I always wanted a treehouse growing up. Who didn鈥檛? There鈥檚 something magical about the idea of a tiny cabin, vaulted above the ground and surrounded by strong trees, where you could peek out the window and find yourself at eye level with birds and branches. I envisioned sleepovers in the backyard with friends and secret meetings where my siblings and I could look out over the neighborhood or watch squirrels scramble up close by.

While I never got that treehouse as a kid, I can rent one for the night now if I want. From a lookout tower with a wood-fired sauna in Idaho to a sleek cabin with volcano views in Washington to an architect-designed treehouse on a pond in New York, these nine grown-up-worthy treehouse vacation rentals鈥攚hich are all built to avoid harming the woods around them鈥攚ill help fulfill your wildest childhood dreams.

Score Views of Mount Adams From This Modern Treehouse in the Columbia River Gorge

Location: White Salmon, Washington

Price: From $280 per night

You鈥檒l come for the view of 12,281-foot Mount Adams at sunset through the 18-foot-tall floor-to-ceiling windows in this modern, sleekly designed treehouse vacation rental, which sits in between three hearty Douglas firs near the town of White Salmon, Washington, across the Columbia River from Hood River, Oregon. This 500-square-foot pet-friendly cabin comes with minimalist Scandinavian furnishings and maximalist amenities, like an outdoor shower, on-the-ground fire pit, and coffee-making equipment of the highest Pacific Northwest-approved quality. Cell service and TVs don鈥檛 exist here. The place sleeps up to six in a private bedroom and an open sleeping loft equipped with two queen beds.

Don鈥檛 Miss: From here, you鈥檙e just 15 minutes from the in Hood River, a prime spot for mountain biking, and even closer to the windsurfing and kiteboarding that the Columbia River Gorge is famous for. Otherwise, hike to a waterfall like or and end the day with nachos and live music at , a local鈥檚 favorite pub in White Salmon.

Spare No Comforts in This Studio Treehouse in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains

Location: Travelers Rest, South Carolina

Price: From 379 per night

The small town of Travelers Rest, South Carolina, 25 minutes outside of Greenville, is as charming as it sounds. And this thoughtfully designed treehouse on a quiet 16-acre property in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is the sweetest place to call home while you鈥檙e there. The studio-sized treehouse sleeps two in ultra-comfortable accommodations, complete with an outdoor shower on the back deck and yoga mats for morning stretching. At night, you鈥檒l hear the resident owl, named Betty, hooting a welcome. This treehouse has a two-night minimum, is available for long-term stays, and intentionally doesn鈥檛 come with WiFi, though it does have cell service.

Don鈥檛 Miss: You鈥檙e just 10 minutes from downtown Travelers Rest, where you can ride bikes along the , a 28-mile multi-use pathway. The hiking trails in are 20 minutes away, and there鈥檚 wine tasting and an outdoor sculpture park at , five minutes down the road.

Sleep 40 Feet Off the Ground in a Far-Out Lookout Tower in the Forested Midwest

Location: Bradleyville, Missouri

Price: From $295 per night

You鈥檒l drive two miles down a gravel road to reach this remote two-story lookout tower, which is located about 20 minutes outside the tiny outpost of Bradleyville, Missouri. (The nearest grocery store is 30 minutes away, so pack supplies.) This one-bedroom treehouse-style tower was built to resemble the historic fire lookout towers once used to spot fires in rural areas. Two such remaining towers still exist around the , 15 minutes away, which has 32 miles of hiking trails. This is the kind of Airbnb that comes with a welcome basket and a hand-written note from your hosts, making you feel right at home when you arrive. Put your belongings into a winch-operated luggage elevator while you climb the 40 stairs to the top level. Too windy? There鈥檚 a cellar storm shelter you can hide out in until the bad weather passes. Nice amenities include upgrades like plush bathrobes, a telescope for night stargazing, and a rock-lined hot tub. Plan to unplug: There鈥檚 no TV or WiFi.

Don鈥檛 Miss: About an hour from the tower, you can dine on farm-to-table ingredients or take a workshop on soap making or floral bouquets at in Ozark.

Take a Detour on Your Highway 1 Road Trip to Stay at This Magical Treehouse Along the Pacific Coast

Location: Watsonville, California

Price: From $696 per night

You鈥檒l park your car and meander on foot down a wooded pathway before arriving at this picturesque one-bedroom treehouse vacation rental, suspended in a grove of redwoods outside the town of Watsonville, California, known for its plethora of artichoke farms. The bathhouse at this treehouse has its own separate building, accessible via vaulted plank from the main cabin. The house comes stocked with board games and has sliver views of the Pacific Ocean from the wraparound deck. The popular beaches of Santa Cruz and Monterey aren鈥檛 far, or stay close and take a stroll on the sand dunes at .

Don鈥檛 Miss: Farm stands are abundant in the area. Buy an olallieberry pie or pick your own apples or strawberries at or stop into the shop for fresh artichokes or artichoke dips and sauces, depending on the season. Hike the five miles of woodland trails or spot sea otters by kayak on the wetland waterways of the . rents kayaks and leads guided tours.

Explore Glacier National Park from this A-Frame Treehouse Nearby

Location: Columbia Falls, Montana

Price: From $341 per night

You might never want to leave the comfortable confines of this two-bedroom A-frame cabin that鈥檚 suspended in the trees 10 minutes outside Columbia Falls, Montana. That is, until you realize you鈥檙e just 30 minutes from the west entrance to Glacier National Park. This well-appointed treehouse is situated on a 5-acre forested property that鈥檚 also home to a second neighboring treehouse, but both are positioned to preserve a sense of privacy. In the winter, you鈥檙e just 15 minutes from skiing at Whitefish Mountain Resort. In the summer, head to Whitefish Lake and the charming lakeside town of Whitefish or go for a scenic drive or hike in Glacier National Park.

Don鈥檛 Miss: During peak season from June through September, you鈥檒l need a to drive Glacier National Park鈥檚 famous Going to the Sun Road, but it鈥檚 worth it for the views along this scenic mountain roadway. In the warmer months, park at the Logan Pass trailhead to hike a section of the 11-mile , which goes point to point along the Continental Divide past the , a historic, romantic backcountry lodge within the national park.

Disconnect at this Architect-Designed Treehouse in the Catskills

Location: Woodstock, New York

Price: From $500 per night

This 500-square-foot tiny house is situated on a private wooded property 15 minutes from the town of Woodstock, New York. Designed by architect Antony Gibbons as a whimsical family escape for these Airbnb hosts, this unique, stilted, stand-alone cabin has massive windows that look out into the Catskill Mountains and to the on-site pond. The quarters are quaint: A lofted, open-air bedroom sleeps two. Pick up bagels and coffee at the in Woodstock to have on hand. In the winter, there鈥檚 downhill skiing and an uphill policy at , a 30-minute drive away.

Don鈥檛 Miss: From spring to fall, tackle the 6-mile hike to the , which starts just up the road, or take the short but scenic walk to. There are plenty of lakes and swimming holes to jump into in the area, but why bother going anywhere else when you have a swimming pond in the backyard of your treehouse vacation rental? A wood-fired cedar hot tub awaits you on the edge of the pond. There鈥檚 no cell service or WiFi.

Enjoy a Wood-Fired Sauna at This Lookout Tower in Remote Backcountry

Location: Fernwood, Idaho

Price: From $271 per night

This structure wasn鈥檛 built to look like an old fire lookout tower鈥攊t actually is an old lookout tower. Originally built in 1959 atop a peak in eastern Washington, it was relocated to western Idaho in 1983 and completely remodeled as a year-round no-frills guest house in 2018. It鈥檚 surrounded by 13 acres of forest land on Crystal Peak outside the tiny hamlet of Fernwood, Idaho. In the summer, you can drive to within 50 feet of the lookout, but you鈥檒l need an all-wheel-drive car (the road in is pretty rugged); in the winter, you鈥檒l need to ski tour, snowmobile, or catch a lift from the caretaker鈥檚 off-road vehicle for an additional fee. There鈥檚 no bathroom in the lookout; you鈥檒l need to climb down the ladder to the ground level to use the outhouse.

Don鈥檛 Miss: You鈥檒l likely spend your days wandering around the hut鈥攜ou can forage for huckleberries or morel mushrooms鈥攖hen light up the wood-fired sauna, located on its own deck.

Bring Your Family to This Cozy Treehouse in the Foothills of the North Georgia Mountains

Location: Dahlonega, Georgia

Price: From $294 per night

You wouldn鈥檛 guess you鈥檙e just an hour north of Atlanta when you settle into this peaceful abode built around a massive oak tree. For families or groups, four people can sleep in bunks and a queen bed stacked in various nooks and this treehouse vacation rental comes with kids鈥� books and toys if you鈥檙e bringing little ones. There鈥檚 a short nature trail out the door. Three other vacation rental cabins sit on the same 7-acre property, but they鈥檙e well spaced apart from each other.

Don鈥檛 Miss: Downtown Dahlonega, a few minutes away, is listed on the National Historic Register as the site of one of America鈥檚 first gold rush towns. You can learn more about the area鈥檚 history at the Visit the 729-foot high waterfall in or hike the 8-mile that connects to the 2,193-mile Appalachian Trail near its southern terminus at Springer Mountain.

Ski Sunday River from This Chalet in the Trees

Location: Woodstock, Maine

Price: From $470 per night

You鈥檒l sleep 20 feet off the ground in a 300-square-foot tiny house designed and built by The Treehouse Guys, made famous on a DIY Network show. This cabin, in Woodstock, which can sleep up to four in two small, lofted spaces, is surrounded by maple and hemlock trees and just 10 minutes from the town of Bethel, Maine. It comes stocked with a record player, a ukulele, and a hot tub. The hosts call this pad The Ski Haus for a reason: Skiing at is less than 15 minutes away and skiing and summertime lift-accessed mountain biking at is just five minutes away. Or don鈥檛 leave the grounds: You can reach seven miles of hiking and snowshoeing trails from this treehouse vacation rental within the surrounding 634-acre Bucks Ledge Community Forest.

Don鈥檛 Miss: There鈥檚 ice skating midwinter on North Pond, a short walk from the treehouse, or in the summer, the place comes with access to paddleboards and kayaks.

Megan Michelson is an award-winning journalist who covers travel and the outdoors for a wide range of publications, including 国产吃瓜黑料, from her home base in Tahoe City, California. She’s always dreamed of staying in a treehouse鈥攅ven from childhood鈥攁nd can’t wait to hit up these spots on her 2025 vacation list. She’s recently written about the coolest off-grid Airbnb in Colorado, how this woman pulled off buying a one Euro home in Italy, and these 10 vacations that might even help you live longer.听

The post 9 Sublime Treehouses for Ridiculously Cool Vacation Stays appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Many of America鈥檚 63 national parks charge an entrance fee, usually $30-$35 per vehicle or $15 if you鈥檙e walking or on a bike. Or you can get an for just $80. The fee covers you for seven days, and the money goes to a good cause: according to the NPS, 80 percent is used within the park, helping to improve trails, campsites, and roads, and 20 percent goes to other park sites. And there are six or so .

You can also have a national-park experience for free another way, by visiting one of the 20 national parks that don鈥檛 charge an entrance fee ever. Come and go as you please without dropping a dime. Many of them are among our least-visited national parks, which means you might have these landscapes to yourself.

These are the 20 national parks that are free to visit every day. If you’re wondering whether these are good ones, they鈥檙e not鈥攖hey鈥檙e great ones.

1. Biscayne National Park, Florida

A coastal park located in south Florida where the mainland transitions to the Keys, Biscayne National Park is a collection of islands, mangroves, coral reefs, and open water that鈥檚 largely inaccessible except by boat. While entering the park doesn鈥檛 cost a thing, if you鈥檙e bringing a boat and want to anchor at certain areas, expect a $25 docking fee on weekends and holidays.

Best Time to Visit: Summer is hot and buggy (with temps in the 90s and mosquitoes), and hurricanes are possible in the fall. Shoot for winter, when temps hover in the mid 70s and the storms and bugs are dormant.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: Biscayne Bay is known for its shipwrecks, and the Mandalay, a schooner that sank in the 鈥�60s, is one of the top sites, as the hull sits in shallow enough water to be seen by snorkelers as well as divers. This wreck is part of the which includes five others. Don鈥檛 want to spend your time underwater? Head to Boca Chita Key, also part of the park, a 32-acre island with camping ($25 a night, first-come, first-served), hiking, and a lighthouse. The half-mile trail that circumnavigates the small island leads to its beaches.

2. Channel Islands National Park, California

Channel Islands National Park encompasses five rugged islands in the Pacific Ocean about 30 miles off the coast of Los Angeles. If you ever wondered what Southern California would look like without the development and traffic, this is it. The park is full of remote beaches, steep cliffs, expansive meadows, and pristine forests.

Best Time to Visit: Summer, as the water and air temps are both in the 70s, a little cooler than most of Southern California but still warm, so you can make the most of those beaches scattered throughout the park.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: I hit Channel Islands last summer as part of a seven-day adventure cruise, but the easiest way (compared to arriving via seaplane or private boat) to reach the park is by ferry, with (day trips from $96). Get dropped off on Santa Rosa Island and hike the 12-mile out-and-back to Skunk Point, a prominent peninsula with sand dunes and cliffs jutting into the Pacific. You鈥檒l pass rare Torrey pines, a gnarled-looking, wind-twisted type of tree only found on the Channel Islands and in La Jolla on the mainland, and have copious views of the ocean and island along the way.

Or book a sea-kayaking tour with and paddle to sea caves and gaze at natural rock arches (from $145 per person).

3. Congaree National Park, South Carolina

You could say Congaree National Park is a swamp, and you wouldn鈥檛 be wrong, but the word doesn鈥檛 do the place justice. The 26,692-acre Congaree holds the largest intact old-growth bottom-wood forest in the South, boasting trophy-sized loblolly pines and cypress that rise straight from the water. The same forest has one of the tallest canopies in the eastern United States, with an average tree height of more than 100 feet.

Best Time to Visit: Avoid summer because of the sweltering heat and bugs. Winter and spring are fine, but you might as well show up in the fall when the weather is perfect, the rivers are full from seasonal rains, and the hardwoods, like tupelos and sweet gums, are popping with color.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: Most of the fun in Congaree is water-based, so bring a canoe or paddle board and slowly make your way through the , a 15-mile marked 鈥減ath鈥� that winds through old-growth cypress. The current is mellow enough to paddle up or downstream, so you don鈥檛 need a shuttle.

4. Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

An oasis of public land sandwiched between the bustling cities of Cleveland and Akron, Cuyahoga Valley holds 33,000 acres of forest and historic farmland surrounding the Cuyahoga River. What the park lacks in towering peaks or grand vistas, it makes up for in waterways, waterfalls, and cultural significance; you can ride your bike beside the Ohio and Erie Canal, which connected the Ohio River with Lake Erie, key to the country鈥檚 western expansion during the early 1800s.

Best Time to Visit: It鈥檚 a four-season park (although winters can be cold and snowy), and I could make an argument for every season. Fall brings bright foliage, and spring is mild and uncrowded, but show up in summer and you can take advantage of the many farmers鈥� markets in and around the park. The Cuyahoga Valley is still a very active agricultural hub of the Midwest.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: You have to bike at least a section of the , a 100-mile crushed-gravel trail that follows the Ohio and Erie Canal. Roughly 20 miles of the Towpath sit inside the park, passing through small towns and meadows full of wildflowers, like trillium and bloodroot, with deer and foxes along the way.

5. Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Want remote wilderness? Go to Alaska, then keep heading north into the Brooks Range, and you鈥檒l find Gates of the Arctic, a 13,000-square-mile expanse of mountains and river valleys north of the Arctic Circle. There are no roads in Gates of the Arctic, nor a visitor center or gift shop, nor even established trails. Just herds of caribou, the glow of the northern lights, and several federally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers winding through the tundra. 听

Best Time to Visit: Hands down, summer has the warmest temps, as well as rivers that are full from snowmelt and a landscape that comes alive as everything from wildflowers to grizzly bears makes the most of the sunshine. There鈥檚 plenty of that, too; you鈥檙e so far north, you can expect daylight for up to a month at a time in the summer.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: Try, if you can, to see this park from the hull of a boat. Consider paddling the Noatak, a sinuous river that鈥檚 carved a broad valley through the Brooks Range. You鈥檇 plan for a 10-day canoe-camping trip, with mostly calm water and a few stretches of class II rapids on the 60-mile section inside the park. You鈥檒l float past meadows full of alpine sunflowers and snow buttercups, fish for arctic char, and keep an eye out for grizzlies, wolves, and Dall sheep ( from $8,900).

6. Gateway Arch National Park, Missouri

Gateway Arch isn鈥檛 like other national parks on this list. It鈥檚 an urban park, located in St. Louis, that was originally set aside to commemorate the cultural significance of our country鈥檚 push westward. It鈥檚 only 91 acres, tucked into the banks of the Mississippi River, and has the 630-foot Gateway Arch as its centerpiece. Fun fact: this is the tallest arch in the U.S. Inside the park are five miles of paved trails for walking and running along the Mississippi.

Best Time to Visit: Show up in fall or spring, when the weather is mild and the crowds are minimal.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: Really, ride the tram to the top of the arch. The journey takes you through the structure鈥檚 hollow legs and ends at a viewing platform with a panorama of the Mississippi River and its many bridges below. The only catch? The ride will cost you $19.

7. Great Basin National Park, Nevada

It takes some effort to reach Great Basin National Park, in eastern Nevada roughly 285 miles north of Las Vegas, but once you鈥檙e there, you won鈥檛 need to contend with crowds. Only 140,000 people a year venture to Great Basin, compared to 14 million visitors for Great Smoky Mountains National Park听in 2023. Yet Great Basin has towering 13,000-foot peaks; groves of shimmering aspen as well as old-growth bristlecone pines, which are believed to be the oldest known tree species in the world; and a fascinating system of caves to explore.

Best Time to Visit: Much of the park can be inaccessible during winter, when the 12-mile Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, which ascends from 6,700 to 10,180 feet in elevation, is unplowed but open to skiers and snowshoers, and there are various other winter closures. So going between late spring and early fall is your best bet. Late summer will give you the best chance for snow-free trails.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: The cave tours are popular, but I say hike to the top of 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak, where views of the Great Basin Desert, the only 鈥渃old鈥� desert in America鈥攖he precipitation comes from snow鈥攕tretch in every direction for 100 miles on a clear day. It鈥檚 a 6.1-mile that gains 3,000 feet, much of which is above tree line, so take it slowly if you鈥檙e coming from sea level. Interested in something milder? Hike the 2.7-mile , which brings you to the edges of Teresa and Stella Lakes, both pools surrounded by evergreens.

8. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee

This is the most popular national park in the country, with, as said above, some 14 million visitors annually. Fortunately, there are 500,000 acres of mountains in Great Smoky Mountains National Park听for all those people to explore, with more than 900 miles of trail that access 6,000-foot peaks, pristine trout streams, and historic farming valleys.

Best Time to Visit: There鈥檚 no bad time to hit GSMNP. The foliage goes nuts come fall, winter can bring snow and solitude, and spring is budding with renewed life鈥ut I like summer in the Smokies. Sure, some parts of the park are crowded, but the temperatures are perfect for splashing in the waterfalls and swimming holes.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: Most visitors stick to the scenic Newfound Gap Road and its short nature trails, but I recommend hiking the 11-mile out-and-back up to LeConte Lodge, a backcountry inn on top of the 6,000-foot peak of the same name. Some sections of the trail are so exposed you use cables for safety, and you鈥檒l pass through Alum Cave, a rock overhang with a long-range view into the park. If you can鈥檛 score overnight reservations at the lodge, purchase a sack lunch from the kitchen for a picnic in some quiet spot with a view before heading back down to the trailhead.

9. Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

An aerial view shows Hot Springs Bathhouse Row, Hot Springs National Park, Garland County, Arkansas, in summer amid the region’s green hills. Video courtesy Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism

Forget rugged cliffs or backcountry lakes. Hot Springs National Park protects a small town that was built on top of thermal springs that attracted travelers for centuries before the area ever became a national park. Today, you鈥檒l find two brick bathhouses for soaking your weary muscles and public fountains where you can fill a jug with natural spring water for drinking.

Best Time to Visit: The weather in the park is generally mild, so it鈥檚 a popular destination year round, but winter feels like the right time to sit in a tub of hot water.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: Can relaxing be an adventure? Who cares? When in Hot Springs National Park, you sit in hot water. The Buckstaff Bathhouse has small private tubs, while the has a series of larger, Roman-style pools for group bathing as well. A man-made steam cave captures the radiant heat from the 143-degree water (from $25 per person). You can also hike the trails here and are welcome to bike on any of the paved roads and the Pullman Trail.

10.听 Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Katmai National Park is surely best known for its live bear cams, where you can watch massive brown bears fish for salmon from the comfort of your office chair. But this 4-million-acre park in Southern Alaska is more than just an internet sensation; it鈥檚 a playground of lakes, rivers, and mountains, with an active volcano.

Best Time to Visit: Show up in July when the temps approach 70, and the brown bears are actively hunting for fish.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: Try to get a campsite or lodge room at the float-plane accessible (make reservations starting January 5, $18 per campsite per night) on the edge of Naknek Lake, and hike the 1.2-mile out and back to Brooks Falls, where the park鈥檚 most popular bear cam catches grizzlies poking around the water for salmon. Don鈥檛 worry, the hike ends at an overlook a safe distance from the action.

11. Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

The heart of Kenai Fjords is the Harding Icefield, a 700-square-mile sheet of ice that has shaped Alaska鈥檚 Kenai Peninsula by leaving glaciers and carving fjords. Visitors to the park have 600,000 acres of fjords to paddle, many trails to hike, and innumerable icy crevices to explore, with 听options available.

Best Time to Visit: Technically, Kenai Fjords is open year round, but winters are cold and snowy, and the only way into the park is by fat bike, XC skis, or dogsled. Show up from June through August and the trails are open to hikers, the roads are clear, and wildlife is most visible, as animals actively look for food.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: This is your chance to explore a glacier in all its shrinking glory. A paved road leads to the edge of Exit Glacier, which forms the tail end of the Harding Icefield. From here a system of trails explores the valley carved by the glacier, offering a variety of views. Hike the 8.2-mile out-and-back , a strenuous climb through cottonwood forests and meadows, then above a tree line ridge that stops at the edge of the massive expanse of ice.

12. Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska

Kobuk Valley is one of the least-visited units of the national-park system (just over 17,000 people made the trip in 2023), but that鈥檚 more a reflection of the park鈥檚 location north of the Arctic Circle than its landscape, which is a mix of rivers and sand dunes that are populated by a hell of a lot of caribou traveling along the Kobuk River. No roads lead into Kobuk Valley, so most visitors arrive via . The other option would be a very long paddle in.

Best Time to Visit: Shoot for June or July, when you鈥檒l enjoy nearly 24 hours of light every day, blooming wildflowers like the herbaceous locoweed, and temperatures in the mid 60s. Or show up in August when the caribou begin their migration through the park.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: With no established trails or campgrounds inside the park, you need to be self-sufficient. Most people show up to camp in the 25-square-mile Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, or paddle and fish for salmon and whitefish along the 61 miles of the Kobuk River within the park鈥檚 borders. Either way, keep an eye out for caribou, which look like lean reindeer.

13. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Much like Kobuk Valley, Lake Clark has no roads leading into the park and is typically accessed by small plane. But make the effort and you鈥檒l see 4 million acres of quintessential Alaskan terrain with 10,000-foot peaks, backcountry lakes, glaciers, and wild rivers, all about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage.

Best Time to Visit: It鈥檚 Alaska, so summer will give you the longest days and warmest weather of the year. The brown bears are active too, filling up on salmon running up the rivers, so it can be a once-in-a-lifetime thrill seeing them (from a safe distance).

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: Catch a to Crescent Lake and spend your time on a boat, fishing for sockeye salmon, which fill the lake in July during their annual migration, or lake trout. Bring your binoculars too, as the lake is a hub for brown-bear activity during the summer.

14. Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

Most national parks wow you with what鈥檚 above ground, but Mammoth Cave鈥檚 secret sauce lies beneath the dirt; the park protects the largest cave system in the world, with more than 400 miles of mapped passages.

Best Time to Visit: Mammoth might be the truest year-round park in the system, as the temperature in the caves is a consistent 54 degrees through every season. But visit in the fall and the hardwoods above ground are bursting with color.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: The landscape offers plenty to do above ground, from paddling the Green River to mountain biking the park鈥檚 20 miles of singletrack, but you鈥檙e here for the caves. The Historic Cave Tour is the classic introduction, a two-hour guided adventure that hits the biggest rooms and tight channels alike ($24 per person). Or if you鈥檙e feeling adventurous, sign up for a Wild Cave Tour and crawl through tight passages that lead to lesser-seen rooms over 5.5 miles of exploration ($79 per person).

15. National Park of American Samoa

Looking for something remote and tropical? American Samoa is a collection of seven islands located 2,600 miles south of Hawaii. National Park of American Samoa protects pieces of four of those islands, boasting tropical rainforests, steep peaks, remote beaches, and access to the surrounding ocean and coral reefs.

Best Time to Visit: It鈥檚 warm year round in American Samoa, but winter can be rainy. The dry season runs from June to September, offering the best chances of good weather for hiking and clear water for snorkeling.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: Tutuila, the largest island of Samoa, is loaded with hiking trails that lead through rainforests to dramatic viewpoints over the coast. If I ever get to go, I鈥檓 visiting Ofu Island, which has a remote shoreline with pink sand that has been called the most beautiful beach in the world. The is amazing too, as the water is clear, the coral reefs are close to shore and packed with colorful fish, and the area hosts more than 950 species of fish.

16. New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, West Virginia

New River Gorge National Park packs an adventurous punch in its svelte 73,000 acres, protecting 53 miles of the class IV New River and the steep, rocky gorge around it. Rock climbing, mountain biking, whitewater rafting鈥ou can do it all inside this relatively small park.

Best Time to Visit: Summer brings the warmest weather for rafting, but if you鈥檙e looking to climb, show up in the fall when the humidity dissipates, temps drop, and the leaves pop.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: It鈥檚 hard to pick just one here, but rafting the New has to top the list. The river drops 750 feet inside the park鈥檚 boundaries, unraveling in a series of III-IV wave trains, drops, and big pillows. A number of outfitters , from half-day milder water options to two-day overnight adventures.

17. North Cascades National Park, Washington

North Cascades might be close enough to Seattle for a day trip, but this landscape is a world removed from the bustling city, with high alpine terrain full of evergreen forests, craggy peaks, backcountry lakes, and more than 300 glaciers鈥搕he largest collection in any park outside of Alaska.

Best Time to Visit: Late June to late September has the most user-friendly weather and the best chances for snow-free trails.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: Take on , a steep 9.4-mile hike from the edge of Ross Lake that passes through meadows toward sweeping views from a historic lookout tower that Jack Kerouac once lived in while working as a fire scout. On the horizon are the craggy, fin-like Hozomeen Peak and a portion of the Ross Lake National Recreation Area.

18. Virgin Islands National Park, Virgin Islands

Protecting two-thirds of the island of St. John, Virgin Islands National Park is packed with beaches, lush mountains, and tropical rainforests. Visitors will split their time between water activities, lounging on beaches, and hiking through the hills.

Best Time to Visit: Summer can be hot and rainy and fall brings hurricanes, but winter in the Virgin Islands is delightful, with temps in the 80s and minimal rainfall.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: Explore Salomon and Honeymoon Bay, dueling white-sand beaches separated by a rocky point. Snorkelers have colonies of coral reefs teeming with tropical fish to explore. Or go for a swim in Brown Bay, from a beach that鈥檚 only accessible by boat or a 1.5-mile hike on Brown Bay Trail.

19. Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Situated on the Canadian border in Northern Minnesota, the 218,055-acre Voyageurs National Park is known for its series of lakes interconnected by 60 miles of canoe trails. Moose and wolves thrive inside the park, which is also a good spot for seeing the northern lights.

Best Time to Visit: Visitor centers and tour operators open in June and the lakes are busiest in the summer, but September brings changing colors and fewer crowds. The season ends quickly, though, and October can feel more like winter than fall.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: People visit Voyageurs to canoe and fish the lakes for walleye and northern pike. The larger lakes can be busy with motorboat traffic, but the smaller interior lakes are linked by a series of marked canoe trails and backcountry campsites. Paddle the 13-mile Chain of Lakes trail, which traverses four small lakes on the Kabetogama Peninsula via small creeks and short portages. Each lake has a campsite, and the park service stages boats for use by those with camping .

20. Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota

One of the oldest national parks in our system, established in 1903 by Theodore Roosevelt, the 33,000-acre Wind Cave protects a landscape in transition, where the Great Plains give way to the Black Hills. Above ground, the park boasts broad swaths of grassland occupied by herds of bison and elk, but underneath that bounty of wildlife are 143 miles of mapped cave passages.

Best time to Visit: Summer is hot and thunderstorms with hail are common, while winter brings snow and sub-freezing temps. Hit Wind Cave in the shoulder seasons (spring or fall) for mild weather and to see active wildlife.

Signature 国产吃瓜黑料: The only way to explore the caves is on a . The Natural Entrance tour is a good family-friendly option, as visitors experience the winding opening of the cave system before exploring some of the larger interior passages, known for walls that look like honeycombs. If you want more of an adventure, sign up for the Wild Cave tour, which will have you crawling through smaller, undeveloped passages deep down in the system ($17 per person).

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 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.

The post Entry to These 20 National Parks Won鈥檛 Cost You a Dime appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The big ones you already know: Great Smoky Mountains, Acadia, Yosemite. All of these national parks have well-documented fall-foliage displays. They鈥檙e stunning, but the crowds can be stunning, too.

So, let鈥檚 spread the love. Here are nine national parks that have managed to fly under the leaf-peeping radar while boasting an autumn display that rivals that of the big hitters.

1. Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

Cuyahoga Valley National Park is named for the 鈥渃rooked river,鈥� as it was known by the Lenape, the indigenous tribe that called the area home in the 1600s and 1700s. It may be the most amazing park you鈥檝e never seen. Does it have towering peaks? No. But it protects a lush river valley between Cleveland and Akron that is loaded with waterfalls, mossy cliffs, historical sites, and a hardwood forest that absolutely pops come fall.

It’s also a comeback story I celebrate. In the mid-1900s, the Cuyahoga River was a cautionary tale, actually catching fire at least a dozen times from pollution. The last such fire, in 1969, was so devastating it sparked creation the next year of the first Earth Day and the Environmental Protection Agency. Today that once-abused waterway is part of a flourishing national park of over 33,000 acres of river valley, wetlands, farmland, and rolling hills.

Peak Color: Show up in the middle of October. You can expect the sugar and red maples to turn first, with displays of red, yellow, and orange, while the white oaks follow, turning a deep, rich brown. Bonus: in early October, the New England aster wildflower blooms purple along the towpath trail, where in the 1800s mules pulled boats up and down the Erie Canal.

The Best Way to See Foliage: , a 100-mile crushed-gravel trail that once carried goods and passengers between Lake Erie and the Eastern U.S., is now the playground of hikers, runners, and cyclists. Twenty miles of the towpath, between the Lock 39 and Botzum trailheads, reside inside the national park. Ride this section and you鈥檒l pass through small towns and Beaver Marsh, a hotspot of wildlife viewing.

You can purchase a on the scenic railway to go out and return by bike on a 13-mile stretch of the towpath between the Akron North station and Peninsula Depot through October ($5 per person). has bike rentals (from $60 a day).

There are 125 miles of trail in Cuyahoga, but the 2.5-mile loop is a must-hike, as it follows a tall band of sandstone cliffs covered in moss. You鈥檒l have the chance to scramble 听up and over boulders, but the trail also puts you deep into a forest alive with color. Look for the yellows of hazelnut trees.

2. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

The 14,410-foot Mount Rainier, a volcano adorned with white glaciers, is the obvious focal point of this 236,000-acre national park. While every season offers a different reason to visit, I鈥檇 argue that fall is the best, or at least the most colorful. And it has nothing to do with the trees.

Sure, the deciduous forests change in September, but most of the color in Rainier comes from the shrubs and ground cover that blanket the vast meadows surrounding that famous three-summited mountain amid 26 glaciers. Mount Rainier is full of elderberry and huckleberry bushes, as well as vine maples, all of which turn different shades of yellow, orange, and red in autumn.

Peak Color: Aim for the beginning of October, as snow begins to descend on the park towards the end of the month.

The Best Way to See Foliage: Hike the around Reflection Lake, which is famous for holding the mirror image of Mount Rainier on calm, clear days. The two main tarns on this trail are flanked by subalpine meadows with a variety of shrubs and wildflowers that change colors in the fall. You鈥檒l also see some mountain ash turning yellow within the dense evergreen forest on the edge of the water.

For bigger views and an abundance of color, the 5.5-mile has long-range vistas of the area鈥檚 most famous volcanoes, Mount St. Helens and Mount Adams, while also passing through expansive stretches of huckleberry and vine maple, which are turning red and orange.

3. Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas

I know what you鈥檙e thinking: West Texas is the desert, man. No trees. While it鈥檚 true that Guadalupe Mountains National Park occupies 86,000 acres of dusty, high-desert terrain best known for cactus and towering buttes, the place is also home to forests of deciduous trees that undergo the same transformation as the better-known hardwood forests of the East and Midwest.

The higher elevations in the park receive twice as much rain as the desert floor, creating a more diverse habitat that includes oaks, maples, and ash trees as well as a few aspens, all mixed in with ponderosa pines and Douglas firs.

Fall foliage is easy to find in a place like Vermont, where trees are literally everywhere, but you鈥檒l have to work for it in Guadalupe Mountains; every foliage focal point requires at least a short hike, but the effort is part of the appeal as you move through dusty canyons into high alpine forests.

Peak Color: Fall comes surprisingly late in Guadalupe Mountains, with trees starting to change in mid October and hitting their peak towards the end of the month. The first week of November can also deliver bright hues.

The Best Way to See Foliage: Hike the 15.2-mile out-and-back (or a shorter variation) which has the greatest concentration of fall color in the entire park. The trail follows the canyon floor, tracing the edge of a small, clear creek for four miles before steepening to climb up and out of the canyon to McKittrick Ridge. You鈥檒l gain 2,700 feet of elevation, most of which comes during that two-mile rise.

Make it to the dense forest of Pratt Canyon, 4.7 miles in, or hike all the way to McKittrick Ridge and a view of the canyon in its entirety, as it splays out in a mix of fall color and tan desert floor.

4. Zion National Park, Utah

Zion can hardly be considered an 鈥渦nderrated鈥� park (as opposed to being one of the lesser-visited national parks, it was the third-most-so in 2023, with 4,623,238 visits), but the element of surprise is that few people think of this desert oasis as a hotbed of fall color. It is. I鈥檝e visited the park in the spring and summer on a number of occasions, and really want to see it 听during fall, when the oaks and maples scattered throughout various canyons turn shades of orange and red.

The Virgin River, which runs through Zion鈥檚 entrance and carves the iconic canyon at the heart of the park, is surrounded by cottonwoods that turn bright yellow. The crowds are typically thinner, too, as the summer-rush people are back to school and work.

Peak Color: Trees at higher elevations will start turning in September, but the best color in the park goes from late October into early November.

The Best Way to See Foliage: You鈥檒l spot the cottonwoods along the Virgin River as you enter the park, but for a bird鈥檚-eye view of the foliage, hike the mile-long on the east side of Zion, which traverses a relatively flat expanse of sandstone to an outcropping with an all-encompassing view. From your lofty perch, the main arm of Zion Canyon looks as if it鈥檚 carpeted by yellow cottonwoods.

5. Congaree National Park, South Carolina

I鈥檓 embarrassed to admit that I鈥檝e never explored Congaree National Park, even though it鈥檚 only a few hours from my home, in Asheville, North Carolina. But I need to rectify the omission, because by all accounts, Congaree is a one-of-a-kind landscape that is home to some of the most impressive trees in the country. The national park protects the largest intact old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the Southeast, with stands of 500-year-old bald cypress trees, loblolly pines that stretch 165 feet in the air, and towering elm, oaks, tupelos, and sweet gums.

In the fall, most of those massive old trees put on a show, with the tupelos turning red and gold and oaks deepening into reds. Even the bald cypress get in on the action. The species is best known for its knobby 鈥渒nees,鈥� roots that rise above the dark water of Congaree鈥檚 Cedar Creek, but these giant trees are deciduous conifers with leaves that turn cinnamon and orange.

The park is small, just 26,000 acres, and best explored by canoe or paddleboard, as the Congaree and Water rivers merge here to create an extensive floodplain that dominates the terrain.

Peak Color: Fall hits late, beginning at about the end of October and running into November. This also happens to be the best time to visit Congaree, as temps are mild (up to the 70s), bugs scarce, and the water levels ideal for paddling.

The Best Way to See Foliage: Explore the Cedar Creek Canoe Trail from Bannister鈥檚 Bridge to the Congaree River. The current is essentially non-existent, so you can choose your own out-and-back adventure. If you want to go with a local, runs guided trips into Congaree ($100 per person). And while you鈥檙e here for the trees and color, keep an eye out for otters, turtles, and the occasional gator in the water too. Congaree is also a hotbed of woodpecker activity, with all eight southern species found in the park.

6. Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Named for the French-Canadian fur traders that used to travel through the area in birchbark canoes, the 218,000-acre Voyageurs National Park is comprised mostly of lakes: four big ones鈥擱ainy, Kabetogama, Namakan, and Sandy Point鈥攁nd 26 small ones. There are also 500 islands and 650 miles of shoreline ripe with fall color in September, as stands of aspen, basswood, oaks, maples, and birch trees shake up the green forest palate of spruce and fir. I like the idea of paddling a canoe surrounded by a forest canopy ablaze in red and orange.

Voyageurs is situated against the Canadian border at a high enough latitude for visitors occasionally to glimpse the aurora borealis. Your chances of seeing these mystical northern lights increases in the fall as nights grow longer and darker. The University of Alaska operates a service that the activity of the lights up to a month in advance.

Voyageurs is also an International Dark Sky Certified Park, so whether or not you can see the northern lights, clear nights reveal a cornucopia of stars above.

Peak Color: Aspens and birch trees begin to turn yellow in the middle of September, and the oaks and maples follow with reds and oranges as we move into October. Aim for the end of September or beginning of October for the most color. Keep in mind that while the park is open year round, the Rainy Lake Visitor Center is the only visitor center operating into October. The other two close at the end of September.

The Best Way to See Foliage: For a quick immersion in fall color, hike the 1.7-mile , which starts at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center and loops through a hardwood forest on mostly flat trail via double track and skinny boardwalk over marshy sections. You鈥檒l also get views of marsh grass shimmering in the wind leading to Rainy Lake itself. If you want to go out on the water, the park service runs a 2.5-hour , which cruises the island-studded Rainy Lake seeking out wildlife and delivering postcard-worthy views ($50 per adult).

7. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska

In a state that鈥檚 absolutely crammed with dramatic public landscapes, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve often gets overlooked. Its neighbor Katmai National Park, after all, is home to the cutest bears on the internet. But Lake Clark has much splendor of its own, from sheer granite-walled peaks to ice-blue glaciers and wildlife worthy of any safari. (Grizzlies! Moose! Caribou! Otters!)

Lake Clark is located just 100 miles southwest of Anchorage, but relative to other national parks, gets a scant 200,000 visitors a year. Credit the lack of roads; the only way to access the park is via aircraft or boat.

Peak Color: Fall is by far the best time to visit Lake Clark, and by fall, I mean September, as the snow typically begins in October here. Hit the park during the three- to four-week window, and you鈥檒l see groves of birch trees turning gold amid their conifer neighbors, as lakeside lowland shrubs go orange and red. Fall is also berry season (look for cranberries and blueberries), and bears are particularly active, foraging for food in anticipation of hibernating through winter.

Lake Clark itself is 42 miles long and five miles wide. The tiny Port Alsworth (pop: 130) sits on the east side of the lake, serving as the gateway town to the park, and has its only visitor center. The National Park Service maintains of air taxis with permits to fly into the park if you want to venture deeper into the terrain.

The Best Way to See Foliage: Maintained day-hike trails are scarce in Lake Clark, but the four-mile out-and-back offers convenient access and a bevy of fall color. The hike begins on the edge of Port Alsworth and passes through stands of birch trees to Tanalian Falls, a 30-foot beauty that drops over lava rock, all surrounded by spruce and birch forest. Turn this hike into a loop by taking the Beaver Pond Trail back to the trailhead, hitting more golden-hued birches as you meander past a small beaver pond.

8. Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

I鈥檓 convinced Theodore Roosevelt National Park would be more appreciated if it were located closer to larger cities. The Dakotas are among the most interesting states in the Midwest, and this park is a highlight. The 70,000-acre park protects a landscape in transition, where the great plains meet the canyons of the badlands. It鈥檚 divided into three sections鈥擲outh Unit, Elkhorn Ranch Unit, and the North Unit鈥攕titched together by the Little Missouri River.

The North Unit has the deepest canyons and most remote trails, the Elkhorn Ranch Unit preserves Teddy Roosevelt鈥檚 hunting cabin, and the South Unit blends broad, grassy plains with wide river gorges. You鈥檒l find beautiful foliage throughout the park, as the Little Missouri River is shrouded in a cottonwood forest. You鈥檙e also almost guaranteed to see some epic wildlife, too; big species like feral horses, elk, and bison roam free.

Peak Color: Shoot for mid-September to mid-October for the most vibrant colors. Trees in the North Unit tend to shift earlier, while the South Unit pulls up the rear in the middle of October.

The Best Way to See Foliage: Is it lame to recommend a scenic drive? Not when it鈥檚 the 28-mile Scenic Drive in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The byway rambles through grassland and the tan-colored badlands, with pullouts that feature views of rock outcroppings and canyons and the Missouri River aglow with cottonwoods. Stretch your legs on the Achenbach Trail, a 2.4-mile out and back that leads through grassland (keep an eye out for bison) and ends at an overlook that takes in a bend in the Little Missouri.

9. Great Basin National Park, Nevada

Way out in eastern Nevada, close to Utah, Great Basin National Park protects 77,180 acres of scrubby desert, caves, and imposing peaks. It鈥檚 not the most obvious fall-foliage destination, but a legit one, and you鈥檒l likely have it all to yourself: Great Basin only gets 140,000 visitors per year. Rest assured, that low attendance is strictly a factor of location (Great Basin is far from everything), because the landscape is destination-worthy, from the craggy 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak to the underground world of Lehman Cave. As for foliage, picture groves of aspens turning shining gold.

Peak Color: Great Basin is a higher-elevation park, so aspens begin to turn in the middle of September and are typically done by mid-October.

The Best Way to See Foliage: Cruise the 12-mile long Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, which gains 4,000 feet from the park entrance to the flank of the mountain it is named for. The way passes through a variety of different habitats, from sagebrush to evergreen conifers, and by the 10,000 feet, you鈥檒l drive through so many colorful aspens you鈥檇 almost think you鈥檙e in the Rocky Mountains. At the end of the scenic drive, hike the 6.4-mile , which passes through a high-elevation meadow and delivers you into a dense grove of the aspens.

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist. He lives in the Southern Appalachians, a hotbed of leaf-peeping activity. Fall is his favorite season for bike rides and trail runs, largely because of the technicolor backdrop in his backyard.听

For more by this author:

9 Beautiful Mountain Towns in the Southeast

The 10 Best Bike Towns in America, Ranked

8 Surf Towns Where You Can Learn the Sport and the Culture

The post 9 Most Underrated National Parks for Incredible Fall Foliage appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Mountain towns in the Western U.S. get a lot of love. I鈥檝e written plenty of articles that highlight places like Jackson, Boulder, and Crested Butte, but these high-profile burgs aren鈥檛 the only badass adventure basecamps.

I鈥檝e lived in North Carolina in the Southern Appalachians for the last 20 years, and while the Southeast is often overlooked for adventure and mountain culture, we have a bevy of cities with quick access to the diversions we all crave. Not to mention downtowns so charming you鈥檇 think you were on a movie set.

These are my nine favorite mountain towns in the Southeast, ranked according to my experience and personal preferences, with special points given for bike rides that end at breweries.

1. Asheville, North Carolina

Population: 93,775

Best Known For: Breweries and Bike Rides

Am I biased because Asheville is my home? Yes, but there are reasons why I chose to settle here 20 years ago, and many more why I stay. Life here is too damn good for me to consider moving anywhere else.

Asheville is the cultural center of the Southern Appalachians, with one of the best food-and-beer scenes on the East Coast. The street art and local music rival that in bigger cities, too. The town itself is so fun you could easily forget that all this activity sits in a valley surrounded by 5,000- and 6,000-foot mountains that are perfect playgrounds for adventure athletes.

World-class road cycling begins and ends in town, while epic hiking and mountain biking options start within 20 miles in every direction. The French Broad River provides mellow daytime paddling options on the west side of downtown as well as multi-night adventures, thanks to developed campsites along the , while hardcore paddlers have flocked to Asheville for the prevalence of class IV and V creeks deeper in the mountains.

Best 国产吃瓜黑料s in Asheville, North Carolina

• There are hundreds of miles of singletrack in the surrounding Pisgah National Forest, but for a quick post-work ride, I head 15 minutes west of downtown (12 miles) to , which has more than 20 miles of trails. is my favorite piece of singletrack, partly because of the long gravel climb to reach it, but mostly for the two miles of flowy, mildly technical downhill.
• Roadies should head straight for the Blue Ridge Parkway, which forms a half-circle around Asheville. I like the climb up Town Mountain Road, which leaves directly from downtown and heads north on the parkway until I either get tired or hit 6,684-foot Mount Mitchell 33 miles later. has both mountain- and road-bike rentals (from $85 a day).
• For an epic hike or trail run, drive south on the Blue Ridge Parkway for 30 miles to the 6,214-foot Black Balsam, a high-elevation bald with 360-degree views of the surrounding peaks. It鈥檚 my wife鈥檚 favorite spot for a scenic photo shoot. You can reach the summit in a .5-mile hike along the Art Loeb Trail, or you could knock out a bigger loop that takes in Black Balsam and neighboring Tennent Mountain, another 6,000-footer with its own tree-free summit views. A five- and 10-mile option each uses the same
  

  

Where to Eat and Drink in Asheville, North Carolina

• Everyone is going to have an opinion, but I like the vibe at Burial Brewing, where you can drink the potent Surf Wax IPA in a beer garden next to a mural of Tom Selleck and Sloth from Goonies.
• Asheville has its fair share of James Beard-nominated chefs, but I get excited about eating a Bibim Bap from El Kimchi, a food truck with shifting locations throughout town each night. Try to catch El Kimchi at New Belgium Brewery, which has a massive lawn above the French Broad River.

Where to Stay in Asheville, North Carolina

• Wrong Way River Lodge and Cabins has one-bedroom A-frame cabins, each complete with a record player and selection of vinyl, next to the French Broad River within walking distance of a climbing gym, greenway system, and the bars and restaurants within the River Arts District (from $198 a night).

2. Chattanooga, Tennessee

Population: 185,000

Best known for: Rock climbing and singletrack

Chattanooga is easily the largest city on this list, but don鈥檛 let the size dissuade you. The location is perfect, as Chattanooga sits in the foothills of the Southern Appalachians with the steep slopes of Lookout Mountain and the Cumberland Plateau rising from the edge of town. I鈥檓 always amazed by how close the adventure is to downtown Chattanooga.

The lush hardwood forests of the surrounding mountains hold expansive sandstone cliffs and boulders, making Chattanooga a hotbed of rock climbing, while recent years have brought an explosion of mountain-bike trail development. Meanwhile, the Tennessee River wraps around downtown, giving paddlers immediate access to endless miles of flat-water boating. I鈥檝e spent a lot of time paddling a SUP on the Tennessee River, in awe of the buildings and bridges that comprise downtown.

And the city has whole-heartedly embraced the outdoors, with leaders actively working to make it one of the first designated in the world, trying to apply a national park ethos to the entire city.

Best 国产吃瓜黑料s in Chattanooga, Tennessee

• There are more than 100 miles of singletrack within 20 miles of downtown Chattanooga, and most have been purpose-built in the last decade for mountain bikers. , a city park with six miles of bike trails in town, offers a great quick spin, but I鈥檝e spent entire days geeking out on , eight miles from downtown, where roughly 30 miles of fast, technical single track unfold.
  

• Rock climbers might have more to choose from than mountain bikers around Chattanooga. The city opens up the , a 50-foot-tall limestone pier holding up a city bridge, to climbing occasionally, via toprope and on bolted-on holds. But the , a sandstone cliff hanging over the Tennessee River in Prentice Cooper State Forest, 15 miles from downtown, has to be the crown jewel. The T-Wall has more than 600 established routes, most of which require trad skills and gear. The routes range in difficulty from 5.5 to 5.13, with something for everyone.
  

  

• There are whitewater runs in the mountains surrounding town, and the runs for 45 miles through the Tennessee River Gorge, offering multi-day flatwater canoe trips. But I鈥檓 always drawn to the eight-mile-long Tennessee Riverpark, which has multiple access points for boaters downtown. Rent paddleboards at ($30), in Coolidge Park, and see town from the water.
• What you can see above ground is just the beginning; there are more than 7,000 caves within an hour鈥檚 drive of Chattanooga. Most are wild caves on private property that are closed to the public, but offers guided adventures through a network of chambers and tunnels that have streams and waterfalls (from $60).
  

Where to Eat and Drink in Chattanooga, Tennessee

• For years, my one complaint about Chattanooga was the prevalence of chain restaurants over local options, but recently the food scene has exploded with great one-of-a-kind options, especially in the Southside neighborhood, which is tucked into a revitalized industrial district. Check out , which serves well-crafted Chinese-inspired dishes with fun tiki drinks. I鈥檓 a sucker for tiki drinks.

Where to Stay in Chattanooga, Tennessee

• There are plenty of hotels throughout Chattanooga, but I have a soft spot for , an upscale hostel with private rooms (starting at $70) that caters to the adventurous, with a lobby stocked with local guidebooks and free crash-pads for guests who want to boulder.

3. Boone, North Carolina

Population: 19,756

Best known for: Appalachian State (go Mountaineers!) and 5,000-foot peaks

Nestled inside North Carolina鈥檚 High Country and surrounded by 5,000-foot peaks, Boone is the perfect blend of college town and adventure hub. Downtown blends with Appalachian State University鈥檚 sprawling campus, which absolutely bustles with life when school is in session, especially during football season in the fall.

But Boone would make it on this list even without all that youthful vibrancy, because the mountains that envelope the community are stacked with adventure, from cycling the winding blacktop of the Blue Ridge Parkway to climbing in the Linville Gorge. Boone has skiing in the winter, rock climbing from fall through spring, and plenty of hiking and road and mountain biking year round.

As for the town itself, it鈥檚 a mix of college-friendly dive bars, boutique shops, and high-end restaurants with elevated southern fare. I like Boone more and more every time I visit, and I鈥檓 secretly hoping my kids decide to go to college at App State so I can go more.

Best 国产吃瓜黑料s in Boone, North Carolina

• Mountain bikers should head straight to , which boasts10 miles of purpose-built trails with features designed to help rippers progress through technical challenges as well as jumps and drops. A paved pump track has fast lines and great views of the surrounding mountains. To be honest, I鈥檓 jealous of this park.
  

• If you prefer your adventures on two feet, take the opportunity to explore the Linville Gorge Wilderness, which protects 12 miles of the 2,000-foot-deep canyon of the same name. The terrain is steep, loaded with granite cliffs and boulders and shrouded in a dense hardwood forest. At the bottom of the gorge is the tumultuous Linville River. I鈥檝e scrambled around the gorge many times and am always blown away by the views and the solitude it offers. Most people just hike the short distance to Linville Falls, but check out the 2.4-mile , which requires a scramble to the top of a rocky outcropping, but delivers a view into the heart of the gorge, as well as of neighboring Shortoff Mountain and Hawksbill Mountain. You can extend your hike down to the river via the Linville Gorge Trail.
• When winter sets in, choose from among three downhill ski resorts: Appalachian Mountain, Sugar Mountain, and Beech Mountain. I like for the mountaintop bar and view from its 5,506-foot summit.

Where to Eat and Drink in Boone, North Carolina

• A lot of students survive on the massive burritos at Black Cat, and I鈥檝e certainly enjoyed my share of their All Nighter (eggs, sausage and potatoes smothered in melted cheese). But I鈥檓 also in love with the fried chicken and biscuits served at the slightly more refined Proper. Appalachian Mountain Brewing makes some of my favorite beer in the South, especially their Spoaty Oaty Pale Ale.

Where to Stay in Boone, North Carolina

• Grab a room in , a boutique hotel in a renovated 1960s-era roadside motel. The lobby bar makes great cocktails, and the lodge has recently partnered with the locally owned to offer guided fishing and hiking packages (from $130 a night).

4. Damascus, Virginia

Population: under 800

Best Known For: The Appalachian Trail

There鈥檚 small, and then there鈥檚 Damascus. Damascus has fewer people than my graduating high school class in the suburbs of Atlanta (go Harrison High Hoyas!). And yet this tiny hamlet in the mountains of southwest Virginia has become known as Trail Town USA.

Damascus is the crossroads for a handful of high-profile paths, most notably the Appalachian Trail. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy has its headquarters here, and one weekend every May, more than 25,000 people descend on the town for , a celebration of the world鈥檚 most famous footpath (I鈥檝e attended several times and can tell you that through-hikers like to party).

And the A.T. is just one option here. The 34-mile is one of the greatest rail-trail bike rides in the South because of its length and mountain scenery, and the is a rocky hike and bike trail with ridgeline views that was part of the Appalachian Trail until a reroute in the 1970s. But I like Damascus mostly for its proximity to Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, which protects 200,000 acres of Virginia鈥檚 tallest mountains, boasting more than 400 miles of trail for hiking and biking.

Best 国产吃瓜黑料s in Damascus, Virginia

• If your idea of a good time is riding a bike for 17 miles downhill without ever having to pedal (and really, who wouldn鈥檛 like that?), you should definitely do the Virginia Creeper Trail, part of which passes through the Mount Rogers rec area. I took my kids to ride the Creeper when they were in elementary school, and it was probably the only time they didn鈥檛 complain about the pedaling. Start at Whitetop Station and cruise the crushed-stone path back into town. There鈥檚 at least one ice-cream stop along the way. has bike rentals (from $15) and shuttles (from $24).
• To see the best of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, hike this on the A.T. that starts in Grayson Highlands State Park and crosses Wilburn Ridge, where a herd of wild ponies roam, and ends on top of the 5,729-foot Mount Rogers. I go for the above-treeline views, and I could spend an entire afternoon scrambling on the trail鈥檚 boulders, but it鈥檚 the feral ponies that make this hike so unusual and photogenic.

Where to Stay in Damascus, Virginia

• has 13 suites in the heart of downtown. The place partners with Speckled Trout Outfitters for stay-and-play packages that include guided hiking and fly fishing (from $157 a night).

Where to Eat and Drink in Damascus, Virginia

• The Wicked Chicken focuses on hot wings (dry rub and sauced) and burgers, served on a large outdoor patio. Appalachian Heritage Distillery and Brewery is located directly on the A.T. in downtown Damascus. It makes vodka, gin, and a variety of whiskies out of a pot still, and the bar serves classic cocktails and hosts live music and karaoke on weekends.

5. Davis, West Virginia

Population: 660

Best Known For: Skiing. Seriously. The skiing is great.

I mentioned Davis in my guide to West Virginia, but this tiny town deserves its own spotlight. Thanks to a duo of downhill resorts and a cross-country touring center, Davis is a ski town first and foremost, which is a rarity in the Southern Appalachians, but it has just as much to offer bikers and hikers.

The chain of mountains running along the border of West Virginia and Virginia make Davis hard to reach if you鈥檙e driving from the east, and the 100 miles that separate it from Harrisonburg can take more than two hours, but this journey of a thousand curves (a challenge to my motion-sick-prone stomach) is worth the effort.

Davis is small, but has just enough conveniences (a few restaurants, a brewery, cabins, and a couple of hotels) to make it comfortable, and it certainly has more than its share of outdoor adventures, from waterfalls to single track to the ski runs.

Best 国产吃瓜黑料s in Davis, West Virginia

• There are almost 20 ski resorts scattered across the Southern Appalachians, but Davis might be the region鈥檚 only true ski town. Canaan Valley Resort and offer a combined 200 acres of lift-served terrain. Canaan Valley is great for beginners and intermediates, with long, usually uncrowded groomers, but I love Timberline鈥檚 steeper terrain and gladed runs, which will entertain even the best skiers. has rentals (from $35) and a full array of winter gear, such as the gloves you forgot at home. is the cultural hub of the town, not just for its 18 miles of groomed track and copious backcountry XC options, but for its lively apres vibe. I鈥檝e never had a bad time at Whitegrass. Never.

• The warm months are full of hiking and biking. protects 2,358 acres a mile south of downtown, including a chunk of the 1,000-foot-deep Blackwater Canyon. The hike to Lindy Point is only .3 of a mile, but you should do it, as a prominent rock outcropping gives you a bird鈥檚-eye view into the chasm.Blackwater Falls State Park, in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia, feature the 62-foot cascade of Blackwater Falls, and 20 miles of trails.
• Mountain bikers can pedal the 18-mile , a gravel and dirt forest road that traverses the valley, crossing streams, running through meadows and leading to a variety of singletrack options, like the , which connects with Canaan Loop Road, dropping 600 feet in under three miles of rocky, rooty fun. Check out for rentals (from $50 a day) and more local trail beta than you could ever possibly need.

Where to Eat and Drink in Davis, West Virginia

• brews a variety of beers in town, but is at its best when crafting an IPA. Try their Holy Citra double IPA if you don鈥檛 have to wake up early in the morning. has always had what I need to fix that double IPA fog, and is a town staple.

Where to Stay in Davis, West Virginia

• has lodge rooms and cabins, all renovated in the last few years (from $178.50), and you鈥檒l be able to pick up the trail system right out your door.

6. Harrisonburg, Virginia

Population: 51,000

Best Known For: Mountain biking and Shenandoah National Park

Harrisonburg sits in the middle of the Shenandoah Valley, sandwiched between Shenandoah National Park to the east and the Allegheny Mountains to the west. It鈥檚 one of the larger towns on this list with a busy downtown full of breweries and eclectic restaurants, all with a progressive vibe thanks in part to the presence of James Madison University and its college-student demographic.

Venture past downtown and you hit bucolic pastures quickly, as Shenandoah Valley is known for its patchwork of small farms. Outdoor adventure is also imminently accessible.

Harrisonburg is probably a bike town first, hosting a number of events, from the Shenandoah Mountain Bike Festival to the Alpine Loop Grand Fondo, and the town has earned Bronze Level Ride Center status from the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) for its quality of trails and events and prevalence of good bike shops. But there鈥檚 also downhill skiing 15 miles east of town at Massanutten Resort and hiking and fly fishing 25 miles east in Shenandoah National Park.

Best 国产吃瓜黑料s in Harrisonburg, Virginia

• OK, I made a big deal out of the mountain biking around Harrisonburg, but if I have to pick a single ride to do in the area, it鈥檚 a road ride of , the 105-mile two-lane blacktop that runs through the center of Shenandoah National Park. This is bucket-list road-ride territory with dozens of overlooks, more than 10,000 feet of climbing if you do the whole thing, and national-park lodging, like , along the route so you can break it up into multiple days. I haven鈥檛 done it yet, but friends have told me it鈥檚 amazing.
• For a quick hike, head to the Hone Quarry Recreation Area, in George Washington National Forest, 20 miles west of town, and climb the steep but short one-mile out-and-back to a rocky outcropping with long-range views of the Allegheny Mountains. Several trails begin in the recreation area, so you can pick up others if you want to go longer, or hit the 5.5-acre Hone Quarry lake to fish for stocked trout.
• Mountain bikers will love , a stacked-loop system built by the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition in the 75-acre Hillandale Park, with short cross-country loops, jump lines, and a pump track. Stop into for tuneups or in-depth info about the local trails. The place also has beer on tap.

Where to Eat and Drink in Harrisonburg, Virginia

• Harrisonburg is home to half a dozen breweries, but is my favorite. Their downtown Collab House always has a small batch beer on tap that rotates weekly. has an upscale college-bar vibe with a great whiskey selection and southern fare, like the Wafflewich, which places fried chicken between two thin waffles.

Stay: Most of the lodging in Harrisonburg trends towards big chain options, but if you want something more historic, book a room at , a bed and breakfast in a restored Civil War-era home (from $159 a night).

7. Ellijay, Georgia

Population: 1,927

Best Known For: Mountain biking

Ellijay is the unofficial mountain-bike capital of Georgia, with some of the prettiest and most technical singletrack I鈥檝e ridden east of the Mississippi within 10 miles of the town. The mountains aren鈥檛 particularly tall (most peaks tap out below 3,000 feet), but the forest is dense and the trails are decidedly old school, with plenty of fall-line descents and climbs. Or go whitewater paddling or check out the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail close to town.

The town is just 75 miles north of downtown Atlanta, and has become a popular weekend getaway for adventure-minded city dwellers there. Ellijay is a little sleepier than many other mountain towns this close to the South鈥檚 biggest city, so you come here for the adventure, not the nightlife.

Best 国产吃瓜黑料s in Ellijay, Georgia

• There鈥檚 plenty to do around Ellijay, but mountain biking is the main attraction. In general, the singletrack is technical with lots of roots and plenty of steep climbs, and you鈥檙e riding through a thick hardwood forest loaded with creeks to cross and waterfalls to see. The 22-mile loop is my favorite ride, because it combines choice pieces of the best downhills in the area on Bear Creek Trail and Pinhoti Trail with plenty of gravel road climbs.
• You can paddle or tube a three-mile section of the Cartecay River upstream from downtown Ellijay with class II-III whitewater. I grew up an hour from Ellijay, and this was the first whitewater I ever paddled. The rents out kayaks (starting at $30) and runs shuttles (starting at $7 per person).

Where to Eat and Drink in Ellijay, Georgia

• Climb up to the covered third-floor patio of The Roof Ellijay, which has southern comfort food, from boiled peanuts to shrimp and grits, with a view of downtown and the green slopes rising beyond. Cartecay River Brewing, a small operation on the outskirts of town, has a beer garden overlooking the river.

Where to Stay in Ellijay, Georgia

• is a mountain-bike camp with cabins and campsites on a property that has its own pump track, bike shop, hot tubs, and restaurant (rustic cabins start at $60 per person). It鈥檚 a very cool scene that attracts mountain bikers from all over the southeast; I try to hit Mulberry Gap at least once a year. The facility is 12 miles west of downtown, but you can ride straight from the property and hit some of North Georgia鈥檚 most storied trails.

8. Helen, Georgia

Population: 578

Best Known For: Its Bavarian-themed downtown

OK, let鈥檚 get the elephant in the room out of the way: Helen has a faux Bavarian vibe. Last time I was there, they were pumping polka music through outdoor speakers hidden in the bushes. Towns with themes aren鈥檛 for everyone. I鈥檓 not even sure they鈥檙e for me. But I still love Helen because the cheese factor is harmless and the location of the town is prime.

I鈥檝e used the Bavarian burg as a basecamp for road-cycling adventures, hiking excursions, and fly-fishing escapades for years. You can even (or fish) the Chattahoochee River right through downtown. Helen is surrounded by Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, within striking distance of North Georgia鈥檚 best hiking and rock climbing, while Unicoi State Park鈥檚 1,029 acres sit just two miles north of downtown.

Best 国产吃瓜黑料s in Helen, Georgia

• Hikers should head six miles south of Helen to ascend Yonah Mountain, a 3,166-foot-tall knob with a granite face (located on one side, with the main area southwest-facing) that鈥檚 been attracting Atlanta-based climbers for decades. But the views from the top are just as sweet if you hike the 4.4-mile out and back , which rises 1,500 feet over a mix of dirt road and single track trail before delivering you to a grassy meadow at the granite-edged summit. On a clear day, you can make out the skyline of Atlanta 80-ish miles south.
  

• The mountains of North Georgia are loaded with high-quality fly fishing, from wide, floatable rivers to tight backcountry creeks. The Chatahoochee is the obvious draw for anglers visiting Helen, although the tubers do a good job of scaring away the fish in the section through town. For quieter water, I head to Smith Creek, within Unicoi State Park, where a mile-long section of the stream below Unicoi Lake is known for producing foot-long rainbow and brown trout. 听even offers an intro to fly fishing class if you鈥檙e new to the game.
• A number of classic road-cycling rides begin and end in Helen, including the classic , which takes in six iconic mountain climbs surrounding the town. I鈥檓 not always game for a century ride, so I typically choose the the , which is part of the annual Gran Fondo, a large group ride that focuses on camaraderie over racing, on a smaller loop through Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, but still climbing more than 1,700 feet.

Where to Stay in Helen, Georgia

• Unicoi State Park has a variety of lodging options, from lodge rooms to barrel cabins. Check out the , which are fully-furnished safari tents within walking distance of Smith Creek (from $149 a night).

Where to Eat and Drink in Helen, Georgia

• You鈥檙e in a cute facsimile of Germany, so you should probably get a bratwurst and pretzel at Hobfrauhaus, and then wander down the street to King Ludwig鈥檚 Beer Garden and have a German lager outside.

9. Travelers Rest, South Carolina

Population: 8,486

Best Known For: Greenway pedaling and the Great Blue Wall

The western border of South Carolina is defined by a string of mountains that rise steeply from the Piedmont in a dramatic fashion known as the Great Blue Wall. Travelers Rest sits at the base of that wall of peaks, making it the perfect basecamp for exploring the area鈥檚 lakes, waterfalls, and thick, jungle-like forests.

It would be easy to label Travelers Rest as just a bedroom community for the larger city of Greenville, South Carolina (you can ride your bike the ten miles between the two towns, after all). But Travelers Rest has its own small-town charm as well as access to the Upstate鈥檚 copious outdoor gems, from steep cycling routes to steeper rock climbing routes and everything in between.

I鈥檝e watched downtown Travelers Rest grow with new restaurants and breweries over the last several years, thanks largely to the development of the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a 17-mile paved rail trail, popular with cyclists and runners, that begins on the edge of town and finishes in Greenville. There鈥檚 also downhill mountain biking, rock climbing, and plenty of hiking.

Best 国产吃瓜黑料s in Travelers Rest, South Carolina

• Travelers Rest offers quick access to a trio of public lands. Let鈥檚 start with Paris Mountain State Park, eight miles east of downtown, which has almost 20 miles of mountain-bike trails. The park is known for its technical climbs and fast, flowing downhill. A 10-mile lollipop loop, the , takes in the best trails, including Sulphur Springs Trail, which is loaded with sweeping, banked turns and drops.
• Higher up on that great blue wall, Jones Gap State Park and Caesars Head State Park combine to form the 17,000-acre Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area, with more than 60 miles of hiking trails. The Middle Saluda River offers quintessential backcountry trout fishing, thanks to the tight corridor and steep nature of the stream, which drops 1,000 feet in four miles. Or hike the easy to Jones Gap Falls on Jones Gap Trail.
  

  

• A 2,684-tall granite dome, the Cherokee landmark Table Rock, is the centerpiece of Table Rock State Park, 20 miles west of town. It鈥檚 a beacon for climbers looking for a multi-pitch adventure with a long approach hike and mega exposure. Access is limited to certain sections of the monolith because of peregrine-falcon nesting, but the of the rock are open. has all the gear you could need, as well as bike and boat rentals (from $20 for a half day).

Where to Stay in Travelers Rest, South Carolina

• Splurge for a room at , a high-end lodge owned by the retired pro cyclist George Hincapie that draws inspiration from European chateaus in its architecture and cuisine. The inn also has an onsite sauna and cold plunge, as well as a fleet of rental bikes that come pre-loaded with Hincapie鈥檚 favorite training routes that begin from the property (rooms start at $378 a night).

Where to Eat and Drink in Travelers Rest, South Carolina

• The food scene in Travelers Rest has come a long way in recent years, so you can get everything from Caribbean fusion to street tacos. Check out Monkey Wrench Smoke House for BBQ staples like pulled pork and brisket, served on an expansive back lawn. Swamp Rabbit Brewery, which is known for its award-winning stout, sits in downtown.

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national-parks columnist. He鈥檚 lived in multiple mountain ranges and on both coasts, but settled down in the Southern Appalachians 20 years ago and has yet to regret it.

For more by this author, see:

The 10 Best Bike Towns in America, Ranked

8 Surf Towns Where You Can Learn the Sport and the Culture

The Best Ways to Get 国产吃瓜黑料 in West Virginia

The post 9 Beautiful Mountain Towns in the Southeast appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

There鈥檚 nothing better than rolling up to an incredible panorama in one of our storied national parks. The following views, of high-desert mesas, moss-cloaked redwoods, vast mountain ranges, and more, have something to stoke the inner wonder of just about everyone.

I鈥檝e visited every national park in America, and some the most awe-inspiring experiences in each are the stunning overlooks. So I鈥檝e selected a list of my favorite vistas in all 63 parks, with a keen eye for easy access and geological diversity. Of course, I threw in a couple of leg-busting treks and arm-churning paddles for those among us who like to sweat to earn their views, too.

Acadia National Park, Maine

Cadillac Mountain Summit

When a national park institutes a vehicle-reservation system, it can feel like a giant red flag to head elsewhere in search of solitude. Not so with Acadia鈥檚 famed Cadillac Mountain, which can get quite crowded. From October through early March, this granite dome receives the first rays of sun in the continental U.S., and view-seeking visitors can gaze out at a smattering of wooded islets dotting Frenchman Bay as the sky lights up in hues of rose and coral.

Best Way to Reach This View: Don a headlamp for the predawn pedal 3.5 miles up to the 1,530-foot summit. Or hike the 2.2-mile (one-way) Cadillac North Ridge Trail, with an elevation gain of approximately 1,100 feet. For a hiking route up the North Ridge Trail, check out .

Arches National Park, Utah

Fiery Furnace Overlook

The next time you鈥檙e in Arches National Park, skip the masses at Delicate Arch and instead drive west to the labyrinth of striated red-rock pinnacles at Fiery Furnace, a scenic pullout that overlooks Utah鈥檚 La Sal Mountains. Serious hikers who want to get up close and personal with this vermillion jumble of rock need to nab a day-hiking permit ($10), or vie for the very popular ranger-guided tour ($16), bookable a week in advance.

Best Way to Reach This View: Motor the 14 miles north from the entrance station and follow the signs to the viewpoint. For a hiking route of the Fiery Furnace Loop鈥攁 valuable resource, as the Park Service warns visitors of the dangers of getting lost in the landscape鈥攃heck out .

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Big Badlands Overlook

Take a morning to enjoy a drive on Badlands Loop Road via the park鈥檚 northeast entrance and pull off at the first signed viewpoint, Big Badlands Overlook, for a sweeping panorama of the eastern portion of the park鈥檚 Wall Formation. Geology enthusiasts will marvel at the clay-colored stripes of the Oligocene-era Brule Formation and the charcoal gray of the Eocene-era Chadron Formation.

Best Way to Reach This View: From the town of Wall, take Highway 90 southeast for 20 miles, then turn south on Route 240 and continue for another five miles. The overlook is located just past the northeast entrance station.

Big Bend National Park, Texas

South Rim Viewpoint

Big Bend is a park that defies Texas landscape conventions, encompassing the verdant Chisos Mountains as they rise over 7,000 feet from the Chihuahuan Desert below, and the South Rim Trail is the best way to experience the majestic scenery. The southern tip of this 12.9-mile loop is where the viewpoint lies, with a vista of sprawling arid hilltops that spill into northern Mexico.

Best Way to Reach This View: Start at the Chisos Basin Visitor Center. At the fork, head either southwest toward Laguna Meadows or southeast toward the Pinnacles (the steeper pick). Expect an elevation gain of 3,500 feet and about six and a half hours to finish the entire thing. For a hiking route of the South Rim Trail, check out .

Biscayne Bay National Park, Florida

Boca Chita Key Lighthouse

One of the most scenic keys, Boca Chita is also one of the most interesting, home to a fascinating history of lavish parties thrown by wealthy entrepreneurs in the early 1900s. Legend has it that an elephant was once brought to the island for a wild soiree. These days the raucous festivities have died down, but the 65-foot lighthouse and its observation deck still offer a pretty swell view of shimmering Biscayne Bay, mangrove-lined lagoons, and the hazy Miami skyline.

Best Way to Reach This View: Book a guided boat trip with the Biscayne National Park Institute for an expert-led journey through the keys, with a stop at Boca Chita. Call in advance to find out whether a Park Service employee will be around to open the observation deck.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado

Painted Wall Overlook

If you make it to Black Canyon and don鈥檛 want to dirty your hands on the 1,800-foot scramble down into the maw of its craggy cliffs, make a beeline for Painted Wall Overlook, which peers out at the tallest cliff in the state (a whopping 2,250 feet from river to rim). If you鈥檙e lucky, you might even spot a few intrepid climbers scaling the face of dark gneiss and rose-tinted pegmatite.

Best Way to Reach This View: From the South Rim Campground, drive or bike five miles north on Rim Drive Road (closed November through April) until you reach the parking lot for the overlook; from there it鈥檚 a five-minute walk.

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Sunrise Point

With its many-layered view of crumbling Technicolor hoodoos and a singular limber pine tree with roots akimbo, Sunrise Point is a fantastic place to start a day in Bryce Canyon. From here, you鈥檙e at a fantastic jumping-off point for exploring the rust-colored sandstone of Bryce鈥檚 namesake amphitheater via the Queen鈥檚 Garden Trail.

Best Way to Reach This View: From the park鈥檚 visitor center, it鈥檚 just 1.2 miles to the Sunrise Point parking lot. The walk to the lookout is another half-mile farther and is both pet- and wheelchair-friendly.

Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Grand View Point

There鈥檚 a little something for everyone in this area of the park (Island in the Sky), whether you鈥檙e simply craving thoughtful moments gazing at the panorama at Grand View Point, or want to immerse yourself even more amid the natural surrounds with a mile-long cliffside stroll to a second viewpoint (Grand View Point Overlook) with even more jaw-dropping scenery, followed by class-two scramble if you鈥檙e so inclined. Whichever you choose, you鈥檒l be wowed by the amber and crimson mesa tops of the Canyonlands as you gaze down at White Rim Road and the churning Colorado River.

Best Way to Reach This View: From the Island in the Sky Visitor Center, head 12 miles to the end of Grand View Point Road for the initial viewpoint. It鈥檚 an easy amble to the second viewpoint, though unpaved.

Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

Panorama Point Overlook

Easily overlooked in favor of crowd-pleasing hikes to Chimney Rock and Cassidy Arch, Panorama Point is at its viewpoint best when the sun starts to set and the stars twinkle into being. The highlight is the cathedral-like red-rock towers that comprise the park鈥檚 famous Waterpocket Fold Formation, a 100-mile-long wrinkle in the earth鈥檚 crust.

Best Way to Reach This View: Panorama Point is a mere 2.5 miles west of the Capitol Reef Visitor Center. From its parking lot, it鈥檚 just 0.1 mile to the viewing area.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico

Temple of the Sun

It鈥檚 tough to pick the most notable view in a cave-centric park that actor Will Rogers once called 鈥渢he Grand Canyon with a roof over it,鈥� but Carlsbad Cavern鈥檚 Temple of the Sun, with its mushroom-like stalagmite surrounded by thousands of spindly stalactites, takes the cake. Accessible via a ranger-led tour or a self-guided jaunt along the wheelchair-friendly Big Room Trail, these miraculous natural limestone sculptures are a bucket-list-worthy detour on any road trip.

Best Way to Reach This View: From the natural entrance, it鈥檚 1.25 descent to the Big Room via a paved pathway. Alternatively, you can drop deep into the cavern via an elevator, and then make our way to the Temple of the Sun.

Channel Islands National Park, California

Inspiration Point

In spring, tiny Anacapa Island bursts into bloom, and Inspiration Point is the best place for photographers and flower aficionados to admire the display of brilliant orange poppies, pale island morning glories, and canary-yellow sunflowers. Because the point faces west, head up to see the sun dip into the Pacific.

Best Way to Reach This View: Book a day trip to the islands with Island Packers, keeping an eye out for migrating gray whales en route. Inspiration Point is located at the halfway point of its namesake 1.5 mile loop, a flat route that begins at the Anacapa Visitor Center.

Congaree National Park, South Carolina

Weston Lake Overlook

Years ago, we named Congaree鈥檚 Boardwalk Loop Trail one of the best wheelchair-accessible hikes in America, and Weston Lake Overlook is a phenomenal place to soak up the park鈥檚 shady expanse of old-growth hardwood forest. It鈥檚 also a great spot to birdwatch鈥搆eep your eyes peeled for the prothonotary warbler, American woodcock, and red-headed woodpecker.

Best Way to Reach This View: From the Sims Trail, branch off on the 4.4-mile Weston Lake Trail (marked by yellow blazes) and continue 2.4 miles along the wooden planks to the lookout.

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Watchman Overlook

Featuring one of the most spectacular views of Wizard Island, a volcanic cinder cone at the western end of Crater Lake, Watchman Overlook and its eponymous observation station are must-see sites on any trip to this southern Oregon park. Look out for lilac-tinted phlox and delicate yellow buckwheat blossoms in the summertime. When you reach the summit, it’s everything you鈥檇 hope for: a 360-degree view of the deep sapphire tarn.

Best Way to Reach This View: Head out from the Watchman Overlook parking lot. You鈥檒l ascend 413 feet to the observation station and encounter a series of switchbacks near the top. The 1.6-mile out-and-back takes about an hour to complete.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

Brandywine Falls

Tucked away between the urban centers of Cleveland and Akron, Cuyahoga Valley is a locally renowned national park full of lichen-splotched sandstone ledges, riverside biking paths, and picturesque waterfalls, of which Brandywine Falls is the most famous. Fall is a spectacular time to visit, when the 60-foot-tall cascade is surrounded by a fiery collage of foliage. Hikers who want more of an outing can stretch their legs on the 1.5-mile Brandywine Gorge Loop to take in bright red sugar maples against the smoke-hued ravine.

Best Way to Reach This View: Though there is a designated parking lot for the falls, it鈥檚 often full, so plan to arrive before 10 A.M. or after 4 P.M. for a spot. From there, the upper viewing point is just a few hundred feet away via a boardwalk trail.

Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada

Zabriskie Point

Catching the sunrise at Zabriskie Point is the stuff of photographers鈥� dreams. Undulating ripples of golden and umber badlands stretch out all the way to Badwater Basin, a staggering 282 feet below sea level. In the distance, 11,049-foot Telescope Peak (the highest in the park) rises like an apparition as the morning鈥檚 first rays paint the summit of Manly Beacon in honeyed tones.

Best Way to Reach This View: From the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, within the park, drive five miles south on Highway 190 to the viewpoint.

Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Wonder Lake

With only one byway through its 4,740,091-acre wilderness, Denali is a place where it pays to spend a little extra time exploring. Wonder Lake is about as close as you can get to the High One (as Native tribes refer to North America鈥檚 tallest peak) without donning a pack and making that arduous trek, and it鈥檚 the best spot to nab a photo of Denali reflected in a pool of mirror-clear water. Pro tip: Plan ahead and book a campsite at Wonder Lake Campground to enjoy dreamy morning vistas and evening ranger programs.

Best Way to Reach This View: From the park entrance, drive 85 miles west along the 92.5-mile-long Park Road.

Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

Fort Jefferson Rooftop View

An enormous structure built with 16 million bricks, Fort Jefferson was a key defensive structure during the Civil War, used to protect Union shipments heading to and from the Mississippi River. Nowadays it鈥檚 the defining feature of Dry Tortugas National Park. From its cannon-dotted rooftop, you can spot shallow reef systems and admire the sandy beaches and endless aquamarine ocean.

Best Way to Reach This View: Take the daily from Key West to Garden Key, home to Fort Jefferson; entrance to the fort is included in the price of your ferry ticket (from $200). Head up to the uppermost tier during a guided ranger tour or on your own.

Everglades National Park, Florida

Anhinga Trail Covered Observation Deck

In a mostly flat park full of sawgrass slough, slow-moving brackish water, and tangles of mangrove trees, choosing a memorable view in the Everglades is a tricky task. Wildlife is the real showstopper, and along the Anhinga Trail, animal-savvy guests have a high chance of spotting purple gallinules, great blue herons, nesting anhingas, and the park鈥檚 most notorious resident鈥攖he alligator. Take a break in the shaded observation deck (and don鈥檛 forget the binoculars).

Best Way to Reach This View: The 0.8-mile (round trip) paved Anhinga Trail starts and ends at the Royal Palm Visitor Center. It is wheelchair accessible.

Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Aquarius Lake 1, Arrigetch Valley

Rising out of the treeless tundra, the towering granite fins of the Arrigetch Peaks, in northern Alaska, look more like gods than monoliths. It鈥檚 a view worthy of the arduous journey to get to these reaches of the park, an area sometimes called the Yosemite of Alaska. The experts at Alaska Alpine 国产吃瓜黑料s offer guided trips (from $6,000), or if you鈥檙e fine seeing the razor-sharp summits from a plane window, Brooks Range Aviation (from $785) can arrange flightseeing tours.

Best Way to Reach This View: Visitors headed to the Arrigetch Peaks will do so via bush plane, landing on a gravel riverbank. Then it鈥檚 an eight-mile hike to set up camp in the valley below the peaks.

Gateway Arch National Park, Missouri

Luther Ely Smith Square

Gateway Arch is a park rife with human history, from the once massive Native city of Cahokia to the famed Dred Scott court case, which hastened the Civil War when the Supreme Court judged that no Black people were entitled to citizenship. The best vantage point from which to take it all in is Luther Ely Smith Square, which, in addition to boasting a sky-high view of the iconic chrome arch, overlooks the historic Old Courthouse.

Best Way to Reach This View: The square, a downtown St. Louis greenspace, is located between the Old Courthouse and the Mississippi River.

Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Margerie Glacier

Flip through any traveler鈥檚 photos from Glacier Bay, and you鈥檙e likely to see snaps of the icy, serrated teeth of the Margerie Glacier, dramatically calving into the Tarr Inlet from the Fairweather Mountain Range. Stay on the lookout for harbor seals and playful sea otters on recently separated icebergs.

Best Way to Reach This View: Book a ($262.44) for the best access to this rapidly changing river of ice.

Glacier National Park, Montana

Swiftcurrent Lake

The Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park is such a coveted road-trip stop that the Park Service instituted a new vehicle-reservation system for it this year. The most striking panorama of Grinnell Point, Mount Wilbur, and Angel Wing鈥攁ll visible from the 鈥攊s worth any extra entry-permit effort.

Best Way to Reach This View: Lace up your boots for an easy 2.7-mile hike that circumnavigates the lake. Better yet, book a room at Many Glacier Hotel so you鈥檒l have the view all to yourself when the day crowds disperse.

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Desert View Point

Sure, Mather Point steals most of the attention when it comes to the Grand Canyon鈥檚 South Rim, but I prefer Desert View, near the park鈥檚 eastern boundary, for its peaceful campground and dearth of visitors. Plus, the site鈥檚 famous watchtower, designed by Parkitecture maven Mary Colter, was inspired by the Ancestral Puebloan peoples of the Colorado Plateau, and it makes a fantastic focal point when snapping photos of 鈥渢he big ditch.鈥�

Best Way to Reach This View: For the most scenic route, head 23 miles east along Desert View Drive from Grand Canyon Village.

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Jenny Lake Overlook

Go early to skip the Grand Teton鈥檚 throngs and park at Jenny Lake Overlook to admire second-to-none views of craggy Cascade Canyon and the razor-like protrusions of igneous granite that rise sharply from its depths. From here, visitors can take in the sheer enormity of the Teton Crest, with outstanding photo ops of Mount Moran and Teewinot Mountain. If you鈥檙e up for a hike, try the seven-mile Jenny Lake Loop, which offers even more epic lake scenery, as well as potential sightings of moose and bald eagles.

Best Way to Reach This View: From the town of Moose, within the park, head nine miles north on Teton Park Road to the lake.

Great Basin National Park, Nevada

Mather Overlook

Nearly every national park has a Mather Overlook, named after the first director of the National Park Service, and at Great Basin, in eastern Nevada, his namesake viewpoint offers a grand perspective of 13,000-foot Wheeler Peak, the second highest in the state. Flanked by ancient bristlecone pines, which can live up to 5,000 years, the mountain is split dramatically in two, with the breathtaking Wheeler Cirque crumbling into a sepia-stained bowl beneath the prominent summit.

Best Way to Reach This View: This is an overlook that can only be accessed between June and late October due to hazardous conditions that close roads in winter. From the eastern park entrance, head west along the 12-mile Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. A pullout for the overlook is about halfway.

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

High Dune on First Ridge

Though it鈥檚 the most popular day-hiking objective at Great Sand Dunes, in southeastern Colorado, the trek up to High Dune is sure to leave even the most seasoned hiker huffing and puffing. With a lofty elevation of over 8,000 feet, and the effort required to plod uphill against the drag of sand, be prepared for burning calves and bring plenty of water for the 2.5-mile slog to the summit. The view from the top is truly spectacular, however, with awesome sights to the听 towering Sangre de Cristo Mountains鈥揾ome to ten fourteeners.

Best Way to Reach This View: There are no trails in the entire park, but you鈥檒l see the High Dune from the main parking lot. Cross Medano Creek and then start making your way up to the top, logging an elevation gain of 700 feet. For most hikers, getting up and back takes two to four hours.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee

Charlies Bunion

The four-mile (one way) hike to Charlies Bunion is one of the most thrilling in Great Smoky Mountains, due to the sheer number of iconic sights along the way. You鈥檒l be wowed by rolling, verdant mountains and wend through northern hardwood forests and past rhododendron shrubs before topping out at 5,565 feet.

Best Way to Reach This View: Park at Newfound Gap, on the Tennessee鈥揘orth Carolina state line, then hitch a left onto the Appalachian Trail and proceed to the summit. For a hiking route up Charlies Bunion, check out .

Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas

Salt Basin Dunes

Ask any ranger in Guadalupe Mountains National Park where to watch the sun set over the 鈥淭op of Texas,鈥� and they鈥檒l tell you the remote Salt Basin Dunes, in the park鈥檚 northwestern corner. Made of bright white gypsum, this sandy expanse showcases the unbelievable prominence of conifer-topped Guadalupe Peak, once a sprawling coral reef when the Delaware Sea covered a large swath of America roughly 275 million years ago.

Best Way to Reach This View: From the Pine Springs Visitor Center, it鈥檚 a 47-mile drive to the Salt Basin Dunes parking area; from here, hike a mile and a half to reach the actual dunes.

Haleakala National Park, Hawaii

Puu Ula Ula Summit

Much like Acadia鈥檚 Cadillac Mountain, you鈥檒l need a special timed reservation to take in the sunrise atop Haleakala鈥檚 10,023-foot summit (reservable up to 60 days in advance), but after 7 A.M., day-use visitors can enjoy the show as well. From this incredible vantage point鈥攖he highest on Maui鈥攜ou can enjoy top-down views of the huge, richly colored crater, as well as the Big Island if the weather鈥檚 clear.

Best Way to Reach This View: The drive to the top from the Summit District entrance takes up to three hours and sees a change in elevation of 3,000 feet, so get ready to rise early and be fully awake before you attempt the narrow, winding road.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii

Kilauea Overlook

If you鈥檙e in Hawaii and eager to see some lava, head for this park鈥檚 Kilauea Overlook, located near the southern end of the Big Island. A hike will allow you to take in the dramatic aftermath of the site鈥檚 2018 eruption and subsequent summit collapse, but if you鈥檇 rather not work up a sweat, park at the viewpoint鈥檚 lot at sunset and stand in awe of the otherworldly pink glow emanating from the bowels of the earth.

Best Way to Reach This View: Trek the flat, 2.5-mile (one way) Crater Rim Trail, which can be accessed from a handful of popular tourist spots along Crater Rim Drive.

Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

Hot Springs Mountain Pavilion

Much of the joy of a visit to this national park is relaxing in the town鈥檚 historic Bathhouse Row. If, however, you鈥檙e willing to get in a bit of exercise on your spa-cation, there are some sincerely stellar views to be had of this quaint Ouachita Mountains community鈥攁nd the hike to this pavilion is at the top of my list. (Many also buy a ticket and ride a 216-foot elevator to the top of Hot Springs Tower for expansive vistas of the surrounding Diamond Lakes area after reaching the initial viewpoint.)

Best Way to Reach This View: Take in the stately architecture of thermal-bath palaces on the Grand Promenade, then ascend the 0.6-mile Peak Trail, just off the promenade, until you reach the pavilion, which faces south.

Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana

Lake View Beach

Right next to the park鈥檚 Century of Progress Homes, a gaggle of experimental houses left over from the 1933 World鈥檚 Fair in Chicago, is Lake View Beach, which gazes out from the southern tip of Lake Michigan. On a fair-weather day, visitors can make out the right angles of the Windy City鈥檚 high-rises, but at sunset, the sky turns to breathtaking shades of fuchsia and the waves crashing along the sandy shore feel more like an ocean than a Great Lake.

Best Way to Reach This View: It鈥檚 55 miles from the center of Chicago to the town of Beverly Shores. Look for the parking area dedicated to the beach.

Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

Scoville Point

Named some of the best 100 miles of trail in the entire national park system by , the day hike to Scoville Point showcases this region鈥檚 boreal forest at its best. Not only does the path run parallel to the shoreline for near constant views of Lake Superior, it also boasts some striking scenery. Hunt for moose munching among stands of balsam fir, and at the end of the trek, feast your eyes on rocky islets dotted with conifers, a trademark of Isle Royale鈥檚 archipelago.

Best Way to Reach This View: Though there鈥檚 more than one way to arrive at the point via the Stoll Memorial Trail and then the Scoville Point Trail, the easier (and shaded) way is to amble adjacent to Tobin Harbor to the tip of the peninsula.

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Keys View

Named after the Keys family, who built and maintained one of the most successful homesteads in Southern California鈥檚 arid Joshua Tree desert, Keys View is a thrilling destination for road-tripping travelers who want to feel as though they鈥檙e standing at the edge of the known universe. A 500-foot, fully paved loop allows guests to savor a vista of the Little San Bernardino Mountains, Coachella Valley, and Salton Sea.

Best Way to Reach This View: From the Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center, drive 21 miles south to the terminus of Keys View Road.

Katmai National Park, Alaska

Brooks Falls

Most travelers to Katmai National Park are there for one thing and one thing only鈥�grizzly bear viewing鈥攁nd the boardwalk overlook at Brooks Falls is perhaps the best spot in the U.S. to watch these 700-pound mammals fish. You won鈥檛 be disappointed.

Best Way to Reach This View: Following a brief, ranger-led bear orientation, take the 1.2-mile (round trip) Brooks Falls Trail to a wooden platform overlooking a roaring waterfall, which, if you鈥檙e lucky, will give you the experience you came for鈥攗rsine creatures hungrily snatching salmon from the air. For a hiking route to Brooks Falls, check out .

Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

Aialik Glacier

It takes effort to get out to Aialik Glacier (typically a two-hour boat ride, followed by three miles of kayaking), but along the way, you can search for wriggling sea otters, playful Dall鈥檚 porpoises, spouting humpback whales, and soaring bald eagles. Once face to face with this moving sheet of ice, the most rapidly calving in Kenai Fjords, paddlers have the opportunity to watch and listen for 鈥渨hite thunder,鈥� the sound huge hunks of ice make when they crash into the sea.

Best Way to Reach This View: I used Kayak 国产吃瓜黑料s Worldwide for my adventure to Aialik Glacier (from $489; trips available mid-May through early September), based in Seward. You鈥檒l first take a water-taxi trip south to Aialik Bay, a fantastic way to spot all kinds of wildlife, before suiting up at a beach and sliding into your kayak. Expect to paddle for three hours.

Kings Canyon National Park, California

Evolution Lake

This one鈥檚 for all my backpacking brethren. As a predominately wilderness-designated area (meaning that trails can only be used for hiking and horseback riding, and human development is extremely minimal), Kings Canyon is a mecca for trekkers who鈥檇 rather don a pack for dozens of miles than motor around to car-friendly overlooks. The lake is a sparkling cobalt gem flanked by glacier-polished granite peaks. One thing鈥檚 for certain鈥搚ou鈥檒l find pristine solitude when you arrive.

Best Way to Reach This View: The lake can be accessed via the 211-mile John Muir Trail, a 36-mile loop departing from Bishop, or a pack-animal trip out of Muir Trail Ranch.

Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska

Great Kobuk Sand Dunes

Kobuk Valley often rounds out the list of least-visited national parks, but there鈥檚 a small landing strip situated at the edge of its most noteworthy geological feature, the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, that makes this far-out park accessible for anyone who can tolerate bush planes.

Best Way to Reach This View: From the small town of Kotzebue, hop onto a flightseeing day tour with Golden Eagle Outfitters, or splurge on a 12-day hiking and packrafting trip with Alaska Alpine 国产吃瓜黑料s that starts and finishes in Fairbanks.

Lake Clark National Park, Alaska

Turquoise Lake

Flanked by 8,000-foot peaks and a colorful array of tundra plants like crowberry and reindeer lichen, Turquoise Lake is a quintessential example of an outrageously teal, glacially fed tarn. It鈥檒l take a bit of extra effort to get there (compared to commercial-flight-accessible Port Alsworth), but expert guiding services offering kayaking and hiking trips will handle all the logistics for you, so you can relish the extraordinary ridges and ravines of the Alaska Range.

Best Way to Reach This View: There are no roads in the park. You鈥檒l have to take a small plane in to reach the lake. We suggest going on an outfitted trip, again with .

Lassen Volcanic National Park, California

Cinder Cone Summit

After a hamstring-busting two-mile ascent to the top of Cinder Cone, in Northern California鈥檚 often overlooked Lassen Volcanic National Park, hikers have a chance to view one of the most eye-catching geological features in the entire park system. The aptly named Fantastic Lava Beds surround the park鈥檚 incredible painted dunes, a series of warm-toned hills of oxidized volcanic ash. Grab a site at Butte Lake Campground to revel in marvelous night skies, just a short jaunt from the trailhead.

Best Way to Reach This View: Take Highway 44 about 24 miles from the park鈥檚 northwest entrance to a six-mile dirt road that leads to the Butte Lake Day Use Area. Cinder Cone Trailhead is located near the boat ramp.

Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

Drapery Room

Home to the longest known cave system in the world, Mammoth Cave, in central Kentucky, is not a park that鈥檚 typically recognized for its naturally sculpted cave formations (like those found in Carlsbad Caverns). However, guests who embark on the ranger-led Domes and Dripstones tour can witness remarkable stalactites and stalagmites, plus wavy drapery-style limestone formations that look like a canopy on a princess鈥檚 four-poster bed.

Best Way to Reach This View: You鈥檒l have to sign up for a tour at the visitor center and be able to descend and climb back up a series of stairs.

Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

Cliff Palace Overlook

No visit to Mesa Verde is complete without a trip to Cliff Palace Overlook, which offers a majestic view of the largest Ancestral Puebloan dwelling in the park. With over 150 rooms and 21 kivas (ceremonial spaces), this site was thought to be a vibrant gathering place with a population of roughly 100 people. You鈥檒l see and learn about 800-year-old stone structures. Ranger-guided tours are also available for a closer glimpse of Ancestral Puebloan architecture.

Best Way to Reach This View: Head down Chapin Mesa to the six-mile Cliff Palace Loop and pull off at the designated parking area.

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Myrtle Falls

The imposing face of 14,410-foot Mount Rainier, the most glaciated peak in the lower 48, looms perfectly above the idyllic cascade of Myrtle Falls, creating a postcard-worthy photo op for passing hikers. Along the hike in, learn about the park鈥檚 remarkable wildflower displays and try to spot purple penstemon, crimson paintbrush, and porcelain bear grass from the path.

Best Way to Reach This View: Take a 0.8-mile stroll (round trip) along the Skyline Trail, located in the park鈥檚 popular Paradise area.

National Park of American Samoa, American Samoa

Pola Island Trail

Near the tiny village of Vatia, on the northern shore of Tutuila Island, the forested 0.1-mile Pola Island Trail boasts a jaw-dropping view with minimal effort. Park in the shade near a sign marking the well-worn, easy path, then hop over a boulder-strewn beach to soak up incomparable views of ragged Pacific coastline, swaying palm trees, and the craggy cliffs of Pola Island, one of the park鈥檚 most important nesting sites for seabirds like boobies and frigates.

Best Way to Reach This View: To reach the trailhead, drive past the last house at the end of the road in Vatia. The road then turns to dirt, and you鈥檒l come upon a small parking area. You鈥檒l see a sign for the short trail leading to the beach.

New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia

Long Point

Yes, you could drive up to New River Gorge鈥檚 namesake bridge for kickass views, but my favorite photo op of the famous roadway lies at the end of the 1.6-mile (one way) trail to Long Point. Not only will visitors here get to meander through a forest of hemlock, beech, and white oak, but they鈥檒l also glean outstanding glimpses of rafters floating down the New if they time their outing just right.

Best Way to Reach This View: The Long Point Trailhead is off of Gateway Road, about two miles from the town of Fayetteville.

North Cascades National Park, Washington

Sahale Glacier Camp

One of the most memorable things about North Cascades (apart from its generally crowd-free hiking trails) is its plethora of hanging glaciers, strung between high alpine summits. The moderate 3.7-mile (one way) trek to Cascade Pass will wow you with sensational panoramas of granitic cliffs plunging into Pelton Basin, but for a real showstopper, plan an overnight backpacking trip and continue up the broad shoulder of Sahale Mountain, pitching a tent at Sahale Glacier Camp and enjoying its bird鈥檚-eye view of the Triplets, Mount Baker, and Mount Shuksan.

Best Way to Reach This View: You鈥檒l reach the starting point for the Cascade Pass Trailhead at the end of Cascade Pass Road. For a hiking route to Sahale Glacier Camp, check out .

Olympic National Park, Washington

Rialto Beach

Consult a tide chart before heading out, then motor over to Rialto Beach, on the northwestern shoreline of Washington鈥檚 Olympic Peninsula. There you鈥檒l find enormous driftwood logs, rocky sea stacks, and bold surfers braving the chilly Pacific Ocean. If you feel like stretching your legs, an easy three-mile (round trip) walk along the coast will bring you past tidepools crawling with life to Hole in the Wall, a volcanic outcropping with a natural arch that鈥檚 perfect for pictures.

Best Way to Reach This View: The beach is about 75 miles from Port Angeles. Once you reach Olympic, you鈥檒l be on Highway 101, the road that goes around the park. Exit onto La Push Road and drive eight miles. Then turn onto Mora Road, and after about five miles you鈥檒l find the parking lot for the beach.

Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Kachina Point

Though the park is best known for its logs of crystallized conifers, Petrified Forest is also home to some seriously colorful painted-desert hills. At Kachina Point, located just outside the 1930s-era Painted Desert Inn, the rich reds and tangerines of these undulating knolls are on full display. After a quick photo break, be sure to check out Hopi artist Fred Kabotie鈥檚 gorgeous murals on display inside the inn.

Best Way to Reach This View: The point is located about two miles from the north entrance of the park. Stroll on the accessible trail behind the Painted Desert Inn National Historic Landmark to the overlook.

Pinnacles National Park, California

Condor Gulch Overlook

Pinnacles is a funny little sleeper park that鈥檚 often overshadowed by California鈥檚 celebrity public lands like Joshua Tree and Yosemite, but anyone who鈥檚 ventured into the park鈥檚 golden breccia spires knows that they鈥檙e a worthy road-trip destination. Condor Gulch Overlook gives guests a chance to enjoy an up-close view of the park鈥檚 famous pinnacles on a well-worn, family-friendly path. Bring your binoculars and try to spot an endangered California condor.

Best Way to Reach This View: The overlook is one mile from the Bear Gulch Nature Center.

Redwood National Park, California

Tall Trees Grove

When in Redwoods, it鈥檚 necessary to make a pilgrimage to Tall Trees Grove, a stand of old-growth sempervirens that protect the tallest trees on earth. Don your hiking shoes for a 4.5-mile (round trip) moderate hike around a lush forest of mossy coastal redwoods that鈥檒l have even the grinchiest people believing in fairies. The whole hike takes around four hours.

Best Way to Reach This View: First reserve a free for an access code to the area鈥檚 restricted road to the Tall Trees Trail. It鈥檚 an hour drive, parts of which are on a narrow and winding dirt road, from the park visitor center to the trailhead.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Mills Lake

On my first-ever trip to this national park, 国产吃瓜黑料 writer Brendan Leonard told me that if I only made it to one lake inside the park, it had to be Mills Lake, and boy, was he right. Start at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead and hike 2.6 miles鈥攑ast rushing waterfalls and huge granite boulders鈥攂efore dipping your toes into the frigid snowmelt of Mills Lake, which overlooks the dramatic northern crags of Longs Peak.

Best Way to Reach This View: Head south on Bear Lake Road for about eight miles and park at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead. Ascend the trail from there to Mills Lake. Arrange a vehicle reservation (or free park shuttle) if you鈥檙e traveling between May and October. For a hiking route to Mills Lake, check out .

Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Wasson Peak

When you鈥檝e had enough of Saguaro鈥檚 thorny, many-armed cacti from the vantage point of your car window and you鈥檙e ready to get your heart rate up, head to the commanding summit of 4,688-foot Wasson Peak, the tallest in the park鈥檚 western section. Keep your eyes peeled for petroglyphs as you ascend past saguaro, ocotillo, and prickly pear cactus. Once you reach the top, give yourself a high five and look out across the urban breadth of Tucson all the way to the park鈥檚 eastern Rincon Mountain District.

Best Way to Reach This View: Park at the Kings Canyon Trailhead and then expect a strenuous four-mile hike (and nearly 2,000 feet of elevation gain) to the summit.

Sequoia National Park, California

Bearpaw Meadow

Bearpaw Meadow is one of those miraculous, only-in-the-parks vistas that dreams are made of, and getting there is an adventure all its own. You鈥檒l be treated to soul-stirring views of the imposing granite domes and summits of the remote Sierra Nevada. Set up your tent at Bearpaw Meadow鈥檚 backcountry campground, or, if you鈥檙e feeling spendy, get a glamping tent and dinner at High Sierra Camp.

Best Way to Reach This View: From the park鈥檚 iconic Crescent Meadow area, which hosts a grove of towering old-growth sequoias, hike for 11.4 miles to Bearpaw Meadow along the High Sierra Trail, taking in inspiring views of Moro Rock, the powerful Kaweah River, and the Great Western Divide.

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Hazel Mountain Overlook

Rise before dawn and cruise along Shenandoah鈥檚 winding, 105-mile Skyline Drive to admire profound sunrise views from this east-facing overlook. An unusual outcropping of ancient granite makes the perfect ledge from which to enjoy Virginia鈥檚 rolling pastoral hillsides as the sky turns from apricot to bright blue.

Best Way to Reach This View: Enter the park at the Thornton Gap Entrance Station. The overlook is at mile 33 on Skyline Drive.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

River Bend Overlook

The large stone shelter at River Bend Overlook, in eastern North Dakota, makes for a picturesque family portrait, with a backdrop of shrub-speckled badlands and a U-shaped swerve in the serpentine Little Missouri River. It鈥檚 a vast and gorgeous view out onto the river valley.

Best Way to Reach This View: Enter the north unit of the park on Scenic Drive. The overlook is about eight miles in. Park and walk up a short trail to the viewing deck. For a closer look at the park鈥檚 iron-impregnated sandstone and wavering grasslands, hop onto the 0.8-mile Caprock Coulee Trail and saunter away from the automobile crowds.

Virgin Islands National Park, Virgin Islands

Cruz Bay Overlook

So much of Virgin Islands National Park, on the island of St. John, is about appreciating the scenery beneath the waves. But the Cruz Bay Overlook, on the moderate Lind Point Trail, is a great stopover between snorkeling trips. Pull off at the signed viewpoint for a commanding look at the boat traffic sailing to and from gorgeous Cruz Bay, the island鈥檚 main port. If you鈥檙e looking for a little more exercise, continue on to Solomon Beach for a secluded white-sand oasis.

Best Way to Reach This View: The Lind Point Trail starts just behind the park visitor center and ends at Honeymoon Bay or Solomon Bay. A spur off the trail leads to the Cruz Bay Overlook.

Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Kabetogama Lake Overlook

Whether you鈥檙e just driving through Voyageurs or you鈥檙e renting a houseboat for the entire family, this wheelchair-accessible overlook on the edge of enormous Lake Kabetogama will provide a fantastic cross section of the area鈥檚 natural wonders. Tiny islets are freckled with boreal forest. White and red pines intersperse with fir and spruce trees. And the distant, mournful call of a loon can often be heard at dusk.

Best Way to Reach This View: It鈥檚 an easy 0.4-mile trail to reach the overlook. The trailhead is at the third parking area on Meadowood Drive near the Ash River Visitor Center.

White Sands National Park, New Mexico

Roadrunner Picnic Area

In the heart of White Sands, the Roadrunner Picnic Area offers guests a cozy resting place, surrounded by a vast expanse of glowing white gypsum dune fields. The site鈥檚 futuristic picnic tables, complete with corrugated metal awnings to protect against ferocious wind and sun, are a fabulous spot from which to enjoy and explore this New Mexico park as the sun sets beyond the Organ Mountains.

Best Way to Reach This View: The picnic area is located about six to seven miles on the main road from the fee station.

Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota

Rankin Ridge

The historic fire tower atop Rankin Ridge dates back to 1956, and though visitors are not permitted to climb it, it sits on the highest point in Wind Cave (5,013 feet) and makes for an excellent photo backdrop. You鈥檒l look down at the park, which is home to some of the last preserved mixed-grass prairie in the country.

Best Way to Reach This View: From Custer, take Route 16A East for 6.5 miles and turn south on Highway 87. After 13 miles, look for an access road leading to the trailhead. It鈥檚 a short and easy half-mile hike through fragrant ponderosa pines to the top.

Wrangell鈥揝t. Elias National Park, Alaska

Root Glacier Trail

Brave the bumpy, winding McCarthy Road all the way to the once thriving mining community of McCarthy and cross the footbridge to get to Kennecott, a historic town that serves as the center for all things Wrangell鈥揝t. Elias, including the majestic trail along the colossal Root Glacier. Bring your bear spray and go it alone, or hire a guide to learn more about the site鈥檚 copper-mining past. Spoiler alert鈥搚ou can also book a crunchy crampon trek atop the glacier. Either way, you鈥檒l be treated to awesome views of Mount Donoho and the 6,000-foot-tall Stairway Icefall.

Best Way to Reach This View: The Root Glacier Trail starts in Kennecott, and about 1.5 miles in you鈥檒l reach the glacier. If you plan to walk on the glacier, hire an experienced guide and wear crampons.

Yellowstone National Park, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming

Artist Point

Named for its proximity to a famous oil painting by 19th-century painter Thomas Moran, Artist Point is the most stunning place from which to gaze at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and its mighty waterfall. That being said, it does get crowded in summer months. If you fancy a short hike with similarly epic vistas, amble along the signed trail to Point Sublime (2.6 miles round trip) for an even better glimpse of the canyon鈥檚 multicolored walls.

Best Way to Reach This View: For a hiking route to Artist Point, check out .

Yosemite National Park, California

Glacier Point

After a yearlong closure in 2022 for road rehabilitation, travelers can once again drive to Glacier Point and see the broad panoramas of Half Dome, Nevada Fall, and Mount Hoffman. Wander around the accessible, paved pathways near the gift shop or hitch a ride onto a portion of the Panorama Trail for a similar view, sans the crowds at this very popular park.

Best Way to Reach This View: Drive 13 miles on Wawona Road from Yosemite Valley, then turn onto Glacier Point Road at the Chinquapin intersection. Hikers: Start at the Four Mile Trailhead in Yosemite Valley. It鈥檚 a strenuous 9.6 mile (round trip) hike to the point.

Zion National Park, Utah

Canyon Overlook

Canyon Overlook, in Zion鈥檚 eastern section, is one of the most impressive low-effort, high-reward hikes in the country. The reward is a breathtaking view of the cathedral-like golden spires of Towers of the Virgin, in the park鈥檚 main canyon.

Best Way to Reach This View: Park near the tunnel on the eastern side of the Zion鈥揗ount Carmel Highway, then take a series of stairs and sandstone slabs for a mere 0.5-miles (one way) until you reach the lookout on the edge of the cliffs.

As our 63 Parks columnist, Emily Pennington, visited and wrote about every single national park in the U.S. She鈥檚 also the author of the recent book Feral: Losing Myself and Finding My Way in America鈥檚 National Parks.

The post The Best Scenic View in Every National Park appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

We in this country love our national parks. Last year the National Park Service logged nearly across all its units, from national historic sites to full-fledged national parks. I did the math and am happy to report that I鈥檓 responsible for several of those visits. Hey, I even bought a T-shirt in one of the visitors鈥� centers.

The problem is that we don鈥檛 love all of our parks the same. The disparity in visitation to the 63 national parks is striking. Great Smoky Mountains National Park was by far the most visited last year, with almost 13 million visitors. Other top contenders, such as Zion, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain, and Acadia, had numbers in the 3 and 4 millions.

National Park of American Samoa was the least visited, with fewer than 2,000 visitors. I know what you鈥檙e thinking: National Park of American Samoa is probably lovely, but it鈥檚 kind of out of the way, being in the South Pacific and all. Similarly, Alaska鈥檚 eight national parks are stunning, but most of us won鈥檛 have the opportunity to visit Alaska this year.

But a lot of undervalued national parks right here in the lower 48 barely see any boots compared to the headliners we all know and love. While climbers and hikers sit in traffic jams in Yosemite, the rock spires and caves of Pinnacles National Park are relatively empty. Nearly 3 million people explored Olympic National Park, outside of Seattle, last year, but on the other side of the Space Needle, North Cascades National Park only saw 30,000.

Spending time in these lesser-visited parks not only gets you away from the crowds, it gives our most popular parks a chance to breathe.

Dawn Rodney, chief external affairs officer for the National Parks Foundation, says, 鈥淲ith annual visitation numbers increasing, some of the more well-known parks are facing overcrowding, which can lead to wear and tear of trails and visitor centers.鈥� She also cites increased strain on park services, and potential impacts to wildlife and natural habitats.

Rodney says there are plenty of other options. 鈥淐hances are good there is at least one hidden gem closer to home than you might imagine.鈥�

We dug into the national-park statistics and found the eight least-visited national parks in the lower 48. They鈥檙e protecting some of the most stunning landscapes in the country, but lack the crowds at the top parks in our system.

Bonus: Most of the parks on this list are free to enter.

Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

Visitors in 2022: 25,454

Is it strange that the least-visited national park in the lower 48 is actually in the middle of the country? Isle Royale is a group of 400 islands located in the northwestern edge of Lake Superior, snugged up against the Canadian border. The main island, which has most of the trails and facilities, is 50 miles long and nine miles wide, and full of mountains鈥擬ount Desor, the high point, is 1,394 feet, pretty good for an island鈥攕ecluded bays, and healthy populations of gray wolves and moose. The landscape is spectacular, but the fact that it鈥檚 only accessible by boat or seaplane keeps the crowds at bay. Fortunately, a ferry runs daily during the summer (starting in mid-May) from the aptly named Grand Portage, Minnesota. The park is only open from April 16 to October 31. Because it鈥檚 an island, there are no cars, so once you鈥檙e here, you鈥檙e getting around by foot or boat.

Signature adventure: Backpacking the , from the Windigo Harbor to Rock Harbor, will carry you across the heart of the island. The 40-mile trail takes most people five days to complete, and established campgrounds along the way make logistics easy. You鈥檒l get long-range views from atop exposed ridges and climb the Ojibway Tower, a lookout on the east end of the trail, to see the interior of the island, which is full of lakes and bays. Gaze at stars or chase the Northern Lights.

But don鈥檛 miss鈥�the paddling. You can bring canoes on the ferry or rent one from Windigo or Rock Harbor ($40 a day). Because Lake Superior can be cranky, the park recommends paddling and portaging the island鈥檚 , linked by established routes/trails on the northeast half of the island. You can do a full 鈥淐hain of Lakes鈥� paddle and hike across most of the interior lakes on the main island, a trip that requires 22 miles of canoeing and portaging, or focus on one of the interior ponds, like Lake LeSage, which is full of northern pike and offers a quiet shoreline campground.

Where to stay: Isle Royale has quite civilized digs considering its remoteness. , a full-service lodge on the northeastern edge of Isle Royale, has 60 rooms. Washington Creek Campground, near Windigo Harbor on the southeast end of Isle Royale, is the largest of the island鈥檚 campgrounds and offers a base close to the visitor center and store. Stays are limited to three nights from June 1 to September 17. are first-come, first-served and, yes, free.

Permits and fees: $7 per person entrance fee.

North Cascades National Park, Washington

Visitors in 2022: 30,154

The lack of attention to North Cascades National Park is baffling. The 504,654-acre park is loaded with the kind of terrain that most of us salivate over: backcountry lakes, jagged peaks, and more than 300 glaciers鈥攖he most of any park outside of Alaska. Cute animals like pikas and marmots and big animals like mountain goats populate the mountains, and each summer the meadows are full of wildflowers. One factor in the solitude may be that there isn鈥檛 a lot for casual visitors to do here. Within the park is only one paved road, Highway 20, aka The North Cascades Highway, running along the Skagit River for 30 miles. It鈥檚 a pretty drive, with plenty of overlooks, but other than that, you have to explore on foot. And the terrain is rugged, full of snow fields, glaciers, and towering granite peaks, so visitors need to come prepared for an adventure.

Signature adventure: Mountaineering. The North Cascades have a rich history of mountain climbing, and many multi-day objectives that involve long approach hikes, glacier traversing, and technical climbing. For a true classic, shoot for the 8,815-foot Forbidden Peak, a pyramid-shaped mountain with high-quality rock and beautiful views. The West Ridge pits you against glaciers and snowfields to gain a narrow ridge with lots of exposure to reach the summit. If you have any hesitation about your mountaineering chops, hire a .

But don鈥檛 miss鈥�hiking Diablo Lake. The turquoise-hued water of Diablo Lake is probably the most recognizable landmark within the park. You can see it from an overlook along Highway 20, but hiking the 7.5-mile out-and-back will give you a close look as well as long views of the peaks deeper inside the park.Where to stay: The majority of frontcountry campgrounds are along Highway 20. Most are open from May through September. Colonial Creek North Campground has 41 sites on Diablo Lake with direct access to day hikes. Sites can be six months in advance and are $24 a night.

Where to stay: The majority of frontcountry campgrounds are along Highway 20. Most are open from May through September. Colonial Creek North Campground has 41 sites on Diablo Lake with direct access to day hikes. Sites can be six months in advance and are $24 a night.

Permits and fees: No fee to enter the park.

Dry Tortugas, Florida

Visitors in 2022: 78,488

Situated 70 miles west of Key West, Dry Tortugas National Park is a collection of seven small islands sitting inside roughly 100 square miles of protected open water. It鈥檚 the most remote park in the national-park system and only accessible by boat or seaplane. Fortunately, a ($200 per person) will take you from Key West to Garden Key, the hub of Dry Tortugas, which holds the remnants of a 19^th century military fort as well as the only camping available inside the park. You can camp under palms, swim off the edge of sandy beaches, and snorkel or dive vibrant reef systems.

Signature adventure: Snorkeling and diving off Loggerhead Key. Reaching Loggerhead Key isn鈥檛 easy. If you don鈥檛 have your own power boat, you鈥檒l have to paddle three miles from Garden Key, first filing your trip with the park service. But then you will find a 49-acre island complete with a lighthouse, coconut trees, and a white beach. From Loggerhead, you can snorkel Little Africa, a calm, shallow reef loaded with tropical fish and soft coral, or boat a mile south of the island to dive the Windjammer, a 19th-century shipwreck.

But don鈥檛 miss鈥�exploring . The 16-acre island is the closest to Garden Key鈥攕o close that at certain times it鈥檚 accessible via a 50-yard-long sandbar. Otherwise, it鈥檚 a short paddle to reach Bush鈥檚 sandy beach and clear waters. Keep in mind Bush Key is closed periodically to protect nesting birds.

Where to stay: Garden Key offers the only camping, with campsites just south of Fort Jefferson. You will have to bring everything, including drinking water, you鈥檒l need. The campsite鈥檚 location is ideal, though, with access to narrow beaches, plenty of swimming opportunities, and the chance to explore Fort Jefferson, a military post built in the mid-1800s to protect a then busy shipping channel. are $15 a night, first-come, first-served.

Permits and fees: $15 entrance fee; If you take the ferry, the cost is included in the $200 boat fee.

Great Basin National Park, Nevada

Visitors in 2022: 142,115

is in the middle of nowhere, and that鈥檚 a good thing. Sitting in the high desert of Eastern Nevada, near the Utah border, the 77,180-acre park is 300 miles north of Las Vegas and almost 400 miles due east of Reno, so it鈥檚 not the sort of place you just happen upon. You have to make a point to go there. But if you do, you鈥檒l be greeted with a magnificent landscape both above and below ground. Great Basin has incredibly diverse terrain, from 13,064-foot Wheeler Peak to an expansive cave system. You can also explore Nevada鈥檚 only remaining glacier, alpine lakes at 10,000 feet, and bristlecone-pine forests that are estimated to be some of the oldest known trees on the planet, or stargaze in this designated International Dark Sky Park.

Signature adventure: Going underground. The most popular experience in Great Basin is traversing the Lehman Caves, a system of spacious limestone chambers beneath the surface that are packed with stalagmites and stalactites, also the more rare helictites: curved calcite features that look like giant shields. The only way to explore the cave is on a . You can see most of the system on the Grand Palace tours, which are 90 minutes long and travel more than a half mile through the caves. Multiple tours take place each day. Reserve a spot up to 30 days in advance ($15 per adult).

But don鈥檛 miss: hiking Wheeler Peak and its glacier. Starting from Wheeler Peak Campground, you can choose hikes that take you to backcountry alpine lakes, or the last remaining glacier in Nevada, or the top of Wheeler Peak, the second-tallest mountain in the state. Make the your priority. The 4.8-mile out and back leads you to the bottom of Wheeler Peak Glacier, a 2-acre patch of ice in the cradle of a cirque of towering granite peaks. The trail also passes through a bristlecone-pine grove, with trees estimated to be more than 4,000 years old.

Where to stay: There are four campgrounds with reservable sites inside Great Basin National Park. puts you in the thick of the action, with direct access to the 2.7-mile Alpine Lakes Loop Trail (passing two high lakes), Glacier Trail, and the Wheeler Peak Summit Trail. Get reservations a month in advance on a rolling basis ($20 a night). If you hit the park without scoring a reservation, is first-come, first-served and free.

Permits and Fees: No entrance fee.

Congaree National Park, South Carolina

Visitors in 2022: 204,522

is small鈥攋ust over 26,000 acres鈥攂ut it protects one of the largest contiguous tracts of old-growth bottomland forest in the country. What that means is the trees are massive, with loblolly pines that stretch to 167 feet, creating one of the tallest canopies in the country, and tupelos and bald cypress growing out of the swamp with massive 鈥渒nees鈥� (protruding roots) that give the whole scene a primordial vibe. Blame the rivers; the Congaree and Wateree, which flood about 10 times a year, deliver nutrients to the forest that work like Miracle Grow.

Signature adventure: The paddling. Because Congaree protects what is essentially a swamp, it鈥檚 a paddler鈥檚 park, with more than 50 miles of marked boating trails throughout its 26,000 acres. Most visitors focus on the 15-mile , which runs through the heart of the park to connect with the Congaree River. Out and backs of any distance are possible from Cedar Creek Landing because of the imperceptible flow of the creek, with dark, tannin-stained water through a forest of bald cypress in either direction. For a 20-mile overnight, get a free at the visitor center, put in at Cedar Creek Landing, and paddle downstream to hook up with the slow-moving Congaree River, which forms the border of the park. You鈥檒l spend the night at a dispersed backcountry campsite of your choice and pull out at the 601 landing. Bring your own canoe, or rent one from an in nearby Columbia.

But don鈥檛 miss鈥�hiking Oakridge Trail. Hiking is secondary in Congaree, with the trails often closed because of flooding. You can check the status on the park鈥檚 website per above. When they鈥檙e open, a number of hikes take you through the old-growth forest. The 6.6-mile leads past some of the largest, oldest trees in the park to small, natural lakes where birds and wildlife like otters gather.

Where to stay: There are two frontcountry campgrounds inside Congaree, both requiring a walk from the designated parking lot to reach your site. Go for the small Bluff Campground, which requires a mile-long hike but sits well above the floodplain. You can book a up to six months in advance on a rolling basis ($10 a night).

Permits and Fees: Entrance to the park is free.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas

Visitors in 2022: 219,987

In west Texas, about 115 miles east of El Paso, protects 86,367 acres of mountains and canyons. That鈥檚 not a particularly large expanse, especially by Texas standards, but the landscape is stunning. Eight of the 10 highest peaks in the state are located here, not to mention 1,000-foot-tall limestone cliffs, narrow slot canyons, and 2,000 acres of snow-white sand dunes. There鈥檚 no scenic drive, though. To experience the best of Guadalupe Mountains, ditch the car and explore on foot.

Signature adventure: Summiting the 8,751-foot Guadalupe Peak, the tallest mountain in Texas. The 8.4-mile out and back climbs 3,000 feet, passing off-white sandstone cliffs and stands of douglas firs. The summit offers 360-degree views of the park, including (this area鈥檚) El Capitan, a 1,000-foot limestone cliff to the south.

But don鈥檛 miss鈥�the Salt Basin Dunes, a 2,000-acre tract of gypsum dunes up to 60 feet tall. The four-mile round-trip will deliver you to the north side of the dune field, where you can scramble some of the tallest mounds of sand. Make time for another short but tough day hike to , a narrow slot formation within Pine Springs Canyon. The 4.2-mile out and back will test your route finding (watch for the cairns) and requires rock scrambling.

Where to stay: The park has three developed campgrounds with sites you can reserve up to six months in advance. The is the most scenic of the three, with sites tucked into a forested canyon. The higher elevation ( 6,300 feet) and the shade from overhanging cliffs keep the campground cooler in the summer, too ($20 per night).

Permits and Fees: $10 per person.

Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Visitors in 2022: 221,434

, in northeastern Minnesota, is so far north it鈥檚 almost in Canada. It鈥檚 so far north that you can often see the aurora borealis from inside the park. Voyageurs protects a lush boreal forest full of conifers and deciduous trees, amid rocky outcroppings deposited by glaciers, all of which is inhabited by moose and wolves. More than a third of the 218,054-acre park is comprised of water, dominated by four large border lakes and 26 smaller interior lakes, so you will spend most of your time in the hull of a canoe, sea kayak, or motor boat.

Signature adventure: Boating, of course. Voyageurs contains more than 60 miles of interconnected water trails. The big lakes alone have 500 islands and 600 miles of shoreline to explore. Most people catch a water taxi or take a ranger-led tour to the Elsworth Gardens, a series of terraced stone rockworks and flower beds planted by a carpenter in the 鈥�40s on Lake Kabetogama. But we say head to the smaller, 8,869-acre Sand Point Lake, which has more than 100 islands to explore. The coolest destination is Grassy Bay Cliffs, which rise 125 feet from the edge of the lake. You can rent boats in the gateway community of .

But don鈥檛 miss鈥μ�the Northern Lights. The shimmering, green-hued beams occur sporadically in the night sky over the middle and high latitudes of the northern hemisphere, and when they鈥檙e active, you can see them from all over the park. You can check the for the lights up to a month in advance of your visit. Even if you don鈥檛 see the Northern Lights, you鈥檒l see plenty of stars. Voyageurs is designated an and one of the best places in the country to gaze at the galaxy overhead. You can take in the view from anywhere inside the park, but the Meadwood Road Day Use Area is a 鈥渄esignated dark sky location,鈥� offering an unobstructed horizon and with no artificial light nearby.

Where to stay: Voyageurs offers an intriguing mix of water-based camping and 鈥渉ouseboating鈥� opportunities. There are 137 developed campsites, all of which are only accessible by boat. The backcountry sites require paddling across a lake and then hiking to reach each spot. All sites are $10 a night, with available six months in advance. But take your chance to rent a houseboat, which can be your place to stay and mode of transportation. All houseboat rentals are operated by companies outside of the park, but you鈥檒l need to get an overnight through the park ($15 per night per boat).

Permits and Fee: No entrance fee

Pinnacles National Park, California

Visitors in 2022: 275,023

Of all of California鈥檚 national parks, probably gets the least attention, likely because it didn鈥檛 achieve full national-park status until President Obama upgraded it from a national monument in 2013. The 26,000-acre park protects the remains of ancient volcano flows in what is now Central California. After millions of years of erosion and tectonic-plate activity, those flows have formed a collection of massive monoliths, spires, and steep canyons. The park is divided into East and West districts, divided by the rock formations in the middle, but connected by more than 30 miles of trails that wind through oak forest, gorges, towering cliffs, and talus caves (formed by rockfall or rubble shed).

Signature adventure: Hiking the caves. There are two main areas, the Bear Gulch Caves in the East District and the Balconies Caves in the West District, both accessible to hikers without the need for climbing gear, thanks to the trails built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, and complete with stairways and bridges. A variety of trails traverse the park and lead into the caves. For a big hike through diverse terrain, try the 8.4-mile , which will take you through the heart of Pinnacles鈥� rock formations before dropping into Balconies Cave, requiring a bit of scrambling in the belly of the system.

But don鈥檛 miss鈥�the rock climbing. The Pinnacles holds hundreds of routes, from toproping options to multi-pitch routes on Machete Ridge. The rock can be chossy, so be careful, but overall there鈥檚 something for everyone to do and enjoy. For a mild classic, check out , a 5.4, four-pitch trad climb on solid rock that stays mostly in the shade. Hire a if you鈥檙e not confident in your trad skills. The bird-watching is spectacular too: the cliffs are home to impressive birds of prey, including peregrine falcons, eagles, and the California condor.

Where to stay: Pinnacles has a single campground located on the east side of the park. It鈥檚 a great campground, complete with a swimming pool and tent cabins if you want to go glamping light ($119 a night for tent cabins; $40 a night for standard tent sites). Make up to six months in advance.

Permits and Fee: Entrance fee is $30 per vehicle.

All visitation numbers are from the National Park Service鈥檚

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national-parks columnist and freely admits that he needs to do a better job exploring lesser-known destinations among the units. Most of his national-park visits are to the two busiest in the country, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, both of which happen to be in his backyard from Asheville, North Carolina.

The post The 8 Least-Visited National Parks in the U.S. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Taking an island vacation doesn鈥檛 have to mean splurging on some ritzy all-inclusive resort. You can grab your tent and get away from it all for a fraction of the cost year-round. Even better, the winter season on these U.S. islands has a different feel, marked by diminished crowds, an abundance of waterfront space, and a quiet beauty.

I love camping on islands, especially those with empty beaches. In honor of National Camp Day, on November 19, I鈥檝e compiled a list of nine U.S. island destinations that beckon with warm weather and plenty of outdoor adventure.

1. Santa Rosa Campground
Santa Rosa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California

($15) is nestled in a beautiful valley on the northeast side of Santa Rosa Island, the second-largest island in this national park, just 50 miles off the Southern California coast. Book your passage over with (from $55 one-way), which leaves from Ventura Harbor. The ferry will drop you off at the pier, and from there it鈥檚 an easy 1.5-mile hike to the campground, which offers potable water and modern bathrooms.

Each of the 15 sites has a wind shelter, which is key this time of year, as gusts can whip through the valley. I鈥檓 speaking from experience鈥攜ou want to pitch your tent behind that shelter. But even a windy night is worth waking up to the sound of the Pacific crashing on the beach below the nearby cliffs, and the sunrises are spectacular鈥攂ook sites one through four for the best views.

I recommend fishing or diving for your supper from the bay by the pier; although 20 percent of the park鈥檚 waters are marine-protected areas, fishing is allowed everywhere else in accordance with state (permits from $9). During my trip here, it was easy to collect overpopulated urchin and spear rockfish.

Hikers can enjoy the island鈥檚 many trails, which range from a mile to 28 miles, and keep an eye out for the adorable foxes鈥擨 counted 14 when I was there!鈥攐ne of the park鈥檚 281 endemic species.

2.听Cinnamon Bay Beach and Campground
Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands National Park

Kick it in the Caribbean when you bunk at the only in U.S. Virgin Islands National Park. Visitors can choose from a variety of tent sites ($50) or cottages ($285) December through April and pop in to the on-site Rain Tree Caf茅 for options like smoothies or food to go. This is a paradise that begs exploration by land and by sea; take to the more than 20 trails in the park, some leading to petroglyphs and an old sugar mill, or rent snorkeling gear at the campground and spend hours swimming the island鈥檚 turquoise waters and coral reefs home to some 400 species.

3. Cannabis Farm and Greenhouse Garden
Mountain View, Big Island, Hawaii

Campers on the eastern side of the Big Island can choose between two unique sites at this forest 鈥攏ext to the cannabis grove or within the greenhouse deck ($45 for two people per night). Enjoy hot outdoor showers, but expect to pay for electricity.

The host offers one-hour cannabis tours ($50 for two people), surf lessons ($75), and customizable island tours. Or head off on your own to explore the nearby Wao Kele o Puna rainforest, sacred home of the goddess Pele as well as native habitat to the endangered apapane and akohekohe birds. The hot spot of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is also just ten miles away.

4. A Gulf Coast Island Retreat
Gibsonton, Florida

Now鈥檚 your chance to cosplay Robinson Crusoe: an with four campsites is available to rent in the middle of the Alafia River, about a 20-minute drive south of Tampa (from $65). Designed with elevated wooden platforms for your tent, an outhouse, a fire pit, and a picnic table, you pack in the essentials (including water) and pack out all your trash.

Although the island host offers shuttle service for a fee, renting one of his kayaks or canoes for the quarter-mile crossing is your best bet: you can paddle to area mangroves, catching sight of dolphins and stingrays; request a river tour; or, for a night out, tie your boat up at the across the water.

5. Stafford Beach Campground
Cumberland Island National Lakeshore, Georgia

Only 300 visitors a day are allowed on Cumberland Island, a barrier island more than twice the size of Manhattan. ($12) has ten sites and offers necessities like flush toilets, fire rings, potable water, and (cold) showers. A 45-minute from the town of St. Marys will drop you off at the pier. From there, you鈥檒l take a 3.5-mile trail to the campground, part of a 50-plus-mile island-wide network.

Or bring your bike and cruise around with your binocs鈥攖here鈥檚 plenty of wildlife to see, including wild horses, loggerhead turtles, and alligators. Saltwater fishermen can look to hook species like catfish and crocker. Historical relics also remain an attraction; tour Dungeness Ruins, a former mansion occupied by the British in the War of 1812, and Plum Orchard, once the winter home of the Carnegie family, built at the turn of the 20th century.

6. A Private Horse Farm
Saint Helena Island, South Carolina

This 70-acre , set on the property of Camelot Farms Equestrian Center, is a working farm once part of the Coffin Point Plantation. Its five sites ($15) rest between two ponds below a grove of oak trees, potable water is available from a spigot, and campfires and pets are permitted. (There are no bathrooms.)

with the farm ($100), or head three miles down the road to (from $5), the filming location for Forrest Gump鈥�s Vietnam War scenes, where birders can check oystercatchers and yellow-rumped warblers off their list this time of year, hikers can enjoy more than nine miles of trails, and anglers can rent a rod and reel and try their luck at the end of a renovated pier or along the shore.

7. Bird Island Basin Campground
Padre Island National Seashore, Texas

Bird Island Basin鈥檚 steady wind and warm shallows qualify it as one of the best windsurfing spots in the country. You can pitch your tent at one of the first-come, first-served sites ($8, plus a $25 vehicle entrance fee) along Laguna Madre and then make the easy two-minute walk to for a windsurfing class (from $70) or to rent kayaking or paddleboarding gear.

If you鈥檙e there for the birds鈥攑lenty are, as it鈥檚 located on the Central Flyway鈥攚inter sees thousands migrating through the area, and the double-crested cormorant and snowy egret. Aficionados might tack on 鈥� six-to-eight-hour birding tour ($600 for up to four people). Come prepared with food and firewood, as the nearest stores are 12 miles away.

8. Rainforest Camping
Utuado, Puerto Rico

Leave the mainland behind for this ($30) in the mountains 90 minutes southwest of San Juan. Ask the host for a map of the property when you arrive and hit the trails in search of waterfalls. Amenities include an outdoor shower, a bathroom with hot water, fire pits, and potable water. There鈥檚 also a on the property ($59), and breakfast and dinner can be ordered for an additional fee.

Up for an eco-adventure? Host-led tours include hiking, exploring subterranean rivers, caving and more. Or venture into the town of Utuado for rappelling, river caving, and horseback riding on a coffee farm,听or to visit the pictographs and stone monoliths of Caguana Indigenous Ceremonial Park,听an ancestral site of the native Ta铆nos.

9. Kahua Lehua (Hoomaluhia)
Oahu, Hawaii

A campsite within Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden? And just nine miles from the island鈥檚 beloved Lanikai Beach and 12 miles from central Honolulu? Yes, please! At Kahua Lehua ($32), you鈥檒l have access to the sprawling 400-acre property, which features plants from major tropical regions around the globe as well as those indigenous to Hawaii.

Birders can request its garden-specific checklist, which includes local species like the Pacific golden plover and black-crowned night heron. Five campsites are available (each can accommodate groups of up to ten) and offer picnic tables and fire circles. The required permit is available for purchase two weeks ahead of time, so be ready to book鈥攖his place is popular.

Alexandra Gillespie is a travel writer whose work has appeared in National Geographic,听Scuba Diving, and NPR. She lives in Southern California, where she spends much of her free time shore diving.

The post 9 Beautiful Island Campsites in the U.S. to Pitch Your Tent All Winter Long appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

63 Parks Traveler started with a simple goal: to visit every U.S. national park. Avid backpacker and public-lands nerd saved up, built out a tiny van to travel and live in, and hit the road, practicing COVID-19 best safety protocols along the way. The parks as we know them are rapidly changing, and she wanted to see them before it鈥檚 too late. Congaree is her 53rd park visit.

Life on the road can be grueling. After nearly two weeks of nonstop solitude, driving from Maine to South Carolina, I was having a case of the vanlife doldrums. In an effort to spare myself more loneliness, I made a plan to meet up with Nick Noland and kayak across Congaree National Park.

Nick and I met virtually in 2019; I interviewed him about his harrowing survival story for 国产吃瓜黑料, and when he heard that I鈥檇 be passing through his neck of the woods, he reached out. 鈥淚 think a buddy of mine has got a couple of cheap kayaks from Walmart if you want to spend a day paddling around the backcountry,鈥� he texted me.

How could I refuse? We met at the parking area closest to Bannister Bridge, near the northwest corner of the park (which is some 15 miles southeast of Columbia), then shuttled a car to the Cedar Creek take-out point, six miles away. After dragging the plastic boats across a narrow gravel loading ramp, I plopped my butt into the molded gray seat and, tottering slightly, awkwardly pushed off.

I would like to pause here to mention that I am not a skilled kayaker. Before embarking on my national-parks journey, I鈥檇 set foot on a boat maybe three times in my life, and I have zero knowledge of how to navigate complex waterways without a strong cell signal. Congaree, I quickly noted with apprehension, was a dark, swampy maze. Thousands of furry, moss-cloaked bald cypress knees loomed from the murky water like bathing goblins ready to pounce. Such environs made the area ideal as a for those not wanting to be found, and these lands were once inhabited by bootleggers and small villages of .

Historic hideouts aside, the park is home to the largest remaining tract of . Because a floodplain is a terribly inefficient place to log for timber, Congaree has preserved some of the biggest trees on the East Coast and now boasts within its borders.

Not five minutes after setting off on our all-day paddling adventure, I got stuck on a tree root hidden beneath the inky-black creek water. Nick, who was managing his boat with relative grace, floated a few feet away from me, laughing hysterically as I inched my butt backwards and forwards in a desperate attempt to propel myself over the hump. In the end, I plunged my hand into the tea-colored current and wrenched myself free.

The day went on like this for hours: Nick splashing me with the bright red tip of his paddle as I drifted face-first into a spiderweb, me bottoming out and using tree branches to lurch my kayak away from a shallow curve. My cheeks hurt from smiling too much.

One of the singularly best things about being outdoors is how, even when everything feels terribly, irredeemably messed up, you can still laugh yourself silly and end on a high note. That鈥檚 the power of shared suffering鈥攖he ability to transmute discomfort into joy.

Sometimes a harebrained idea can be a recipe for disaster, but sometimes, if you鈥檙e lucky, it鈥檚 just what the doctor ordered.

63 Parks Traveler Congaree Info

Size: 26,276 acres

Location: Central South Carolina, a 30-minute drive from Columbia

Created In: 1974 (natural landmark), 2003 (national park)

Best For: Easy hiking, paddling, forest bathing, and front- and backcountry camping

When to Go: Congaree is a shoulder-season park; the most moderate temperatures are enjoyed in spring (43 to 83 degrees) and fall (42 to 85 degrees), and winter (34 to 60 degrees) tends to be mild and a great time to escape crowds. Summer (67 to 100-plus degrees) can be unbearably hot and humid.

Where to Stay: There are inside Congaree, and both are tents-only. Longleaf is located a short walk from a gravel parking lot and provides visitors with vault toilets, picnic tables, and fire rings. Bluff is more secluded, located a mile鈥檚 hike from parking, and does not have its own restrooms.

Mini 国产吃瓜黑料: Hike the park鈥檚 accessible, . This easy, family-friendly path takes visitors right into the heart of the Congaree floodplain, with interpretive signs (and a ) detailing the area鈥檚 rich history and plant life. Kick back on one of the many benches to take a few deep breaths and soak up the forest鈥檚 timeless wisdom.

Mega 国产吃瓜黑料: Paddle the length of . At six miles from put-in to take-out, Cedar Creek is a great daylong adventure for kayakers and canoers of any experience level. Haven鈥檛 got your own creek-worthy vessel? No problem; the park offers , and several are also authorized to take visitors onto the storied creek.

The post Seeking Swamp Mystique? Look No Further than Congaree National Park. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The graffiti on the bridge in front of us is colorful but not exactly the cultural experience I was hoping to give my kids. We鈥檝e been cruising the streets on the edge of Macon, Georgia, looking for a collection of Native American mounds, but so far听all we鈥檝e found is liquor stores and some randy messages spray-painted on an overpass. We are lost.

It鈥檚 an odd feeling and an increasingly uncommon one;听given the GPS devices in our pockets, it鈥檚 pretty damn hard to make a wrong turn. Unless, that is, you decide to ditch the GPS entirely and let your two 12-year-olds choose the route for the family road trip using an old-school atlas.

A week before we arrived in Macon, I听bought a Rand McNally and told my kids they would听navigate our spring-break journey. We鈥檇 be traveling from our home听in Atlanta听to , a barrier island six hours and 300 miles southeast听on the coast of South Carolina, where we鈥檇 spend a few days camping and paddleboarding. I set the atlas in front of them on the kitchen table and explained what it was. Then I circled our starting point and destination on the map and asked them to plot our course. I may as well have given them an abacus and asked them to do algebra. It didn鈥檛 help that they can barely agree on the color of the sky.

Call this an experiment in GPS detox. I鈥檓 as guilty as anyone when it comes to relying too heavily on my devices to tell me where to go. I subscribe to and OnX听and use my phone to find Chinese food when I鈥檓 hungry; I always know where I am in the woods and the location of the nearest egg roll. But I don鈥檛 really know how to get anywhere on my own anymore. I just drift through the landscape on autopilot, turning wherever the nice lady in my phone tells me to turn. As a result, I鈥檝e lost my sense of place, and I鈥檓 oblivious to the landscape around me. 鈥淵ou can feel completely disconnected and lost in space using GPS,鈥� says Dave Imus, a cartographer that focus on the ridges, valleys, and rivers that define a region instead of its town names and interstate exits.

If it鈥檚 gotten this bad for me, I鈥檓 even more worried about my kids, Cooper and Addisson, who could grow up without ever using a paper map鈥攚hich feels like bad parenting on my part. Hence the spring-break road-trip experiment. 鈥淧lease don鈥檛 turn our beach vacation into a lesson,鈥� my daughter pleaded. She might be sassy, but she鈥檚 not wrong. The beach trip is totally going to be a lesson.

First听we have to get out of Atlanta, which听on the map听looks like a snake鈥檚 nest of highways. The blue circle of an interstate wraps around the whole听city, so in theory, you could take a wrong turn and do laps until you run out of gas. But my son figures out that I-75 cuts through Atlanta, so if we keep heading south, we鈥檒l eventually get past the mayhem.

The kids pore over the atlas in the back seat, getting a kick out of finding town names that are dangerously close to being dirty words, like Bullocks and Blichton. They also think it鈥檚 cool that the border of Georgia and South Carolina is defined by the Savannah River, not just some arbitrary line drawn in the sand, and that the coast of both states is听painted with a lot of green because of an abundance of wildlife refuges there.

Middle Georgia is mostly flat, hot, and full of pecan trees. But I鈥檓 determined to give the kids a sense of听the landscape we鈥檙e traveling through, so I ask them to look for cool detours, like patches of green or blue on the map indicating parks or rivers and lakes. They trace I-75 through the state and contemplate different places we could check out鈥擮conee National Forest, High Falls State Park鈥攂ut settle on , a collection of Native American earth mounds just outside Macon.

Navigating the surface roads to the park doesn鈥檛 go smoothly. I lose count of the number of U-turns I make, and we end up sitting in the parking lot of a sketchy liquor store while the kids argue. But I refuse to pull out my phone. If we drive into a river, it鈥檚 going to be at the hands of my children. Eventually, they guide us to the park, which is worth the trouble. We walk to the top of the听, a ceremonial 55-foot-tall clay hump that archeologists estimate took ten听million baskets of dirt to create. It鈥檚 the highlight of the road trip.

A couple of hours later (call it two and a half, due to听some confusion around which direction we should go off the exit),听we make it to the coast. There鈥檚 not enough detail on the atlas for the kids to comprehend the sheer volume of islands that litter the edge of South Carolina, so we use one of those cartoonish tourist maps of the area to navigate our way across a string of inlets and听islets听to Hunting Island State Park. Once we arrive at our campsite, the kids take advantage of their newfound navigational power and use the map to direct us to ice cream shops and a waterfront park with big oaks covered in Spanish moss.

I鈥檓 not gonna lie and say we took the most efficient route. We didn鈥檛. But my kids got us to the beach. I thought we鈥檇 fumble around a series of back听roads until we ran out of gas or I started crying, but instead we actually all had fun.

A good lesson never ends, so now that we鈥檙e back home, I keep quizzing them on directions. I鈥檒l pull over into a random parking lot and ask them how to get to our house. I鈥檒l bring out the atlas and have them look for cool parks we should explore. I ask them where a certain river eventually leads to and which direction we should walk to reach a ridge of mountains on the horizon. They get annoyed with me, because they鈥檙e 12, but they鈥檙e learning their way around their corner of the world.

The post My Kids Navigated Our Road Trip鈥擨t Was an 国产吃瓜黑料 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

All signs point to Hurricane Florence causing immense damage when it impacts the East Coast somewhere between Georgia and Virginia on Friday. But just how extensive could it听be? Well, the region has a model for just such an event. Its name was Hugo.听

Like , when it made landfall just north of Charleston, South Carolina, shortly after midnight on September 22, 1989. And, also as is anticipated for Florence, Hugo tracked inland, bringing wind and rain far beyond the coastline.听

When Hugo made landfall, its sustained winds . That was bad enough to flatten entire forests. But what caused the most damage was Hugo鈥檚 immense storm surge, which measured 19.8 feet in Bull鈥檚 Bay, north of Charleston鈥攖he highest surge ever recorded along the East Coast. This decimated coastal property and infrastructure in the storm鈥檚 path.听

As it moved inland, Hugo carried hurricane force winds as far as Charlotte, North Carolina鈥�150 miles from the ocean. Impacts from the storm鈥檚 wind and rain would continue to be felt as the storm tracked north into Canada. By the time the storm reached Montreal, its winds were still gusting up to 59 miles per hour, knocking out power to 13,400 homes.听

It was eventually calculated that Hugo had , trailers, or apartments in South Carolina alone, killed 13 people, and caused $5.9 billion in damage. In North Carolina, 听and another $1 billion in damage was done.听

At the time, Hugo听was the most destructive hurricane this country had ever experienced. Downed trees and storm damage are still visible in the region 29 years later. Yet it was far from a worst-case scenario. By impacting just north of Charleston, it spared that city and its dense population the worst of the storm surge.听Hugo was also a fast-moving storm, leaving rainfall totals of just five to ten inches in its wake.听鈥淎s devastating as Hugo was, much of the area did not experience the full fury of a category four hurricane,鈥� , a hurricane researcher at the National Weather Service. 鈥淚t certainly could have been a lot worse, certainly in Charleston.鈥澨�

Florence's damage could be much more extensive.听

At the time of writing on Tuesday, coastal cities from Charleston, in the south, to Virginia Beach, in the north, lay in Hurricane Florence鈥檚 cone of uncertainty. Same goes for pretty much all the beach communities throughout the Carolinas. A direct impact to any of them could cause major flooding. Farther inland, major population centers like Charlotte, Fayetteville, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, the Raleigh-Durham area, Norfolk, and Richmond, are听all likely to experience high winds and huge rainfall totals. Unlike Hugo, Florence is , dumping what could be feet of rain in some inland areas. In states already inundated by immense rainfall, this much rain in high elevation areas could lead to听major flooding downstream.听

Some storm watchers and emergency management professionals fear that people who lived through Hugo might be inclined to take Florence too lightly.听鈥淵es, [Hugo] was a category four, but if you lived in Charleston, you did not go through a category four,鈥� , of the Charleston County Emergency Management Agency.

鈥淧eople have never seen anything like this in their lifetime,鈥� .

In response to the storm鈥檚 approach, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia . South Carolina has ordered a mandatory evacuation of its entire coast line. Starting Tuesday, state officials will reverse east-bound lanes on all major roadways leading toward the听coast, in order to maximize traffic flow inland. Government offices and schools will close Tuesday in 26 South Carolina counties. North Carolina is evacuating the Outer Banks and Virginia has ordered 245,000 to leave the state鈥檚 eastern shore. In anticipation of destructive flooding, Virginia has already mobilized its entire National Guard.听

Hurricane Hugo was the first major storm of the cable news era听and images of its unprecedented destruction were taken live to households nationwide. But just like the limited graphics and shaky video quality look quaint today, so do the storm鈥檚 impacts. Three decades later, Hugo has been . In that time, storms like Katrina and Harvey have taken . Let鈥檚 hope Florence doesn鈥檛 make that list.听

The post What Hurricane Hugo Can Teach Us About Florence appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.