America’s national parks are some of the country’s best attractions. They offer visitors the chance to disconnect from the world, get remote, explore nature, and come face-to-face with wildlife. But in many of the States’ national parks (Yosemite and Grand Canyon – we’re looking at you), you’re more likely to come face-to-face with an iPhone, and exploring nature becomes weaving through crowds. If you’re looking for solitude in a vast open space, add these 8 underrated national parks to your wishlist.
Most Underrated National Parks in the USA
1. North Cascades National Park, Washington
Located in northern Washington State, the North Cascades National Park is one of the USA’s most incredible landscapes. Alpine lakes, deep forested valleys, jagged peaks, and rugged wilderness sprawl across 500,000+ acres. Jump on the North Cascades Highway for mindblowing viewpoints and scenery, leading you to the Thunder Creek Trail. There are many hiking trails in the North Cascades, and Thunder Creek is the gateway to all of them, taking you through ancient forests, past snow-capped peaks, and along the glacial creek. Hike or boat to Ross Lake and marvel at the breathtaking alpine panorama. The North Cascades is home to an eclectic ecosystem, including 200+ bird species, grizzly bears, black bears, cougars, bobcats, and grey wolves.
2. Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska
Find this unique national park in the Alaskan wilderness. The winter wonderland is the picture of awe-inspiring glacial beauty, with bright blue waters and powdery white snow cascading down jagged peaks. The best thing to do here is kayak through the stunning fjords, but you can also go hiking, camping, snowshoeing, biking, cross-country skiing, dog sledding, mountaineering, and more. Kenai Fjords National Park is also a hotspot for wildlife: humpback whales, fin whales, orcas, porpoises, sea lions, and sea otters can be spotted here.
3. Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
The smooth, golden sand dunes are the centrepiece of this diverse national park. One of the best things to do here is to hire a sandboard and glide down the highest dunes in North America, surrounded by incredible mountain scenery. There’s a lot more to this park than the dunes, though. Join one of the many hiking trails, traversing through everchanging landscapes, from desert-like sand dunes and canyons to deep forests, wetlands, and snow-capped mountains. There are a few campgrounds here, so you can make the most of this being an International Dark Sky Park and enjoy the incredible starry night sky.
4. Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
Lassen Volcanic National Park is a treasure trove of geological wonders and hydrothermal activity. It’s a fascinating place to visit, sculpted by centuries of volcanic action. Lassen Volcanic National Park has four types of volcanoes: shield, cinder cone, composite, and plug dome. While not everyone is into geology and volcanic action, watching them bubble and steam is still exciting. Lassen Peak is the most famous and tallest volcano in the park. It hasn’t erupted since 1921, but it’s still considered an active volcano. However, adventurous visitors climb the demanding trail to the volcano’s peak and are rewarded with an incredible view. All part of putting the ‘wild’ in wilderness adventure, eh?
5. New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia
New River Gorge might be the United States’ newest national park, but New River is believed to be the world’s second oldest river. Despite its name, the 53-mile-long New River is estimated to be between 10 and 360 million years old. And being surrounded by the notoriously ancient Appalachian mountains and forest, New River Gorge National Park is steeped in history and mystery.
The misty mountains are also a thrill-seeking adult’s playground. Soar above the clouds on the nation’s third-highest bridge – the dizzyingly tall bridge soars above the river, which is loved for world-class white water river rafting. Those who seek adrenaline-pumping adventure will also love rock climbing to extreme heights, or mountain biking through forest terrain.
6. Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota
Find the mystical Voyageurs National Park in deep northern Minnesota. Located along the US-Canada border, there is no shortage of conifer-clad alpine scenery. The park is home to 30+ lakes, perfect for swimming and kayaking, which are interconnected by waterways. Hop on a canoe and explore the beautiful waterways, dotted with islands and flanked by lofty cliffs, but be careful not to float into Canada – early French-Canadian voyageurs travelled through this ‘transcontinental highway’ in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
Back on land, explore the park’s 400+ archeological sites, or stick to the hiking routes for pretty forest trails and tranquillity. Time your visit right and you might catch a sighting of the aurora borealis (the Northern Lights) – stay overnight, stay on a non-cloudy night, and stay on a night when the moon isn’t shining too bright.
7. Badlands National Park, South Dakota
Enter a new world in South Dakota’s Badlands National Park. Characterised by sandstone erosions and distinctive rock formations that have created a Mars-like landscape, the park boasts vistas that seem too otherworldly to exist on this planet. The ravines, hoodoos, and canyons are incredible to explore, and several hiking trails introduce you to this geological marvel. The Medicine Root Loop is a quiet trail, winding through beautiful grasslands and rock formations for 4 miles. Or, hop in the car and drive the Badlands Loop Road for spellbinding scenery galore. The Badlands is also known for its varied wildlife, including bison, pronghorn, prairie dogs, coyotes, and bighorn sheep.
8. Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas
If ‘underrated’ means ‘few visitors and extremely remote’ to you, then Guadalupe Mountains might be your perfect national park. Located a stone’s throw from the New Mexico Order, in the far-flung corner of West Texas, the Guadalupe Mountains National Park is deceptively quiet. You would never know that it’s home to eight of the ten highest peaks in Texas.
Experienced hikers can make the beast ascent of Texas’ tallest mountain: Guadalupe Peak. The 8.5-mile roundtrip is not for the faint-hearted, but the panoramic mountainous desert views from atop the highest peak in Texas are worth the 3,000 feet of elevation gain. If this doesn’t sound appealing to you, don’t fret – there are 80+ miles of hiking trails to explore. The landscape is strikingly diverse: traverse through lush springs, desert flower-dotted meadows, deep canyons, and sugary-white sand dunes.