The 5 Best Podcasts About US National Parks, According To Expert Recommendations And Podcast Charts

The history of the National Park Service spans more than a century, in that time designating 400 places of natural, historic, and scientific significance preserved for use by the public. In fact, one of the nation's most beloved documentarians, Ken Burns, calls the national parks "America's best idea" in his 2009 documentary series for PBS. So it shouldn't be a surprise that podcasters –- many of whom are exactly the average Joes for whom the parks have been preserved –- have chosen to devote countless hours of talk time to some of North America's greatest natural cathedrals.

We've scoured listener reviews and recommendations on Reddit, travel and nature websites, and, critically, the podcast charts from Apple and Spotify, to uncover what listeners are enjoying right now. And it wasn't easy. National parks-themed podcasts fall into several categories, all of which we've tried to include: storytelling, true crime, park-specific information, and science. Here, we're bringing you the best of each category, with recommendations for additional listening, too. These podcasts will surely tell you what you're missing at the national parks you haven't checked off your list yet. 

A podcast that brings together travel, a dedication to finding good hiking routes, and comedic wordplay (a la "the gays"), "Gaze at the National Parks" appears on the Top 10 in Apple Podcasts, and is a FeedSpot favorite. Outdoor app Chimani says "These are the most entertaining hosts of all the podcasts. Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan are hilarious." Dustin Ballard is an actor, playwright, and teaching artist, while his co-host, Michael Ryan, works as a middle school art teacher and dabbles as a craftsman. They have a long-running friendship, and the idea for the podcast started with the duo taking daylong walks across Manhattan. Each podcast episode accompanies them on a new hike in a national park and educates listeners on the intersection of trails, park history, environmental justice, and queer representation. Although they've gone for New York City walks that few would ever tackle, in the national parks, they cover it all — not just the national park trails that are only for experienced hikers.

Honorable mentions in this category go to several other podcasts geared toward more specific national parks interests, which also appear at the top of Apple's national parks podcast results. These include "National Parks Traveler Podcast," produced by independent journalists that serve as watchdogs over the National Park Service and the Congressional decisions that impact the parks. The podcast and website coverage encompasses everything from climate change to RV-ing, giving travelers first-hand tips as well as education. L.L. Bean's "America's National Parks Podcast" and The Washington Post's "Field Trip" series on the future of the parks are also favorites with Apple Podcast listeners.

Montana's Glacier National Park is the producer and subject of the top-rated "Headwaters" podcast, which aims to reveal how changes at the park connect to everything else –- from Indigenous history to climate change to oil drilling. The podcast team, made up of park rangers, have pooled their experience as journalists, science researchers, and educators to create three seasons (at the time of this publication) each coiled around a central theme; bonus episodes explore stories of survival, trip planning tips, and individual species found in the park.

A reviewer on Apple Podcasts (RojoMesa) calls it "The Crown of National Park Podcasts," a riff on the national park's nickname, "The Crown of the Continent." The reviewer writes: "These episodes are well-written, well-researched, well-produced, involving an impressive array of individuals involved in the Glacier National Park story. As a listener, I have discovered a lot more about a place I love; I have also been stirred to caring about what is endangered to being lost." Travel Awaits, a travel site devoted to outdoor explorers aged 50+, ranks it as their fourth-favorite park pod.

Besides "Headwaters," the National Park Service has produced many podcasts centered on individual parks. Some explore science and natural history (like the "Voices of Science" series) or music and the sounds of nature (Capitol Reef National Park's "Music and Sounds" series or the Denali National Park's "Sounds of Denali: Ringtones"). Others provide audio guides to the park for visitors. Check the National Park Service's podcast feed to see if there is a podcast relevant to your visit.

Since the first season of "Serial" in 2014, which explored the 1999 killing of high school student Hae Min Lee and the conviction of her boyfriend (which was overturned eight years after the podcast dropped), true crime podcasts have been an obsession for listeners near and far. So you might not be surprised that there is a convergence between the nation's wildest and most undisturbed natural places and the seedy and morbid things that happen outside the glare of big city lights. "National Park After Dark" is on Apple's top ten national parks podcasts and is the only national parks podcast to rank in Spotify's podcast charts (it ranks #33 on Spotify's U.S. chart for true crime). It explores darker tales of history and tragedy in the parks, from the curious and ultimately hopeful framing of hosts Danielle and Cassie.

"It's a have to listen mixture of affection for the wilderness, history, mystery, and creepiness. With so much variety, you can't help but adore it," the NPAD website quotes from a review. Besides the podcast, hosts Cassie and Danielle guide small summer group trips to national parks for an in-person experience. Find them on Trovatrip at "National Park After Dark," but sign up early. Their 2025 schedule is already sold out. Reddit users also recommend our runners-up, "Locations Unknown" and "Park Predators Podcast," both of which tell stories of the spooky and strange in the park.

This comprehensive look at the national parks is a story-driven series with authors Matt and Karen Smith, who share adventures from their visits to all -– yes, all! -– of the national parks. (We've published a complete list of every national park in America, if you'd like to keep tabs.) Reviewers described listening to the podcast as a fun step in their trip planning. "Whenever I am planning a new trip to a National Park Service destination, this podcast is one of the very first places I go in order to get info and tips," an Apple podcasts reviewer (leswag_97) comments, joining the chorus of reviews that rate the show a 4.9 out of 5. Shows range from planning guides to mailbag replies to road trip recommendations of the most breathtaking scenic drives in national parks, all while the couple has more than a few laughs.

For storytelling from inside the NPS itself, check out the series "Oral History," which captures the voices of rangers, guides, and people born inside the parks. As the NPS reminds us, "People's stories are among the most valuable resources that the National Park Service preserves and protects for future generations." Another NPS podcast, "A Sense of Place", also tells stories of rangers and their efforts to make the park livable for its native species, conserve and sustain it for future generations, and rescue visitors (don't forget to pack the clothing colors NPS recommends wearing during your visit).

It seems only right that a podcast about the very first national park, an under-the-radar deep-dive from Yellowstone, should make the list. The most technical and science-led of the podcast recommendations so far, the name of the podcast itself is a bit technical. "Telemetry refers to the wireless transmission of information, often via radio waves, from one location to another. Our... audio series helps transmit some of Yellowstone's scientific investigations to listeners, wherever they are," explains the show's description. Listening to "Telemetry: The Sound of Science in Yellowstone" can also help you avoid some of the most upsetting tourist mistakes people make at Yellowstone.

Travel Awaits swoons over the episodes exploring Yellowstone's geysers, bison conservation efforts, and even grizzly bear encounters. While the series is not updated regularly (the most recent episode dropped in 2020) the thoughtful, richly layered science it explores will appeal to the nerdiest of park visitors or armchair biologists. Like other NPS podcasts, it's only available from Apple podcasts.

Through this article, we've relied on user reviews, recommendations by nature enthusiasts, and lists from podcast platforms Apple and Spotify, as well as our own knowledge of both podcasting and national parks. While some of our recommendations are wildly popular, we have also included a few that are more detailed and specific, reaching more of a niche audience. We wanted to recommend great podcasts that appeal to a range of listeners, from the generalist to the specialist. Aggregate recommendations dedicated to national park exploration from FeedSpot, Travel Awaits, and Chimani were taken into special consideration, too. And while you're learning more about national parks, find out if an America the Beautiful National Park Pass is right for you.