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*Though I already made my list in your next video, will make notes here too, starting with Wind Cave to Big Sur in the video:* I do like the idea for Wind Cave to include other surrounding areas. I'd prefer that over a separate Wind Cave and Black Hills National Parks, unless they were combined parks like Sequoia-Kings Canyon. Also like the inclusion of Glen Canyon-I considered that but didn't realize the iconic Horseshoe Bend is part of that. Assumed it was just a reservoir and (once) a beautiful canyon before it was drowned. I also considered Anza-Borrego Desert and would also add it to my list too. Love the name idea for Hells Canyon and Wallowa Whitman NF too! I never considered combining those two into one national park but I love the idea. Big Sur is another good one, I had assumed it couldn't work as a park logistically, so I didn't include it on my list. Though I don't know much about this area either. But I agree, it should be a national park and now I'd add it to my list too. *Mt Hood National Park:* As for Mt Hood vs Mt Rainier, that was also the argument brought up against Mt Shasta, I believe. Though I do think Mt Hood is more deserving of park status. Maybe I am biased as an Oregonian who sees Mt Hood everyday, but I have hiked both Hood and Shasta and Mt Hood wins in almost every regard. Not only is the area very diverse in scenery and landscapes (without even including the Columbia River Gorge), but it also has park-like architecture, scenery, and infrastructure (more than Mt Shasta, by a long shot). And compared to Mt Rainier, I'd say Mt Hood is definitely distinct enough. Both are similar types of volcanoes, but Mt Hood is notable in its dramatically different shape (pointy vs broad) than Rainier, and it has just as much historical significance as Mt Rainier too. A lot of old architecture and structures exist that are park-like and could be brought back, like the old historic Mt Hood Highway and its numerous graceful arch bridges, and the various stone shelters along the Timberline Trail. That also brings up the Timberline Trail, which is like the Wonderland Trail with just as much significant history. Plus there's both the historic Timberline Lodge and Cloud Cap Inn, adding to its park-like qualifications. I'd also bring up that many national parks exist with similar-like scenery yet we have so many of them-for example: Shenandoah vs Great Smoky Mountains, Kings Canyon vs Yosemite (kinda, but both similar-ish in the same range), Theodore Roosevelt vs Badlands, Rocky Mountain vs Glacier vs Grand Teton (kinda, but they're all mountain scenery in the Rockies, plus you have the proposed Sawtooth Mountains which would be yet another similar-ish Rocky Mountains park), Olympic vs North Cascades, Lassen Peak vs (a proposed) Mt St Helens vs other strato-volcano parks in Alaska, basically most of the parks in Alaska for that matter, Carlsbad Caverns vs Mammoth Caves vs Jewel Cave (proposed) vs Wind Cave, Dry Tortugas vs Biscayne, many of the hawaii volcanoes parks vs (proposed) Craters of the Moon. At least those are some that I can think of. I'd also add in Sunset Craters and Three Sisters-Mt Washington as worthy of park status, but those would also be similar in some ways to Craters of the Moon and various Hawaii parks. I just find it odd that we only really have one Cascade Range stratovolcano park when we got so many parks elsewhere of similar sights and/or in the same mountain range or region. Crater Lake and Lassen can't truly be counted either because they are examples of erupted/destroyed volcanoes. Cascade Volcanoes (Three Sisters/Central Oregon volcanoes): However, I think based on uniqueness and park-worthiness, I'd actually consider the Three Sisters-Mt Washington and greater central Oregon Cascades volcanic area, from Newberry Volcano to Sparks Lake and Waldo Lake, with the Three Sisters and Belknap Crater Lava Field to be highly unique in the US and perhaps the most worthy of park status in Oregon besides the Columbia R. Gorge and of course Crater Lake. It's closest rival would be Sunset Craters National Monument, Haleakalā National Park in Hawaii, and Craters of the Moon, but all of those places lack the addition of glacier-clad stratovolcanoes into the mix. Plus throw in stuff like waterfalls (such as Tumalo Falls, Sahalie and Koosah Falls, Proxy Falls, Chush Falls, and more), Obsidian lava flows (many), pumice plains, lakes (including glacial lakes such as No Name Lake), multi-colored jagged mountains (such as Broken Top from No Name Lake), eroded/ancient and craggy volcanoes (such as Mt Washington, Broken Top, North and Middle Sister, and The Husband), active volcanoes (South Sister for example), and numerous, hundreds maybe, of cinder cones, shield volcanoes, spatter cones, and other volcanic features. It's also very park-like for visitors, with places such as Sparks Lake and Dee Wright Observatory already feeling very park-like and tourist friendly. Its signature hike would be the South Sister Summit Trail, which ascends its highest summit, active volcano, and third highest summit in Oregon. South Sister is also notably visually different than Mt Rainier or Lassen with its vibrant red cinder color and lightly eroded summit cone. It also has the highest elevation lake in Oregon, and a summit ice cap. Also, nowhere else in the lower 48 and Hawaii is there a grouping of stratovolcanoes and shield volcanoes so close together as the Three Sisters, Broken Top, and Mt Bachelor. *Other notes/continuing on with the video:* - Agreed with Pictured Rocks! One of my top picks and I have yet to even visit there. - I agree with the note about Indiana Dunes, though I can also see why it was raised to park status. There was an old vision to turn the whole Sand Dunes coast into one massive park, but it failed as WW1 distracted congress from the momentum for it, and then after that it got broken up by factories and other degradations. So what they had left was barely anything. Even the state park by the same name took some of the potential land. So now, I would maybe consider making it a smaller unit of a greater Great Lakes Dunes national park, adding in more impressive, scenic, or pristine locations such as Sleeping Bear Dunes. Thus, Indiana Dunes would just be one unit in the park that protects and represents the Great Lakes coastal dunes habitat, which was not well represented before Indiana Dunes. The problem is that it is a terrible example for it, but if it were just one unit of it, then I could see it. - Sawtooth: definitely agree! I consider it one of my highest picks in the country. - Adirondack: agree too, it should be. The whole NE is underrepresented. I find it strange that the (imo) less scenic stretches of the Appalachians have national parks (Shenandoah, Smoky Mtns, New River Gorge), whereas the whole northeast and northern Appalachian mountains are not represented at all. The NE has more rugged mountains, more alpine areas, more pristine wilderness, and better fall colors. - Delaware Water Gap: I just don't feel this is worthy of park status, at least with higher standards set. But I don't think it is a bad pick either. I'd just really place it quite low on my list. - Nā Pali Coast: I did not know of this one, as tbh I am not familiar with Hawaii at all, so the list I made in the other video was just me exploring via Google Maps lol. But I'd definitely add this near the top of my list. - Columbia River Gorge: Glad it made the top of the list!! I would also agree, and I am a local here and it is just 30-60 min away from home. Additional notes: - I would put Mt St Helens near the top of my list, if not a tie with Columbia River Gorge. Especially the Mt Margaret Backcountry north of St Helens-truly amazing and rugged area that is absolutely stunning in fall. It's just so much more than a monument should be, imo. While it is a monument to recent history, I don't think that means it shouldn't be a national park. It has the variety and scenery, at least. And it is unparalleled in the lower 48 states too. It is also crazy that it isn't even a NPS site; it's a national monument administered by the forest service, under the Dept. of Agriculture. Not only is St Helens worthy of being in the NPS system, but it would greatly benefit from increased funding, even if it were to be a national monument under the park service. National monuments under the NPS get more funding than those under the forest service.

Great video! I really like all the suggestions! The Michigan one was really nice. The New York one as well.

Also putting a National Park in the UP would also bring some tourism jobs to that region

This was a great video👏🏻 The research was evident and your suggestion for Hell’s Canyon was creative and clever The reader and writer in me likes the symbolism and makes sense with the geography too😇😈

Great list. I would also add the Eastern Sierras in California, which is made up of the Inyo NF and John Muir Wilderness. This place has some of the most gorgeous alpine lakes in the country and one of my favorite areas to hike in. Also, the San Juan Mountains in western CO, Mt Baker and Mt St Helens in Washington.

I 100% agree with Napali Coast. Add on the nearby Waimea Canyon, one of the most beautiful canyons (in my opinion) and you got a top tier national park 😊

Love to see my home state of Oregon have several entries on this list. I very much agree that we are under represented for national parks, and agree especially with Mount Hood but at least the one national park we currently have (Crater Lake) is a good one!

My top 10: 10: Sawtooth Mountain National Forest 9: Vermillion Cliffs 8: Tongass National Forest 7: Adirondack Park 6: Craters of the Moon 5: Columbia River Gorge 4: Pigsah National Forest 3: Wallowa Whitman National Forest 2: White Mountain National Forest 1: Na Pali Coast + Waimea Canyon Note that I am considering size which is why Tongass and Adirondacks aren’t higher.

The Columbia River Gorge is always the most moving when you least expect it. 🤍💖❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜🖤