25 Best National Park Book Recommendations (Guidebooks + More!)

If you want a guidebook that goes beyond the popular things to do, look no further than Your Guide to the National Parks. This guide by Michael Joseph Oswald has helpful tips and a detailed history of the parks, more than I’ve found in any other guidebook! There are informative maps, road trip ideas, and thousands of hikes, hotels, and restaurants.

This edition was published in 2022 and includes all 63 parks.

Get Your Guide to the National Parks here.

Moon is one of the biggest travel guide companies out there, publishing guides on everything from New York City to America’s National Parks. In this guidebook, you’ll find overviews of each park, including itineraries, trail maps, road trip ideas, and planning resources. If you’re looking for a popular, informative guidebook, this is the one for you.

This guidebook was published in 2020 and includes 62 parks (missing New River Gorge).

Get the Moon USA National Parks Guide here.

Lonely Planet is known for its city guides, but they have an excellent guide on the USA national parks too! For each park, you’ll find tips on the best things to do, sample itineraries, maps, and reviews of restaurants and accommodations. You can even buy this guide as an ebook, perfect to take along on your trip without the extra weight!

This is one of the most up-to-date guidebooks out there, re-published in 2020 to reflect recently closed businesses. This guidebook does not include the newest park, New River Gorge.

Get Lonely Planet USA’s National Parks here.

If you’re interested in exploring the national parks in the western half of the US, this is the guidebook for you! Fodor’s is a huge, reliable international travel brand. Like all Fodor’s guides, you’ll get helpful tips to plan your trip, itinerary suggestions, and maps for each park.

This guide was published in 2021 and includes 33 parks from California to the Rocky Mountains.

Get Fodor’s Guide to the National Parks of the West.

For beautiful photographs and plenty of inspiration, this is a go-to for national park lovers. Not only will you find ideas for the national parks, but you’ll find state and city park inspiration too! The experiences in this guidebook range from hiking to camping to biking, and more. No matter what you’re interested in, this book will give you plenty of ideas to start exploring our beautiful parks.

This guidebook was last updated in 2019.

Get 100 Parks, 5000 Ideas here.

National Geographic is the original outdoor adventure brand. It’s only fitting that they publish some of the most up-to-date national park guides. You’ll find ranger tips, expert travel advice, and informative maps spread throughout this guide. Plus, National Geographic shared road trip itineraries to see multiple parks on a road trip.

The 9th edition of this guide was published in 2021 and contains 62 parks (missing New River Gorge).

Get the National Geographic Guide to National Parks.

Another guidebook from Nat Geo focuses on beautiful photography and detailed trip planning. You’ll find maps, the history of each park, and tips on the best time to visit and the best things to do. While not as updated as other guides, this one is still comprehensive for America’s most popular parks.

This guide was last updated in 2016.

Get National Geographic Complete National Parks here.

Lodges are one of the crown jewels of America’s national parks. This informative guidebook specifically covers national park accommodations. In this small book, you’ll find overviews of each park lodge, inn, hotel, and cabin. With this guide in hand, you’ll find the perfect in-park accommodation for your trip, from the Grand Canyon to Bryce Canyon!

This guide was last updated in 2017.

Get a Complete Guide to the National Park Lodges here.

Roaming America truly captures the beauty of America’s National Parks. But this book goes beyond just beautiful photos. You’ll also find helpful tips, like when to visit each park and what to do there. This book was inspired by Renee Hahnel’s trip to visit every national park on one long road trip. If you’re looking for a visually appealing coffee table book that will inspire you to visit the parks, check out Roaming America.

This book was published in 2019 and features 59 parks (missing Gateway Arch, Indiana Dunes, White Sands, and New River Gorge).

Get Roaming America on Amazon.

National Geographic has more than informative guide books. They’ve also put together a visually stunning national park coffee table book! Atlas of the National Parks was written by a former national park ranger and is filled with full-size photos, maps, and tips for visiting the parks.

This atlas was last updated in 2019.

Get the National Geographic Atlas here.

Want a coffee table book that covers the history of the parks? Then you’ll love The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. This book was written to accompany a PBS series on the same topic. You’ll learn about the founding of the parks and the men like John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt who led the charge.

This book is a bit dated, last updated in 2009, but given that it focuses on the history of the parks, it’s still relevant today!

Get America’s Best Idea on Amazon.

Lands of Wonder perfectly straddles the line between coffee table book and guide book. Inside, you’ll find beautiful, inspirational photography and maps, plus tips for planning a trip to each park. You’ll even find tips on the best time to visit each park.

This book was last updated in 2020 and includes 62 national parks (missing New River Gorge).

Get Lands of Wonder on Amazon.

Treasured Lands is an award-winning coffee table book filled with professional photos of the parks. Each photo is captured by photographer QT Luong, featured in the PBS documentary for America’s Best Idea book. These beautiful photos will inspire you to visit each and every national park.

This book was originally released to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016. In 2019, it was updated to include more parks.

Get your copy of Treasured Lands here.

Storytelling and photography come together in this coffee table book. Beautiful national park photos are paired with essays from scientists and adventurers. Together, they provide an overview of the beauty you’ll find in America’s national parks. Hundreds of photos will inspire you to visit the national parks, monuments, and historical sites.

This coffee table book was last updated in 2017.

Get the National Parks: An American Legacy now.

This memoir gives you a behind-the-scenes look into a life of a national park ranger. Andrea Lankford shares her experiences working in some of the most popular parks. You’ll be treated to a behind-the-scenes view of life in the parks and read about her encounters with wildlife, visitors, and how she made it through it all.

Get Ranger Confidential on Amazon.

Lassoing the Sun tells the story of Mark Wood’s one-year adventure to the national parks. What was expected to be a once-in-a-lifetime trip becomes something more. Mark shares his thoughts on family bonds and the legacy of the national parks and ourselves.

Get Lassoing the Sun on Amazon.

Best-selling author Terry Tempest Williams shares her thoughts on the national parks in this unique memoir. You’ll read about our impact on the parks and how the parks impact us in return. With descriptive writing and historical insight, she paints a beautiful picture of each park.

Get your copy of The Hour of Land here.

This memoir explores the life of park ranger Randy Morgenson and his disappearance in the California mountains. The Last Season perfectly blends together biography with mystery, detective narratives. This is a unique read that is most definitely a page-turner.

Get your copy of The Last Season here.

The national parks are all fun and games until they aren’t… Death in Yellowstone covers all the dangerous ways to die in Yellowstone National Park. While a bit morbid, it makes for an interesting read to understand the park’s threats. You’ll read about accidents, animal attacks, and falls that have happened over the years in America’s first national park.

Get Death in Yellowstone here.

Theodore Roosevelt is the founding father of America’s national parks. This in-depth novel dives into the history of Teddy Roosevelt, including his policies and interest in the outdoors. For history buffs, this is a must-read on the founding of the national parks.

Get The Wilderness Warrior on Amazon.

Leave Only Footprints shares the highlights and behind the scenes of the national parks. The story follows the author, Conor Knighton’s, year-long journey to visit every national park. He shares more than just the beauty of the parks. You’ll read about his journey along the way, from the funny to the inspiring, and how the national parks can change us.

Get your copy of Leave Only Footprints.

National Parks of the USA by Kate Siber and Chris Turnham showcases the national parks in beautiful illustrations. Kids will love the fun facts and activities for each park included in the kid-friendly guide. This is the perfect companion to get excited about the trip or bring along to explore in the park!

Get the National Parks of the USA book here.

For an overview of all the parks made just for kids, this is the perfect guide! With plenty of full-size illustrations and fun facts, kids will learn to love our national parks. It strikes the perfect balance between educational and entertaining. Plus, this book is a great companion to pack for any national park trip!

This book was last updated in 2020 and includes 62 parks (missing New River Gorge).

Get the kid’s book The National Parks here.

Lonely Planet makes fantastic guide books for adults and they weren’t just about to leave the kids out! This book is brought to you by Lonely Planet Kids, a sub-brand from Lonely Planet focused on making kid-friendly travel books. This guide helps kids learn about the parks and get excited to visit.

This version was last updated in 2019 and includes 60 parks (missing Indiana Dunes, White Sands, New River Gorge).

Get Lonely Planet Kids America’s National Parks.

The last book on this list is an exploratory guide through the national parks, just for kids! This guide covers 9 of America’s most popular parks, including Zion, Yellowstone, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In the book, you’ll find fun facts and illustrations, plus key sites to ‘seek and find’ in the parks.

Get your copy of Seek and Find National Parks.