National parks are incredible places for discovery, although oftentimes we think about visiting only the most popular: Yosemite, Yellowstone, Glacier, and a few others. Yet the National Park Service maintains and protects hundreds of parks, national lakeshores and seashores, recreation areas, walking trails, and more, all for you to take in and enjoy.
Assateague Island National Seashore
Assateague Island National Seashore is located in Assateague Island, off the coast of Maryland and Virginia. It’s a beautiful spot for nature lovers to hike, bike, camp, stargaze, fish, and even go crabbing, but it’s most known for its special four-legged animals: wild horses!
Horse lovers will enjoy visiting the national seashore to view and photograph the majestic creatures, who, according to local legend, are descendants of shipwreck survivors in the late 17th century (but were more likely intentionally brought to the island for tax evasion purposes).
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
Ever wonder what the Milky Way looks like? Travelers heading to Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area overnight might find out on a clear summer night.
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is a scenic gem located in the far northern reaches of Wisconsin, along the coast of Lake Superior and the nation’s northernmost border. There, travelers can catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights at certain times of the year (especially during the winter) and much more.
There are 21 different Apostle Islands, accessible by boat or sea kayak. Travelers can easily purchase a ride on a water taxi or take an NPS-authorized Apostle Islands Cruise to get the most out of a trip to the islands.
Isle Royale National Park
Isle Royale National Park is another paradise of unspoiled nature. Located off the Michigan shoreline on Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake, it’s accessible by seaplane and a variety of ferries and boat options. Travelers can also visit the national park via the Ranger III, too.Daytrippers are more than welcome, but travelers wanting to immerse themselves for longer (or take advantage of the dark northern skies and catch a glimpse of the Milky Way and even the northern lights) with a stay in the Rock Harbor Lodge or a campsite.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is often considered one of the most underrated of the American national parks, and it’s not hard to see why. The North Dakota national park, named after the president who advocated for the establishment of more national parks, offers great opportunities for hiking, photography, and encountering some of the nation’s coolest animals—including bison!Great Basin National Park
Great Basin National Park might just challenge your conception of the state of Nevada: It’s not all desert! The park offers ancient bristlecone pine forests, incredible night skies, scenic foothills covered in sagebrush, the stunning 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak, and the mysterious Lehman Caves.Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve
Do you ever wonder what it would be like to walk on another planet? You won’t even have to use much of your imagination during a visit to Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve.
Located in southern Idaho, the preserve is home to the remnants of ancient lava flows. The park is a great one to visit for a few hours, a half day, or a full night, with many of the biggest attractions, like caves and trails, available along a 7-mile stretch of Loop Road.
Capitol Reef National Park
Geologists will tell you that Utah’s scenic Capitol Reef National Park is special because of a wrinkle in the earth called the Waterpocket Fold, but the unique formation is only one of the park’s many attractions.Big Thicket National Preserve
You might just forget that you’re in southern Texas during a visit to Big Thicket National Preserve. The preserve boasts nine unique ecosystems across its 113,000 acres, from pine forests to cypress-lined bayous, offering guests a truly wondrous experience.Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Big Thicket offers nearly 40 miles of hiking trails and six waterway corridors, as well as opportunities for back-country camping, paddling, fishing, bird-watching, and much more.
The park offers a selection of developed regions, offering amenities like restrooms and more primitive units, ensuring that new campers and seasoned park professionals will be able to get the most out of their visit.
San Juan Island National Historical Park
Located off the coast of Washington State is San Juan Island National Historical Park. It’s home to incredible natural beauty, with a gorgeous rocky coastline, nearby pods of orcas, quiet forests, and one of the last native prairies in the region, but it’s a nationally designated historic park for one particularly strange reason: It’s the site of a near-beginning of war between the U.S. and Great Britain, started over the death of a single pig.
Travelers will love hiking, photographing the beautiful island, foraging mussels and seaweed, and exploring all its natural riches, but they’ll also learn about the so-called Pig War and how peaceful arbitration finally put an end to the incident and led to the creation of the current border between the U.S. and Canada.
Guests can visit the park via the Washington State Ferry system, by plane or by private boat. One important note is that no one is allowed to camp on the island, and the only food that is available is the food you bring yourself, so prepare accordingly.
