We scoured the internet to discover the best virtual tours of each of the 62 U.S. national parks and compiled them in one place for your convenience.
In this section, we’ve grouped all national parks in the Intermountain region. Here, you will find 19 national parks spread vertically from the U.S. border with Canada all the way down to the country’s border with Mexico. The parks are located across the following eight states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.
From self-guided tours on Google Earth and high-definition video expeditions on Google’s Arts & Culture portal to live webcams and a rich variety of documentaries and dynamic videos uploaded by park enthusiasts on YouTube, these virtual journeys will transport you to the most beautiful and exciting destinations for outdoor adventures across the Intermountain region of the United States, allowing you to get a taste of the country’s truly unique and highly diverse natural wonders.
Arches National Park
| Location: | Utah |
| Area: | 119.8 mi2 |
| Established: | April 12, 1929 |
| Official site: | NPS |
Arches National Park is one of the multiple national parks that exist within the boundaries of Utah. Bordered by the Colorado River on the Southeastern side, the park gets its name from the fact that it’s home to over 2,000 natural sandstone arches. Some of the most prominent ones include the massive Delicate Arch, the long thin Landscape Arch, and the truly unique Double Arch.
While it is largely covered in sandstone, Arches National Park also boasts an abundance of wildlife. Some of the distinctive species you will find there include spadefoot toads, antelope squirrels, kangaroo rats, midget faded rattlesnakes, mule deers, and cougars.
Virtual Tours of Arches National Park:
| Google Earth | Launch tour |
| YouTube |
Weekend Trip at Arches National Park (6m 7s)
Arches National Park in 4K (11m 10s) GoTraveler Tour (4m 37s) Day & Night in Arches National Park (2m 18s) |
Big Bend National Park
| Location: | Texas |
| Area: | 1,252 mi2 |
| Established: | June 12, 1944 |
| URL: | NPS |
Big Bend National Park is located in southwest Texas and it features two distinctive U.S. natural wonders – the Chisos mountain range and the majority of the Chihuahuan Desert. One of the highlights of the park is the Santa Elena Canyon which is carved by the Rio Grande river and features steep limestone cliffs. Another highlight is the Sam Nail Ranch where you will find one of the most popular hiking trails in the park.
Right by the Mexican border, you will find Langford Hot Springs – a thermal basin that was once part of J.O Langford’s bathhouse. While the actual bathhouse is now gone, its foundations can still be found and used for a primitive bathing experience among some of the most beautiful natural scenery in Texas.
Virtual Tours of Big Bend National Park:
| Google Earth | Launch tour |
| Live Webcams | Launch webcam |
| YouTube |
GoTraveler Tour (7m 2s)
Tour of Big Bend National Park by PBS (26m 30s) Backpacking the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park (14m 7s) |
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
| Location: | Colorado |
| Area: | 48.03 mi2 |
| Established: | October 21, 1999 |
| URL: | NPS |
Located in western Colorado, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is situated around a deep gorge carved through Precambrian rock by the Gunnison River. The canyon’s name comes from the fact that large portions of the gorge don’t get more than about half an hour of sunlight a day.
The national park is home to some uniquely native plant species like the Black Canyon gilia, and the rest of its flora is composed of aspen trees, Ponderosa pines, sagebrushes, desert mahoganies, and gambel oaks, among others. The wildlife that inhabits the Black Canyon National Park includes pronghorns, black bears, coyotes, elks, bobcats, and mule deers, as well as two species of eagle and six species of owl.
Virtual Tours of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park:
| Google Earth | Launch tour |
| YouTube |
GoTraveler Tour (3m 49s)
Hiking at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (5m 40s) Tour of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park by USA Today (2m 55s) |
Bryce Canyon National Park
| Location: | Utah |
| Area: | 55.98 mi2 |
| Established: | February 25, 1928 |
| URL: | NPS |
Bryce Canyon National Park is located in southern Utah and it is most famous for its spire-shaped weathered rock formations known as hoodoos. One of the park’s most notable features is the Bryce Amphitheater which is a sprawling hoodoo-filled depression found below the Rim Trail hiking route. The rocks come in various hues of red, orange and white which makes for one-of-a-kind spectacular views.
There are more than 400 native plant species that can be found in Bryce Canyon National Park, including pinyon pine, juniper, serviceberry, and antelope bitterbrush. In terms of animals, the park serves as natural habitat for three endangered species – the Utah prairie dog, the California condor, and the southwestern willow flycatcher.
Virtual Tours of Bryce Canyon National Park:
| Google Arts & Culture | Launch tour |
| Google Earth | Launch tour |
| YouTube |
GoTraveler Tour (3m 35s)
Bryce Canyon National Park Documentary (1h 15m 39s) Bryce Canyon National Park in 4K (10m 22s) |
Canyonlands National Park
| Location: | Utah |
| Area: | 527 mi2 |
| Established: | September 12, 1964 |
| URL: | NPS |
Canyonlands National Park is another one of Utah’s must-see national parks. It is famous for the unique desert landscape created by the Colorado River. There are numerous iconic locations that you can find within its boundaries. One of them is Island in the Sky – a flat-topped mesa offering sweeping panoramic views of Canyonlands’ spectacular landscape.
Another must-see point of interest here is The Needles which is the collective name given to a group of colorful spires of cedar mesa sandstone. This is one of the most popular places at the park and preferred destination for hikers and campers alike.
Virtual Tours of Canyonlands National Park:
| Google Earth | Launch tour |
| Live Webcams | Launch webcam |
| YouTube |
GoTraveler Tour (5m 55s)
Top 8 Sights at Canyonlands National Park (7m 4s) Canyonlands National Park in 4K (12m 14s) |
Capitol Reef National Park
| Location: | Utah |
| Area: | 378 mi2 |
| Established: | December 18, 1971 |
| URL: | NPS |
Located in Utah’s south-central desert, Capitol Reef National Park is defined by the Waterpocket Fold – a unique geologic landform extending from southern Wayne all the way to northern Kane counties. Some of the park’s highlights include the Chimney Rock pillar, the Hickman Bridge arch, the towering monoliths of Cathedral Valley, and, of course, the Capitol Reef. The latter is an extremely rugged segment of the Waterpocket Fold famous for its whitish Navajo Sandstone cliffs with dome formations.
Virtual Tours of Capitol Reef National Park:
| Live Webcams | Launch webcam |
| YouTube |
GoTraveler Tour (5m 31s)
Capitol Reef National Park 3-Minute Tour (3m 22s) Capitol Reef National Park in 4K Ultra HD (8m 20s) |
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
| Location: | New Mexico |
| Area: | 73.07 mi2 |
| Established: | May 14, 1930 |
| URL: | NPS |
Considered to be one of the most beautiful places in New Mexico, Carlsbad Caverns is a national park located in the Chihuahuan Desert of New Mexico. The park is a collection of more than 100 caves with the eponymous Carlsbad Cavern being the most popular one. It includes a large limestone chamber known as the Big Room. It is the fifth largest chamber in North America. Outside of the caves, the Walnut Canyon Desert Loop is quite popular among visitors because it offers many scenic desert views.
About two thirds of the park has been designated as a wilderness area to ensure that no changes will be made to the natural habitat of the region. There are seventeen species of bats that live in the park, including numerous Mexican free-tailed bats. In addition, the park’s desert wetland known as the Rattlesnake Springs is home to various reptiles and hundreds of bird species.
Virtual Tours of Carlsbad Caverns National Park:
| Google Arts & Culture | Launch tour |
| YouTube |
GoTraveler Tour (5m 54s)
Carlsbad Caverns 2-Minute Tour (2m 46s) Carlsbad Caverns National Park in 4K Ultra HD (9m 9s) |
Glacier National Park
| Location: | Montana |
| Area: | 1,583.32 mi2 |
| Established: | May 11, 1910 |
| URL: | NPS |
Located right next to Montana’s Canadian border, Glacier National Park is the northernmost park in the Intermountain region. Often referred to as the “Crown of the Continent Ecosystem,” this national park includes two mountain ranges (that come equipped with glacier-carved peaks), over 130 named lakes, and hundreds of plant and animal species.
The park is traversed by the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road – a scenic mountain road in the Rocky Mountains that spans the width of the park between its east and west entrance stations. There are also about 200 waterfalls scattered throughout the park. One of the tallest (and most popular) ones is Bird Woman Falls. It drops about 492 feet from a valley beneath Mount Oberlin.
Virtual Tours of Glacier National Park:
| Google Earth | Launch tour |
| Live Webcams | Launch webcam |
| YouTube |
GoTraveler Tour (7m 26s)
A Journey Through Glacier National Park (18m 21s) Glacier National Park in 4K Ultra HD (10m 57s) |
Grand Canyon National Park
| Location: | Arizona |
| Area: | 1,902 mi2 |
| Established: | February 26, 1919 |
| URL: | NPS |
As you can guess from the name, this national park is home to arguably one of the best known natural attractions in the world, the massive Grand Canyon. This immense red rock formation is the result of millions of years of geological activity, serving as a staggering reminder of the power of Mother Nature.
There are several viewpoints offering stunning views of the canyon, including the popular Mather Point, Yavapai Observation Station, and Lipan Point. The latter is particularly prominent for its unique outlook to the canyon and the Colorado River especially at sunrise and sunset.
Virtual Tours of Grand Canyon National Park:
| Google Earth | Launch tour |
| Live Webcams | Launch webcam |
| YouTube |
Grand Canyon Nature Documentary (1h 16m 13s)
How to Visit Grand Canyon South Rim (13m 18s) |
Grand Teton National Park
| Location: | Wyoming |
| Area: | 480 mi2 |
| Established: | February 26, 1929 |
| URL: | NPS |
Grand Teton National Park is located in the northwest part of Wyoming. It includes the massive Teton mountain range, along with the 4,000-meter Grand Teton peak, as well as the Jackson Hole valley. It is in very close proximity (only 10 miles away) to Yellowstone National Park.
With more than 1,000 designated campsites and numerous hiking trails, Grand Teton is one of the most popular destinations in the region for mountaineering, hiking, fishing and other types of outdoor recreation. The park is home to over 61 species of mammals, including gray wolves, American black bears, coyotes, cougars and wolverines (not the Hugh Jackman kind, though).
Virtual Tours of Grand Teton National Park:
| Google Earth | Launch tour |
| Live Webcams | Launch webcam |
| YouTube |
GoTraveler Tour (6m 8s)
Grand Teton National Park in 4K Ultra HD (6m 13s) |
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
| Location: | Colorado |
| Area: | 232.9 mi2 |
| Established: | March 17, 1932 |
| URL: | NPS |
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is located in southern Colorado and, as you can guess from the name, it encompasses vast areas of dunes. The park contains the tallest sand dunes in North America. Some of the best known ones include the towering Star Dune and the 700 ft tall High Dune. Another popular attraction here is the seasonal Medano Creek that visitors must pass through to reach the dunes in the spring and summer.
Aside from the dunes, the park is also famous for the Medano Pass Trail that leads to various forests, wetlands, and alpine lakes inhabited by tundra wildlife.
Virtual Tours of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve:
| YouTube |
GoTraveler Tour (5m 45s)
Hiking to High Dune at Great Sand Dunes National Park (14m 23s) Great Sand Dunes National Park in HD (7m 25s) |
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
| Location: | Texas |
| Area: | 134.95 mi2 |
| Established: | September 30, 1972 |
| URL: | NPS |
Guadalupe Mountains is another national park located in the Chihuahuan Desert but on the Texas side. The park is best known for its bright-white Salt Basin Dunes, grassland populated with wildlife, and numerous reef mountains. The park features the famous Guadalupe Peak Trail that winds through forests filled with pinyon pine and Douglas-fir, ascending over 3,000 feet to the summit of Guadalupe Peak, revealing stunning views of the El Capitan peak and the sprawling desert.
Virtual Tours of Guadalupe Mountains National Park:
| Google Earth | Launch tour |
| Live Webcams | Launch webcam |
| YouTube |
GoTraveler Tour (4m 55s)
A Trip to Guadalupe Peak (9m 17s) |
Mesa Verde National Park
| Location: | Colorado |
| Area: | 81.25 mi2 |
| Established: | June 29, 1906 |
| URL: | NPS |
Mesa Verde National Park is located in the southwestern part of Colorado and is best known for the well-preserved Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings, particularly the enormous Cliff Palace. As home to some of the best-preserved Native American archaeological sites in the world, the park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.
The park is made up of several hills of various sizes dispersed in-between canyons. The area’s natural slant is the reason why the ancient cliff dwellings have withstood the test of time.
Virtual Tours of Mesa Verde National Park:
| Google Earth | Launch tour |
| Live Webcams | Launch webcam |
| YouTube |
GoTraveler Tour (5m 19s)
Mesa Verde National Park Tour by The Travel Channel (4m 25s) Climbing Cliff Dwellings in Mesa Verde National Park (12m 2s) |
Petrified Forest National Park
| Location: | Arizona |
| Area: | 229.6 mi2 |
| Established: | December 9, 1962 |
| URL: | NPS |
Petrified Forest National Park is located in the Navajo and Apache counties of northeastern Arizona. The name of the region comes from the large amount of colorful petrified wood found in the area, most notably in the park’s Rainbow Forest.
Petrified Forest National Park holds numerous artifacts from America’s ancient history. One of the most famous parts of the park is the Newspaper Rock Petroglyphs Archeological District which contains more than 650 petroglyphs believed to have been created between in the 11th and 15th centuries A.D. In addition, the park is also home to Puerco Pueblo, the ruins of a large Native American settlement dating back to 1300 A.D.
Virtual Tours of Petrified Forest National Park:
| YouTube |
GoTraveler Tour (4m 47s)
Petrified Forest National Park: A One Day Travel Guide (5m 55s) Petrified Forest National Park 3-Minute Tour (3m 41s) |
Rocky Mountain National Park
| Location: | Colorado |
| Area: | 414.78 mi2 |
| Established: | January 26, 1915 |
| URL: | NPS |
Rocky Mountain National Park is located in northern Colorado and encompasses the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains with the Continental Divide running right through the heart of the park. The national park’s various features include mountains, lakes, forests and alpine tundra.
The park is famous for its hiking trails and observation roads, including the Trails Ridge Road and the Old Fall River Road that transport visitors past aspen trees and various rivers. The prominent Keyhole Route leads to the park’s tallest mountain, Longs Peak, while a trail around Bear Lake offers Insta-ready views of the peaks.
Virtual Tours of Rocky Mountain National Park:
| Google Earth | Launch tour |
| YouTube |
GoTraveler Tour (4m 58s)
5 Stops in 5 Hours at Rocky Mountain National Park (5m 36s) Rocky Mountain National Park in 4K Ultra HD (10m 24s) |
Saguaro National Park
| Location: | Arizona |
| Area: | 142.9 mi2 |
| Established: | October 14, 1994 |
| URL: | NPS |
Saguaro National Park is located in southeastern Arizona and consists of two parts geographically divided by the city of Tucson – the Tucson Mountain District to the west and the Rincon Mountain District to the east. The area is most famous for the giant saguaro cactus found in the Sonoran Desert that’s part of the park.
The two parts differ greatly from one another on various levels. The Tucson Mountain District is made largely of volcanic rocks and features the famous Signal Hill Trail that leads to petroglyphs of the ancient Hohokam tribes. The Rincon Mountain District offers fewer historical artifacts and more scenic views of the desert.
Virtual Tours of Saguaro National Park:
| Live Webcams | Launch webcam |
| YouTube |
GoTraveler Tour (6m 29s)
A Tour of Saguaro National Park (11m 39s) Moonlight Hike and a Surprise Snow Day in Saguaro National Park (12m 46s) |
White Sands National Park
Alan Grinberg / Flickr
| Location: | New Mexico |
| Area: | 227.8 mi2 |
| Established: | January 18, 1933 |
| URL: | NPS |
As yet another national park located in the Chihuahuan Desert, White Sands is famous for its incredible vast landscape of rare gypsum sand dunes. Found in southern New Mexico, the park’s gypsum dunefield is the largest of its kind in the world.
Designated as recently as December 2019, White Sands is the youngest national park in the country. There are a couple of prominent trails that pass through the dunes, including the raised Interdune Boardwalk and the Dune Life Natural Trail.
Virtual Tours of White Sands National Park:
| YouTube |
A Tour of White Sands National Park (4m)
Exploring White Sands National Park (10m 3s) White Sands National Park in 4K Ultra HD (5m 33s) |
Yellowstone National Park
| Location: | Wyoming, Montana, Idaho |
| Area: | 3,471 mi2 |
| Established: | March 1, 1872 |
| URL: | NPS |
Yellowstone National Park is one of the most famous destinations among nature lovers in the world because of its highly diverse lineup of natural wonders. From dramatic canyons and alpine rivers to lush forests and hot springs, Yellowstone is home to a large variety of natural phenomena. Most prominently, the park is home to several gushing geysers, among which the world-famous Old Faithful. The park is also home to hundreds of animal species, including wolves, bisons, elks, antelopes, and bears. If the virtual tours inspire you to visit Yellowstone in person, check out this guide to spending one day in Yellowstone.
Virtual Tours of Yellowstone National Park:
| Google Earth | Launch tour |
| Live Webcams | Launch webcam |
| YouTube |
GoTraveler Tour (1h 3m 49s)
A Walk Through Yellowstone National Park (23m 20s) Yellowstone National Park in 4K Ultra HD (24m 27s) |
Zion National Park
| Location: | Utah |
| Area: | 229.1 mi2 |
| Established: | November 19, 1919 |
| URL: | NPS |
Located in southwest Utah, Zion National Park is largely defined by the incredibly beautiful Zion Canyon and its steep maroon-colored Navajo Sandstone cliffs. Due to its position in between the Colorado Plateau, the Great Basin, and the Mojave Desert, the park has a truly unique geography that has resulted in a highly diverse and unusual set of plant and animal species.
The Virgin River cuts right through Zion National Park and flows to the famous Emerson Pools, creating incredible waterfalls and a beautiful hanging garden.
Virtual Tours of Zion National Park:
| Google Earth | Launch tour |
| Live Webcams | Launch webcam |
| YouTube |
GoTraveler Tour (5m 17s)
Gorgeous Scenery from Zion National Park (1h 23m 49s) Zion National Park in 4K Ultra HD (8m 3s) |
