The Best National Park Gateway Towns
We get it; not everyone wants to nosh on a dehydrated backpacker meal and shiver quietly in a tent after a long day of exploring the great outdoors. The good news? Many of America’s most incredible national parks have similarly fascinating gateway cities just outside their entrance stations.
Want to chow down on chef-curated Southwestern fare after hiking through Saguaro or book a full-body massage after strolling around sandstone mesas? Read on for ideas on what to do and where to go in the best national park gateway towns.
Closest parks: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Curecanti National Recreation Area
Top attractions: Historic downtown, fantastic restaurants, via ferrata
Surrounded by craggy, high-elevation summits and sky-high waterfalls, Telluride is a town so gorgeous that it feels like it’s been plopped right into a national park. That’s all thanks to the Uncompahgre National Forest, which surrounds this historic city’s red-bricked downtown. Sure, the town is known for its chic wintertime skiing, with jet setters flocking to resorts like the Madeline Hotel and Lumiere by Dunton, but Telluride is equally stunning in both summer and fall.
More about Telluride
Head for a cliff’s edge hike in nearby Black Canyon of the Gunnison or bring your stand-up paddleboard and cool off in one of the many reservoirs in Curecanti National Recreation Area. Back in town, you’ll have great access to locally-owned restaurants,like The Butcher and the Baker, and post-park activities, like guided via ferrata excursions.
El Paso, Texas
Closest parks: Chamizal National Memorial, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Top attractions: Southwestern cuisine, Indigenous heritage, historic Spanish missions
Set in the far western corner of the Lone Star State, El Paso boasts a surprisingly lively arts and culture scene, with ties to Mexico, Spanish missions, and numerous ancestral and modern tribes. The Chamizal National Memorial sits in the heart of town, created to honor the settlement of a deadly 100-year boundary dispute between the United States and Mexico.
More about El Paso
Home to striking outdoor murals and numerous walking paths along the Rio Grande, this urban oasis is worth an entire afternoon—just don’t forget to pack a picnic lunch! When you’re not hiking to the “top of Texas” at Guadalupe Mountains or marveling at the drippy underground limestone formations of Carlsbad Caverns, sate your hiker hunger at century-old L&J Café or peruse the paintings at the El Paso Museum of Art.
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Closest parks: Bandelier National Monument, Pecos National Historical Park, Santa Fe National Historic Trail
Top attractions: Beautiful architecture, thriving arts scene, Indigenous heritage
Perhaps one of the loveliest towns in the whole of the American Southwest is spellbinding Santa Fe. Home to an enchanting (and walkable) historic downtown, full of quaint shops and local art galleries, this high elevation stunner is also easy day trip distance to many ancestral Indigenous sites.
More about Santa Fe
Spend all day hiking to hand-carved cliff dwellings at Bandelier or visit Civil War battlefields at Pecos National Historic Park. Back in town, take a field trip to the original Meow Wolf or luxuriate in floral forms at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum before taking a relaxing soak at Ojo Santa Fe or bedding down in outrageously colorful adobe at the Inn of the Five Graces.
Monterey, California
Closest parks: Pinnacles National Park, Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail
Top attractions: Whale watching, historic cannery district, world-class aquarium
Tucked away on the California coastline sits the peaceful seaside community of Monterey. Home to a world famous aquarium and incredible whale watching in the nearby marine sanctuary, this gateway town is a must-see stop on any Highway 1 road trip. Go for a long day hike and learn about the area’s colonial history on the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail.
Experience more of Monterey
Get your adrenaline pumping on a hiking or rock climbing excursion in Pinnacles National Park. Just be sure to keep your eyes peeled for endangered California condors, which are making a comeback in the area. In town, stroll the historic Cannery Row and dine at a local seafood restaurant before snuggling up at the beachy Spindrift Inn.
Tucson, Arizona
Closest parks: Saguaro National Park, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
Top attractions: Excellent restaurants, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, scenic Mt. Lemmon Highway
It’s rare that a gateway town is sandwiched between two sides of the same national park, but far-south Tucson has the unique privilege of being bookended by Saguaro and its enormous, century-old cacti. Home to hundreds of miles of incredible hiking trails, phenomenal desert sunsets, and second-to-none chimichangas (at El Charro), this Arizona community is as vibrant as it is historic.
More to do in Tucson
When they’re not strolling through many-armed saguaro cacti, wildlife lovers will want to make a beeline for the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, where the area’s flora and fauna are on full display. History buffs won’t want to miss the 700-year-old Great House that’s preserved at Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. Indulge in a post-hike spa excursion to Miraval Arizona or saddle up and explore even more of the area’s epic arid mountains at Tanque Verde Ranch.
Montrose, Colorado
Closest parks: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Curecanti National Recreation Area
Top attractions: Natural hot springs, great bar-b-que, wintertime skiing
If you’re the type who likes to hit the local hot springs after a long day of outdoor adventure, look no further than the rural community of Montrose. Situated a quick, 30-minute drive to the adorable (and clothing optional) Orvis Hot Springs, this small town is big on charm and creature comforts. It’s also a fly fisher’s paradise, with excellent access to the Uncompahgre, Gunnison, and Cimarron Rivers.
Enjoy more of Montrose
Don’t miss the opportunity to book a waterside car camping spot at Curecanti National Recreation Area or wind around the scenic South Rim Drive at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Afterwards, feast to your heart’s desire at locally-owned Jimmers BBQ and get a dose of local history at The Rathbone Hotel & Parlor Bar, a new boutique hotel that also serves up small plates and locally-sourced wagyu burgers.
Sedona, Arizona
Closest parks: Tuzigoot National Monument, Montezuma Castle National Monument
Top attractions: Red rock hiking, Indigenous history, world-class wellness facilities
Nestled in the striking red rock and deep green conifers of the Coconino National Forest, Sedona is a marvelous gateway town with access to world-class mountain biking trails, gorgeous day hikes, and serene spa resorts. Though it’s not particularly near to any of the large U.S. national parks, it offers awesome proximity to historic native American sites, like the 900-year-old hilltop pueblo at Tuzigoot National Monument and the impressive Sinagua cliff dwelling found at Montezuma Castle National Monument.
Experience more of Sedona
Once you’re back in town, it’ll be hard to resist the allure of Sedona’s famous wellness resorts, like The Wilde and Mii Amo, both of which offer striking views of red rock escarpments. However, this lovely mountain hub is also home to fabulous Southwestern fare at Elote Café, hikes to supposed New Age vortexes, and a thriving arts and crafts shopping scene where travelers can support local artisans at Tlaquepaque.
By Emily Pennington
