Make your fun adventure a safe and healthy one, too!
No one plans to get hurt or sick while out exploring in a national park. However, nature is unpredictable, structures are historical, and your equipment can unexpectedly fail. Planning ahead can be the key to a fun, safe, and healthy adventure.
Use the NPS Trip Planning Guide and Checklist to help plan your trip. The guide provides key safety considerations to help you avoid some of the most common mistakes people make when visiting national parks. The guide is divided into the four phases of your trip. Additional articles are there to help you with selecting the Ten Essentials, preparing your Trip Plan, and Emergency Planning. Don't miss out on these important tips to help prepare you for an emergency!
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
While most of the 423 units of the National Park System are available to visitors, parks may not have the ability to offer the level of service available before the pandemic. Updates about the NPS response to COVID-19 are posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus. Please check with individual park websites or download the NPS App for specific details about their operations.

Before the Trip
What do you need to know before you go?

Arrival at the Park
"Ask a Ranger" about alerts, weather and other conditions in the park.

During the Trip
Assess and adjust during your adventure

After the Trip
How did your trip go? What did you learn?
Last updated: March 4, 2022