From Yellowstone to Yosemite, new cookbook reveals recipes inspired by America’s most iconic parks

As America prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, many families are rediscovering the places, traditions and flavors that help tell the nation’s story. 

Few places capture that diversity better than the U.S.’s national parks.

From the tropical waters of Florida’s Dry Tortugas National Park to the rugged wilderness above the Arctic Circle in Alaska, the parks offer visitors a glimpse into the landscapes that have shaped generations of Americans. Increasingly, they also offer a taste of the regional foods and culinary traditions that surround them.

“Whenever I know where I’m going on vacation, the first thing I think about is what I’m going to eat when I get there,” said Melissa Knific, the New Jersey-based co-author of the new “National Parks Cookbook.”

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The cookbook features 100 recipes inspired by all 63 national parks, drawing from local ingredients, historic lodges, nearby communities and regional food traditions. The result is a culinary road map of the United States.

For Dry Tortugas National Park, for example, located nearly 70 miles west of Key West, Knific developed Key Lime Coconut Bars inspired by one of Florida’s most iconic flavors. 

The recipes for Key Lime Coconut Bars and Four Marlins Salad with Key West Pink Shrimp found in the “National Parks Cookbook” are inspired by Dry Tortugas National Park. (Scott Suchman, Courtesy of National Geographic)

The park is also represented by a salad featuring Key West pink shrimp, a nod to the waters surrounding the islands.

At the opposite end of the country, Alaska’s Gates of the Arctic National Park presented a different challenge.

“It’s the most remote national park in the system,” Knific said.

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After researching local traditions and speaking with people familiar with the area, she created Wild Blueberry Sourdough Waffles, inspired by the region’s foraging culture and the importance of sourdough in remote Alaska communities.

Other recipes draw from America’s agricultural roots.

The recipe for Wild Blueberry Sourdough Waffles from the “National Parks Cookbook” is inspired by Alaska’s Gates of the Arctic National Park.  (Scott Suchman, Courtesy of National Geographic)

Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio — a park Knific described as “near and dear” to her — is represented by a roasted chicken recipe inspired by local farms operating within park boundaries.

For Knific, however, the project is about more than food.

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“We hope that this book serves as an inspiration for people, whether they’ve traveled to the parks and want to recreate a taste memory from those parks or haven’t had a chance to go and want to try something that represents that park,” she said.

Melissa Knific, co-author of the “National Parks Cookbook,” created a roasted chicken recipe inspired by Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio. (iStock; Nick Morgulis)

National parks have long been gathering places for American families — and Knific believes that food helps preserve those memories long after a vacation ends.

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“I think we can all probably come up with at least one memory of just the meal that you ate on that one vacation,” she said. 

“I really think it transports you back to that place in time.”

The recipe for Grilled Bison Skewers with Wojape, inspired by Badlands National Park, is featured in the “National Parks Cookbook.” (iStock; Scott Suchman, Courtesy of National Geographic)

As the nation approaches its 250th year, that combination of place, tradition and shared experience may be one of the most flavorful ways to celebrate America itself.

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“Go to whatever speaks to you,” Knific said. 

“Every park is worthy of a visit. We hope every dish is also worth making in the book.”