Snorkeling
Snorkeling is an official activity category in the National Park Service directory. Parks tag their programs, trails, and experiences with this label so visitors can find relevant opportunities. The NPS directory lists snorkeling at 14 parks and sites nationwide. Compare destinations below, filter to national parks only, and open any park page for trails, alerts, campgrounds, and trip planning.
14 parks and sites (NPS)
Featured parks for snorkeling
Upcoming events
Upcoming programs and events at parks in this collection (from the NPS Events API).
Guided Hikes on the Islands
On days that the concessionaire boats run to the islands, guided hikes may be offered by national park rangers, volunteers, or concessionaire naturalists. If they are not available to lead hikes, self-guided interpretive trail booklets are available. Guided hike locations, distances, and departure times will be announced after your arrival on the island during the visitor orientation. Please check with a ranger, volunteer, or concessionaire employee for more information.
Pensacola Bay City Ferry Service to Fort Pickens
Join a park ranger on a National Park Service ferry ride trip from Pensacola to Gulf Islands National Seashore's Fort Pickens Area then to Pensacola Beach. Once you arrive at Fort Pickens if you choose to get off, you will have a either 2.5 hours or 5 hours to recreate and enjoy the historic fortifications, private beaches, bike paths, fishing pier and visitor center. Ferry departure times from Fort Pickens to Pensacola Beachthree times a day.
Ship Island Excursions Ferry Service to Ship Island
Join a National Park Service ranger on a one-hour Ship Island Excursions ferry ride to Ship Island where you can have access to ranger-led programs in Fort Massachusetts and a private swim beach. The swim beach is a quarter of a mile walk on a boardwalk from the fishing pier. There is very little shade on the island and no transportation. Food and umbrellas are for purchase at an additional cost on the swim beach. No pets are allowed on the ferry. Fishing is only permitted on the sound side beach.
Ulana 'Ie'ie with Uncle Pomai
Join Uncle Pomai Brown in his sharing of the ancient skill of Ulana 'ie'ie (weaving the roots of climbing screwpine); used to make hina'i (fishtraps), mahiole (helmets), Ki'i akua (god images), and more.
Interpretive Talk
Attend our daily interpretive talk by a Park Ranger. Call the Visitor Center to see what program is being presented at this time. Topics will range from Volcanoes, Fruit Bats, History of the Park, Samoan Fale, The Coconut, to Samoa Legends. Can't wait to see you there! Most programs will take place at the Visitor Center. However, some may be presented elsewhere; double check with the Visitor Center when you call.
Life on a Barrier Island (Ocracoke)
Wars, hurricanes, winds, and ocean currents have all had impacts on the shores of Cape Hatteras. Join us to learn about the forces of change and the captivating world of life on an island .
Adventure Through Davis Bayou: Ranger Led Hike
Join a park a park ranger on hike and interpretation of the local area. Topics include bayou, alligator, or medicinal plants. Meet at the William M. Colmer Visitor Center in Mississippi.
All parks (14)

Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail
Established in 2000 to preserve, protect and interpret traditional Native Hawaiian culture and natural resources, Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail is a 175-mile corridor encompassing a network of culturally and historically significant trails. This "trail by the sea" traverses wahi pana (storied landscapes), ancient Hawaiian sites and over 200 ahupuaʻa (traditional land divisions).

Biscayne National Park
Within sight of Miami, yet worlds away, Biscayne protects a rare combination of aquamarine waters, emerald islands, and fish-bejeweled coral reefs. Evidence of 10,000 years of human history is here too; from prehistoric tribes to shipwrecks, and pineapple farmers to presidents. For many, the park is a boating, fishing, and diving destination, while others enjoy a warm breeze and peaceful scenery.

Buck Island Reef National Monument
Welcome to Buck Island Reef National Monument, called “the finest marine garden in the Caribbean Sea” by President John F. Kennedy. Snorkel the famous underwater trail, explore endangered elkhorn coral reefs. Hike the trails on the 176-acre island to the observation platform for an unparallel view. Discover a vibrant world above and beneath the waves in this Caribbean paradise.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore
The sound of ocean waves, the starry night sky, or the calm of the salt marshes, you can experience it all. Shaped by the forces of water, wind, and storms these islands are ever changing. The plants, wildlife, and people who live here adapt continually. Whether you are enjoying the beach, kayaking the sound, or climbing the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse there is something for everyone to explore!

Channel Islands National Park
Channel Islands National Park encompasses five remarkable islands and their ocean environment, preserving and protecting a wealth of natural and cultural resources. Isolation over thousands of years has created unique animals, plants, and archeological resources found nowhere else on Earth and helped preserve a place where visitors can experience coastal southern California as it once was.

Dry Tortugas National Park
Almost 70 miles (113 km) west of Key West lies the remote Dry Tortugas National Park. This 100-square mile park is mostly open water with seven small islands. Accessible only by boat or seaplane, the park is known the world over as the home of magnificent Fort Jefferson, picturesque blue waters, superlative coral reefs and marine life, and the vast assortment of bird life that frequents the area.

Gulf Islands National Seashore
Millions of visitors are drawn to the Gulf of America for Gulf Islands National Seashore's emerald coast waters, magnificent white beaches, fertile marshes and historical landscapes. Come explore with us today!

Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Experience outdoor thrills, striking landscapes, and brilliant blue waters. This year-round recreation area spreads across 1.5 million acres of mountains, canyons, valleys and two vast reservoirs. Visitors come here for scenic drives, biking, hiking, boating, fishing, camping, and much more.

National Park of American Samoa
The National Park of American Samoa invites you to discover the vibrant culture and stunning landscapes of the South Pacific. Experience a world unlike any other, where natural beauty and cultural heritage are protected for future generations. Join us in exploring these islands of sacred earth!

Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park
Imagine you had just broken the sacred laws, the kapu, and the only punishment was death. Your only chance of survival is to elude your pursuers and reach the Puʻuhonua, a place of refuge. The Puʻuhonua protected the kapu breaker, defeated warriors, as well as civilians during the time of battle. No physical harm could come to those who reached the boundaries of the Puʻuhonua.

Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve
Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve uniquely documents the human and natural Caribbean world from the earliest indigenous settlements in the central Caribbean to their clash with seven different colonial European powers to the present day.

Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument
Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument includes federal submerged lands within the 3-mile belt off the island of St. John. These waters support a diverse and complex system of coral reefs and other ecosystems such as shoreline mangrove forests and seagrass beds.
Showing 1–12 of 14 parks