Subpar Parks
- Where Should We Camp Next?: A 50-State Guide to Amazing Campgrounds and Other Unique Outdoor Accommo - $12.99
- USA National Parks: Lands of Wonder - $24.36
- Scenic Science of the National Parks: An Explorer's Guide to Wildlife, Geology, and Botany - $19.39
- The Art of the National Parks (Fifty-Nine Parks) - $35.09
Subpar Parks: America's Most Extraordinary National Parks and Their Least Impressed Visitors is a tour guide through our country's finest specimens of Mother Nature. It is also a comedic compendium of reviews from people who clearly don't understand the nature of Mother Nature, and, along with some baffling comments, gave the parks just one star.
Written by Amber Share, Subpar Parks is based on the Instagram account of the same name. What's nice about both is that in addition to giving outdoor enthusiasts plenty of chuckles and opportunities to roll their eyes at the clueless and ignorant, they are also legit travel resources. Subpar Parks the book contains about 50% new material, and 50% information and reviews that have already appeared on Instagram. It also delves deeper into some of the more popular national parks, such as Yosemite, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon, and adds anecdotes and tips from park rangers.
You can see some of the more choice comments from 1-star reviews in the image gallery above, captioning Share's stunning illustrations of their corresponding national parks. Additional selections include:
- Denali National Park in Alaska: "Barren wasteland of tundra."
- Glacier National Park in Montana: "Too cold for me!"
- Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska: "Mountains not nearly tall enough."
- Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah: "Too spiky!"
- Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone at Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming: "I've seen better."
DudeIWantThat.com is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more.
/2023-holiday-gift-guide-gifts-62064.jpg?mode=crop "2023 Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts for the Great Outdoors")
2023 Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts for the Great Outdoors
What's great about online shopping is that you no longer have to go outdoors yourself to buy gifts for others to go outdoors. And I don't have to go outdoors to find them for you...
/national-parks-aprons-60273.jpg?mode=crop "National Parks Aprons")
National Parks Aprons
Yo, Semite Joshua, these are some Grand Yellow National Parks Aprons from Hedley & Bennett. Use them for cooking or grilling, give them as gifts to Mom or Dad, or snag one for yourself as a reminder of childhood trips...
/pendleton-national-parks-44646.jpg?mode=crop "Pendleton National Park Blankets")
Pendleton National Park Blankets
Chilly summer nights. Snuggling up under the stars in your favorite national park. Or maybe just in your backyard wrapped in your favorite Pendleton National Park Blanket. Pendleton's line of 100% wool warmers has been...
/trekking-the-national-parks-55543.jpg?mode=crop "Trekking the National Parks Board Game")
Trekking the National Parks Board Game
So many national parks, so little time to hike and camp and do #2s (and then bury them like a responsible nature lover) in them all. Well fret not, my dudes and ladies, because even if you can't hop in the Sprinter Van...
/national-park-wood-clipboards-49650.jpg?mode=crop "National Park Wood Clipboards")
National Park Wood Clipboards
Well, yeah, these National Park Wood Clipboards from Lemonee on the Hills are most excellent to look at. Cool ideas, beautiful landscapes, fine craftswomanship (Lemonee is aka Melanie). But from scenes from Yosemite and...
/national-park-scented-safety-48775.jpg?mode=crop "National Park Scented Safety Matches")
National Park Scented Safety Matches
I feel like National Park Scented Safety Matches should be less of a fun gift for outdoors enthusiasts and more, like...a bad April Fool's joke. With all the forest fires we've been plagued with the past several years?...
/national-park-topographic-map-37920.jpg?mode=crop "National Park Topographic Map Can Glasses")
National Park Topographic Map Can Glasses
Take a topographic tour of 4 of America's most famous national parks without leaving your couch, or your beer. Black Lantern's line of snazzy can glasses are each hand-printed with topo sections of either Yellowstone...
Survival Hacks
In addition to Survival Hacks: Over 200 Ways to Use Everyday Items for Wilderness Survival, author Creek Stewart has also written the book series Build the Perfect Bug Out, and served as host of the show Fat Guys in the...
/the-meateater-guide-to-47088.jpg?mode=crop "The MeatEater Guide to Wilderness Skills and Survival")
The MeatEater Guide to Wilderness Skills and Survival
It's another outdoor, off-grid survival how-to, this time from Netflix's MeatEater host, Steven Rinella. The MeatEater Guide to Wilderness Skills and Survival calls itself "the perfect antidote to the sensationalism of...
/living-off-the-grid-37291.jpg?mode=crop "Living Off the Grid")
Living Off the Grid
Living Off the Grid: What to Expect While Living the Life of Ultimate Freedom and Tranquility is author, speaker, and off-gridder Gary Collins' latest effort to teach others how to "unplug without sacrificing the joys...
/the-bucket-list-places-to-37551.jpg?mode=crop "The Bucket List: Places to Find Peace and Quiet")
The Bucket List: Places to Find Peace and Quiet
Are feeling zen and achieving self-actualization on your bucket list? The Bucket List: Places to Find Peace and Quiet is a book filled with ideas for those who take a slightly different approach to the trendy method of...
/muzo-personal-zone-creator-53724.jpg?mode=crop "Muzo - Personal Zone Creator & Noise Blocker")
Muzo - Personal Zone Creator & Noise Blocker
Muzo uses anti-vibration technology to turn the world off. (Makes sense, given the number of other devices that use pro-vibration technology to turn the world on--VibeRider, anyone?) At approximately the size and shape...