Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) had more than 12 million visitors in 2024, or about 34,000 guests every day. That makes the 522,427-acre swath of mountains, streams, and historic farmland the most popular national park in the country—by far. The next-most-visited national park is Zion, with 4.95 million visitors last year, followed by the Grand Canyon at 4.92 million.

GSMNP is consistently the top park for visitation partly because of its location in southwestern North Carolina and southeastern Tennessee; it’s within 800 miles of 60 percent of America’s population.

And also because it’s beautiful. The forest is lush and green, blanketing the park’s 6,000-foot peaks and obscuring streams, waterfalls, and outcroppings. There are meadows full of elk and rivers stacked with trout, steep slopes, and placid lakes. GSMNP encapsulates the best the Southern Appalachians have to offer.

So, yes, people show up. On my recent trip to GSMNP, I sat for a solid hour in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Foothills Parkway, a scenic two-lane road that cruises the western border of the park. It sucked. But once I got inside the park, I was able to ditch the crowds and hike to a high elevation bald where I had a view of some of the prettiest damn mountains in the United States.

“Given the massive crowds, it could be tempting just to avoid the park altogether,” says Steven Reinhold, a photographer and owner of , which works in and around GSMNP. “But you’d miss out on what is arguably the most beautiful and biodiverse landscape in the country.”

The park, he notes, spans from 1,000 to over 6,600 feet in elevation, supporting a variety of different microclimates and ecosystems that range from Southern Appalachian hardwood to Canadian spruce-fir forests, within a few miles of each other.

“The cultural history is diverse, too,” he says, “from the stories and traditions of the Cherokee People��to the preserved farms and homesteads of its early European settlers.”

Keep in mind that if you do plan to visit this spring or summer, Western North Carolina is still recovering from Hurricane Helene. While Great Smoky Mountains National Park was largely spared by the brunt of that storm, it’s possible that some roads or trails could be closed for rehabilitation. Be sure to check the status of the park and active closures .

Living in nearby Asheville, North Carolina, I’ve had a lot of adventures inside GSMNP. Sure, I’ve waited for parking spots, but I’ve also hunted for salamanders with my children, gotten lost off trail (twice), pedaled my bike across the entire park, run into black bears, jumped off waterfalls, climbed historic lookout towers, and paddled pristine lakes. The park might be crowded, but that’s only because it’s awesome.

Here are six reasons why I think Great Smoky Mountains National Park is still worth visiting.

1. The Foliage Is Incredible

Come fall, the hardwood trees that blanket almost every inch of Great Smoky Mountains National Park��transform into a riot of red, orange, yellow, and gold from mid-September to early November. The timing for peak foliage depends on the elevation: the higher the trees, the earlier they turn. To see the most color overall, shoot for mid-October.

Cruising Newfound Gap Road, a 31-mile highway that crosses the heart of the park, will deliver non-stop color to the windows of your car. It’s such a pretty drive, you probably won’t even mind the crowds. If you want color with less traffic, head to the eastern border of the park, where the Blue Ridge Parkway ends and the begins.

The first portion of the road is paved and has overlooks similar to what you’ll find on the parkway, with views of the valley below and ridges on the horizon. After nine miles, the pavement turns into one-lane, gravel Heintooga Round Bottom Road, which drops for 14 winding miles into the depths of the park. It’s a slow, one-way trek that puts you in the thick of the golden forest of autumn, passing creeks and small falls before forming a partial loop and arriving in the town of Cherokee, a vibrant gateway community within the 56,600-acre Qualla Boundary, the cultural hub of the Eastern Band of Cherokee.

2. Explore Car-Free Biking��

I’ve ridden my bike across the park on Newfound Gap Road, which was beautiful but harrowing, as the car traffic on that highway is nonstop and the drivers seem unaccustomed to sharing the road with cyclists. Fortunately, park management has acknowledged us two-wheelers by creating inside the popular Cades Cove throughout the busy summer months.

Every Wednesday, from May 7 to September 24, the 11-mile loop through Cades Cove is closed to cars so walkers and cyclists can have the valley to themselves. This makes an easy, family-friendly pedal that delivers pastoral views and opportunities to check out historic structures such as cabins, churches, and school buildings. Among the plentiful hiking opportunities, is a five-mile out-and-back that follows a stream culminating at the 20-foot Abrams Falls.

3. You Can See—and Hear—the Elk Rut��

Elk were extirpated from North Carolina back in the late 1700s, but the National Park Service the species to GSMNP in 2001, bringing 25 into the park from Kentucky. Almost 25 years later, the elk population is thriving, with numbers reaching almost 250, according to the .

And they’re huge. The bull elk in the park weigh an average of 600 to 700 pounds and can stand five feet tall at the shoulder. When my children were about seven, my wife and I took them to see the elk before Christmas, and they were convinced the animals were reindeer.

Fall is the best time to see herds, as it’s their mating season, known as the rut, when males bugle and spar for the attention of females. Cataloochee Valley, in the southeastern corner of the park, typically has the largest concentration of the animals, and the big meadow off Cove Creek Road is a good spot to watch and listen for the calls.

I’ve seen the animals throughout the Smokies, from the pastoral Cades Cove on the western side to the high elevations of Balsam Mountain on the eastern edge. The elk are magnificent, but keep your distance and stay quiet so as to not disturb them.

4. The Fireflies Put On a Spectacular Show

Fireflies are a delight throughout summer in the Southern Appalachians and beyond, but a species of found inside the park puts on a choreographed light show every June. The bioluminescent beetles flash in unison, five to eight times in a row, pause for several seconds, then kick in again.

The prime time to catch the show is usually early June. You’ll have to register in the ($1 fee) for a chance to see the splendor. It’s not easy to get a ticket—20,000 people entered the lottery for just 1,240 vehicle passes in 2024—but you can’t win if you don’t play. Or, you can book a guided backpacking trip with , which covers roughly 13 miles of moderate terrain in the Elkmont area of the park over two days, taking in waterfalls and wildflowers during the day and synchronous fireflies at night ($1,970 for two people).

And the fireflies are just the beginning. The Smokies comprise the most biodiverse unit in the entire national park system, with over 19,000 species of bugs, plants, and animals. The Flamed Tigersnail, which can be found inside the park, emits a bioluminescent orange mucus when it’s feeling threatened. Meanwhile, the hellbender salamander can reach 29 inches long. And did you hear the elk?

5. Winter Is a Great Time to Visit��

While I’ve met people at Newfound Gap who have driven up from Florida in January so their kids can see snow for the first time, by and large visitation drops significantly in winter, and it’s a great time to explore the park. The trees don’t have leaves, which might sound like a bummer, but their absence reveals long-range views from trails that are usually socked in by the canopy.

Moreover, in my opinion, the best reason to visit GSMNP in the winter is the cross-country skiing; some of the park’s highest roads go unplowed during heavy snowstorms, turning them into XC playgrounds for the hardy. The seven-mile Clingmans Dome Road leads to the highest point in the park, formerly called Clingmans Dome and newly renamed Kuwohi in honor of the Cherokee people who consider the lofty peak sacred. Kuwohi, which collects the lion’s share of powder, is unplowed all season. Check before going—Highway 441, aka Newfound Gap Road, is often closed for plowing, preventing access to Kuwohi during the early part of storms. When the Newfound Gap Road opens, you can ski on Clingmans Dome Road and into Kuwohi.

I also like to watch , the innkeeper’s blog for the backcountry LeConte Lodge, which sits a mile high in elevation, for storm forecasts and snow totals.

6. Yes, You Can Avoid the Crowds. Here’s how.��

According to the most recent from the park service, Cades Cove is the most frequented spot in the park, with almost half of all peoplee planning to spend time in that area. Kuwohi, in the center of the park, and the on the western edge of the park, also get a lot of traffic, while half of all people also plan to hit the gateway towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, according to the same study.

What am I getting at? GSMNP might attract 12 million bodies, but most of them are going to the same places. They hit Gatlinburg, visit Cades Cove, and drive a piece of Newfound Gap Road to see Kuwohi.

That makes it pretty easy to avoid the crowds if you know what you’re doing. I’ve spent entire days inside GSMNP feeling like I had the place to myself.

“There’s not even available parking at popular spots like Cades Cove and Clingmans Dome in the summer and fall,” says Steve Dunkin, the president of Smoky Mountains Hiking Club, who also volunteers for the park inside Cades Cove. “Instead, visit the North Carolina side of the park, or the Cosby and Big Creek areas on the north end of the park, all of which see far less traffic.”

I like hiking to Andrews Bald on the , a 3.6-mile out-and-back that starts on the popular Clingmans Dome Road, but quickly leaves the crowds behind. Most people tend to stick to the nature trails and scenic walk up the concrete lookout tower, known as Clingmans Dome Tower, at the top of the mountain. You’ll pass through a high-elevation spruce/fir forest before hitting the bald, a grassy area with views deep into the park.

Or you can do something hard. The majority of visitors stick to short trails close to trailheads. I recently hiked to the top of Mount Cammerer, a craggy sub-5,000-foot peak in the northern corner of the park with an incredible view from a historic lookout tower. I had the entire mountaintop to myself. Why? Because getting there required a . And it was totally worth it. The view was stellar, taking in the Pigeon River Gorge below. The Cammerer tower is unique in the Southern Appalachians, as it was modeled after the live-in fire towers more common in the Western U.S.

You could also check out Fontana Lake, a 10,000-acre reservoir on the southwestern edge of the park, which offers lonely coves for paddling (look for rope swings!) and harbors isolated trails. I like the 3.5-mile piece of the that starts next to the Fontana Dam and climbs steeply to Shuckstack Fire Tower, where you’ll find a broad view of the lake, Smokies, and neighboring Nantahala National Forest.

Looking to camp? Try the under-valued , a 43-site facility sitting at 5,300 feet in elevation between the towns of Cherokee and Maggie Valley that has availability long after the uber-popular Cataloochee Campground fills up ($30 per night, make reservations up to six months in advance). I just checked and found sites for this upcoming weekend.

And if you have your heart set on hitting Kuwohi or Cades Cove, you can still do it without the crowds. “Go midweek, or time your visit for sunrise,” says the area guide Steven Reinhold. “Hit the park early and you’ll be done with your adventure before most visitors ever reach the trailhead.”

Graham Averill is �����ԹϺ��� magazine’s national parks columnist. He’s been visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park since he was a kid, and writing this article reminded him how much he loves that landscape.

The post This Is the Most Crowded National Park in the Country. You Should Still Go. appeared first on �����ԹϺ��� Online.

I’m driving a brand-new through the jungle of Puerto Rico, and I have the vehicle at such an awkward angle that one of my tires is hanging in the air. The rock obstacle I’m traversing on this particular four-wheel-drive trail is steep and off-camber, forcing the nose of the SUV down and the back right wheel to completely abandon the ground. I’m a “four tires on the ground” kind of driver, so I panic about how expensive rolling this vehicle will be. It still has that new car smell. I also think about the location of the nearest hospital. Typically in this situation, reason would take over and I would let off the gas, roll backward, and attack the obstacle at a safer angle, but a voice coming through my walkie-talkie tells me to trust the vehicle and apply steady pressure to the gas.

Watch: Test Driving the 2026 Honda Passport Trailsport SUV

I do what I’m told, powering through the rock slab (and my discomfort) only to come down smooth and safe on the other side. This is the beauty of the new Honda Passport Trailsport: Like a finely tuned full-suspension mountain bike, it irons out difficult terrain, making off-road trails more approachable for the masses.

This little debacle is part of my two-day test drive of the 2026 Passport Trailsport in Puerto Rico, where I had the opportunity to drive the mid-sized SUV over a variety of terrain, from winding two-lane roads to deep sandy beaches to an off-road course through the jungle designed to show off the vehicle’s adventure prowess. Honda is hoping the Passport Trailsport will win over hardcore fans of the Toyota 4Runner and Jeep Cherokee, and to be honest, the car made a hell of a first impression. Its rugged exterior, comfortable ride, and user-friendly off-road capabilities certainly won me over.

2026 Honda Trailsport Passport Specifications

Price: Starts at $48,450
Power: 285 horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine
Transmission: 10-speed automatic with paddle shifters
MPG: 18 city/23 highway

I am not a rabid off-road enthusiast. I don’t spend my weekends rock crawling through the desert, and my expendable income isn’t earmarked for after-market skid plates and suspension kits. But I do appreciate what a four-wheel-drive vehicle allows me to do. I’ve driven open-aired ATVs on multi-day tours across Utah and Nevada, and spent countless nights camping out of the back of four-wheel-drive vehicles. I’ve owned Jeep Cherokees, Toyota 4Runners, and Nissan Pathfinders. I currently drive an F-150 with an FX4 off-road package that includes a lift and enhanced suspension.

I’ve liked all of these vehicles because they can get me deeper into the backcountry while carrying the gear I need. I like to camp deep in the forest away from the crowds, so I need a vehicle that can handle rough trails. But the truth is, I mostly use my truck for running errands on paved roads around town.

In short, I am the target audience for the new Honda Passport Trailsport—someone who spends 90 percent of my drive time on paved roads, but occasionally wants an SUV that can handle snow, beach driving, and four-wheel-drive trails. Honda’s Trailsport development team says it was designed to be a daily driver that doubles as a gear hauler and off-road workhorse. Honda is touting the Passport Trailsport as their most capable off-road vehicle to date. It’s also damn pretty to look at and a super comfortable ride.

Off-Road Performance

Honda gave the Trailsport plenty of power with a standard V-6 engine and enhanced off-road capability with a new front and rear suspension system with increased lateral stiffness and forged-steel arms; the all-wheel-drive system also boasts 40 percent more torque than previous models. The Trailsport also has 8.4 inches of clearance, about a quarter inch more than the previous model, that’s maximized by a front overhang that is set back to increase clearance on steep terrain. The undercarriage has beefy protection from ground contact thanks to steel-armored plates protecting the fuel tank, transmission, and oil pan. Wide, 18-inch all-terrain tires (the biggest tires Honda has ever used on an SUV) and front and rear recovery hooks round out the standard off-road package.

I drove this vehicle across terrain that I normally would not attempt in any of the four-wheel-drive vehicles I have owned in the past, navigating a jungle course and trails through rock, off-camber angles, steep ascents and descents, and deep sand, all of which tested my own off-road skills. I think I was cantilevered with a wheel in the air more often during my two-hour jungle drive than in my entire adult life. And the Trailsport not only outperformed my expectations, but did so in total comfort, and with a user interface that is intuitive, even if you don’t have much experience driving off-road.

Simply use a button to choose which off-road mode you want (Trail, Sand, Snow, Mud), all of which calibrate the suspension and torque based on the conditions. For instance, if you’re in Trail Mode, which is the general four-wheel-drive setting, and you lose contact with the ground on one or more tires, 75 percent of the torque will be sent to the wheels that are still in contact with the ground; the system maintains 25 percent of potential torque on the airborne wheels, so there’s an immediate transfer of power once ground contact is regained. This is what allows you to carefully throttle through certain obstacles.

And while you’re in Trail Mode, the Trail Watch camera system is activated on the 12.5-inch touch screen, engaging four cameras so you have a complete view of what’s around your vehicle while you’re navigating the trail. This enhanced view gives uneasy drivers more confidence that they’re keeping their vehicle safely on the trail and allows them to see obstacles that might be hidden from their natural point of view. Gauges on the dash track your elevation, pitch, and rollover status on the driver display so you can keep an eye on key factors that keep you safe in rough terrain.

I also really liked the Downhill Descent feature: Click a button on super steep terrain and the Trailsport goes into “autopilot,” maintaining your speed on the downhill. A similar Brake Stop feature will keep you from sliding backwards on steep ascents.

None of this is ground-breaking technology, but the fact that it all comes standard in the Passport Trailsport is incredibly enticing, especially to a casual off-road enthusiast who isn’t quite sure what features he/she should add on to their purchase.

On-Road Comfort

That’s not to say the Trailsport is only an off-road workhorse. The truth is, most people that buy this SUV won’t test its limits the way I did in Puerto Rico. It is an easy, comfortable car to drive, whether you’re heading deep into the desert or taking kids to their Saturday soccer game. The cabin is plush, with synthetic leather seats that wipe clean, a panoramic roof that comes standard, and lots of easy-to-navigate tech with a large touchscreen as the infotainment hub. The seats are heated and there’s even a built-in wireless phone charger in the front console.

Cargo space is off the charts, too, thanks to the almost 84-cubic-feet of hauling space when the second row seats are folded down. That means you can fit two adult mountain bikes inside the vehicle. There’s also under-floor-storage that holds a spare, and is big enough for folded camping chairs or other camping gear even with the spare stored inside. Large side storage bins add dedicated spots for smaller items too. Even the cupholders between the two front seats are big—large enough to fit 32-ounce Nalgene and Hydroflask bottles.

One of my favorite details is that every model of the Passport Trailsport comes standard with all-season rubber floor mats, which is typically my first purchase after I get a vehicle.

�����ԹϺ��� Ready

Honda also created a new line of accessories that can be added at the factory or dealership, giving you a handful of packages that enhance certain aspects of the vehicle. There’s a Pet Package that includes seat covers and a separation barrier, and a Tow Package that adds a trailer hitch, hitch harness, and ball mount. My favorite is the Trailsport �����ԹϺ��� Package, which includes a platform roof rack, Molle storage panels in the trunk, a rear LED cargo light, and a cargo shelf that increases the hauling capacity in the trunk and can be converted into a picnic table with the screw-on legs that are stored next to the spare tire.

Another cool detail that won me over: There’s a garnish on the tail end of the roof that’s made of a resin material that allows you to lean skis or fly rods against the vehicle without scratching the body.

Final Thoughts on the Honda Passport Trailsport

Honda built the Trailsport to compete with the Toyota 4Runner, in hopes of gaining some die-hard 4Runner fans with its combination of off-road prowess and top-of-the-line styling. Normally, I’d say there is no chance that a new SUV would win the hearts of 4Runner devotees because of their cult-like enthusiasm for that rig (I say that as a card-carrying cult member myself). But I know that a lot of 4Runner fans are upset that Toyota has abandoned the V-6 for a 4-cylinder turbo engine, so I think there’s a window for Honda to pick up some ground in the mid-sized SUV category.

My two-day test drive of the Passport Trailsport was a winning experience, and if I were in the market for a new SUV, this would be at the top of my list. But the Trailsport is not perfect, at least not for my personal requirements. First and foremost, Honda is not producing a hybrid version of the Passport Trailsport. I want my vehicle to do three things: take me into the backcountry, carry my gear, and do as little environmental damage as possible. Hybrids and electric vehicles aren’t a silver bullet, but I do believe they’re a step in the right direction, and I think my next vehicle will be a hybrid (if not fully electric). That’s a personal preference, and I’m sure many will disagree with me in the comments.

Another thing to consider: the Passport Trailsport only has two rows of seats. This is less of an issue for me now that my kids are driving their own vehicles, but I know plenty of people who simply will not buy an SUV that doesn’t have third-row-seating. That’s a non-starter for them.

But the Honda Passport Trailsport is a badass vehicle. It will take you deep into the backcountry, handling a variety of terrain along the way. And with its superior cargo space and smart accessories, it will carry the gear you want to use once you reach your destination. And isn’t that exactly what we all want from an off-road vehicle?

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The post How Rugged Is the New Honda Passport? I Drove One Through the Jungle to Find Out. appeared first on �����ԹϺ��� Online.

Bigger is not always better. While we spend plenty of time oohing and ahhing over larger mountain towns like Boulder or Chattanooga, there are dozens of smaller hamlets with fewer than 6,000 full-time residents that offer the right combo of amenities and quick access to some of the best spots for outdoor recreation in the country. Here are my favorite small adventure towns across the United States, from minuscule hiking and climbing outposts to bustling ski towns.

Bethel, Maine

Population: 2,730

Why I Love It

Bethel is the kind of town that makes you consider relocating. Tucked into Western Maine’s Lakes and Mountains region, the village itself is super walkable with an eclectic array of restaurants, while being surrounded by public land, from the peaks that make up the expansive White Mountain National Forest to the less-intimidating Community Forest trails accessed directly from town.

The slow-moving Androscoggin River passes through the village (prime tubing in the summer) and an ever-growing is attracting more and more mountain bikers.

Oh, and Bethel is flanked by two ski resorts. is the larger of the two, with more than 2,000 feet of vertical and 750 acres of terrain (not to mention a couple of heated lifts), while is the mom-and-pop ski hill we all wish we had in our backyard, with $39 lift tickets every day, a friendly uphill policy, and a solid mix of terrain to keep it interesting.

Signature �����ԹϺ���s

Most people come to Bethel to ski Sunday River. If you’re looking for a challenge, head to Oz, a zone loaded with steep double black runs, or take Lollapalooza to Blind Ambition, an expansive gladed run on the edge of Jordan Bowl. Bring your mountain bike during the summer. Mt. Abram has lift-served terrain, but you can hit a number of trails directly from the edge of town. is a fun, flowy three-mile loop in the center of the Bethel Village Trails on the south side of the village.

Where to Eat

has a genius cocktail menu, as well as a seafood chowder that hits just right on a cold winter night. If you’re looking for something more casual, has burgers and a rotating New England IPA on tap.

Where to Stay

The will put you on the southern edge of the village, within walking distance of restaurants, and direct access to some of the town’s most loved mountain bike trails (from $126 per night).

Stowe, Vermont

Population: 5,230 or 745

Why I Love It

Quite simply, Stowe is the East Coast’s best ski town, especially this winter as Stowe Mountain Resort has enjoyed 329 inches of snow (and counting) at the time I’m writing this article, and then you have the New England charm of the village itself, with its steeples, covered bridges, and brick federal architectural style. And all of this sits in the shadow of the massive Mount Mansfield State Forest and Smugglers’ Notch State Park.

Not cool enough yet? How about an aggressive and progressive local population that’s worked to preserve more than for public use while building out a growing system of singletrack and nordic trails that can be accessed straight from town. Is Stowe still a sleepy hamlet tucked into the hills? Yes and no. The village still feels small, but it can be expensive, and it can get crowded, but that’s the proverbial price you pay for being the best ski town on the East Coast.

Signature �����ԹϺ���s

In the winter, you’re obviously skiing Stowe, which is one of the East’s best resorts, with more than 2,000 vertical feet of drop, and 653 skiable acres split between two mountains: Mount Mansfield and Spruce Peak.When the snow melts, combine a slice of the and the for an eight-mile loop that climbs the 4,393-foot Mount Mansfield via a 2,000-foot climb that includes some ladders and scrambling before reaching the treeless summit, where you can see the surrounding Green Mountains and the White Mountains in New Hampshire.

Mountain bikers should pedal the Stowe Recreation Trail, a six-mile paved path along the What River, to access , Stowe’s signature trail network with 12 miles of purpose-built singletrack. Make sure you hit the mile-long Florence, considered by many the best flow trail in the northeast. And listen, everyone should make a point to visit Stowe during fall, when the weather is crisp and the hardwoods are popping off in a barrage of reds, yellows, and golds.

Where to Eat

is incredibly hip, incredibly good, and incredibly crowded, but get on the waitlist and when it’s your chance, order the Vermont cheddar fritters and their smash burger and listen to the DJ spinning from a wall of vinyl. And if you’re in Vermont, you have to stop by the and pick up a four pack of the beer that put the brewery on the map, Heady Topper.

Where to Stay

Stowe has resorts attached to the ski hill and quaint bed and breakfasts, but check out the new cabins and lodge rooms at a few miles outside of town, with direct access to Stowe’s Recreation Path. The lodge has its own bar, pool, and hot tub and a grassy lawn overlooking the West Branch of the Little River (from $151 per night).

Silverton, Colorado

Population: 713

Why I Love It

Sitting at 9,300 feet in elevation, Silverton is a former gold and silver mining town that has found new life as a basecamp for outdoor adventure, thanks to the surrounding San Juan Mountains—a hotbed of skiing in the winter and alpine adventure in the summer. If you’re standing in downtown Silverton, you’re within and 15 miles of seven of Colorado’s 14,000-foot summits.

The entire town is a National Historic Landmark with buildings erected in the late 1800s that still retain their Wild West vibe. Greene Street, the main road through the heart of town, is the only paved street in the municipality. I’ve visited Silverton during the winter, on my way to ski the backcountry terrain in the San Juan mountains, but I’m dying to get back in the summer and early fall to check out the growing network of mountain bike trails and see the aspens surrounding town turn gold.

Signature �����ԹϺ���s

Experience the best of the San Juans in summer by hiking the , located in the Weminuche Wilderness of the San Juan National Forest. The eight-mile out and back passes through meadows packed with wildflowers before delivering you to a trio of high-alpine lakes that are known to house rainbow, cutthroat, and brook trout. The hike tops out at 12,000 feet in elevation, but you can climb higher by picking up the Continental Divide Trail above the lakes.

The local bike club, the Silverton Singletrack Society, is in the process of building out 30 miles of singletrack in a system called that you can pedal to from town. The first six-mile loop has just opened, offering a steep climb before releasing you to a 1,000-foot, flowy descent.

If you have the skillset, I highly recommend skiing , which is like no other ski “resort” in the country. A single chairlift rises from a warming hut, from the top you can skin out to a cornucopia of backcountry lines, all of which demand expert-level skiing. If that’s not enough terrain, Silverton Mountain also offers heli-bumps from the top of the chairlift.

Where to Eat

has great IPAs as well as a full menu, from cauliflower tacos to pizzas loaded with sausage and bacon.

Where to Stay

The has 15 modern rooms in a multi-story building that once housed a gas station, ballroom, and lodge hall. The hotel sits in the heart of downtown and every booking comes with a $10 drink credit in the lobby bar (private rooms from $176 per night; bunks in the 10-bed bunk room from $75 per night).

Highlands, North Carolina

Population: 1,110��

Why I Love It

Highlands, which is one of the highest incorporated towns east of the Mississippi (elevation: 4,118 feet), has been a mountain escape since the late 1800s, originally attracting wealthy travelers who flocked to the village for its clean air and pristine surroundings.

People today show up for the same reasons, and Highlands has grown into a cultural hub of the mountains, with a surprisingly robust art and culinary scene given its small footprint. Main Street is bustling with shops, galleries and restaurants, while the surrounding Nantahala National Forest offers fast access to hiking trails, mountain lakes, and waterfalls.

Signature �����ԹϺ���s

Hiking Whiteside Mountain, a 4,903-foot peak named after the sheer, granite face that rises to its summit, is the must-do adventure close to town. The two-mile forms a loop that delivers you to the edge of this 700-foot cliff, one of the tallest in the eastern U.S.

You can actually drive your car behind Bridal Veil Falls, just outside of town, but for a more adventurous waterfall, head to Bust Your Butt Falls, a swimming hole just off Highway 64 on the Cullasaja River with a jumping rock and natural water slide at the base of the falls.

Where to Eat

You can’t turn around without stumbling into another fancy (and pricey) restaurant in Highlands, but I like for its to-go sandwiches and snacks that hit the spot on big hikes.

Where to Stay

Highlands has no shortage of high-end hotels and resorts, but I like the new , a 14-room motel that was recently renovated into a boutique stay where each room has its own typewriter and turntable with record collection (from $189 per night).

Kanab, Utah

Population: 5,200��

Why I Love It

You can’t beat Kanab’s location. Tucked into the desert of southern Utah, just north of the Arizona border, Kanab sits within striking distance of some of the Southwest’s most iconic landscapes. Bryce Canyon National Park is an hour north, Zion National Park is 45 minutes west. If you’re looking to take a dip, Lake Powell is an hour east, and drive two hours south and you’ll hit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

The town itself is steeped in Hollywood history, as more than 200 Westerns were filmed in the canyons around town. Kanab itself has a bit of a Moab vibe (think adobe buildings and streets sprawling through the desert floor) but it’s far sleepier than its gateway cousin, and in my opinion, has a much better culinary scene.

Signature �����ԹϺ���s

So many parks, so little time. For something unique, head to where you can sand-board the 75-foot tall dunes, made of grains of quartz coated with iron oxide, giving them a pink hew. You can rent sand boards or sleds from the at the park ($25 per board).

Hike Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch, considered the longest slot canyon in America. The is the fastest way into the gorge, a 3.4-mile round trip that delivers you to the canyon. From there, you can explore up or down the canyon to your heart’s content. The gulch is in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. You’ll need a for the day hike.

Buckskin Gulch is more than 12 miles long, and 200 feet deep at its low point. The walls are never wider than 20 feet during its entire length.

Where to Eat

Kanab is a legitimate foodie destination with a handful of restaurants that punch above the weight of a town this size. If you’re looking for a memorable dinner, head to , where the menu revolves around a series of small plates, from foraged local mushrooms to chili-rubbed beef sourced just across the border in Arizona.

Where to Stay

There are plenty of hotels around town, but spend the night at , a glamping resort with geodesic domes that have king beds, their own kitchenette, and massive windows overlooking the red rock cliffs (from $170 per night).

Patagonia, Arizona

Population: 789

Why I Love It

Start in Tucson, then head an hour south (almost to the Mexican border) and you’ll find tiny Patagonia, a former mining town that’s just starting to transition into a bonafide adventure town. This one-street village is surrounded by 10,000-foot peaks, and sits within striking distance of two state parks—Patagonia Lake and Sonoita Creek. But the real draw here is the myriad of gravel roads that extend from main street into the surrounding hills, traversing an endless sea of desert grassland.

You’ll hear both Spanish and English spoken throughout town, which also sports the tell-tale signs of a modern mountain outpost (like at the coffee bar with weekend food trucks), but is still hanging onto its blue-collar roots (and rooms are still relatively cheap).

Signature �����ԹϺ���s

The 800-mile long Arizona National Scenic Trail, which runs the length of the state, can be found just outside of town. Head south for a meandering hike through rolling grasslands, or north and you’ll tackle the Santa Rita Mountains, where steep climbs and granite peaks await.

But you’re probably here for the gravel riding, too. The options are endless, and the terrain is rolling instead of grueling, so plan for big-mile days. Start with the 30-mile Alto Ghost Town ride, which climbs through a series of canyons on its way to the ruins of a former mining camp. The undulating grasslands turn gold in the fall but form mesmerizing, shimmering waves regardless of when you ride through them. has rentals (from $125 per day).

Where to Eat

The has build-your-own pizzas, margaritas, and classy oil portraits of The King, while brews coffee in the morning, beer in the afternoon, and hosts rotating food trucks on weekends.

Where to Stay

Grab a spot in the nine-room hotel, which sits on main street within walking distance of everything, and has dedicated bike storage (from $125 per night).

Mazama, Washington

Population 200��

Why I Love It

There’s small, and then there’s Mazama, a hamlet in central Washington’s Methow Valley that has less than 200 year-round residents and a “downtown” that’s nothing more than a handful of businesses situated around a junction where two roads meet. But Mazama has everything you need—food, beer, supplies, and a place to sleep.

More importantly, the town is surrounded by the , the largest network of nordic ski trails in the country (120 miles), all of which were created and maintained by a non-profit, also called . During the summer, there’s whitewater rafting on the Methow River, and trad and sport climbing on the Goat Wall, a 1,500-foot tall cliff overlooking the valley. Need more? Mazama is a gateway to North Cascades National Park, which has more glaciers than any park in the lower 48, and also happens to be one of the least visited parks in the country, with under 17,000 visitors last year.

Signature �����ԹϺ���s

State Road 20, a.k.a. North Cascades Highway, closes from Mazama into the park during the winter, but come summer, the two-lane offers a beautiful 90-minute drive west over Washington Pass. The of the park offers the easiest access to Mazama. There, you’ll find three reservoirs of differing shades of milky blue. Grab a canoe ($75 a day) from and explore the lake, which is surrounded by steep, green mountains. Or hike the 3.5-mile to a prominent point overlooking Diablo Lake.

If you make the trek during winter, cross country skiing is the ticket. There are 120 miles of nordic trails throughout the valley, all of which are groomed nightly. Crazy right? Mazama has its own trailhead, where you can kick and glide along the 11-mile , which has minimal gain but big-valley views.

Where to Eat

There aren’t a lot of options, but the has to-go sandwiches and snacks and is the best example of what a modern general store can be. The has a taproom and patio with views of Goat Peak, not to mention craft beer, rice bowls, and even sushi.

Where to Stay

The has lodge rooms within walking distance of the Public House (from $182 per night).

Fayetteville, West Virginia

Population 2,900��

Why I Love It

In the 1800s, the New River Gorge area attracted lumberjacks and coal miners, as the river canyon was rich in both resources. Now, it attracts hikers, boaters, and climbers, and the New River Gorge has become one of America’s newest national parks.

The small town of Fayetteville has stood witness to it all, evolving into a world-class gateway community with a historic downtown square, and just enough in the way of restaurants and shops to keep visitors and locals satiated. Fayetteville still retains that sleepy, small town vibe, but just beyond the city’s borders lies some of the best outdoor recreation in the East, starting with the whitewater rafting and world-class climbing inside the New River Gorge. There’s also mellow paddling on Summersville Lake, mountain biking on the Arrowhead Trails, a hand-carved system built by Boy Scouts, and more whitewater action on the nearby Gauley River.

Signature �����ԹϺ���s

Most people show up to raft the , which runs for 53 miles through the heart of the 1,000-foot deep canyon. The river is typically broken down into two day-long runs. The Upper New is more family friendly, with 13 miles of class I-III rapids, while the Lower New has big hits that reach class IV plus.

The whitewater is exciting, but the climbing is actually better, with more than 1,500 established routes along the sandstone walls that loom over the river below. And that doesn’t even include the growing number of bouldering problems found in the gorge. The climbing isn’t easy (grades top out at ) but will put you on the right route if you’re looking for a guide (starting at $130 per person).

Where to Eat

Fayetteville’s downtown square sports a handful of restaurants. Operating out of a former church just off the square, has been the town’s go-to for breakfast and lunch for decades. If you ride a couple of hot laps on the flowy , make sure to stop by the for a cold beer and a brat (or taco) served al-fresco in their beer garden.

Where to Stay

The New River Gorge supports several adventure outposts, where you can find cheap campsites or luxury cabins. I like , which has options spread across a 350-acre campus with its own restaurants, a pool, and a stunning view of the gorge itself (covered platform tent sites start at $49 per night).

McCall, Idaho

Population: 4,066��

Why I Love It

The obvious draw to McCall is the skiing. The small town sits in the Cuddy and Salmon River Mountains of Idaho, collecting 300 inches of snow a year, with quick access to three ski resorts, Tamarack Resort, Brundage Mountain, and the aptly named Little Ski Hill, which has night skiing and just a T-bar for a lift.

But then you also have Payette Lake, a 5,000-acre beauty surrounded by green peaks and full of trout that have been beckoning anglers since the 1800s. Not to mention, whitewater rafting on the Middle Fork and Main Fork of the Salmon, and a growing portfolio of mountain bike trails, as well as ample hiking trails in Payette National Forest and Ponderosa State Park. Begin stacking all of these attributes up and it becomes obvious that the draw to McCall is…everything.

Signature �����ԹϺ���s

Many will argue that has the best powder in Idaho, so skiers should head there during a winter visit. The mountain has almost 2,000 acres of front-side terrain to explore, but it’s the 18,000 acres of backcountry that you can access via the resort’s that are the real gem here (starting at $575).

Bring your bike in the summer as McCall is rapidly becoming a , earning a Silver Ride Center designation from IMBA, with a diverse suite of trails that’s rapidly approaching 500 miles large. Head straight for , a golf course resort that’s gone all-in on mountain biking with 17 miles of fast, flowy descents, some of which are packed with wooden features, all accessed via easy-to-climb fire roads or shuttle ($30 per rider).

Where to Eat

McCall is a bustling adventure town with plenty of options for a good meal, but has award-winning lagers to go along with their fried wild salmon and chips.

Where to Stay

takes modern Scandinavian-inspired design and puts it into a 1970s-era motel built with local timber. And the rooms walk out onto an expansive lawn with games and fire pits (from $131 per night).

Bigfork, Montana

Population: 5,249��

Why I Love It

At first glance, Bigfork is a lake town, sitting on the edge of the massive Flathead Lake, which has 200 square miles of water and 185 miles of shoreline. And it has plenty of kayaking and fishing for those that are water inclined. But it’s also a hiking town, with quick access to the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the Flathead National Forest, and numerous state parks.

Want a little adrenaline? Bigfork is also the basecamp for whitewater adventures on the Middle Fork and North Fork of the Flathead River. Oh, and Bigfork is just an hour from the West Glacier entrance to Glacier National Park. So is Bigfork a lake town? Yes, but it’s also so much more.

Signature �����ԹϺ���s

Head to the of Flathead National Forest, a 15,000-acre tract within the Bob Marshall Wilderness featuring more than 20 alpine lakes. Hike a 6.6-mile loop combining the (#717) and the Picnic Lakes Trail to the rocky summit of the 7,000-foot Mount Aeneas, where you’ll find views of the Jewel Basin lakes below, and the ridges of Glacier National Park on the horizon. You’ll occasionally find mountain goats on the summit too. Bring a flyrod and try to land one of the cutthroat or rainbow trout that thrive in the Picnic Lakes on the back end of the loop.

Flathead Lake has six state parks that protect its shoreline and the islands in the middle of the water. Paddle two miles across the lake from the boat launch in Dayton, Montana, to , a 2,165-acre state park in the middle of the lake that’s only accessible by boat. Instead of cars, you’ll see feral horses and bighorn sheep. has kayak and paddleboard rentals (starting at $40).

Where to Eat

has views of the lake, 16 beers on tap, and a large pub-food menu that includes a burger topped with jalapeño poppers. So, yeah. Yum.

Where to Stay

is an all-inclusive dude ranch on 2,000 acres running along the shores of Flathead Lake. You’ll get access to the property’s 15-mile private mountain bike trail system, canoes, hikes, and horseback rides to backcountry breakfast (starting at $5,103 a week). If you’re looking for less of a financial commitment, has cabins and Airstreams, all of which come with private access to the lake (from $210 per night).

Graham Averill is �����ԹϺ��� magazine’s national parks columnist. He’s been lucky enough to live in a few of America’s most fun (and expensive) adventure towns, and recently wrote about the country’s best mountain towns. He also recently wrote about the best national parks for spring break trips.��

The post The Top 9 Small �����ԹϺ��� Towns in the U.S. appeared first on �����ԹϺ��� Online.

There’s no way I can keep up with Ted Ligety when he lets it rip down the groomer. He has two Olympic gold medals and five World Championship gold medals, and I’m not even the fastest guy in my unofficial weekly races back home. I know this, and yet, I’ve convinced myself that I can stay on Ligety’s tail as we ski groomers at Utah’s Deer Valley resort. I blame my skis.

Watch: Testing the DPS Pisteworks 79 with Ted Ligety

I’m testing the new DPS Pisteworks 79, a pure carving ski that is so fun and energetic, they have me believing I’m as fast as one of the best U.S. ski racers of all time. Therein lies the beauty of this new ski: The Pisteworks 79 makes you think you’re better than you actually are.

Based in Salt Lake, DPS is a ski manufacturer known for its innovation in the off-piste market. For the last 20 years, the brand has made fat powder skis using carbon fiber when most other ski companies rely on fiberglass. The Pisteworks 79 is their first foray into a frontside carver, and the company brought on Ligety to help design the ski. The result is a board that’s decidedly narrower underfoot and built to slice through groomers like a dad slicing through a Thanksgiving turkey.

When DPS asked me to test the ski, I was worried that the Pisteworks 79 would be more ski than I could handle. I’m a capable skier, but I don’t have a racing background, so I never learned the mechanics of a proper turn. Would I be able to handle a ski specifically designed for the very thing I’m not very good at? The answer is a resounding yes.

Also read: The Best Skis for Intermediates Ready to Level Up

I spent a day skiing the Pisteworks 79, trying in vain to keep up with Ligety, and I’m happy to report that these new skis might have been designed by an Olympian, but they were made for weekend warriors like me.

DPS Pisteworks 79 Specifications

Dimensions: 126-79-109 mm
Lengths: 160, 167, 174, 181 cm
Radius: 13.5 m (174 cm)
Weight: 1,650 g (174 cm)

The Build��

While the rest of the ski industry insists that fiberglass is the superior material to wrap around a wood core, DPS is leaning deeper into carbon because of its durability and superior energy return. The result is a lightweight speed demon (the 174-length skis that I tested weigh just 1,650 grams) that pops through turns and comes with a lifetime warranty.

The Pisteworks 79 was already in the works when Ligety joined DPS, but he was instrumental in enhancing the ski’s flex profile and camber. Given their carbon build, I was worried the Pisteworks 79 would be too stiff, but they flexed exactly where and when I wanted them to in each turn.

The lighter weight carbon build also gives these skis an enticingly buoyant feel. You don’t float through turns, you rebound through them; that’s the signature energy return that carbon brings to the table. Think of the carbon plates that are becoming common in running shoes and you’ll understand the springy feel that I’m talking about. The force you put into your turn comes back at you as you release and start your next turn.

The turn radius of the ski is a short 13.5 meters, which is indicative of a ski that’s built for quick, snappy work. The Pisteworks 79 is indeed lively, engaging quickly as I charged through a series of slalom turns on steep groomers. I’ve always , but I’m actively working on perfecting the sweeping arc that you see in giant slalom races.

Specifically, I’m trying to angulate more as I change direction to engage more of the edge of the ski, and the carbon in this ski gave me a helping hand in carving larger radius turns. I was able to sink deeper and commit into each turn, getting at least a fraction closer to the knuckle-drag that has become part of Ligety’s signature style.

This is all by design, as the Pisteworks 79’s material, flex pattern, and sidecut were manipulated to perform a variety of turn shapes with minimal effort. Ligety calls the ski a cheat code because it makes the art of carving a little more attainable to mere mortals like me.

The energy return of carbon is the real deal, too. I skied a full day at elevation, hammering groomers from start to finish, and I was less fatigued than I normally would be after similar efforts. Chalk it up to the light weight of the carbon skis, the energy return of the carbon wrap, or the overall design of the Pisteworks 79. It’s probably a magical combination of all of the above. Typically, I’m exhausted at the end of the day of skiing big western mountains, but I felt strong when the lifts shut down, and I wasn’t ready to go home.

Who Is the Pisteworks 79 for?

This is not an expert racing ski, but it’s also not a cruiser for beginners. It is built to move fast and carve deep, so it’s not the ideal ski for a relaxed day on the mountain. I logged every run of my test day and averaged roughly 8 mph faster than I normally ski. I never felt out of control, but I always had to stay engaged in the process while wearing these skis.

And this should be obvious based on its width, but the DPS Pisteworks 79 is not an . It is a specific tool designed for one specific thing: carving groomers. The skis handled bumps fine, but I wouldn’t take these sticks off-trail or into the back bowls. I also didn’t love them on the few icy slopes I found while exploring Deer Valley. No ski is great on ice unless you have a World Cup tune, but because of the lightweight construction, these are definitely designed for the softer groomed snow you find out west.

But for those lacking a user-friendly frontside carver, the Pisteworks 79 is an attractive new option. It’s also for those of us who have come to terms with reality and realized�� that the majority of runs we take are on groomed slopes. There’s no shame in that game, and with a tool like the Pisteworks 79, those groomers can become a fresh canvas for carving art.

Also, it should be noted that DPS skis are not cheap. The Pisteworks 79 lists at $1,995 without bindings. That’s almost double the price of other skis in the same carving category. But every ski is made at the DPS factory in Salt Lake, and all of their materials are sourced in the U.S. as well. I got to watch the ski-making process in person, and while there is some machinery and automation involved, the process is largely done by hand by craftspeople. Is that sort of craftsmanship worth the money? That’s up to you.

Will the DPS Pisteworks 79 help me win my weekly races and keep up with Olympians like Ted Ligety? No. But they’ll make me think I can do these things, and you can’t overstate the importance of confidence on the slopes.

The post Ted Ligety and DPS Introduce a Carving Ski that Anyone Can Arc On appeared first on �����ԹϺ��� Online.

America’s national parks are known for their vast tracts of unspoiled wilderness, and we love celebrating the trails that take you deep into the backcountry��of these iconic landscapes. But sometimes, the best views in our national parks can be enjoyed from the comfort of your car. Here are the eight best national park scenic roads.

1. Trail Ridge Road, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Trail Ridge Road carves a 48-mile path through the heart of Rocky Mountain National Park, connecting the gateway towns��of Estes Park and Grand Lake. It’s one of the highest paved roads in the country, with a peak elevation of 12,183 feet at the Gore Range Overlook. The two-lane blacktop is a stiff challenge for cyclists (I always see a few on this road when I’m in the park) as it climbs more than 4,000 feet in just 12 miles, but it’s a convenient way for the rest of us to enjoy a high alpine environment; roughly eight miles of the road cruises above tree line with expansive views in either direction. Given the altitude, snowfall means the road is typically only open from late May to early October. I drove the road in July with my family one year, and we marveled at the amount of snow that was still piled up at the pass.

Best View��

The Gore Range Overlook (at mile 19.3 if you’re coming from Estes Park) sits near the crest of the road with long range views to the west of the Never Summer Mountains. Gaze down from the parking lot and you’ll see small ponds scattered across the tundra. To the east, you can see Longs Peak, one of Colorado’s most famous 14ers.

Get Out of Your Car

If you drive the entire road, you’ll have more than a dozen opportunities for short hikes. Make sure you explore from the Alpine Visitor Center. It’s usually not as crowded as Alpine Ridge, which also begins at the visitor center, but takes you through the high alpine tundra with views of the Never Summer Mountains in the distance and the Cache de la Poudre River below. You’ll hit a forest of spruce and firs after two miles, which is where most people turn around. If you go all the way to Milner Pass, it’s an eight-mile out and back, dropping 1,000 feet on its way to the pass. Keep an eye out for pikas and marmots along the way.

Reservations

You need a to enter Rocky Mountain National Park during the summer, but if you’re only planning to stick to Trail Ridge Road and not visit the super popular Bear Lakes Corridor, then reservations are easier to get and only necessary between 9 and 2. So even if you don’t plan ahead, you could start your drive early and catch the sunrise, or start in the afternoon and enjoy the sunset.

2. Chain of Craters Road, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii��

You should drive this road now, while you can, because there’s no guarantee that the pavement will exist in the future. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, on the Big Island, encompasses several active volcanoes that have altered the landscape and the two-lane scenic highway multiple times in the last century. Currently, Chain of Craters Road is just shy of 19 miles long, traveling from the top of Kilauea Volcano to the Holei Sea Arch, which hangs over the Pacific Ocean. The road used to carry on past the arch, but that portion of the highway has been swallowed by lava. That’s what makes this road different from most others in the national park system; you get the opportunity to see the lava that created the Hawaiian islands up close and personal, as the road cruises by several active volcanic craters and the remnants of their outbursts.

Best View

Most of the pullouts along the road offer expansive views of lava fields in various stages of existence. The newer ones will be dark, rolling fields void of life, but the older lava flows will have vegetation and trees sprouting from the creases. The best view comes at the end of the road, when you can take a short walk to see the Holei Sea Arch, a tall, skinny window in a lava-rock cliff that formed over time as the Pacific Ocean slowly eroded the center of the rock.

Get Out of Your Car

There are a handful of hiking opportunities along the Chain of Craters Road. You can even hike what’s left of the former road beyond the current turn-around point at Holei Sea Arch. If you want a short hike, the .7-mile will take you on a boardwalk through an old lava field to a vast collection of petroglyphs that were carved into the lava more than 500 years ago.

Reservations

No reservations required. Entrance fee is $30 per vehicle.

3. Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia��

Skyline Drive runs 105 miles through the center of Shenandoah National Park, following the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Consider this road a compressed version of the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway, which connects Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks. You can do the road in half a day, but a campground and at the halfway mark make this the perfect two-day adventure. The two-lane road crests at 3,680 feet and offers 75 pullouts with views that extend deep into the mountains and down to the Shenandoah Valley below. Timing your visit during the fall, when the hardwoods in the surrounding mountains are popping with color, makes Skyline Drive a bucket list experience. Biking Skyline from end to end is one of the most memorable centuries on the East Coast. The road is open year round, but will occasionally be closed during the winter because of snow. Check the before you start your trip.

Best View

There are overlooks every couple of miles along Skyline, but the views really stack up around the midpoint as the road reaches its highest elevations. Spitler Knob Overlook, at milepost 48.1, looks west, taking in the Shenandoah River below and the mountains that divide Virginia and West Virginia on the horizon. The sunset from here is stunning, too.

Get Out of Your Car

Head for the highest point in the park by hiking the to the 4,049-foot Hawksbill Summit. The 2.1-mile out and back begins at milepost 46.5, and ends at an observation platform on top of Hawksbill with a 360-degree view of the mountains and surrounding Piedmont.

Reservations

No reservations required. Entrance fee is $30 per vehicle.

4. Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier National Park, Montana��

Yeah, this road is crowded, with parking lots along its path notoriously filling up by 10 A.M., but there’s a reason. Going-to-the-Sun Road, which bisects Glacier National Park while connecting the small gateway communities of West Glacier and St. Mary, might be the most scenic two-lane blacktop in the entire national park system. The 50-mile-long point to point highway delivers views of glaciated peaks, backcountry lakes, and the occasional waterfall, not to mention a great chance to see mountain goats. The road is an engineering feat as well—it took workers two decades to complete, with builders boring a number of tunnels into the cliffs. Going-to-the-Sun is only open to vehicles during the summer (typically from mid June to mid October), and there’s a brief hiker/biker season in May when human-powered traffic can access the road after it’s been plowed, but before the gates are open to cars.

Best View

Logan Pass is the most popular destination on the road, thanks to the visitor center and multiple trailheads there, but the Jackson Glacier Overlook has the sweetest view, as it gives you the best chance to see a glacier from the comfort of your car.

Get Out of Your Car

Going-to-the-Sun provides access to some of Glacier’s most iconic hikes and landscapes, so you could spend a full week knocking out trails without ever venturing beyond the road’s corridor. The 2.8-mile is a classic. You won’t have the trail to yourself (it’s one of the most popular hikes in the park) but the terrain you’ll experience is iconic Glacier, passing through meadows full of wildflowers in the summer before it��reaches a vantage point overlooking a high alpine lake nestled at the base of the granite-rimmed Bearhat Mountain. Turn back or double your mileage by following the trail to the edge of the lake itself.

Reservations

You need for the west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road from June 13 to September 28, between the hours of 7 A.M. and 3 P.M. Show up before or after that daily window if you want to drive the road but can’t score a reservation.

5. Crater Lake Rim Drive, Crater Lake National Park, Oregon��

Crater Lake is a sight to behold. The 13,148-acre pool is the deepest lake in the United States, fed entirely by rain and snowmelt, and completely encompassed by the rim of a volcanic crater that was formed more than 7,000 years ago during an eruption. And it’s all set within the backdrop of Oregon’s Cascade Mountain Range. The 33-mile Rim Drive gives you a chance to see this lake and the crater from every angle as it forms a paved, two-lane path around the entire scene. There are 30 overlooks along the way, most of which offer a good view of the bright blue water and Wizard Island, a cinder cone island rising 775 feet above the surface of the lake. One of the coolest features of the road is that it was built to disappear into the landscape, so that you can’t see it as you’re looking out over the lake. Like many of the scenic park roads built in the 1920s and 30s, Rim Drive has tight curves and very little shoulder, so drive cautiously and watch out for cyclists. Crater Lake National Park gets an average of 41 feet of snow a year, so the road closes for winter, typically from November 1 to June 1.

Best View

Watchman Overlook, 6.5 miles from the visitor center, has one of the best views of the lake, particularly at sunset as it faces west. There’s also a short, mile-long Watchman Peak Trail that leads to a fire lookout tower with a 360-degree view of the lake, crater, and surrounding Cascade Mountains.

Get Out of the Car

You’ll get plenty of vista views of the lake from above, but is the only legal trail you can take down to the water’s edge. Find the trailhead on the East Rim Drive, 4.5 miles from where North Entrance Road intersects with West Rim Drive. It’s a steep, 1.1-mile sandy path from the road to the lake, dropping 700 feet before hitting the boulder-laden shore. Yes, you can take a dip in the water, but it’s cold, averaging 57 degrees in the summer.

Reservations

Crater Lake National Park doesn’t require reservations, but there is a $30 per vehicle entrance fee.

6. White Rim Road, Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Canyonlands National Park’s White Rim Road isn’t like others on this list. Instead of a paved highway, is a 100-mile four-wheel drive route through the backcountry of Canyonlands, forming a loop around the park’s Island in the Sky district. It’s a two-day adventure, at minimum, requiring a high-clearance 4WD vehicle, as well as solid navigational and backcountry skills. But if you have the chops, there’s no better way to see the park than driving (or mountain biking, if you are so inclined) White Rim Road. Named for the pale slickrock that dominates much of the road’s terrain, the driving is a mix of sandy washes, rough rocky stretches and the aforementioned slickrock, which will occasionally take you to the edge of canyons. It’s a two-way road, but most people drive it clockwise. No matter which you go, it should only be attempted by overland veterans and always keep an eyee out for oncoming vehicles, hikers, and bikers. You’ll see towering buttes and monoliths as you drive along the Green River and switchback your way up and down the edges of deep gorges.

Best View

You’ll see some amazing scenery throughout the entirety of this road, but Monument Basin, roughly 30 miles into the drive if you’re moving clockwise, will give you the chance to park above beauitful canyons and snag an Instagram-worthy shot. Inside the basin below, you’ll see countless red sandstone spires rising from the valley floor.

Get Out of Your Car

The is a 3.4-mile out and back that leaves White Rim Road at mile 65 and meanders across the slickrock to the ruins of a stone structure built by the indigenous people that inhabited the area hundreds of years ago. From the ruin, you’ll have a grand view of the Green River below, with its lush banks standing in contrast to the red desert on either side.

Reservations

Any overnight along White Rim requires a . You can apply for a permit up to four months in advance of your trip ($36 permit fee, plus a $5 per person, per night camping fee), and designated campsites are scattered along the route.

7. Grand Loop, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho

�۱�����Ƿɲ��ٴDzԱ�’s Grand Loop isn’t a single road, but a combination of two-lane roads that form a 145-mile figure eight through the heart of the park. You can do the entire figure eight or just tackle the upper or lower loop. If you attempt to drive the entire Grand Loop, it will be an all-day adventure. Some visitors even break it up into two full days, knocking up the Upper Loop on day one and Lower Loop on the second day. Drive the entire Grand Loop and you’ll hit most of the highlights in America’s oldest national park, with a chance to stop at geothermal wonders like Mammoth Hot Springs, Old Faithful, and Grand Prismatic Spring, while also being able to take quick detours to iconic landscapes, like the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and the Lamar Valley, a broad grassland bisected by the Lamar River that attracts big game like bison and grizzly bears. If you have a snowmobile, you can explore the Grand Loop during winter, otherwise you’ll have to plan your trip between May and the end of October, when the road is cleared of snow. And be prepared for the occasional “bison jam,” when cars stop to watch the locals.

Best View

Artist Point Overlook, a detour off of the Upper Grand Loop on the South Rim Drive, provides the best view of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, which is 20 miles long and more than 1,000 feet deep. From this overlook, you get a great view of the canyon’s Lower Falls, a tumultuous 300-foot waterfall flanked by steep rock walls.

Get Out of Your Car

The seven-mile out and back from ��delivers views of the park’s most iconic landscapes, with vistas of the rim of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Hayden Valley (a primo wildlife watching spot), and Yellowstone Lake. On a clear day from the lookout tower on top of Mount Washburn, you can see straight into the Grand Tetons, too. You’ll be following an old stage coach road on this hike, so there’s even a bit of Wild West culture thrown in for good measure.

Reservations

No vehicle reservations needed. Entrance fee is $35 per vehicle.

8. Park Loop Road, Acadia National Park, Maine

�������徱��’s Park Loop is the quintessential national park scenic drive: it’s short, gorgeous, and provides access to the park’s most popular destinations. The 27-mile one-way loop traverses the eastern flank of �������徱��’s Mount Desert Island skipping from freshwater ponds to beaches and cliffs, delivering some of Maine’s most iconic coastal views along the way. Acadia gets three million visitors a year, so the road gets congested, but you can still complete the loop in just a few hours. Take your time though, as Park Loop provides access to short trails and beaches that could keep you entertained for days. If you get a timed entry permit, you can tack on the three-mile too, which rises 1,530 feet straight out of the ocean, offering long range views of the Atlantic.

Best View

Dramatic views are a near constant along Park Loop, but Otter Cliff stands out above the rest, literally and figuratively. Otter Cliff is 110 feet tall, making it one of the tallest cliffs on the east coast. Spruce trees sprout from the top of the cliff, while a boulder-strewn beach can be seen below. Hit the cliff during the summer and there’s a good chance you’ll see multiple species of whales in the water.

Get Out of Your Car

Make a stop at Sand Beach, where you can take a swim if you’re brave enough to handle the Atlantic’s frigid temperatures, lounge and walk the , an easy stroll that accesses a variety of views of the Atlantic and Mount Desert Island’s coastline. The path will also take you to Thunder Hole, an inlet carved into the cliffs where incoming waves create a thunderous echo.

Reservations

You don’t need reservations to enter Acadia or drive the Park Loop, but you will need them if you want to drive the summit road to the top of . Entrance fee to the park is $35 per vehicle.

Graham Averill is �����ԹϺ��� magazine’s national park columnist. He loves a scenic road with an overlook as much as the next tourist and he recently wrote about the best road trips in the Southwest. He’s excited to plan his family’s next spring break trip, too.��

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The modern world is not quiet. Or maybe I should say:��people are not quiet. I live in a small mountain town, which you might expect to be an entirely peaceful habitat. But from my yard, throughout the day, I can hear cars on the interstate, kids playing, delivery trucks backing up—it’s a constant barrage of background noise that has become so much a part of our lives. I’m actually uneasy when I experience truly quiet situations.

Recently, I was camping alone in Utah, at the base of a canyon near Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, which is several miles from the nearest road. The silence was all-encompassing. Occasionally, I could hear the wind move through a sandstone channel behind my campsite, but otherwise, there was no noise. The sound of silence was so far from my status quo that it was disconcerting. No bugs. No fire crackling. Just…me.

But we need that quiet in our lives. Studies show that experiencing even brief periods of silence can help lower , improve , and even stimulate . As the world becomes noisier, more people are in search of silence, with “quiet-cations” becoming one of the hottest trends in .

The good news? There are still places where you can go to find total quiet, or at least places where the only sounds you hear are from nature: birds, crickets, wind rustling trees.

is a non-profit that researches and certifies locations all over the world based on the decibel levels of background noise (background noise in certified quiet locations doesn’t exceed 45 decibels).��I selected some enticing destinations deemed Quiet by the organization and scoured our public lands, looking for broad swaths of wilderness that are located so far from noisy roads and towns that they’re bound to be silent.

Here are 9 hush-hush destinations for your next quiet adventure.

1. Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas

There’s West Texas, and then there’s Far West Texas, a remote corner of the state near the Mexican border. Once you hit Far West, keep going, and you’ll find Big Bend Ranch State Park, a massive (311,000 acres) swath of mountains, canyons, and desert along the Rio Grande. Together with its neighbor, Big Bend National Park, Big Bend Ranch makes up the largest International Dark Sky Reserve in the world. The lack of ambient light pollution that delivers dark skies also means there’s a lack of ambient noise, contributing to quiet days. I spent several days exploring Big Bend Ranch on a mountain bike a few years ago and saw more road runners than people.

There are more than inside the park, some of which meander past old movie sets, Native American homesites, and the occasional oasis, not to mention more canyons and cacti��than I could count. Your best bet is to saddle up on a mountain bike ( has rentals from $50 a day) and pedal the 60-mile that combines singletrack, dirt roads, and dry creek beds to deliver you deep into the heart of the park. There are multiple bail-out options along the way if you don’t want to tackle the full route.

What to Listen For: The sound of a small waterfall (the Epic route passes by an oasis) and the neigh of feral donkeys that live within the park.

2. Olympic National Park, Washington

The last time I was in Olympic National Park, I was riding a bike, so I mostly heard the sound of my own heavy breathing as I tried to keep up with my group. But this is the park that inspired acoustic ecologist Gordon Hempton to create Quiet Parks International in an attempt to preserve peaceful places. It’s a big park with a diverse landscape that ranges from craggy coastline to glaciated peaks, so there’s plenty of space to spread out and find your own slice of peace and quiet.

I’ve spent near-silent afternoons paddling Lake Crescent with no soundtrack but my paddle strokes, and lonely stretches of beach offer opportunities to give yourself over to the sound of crashing waves. But it’s the Hoh Rain Forest, a 24-square-mile temperate rain forest on the west side of the park, that’s the most intriguing from a sonic experience. Giant old growth conifers rise towards the heavens while thick ferns and mosses blanket the forest floor, all combining to dampen sound.

The , an .8-mile loop near the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center, is the easiest way to experience the landscape, the trail’s namesake moss climbing the trunks of the trees throughout the area. If you want to explore further, hike a piece of the 17-mile Hoh River Trail to Glacier Meadows, which offers a view of Mount Olympus. Most day hikers turn around at Five Mile Island, making it a that will definitely get you away from the crowds.

What to Listen For: The babbling Hoh River will, unsurprisingly, accompany you on the Hoh River Trail. Also, keep an ear out for bugles from the herd of elk that live in the rainforest. And then there’s the rain; Hoh gets 12 feet of it per year.

3. Mount Tabor Park, Portland

You don’t have to leave the city for peace and quiet. , a 175-acre park on the eastern edge of Portland, was named the country’s first by Quiet Parks International in 2023. Mount Tabor is a popular park, and during the certification process, acoustic engineers recorded background noise between 38 and 43 decibels, which is just below the threshold for what Quiet Parks International considers quiet. But Mount Tabor’s accessibility to such a large and diverse population gave it the edge for the final designation.

Mount Tabor itself is a dormant cinder cone volcano, the shape of which helps isolate background noise. So, if one section of the park is noisy, you can trek to the other side for a more subdued experience. The park’s 53 tree species, including a dense Douglas fir forest, help absorb some of the ambient noise as well. Mount Tabor has six miles of official trail and nearly the same length of social trail. Hiking the mile-long Red Trail and looking for a quiet path into the woods is your best bet for silence.

What to Listen For: Children playing. It’s an urban park with playgrounds, and the sounds of children playing are among the best human-made sounds on earth.

4. Niobrara National Scenic River, Nebraska

The Niobrara River begins in Wyoming and runs more than 500 miles before joining the Missouri River, but a particularly gorgeous 76-mile stretch has been designated a National Scenic River thanks to its outstanding beauty. Here, the Niobrara passes through the Sandhills of Nebraska—rolling mounds of sand dunes stabilized by permanent grass and grazed upon by elk—while also carving a path through the occasional sandstone cliff. The river is fed by hundreds of natural springs, some of which tumble into the Niobrara as waterfalls. You’ll find the 63-foot Smith Falls, the tallest plunge in the state, along this designated National Scenic River.

The Niobrara National Scenic River has also earned the distinction of being the first certified from the Quiet Parks organization. The best way to explore the river and experience the soundscape is from the hull of a canoe.��Most of the land surrounding the river is private ranch land, but the nine-mile stretch through the�� just east of Valentine offers a scenic and mellow run with the chance to hop out of the boat and hike the refuge.�� has canoe rentals (from $69).

What to Listen For: Waterfalls, the sound of your paddle in the water, and waterfowl overhead.

5. Dixie National Forest, Utah

The is huge, occupying almost two million acres of aspen-topped mountains and red sandstone canyons in Southern Utah. Maybe more important from a sonic perspective, those two million acres are buffered by Capitol Reef National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, so the forest sits in the heart of a massive complex of public lands that has very few auditory distractions. I spent a week backpacking through Dixie and Grand Staircase and didn’t come across a single person outside of my small group. The only thing I heard was the wind whistling through the aspens and the occasional elk bugle.

Elevations in the forest range from 11,322 feet at the summit of Boulder Mountain to just under 3,000 feet, and the ecosystem shifts with the altitude. Up high, you’ll find dense groves of aspens and evergreens and boulder-choked creeks. Down low is slick rock desert with narrow canyons and steep cliffs.

The Escalante Ranger District of Dixie has a robust trail system offering relatively easy access to solitude from the small town of Boulder. Pick up the Slickrock Trail northeast of town for a pleasant walk through a high-elevation spruce forest. If you really want to get away from it all (and you have solid route-finding skills), look south to one of the many canyons that drop from the ridge, traveling through a remote corner of the forest before entering Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.

What to Listen For: The wind rustling through the aspen leaves at higher elevations is a delightful sound.

6. Green Bank and Spruce Knob, West Virginia

At least part of the joy of finding quiet places is embracing the notion of getting offline. No cell phones, no social media, no buzzing alerts on your phone—that��disconnection is what makes the small town of Green Bank, West Virginia, so damn appealing. It sits in the heart of a 13,000-square-mile National Radio Quiet Zone, which is a federal designation that bans all wireless tech. No radio, no cell service, no wi-fi. The rule is in place to remove any potential interference with the seven telescopes pointed skyward.

The Observatory is cool, but the Quiet Zone also encompasses some intriguing portions of the Monongahela National Forest, including 4,863-foot Spruce Knob, the tallest mountain in West Virginia. Hike the easy .5-mile Whispering Spruce Trail for a loop around the summit and views of Seneca Rocks, a fin-like sandstone outcropping that’s popular with climbers. If that nature trail isn’t quiet enough for you, hike deeper into the Spruce Knob-Seneca Creek Backcountry, where 60 miles of trail explores meadows, streams, and hardwood forests. Pick up the 5.2-mile at the summit and drop 1,000 feet of elevation off the ridge into fields of wild blueberries and huckleberries until you reach Seneca Creek.

What to Listen For: The wind whipping through the forest at the summit, so strong and constant that the peak’s red spruces have become deformed and only have branches and nettles on one side.

7. Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, Idaho

���岹���’s Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness is the largest federally designated wilderness area in the lower 48 at a robust 2.37 million acres. That means if you’re standing in the heart of Frank Church, there isn’t a road or mechanical device within two million acres. Promising from an auditory perspective.

Most people experience Frank Church from the hull of a raft careening down the Salmon River, which is a bucket list adventure to be sure, but it’s not exactly the peaceful scenario we’re looking for here. I say lace up your boots and explore one of the primitive trails that traverse the Frank.

The hiking is tough (rangers recommend you carry a handsaw in case you need to clear any downed trees), but the offers an approachable entry into the wilderness. Pick up the trailhead at the Langer Monument on Beaver Creek Road and hike 2.1 miles to the aforementioned backcountry lake. The climbing begins immediately, gaining almost 1,000 feet in the first mile, but it levels out in a valley recovering from a previous wildfire. The lake itself is a 12-acre pond at the base of the craggy Roughneck Peak that is known to have feisty rainbow and cutthroat trout if you are so inclined.

What to Listen For: The sound of your fly smacking the water as you hunt patiently for one of the wild trout within the lake.

8. 100-Mile Wilderness, Maine

The 2,000-mile long Appalachian Trail, running from North Georgia to North Maine, is arguably the most famous footpath in the world. Some 2,000 people try to hike the entire thing every year, but most of them give up before they hit Maine. That means they never get to experience the 100-Mile Wilderness, the most remote stretch of the entire A.T., with no paved roads or towns along its corridor. The terrain is a mix of backcountry lakes, craggy peaks, and dense hardwood forests, with steep climbs and a tread that is notoriously rocky and rooty.�� So why bother, you ask? For the chance to take cold dips in backcountry lakes, spy 360-degree vistas from peaks, and experience real solitude, which can be tough to find on the eastern seaboard.

You could hike the entire thing if you’re looking for an epic adventure ( can help with logistics like shuttles and food drops), but if you don’t have the requisite week to 10 days this sort of effort requires, I recommend heading to the portion of the 100 Mile Wilderness. This is a 1,600-acre tract owned and preserved by Maine Audubon that offers day hikers a manageable intro to the wilderness via a handful of short trails. Hike the 1-mile , which follows the shore of a pond before climbing to the rocky, dual-peak summits of Borestone Mountain. From there, you’ll get a 360-degree view of the wilderness that, on a clear day, extends all the way to Mount Katahdin, the northern terminus of the A.T.

What to Listen For: It’s an Audubon preserve, so listen for the 10 warbler species that call the sanctuary home. Peregrine falcons are also known to soar near the craggy peaks, and moose are commonly found near the lakes.

9. Deer Haven, Badlands National Park, South Dakota

If you want to get away from the noise of modern life, heading to South Dakota is a good start; the entire state has less than a million residents, many of whom are huddled in Sioux Falls. Exploring Badlands National Park will get you even further from any ambient noise, as the park’s steep canyons, tall buttes, and thick red clay have appeared inhospitable to humans since the Lakota gave the area the “badlands” moniker. But tough terrain often equals quiet, as few visitors venture into the park’s backcountry.

Start at the Conata Picnic Area and pick up the , an unmaintained game trail that leads for 2.5 miles through grasslands and between buttes to a cluster of juniper trees. Bring a tent and find a primitive site either in the prairie at the base of the buttes or tucked into the junipers.

What to Listen For: Keep an ear out for the hooves of the 1,000-strong bison herd that roams this section of Badlands.

Graham Averill is �����ԹϺ��� magazine’s national-parks columnist. Based in Asheville, North Carolina, he is fortunate enough to live within a few hours of three free national parks. He recently wrote about the best hikes in Joshua Tree National Park, his favorite mountain town, and the national park he chose as the most adventurous.

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Who needs a conventional vacation when you can have adventure with a side of quirky? Like a-forest-of-cars-turned-into-art kind of curious? For that, you have to visit Nevada. The Silver State welcomes the bizarre, celebrates the off-kilter, and nurtures the outrageous—from the sea-level sand beaches of the Colorado River to the towering peaks of Great Basin National Park. And all of it is happily served with some of the wildest adventures in the country. Here are ten ways to get a little out there in Nevada.

The Extraterrestrial Highway

With the U.S. government officially investigating unexplained sightings, the world has gone crazy for UFOs. Nevada? It’s been ground zero for the phenomenon for decades. Driving Nevada State Route 375 puts you in the heart of the mystery, passing as close as allowed to the Nevada National Security Site and the top-secret military base Area 51. You’ll also have the chance to snack on alien-themed jerky, take photos with out-of-this-world murals, and grab a burger at the UFO-themed Little A’Le’Inn. Just leave time to shop for souvenirs at the Alien Research Center, where a two-story silver alien welcomes you at the front door. The truth is right here.

Massacre Rim Dark Sky Sanctuary

Nothing gets the imagination going like a sky painted with stars. Is there life beyond our planet? Was that a meteor cruising across the sky—or something else? Nevada is home to some of the darkest skies in the lower 48, particularly at the Massacre Rim Dark Sky Sanctuary. In fact, this remote area located 150 miles north of Reno is so dark that it’s been designated one of the darkest places on Earth by . The rim is a 1,200-foot-tall escarpment that rises dramatically above a broad valley, giving you the perfect perch for spotting the show. Bring a telescope, or just your naked eye, and you’ll be able to see constellations like Orion’s Belt and gasp at the Milky Way, which on clear nights looks like an angel spilled fairy dust across the sky. There’s no bad time to see the stars, but for a real spectacle, show up on a moonless night in July or August when the Perseid meteor shower is at its most active. Camping? This is an extremely remote area with no services; BYO everything, and be prepared to be self-sufficient.

Out There in Nevada

So many people think that Nevada is just the Strip and then a vast expanse of nothingness. They couldn’t be more wrong. Nevada is filled with hidden gems if you dare to explore. —, photographer and adventurer

International Car Forest of the Last Church

Have you ever looked across a desert expanse and thought, “You know what this field needs? A bunch of junk cars sticking out of the ground.” Not likely. But that’s the inspiration that struck local artist Mark Rippie, who broke the Guinness world record for the largest car forest—a title he still holds. Located outside Goldfield, the International Car Forest of the Last Church boasts more than 40 cars, trucks, and buses sticking out of the ground. Walking through the car forest is a surreal stroll through the desert on a dusty path, which features sprouted vehicles fantastically decorated by artists from around the world. After exploring the art, take a stroll through Goldfield, a living ghost town (population around 250), which in the early 1900s was Nevada’s largest and richest city (population around 20,000).

Jarbidge

One of Nevada’s quirkiest charms? The remote outposts where modern pioneers are putting old mining towns back on the map. To experience one of the best, make the trek to Jarbidge, considered the most remote town in the lower 48, with a permanent population in the low double digits and no paved roads within 20 miles. Located at the bottom of a canyon, the historic town is the site of the last gold rush in America—and the last stage-coach robbery. Grab a drink in one (or both!) of the town’s two historic saloons. The Red Dog Saloon still sports the original bar top, while the Outdoor Inn has a full menu, as well as ten rooms and occasional musical performances on the front porch. You’ll also find working craftsmen like glassblowers and woodworkers operating studios on Main Street. Bonus: Jarbidge Wilderness Area is nearby and boasts 150 miles of hiking trails that traverse wildflower meadows and 11,000-foot peaks.

The Clown Motel

Clowns. They’re either a source of joy or the cause of great anxiety, depending on your perspective. Either way, you can lean into the wacky world of these colorful entertainers in Tonopah at the Clown Motel, which the owners call “America’s scariest motel.” Each room is decorated in wild circus colors, while the themed rooms go a bit further with decor evoking classic horror films like The Exorcist, IT, and Friday the 13th. It’s not all scares, though: There’s also a collection of more than 5,000 different clowns.

Great Basin National Park

Here’s something really unusual: a gorgeous national park with near-zero crowds. While many national parks are busier than ever, Great Basin National Park, in eastern Nevada’s high desert, is one of the least visited units in the entire system. The 77,180-acre playground is packed with unusual finds, like the state’s only glacier, some of the oldest trees in the world, and an expansive cave system where scientists are still discovering new species of life.

Amargosa Big Dune Recreation Area

Nature puts on its own strange show in southwestern Nevada, where the sand sings to you. This rare phenomenon—which happens at only a few dozen places around the world—occurs when strong winds cause the sand to shift, creating a high-pitch singing sound. Amargosa Big Dune Recreation Area encompasses five square miles of shifting sand dunes, some of which are 500 feet tall. Located along the , Amargosa serves up the closest dunes to Las Vegas and is a popular destination for off-road enthusiasts, but it’s worth showing up just for the sweet song of mother nature.

Gold Butte National Monument

A trip here is about as close to time travel as most of us will get. At the 300,000-acre Gold Butte National Monument, petroglyphs transport visitors back 12,000 years to when Indigenous cultures created the area’s many paintings and carvings. And the rock art is just part of the attraction at Gold Butte, as the landscape is an otherworldly, Mars-like collection of red and tan sandstone outcroppings rising from the desert floor. Head to Little Finland, an area within the monument that boasts multiple panels of these pictures into the past, as well as surreal, goblin-shaped rock formations.

Guru Road and Black Rock Desert

The Black Rock Desert is totally unique: a 800,000–acre expanse of dry lake beds, hot springs, and canyons. Skirting it, the mile-long Guru Road accesses a series of open-air art exhibitions, from inspirational sayings painted onto stone to a larger-than-life tribute to Aphrodite. All of the art was created by artist DeWayne “Doobie” Williams, who found a creative way to stay busy during retirement. Wander this eclectic road and you’ll find stone tablets etched with aphorisms, a tribute to Elvis, and maybe strangest of all, the Desert Broadcasting System, which includes several TV frames, each offering panoramic views of the desert. After touring the artscape, explore the landscape. Off-road travel is popular in the adjacent Black Rock Desert, as is soaking in hot water. Head to for a hot tub with a desert view.

Big Bend of the Colorado

A sandy swimming beach in the middle of the desert? Yeah, that’s a surprise. It’s also beautiful. And oh-so refreshing on a hot day. Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area protects two miles of sandy beach along the Colorado River where the water is Caribbean clear. Before you take a dip, make a detour into the nearby resort town of Laughlin to take a contemplative stroll through the famous Laughlin Labyrinths.

�±�’r�� —your official resource for exploring the Silver State’s sometimes surprising, always exciting towns, cities, and public lands. With travel tips and inspiration straight from the heart of Nevada, we’ve got you covered. All you need to do is get a little out there.

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I’ve spent the last two decades exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and have become utterly fascinated by its��duality. On the one hand, GSMNP is the epitome of a “drive through” park, with a scenic road and bevy of easy nature trails. On the other, it’s a rugged expanse of wilderness packed with steep cliffs, remote hollers, and wild trout streams. Some of the park’s gateway towns are packed with waterslides and chain restaurants, while others have quaint main streets. Over the years, I’ve sat in traffic jams inside the park, but also crawled through dense backcountry forests. I’ve fished streams and hugged massive old growth trees and spotted elk at dusk and climbed some of the tallest peaks in the eastern U.S. all within the borders of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

What I’ve discovered is that you need time to fully appreciate this landscape. You need to spend days on end here, fishing and hiking and picnicking your way through these impressive mountains. That means you’ll need a place to lay your head and recover from the day’s adventure. While camping inside GSMNP is great, sometimes you need a few more amenities, like a hot tub or game room, to truly round out your vacation.

For this sort of trip, I usually turn to Airbnb, which has hundreds of cabin options you can rent for a night or more, within a stone’s throw of the park. Here are eight properties I’d recommend that hit the sweet spot of perks, location, and high reviews from other travelers. Any one of these would make the perfect basecamp for exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Know Before You Go: Last September, Western North Carolina was devastated by Hurricane Helene. I wrote about my experience in the storm at the time, but I want readers to know that the region is healing, and many communities are open to tourism again. Great Smoky Mountains National Park did not receive the brunt of the storm, and most gateway towns saw minimal damage compared to other communities. But keep the storm and its lasting impacts in mind when you’re traveling to the region. Some roads might still be closed, and some areas will still look scarred.

Creekside Chalet

Why We Love It: The A-frame, ski-chalet vibes

Price: From $190 per night

Built into the side of a mountain in the sixties, this kitschy A-frame chalet has been completely remodeled into a modern gem that sits just outside the hustle and bustle of downtown Gatlinburg. The two-bedroom cabin has a large living room that makes the most of the A-frame design with towering vaulted ceilings and floor to ceiling windows, but I also love the front porch, which has its own hot tub. The cabin feels secluded, thanks to the surrounding forest of hardwoods, but it’s actually on the edge of Ober Gatlinburg, a family-friendly ski resort that’s the perfect place to take your first turns. You’re also just ten��minutes from the Gatlinburg entrance to the park, with quick access to the trails off of Newfound Gap Road, which cuts through the center of the park. Plus, it perfect for larger crews, as it sleeps up to six people with two bedrooms, a sleeper sofa, and has two baths.

Cabin in the Clouds

Why We Love It: The epic view from the hot tub

Price: From $250 per night

I like the quieter North Carolina side of the park and this new, two-bedroom mountain-top cabin near Bryson City makes the most of the area thanks to a wall of glass and expansive porch that takes in the surrounding mountains. The living room is the definition of “airy,” with vaulted ceilings and an exterior wall full of windows, which leads onto the expansive deck where a hot tub sits in the corner. Soaking in the tub while you enjoy mountain vistas by day, or starry skies by night, has to be the highlight here, although I also like the firepit complete with a built-in national park-style charcoal grill. From here, you’ll have quick access to Lake Fontana and the Deep Creek area of the park, which is packed with waterfalls and adventurous tubing. The home sleeps up to six people, with two bedrooms and two baths.

Riverfront Glass House

Why We Love It: The fire pit right next to a world-class trout stream

Price: From $299 a night, 2-night minimum

This large home sits on a peninsula at the confluence of a small creek and the Little River, with steps leading down to a grassy “beach” that’s perfect for lounging or casting for trout. There’s a shaded patio with a hot tub and a lounge area complete with an outdoor TV, not to mention an outdoor shower. Hardwoods throughout and big picture windows show off the surrounding forest and mountains from the inside of this updated home, but its location is the real draw. Not only will you have private access to the river, but the house, which sleeps up to six, is only two miles from the Foothills Parkway, a scenic two-lane road that wraps around the border of GSMNP, and the Airbnb is only 12 miles to the closest entrance to the park.

Clever Cubs Cabin

Why We Love It: The built-in game room and close proximity to family fun

Price: From $233 per night; 3-night minimum

You never know how your kids will respond to that five-mile hike you have planned, but I guarantee they’ll love the full-sized arcade games, pool table, and karaoke machine that occupy the bonus room in this three-story cabin. Older kids will appreciate the photogenic murals crafted inside and outside of this home, and as an extra perk, the cabin is located near Sevierville, which is packed with family adventures, from zip line courses to gem mines. The wraparound porch has a putting green, and there’s a lower deck with a fire pit and a tiki bar for the adults. As for the cabin’s proximity to the park, you’re about 30 minutes from Sugarlands Visitor Center, where you can pick up the scenic Newfound Gap Road, which cuts through the heart of the Smokies, or break off to Cades Cove, a former farming community with historic buildings scattered throughout the valley. This cabin sleeps up to eight people.

The Smoky Mountain Treehouse

Why We Love It: The 40-foot swinging bridge

Price: From $275 per night

This custom-built tree house has story-book weekend written all over it, from the 40-foot long swinging bridge you need to cross to enter the home, to the architectural details that make the cabin one-of-a-kind. The kitchen is compact, but a rolling ladder leads to a loft, live edge countertops grace the bathroom and kitchenette, and you get views of the surrounding mountain from your king bed. The outside living space is even better, with an outdoor shower, cedar hot tub, and a hammock built into the floor of the deck. The location is prime, as this treehouse sits just off the Foothills Parkway on the western border of the park, close to the Abrams Falls and Goldmine Trailhead. It can sleep up to four, but this perch is best for a romantic couple’s getaway.

Eagle’s Landing

Why We Love It: The view from the porch of the lake below

Price: From $225 per night

Is it crazy to rent a cabin just for the view? Depends on what you’re looking at. Eagles Landing is a two-bedroom cabin that sleeps up to six perched on a bluff overlooking a quiet corner of Lake Fontana, a finger-lake body of water that forms the southern border of GSMNP. The firepit and front porch have the best views of the vistas below, showing off green slopes that rise directly from the water. Head down the mountain to paddle Fontana in search of rope swings, jumping rocks, and waterfalls (all of which can be found nearby). If you’re looking for land-based activities, the Appalachian Trail crosses Fontana Dam and climbs to Shuckstack Tower, a decommissioned fire lookout with views of Lake Fontana.

Secluded Cabin

Why We Love It: The remote setting and quick access to the park.

Price: From $145 per night

Tucked into Pisgah National Forest, near the north-eastern border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this small, one-bedroom cabin is surrounded by Pisgah National Forest, with nothing but dense hardwoods for neighbors. There are no frills in this remote outpost, which has two beds and sleeps up to four, but the interior is nicely finished and has a wood stove to keep you warm at night, while a covered porch and fire pit give you the outdoor space you need for soaking in the surrounding wilderness. The location is prime for exploring the eastern side of the park, where the Mount Sterling fire tower looms tall and swimming holes like Midnight Hole beckon during the summer. It’s dog-friendly too, and is accessible by unmaintained forest roads, so if you visit during a winter snow storm, you’ll need a four-wheel drive vehicle.

Vista Heights Lodge

Why We Love It: The private pool and outdoor living space

Price: From $441 per night

Big groups need room to spread out, and not only does this large cabin near the western border of the park have plenty of space (it sleeps up to 12 with 5��bedrooms and 5.5 baths), it has a gorgeous screened-in porch complete with a wood-burning fireplace, an indoor/outdoor heated pool, and a game room with a pool table. Enjoy expansive views of the Smokies from many of the bedrooms, or spend your time hopping between the hot tub and the pool. There’s even a Peloton bike if you feel the need to burn calories. The cabin sits on the edge of the park, near the Little River Gorge and Elkmont Campground, with a dozen trailheads under 30 minutes from the front door.

Graham Averill is �����ԹϺ��� magazine’s national parks columnist. He’s been exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the surrounding area since he was a kid. In those days, his family camped, which is great, but he definitely appreciates a cabin with a hot tub and pool table. He has recently written about the best national parks for spring break, and the ones that you can enter for free this year.

The post Headed to Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Book One of These 8 Airbnbs. appeared first on �����ԹϺ��� Online.

I’ve been testing and writing about GoPro’s small action cameras since the first one was launched in 2004, watching as those cameras evolved from cumbersome chunks of plastic worn on your wrist to the content-capturing machines that they are today.

The two newest versions from GoPro, the Hero13, and the original Hero, continue that evolution. One is the most versatile camera GoPro has ever produced. The other might be the easiest to use. But which is the best option for you?

I spent the last month testing both in a variety of situations, from an epic ski trip to Palisades in Tahoe to a surf trip to Costa Rica to tame adventures on local trails in the Southern Appalachians. Throughout that period, I alternated between the two cameras on bike rides, golf rounds, ski days, and surf sessions, trying to determine which camera was the best.

Learn more: The 3 Best Action Cameras of 2025

The result is an enigma: The camera that I like the most personally is not the camera that I would recommend to most people. Here are my thoughts on the Hero13 and the Hero.

The Hero13��

The GoPro Hero13 Built-In Features

Let’s start with the Hero13, which is GoPro’s most versatile camera to date, ideal for serious photographers and content creators who need to get a variety of footage. The new camera uses the same sensor and processor as the previous ($288) but adds a few key upgrades that make it far more capable. That includes interchangeable lenses, a magnetic mount, and a suite of built-in features that allow you to customize the footage you capture by adjusting the resolution, aspect ratio, and even sound before you start shooting.

The Hero13 shoots professional-grade 5.3K video, which is rendered incredibly smooth thanks to the in-camera HyperSmooth 6.0 video stabilization. I shot some shaky ski videos recently that were so silky you’d think they were shot on a gimbal. The fact that this stabilization happens inside the camera means you’re not forced to edit your video in GoPro’s Quik app (more on that below).

It’s waterproof down to 33 feet, but even better is the hydrophobic lens, which sheds water, giving you crystal-clear shots when you bring the camera back up above the surface. I have a lot of useless footage from past surf trips when I used older GoPros that didn’t have this water-shedding lens; instead of epic footage, all I got were videos of blurry water drops. That’s less of an issue with this new lens. I used this camera during a week-long surf trip to Costa Rica, and probably 95 percent of the videos I took while in the surf were crystal clear. On previous surf trips with older models of the GoPro, I’d say that ratio was probably 50/50.

My favorite aspect of the new Hero13 is the tall image sensor, which allows you to shoot wide, vertical, or square videos and images without having to adjust the camera’s settings or lenses. I take a lot of videos for Instagram, which requires a vertical frame, but I also do some scenic and gear videos for this magazine and YouTube, both of which require a horizontal frame. I can switch back and forth from those two perspectives on the touch screen with the swipe of a finger before I start the video, or even better, I can shoot everything in Full Frame and decide later if I want to edit and publish vertically or horizontally in the GoPro Quik app.

This versatility means you can shoot footage with or without GoPro’s signature fisheye perspective, which is handy if you’re vlogging, getting scenic landscapes or closeups, or even if you just want a more straightforward first-person perspective. It also makes it easier to pair footage from the Hero13 with footage from other cameras, like your iPhone.

Hero 13 Add-Ons

And that’s just what’s built into the Hero13. You can also purchase add-on HB Series Lenses, like a Macro that gives you 4x zoom or an ultra-wide that offers a 36 percent wider field of view than the standard GoPro lens. Clip these lenses onto the Hero13, and the camera automatically recognizes which lens you’re using without the need to manually adjust the settings.

Most casual photographers won’t need to purchase these extra lenses, but everyone will appreciate the new Enduro Battery that comes with the camera, which is an absolute game changer. One of my biggest complaints with every GoPro I’ve ever used is the subpar battery life, especially in cold temps. This new battery is a beast with a reported 2.5-hour constant run time. I filmed with the Hero13 over several hours, from cold ski days to hot beach days, and never once ran out of battery.

Another fun tool in the Hero13 is the built-in Burst Slo-Mo, which offers three slow-motion options with different levels of quality. This is key if you ever want to throw your videos up onto a big screen; slow motion video from a low-quality camera blown up on a TV’s big screen can look blurry, but the Hero13 gives you five seconds of slow motion in crystal clear 5.3k quality.

The Hero13’s Downsides

Some professional photographers complained that the Hero13 didn’t get an upgraded sensor from the Hero12. While I do publish videos and photos on a variety of platforms, I don’t consider myself a pro photographer, so GoPro’s decision to stick with their previous sensor doesn’t bother me. I will say that the versatility of the Hero13 comes with a price; there’s a learning curve to the system, and it has taken some trial and error to figure out exactly which features I need. It’s like ordering from a menu that’s five pages long—with so many options, it’s hard to settle on a single choice.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I’m blown away by the Hero13’s capabilities. Straight out of the box, it drastically broadens the kind of footage I can capture. Considering all of the potential add-ons, from the new lenses to external lights and microphones, the Hero13 is out of the action camera category altogether. It is a powerhouse that can be my primary content-capturing tool, whether I’m standing in front of the camera for a vlog, attaching it to my handlebars for action footage, or just capturing a photo to support an article.

The Hero��

��

The Hero’s Upsides

Take the Hero13, cut it in half, and you have the Hero. It’s half the weight (86 grams to the Hero13’s 159 grams), roughly half the size, about half the price, and is even waterproof to about half the depth (16 feet to the Hero13’s 33 feet). That said, the tiny size is one of this camera’s selling points, especially if you like to mount a camera on your helmet.

Just like the Hero13, it has flip down mounting fingers, a removable hydrophobic lens cover, and a large touch screen on the back of the camera that you use to adjust the settings. It even has voice-activated controls, just like the Hero13, so you can tell this GoPro what to do without touching any buttons. Very cool.

The Hero’s Downsides

That’s where the similarities end, though, as the Hero is a straightforward, easy-to-use action camera without the bells and whistles of the full-featured Hero13.

For instance, you can’t change the resolution on the Hero (4K is the only option). It doesn’t shoot as well in low-light situations, and if you zoom in on the 4K footage, it’s a little blurry compared to the 5.3K Hero13 footage. You also can’t change the frame ratio; like older GoPros, it only shoots ultra-wide lens, fish-eye type footage, which might be a deal breaker for some users. Another limitation to note is that the HyperSmooth stabilization doesn’t happen in the camera. Instead, you have to upload your footage to GoPro’s Quik app before the video stabilizes. That’s not a big deal for most of us, but if you’re editing in a different software and bypassing the Quik app, you’ll be dealing with shaky footage.

The battery life is roughly half as good as the Hero13, and that’s being generous. The Hero repeatedly died halfway through each day on a recent ski trip. Granted, I was filming heavily, and it was cold, but I’ve been able to get through full days with the Hero13 under similar conditions. The Hero’s battery is within the camera, which eliminates the option of swapping out an extra battery.

Personally, my main issue with the Hero is that it only shoots ultra-wide lens footage. That’s a handy viewpoint for some shots, but I don’t want all of my videos to have a fish-eye view. You also have to mount or hold the Hero vertically in order to shoot vertical videos, which sounds like a silly thing to complain about, except most mounts hold GoPros horizontally. This kept me from getting vertical video during my Palisades ski trip, which makes for an awkward transition if I’m trying to match that footage with a vertical-oriented camera, like my phone.

Which Is the Better Camera For You?��

It sounds like the Hero13 is the camera I’m going to recommend, right? Not so fast.

I love the Hero13, and I think it’s the best GoPro I’ve ever tested. It’s the right camera for me, and I’m excited to keep using it for the various ways I capture photos and videos. But I think many of those features that get me excited aren’t necessary for the majority of users out there. While I mentioned many of the Hero’s limitations, I think it’s a great action camera, especially when you consider the budget-friendly $199 price tag.

The question you have to ask yourself is, what kind of photographer are you? If you just want to get the occasional clip of a surf session or a POV of you sending it on a gap jump at the park, then the Hero is probably the right camera for you. The tiny size means you can bring it almost anywhere and get some really beautiful footage that you might not be able to capture with your phone. But if you’re looking for a single camera that can capture a variety of styles of content in a small package, the Hero13 is the obvious answer.

Or maybe you’re like me, and you’ve convinced yourself you need both cameras: the Hero13 for its versatility and everyday capabilities and the Hero for its diminutive size, which makes it the ideal shooter for POV angles on a helmet mount.

Yeah, maybe that’s the answer here. Both cameras are the best cameras.

More Gear Reviews

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The Southwest always seems to me like a bit of a fever dream. The country’s deepest canyons, wildest buttes, and broadest deserts spread here from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean, offering a landscape so unlike any other in the country, you might think you’ve left earth altogether. It is a hot, inhospitable territory that demands respect, but it is also outrageously beautiful, with rock outcroppings that seem painted in shades of red and white, blooming cacti, and shifting dunes that undulate like waves onto the horizon.

The easiest and most efficient way to explore the Southwest is by car, bouncing from one breathtaking adventure to the next, so I’ve created seven different road-trip itineraries, one in each state of this stunning slice of our nation. I’ve driven the majority of these routes, while the remaining few are on my list of dream adventures. And each of these has something for everyone—beaches, sand dunes, cliffs, rivers, hikes, bike rides, fishing holes, and more.

Set your playlist, and pack the sunscreen. Here are the seven best road trips in the Southwest.

1. Nevada

Las Vegas to the Valley of Fire

Distance: 175 Miles
Duration: 3 days

The obvious, and most common, road trip from Vegas would be to beeline straight for the Grand Canyon, but you do not want to overlook the suite of public lands that rings Sin City. The fun begins just 20 miles west of downtown Las Vegas at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, a 195,000-acre park that is internationally known for its multi-pitch rock climbing, though my epic adventures here have been of other types.

My favorite way to explore Red Rock is by road bike, pedaling the 13-mile Scenic Drive through the heart of the park. The road has one-way traffic and a big shoulder, so there’s plenty of room, and you’ll have both long-range and up-close views of the surrounding red sandstone cliffs and canyons. has bike rentals (from $40 a day). If you show up in the summer, do your adventures early in the morning before the heat gets unbearable.

Next skirt around the south side of Las Vegas for 70 miles to Lake Mead National Recreation Area, home to the massive Hoover Dam. I like Lake Mohave, a shallow, narrow reservoir below Hoover that follows the original path of the Colorado River through a series of canyons. If you’re looking for a full-day (or multi-day) adventure, paddle a piece of the 30-mile Black Canyon National Water Trail, which begins at the base of the dam and ends in Arizona, passing beaches, hot springs, and side canyons.

Only boaters with commercial licenses can launch below the dam, so hook up with , which offers DIY rentals and shuttles or guided trips throughout the water trail. Or for a quicker adventure, drive directly to Willow Beach, and paddle two miles upstream to Emerald Cave, a narrow side canyon with clear, shallow water below 75-foot sandstone walls (tours from $139 per person; rentals from $80 per boat).

has tent sites and RV sites in the hills above the sandy beach from $45 a night.

Driving north, you can stop at Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada’s largest state park at 46,000 acres, where red and pink sandstone cliffs and canyons fill the valley, the walls popping out of the tan, scrubby dirt. Catch the area at sunset and you could think the whole valley is on fire. The park is full of short, scenic trails for hikers. The 3.3-mile loop takes in iconic features, from a narrow slot canyon to the sinuous Fire Wave, where the striped sandstone seems to flow like water.

Snag a campsite at one of the two from $10.

2. Utah

Bryce Canyon National Park to Capitol Reef National Park

Distance: 125 miles
Duration: 3 days

It’s tempting to try to hit all of Utah’s national parks in a single trip, but you’d have to cover more than 1,000 miles and spend more time in your vehicle than on the trails. Instead, focus on this slice of Utah by driving the 122-mile Scenic Byway 12, which connects Bryce Canyon National Park with Capitol Reef National Park, hitting Grand Escalante National Monument in the middle. I drove this route last fall and was in constant awe of its beauty and diversity, as we cruised through sandstone tunnels at one point, then climbed to an aspen forest at another.

Pick up Highway 12 in the small town of Panguitch, about 50 miles east from Interstate 12, and keep driving east to Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce, known for its hoodoos (sandstone spires that rise from the valley floor) is one of the country’s smallest national parks at just 35,835 acres, which means you can see a lot in a short amount of time. Combine Queen’s Garden Trail with Navajo Loop Trail for a that begins on the rim of the canyon, then drops into the belly, passing hoodoos, arches, and tall cliffs.

Heading north, Highway 12 moves through the heart of the massive Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, a 1.9-million-acre park with expanses of slick rock and sandstone canyons stretching all the way to the horizon. I was lucky enough to spend a couple of days in the monument, scrambling down slot canyons and bushwhacking through the heart of a broad canyon before reaching the lush Escalante River. It’s beautiful but unforgiving terrain that delivers plenty of solitude. Drive the unimproved dirt Hole-in-the-Rock Road (high-clearance two-wheel drive vehicles are usually OK) 33 miles south to the Dry Fork Slots to hike a through Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons, where the passage narrows to about a foot wide at certain points, and scrambling is mandatory. Too adventurous? Try hiking to , a 6.5-mile loop through a smooth canyon that ends at a 124-foot waterfall.

There’s plenty of camping and lodging around the town of Escalante. , inside the monument, offers seven primitive sites ($10 a night) with no frills. Or go upscale and snag a cabin or Airstream at , a camping-and-cabin resort with a drive-in movie theater, pool, and food truck (cabins from $175 a night).

Driving 65 miles further north on Highway 12, you’ll climb Boulder Mountain through Dixie National Forest before hitting the town of Torrey and Capitol Reef National Park. Here, you’ll find historic fruit orchards, sandstone domes, and more canyons than you could ever hope to explore. Start your journey with , a 3.4-mile out-and-back that crosses broad sections of slickrock before ending at a 125-foot-wide natural arch. Or hook up with and go canyoneering, dropping into the belly of narrow canyons deep inside the park ($300 for the first person).

For a longer adventure, check out our sister publication’s “.”

3. Colorado

Colorado National Monument to Rocky Mountain National Park

Distance: 310 miles
Duration: 3-5 days

Colorado offers a ton of incredible scenery, and this particular road trip takes you from the desert canyons of Colorado National Monument to the high alpine terrain of Rocky Mountain National Park. The diversity of adventure is off the charts, too, with opportunities for sandstone-heavy hikes, big mountain-bike descents, and whitewater rafting.

Start near the western border of the state, at Colorado National Monument, a 20,000-acre park with sheer cliffs and vertigo-inducing sandstone towers. Just driving the 23-mile Rim Rock Drive is worth the price of admission, with near-constant views of the canyon below, including of the massive Independence Monument, a 450-foot tall sandstone pillar.

But you’ll definitely want to get out of your car and explore this monument by foot. The Devil’s Kitchen is an easy, 1.2-mile out-and-back that gives you the chance to scramble over boulders and explore narrow sandstone channels. Get up close to Independence Monument on the , a 5.2-mile point-to-point that meanders past some of the monument’s most recognizable rock formations, including the set of rounded pillars dubbed the Coke Ovens and a tower known as the Kissing Couple, because it looks like two people entwined.

After exploring the monument, head east for 25 miles to the town of Palisade, where you can tackle a piece of the , a 32-mile mostly downhill piece of singletrack that drops 6,000 feet off the rim of the Grand Mesa into the edge of downtown. The trail has multiple access points, so you don’t have to bite off the entire distance. has shuttles and rentals starting in March (check then for prices).

Head 75 miles northeast to Glenwood Springs to spend the night at , which has van-life sites on the Colorado River (from $112 a night) as well as glamping tents and cabins (from $179 a night). You can book a half-day on the Colorado, which includes the 1.5-mile-long class III Shoshone Rapids (from $75 per person), or just soak in one of the 17 different pools at , where each tub is tailored to a different temperature (from $44 per person).

When you’re refreshed, or worn out, drive northeast for 125 miles through to Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the most popular national parks in the country (4.1 million visitors in 2023). Don’t worry, most of those visitors enter through the Estes Park side, while you’ll access the park on the much-less crowded Grand Lake entrance. I remember, on a trip with my kids, seeing a moose in the valley near Grand Lake and marveling that we were the only people on the trail at the time.

Head to the for a choose-your-own-adventure sort of hike. For a short jaunt that packs a big punch, hike the three-mile out-and-back Green Mountain Trail up to Big Meadow, which in the summer is full of wildflowers and hosts the occasional moose. Or if you really want to get after it, combine the Green Mountain Trail, Tonahutu Creek Trail, and Hayach Lakes Trail for a 17-mile out-and-back that culminates at Hayach Lake, a natural pool that sits at 11,000 feet in elevation in the shadow of the craggy Nakai Peak. Turn it into an overnight if you like, choosing among multiple backcountry campsites along the way ($36 fee for a ).

For a longer adventure, check out our sister publication’s “.”

4. Texas

San Antonio to the Gulf

Distance: 250 miles
Duration: 3-5 days

Texas is big, so you need to narrow your focus for a road trip here, because getting from point A to point B can sometimes take you all day. This particular route starts with some urban exploration in San Antonio and ends on one of the longest undeveloped beaches in the country. In between are quiet swamps, beach campsites, and plenty of paddle trails.

San Antonio might not seem like the perfect place to start an adventure trip, but the city’s 15-mile River Walk, expanded in the late 1990s, has served as an inspiration for other similar projects ever since and it’s still one of the coolest urban bike rides you can do. Five miles of the path cruise through downtown, but the best biking is just south of town in the , an eight-mile linear park that connects historic missions, grasslands, and wildflower meadows, all protected as the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park.

After spinning around San Antonio, drive east towards the Gulf of Mexico, making a pitstop at Palmetto State Park—a small stretch just 25 miles east of San Antonio, that’s home to the sort of tropical jungle you’re more likely to find in Florida—complete with dwarf palmettos blanketing the forest floor. If you bring your own boat or paddleboard, you can slide along the languid San Marcos River, or explore Palmetto’s small Oxbow Lake. Hiking trails lead through swampy marshes with light-green water filling the forest floor. If you’re not in a hurry, pitch a tent in the park’s ($12 a night) before heading to the beach.

Head south on Highway 183 to Mustang Island State Park, which separates Corpus Christi Bay from the Gulf of Mexico. The park protects five miles of Gulf-facing coastline, and has 50 drive-up where you can pitch a tent on the beach ($13 a night, first-come, first-served).

The beach is the obvious draw here. The Gulf is typically calm and warm, although some people are known to surf during hurricane swells. But the park also has more than 20 miles of marked paddling trails that traverse the western edge of the island, weave through islands in Corpus Christi Bay, and offer shallow water for fishing for redfish and speckled trout. runs daily guided trips (from $90 for two people) and rentals (from $50).

If you need more beach (and who doesn’t?) scoot 15 miles down the coast to Padre Island National Seashore. If you have a 4WD vehicle, you can down-island for up to 60 miles until you leave the crowds behind. The national seashore is a hot spot for birding, with 380 different species reported, thanks to the island’s location on a major migration route. Look for the endangered piping plover or the super colorful painted bunting.

5. New Mexico

Taos to the Bisti Badlands

Distance: 275 miles
Duration: 3-5 days

I haven’t spent enough time in New Mexico. Or seen enough of it. The last time I was there, on a fly-fishing trip, I couldn’t bring myself to leave the Taos area. So many fish, so many green chili dishes. But I regret my solitary focus, because the state has much to offer. This particular road trip delivers a variety of adventure and landscapes that I’m convinced only New Mexico has.

The trip begins with a bang by rafting a tumultuous section of the Rio Grande, just 30 miles southwest of Taos. Different run options offer a variety of adventure, but the classic is a 17-mile portion through the Rio Grande Gorge, also dubbed the Taos Box because it is walled by black basalt cliffs. The trip brings a full day of whitewater action, with a six-mile section of non-stop class II and III rapids known as The Racecourse. If the weather is warm enough, you can swim in a few pools along the way, and good guides will point out petroglyphs on the rock walls. Book your trip with and you’ll get hot fajitas for a riverside lunch (from $110 per person).

Spend the night at the wellness retreat of Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort and Spa, where the natural springs feature arsenic, Lithia, soda, and iron, all minerals thought to have healing properties (from $239 a night).

Keep heading southwest to , a super volcano that erupted 1.2 million years ago, creating a 14-mile-wide circular depression that has evolved into a lush basin full of creeks and meadows. Think of Valles Caldera as a mini Yellowstone, complete with hot springs, wildlife-viewing opportunities, and broad grasslands. A large elk population calls the caldera home (look for them in the meadows during early morning and evening), and keep an eye out as well for prairie dogs and coyotes. The Valle Grande Exploration Trail is a short, .8-mile walk through a prairie to a manmade pond that served as a watering hole when the area was a private cattle ranch. The South Mountain Trail is a bit more involved, taking you four miles up a narrow valley and to the top of South Mountain, where you’ll enjoy a view of the entire basin.

You’ll only be 20 miles west of Bandelier National Monument, which protects 33,000 acres of canyons and mesa that were the Ancestral Puebloans’ home until 1550. They used blocks of soft volcanic rock to build homes at the bases of cliffs, carving additional rooms into the walls themselves. Hike the 1.4-mile Pueblo Loop Trail to see some of these archeological sites first hand. You’ll even get to climb ladders into some of the rooms carved into the side of cliffs. Grab a campsite at the monument’s ($20 a night, reserve up to six months in advance).

It’ll add some mileage, but you need to cap this road trip off with a walk on the moon, or at least, as close as most of us will ever come to walking on the moon. The , in northwestern New Mexico, are loaded with some of the strangest rock formations you will ever see, with cap stones and some massive cliffs actually in the shapes of manta rays, all rising from rolling taupe shale hills. The Bisti Badlands are part of the BLM’s 60-square-mile Bisti/De-Na-Zen Wilderness Area, which has no formal trails or paved roads. The De-Na-Zin parking area, off county road 7500, will give you access to the dry Bisti Wash, which you can hike into the heart of the badlands to see all of the weirdness for yourself.

6. Arizona

Grand Canyon to Monument Valley

Distance: 250
Duration: 3-5 days

I spent most of my youth believing Arizona was a desert wasteland, but in recent years I’ve had the chance to turn that around with some of the state’s wonderful signature adventures. Yes, much of Arizona is desert, but it is no wasteland. It’s a vibrant landscape full of life and adventure. I’ve driven ATVs across the desert, biked lonely gravel roads near the border of Mexico, and ridden a mountain bike into a cactus on the outskirts of Scottsdale. In short, I love Arizona, and as much fun as I’ve had in that state, I still have so much to discover. The following road trip meanders through Northern Arizona, beginning in Grand Canyon and connecting a few waypoints that I still need to tick off my bucket list.

You could argue that all adventure trips in Arizona need to feature Grand Canyon National Park, and I wouldn’t disagree, so we’re hitting that 6,000-foot-deep ditch first. Also, Grand Canyon Village is just 1.5 hours from Flagstaff, so it’s a logical first stop. Is the Grand Canyon crowded? Yes. But the vast majority of visitors stick to a few scenic overlooks. The last time I was at the South Rim, I lost the crowds after hiking about a mile on the . But you’re going to do a lot of hiking on this road trip, so consider biking The Hermit Road, which hugs the south rim of the canyon for seven miles from the village, offering copious views along the way. The best part? It’s closed to private vehicles from March through November. rents cruisers (from $30).

Try to get a room at , an iconic national park lodge if there ever was one (from $391 starting in March). Or snag a coveted site at , which is first-come, first- served.

Heading north for 130 miles, you’ll hit the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, a 280,000-acre geological wonder of buttes, canyons, and cliffs that tends to get overshadowed by its grand neighbor. Still, you may have seen photos of the swirling pink and tan sandstone layers of rock in the Coyote Buttes known as The Wave. It’s a stunning scenic reward that requires a tough hike through the desert. Accessing the Coyote Buttes requires a ($6). Grab one four months in advance, or try your luck with the daily lottery.

If you can’t score a permit, try hiking the 1.2-mile out-and-back through White Pocket. There are no marked or maintained trails in the monument, but cairns will guide you through more wavy sandstone features. Wherever you hike, look towards the sky for the endangered California Condor, which are hatched and released in the monument each year. And bring (or rent) a 4WD vehicle, as there are no paved roads inside the monument. Grab a site at the BLM’s , which views a cluster of sand-white buttes ($12 per site, first come/first serve).

Roughly 100 miles east, near the border of Utah, sits the 91,696-acre , a broad valley where 1,000-foot-tall sandstone towers rise abruptly from the earth. You can see some of the most iconic features, the Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte, from the visitor center, but you’ll want to hike the Wildcat Trail, a four-mile loop that wraps around the West and East Mitten Buttes. It’s the only self-guided trail open within the park, so to explore any more requires hiring a local Navajo guide with . A number of operators run auto tours of the 17-mile scenic loop road within the park, but consider booking a stargazing tour, also with Monument Valley Tribal Tours, that focuses on nighttime photography, framing the buttes within the context of the Milky Way and surrounding stars (from $95).

7. California

So Cal Coast to Mojave Desert

Distance: 300 miles
Duration: 4-5 days

Because this is a collection of road trips through the Southwest, I’m focusing on Southern California, as the terrain in the area is more complementary to the Southwest vibe than, say, that of California’s Redwood National Park or Yosemite Valley.

This trip starts on the coast and ends with the dunes in the Mojave Desert, so there’s plenty of sand along the way, as well as big rocks, desert camping, and hiking. Keep the L.A. fires in mind when you’re traveling to Southern California. Hopefully the worst of that fire will be in the rearview by the time you make this trip, and while this route steers clear of the burn areas, the disaster has impacted residents throughout the region. Be considerate.

California’s coast is loaded with state parks, but San Onofre State Beach has a rugged character that’s hard to match, with cliffs rising directly from the beach and whales and dolphins often spotted in the water. If you fancy yourself a worthy surfer, you can paddle into the lineup at the world-famous Trestles break on the north end of the park, which has been ground zero for Southern California’s surfing culture since the 1940s. The park offers beginner breaks, too. In fact, San Onofre has one of the more gentle waves in Southern California. offers beginner lessons at the San Onofre Bluffs Beach, which is flanked by 100-foot cliffs (from $100 per person).

Try to score a site at the (reserve up to six months in advance, starting at $45 a night) or San Mateo Camp, a couple of miles inland.

Leave the beach and head east, making a pit stop at the sleeper destination Anza-Borrego Desert State Wilderness, an often overlooked member of California’s crowded public-lands portfolio. The park is packed with palm oases, slot canyons, and after a wet winter, fields of wildflowers. Stretch your legs on the , a three-mile out and back that begins near the park’s visitor center and climbs up a canyon, ending at an overlook of a palm oasis (currently recovering from a previous wildfire) with a seasonal waterfall.

Continuing east for 60 miles, and you’ll wrap around the Salton Sea to hit Joshua Tree National Park’s southern entrance (if you’re tired or showing up late, look for free campsites on BLM land between I-10 and the park’s entrance). Spring is a great time to visit the park, as the temperatures are manageable, and the local cacti and Joshua Trees for which the park is named could still be sprouting flowers. Lace up your hiking boots and hit the trails. The easy 1.4-mile is a no-brainer loop that delivers you to a natural arch, with plenty of opportunity to scramble on sandstone boulders along the way. For a bird’s-eye view of the park, climb the 5,456-foot Ryan Mountain via its and for a vista stretching clear to the 11,000-foot San Gorgonio Mountain. I tried running to the top of Ryan Mountain the last time I was in the park, but the 1,000-foot elevation gain got the better of me.

Aside from the BLM land near the south entrance, the park has six with sites you can reserve up to six months in advance. They’re all good.

Still want more desert? Great, because you’re heading 70 miles north of Joshua Tree into the heart of the Mojave National Preserve, 1.6 million acres of dunes, cliffs, and cactus that somehow only gets half a million visitors a year. You have to hike the , a 45-square-mile expanse that will have you thinking you’re in the Sahara. The popular three-mile Kelso Dunes Trail will take you to the top of the tallest mound, which rises 650 feet.

Also, the easy, mile-long Lava Tube Trail provides access to an actual lava tube, where the sun pours in through a “sky light” in the stone. Wherever you explore, keep an eye out for the desert tortoise, a threatened species that lives in the Mojave’s valleys and moves slowly through the heat. The preserve has three developed campgrounds. Try to reserve a spot at , which has potable water ($25 per night).

Graham Averill is �����ԹϺ��� magazine’s national-parks columnist. He’s been in love with road trips since he read Jack Kerouac’s On the Road at age 17. His longest road trip to date was a month-long romp through the Southwest with his wife and twin then four-year-olds. Recently, he wrote about bucket-list golf courses, the best hikes in Joshua Tree National Park, and the nine national parks that will need timed-entry reservations this year. One of the weirdest places he’s ever slept for a story was a renovated lookout tower in the middle of the ocean.

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