Death Valley and then on west/south to LA would get you to a lot of spectacular places that aren't so much on the beaten path and not a lot of walking if you don't want to.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument is definitely something a little different from most of the western National Parks. It is managed jointly by the National Park Service and the Navajo Nation. The Thunderbird Lodge in Chinle, AZ is right at the park entrance. You can drive around the rim of the canyons with frequent stops for views down into the canyon. But what you really want to do is take the Navajo-guided Jeep tour through the canyon floor to get a closer look at the Pueblo ruins. Very picturesque, and a lot of culture and history, too.

The closest airport is probably Albequerque NM which is about a half-day drive from Chinle.

You can fly into Las Vegas or Salt Lake City and do the five national parks in Utah. Drive time from one to the next is only a couple hours. Don’t go in summer. And if you’re age 62 or older, get the lifetime senior pass for $80.

Some of the parks may require a timed entry pass. Do your homework.

Alan Edward Klein said:

If you're under 62, you can get a lifetime pass for a set fee that covers all national parks. There are various options including for vets, seniors, etc.

Entrance Passes (U.S. National Park Service)

The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series is your ticket to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites, covering entrance, standard amenity, and day-use fees.

home.nps.gov

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Here a breakout. Click on link for all details.Covers a car with all passengers. Or four people. Depends on site.


Covers entrance fees and standard amenity (day-use) fees at lands managed by

• National Park Service
• US Fish & Wildlife Service
• US Forest Service
• Bureau of Land Management
• Bureau of Reclamation
• US Army of Corps of Engineers

Depending on the type of entrance fee charged at a site, covers
One private vehicle fee
or
Four per person fees

Type	Available to	Price
Annual Pass	Everyone	$80.00
Senior Annual Pass	US citizens and permanent residents 62+ years old	$20.00
Senior Lifetime Pass	US citizens and permanent residents 62+ years old	$80.00
Military Annual Pass	Current US military and dependents	Free
Military Lifetime Pass	Gold Star Family members and veterans	Free
Access Pass	US citizens and permanent residents with permanent disability	Free
4th Grade Pass	US 4th graders	Free
Volunteer Pass	Federal recreation site volunteers with 250 service hours	Free

America the Beautiful Passes are non-refundable, non-transferable and cannot be replaced if lost or stolen. Passholders must show valid photo identification (ID) with each pass.