The Ten Most Spectacular National Park Sunsets We've Ever Seen

...and we've seen hundreds! These are the bucket list sunsets everyone should see.

There’s something about an incredible sunset that has a way of becoming a part of you. Something about the finality of the moment—who you’re sharing it with, the events that led you to that very spot, the reflection that takes place. Then there’s the pause just as that fiery ball starts to dip below the horizon. That day is forever gone, and we were lucky enough to be a part of it.

Even writing this post, I felt some of the lasting, warming feelings that still hang with me from these most cherished memories. I caught myself smiling at many of the photos included here, recalling specific details about each of them. Great sunsets sharpen the senses and seem to osmosis their way into a part of who we are. Can sunsets change us? Maybe.

Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to witness some truly unforgettable sunsets in America’s national parks—moments that made me stop, stare, and swear I’d never take another one for granted. Trying to recall all the best ones was fun, albeit difficult. Scrolling through photos on my phone filtered by “sunset” felt like a never-ending task. I don’t know for sure how many we’ve seen over the years, but it’s amounted to thousands and thousands of photos.

Now, I must say—and this will likely be a highly controversial statement, one that I know will earn me a spirited text from at least one person (cough, Jim, cough, cough) as soon as I hit send—personally, I’m more of a sunrise man. More solitude. Feels more earned. You really have to work for it to get to a good spot for sunrise.

That being said, let’s get to it. Here are ten of our favorite sunsets in the national parks after over a decade of extensive exploring.

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Our Favorite National Park Sunsets (You Just Have to See)

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River Bend Overlook – Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Mind you, these are in no specific order—River Bend Overlook was just one of the first sunsets that came to mind. I distinctly recall sitting with my good friend (who happens to be my brother-in-law), having a lovely conversation—and maybe a drop or two of a familiar sud—as the sun dipped toward the horizon. The clouds were polite enough to let the sun break through just before it disappeared, and, as it turns out, an equally courteous rattlesnake had slithered right by us without a peep. The air was crisp and the landscape free from any trace of human activity.