Cross-Country National Parks Road Trip: Acadia to Olympic in 12 Parks

This is the big one: Maine to Washington, Atlantic to Pacific, with 12 National Parks on the way. The drive runs about 5,100 miles from Acadia to Olympic, and it crosses more or less every kind of country the park system protects, from a tidal coast to a cave to the northern Rockies.

You can't just pick a start date and go. Several roads in the West are closed for much of the year, so the calendar sets the whole trip. Each park gets a short plan here, and the full days are in my guides.

Cross-Country Road Trip at a Glance

• Parks: Acadia, Shenandoah, Great Smoky Mountains, Mammoth Cave, Gateway Arch, Badlands, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier, North Cascades, Mount Rainier, and Olympic.
• Start and finish: Bar Harbor, Maine, to Port Angeles, Washington, then Seattle (one way).
• Driving: about 5,100 miles one way, plus the driving inside the parks.
• Time behind the wheel: about 95 hours, spread over the trip.
• How many days: 24 at the least, 30 to 40 to enjoy it.
• Best seasons: leave Maine in early June, and finish by mid-September.
• Pass: the $80 America the Beautiful annual pass pays for itself quickly. Great Smoky Mountains, Mammoth Cave, and North Cascades have no entrance fee, and Gateway Arch has none of its own.

Orientation sketch, not to scale. Check the official park maps for detail. Routes © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); state lines from the U.S. Census Bureau.

How Many Days Do You Need?

I'd plan on 34 days. Here's the math: the long transfers take 16 days at no more than 6 or 7 hours a day, and 12 parks at an average of 1.5 days each take 18. That leaves no spare days, so if you've got 40, use them; something on a trip this long will go wrong.

At 24 days, you'll drive most days, give each park a single day, and see the West at a hurry. If you don't have that long, cut the trip in half at St. Louis. The East is a good 15-day trip, and the West is a better 20-day one.

Which Direction to Drive It

West, leaving Maine in early June. That order reaches Glacier in July, when Going-to-the-Sun Road is usually open over the top, and it puts you in the North Cascades, Rainier, and Olympic in their short summer. Driving east works if you start around July 1 in Seattle and finish in Maine by early October, for fall color.

If you rent, plan the one-way carefully. Fly into Bangor or Boston (about 280 miles from Bar Harbor), and out of Seattle. A coast-to-coast drop fee can run high, so get a firm figure before you commit.

The Route, Leg By Leg

Bar Harbor to Front Royal: About 830 Miles, 13.5 Hours

Start on the Maine coast. Acadia's Cadillac summit road needed a $6 vehicle reservation from May 20 through October 25 in 2026, so book before you leave home. Then take two days: Interstate 95 to the Massachusetts Turnpike, Interstate 84 through Hartford to Scranton, Interstate 81 south, and Interstate 66 east to Front Royal.

A short plan for Acadia: Start at Hulls Cove Visitor Center with food in the car. Follow the Park Loop Road to Sand Beach, walk Ocean Path to Thunder Hole and back, and stop at Otter Cliffs. Have lunch at Jordan Pond, your turnaround, where the restaurant is seasonal. Full days are in my Acadia National Park guide.

Acadia National Park. Sand Beach, enclosed by wooded slopes and coastal rock. Photo: Victoria Stauffenberg, National Park Service. Public domain.

Skyline Drive and on to Gatlinburg: About 445 Miles, 9 Hours

Drive Skyline Drive, 105 miles and 3 to 4 hours, from Front Royal to Rockfish Gap. Then take Interstate 64 and Interstate 81 southwest and Interstate 40 west to exit 407, and Tennessee 66 and U.S. 441 to Gatlinburg, about 340 miles and 5.5 hours.

A short plan for Shenandoah: Enter at Front Royal and drive to the Stony Man parking area, about mile 42, for the 1.6-mile walk to the cliffs. Get lunch at Skyland, open spring through fall. Big Meadows, at mile 51, is the turnaround for a day visitor; on this route you'll roll on south. Full days are in my Shenandoah National Park guide.

A short plan for Great Smoky Mountains: Buy a parking tag at Sugarlands Visitor Center and bring lunch, since the park has no restaurants. Climb Newfound Gap Road to the gap, picnic near the overlook, and take Kuwohi Road, closed in winter, to the tower, your turnaround. Full days are in my Great Smoky Mountains National Park guide.

The view from Little Stony Man Cliffs over the Shenandoah Valley in October 2012 (National Park Service photograph by N. Lewis; public domain). Photo: N. Lewis, National Park Service, Wikimedia Commons. Public domain.

Gatlinburg to Mammoth Cave: About 250 Miles, 4.5 to 5 Hours

Take Interstate 75 north into Kentucky, the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway west, and Interstate 65 to exit 53 at Cave City. The park runs on Central Time, and cave tours can sell out weeks ahead, so book before you start the trip.

A short plan for Mammoth Cave: Pick up your ticket at the visitor center and eat first, since food isn't allowed in the cave. Take the Historic Tour through the Historic Entrance and the Rotunda to Mammoth Dome, 2 miles and 540 stairs. Come back to the visitor center, your turnaround, and walk one of the short trails nearby. Full days are in my Mammoth Cave National Park guide.

Mammoth Cave to St. Louis: About 350 Miles, 5.5 Hours

Interstate 65 north to Louisville and Interstate 64 west to St. Louis is the simple line. Buy your tram ticket before you arrive. Same-day tickets aren't guaranteed, and the garage has a 6-foot-8-inch clearance.

A short plan for Gateway Arch: Park at Stadium East or walk from a downtown hotel, and enter through the glass west entrance. Take the tram to the top, then see the free museum. Eat at the Arch Café and finish at the Old Courthouse, two blocks west. Full days are in my Gateway Arch National Park guide.

St. Louis to Badlands: About 885 Miles, 13 Hours

Two days. Interstate 70 west reaches Kansas City, Interstate 29 runs north through Omaha to Sioux Falls, and Interstate 90 runs west across South Dakota to exit 131. Take Omaha as your overnight. This is the emptiest part of the trip, and gas stations thin out west of Chamberlain.

A short plan for Badlands: Use the Northeast Entrance from exit 131 and walk the Window and Door trails. Stop at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center, with lunch at Cedar Pass Lodge next door, which is seasonal. Drive west on the Loop Road to Yellow Mounds and Pinnacles Overlook, then leave for Wall, your turnaround. Full days are in my Badlands National Park guide.

The view from Norbeck Pass on the Badlands Loop Road, named for Senator Peter Norbeck. Photo: NPS Photo / Shaina Niehans, National Park Service. Public domain.

Badlands to Yellowstone: About 595 Miles, 11.5 Hours

Interstate 90 runs west to Buffalo, Wyoming, about 265 miles, and U.S. 16 climbs over the Bighorns through Ten Sleep to Worland and on to Cody, about 180 miles. From Cody, U.S. 14/16/20 runs about 53 miles to the East Entrance, and it's about 100 more to Old Faithful. Most Yellowstone park roads close to regular vehicles from early November to late April, and they had closed for the 2026 season on November 1. In June and July that won't touch you.

A short plan for Yellowstone: Come through the East Entrance to Yellowstone Lake, then go on past West Thumb to Old Faithful. Have lunch there, catch a predicted eruption, and walk the boardwalks on Geyser Hill. Old Faithful is your turnaround; the South Entrance road is next. Full days are in my Yellowstone National Park guide.

Yellowstone National Park. Old Faithful erupts on a spring morning, seen from Observation Point above the Upper Geyser Basin, with the Old Faithful Inn and lodges behind (NPS photograph by Jacob W. Frank). Photo: National Park Service (Jacob W. Frank), Wikimedia Commons. Public domain (U.S. Government work).

Yellowstone to Grand Teton and Jackson: About 100 Miles, 2.5 Hours

From Old Faithful, go back to West Thumb and take the South Entrance road into Grand Teton on U.S. 89/191/287.

A short plan for Grand Teton: Coming from the north, take the Teton Park Road, closed to cars November 1 to April 30, to South Jenny Lake. Ride the shuttle boat, mid-May into September, and walk to Hidden Falls. Eat at Dornans at Moose, then stop at Mormon Row, your turnaround. Full days are in my Grand Teton National Park guide.

Grand Teton National Park. The John Moulton barn on Mormon Row, below the Teton Range (photograph by Jon Sullivan, public domain). Photo: Jon Sullivan (PD Photo), Wikimedia Commons. Public domain (released by the photographer).

Jackson to West Glacier: About 565 Miles, 10 Hours

Two days. Go over Teton Pass to Idaho Falls, up Interstate 15 to Butte, Interstate 90 west to Missoula, and U.S. 93 north to Flathead Lake and U.S. 2. Glacier required no vehicle reservations in 2026. Instead, private vehicles were limited to three hours of parking at Logan Pass from July 1, weather permitting, and a ticketed shuttle served the road's longer hikes. Check for your year.

A short plan for Glacier: Enter at West Glacier with a full tank and see the colored stones at Apgar. Eat at Lake McDonald Lodge in summer, then walk the Trail of the Cedars. When the road's open over the top, usually from late June or early July, continue to Logan Pass, your turnaround. Otherwise, turn back at Avalanche Creek. Full days are in my Glacier National Park guide.

Glacier National Park. Going-to-the-Sun Road cuts across a steep green mountainside above a deep valley (NPS photograph by Tim Rains). Photo: National Park Service (Tim Rains), Wikimedia Commons. Public domain (U.S. Government work).

West Glacier to Marblemount: About 645 Miles, 12.5 Hours

Two days plus a short third. U.S. 2 runs west over the Idaho panhandle to Spokane, about 300 miles. U.S. 2 and state routes continue to Winthrop, about 250 miles. Then Washington 20 climbs over Washington Pass, which usually closes in late November or early December and reopens in April or May. It opened late in 2026, after emergency repairs finished in June.

A short plan for North Cascades: There's no entrance station. Coming from the east over Washington Pass, stop at the Ross Lake pullouts near milepost 136 and have your packed lunch at the Diablo Lake Overlook, since the corridor has no restaurants. Finish at Gorge Creek Falls and the Trail of the Cedars in Newhalem, your turnaround. Full days are in my North Cascades National Park guide.

North Cascades National Park. The milky turquoise water of Diablo Lake around its small forested islands in July 2013 (photograph by Jeff Gunn, CC BY 2.0). Photo: Jeff Gunn, Wikimedia Commons. CC BY 2.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

Marblemount to Mount Rainier: About 200 Miles, 4 Hours

Take Washington 20 west to Interstate 5, then go south through Seattle and Tacoma to Washington 7 and Ashford. Seattle's traffic can add an hour or more, so time your crossing. No timed-entry reservation was required in 2026, and the park's road status page shows what's open for your dates.

A short plan for Mount Rainier: Enter at Nisqually and drive to Paradise, past the waterfalls. Walk the Skyline Trail to Myrtle Falls and eat at the Paradise Camp Deli, usually open May through early October. Reflection Lakes is your turnaround when Stevens Canyon Road is open. Stop at Narada Falls on the way down. Full days are in my Mount Rainier National Park guide.

Mount Rainier to Port Angeles: About 170 Miles, 3.5 Hours

Go back to Interstate 5, then U.S. 101 north up Hood Canal to Sequim and Port Angeles. From Port Angeles, the last leg to Seattle is about 85 miles and 2.5 hours with the Bainbridge ferry.

A short plan for Olympic: Start at the Port Angeles visitor center with lunch, and drive up Hurricane Ridge Road, most reliable July to mid-September; check road conditions first. Walk the paved meadow paths, picnic, and turn around. If the road's closed, walk to Marymere Falls at Lake Crescent. Full days are in my Olympic National Park guide.

A Sample 34-Day Driving Schedule

This is the driving skeleton only. The park days are in the guides.

Day	Drive	Driving Time	Overnight Town
Day 1	Boston to Bar Harbor, about 280 miles	5 hours	Bar Harbor
Days 2 and 3	Acadia, driving from Bar Harbor	Local driving	Bar Harbor
Day 4	Bar Harbor to Hartford, about 385 miles	6.5 hours	Hartford
Day 5	Hartford to Front Royal, about 445 miles	7 hours	Front Royal
Day 6	Shenandoah, Skyline Drive to Rockfish Gap, about 105 miles	3 to 4 hours	Waynesboro
Day 7	Waynesboro to Gatlinburg, about 340 miles	5.5 hours	Gatlinburg
Days 8 and 9	Great Smoky Mountains, driving from Gatlinburg	Local driving	Gatlinburg
Day 10	Gatlinburg to Cave City, about 250 miles	4.5 to 5 hours	Cave City
Day 11	Mammoth Cave, driving from Cave City	Local driving	Cave City
Day 12	Cave City to St. Louis, about 350 miles	5.5 hours	St. Louis
Day 13	Gateway Arch, on foot from downtown	No driving	St. Louis
Day 14	St. Louis to Omaha, about 435 miles	6.5 hours	Omaha
Day 15	Omaha to Badlands, about 450 miles	6.5 hours	Wall or Interior
Day 16	Badlands, driving from Wall	Local driving	Wall
Day 17	Wall to Buffalo, about 265 miles	4 hours	Buffalo
Day 18	Buffalo to Cody, about 180 miles	4 hours	Cody
Day 19	Cody to Old Faithful, about 150 miles	3.5 hours	Old Faithful or Canyon Village
Day 20	Yellowstone, driving from your lodge	Local driving	Old Faithful or Canyon Village
Day 21	Old Faithful to Jackson, about 100 miles	2.5 hours	Jackson
Day 22	Grand Teton, driving from Jackson	Local driving	Jackson
Day 23	Jackson to Missoula, about 415 miles	7 hours	Missoula
Day 24	Missoula to West Glacier, about 150 miles	3 hours	West Glacier
Days 25 and 26	Glacier, driving from West Glacier	Local driving	West Glacier
Day 27	West Glacier to Spokane, about 300 miles	6 hours	Spokane
Day 28	Spokane to Winthrop, about 250 miles	4.5 hours	Winthrop
Day 29	Winthrop over Washington Pass to Marblemount, about 95 miles	2 hours	Marblemount
Day 30	Marblemount to Ashford, about 200 miles	4 hours	Ashford
Day 31	Mount Rainier, driving from Ashford	Local driving	Ashford
Day 32	Ashford to Port Angeles, about 170 miles	3.5 hours	Port Angeles
Day 33	Olympic, driving from Port Angeles	Local driving	Port Angeles
Day 34	Port Angeles to Seattle with the ferry, about 85 miles	2.5 hours	Fly home from Seattle

Where to Stay Along the Way

• East: Bar Harbor for Acadia, Skyland or Big Meadows Lodge in Shenandoah, Gatlinburg for the Smokies, Cave City or The Lodge at Mammoth Cave.
• Middle: downtown St. Louis for the Arch, and Cedar Pass Lodge or Wall for Badlands.
• Northern Rockies: book the Yellowstone lodges first, since they go early, then Jackson or Colter Bay for Grand Teton, and Lake McDonald Lodge, West Glacier, or Whitefish for Glacier.
• Washington: Marblemount and Newhalem for North Cascades, Ashford or the Paradise Inn for Rainier, and Port Angeles for Olympic.

Best Time of Year to Drive It

June through mid-September is the window. Leave Maine in early June and you'll reach the Rockies as the snow clears.

Heat is the summer trade-off. The Southeast and St. Louis are hot and humid in June and July, and the Plains can be, too. Fall brings color in the East, but Going-to-the-Sun Road and much of the West are closing by then. Winter doesn't work for this route: Yellowstone's roads, Going-to-the-Sun Road, and North Cascades Highway all close.

Road Trip Tips for a Cross-Country Drive

• Book in this order: Yellowstone and Glacier rooms, the Mammoth Cave tour, the Arch tram, then everything else.
• Build in rest days. On a trip this long, you need days without any driving, and laundry.
• Keep the tank above half in Wyoming, Montana, and northern Washington.
• Keep your bear spray handy. Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier are all bear country, and you'll need to follow each park's food-storage rules.
• Don't drive into the sun at dusk. Wildlife is on the road in the northern Rockies then, and you'll be tired.
• Check each park's alerts before each leg. Things will have changed since you started.

Plan Your Days Inside Each Park

This post gets you from park to park, with a short plan for each stop. The full days are what my guides are for: each one has nine itineraries for one, two, or three days at easy, moderate, and strenuous effort, each with a backup plan for bad weather or a closure, plus orientation maps, the park's history, and the animals you're likely to see. You get an EPUB and a printable PDF, so the day's plan can ride in the car with you.

• Acadia National Park: nine itineraries, 15 animals to look for, 9 maps, and 28 photographs
• Shenandoah National Park: nine itineraries, 14 animals to look for, 4 maps, and 35 photographs
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park: nine itineraries, 14 animals to look for, 6 maps, and 35 photographs
• Mammoth Cave National Park: nine itineraries, 14 animals to look for, 5 maps, and 35 photographs
• Gateway Arch National Park: history, highlights, and a perfect day in St. Louis
• Badlands National Park: nine itineraries, 14 animals to look for, 4 maps, and 33 photographs
• Yellowstone National Park: nine itineraries, 15 animals to look for, 7 maps, and 37 photographs
• Grand Teton National Park: nine itineraries, 15 animals to look for, 6 maps, and 37 photographs
• Glacier National Park: nine itineraries, 14 animals to look for, 6 maps, and 34 photographs
• North Cascades National Park: nine itineraries, 12 animals to look for, 4 maps, and 33 photographs
• Mount Rainier National Park: nine itineraries, 14 animals to look for, 4 maps, and 38 photographs
• Olympic National Park: nine itineraries, 12 animals to look for, 6 maps, and 33 photographs

For This Route

The Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier Collection covers 3 of the 12 parks on this route (Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier) in one download. For Acadia, Shenandoah, Great Smoky Mountains, Mammoth Cave, Gateway Arch, Badlands, North Cascades, Mount Rainier, and Olympic, add the single guides above.

Short on time at one stop? Just an Afternoon is my free four-hour plan for every U.S. National Park.

Cross-Country Road Trip FAQ

How long does it take to drive across the country and see National Parks? About 5 weeks at a sensible pace on this route, or 24 days at a push.

Is it better to drive east to west? For these parks, yes, if you leave in June. You'll reach the mountain roads after the snow, and you'll finish in the Pacific Northwest's dry season.

Can I skip parks to save time? Yes. The easiest cuts are Mammoth Cave and Gateway Arch if you stay on Interstate 80, though you'd lose a good part of the middle of the country.

Do I need entry reservations? None of these parks needed a timed entry in 2026, though Cadillac Summit Road and some shuttles did. Rules change every year, so check Glacier National Park alerts and Yellowstone National Park alerts before you lock in dates.

More Road Trips and Park Pages

• Washington National Parks Road Trip: Olympic, Rainier, and North Cascades
• Glacier to Yellowstone Road Trip: Crossing Montana to the Tetons
• East Coast National Parks Road Trip: Maine to the Florida Keys
• Yellowstone and Grand Teton Road Trip: Jackson to Bozeman, Leg by Leg

Before you go: roads, campgrounds, and visitor centers close for snow, fire, and repairs, so check current conditions on the park conditions dashboard, which shows every National Park at a glance, updated daily.

Planning a different route? See all my National Park road trips.

This is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service. Driving times are estimates without stops, and conditions change; check each park's current alerts before you go.