The World’s Best National Parks to Visit in 2026

Happy New Year, Matador readers.

Before we go back to the real world tomorrow, let's all take a moment to acknowledge how amazing it is that we get to live on Earth right now.

In the galaxy, Earth is an outlier. While our improbable rock hurls through space, trees hundreds of feet high tower from the ground to filter the air into something ideal for carbon-based life. The sky above us is constantly shifting color throughout the day, and more than half the planet is a watery wonderland where creatures that nearly break the laws of physics reign supreme. Those oceans carry heat in a regulated pattern around the world, while everything from mountains to valleys creates ecosystems that support an astonishing 8.7 million different species.

The odds of a planet like that developing are so astronomically small they’re almost absurd — and yet here we are. If you’re on Earth right now, you won the cosmic lottery. The only downside is that you only get a limited lifetime to explore it.

That's why in 2026, we've compiled a list of some of the most amazing national parks to visit that show off both the beauty and fragility of our world. From newly established marine reserves in which endangered species are thriving to sprawling arctic parks not (yet?) touched by tourism, these are the 15 national parks around the world that show off the most astonishing aspects of our shared pale blue dot.

See you on the trails,

Suzie Dundas, commissioning editor