National parks are sprawling wonders of nature that have left millions of visitors in awe, but there’s always that one person who manages to find fault, even in paradise. It’s mindboggling to think that some people have left bad reviews of national parks for the most absurd reasons. But the funniest thing is that one artist decided to illustrate those national park reviews.
Disclaimer: Amber Share is the original author of this article. The Bored Panda team has since updated it.
Who Is the Artist Behind the Posters of 1-Star Reviews of National Parks?
Amber Share is an American author and illustrator who started creating national park bad-review posters in 2019. She picked the worst one-star reviews from Google, Yelp, and TripAdvisor to create her humorous artwork. This culminated in a project called Subpar Parks based on her drawings. She also published a book pairing her illustrations with basic facts about the parks and inputs from park rangers. But let’s hear directly from Amber:
“I’m an illustrator, and I have always had a personal goal to draw all 62 US National Parks, but I wanted to find a unique twist for these poster designs. When I found that there are one-star reviews for every single park, the idea for Subpar Parks was born. For each park, I hand-letter a line from the one-star reviews alongside my illustration of each park as my way of putting fun and beautiful twist on the negativity.”
Let’s take a whimsical journey through her artwork and laugh at these one-star reviews of national parks that will make you question the sanity of the folks who left them. Share it with your friends so that they get a kick out of the weird reviews that people leave.
#1 Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park is located in California. It is well-known for its giant sequoia trees. The General Sherman Tree in the park is one of the oldest trees in the world—over 2000 years old.
143points
“I had been wanting to draw all of the national parks but wanted to find a way to add a bit of a twist to make it different from the other park illustrations already out there. I stumbled upon the one-star reviews online, and the drawing idea just came to me! I came to illustration by way of hand lettering, so finding words I could incorporate into the beautiful nature illustrations really helped the project come together,” Amber mentioned.
#2 Yosemite National Park
“Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra. First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.” (According to the National Park Service website)
126points
What Was Amber’s Favorite National Park to Illustrate?
“When it comes to my favorite park to draw and its review so far, I think it was Arches, which is why I did that one first! I don’t really know that I have a least favorite—they’ve all been so fun and different to draw so far and has really made me appreciate the diversity of beautiful views in the US! Yellowstone’s Grand Prismatic Spring was definitely the most difficult of these cool posters because it was so hard to capture (which makes that review even funnier!).”
#3 Grand Canyon National Park
“Unique combinations of geologic color and erosional forms decorate a canyon that is 277 river miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide, and a mile (1.6 km) deep. Grand Canyon overwhelms our senses through its immense size.” (According to the National Park Service website)
125points
“Sometimes, I find the perfect review really quickly for my nature drawings, and other times, I have to dig through several different review sites before I find the right one. It all depends on the park. I try to avoid any reviews about the park management or upkeep and stick solely to reviews that have to do with the actual nature because I think the audacity of criticizing earth is what keeps the project light.”
#4 Joshua Tree National Park
“Two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado, come together in Joshua Tree National Park. A fascinating variety of plants and animals make their homes in a land sculpted by strong winds and occasional torrents of rain. Dark night skies, a rich cultural history, and surreal geologic features add to the wonder of this vast wilderness in southern California.” (According to the National Park Service website)
124points
How Long Did It Take To Illustrate the Bad National Park Reviews?
“Each illustration took about 5-6 hours of work, depending on the park. So far, Cuyahoga Valley took the longest because it was tough to get the waterfall just right!”
#5 Isle Royale National Park
“Explore a rugged, isolated island, far from the sights and sounds of civilization. Surrounded by Lake Superior, Isle Royale offers unparalleled solitude and adventures for backpackers, hikers, boaters, kayakers, canoeists, and scuba divers. Here, amid stunning scenic beauty, you’ll find opportunities for reflection and discovery and make memories that last a lifetime.” (According to the National Park Service website)
120points
#6 Grand Teton National Park
Here is what the National Park Service had to say about Grand Teton National Park: “Rising above a scene rich with extraordinary wildlife, pristine lakes, and alpine terrain, the Teton Range stands as a monument to the people who fought to protect it. These are mountains of the imagination. Mountains that led to the creation of Grand Teton National Park, where you can explore over two hundred miles of trails, float the Snake River, and enjoy the serenity of this remarkable place.”
108points
#7 Saguaro National Park
“Tucson, Arizona is home to the nation’s largest cacti. The giant Saguaro is the universal symbol of the American West. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are protected by Saguaro National Park, to the east and west of the modern city of Tucson.” (According to the National Park Service website)
107points
#8 Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is a gorgeous wilderness recreation area atop a volcanic hot spot. It is home to hundreds of animals like wolves, bears, elks, and many species of birds. This gorgeous national park features canyons, alpine rivers, lush forests, and geysers, including its most famous, Old Faithful. This incredible wilderness range ranks high on many US national park ranking lists.
107points
#9 Arches National Park
“Visit Arches to discover a landscape of contrasting colors, landforms, and textures unlike any other in the world. The park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, in addition to hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive fins, and giant balanced rocks. This red-rock wonderland will amaze you with its formations, refresh you with its trails, and inspire you with its sunsets.” (According to the National Park Service website)
100points
#10 Glacier National Park
This is one of the most beautiful places in the US that everyone should visit at least once. “With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier is a hiker’s paradise for adventurous visitors seeking wilderness and solitude. Relive the days of old through historic chalets, lodges, and the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road.” (According to the National Park Service website)
97points
#11 Zion National Park
Although this funny national park review says quite the opposite, Zion National Park has a unique geography and diverse zones that allow unusual plant and animal life to thrive. This national park in southwestern Utah has four life zones: coniferous forest, desert, riparian, and woodland.
84points
#12 Olympic National Park
“With its incredible range of precipitation and elevation, diversity is the hallmark of Olympic National Park. Encompassing nearly a million acres, the park protects a vast wilderness, thousands of years of human history, and several distinctly different ecosystems, including glacier-capped mountains, old-growth temperate rain forests, and over 70 miles of wild coastline.” (According to the National Park Service website)
81points
#13 Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park review doesn’t do justice to its immense beauty. This national park contains some of the highest mountains in eastern North America, including the Clingmans Dome, Mount Guyot, and Mount Le Conte. One remarkable fact about it is that the Appalachian Trail passes through the park’s center.
80points
#14 Death Valley National Park
Death Valley is the fifth-largest American national park. It is also the hottest, driest, and lowest of all US national parks. It is located on the California–Nevada border and has a diverse environment with salt flats, dunes, badlands, valleys, canyons, and mountains. Some flora and fauna that have adapted to its harsh desert environment include the Creosote bush, Joshua tree, and Bighorn sheep.
77points
#15 Cuyahoga Valley National Park
This national park preserves and reclaims the rural landscape along the Cuyahoga River between Akron and Cleveland in Northeast Ohio. This is the only national park initially designated as a National Recreation Area. It is also different from other national parks in America because it is adjacent to two large urban areas.
77points
#16 Capitol Reef National Park
President Franklin D. Roosevelt designated the breathtaking Capitol Reef National Park a national monument on August 2, 1937. This was done to protect the park’s colorful canyons, ridges, buttes, and monoliths. It was opened to the public in 1950.
73points
Do You Agree With Any of These One-Star National Park Reviews?
The national parks in these illustrations are home to diverse plant and animal life and have unique attractions that draw many visitors. These pictures taken at national parks prove how spectacular these wilderness areas are. That’s why it’s shocking to learn that people out there leave bad reviews of national parks. If you want to check out more funny one-star review illustrations, here’s our update on Subpar Parks with an interview from Amber Share!