There’s few things better in life than a national park road trip. When you make the journey itself part of the destination, whole new worlds open up to be explored and places you never would have thought to travel become your new favorite spots. Whether it’s small town soda fountains that make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time, off-the-beaten path hikes that fill you with a sense of solitude, or new experiences like whitewater rafting, road trips let us slow down and really get a sense of the places we’re passing through.

We’ve rounded up seven of our favorite routes crossing America’s deserts, mountains and forests, but also its cities, small towns and hidden gems along the way. So turn on your favorite playlist and grab the snacks because it’s time to hit the road. These are seven of the best national park road trips in the country.

1. Best of Colorado Road Trip Featuring 4 National Parks Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park (Photo courtesy Jeff Stephenson)

Wander the state that has inspired artists, writers and a national anthem on this mesmerizing Colorado road trip.

Katherine Lee Bates wrote the lyrics to America the Beautiful standing atop Pikes Peak in Colorado. “Oh beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain. For purple mountain majesties, above the fruited plain.”

The song that has become an American anthem was meant to sum up the country as a whole, but standing atop Pikes Peak, Bates knew what anyone who visits Colorado quickly realizes: here you’ll find some of the best the U.S. has to offer.