Government-sponsored time off only comes around a few days a year. Labor Day weekend is an opportunity to get outside, hike a lot, see some friends, hear some music,听and then sleep in on Monday, to hell with Slack. Festivals are a great way to cram a lot into these three sacred, carefree days.

I鈥檝e covered dozens of festivals over the past decade, and rounded up some of the best, all with great outdoor access, to help you make the most of your long weekend.

1. Bumbershoot, Seattle, Washington

As large corporations gobble up major festivals, it鈥檚 not easy to maintain an event as art-forward, experimental, and strident as , but the Seattle institution hopes it has finally found the right formula. After a four-year hiatus, the decades-old Bumbershoot is relaunching with a lineup of local stars鈥攍ike Sleater Kinney, Band of Horses, and Dave B鈥攚ho鈥檝e made it big. The new fest promises a return to its early creativity and chaos: you will be able to pole dance, roller skate, wrestle, extreme pogo-stick, and explore immersive art.

Bumbershoot is an urban festival, but Seattle is spitting distance from Snow Lake, Mount Si, and the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. Both Snow Lake and Mount Si have trails through jagged mountain peaks and tall pines, while the six-mile out-and-back wraps around a lake. For a more kid-friendly or relaxing outing, walk along the Nisqually Estuary Boardwalk, a four-mile elevated path that crosses over the top of Nisqually鈥檚 tidal flats, allowing seals, sea ducks, salmon, otters and minks to live peacefully underneath.

2. U.S. National Whitewater Center Labor Day Celebration, Charlotte, North Carolina

The is a one-stop shop for outdoor adventure. On the schedule are a 5K and a 15K trail race, stand-up paddleboard yoga, and a Dry Tri with mountain biking, trail running, and kayaking or paddleboarding on the Catawba River. For $75, you can buy an All Access Activity Pass that gets you into the U.S. National Whitewater Center鈥檚 renowned river rapids as well as onto the park鈥檚 climbing walls, bouldering routes, and ropes courses.

Evenings bring performances by Amanda Anne Platt, and one of my personal favorite indie Americana bands, The Lone Bellow. (The band鈥檚 earnest 2013 ballad 鈥淏leeding Out鈥� got me through high-school drama.)

Not many hikes on the Whitewater Center鈥檚 1,300 acres are longer than a few miles, but Crowders Mountain State Park offers more. Head up to King鈥檚 Pinnacle, one of the two summits in the park鈥檚 5,200 acres, via the four-mile Pinnacle Trail, which involves some rock scrambling.

3. Southern Decadence, New Orleans, Louisiana

, a raucous parade that rolls through the French Quarter, is one of New Orleans鈥� biggest pride events. Think Mardi Gras but with a little more drag and a lot more leather. I like to watch it all unfold on Frenchman Street, home to some of the city鈥檚 great music clubs and close to its LGBTQ+ bars.

New Orleans, however, is not just an overblown party destination. Walk even half a mile out of the French Quarter and you鈥檒l see flowering vines engulfing buildings and oak-lined avenues leading to stellar parks, the biggest of which is City Park. Just 15 minutes from downtown is the Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge, the country鈥檚 largest urban National Wildlife refuge. Its marshland is excellent for fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and, with over 340 species of birds, birdwatching. The Joe Madere Marsh Overlook has a picnic pavilion and a boat launch.

4. Marshall County Blueberry Festival, Plymouth, Indiana

Half a million people turn out for the to celebrate what happens to be my favorite trail snack. About two hours from both Chicago and Indianapolis, hundreds of craft and food booths fill the town鈥檚 Centennial Park with blueberry everything鈥攊ce cream, cheesecake, smoothies, sausage, and multiple varieties of blueberry beer. (The blueberry donuts are, reportedly, a fan favorite.) This is the most classic Labor Day celebration on our list, with a parade, a carnival, and recreational sports tournaments including pickleball and tractor pulling. It also has fun runs, a bike cruise, and a benefit lake swim.

Plymouth is only an hour from Indiana Dunes National Park, on the banks of Lake Michigan. The park鈥檚 best-known hike is probably its 3 Dune Challenge: 552 feet of vertical gain over just 1.5 miles, all in the sand. If you鈥檇 rather be able to walk the next day, try the . At nearly six miles, it鈥檚 longer, but far less steep, and includes a nice walk along the beach.

5. Mount Snow Brewers Festival, Dover, Vermont

If there is anything I learned working as a ski instructor in Vermont, it鈥檚 that the best days here involve going to the top of a mountain, coming back down, and then drinking beer as the sun sets. (Well, I prefer cider, but you get the idea.) The serves a smattering of craft beers from the famous Vermont and New England craft-brewing scenes.

Local bands will supply music, and local restaurants will serve beer-appropriate foods. The festival puts you at the base of Mount Snow, a ski area whose trails are busy hiking and mountain-biking paths in the summer. You can easily spend the afternoon before the festival hiking to the top of 3,600-foot Mount Snow, with its view of Snow Lake.

6. Dancefestopia, La Cygne, Kansas

In most ways, Dancefestopia is your standard EDM festival. It has a whimsical, Wizard of Oz theme, big-name DJs, and dizzying lights and lasers. But it takes place at what is otherwise a lakeside outdoor-education camp, with all of the log cabins and activities thereof. An activity pass buys you access to the camp鈥檚 climbing wall as well as fishing and canoeing.

For more of that tree-lined Kansas beauty, check out the further shores of La Cygne Lake and the Marais des Cygne Wildlife Area. You can pick up a fishing license at the

7. Austin Free Day of Yoga, Austin, Texas

In 2019, 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine declared Austin one of the 鈥�World鈥檚 Dreamiest Spots for Outdoor Yoga.鈥� On Labor Day, you can live that dream for . A coalition of local studios and instructors will offer over 30 free classes, both indoors and out, across the city. There鈥檚 Qigong at the Austin Bouldering Project, Kundalini at the Waterloo Greenway, and at least one class billed as a party, the Sukha revival.

With the rest of your time, this Texan (I grew up in the greater Houston area) encourages you to indulge in a little Texas cliche. Order some Tex-Mex, or maybe a burger at Clark鈥檚, then head to one of the area’s swimming holes.

8. The Best in the West Nugget Rib Cookoff, Sparks, Nevada

Let me save you some confusion. Contrary to what the name suggests, Nugget is not a type of a rib, but the name of the casino sponsoring this extravagant barbecue competition. is a big deal in the rib world, and 250,000 pounds of meat will be seasoned and sauced in pursuit of festival glory.

Build up an appetite before you go with a visit to the Truckee River Whitewater Park, where you can kayak over class two and three rapids in the middle of Sparks. Or leave the city and drive 45 minutes south to Lake Tahoe. You can get on a section of the 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail at the Tahoe Meadows Trailhead, near Incline Village. Another popular trail is the wheelchair-accessible 1.3-mile Tahoe Meadows Interpretive Loop through the wildflower-laden Tahoe Meadows.

9. Caveman Music Festival, Weston, Colorado

Camping at music festivals usually falls somewhere between the glamping of Coachella; the dusty, trippy party tents of Burning Man; and sleeping in your car. , on the other hand, has real tent camping on its shores and fields. It all goes down at Colorado鈥檚 Monument Lake Resort, where you can fish for trout, kayak, canoe, and hike in between performances. The music here is Americana, headlined by JJ Grey & Mofro, Shane Smith & The Saints, and Dawes.

The resort is in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, with a multitude of beautiful hikes. Seasoned hikers can ascend the eight-mile near La Veta, Colorado, for some of the best views in the region. Find out about more trails

Emily Carmichael is a writer, editor, and former ski instructor based in Brooklyn who has covered music festivals since her college days in New Orleans.

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Long ago, when my brother, Ted, arrived in Yosemite at 18, reporting for volunteer trail work, he thought: This is it. This is the most beautiful place I鈥檝e ever seen.

My friend Karen Eckrich Tyler says that a winter vacation to Yellowstone National Park was the best trip her family ever took. They stayed in the classic Old Faithful Inn, in Wyoming, and beheld geysers, went cross-country skiing, saw eagles, heard the cry of wolves, and marveled at buffalo walking side by side, pawing the snow in search of sustenance.

鈥淥ur grumpy teenager did not want to go,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd even he said he loved it.鈥�

On my first visit to Yosemite, California, one summer in the 1980s, I sat in the back seat of the Mustang my friend and I had hitched a ride in, my head swimming from the driver鈥檚 cigarette smoke, the heat, and the sight of towering walls I鈥檇 somehow presumed to come climb. That autumn, friends and I hiked and climbed in the moonscape of Joshua Tree, in Southern California, beside stretches of wildflowers. I later camped in Acadia, on the coast of Maine; and as a weekend traveler then living in Boston, welcomed the sound of birdsong and gentle waves.

Visiting a national park, or any of the run by the National Park Service, is a memory you keep and a joy worth sharing. Next Saturday, April 22, admission is free to all of the parks鈥攚hich include national historic sites, national seashores, national preserves, national monuments, and 鈥攖o mark the start of , a nine-day celebration that encourages visitation to more than 85 million acres maintained by the Park Service.

鈥淓ntrance fees will be waived on April 22, 2023, to kick off the celebration and to encourage everyone to enjoy their national parks,鈥� reads the NPS Celebrations and Commemorations page. 鈥淎lso discover what the National Park Service does through our programs and partners to preserve natural and cultural heritage and provide recreational opportunities.鈥�

This year has seen designation of two new national monuments鈥擜vi Kwa Ame in Southern Nevada, and Castner Range, near El Paso, Texas鈥攁nd Camp Hale, near Leadville, Colorado, was added last fall. Park units extend beyond the continental U.S., which includes Alaska, to Hawaii and into the territories of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.

There are numerous ways to take advantage of discounts at the various park units. The Park Service offers five free visitation days annually. This year’s dates are:

• 闯补苍耻补谤测鈥�16鈥�Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• April 22鈥擳he first day of National Parks Week
• August 4鈥�Great American Outdoors Day鈥�
• September 23鈥�National Public Lands Day
• November 11鈥�Veterans Day

The Park Service also offers free or discounted programs for U.S. military members and families, veterans, and Gold Star families; U.S. citizens or residents with disabilities; and fourth-grade students through the school year and ensuing summer, as part of the Every Kid 国产吃瓜黑料 program. Seniors can buy a lifetime pass for $80鈥攋ust don鈥檛 lose it, as a friend of mine did last week, because they cannot be replaced (i.e., you have to buy it again). An annual pass for seniors is just $20. Check out all the passes’ details .

You can also to score free admission鈥攋ust know that it is heavy-duty work, with 250 hours of service required. Volunteers can teach history and culture, do scientific research, aid in plant and forest stewardship, help build and maintain trails, and take on other jobs in parks across the country and the U.S. territories.

During National Park Week, the Western National Parks Association is giving a 20 percent discount at all WNPA-managed stores to those in its Park Protector program, whose $25 annual membership supports education, research, and community events.

Our parks may have their issues, from overdevelopment and the distraction of air tourism to increasing crowds (many parks, however, remain quiet). But I can’t imagine having missed seeing places like Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado鈥攚here I was awakened, twice, in my sleeping bag atop a large boulder by a mouse chomping on my hair鈥攐r Shenandoah, in Virginia, where my husband and I enjoyed a sunny hike among rustling green oak and hickory with our younger son when it was his turn to go off to college.

I remember my father, also named Ted, once saying of Alaska, which was the only state in the U. S. that he鈥檇 never been to, 鈥淚鈥檇 just like to see those sights before I die.鈥� His words gave me a shiver, but he did go to the wilds of Alaska, on a rainy fishing trip, and showed us all pictures when he came home. He died very unexpectedly soon after.

Victoria Carter, a contributing writer for 国产吃瓜黑料, recalls that her parents raised her and her brother with family hikes, bike and ski trips, and campouts. Every summer they took road trips to national parks, she has written: 鈥淢y parents made sure my brother and I knew that the magic of this country exists first and foremost in the land itself.鈥� She is still taking those trips. So am I.

Alison Osius is a travel editor at 国产吃瓜黑料. Prior to beginning the job last year, she鈥檇 visited over a dozen of our national parks, and various national seashores and forests. She has learned much about our multitude of parks since, and wants to see more.

The post Free Days Ahead in Our National Parks鈥攁nd Discounts You Should Know About appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Social media has done strange things to public-lands use. On one hand, it鈥檚 gotten loads of newcomers into the great outdoors. On the other, all those posts increase visitation to just a few easy-access photo ops in a handful of parks. Last year, the National Park Service (NPS) announced that among the 424 units it manages, 26 percent of the system鈥檚 nearly 300 million visitors went to the eight most visited parks.

On seeing these numbers, I did a double-take鈥攁nd then a deep dive, examining many of America鈥檚 less-traveled natural wonders. After all, there are 640 million acres of federally managed lands and 18.7 million acres of land managed as state parks. Surely plenty of other places are worth a trip.

I鈥檝e been to every national park in the U.S. and learned a lot along the way about how to get off the beaten path. I also researched park, campground, and trail-review websites; perused countless traveler photos; and asked other outdoor writers and various trail users across the country about their favorite hidden gems.

I wasn鈥檛 choosy about designations, like state park, preserve, or national monument. My mission was to get to the bottom of which little-visited spaces had the most spectacular scenery and diverse outdoor activities.

The result? A list of the country鈥檚 most underrated parks in every state, with something for everyone, from the adrenaline-fueled adventure athlete to the armchair, or hammock-swinging, appreciative lakeside reader. Here it is.

Alabama

Stephens Gap Callahan Cave Preserve

The dramatically lit 143-foot cave leading into would look more at home in a sci-fi movie than a U.S. park, and that鈥檚 why it made our list. This cavern, set in a woodland about 30 minutes outside of Huntsville, is a local favorite for photographers and cavers, but what is less known is that day hikers can access its huge walk-in entrance via a forested 1.5-mile (round trip) trail. A for the cave, which has daily visitor limits, is required, and should be arranged two to three weeks ahead. Pack a helmet, also required, and wear sturdy trail shoes or hiking boots with excellent tread. Descending the deep entrance pit takes technical skills and rappelling equipment; do not attempt to enter that way without experience and specialty equipment. Use caution even on the walk-in passage, which passes the pit.

Alaska

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

With an expanse of over 19 million acres (roughly the size of South Carolina), the , or ANWR, is the largest federally protected conservation area in North America. Though it may lack the striking, glaciated summits of Denali National Park and the easy road access of Kenai Fjords, ANWR is home to enormous caribou herds, all three species of U.S. bears (brown, black, and polar), muskoxen, wolves, and more than 200 species of migratory birds. Getting to this remote park in the majestic Brooks Range is a journey, but a few trekking companies like offer itineraries to take the edge off your planning.

Arizona

Chiricahua National Monument

is often hailed as a 鈥渨onderland of rocks,鈥� a unique landscape of rhyolitic formations caused by volcanic eruptions and erosion over millennia. Travelers can sightsee on a paved, eight-mile scenic drive or lace up their trail runners and hit the park鈥檚 17 miles of hiking paths (Lower Rhyolite Canyon is filled with pinnacles). With two bills currently moving through Congress aiming to redesignate Chiricahua as a national park, perhaps the visitation tide will turn, but for now, the place is a diamond in the rough.

Arkansas

Buffalo National River

In 1972, Buffalo River became the country鈥檚 first national river, flowing freely for 135 miles through the woodsy Ozark Mountains. As Buffalo is one of the few remaining undammed rivers in the lower 48, watersports are front and center here鈥搗isitors can kayak jaw-dropping class III in the spring鈥揵ut the NPS-managed park is also home to miles of hiking and backpacking trails, rock-climbing routes, bike trails, and ethereal night skies.

California

Pinnacles National Park

Established by President Obama in 2013, Pinnacles is the newest of California鈥檚 nine national parks, still often overlooked in favor of Instagram favorites like Yosemite and Joshua Tree. This central Cali stunner offers a long list of epic outdoor adventures all its own, from rock climbing up fins of volcanic breccia, to hiking through moss-lined caves and marveling at endangered California condors in their natural habitat.

Colorado

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Skip the timed entry permits and crowds of Rocky Mountain National Park for the dark, foliated metamorphic rock of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, a vertiginous ravine carved by the churning Gunnison River some 2,700 feet below the rim. Road trippers will delight in the park鈥檚 many accessible overlooks鈥搚ou can see how Painted Wall got its name鈥搘hile advanced hikers may want to scramble down an inner canyon route (permit required), and climbers with advanced traditional skills climb its steep and committing routes. The place had only 300K visitors last year, so you鈥檙e sure to enjoy some of the solitude you seek.

Connecticut

Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge

With much of the East Coast developed by enterprising industrialists before the conservation movement was born, it can be difficult to find land where wildlife is free to roam. At , visitors can meander through some of the oldest maritime forest and largest undeveloped coastal wetlands in Connecticut, a mere 30 minutes from New Haven. Ranger-led programs introduce the curious to the area鈥檚 shorebirds, terrapins, and wildflowers, but intrepid explorers might prefer to take a hike in the Salt Meadow Unit or paddle along the Menunketesuck River in search of egrets and ibises.

Delaware

Brandywine Creek State Park

Chock-full of family-friendly activities (disc golf, anyone?) in the densely populated Mid-Atlantic is the 933-acre . Situated six miles from central Wilmington (and 20 miles from Philadelphia), it offers a reprieve from urban-summer humidity. Hiking, canoeing, tubing, and kayaking are all popular pastimes, and the park鈥檚 sprawling meadows, lined with red oak and tulip poplar, are the perfect place for a spring picnic.

Florida

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

Yes, Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota has preserved thousands of acres of unspoiled American prairie, but did you know there鈥檚 a sizable grassland preserve in Florida? At , 90 minutes from the metropolis of Orlando in central Florida, outdoor recreationists can bask in the state鈥檚 largest remaining tract of dry prairie, home to American kestrels, red-shouldered hawks, and white-tailed kites. More than 100 miles of multi-use trails for hikers, bikers, and equestrians crisscross the park鈥檚 54 thousand acres, and there鈥檚 even an astronomy campground specifically designated for Milky Way viewers to gaze up, free of bright lights and campfires.

Georgia

Providence Canyon State Park

Even with the cute oxymoronic title of Georgia鈥檚 鈥渓ittle Grand Canyon,鈥� is often passed over in favor of larger state parks like Cloudland Canyon. Though Providence鈥檚 150-foot-deep gullies were caused by poor farming practices in the 1800s, today鈥檚 visitors who hike the area鈥檚 2.5-mile loop trail will be treated to some of the most stunning vistas in the state鈥揷onifer forests crumbling into pink, orange, and red-hued rock鈥搘ithout the crowds of big-name parks. You can hike, bike and run here. Looking to pop open your ultralight tent? The park also offers a 7-mile backcountry trail with .

Hawaii

Ahupua鈥檃 鈥極 Kahana State Park

On the eastern edge of Oahu, far from the bustle of touristy Waikiki, lies , a longtime locals鈥� favorite with loads of sandy space to stretch out on. Framed by the verdant Ko’olau Mountains, this ahupua驶a, or ancient Hawaiian land division, is one of the few in the state that鈥檚 publicly owned. As such, it鈥檚 designed as a 鈥渓iving park,鈥� where visitors can enjoy both the sunshine-spattered beach and the surrounding valley, which is home to a heiau (religious temple), ko鈥檃 (fishing shrines), and several agricultural terraces. The 1.2-mile Ko鈥檃 and Kilo Trail is an excellent way to explore the area鈥檚 aforementioned cultural sights.

Idaho

Hells Canyon National Recreation Area

Most of Idaho鈥檚 mountain seekers make a beeline for the Sawtooths, but the 652,488-acre expanse of , on the state鈥檚 western border with Oregon, deserves a detour. This is the deepest river gorge in North America, the canyon rim鈥檚 high point a staggering 8,000 feet above the Snake River鈥檚 roaring rapids. There are hundreds of miles of hiking trails to tramp across here, and you can run and bike, but the best way to get up close and personal with Hells Canyon is on the water. No boat? No problem. offers full- and half-day tours.

Illinois

Matthiessen State Park

Located a mere 2.5 miles south of the often-crowded Starved Rock State Park sits a haven for waterfall chasers of all ages, . A scenic variation from Illinois鈥� mostly flat farmlands, set about an hour and a half from Chicago, this nature haven is centered around a mossy limestone canyon, punctuated by towering cascades and a handful of black oaks. The most picturesque of the bunch is 65-foot Lake Falls, which is framed by an immense, arcing bridge over the Matthiessen Lake Dam.

Indiana

Shades State Park

If you鈥檙e looking to hike or canoe in woodsy Indiana, go no further. At 3,082 acres, is one of the Hoosier State鈥檚 smaller preserves, but we believe in quality over quantity when choosing our outdoor hangs. Far less crowded than nearby Turkey Run State Park, Shades is home to old-growth trees, ladder-accessible ravines, rippling waterfalls, hiking, backcountry camping, and primo views of sandstone-lined Sugar Creek. Pro tip: go in fall when the sugar maples and tulip poplars put on a fiery show.

Iowa

Palisades-Kepler State Park

Comprised of 840 acres of wilderness along the shady banks of the Cedar River, is a Midwest explorer鈥檚 dream. The park boats year-round hiking on five miles of trails through old-growth hardwood forest, wildflower meadows, and river and bluff views; and opportunities to cast a line for bass, walleye, and catfish. it is a treasure trove of echinoderm fossils, and it contains ancient conical Native American burial mounds. For those hoping to stay the night, an on-site campground and four cabins are .

Kansas

Kanopolis Lake State Park

has the honor of being the first state park in Kansas, and though its grayish-orange sandstone bluffs may seem out of place in the state鈥檚 otherwise flat grasslands, they鈥檙e a staple of the Smoky Hills region, Ellsworth County. The park itself centers around a 3,500-acre reservoir and is split into two scenic areas: Horsethief and Langley Point. Hikers should head for the hills and spend a day on the 7-mile Horsethief Canyon to Red Rock Canyon Loop, looking for white-tailed deer, while boaters and beachgoers will want to post up along the water at Langley Point.

Kentucky

Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area

Though many of Kentucky鈥檚 adventure-loving crowds will seek out favorites like Mammoth Cave and Carter Caves, and its myriad of tributaries deserve their time in the limelight. Encompassing 125,310 acres of the sweeping Cumberland Plateau, a wooded landscape full of steep gorges, natural bridges, sedimentary canyons, and rocky riverbanks, this national river and recreation area is paradise for adventurers. Here, it鈥檚 possible to run class IV rapids, then hike to a pair of stunning sandstone arches in the same day, or mountain bike along West Bandy Creek and maybe climb a sport or trad route at sunset. Hunker down at Charit Creek Lodge or in one of the park鈥檚 five campgrounds.

Louisiana

Chicot State Park

is the largest in Louisiana, spanning 6,400 acres of diverse ecosystems that stretch from the swampy Atchafalaya Basin to the mellow hills of center state. As the Bayou State鈥檚 nickname implies, the park is a haven for paddlers and anglers who want to bask among the quiet waters and spooky cypress knees of Lake Chicot (the state-record largemouth bass was once caught here), but it鈥檚 also home to 20 miles of hiking and mountain-biking trails, which encircle the lake.

Maine

Camden Hills State Park

is located a 90-minute drive south of Acadia National Park, so no wonder it is overlooked in favor of its famous neighbor, but this coastal escape offers much of the same spectacular year-round scenery. In summer, enjoy a morning hike up the steep 1-mile trail to Mount Battie for panoramic views of the rocky Maine coastline, nearby Penobscot Bay, and, on a clear day, Acadia鈥檚 Cadillac Mountain, then board a harbor cruise to check out the park鈥檚 undulating ridgeline from the Atlantic. Hike, bike and run on nine miles of trails of varying difficulty. When autumn hits, motor up the Mount Battie Auto Road for some of the best leaf peeping in the country, and in winter, break a sweat on miles of designated cross-country ski trails.

Maryland

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

Home to one of the largest breeding populations of bald eagles on the East Coast, is a 28,894-acre stretch of mixed hardwood and loblolly pine forests, tidal marsh, and freshwater wetlands. The park, which has five miles of hiking trails and 17 miles of water trails, is perfect for paddlers as well as birders observing one of the best migratory bird corridors in the U.S. Sometimes referred to as 鈥渢he Everglades of the north,鈥� Blackwater sees thousands of ducks (from 20 different species), snow geese, and tundra swans during peak season, in November. Year-round residents include blue-winged teals, great blue herons, and the formerly endangered Delmarva peninsula fox squirrels.

Massachusetts

Wompatuck State Park

As state parks go, is on the smaller side, at a mere 3,526 acres, but it still delivers a , 12 miles of non-motorized roads for biking, a boat/kayak launch, and 40 miles of paths for hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian use. The trails here wind through dense stands of White Atlantic cedar and shag bark hickory to idyllic ponds and the larger Aaron River Reservoir. Go in fall for unforgettable foliage.

Michigan

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park

The Upper Peninsula and the , or Porkies, as they鈥檙e affectionately called by locals, offer killer outdoor access. At 60,000 acres, this protected area is the largest state park in Michigan, and it鈥檚 full of hiking, disc golf, and paddling opportunities amid old-growth hemlock and sugar-maple forests, sparkling lakes, rushing waterfalls, and hilltops overlooking the chilly blue water of Lake Superior.

Minnesota

Cascade River State Park

This wooded wonderland, 10 miles from the quaint North Shore town of Grand Marais, is home to a series of , as the mighty Cascade River drops a whopping 900 feet through ancient basalt lava flows in its final three miles. Avid hikers should check out the 3.5-mile Lookout Mountain Loop, with its panoramic views of Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world. In winter, a groomed cross-country ski trail provides hours of snowy fun.

Mississippi

Natchez National Historic Park

Here in the Magnolia State, a lot of press goes to promoting the 444-mile, NPS-managed Natchez Trace Parkway, but relatively little points to its eponymous , a beacon for history buffs seeking to learn about the area鈥檚 rich and sometimes brutal cultural history. At Natchez, guests can tour Civil War sites highlighting the Federal occupation of the city; visit Forks of the Road, once the second-largest slave market in the Deep South; and see Melrose, a preserved antebellum-era plantation in the country.

Missouri

Rock Bridge Memorial State Park

For caving and geology nerds who reside in the Midwest, is a fantastic place to spend a weekend. The property centers around one of Missouri鈥檚 finest examples of karst topography, with a tree-topped natural arch of limestone, a handful of sinkholes, and two large caves. Devil鈥檚 Icebox, the largest of the two, is over six miles long and is currently closed to protect a cauldron of endangered gray bats. Not so into caves? Hike or bike across miles of trails that wind through the park鈥檚 preserved grasslands.

Montana

Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area

Though loads of attention is heaped onto the NPS鈥� national parks, the agency manages hundreds of less-traveled public lands, too, , in southern Montana, is easily one of the most scenic of our country鈥檚 parks, national or otherwise. Established by an act of Congress in 1966, the park protects massive, man-made Bighorn Lake and dozens of miles of rust-orange sedimentary strata forming the surrounding ravine. Top activities here include trout fishing in the Afterbay, plus boating, hiking, and backcountry camping up tributary creeks and canyons amid shrubs and coniferous forests. A great variety of wildlife includes bighorn sheep, bears, and mule deer.

Nebraska

Platte River State Park

The Cornhusker State often gets razzed for being flat 鈥渇lyover country,鈥� but offers a wealth of outdoor adventures. Canoe along the mellow Platte River Water Trail, hike the park鈥檚 6.7-mile loop trail past a burbling waterfall, challenge yourself on a series of designated mountain biking trails among the forested rolling hills and bluffs, and, when the day is done, cozy up in one of the site鈥檚 vintage cabin rentals.

Nevada

Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument

Next time you鈥檙e in Las Vegas, skip Valley of Fire for a nearby park that鈥檚 far less crowded yet jam-packed with fascinating history鈥�. Sitting at the southern end of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, the park has some pretty incredible scenery and opportunities for adventurous hiking and scrambling. This area was designated in 2014 to protect over 436 paleontological sites with Ice Age-era fossils of mammoths, ground sloths, camels, and the giant North American lion.

New Hampshire

Cardigan Mountain State Park

New Hampshire鈥檚 rugged White Mountains have long been a favorite of outdoor fanatics, but the fee-free is often ignored in favor of bigger fare, like Franconia Notch and the Presidential Range. Crowd-averse trekkers will love the 360-degree views from Cardigan Mountain鈥檚 treeless granite summit, atop which a 1924 observation tower sits. Along the park鈥檚 many trails, visitors will pass through a northern hardwood forest of sugar maple, beech, and yellow birch, before ascending a rocky ridge of red spruce and cinquefoil as they near the rocky bald. The area offers hiking, snowshoeing, and nordic and backcountry skiing.

New Jersey

Wawayanda State Park

With a name taken from a Lenape phrase meaning 鈥渨inding, winding water,鈥� is a stronghold of preserved natural marvels, situated an hour鈥檚 drive from the hoi polloi of Newark. Not only does its 35,161-acre breadth contain a twenty-mile stretch of the storied Appalachian Trail, but visitors can also gaze out at sweeping views from Pinwheel Vista or marvel at the awe-inspiring fall colors along the Wawayanda Lake Loop. The park offers hiking, biking, horseback riding, canoe rentals, a boat launch, and .

New Mexico

Chaco Culture National Historic Park

With social-media darlings like the Grand Canyon clogging the airwaves, it can be easy to forget that the NPS is home to scores of other sites preserving our country鈥檚 Native cultures. offers a little bit of everything鈥揷rumbling Menefee badlands, prominent sedimentary cliffs, and a series of Chacoan 鈥済reat houses.鈥� These structures, called by the NPS 鈥渢he largest, most complex, and best preserved prehistoric architectural sites鈥� in North America, showcase a regional system of Indigenous communities that flourished between the 9^th and 13^th centuries. Visitors can explore the great houses via ranger-led tours or self-guided hiking trails.

New York

Fillmore Glen State Park

The Finger Lakes Region of upstate New York is a leaf peeper鈥檚 paradise, and its narrow gorges and waterfall-rich hiking trails draw visitors year round. Yet somehow, has remained something of a secluded oasis, just 30 minutes north of Ithaca. Here, hikers can climb past five waterfalls, crane their necks to take in views of unique shale and siltstone rock formations, and check out a replica of the log cabin that Millard Fillmore, the 13^th president, was born in. Anglers can fish for trout and largemouth bass in the Owasco Lake inlet, and winter visitors will love the miles of cross-country skiing and snowmobiling on unplowed roads.

North Carolina

South Mountains State Park

Set in a branch of North Carolina鈥檚 famous Blue Ridge Mountains, about an hour east of the progressive and artsy mountain town of Asheville, 21,000 acres feature miles of connecting trails through undulating hills dotted with oak, pine, and hickory trees. Whether you鈥檙e an equestrian hoping for a horse-friendly campsite, a mountain biker looking to feel the wind on your cheeks on steep, twisty terrain, or a new backpacker looking to reserve sites near reliable water, this wooded haven is a worthy alternative to the bumper-to-bumper traffic in Great Smoky Mountains.

North Dakota

Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site

The powerful Missouri River is a hallmark waterway in North Dakota鈥檚 vast landscape of sprawling grasslands, and offers a place in which to learn about the vibrant culture of the Northern Plains Native Americans. The park offers trails to depressions in the earth that hint at a once-thriving Hidatsa village, as well as a reconstructed round Earthlodge furnished with replica artifacts. In addition to appreciating the site鈥檚 incredible Indigenous roots, anglers here can try their hands at catching northern pike, walleye, and trout along the Knife and Missouri Rivers ().

Ohio

Brecksville Reservation

Cuyahoga Valley is one of the most-visited national parks in the U.S., but three miles north of its busy waterfall and trails through rock ledges sits , a wooded park just outside urban Cleveland that locals revere for its quiet oak-hickory forests and seven gorges of eroded Berea sandstone. Spooky Deer Lick Cave and a new hiking loop around the massive boulders and tranquil waterfall of Chippewa Creek Gorge are the area鈥檚 must-sees, that is, if you鈥檙e not practicing your putt at the Seneca Golf Course.

Oklahoma

Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge

Home to thousands of migrating sandhill cranes, shorebirds, ducks, and even the occasional endangered whooping crane, the has been designated as a Globally Important Bird Area by the American Bird Conservancy. This 32,197-acre land mass contains a multitude of north-central Oklahoma鈥檚 ecosystems, from mixed-grass prairie to forested riparian zones and historically-significant salt flats (the Cherokee Nation used salt from the region in the preservation of meats). Birding and hiking are the major draws here, though many also fish and dig for crystals.

Oregon

Owyhee River Wilderness

Eastern Oregon鈥檚 , or, more specifically, the winding road through Leslie Gulch, will have road trippers feeling like they鈥檙e delivering a ring to Mordor. Towering spires of umber-tinted rhyolite tuff sprout out of the earth like giant fingers, and you will find peaceful solitude in rafting the Owyhee Wild and Scenic River. Camp down a dusty dirt road at Slocum Creek for spectacular sunrise vistas before venturing out on a hike through the bitterroot blooms and honeycombed rocks of Leslie Gulch or Painted Canyon.

Pennsylvania

Caledonia State Park

may be only 70 miles from busy Baltimore, yet it is a gateway to 84,000 acres of protected state forests and miles of day-use and overnight hiking trails鈥搃ncluding a tiny piece of the Appalachian Trail. Named after an iron furnace owned by Thaddeus Stevens in the mid-1800s, the park hosts two developed campgrounds, surrounded by hemlock and white pine, with RV hookups and hot showers, picnic tables along shaded Conococheague Creek, and opportunities to fish for trout (brown, brook, and rainbow). 听

Rhode Island

Lincoln Woods State Park

Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the union, but it is home to excellent outdoor recreation, and , in Blackstone Valley, has a host of activities for even the pickiest nature lover. Sunbathe on the freshwater beach at Olney Pond, ride along equestrian-only trails, cycle around miles of steep, shaded singletrack, or simply kick back with a beer and a good book in one of the shaded picnic shelters.

South Carolina

Ernest F. Hollings ACE Basin National Wildlife Refuge

Situated inside the immense 350,000-acre Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto (ACE) Basin System (one of the largest undeveloped wetlands out east), the is a center for amphibians, fish, and huge numbers of migratory and resident birds. The preserve, which is only 20 miles southwest of Charleston, offers trails with photo blinds for covert wildlife viewing, plus 25 miles of unpaved service roads for year-round hiking, biking, and birding (be on the lookout for colorful painted buntings and threatened wood storks) among the forests, estuaries and fresh and salt-water marshes.

South Dakota

Jewel Cave National Monument

Often overlooked in favor of its same-state national park brethren, Badlands and Wind Cave, is a destination in its own right, especially for avid hikers and cavern enthusiasts. With more than 215 surveyed and mapped passages, many of which are open to the public via ranger-led tours, it鈥檚 the third-longest cave on the planet. An abundance of calcite crystals and gypsum spiders decorate its walls, sparkling like diamonds when a headlamp hits just right. While most visitors focus on the cave and its miles of passages, you can also hike and bike among the wildflowers and pine forests on a variety of surface trails in the area.

Tennessee

Hiwassee/Ocoee Scenic River State Park

If you鈥檙e into river rafting, big vistas of lush hills, and crowd-free trails, has got you covered. Not only does the park boast 23 miles of river, rated from class I to class V (yes, to take you out for the day), it鈥檚 also surrounded by the 655,598-acre Cherokee National Forest and home to a 47-site campground at , which offers primitive sites with picnic tables, fire rings, and grills.

Texas

Big Bend Ranch State Park

In West Texas鈥� arid landscape of ocotillo and prickly pear, most road trippers head straight for Big Bend National Park, but they鈥檙e missing out on some pretty incredible water access, backcountry camping, and Chihuahuan Desert trails just a few miles north. Though less developed than its NPS cousin, stretches along the Rio Grande for 311,000 acres, containing 238 miles of multi-use paths for biking, hiking (Closed Canyon is a classic slot hike), and horseback riding, paddling access to immense river canyons, 70 miles of 4×4 roads, and some of the darkest night skies on earth.

Utah

Kodachrome Basin State Park

A joke on the internet says the entire state of Utah should be declared one giant national park, and honestly, I鈥檓 here for that. , in south-central Utah, sits just off one of the prettiest stretches of road in the country, Scenic Byway 12, and is home to towering chimneys of crimson sandstone, striated mesas of crumbling sedimentary rock, and, when spring hits, some incredibly hearty wildflowers. Reserve a site at one of the park鈥檚 , hit the 1.5-mile Angels Palace Trail, and stay up late for mind-boggling Milky Way views.

Vermont

Smugglers鈥� Notch State Park

OK, so isn鈥檛 exactly a secret, but most visitors to Vermont鈥檚 bucolic Mount Mansfield area head straight for Stowe Mountain Resort, neglecting one of the state鈥檚 premier natural preserves, a stone鈥檚 throw away. Named after a narrow pass in the Green Mountains, Smugglers鈥� Notch provides a gorgeous corridor to waterfall-fed swimming holes; 50+ miles of cycling-ready singletrack; numerous boulder problems (short routes done ropeless), and, in winter, ice climbs; and leg-busting hiking trails (including a steep, 4-mile trek to the summit of Vermont鈥檚 highest peak).

Virginia

Grayson Highlands State Park

You don鈥檛 have to go all the way to Iceland to swoon over wild ponies; Virginia鈥檚 is populated by more than 100 of them. Set near the state鈥檚 southern border with North Carolina, the park is considered an 鈥渁lpine Eden,鈥� with streams full of trout, miles of grassy balds, broad meadows teaming with flowers, and (relatively) pain-free trail access to Mount Rogers, the tallest peak in Old Dominion.

Washington

North Cascades National Park

Even though a highway runs right through North Cascades, this gem consistently ends up among the five least visited national parks. That鈥檚 because the 505,000-acre park is subdivided by Ross Lake National Recreation Area and abutted by Lake Chelan to the south (bring your stand-up paddleboards), meaning that all you adventurous souls will have to hike for it. Thankfully, the park is home to over 400 miles of trails, past cyan-blue glaciers and remote alpine peaks, including an 18-mile dog-friendly stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail. Backpackers rejoice鈥搕here鈥檚 enough scenery here to last a lifetime.

West Virginia

Babcock State Park

The outdoor mecca of West Virginia is one of the country鈥檚 best-kept secrets, and , located 20 miles north of the iconic New River Gorge Bridge (you know, the 3,000-foot steel arch in every Instagram photo), shows it off to full effect. Not only is the park free to visit (as are all of WV鈥檚 state parks), it鈥檚 a forested utopia for anglers, waterfall lovers, cyclists, and hikers of all ages. In addition to a , Babcock rents out adorable 1930s-era , originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Photographers鈥揹on鈥檛 miss the Glade Creek Grist Mill, where you can learn about the process of grinding cornmeal and take calendar-worthy fall-foliage photos.

Wisconsin

Big Bay State Park

You鈥檒l need to hop on a 20-minute ferry ride to surrounded by Lake Superior鈥檚 midnight blue waves, but once you arrive, you鈥檒l be greeted by lush boreal forests, stunning lakeside cliffs, and hiking paths that hug the water鈥檚 edge. Pitch a tent at one of the area鈥檚 (there are hot showers), then take a dip in the park鈥檚 eponymous big bay.

Wyoming

Curt Gowdy State Park

As home to Yellowstone and Grand Teton, Wyoming has stiff competition right at home in outdoor recreation on public lands, but , between Cheyenne and Laramie, gives larger parks a run for their money. The 3,395-acre park, which is a surprisingly short two-hour drive from Denver, has been hailed for possessing an 鈥淓pic鈥� trail system by the International Mountain Biking Association, plus twelve (that鈥檚 not a typo) , a free-to-the-public horse corral, and three reservoirs where visitors can boat and fish for rainbow trout and kokanee salmon. Coniferous forests, sharp granite escarpments, and an abundance of birdwatching as well.

and can be used to download info on many of the campgrounds and hiking and biking trails noted above. (Gaia is owned by 国产吃瓜黑料 Inc., the company that owns 国产吃瓜黑料.)

Emily Pennington is a freelance adventure journalist based in Los Angeles. She has visited all 63 U.S. national parks (62 of them in a year) and many more without the magic “national park” appellation. Her book, Feral: Losing Myself and Finding My Way in America鈥檚 National Parks, about the parks journey, came out in February (Little A/Amazon Publishing). As of press time, she was in the Galapagos.

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With four different federal agencies overseeing 28 designations of protected areas amounting to more than 615 millions acres, it鈥檚 no wonder most Americans stick to marquee destinations, like national parks, and familiar wildernesses close听to home. That leaves so much left to be explored, which听can be daunting if you don鈥檛 know where to start. We鈥檝e got you: just start at the beginning of this decision tree, and click on the hyperlinked indicators by your answer to jump down to the next question鈥攐r go old-school and scroll to the corresponding letter and number combination. We guarantee that the听recommendations you arrive at听will be surprising鈥攁nd tailored to you.

What kind of experience do you want?

Adventurous!听Go to A1.

Chill.听Go to B1.

A1: OK, how hard do you want to go?

Just a gentle sweat, thanks. Go to C1.

Go big or go home! Go to C2.

B1: Cool. Seeing stuff or learning stuff?

Teach me your ways!听Go to D1.

Please, I鈥檓 on vacation.听Go to D2.

C1: How far out are you thinking?

Um, how close is the nearest bar? Go to E1.

Desperately seeking solitude. Go to E2.

C2: By land or by sea?

I was born with gills! Go to G1.

Landlubber here. Go to G2.

D1: All right. History buff or science nerd?

Blow my mind, nature. Go to F1.

The older, the better. Go to F2.

D2: Fine. Plants or animals?

Gimme that sweet, sweet chlorophyll. Go to H1.

I heed the call of the wild! Go to H2.

E1: Um, how close is the nearest bar?

John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, Philadelphia: Right next to the Philly airport is this 1,200-acre fishing and hunting preserve.

Vieques National Wildlife Refuge, Puerto Rico: Paddle through a mangrove forest, snorkel in crystalline waters, or cast a fly into a gemstone bay at , only a short drive from beachfront bars.

E2: Desperately seeking solitude.

Noatak National听Preserve, Alaska: Whether floating the Noatak River or trekking across the Arctic tundra, you鈥檒l have to yourself鈥攎inus some resident caribou, moose, and grizzlies.

Ozark National听Forest, Arkansas: It鈥檚 easy to snag your own swimming hole in this mountainous, , which has dozens of waterfalls.

F1: Blow my mind, nature.

Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida: Pack a telescope and spend at least one night training your lens on some of the

Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Idaho: Keep an eye out for migrating pronghorn while traversing the caves, lava flows, and cinder cones dotting .

F2: The older, the better.

Chaco Culture 颅National Historical Park, New Mexico: Join a guided tour of the Ancestral Puebloan ruins at this , then bed down in the shadow of ancient cliff dwellings.

Grand Staircase鈥撀璄scalante National Monument, Utah: Gawk at fossil-stuffed, multihued rock layers stacked like prehistoric pancakes that trace 275 million years of human and geologic history.

G1: I was born with gills!

Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia: Consult a tide table, then kayak across Cumberland Sound to pitch your tent at one of five campgrounds scattered around .

Gauley River National Recreation Area, West Virginia: Though beautiful in any season, roars to life each fall when a series of dam releases whip up a heart-pounding brew of world-class whitewater.

G2: Landlubber here.

City of Rocks National Reserve, Idaho:听Calling all climbers: rack up for more than 600 routes that roughly 28 million years in the making, located south of Pocatello, near the Utah border.

McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, Colorado and Utah: Set out from the northern 颅terminus of the 142-mile Kokopelli Trail, that runs from Fruita, Colorado, to Moab, Utah.

H1: Gimme that sweet, sweet chlorophyll.

Big Thicket National 颅Preserve, Texas: Feel like you鈥檙e packing multiple trips into one at , which features nine distinct ecosystems, including lush cypress swamps.

Carrizo Plain National Monument, California: Wet winters create psychedelic spring wildflower displays across the rolling meadows of in California鈥檚 Central Valley.

H2: I heed the call of the wild!

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, New York: Forget people-watching in NYC鈥攂ird nerds should grab their binocs and scan for the hundreds of species that flock to .

National Bison Range, Montana: Pack a camera when visiting , which helped rescue its famous namesake鈥攐ur national mammal鈥攆rom the brink of extinction.

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On Wednesday, while a mob of domestic terrorists stormed the U.S.听Capitol, something else undemocratic was going on: the Trump administration was holding the first-ever sale for oil leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). And, like the attempted coup, it was a complete failure鈥攐ne听that鈥檚 likely to lead to permanent protections for the country鈥檚 last unspoiled wilderness.听

鈥淭oday鈥檚 sale reflects the brutal economic realities the oil and gas industry continues to face after the unprecedented events of 2020, coupled with ongoing regulatory uncertainty,鈥� said Kara Moriarty, president and CEO of the Alaska Oil and Gas Association, an industry advocacy group, in an emailed statement.听

The auction raised just , falling听well听short of the the Department of the Interior forecast last January. Only 11 of the 22 tracts offered sold, approximately听550,000 of the one million acres put up for sale. Proceeds will be split between the federal government听and the state of Alaska.听

Drilling in ANWR was authorized by Congress in 2017听as part of the Trump administration鈥檚 tax cuts. Proceeds of the lease sale were lost to those cuts. That has obviously failed to happen.听

The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA)鈥攁n entity of the state government鈥攑urchased nine tracts. Mark Graber, a real estate investor, purchased one. And听Regenerate Alaska, a subsidiary of an Australian energy听company, also purchased a single 23,000-acre tract. No major oil company participated.听

The sale鈥檚 poor performance was widely predicted. Following pressure from the public, and given both the extreme expense of developing extraction operations in the remote area听and the environmental impacts of doing so, announced they would not offer any funding for drilling in ANWR.听

The AIDEA plans to sit on its leases, with the goal of making them available to oil companies, should any of them express an interest. 鈥淏y acquiring these tracts, Alaska preserves the right to responsibly develop its natural resources,鈥� said Alan Weitzner, the organization鈥檚 executive director, in an announcement accompanying the sale. It鈥檚 unclear if Graber (the real estate investor) or听Regenerate Alaska have the funds to develop the tracts they purchased听on their own, or if they, too, are hoping to attract outside investments or simply resell them.听

Those leases could prove to be very temporary. With Democrats taking control of both houses of Congress, the Biden administration will be able to stall development听or even buy the leases back. Representative Jared Huffman, a Democrat from California, has already announced that he plans to push for , and both President-elect Biden and his nominee for secretary of the interior, Deb Haaland, are on record as .听

The timing of the failed lease sale, rushed through by the DOI at the eleventh听hour, along with the incoming administration鈥檚 stated desire to protect ANWR, could represent the end of the 40-year long fight over drilling in the 19.6-million-acre听refuge. Drilling proponents had hoped ANWR might contain billions of barrels of oil. Opponents argued that the environmental costs of drilling there were simply too high. ANWR鈥檚 coastal plain, where these leases are located, is home to the most imperiled polar bear population in the Arctic听and is a crucial habitat for other animals like caribou and migratory birds. Climate change听caused by fossil-fuel emissions already threatens the area,听something that could worsen by burning any听oil present beneath the surface.

In a statement, Adam Kolton, executive director of the Alaska Wilderness League, said, 鈥淲e have long known that the American people don鈥檛 want drilling in the Arctic refuge, the Gwich鈥檌n people don鈥檛 want it, and now we know the oil industry doesn鈥檛 want it either.鈥�

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While most beaches don鈥檛 allow camping, if you know where to look, you鈥檒l听find quiet places to pitch a tent right on the sand.听The best parts听of听beach camping听are听the sounds of crashing waves lulling you to sleep and morning strolls along the shoreline听at low tide. As state and national park campgrounds start to reopen, here鈥檚 where to go to find empty campsites with ocean views.

听

Best for Camper Vans

East Beach, Rhode Island

Three miles of pristine coastline make up , a barrier beach with tidal sand flats located outside the town of Charlestown, Rhode Island. The 20 rustic campsites ($28;听)听are designated for RVs, campers, and vans only鈥攖here鈥檚听no tent camping here鈥攁nd offer听access to听Ninigret Pond, which has excellent fishing听on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. There鈥檚听limited parking for day visitors, so East Beach听sees fewer crowds than other spots听in the area. Before you go,听.听

Best for Paddlers

Hammocks Beach State Park, North Carolina

The highlight of is Bear Island, a four-mile-long undeveloped barrier island that you can only reach via ferry from the central North Carolina town of Swansboro or by paddling a canoe or kayak about听2.5 miles through the marsh along one of听a few designated canoe trails. The island comes with 14 oceanfront campsites ($35;听) scattered between the dunes. rents kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards and leads guided tours of the area鈥檚 loggerhead turtle nesting grounds. Before you go,听.听

Best for Backpackers

False Cape State Park, Virginia

The reason听, south of听Virginia Beach, doesn鈥檛 see a ton of traffic is because it鈥檚 not exactly easy to get there. Located smack between the Atlantic and , reaching this park requires hiking or biking a few miles, boating,听or riding a beach transporter called the . Once you get there, you鈥檒l find 12 primitive tent-camping sites ($20;听call 800-933-7275听to reserve), six听miles of undeveloped coastline, and hiking and biking trails. Before you go,听.

Best for Bikepackers

Coast Campground, California

Newbie bikepackers will appreciate the ease of pedaling to the , located within Point Reyes National Seashore in Marin County, an hour north of San Francisco. Ride a paved road out to the , then it鈥檚 three听miles of dirt on the bike-friendly Coast Trail to reach camp. (Hikers can come in from the hostel via a 1.8-mile trail or a longer 5.5-mile route.) There鈥檚 no driving to camp,听which keeps the masses听away. The听14 sites ($20;听) are nestled in a grassy meadow, mostly protected from the ocean breezes, and spaced far enough apart to give you a sense of seclusion. The beach and tide pools are about 200 yards away. In a normal summer, these sites fill up all season long. Before you go,听.

Best for Families

Cobscook Bay State Park, Maine

Many of the 106 campsites ($30;听) at听, a few miles south of the town of Dennysville, Maine,听line听the water in the calm inlet of Whiting Bay. It鈥檚 a perfect, mellow beach for families. Plus, your kids will love digging for soft-shell clams at low tide and hiking the roughly two听miles of trails in the 888-acre state park. Part of the protected , this area is home to many animal species, including bald eagles, bears, and Atlantic salmon. Camping听is open to residents of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire, as well as those who have abided by a 14-day quarantine or recently tested negative for the coronavirus; .

Best for Glampers

Sunset Bay State Park, Oregon

This destination听is well named: the sunsets from , just south of Coos Bay and the small town of Charleston, Oregon,听are well worth the trip out. Also spectacular: the听surrounding听sandstone sea cliffs, which provide听protection听from the wind and a quiet vibe. Trails connect to neighboring , and tide pools dot the small bay. The park鈥檚 campground鈥攋ust a short walk from the beach鈥攈as RV sites, tent sites, and eight well-stocked yurts (tents from $19 a night,听yurts from $43; ), as well as kayaks and paddleboards for rent. Before you go,听.

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The newest miniseries from the environmental podcast听, which launched on November 5, opens with shouting. A man chants, 鈥淒rill, baby, drill,鈥� as a crowd roars. Then听a woman leads a call-and-response: 鈥淲hose lives? Our lives! Whose planet? Our planet!鈥� In the middle of the brawl? The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a South Carolina鈥搒ize听chunk of northeast Alaska that was opened to drilling by the November 2017 tax bill. The legislation, along with cutting the taxes of听corporations and some individuals, included a number of such deal sweeteners for skeptical lawmakers.

As , Threshold鈥檚 host, says early on in the series, the refuge is public land, and so the decision to drill there听belongs to all of us.听(No extraction has actually taken place yet, and听the Trump administration recently听听that will delay any drilling there听by at least another year.)听鈥淭here is something about a place that you haven鈥檛 been to, and that you may never go to, that opens itself for imaginary power,鈥� Martin says. As a symbol, whether for American energy independence or unspoiled wilderness, ANWR听has been at the center of national political debate for decades.听Martin and her team set out to 鈥渋nject some light into that heat,鈥� as she says in the first episode.

Threshold, which is produced independently out of Montana听and听funded by the and , has spent the last two and a half years unraveling contentious environmental questions through on-the-ground reporting and interviews with stakeholders whose voices don鈥檛 often make it into the national media. Its , released in 2017, looked at the politics of bison restoration in the American West, talking to skeptical ranchers, indigenous hunters, and federal conservation biologists. In , Martin and producer visited every country听in the Arctic to understand how climate change touches lives across the region.

In the course of that reporting, Martin told me, she struggled to fold ANWR into the larger story of the Arctic. While the issues鈥攓uestions of cultural preservation and who benefits from resource extraction鈥攁re largely the same as those across the Arctic, ANWR has taken on such an outsize role in current political debates that she felt it deserved its own place under the microscope.

Hence the new miniseries, whose听reporting听circles around the refuge, from the听anti-drilling interior town of Arctic Village to the more drilling-friendly听city of听Kaktovik on the North Slope. Rather than pursue one unifying story, the podcast digs into a string of personal, intersecting ones that span a range of attitudes toward听ANWR. First听the producers take a trip led by Kaktovik-born polar bear guide Vebjorn Reitan. Reitan opposes drilling in the refuge, but his opinion is tempered by the recognition that his Norwegian citizenship and overseas education give him unusual job opportunities. For him, the oil industry isn鈥檛 an economic lifeline like it is for many of his neighbors, who we meet in following episodes.听His story leads into the history of the refuge听and that of the conservationists who have fought to protect it, with pit stops in oil towns along the way. In later episodes, Martin says, Threshold will听explore Alaska senator Lisa Murkowski鈥檚 complicated role as a pro-drilling, climate-change-affirming Republican.

Martin says that pushing back against the romanticized听Arctic听and diving into its intricacies doesn鈥檛 mean taking its beauty and symbolism for granted.听鈥淚鈥檓 not trying to take away the power of the place or say that we shouldn鈥檛 find it magical and wonderful,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think being there has made it one bit less fascinating to me.鈥� Indeed, when she and Mott first arrive at the shoreline of ANWR鈥檚听coastal plain, where drilling would occur,听after听a long boat ride from Kaktovik, Martin compares the scene to a Rothko:听huge, gray expanses of sky and water听separated by a line of green that happens to be the center of this controversy.

However, she does think that getting beyond the听headlines about the area is important.听Newcomers arrive at听the refuge feeling听as though they already听understand the place, she says, because 鈥渢he Arctic in general has often served as this giant projection screen.鈥澨鼴ut that鈥檚 what鈥檚 so easily lost when we imagine a place like Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, or even Bears Ears in Utah: the places we鈥檙e fighting over at a distance are also homes, full of people working to shape their own futures. Plenty of people听in Kaktovik and Arctic Village are familiar with national reporters; some have even chatted with President Obama or testified before Congress. 鈥淭hat flipping of the script is a way to bring some humility to the conversation,鈥� Martin says, 鈥渨hether you鈥檙e passionately pro oil or passionately anti oil, to understand that the people who live closest to it have something to teach, just in the fact that they know more about the rest of the world than we know about them.鈥�

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Living in a big city doesn鈥檛听mean you don鈥檛 have听access to the wild outdoors. The , an initiative within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, manages 567 national wildlife refuges, including听101 听located within 25 miles of cities housing populations over 250,000鈥攕erving the 80 percent of Americans who live in and around metro areas.听We鈥檙e talking about massive plots of lands, immense networks of trails, and thriving biospheres听of animals and plants in 36 states, all within an hour of places听like Detroit or Birmingham, Alabama.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

John Heinz

11 miles from the Liberty Bell

,听located within Philadelphia鈥檚 city limits, was our country鈥檚 first urban refuge, established in 1972. Known for听its focus on education, it enlists community members to听convert unused lots into urban-pollinator gardens and hosts听local听students听for in-the-field environmental courses and summer internships. There鈥檚 incredible wildlife spotting along the 285-acre freshwater tidal marsh,听including bald eagles, beavers, and deer. (You can borrow binoculars from the visitor听center for free.)听Or opt to听paddle a canoe down the 4.5-mile tidal segment of Darby Creek听or hike 10 miles of trails that traverse the site.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Valle de Oro听

7 miles from the Albuquerque airport

Wildlife and habitat restoration are听priorities at听, set along the eastern banks of the Rio Grande just a few miles from downtown Albuquerque. Park staff are听currently teaching听the听ABQ Backyard Refuge Program, where people听learn how to rebuild habitats and garden to reintroduce听wildlife in their own backyards. The 570-acre swath听was created in 2012 on a former dairy farm, making it one of the country鈥檚 newest听urban wildlife sanctuaries and the first in the Southwest. Come for a visit and you鈥檒l score views of migratory birds, like snow geese and sandhill cranes, with听the Sandia Mountains听as a backdrop. There are also听guided walking tours on newly built trails听and stargazing sessions.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Bayou Sauvage听

46 miles from the French Quarter

If you want to spot American alligators close to New Orleans, head to the marshes of听鈥擩oe Madere Marsh is one of the best places for viewing this endemic species. You can learn about the importance of marshes and wetlands in protecting New Orleans from storm surges, fish for largemouth bass or catfish in its听freshwater lagoons and bayous,听or launch a canoe and听paddle the canals and small lakes that dot the property. Short boardwalk trails are also popular with hikers听and nature photographers. More recently, students from the University of New Orleans have been learning to plant trees and marsh grasses to help rebuild wetlands here.

San Diego, California

San Diego Bay听

13 miles from the San Diego Zoo

stretches over 12,300 acres, offering easy access to wilderness for the millions of residents in this听metropolitan area. The park has听trails for hiking and mountain biking, restored grasslands and oak woodlands that were once damaged by wildfire, and endangered butterflies and waterfowl that stop听over during their winter migrations. The 听facilitates听educational programs here, and the听San Diego听nonprofit organization , which connects local kids to outdoor activities, leads excursions听at the refuge like fishing, biking, and kayaking.

Portland, Oregon听

Tualatin River

15 miles from Powell鈥檚 City of Books

Just outside Portland, within the floodplain of the Tualatin River, you鈥檒l find a peaceful sanctuary in an otherwise busy urban area. The , southwest of听downtown, is a stopover for migrating waterfowl and songbirds on the Pacific Flyway and home to a number of mammals, including coyote, deer, and bobcat. Several miles of trails are open to hikers. In the fall,听admire the听changing foliage and migrating geese and swans. The park hosts well-loved events, like the annual Tualatin Bird Festival in the spring or youth-oriented programs听through , an organization that encourages wilderness education and community involvement for local schoolchildren.

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minnesota Valley听

Less than 2 miles from the Mall of America

Smack in the middle of the Twin Cities, covers 14,000 lofty acres and 70 miles along the Minnesota River.听Paddle the waterway听in a canoe, or hike or run听46 miles of winding trails. The refuge hands out free loaner binoculars, fishing gear, and snowshoes at its听visitor听center,听and local kids can听borrow snow clothes and boots when they show up midwinter.听An on-site art gallery showcases nature-inspired work from hometown听and rotating artists.

Denver, Colorado

Rocky Mountain Arsenal听

14 miles from Mile High Stadium

Spot bison, deer, bald eagles, prairie dogs, songbirds, and endangered black-footed ferrets at the 15,000-acre, located between Denver International Airport and听downtown鈥檚听skyscrapers, with views of the Rocky Mountains. Hike the ten听miles of trails or motor along Wildlife Drive, an 11-mile loop where you can see bison and deer. Fishing is big here: there鈥檚 bass in听Lake Mary or Lake Ladora, as well as and an for those with disabilities.

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Last week听the Department of the Interior issued . It鈥檚 an unexpected increase in access to public lands, as it comes from the听administration that has presided over . But听is this new proposal everything that interior secretary David Bernhardt claims听it is?听

Let鈥檚 look at his statements听and see how they compare with听reality.听

The Numbers Don鈥檛 Add Up

The Claim: 鈥� at 74 National Wildlife Refuges and 15 National Fish Hatcheries … across more than 1.4 million acres.鈥�

The Reality: According to the proposal鈥檚 text, the听rule would only open up seven wildlife refuges and 15 fish hatcheries to new hunting and fishing opportunities, while amending rules on 67 additional wildlife refuges. So while rules are changing across the mentioned 1.4 million acres, they do not add up to anything close to 1.4 million acres of new places to hunt and fish.

In fact, you鈥檒l find only听听under this proposal: the Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Refuge, which spans 36,000 acres in Massachusetts and Connecticut, and the 330-acre Green Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin. Not only are 36,330 acres a whole lot less than 1.4 million, but even on those acres听only certain types of hunting are becoming available in select areas. Green Bay, for instance, is only opening up to sport fishing and whitetail-deer hunting, with the latter allowed in designated areas only. There are no details on how many designated听acres there will be within that refuge.听

…Nor Do the Impacts

The Claim: , Bernhardt claimed that the proposed regulations are 鈥渁bsolutely major鈥� when it comes to recruiting听new hunters.听

The Reality: addresses the matter succinctly: 鈥淏ecause the participation trend is flat in these activities since 1991, this increase in supply will most likely be offset by other sites losing participants. Therefore, this is likely to be a substitute site for the activity and not necessarily an increase in participation rates for the activity.鈥� The听Department of the Interior itself does not anticipate that the proposed rule will create any new hunters.听

$0.003

The Claim: Speaking to Edwards, Bernhardt applauds the economic contribution hunters and anglers make to conservation efforts through taxes on equipment purchases and license sales. He suggests that the proposed rule could substantially increase that contribution. The text of the rule suggests an estimate of $763,500 in increased recreation-related spending in local economies surrounding the wildlife refuges in question, and a total economic impact of $1.8 million for communities adjacent to them.听

The Reality: According to , the majority of听fishing and hunting happens within 100 miles of a participant鈥檚 home. The prediction? 鈥淚t is unlikely that most of this spending would be 鈥榥ew鈥� money coming into a local economy; therefore, this spending would be offset with a decrease in some other sector of the local economy.鈥� So听read past the initial $1.8 million claim,听and the proposed rule itself actually听concludes that the real-world economic impact听would be only $351,000 nationally. The proposed rule acknowledges how minuscule that number is.听鈥淭he maximum increase would be less than three-tenths of 1 percent for local retail trade spending.鈥� Assuming that only a portion of that total is spent on items taxed by or , and on licenses, tags, and duck stamps, the total additional benefit to conservation achieved by these new rules is effectively nothing.听

There鈥檚 Still Red Tape

The Claim: Speaking on NRA TV, Bernhardt says听that he鈥檚 鈥済etting rid of a ton of complexity between what state laws said and our laws said, all of which will make it much easier for hunting and fishing.鈥�

The Reality: Hunting and fishing on wildlife refuges is governed by both state and federal laws, and while this new rule does attempt to streamline some language in specific regulations on specific wildlife refuges, it does not alter that arrangement or substantially change any regulations.听

The text of the proposed rule highlights, as , the removal of same-day airborne hunting prohibitions on wildlife refuges in Alaska. The reason for that change? It duplicates Alaska state law and is therefore superfluous. You still can鈥檛 scout animals by airplane within 24 hours of hunting them, and now there鈥檚 just one regulation telling you that rather than two.听

Expanding public access to public lands and increasing participation in hunting and fishing are both worthy goals, even if they鈥檙e achieved incrementally. While these new regulations may not have a substantial impact when viewed nationally, they could make all the difference when it comes to giving a single person a better hunting season or a more enjoyable day fishing.

What concerns me here is the big picture. Bernhardt is disproportionally championing what鈥檚 ultimately an extremely small achievement,听while continuing to put most of his department鈥檚 efforts behind programs that actually threaten wildlife populations听and supporting Trump administration policies that are destroying both public access and the habitats听wildlife depends on. And that鈥檚 part of a larger pattern of suppressing science, prioritizing extraction, and alleged corruption. Viewed like that, this proposal is nothing but a smoke screen.听

Oh, and the fact that NRA TV was a willing platform for Bernhardt to champion that smoke screen听and was cheerleading听his lies? That鈥檚 just one more reason why hunters should leave the NRA.听

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If the to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling succeeds, then no protected lands in America are safe.

That鈥檚 not hyperbole. For almost 40 years, the fight over drilling听on ANWR鈥檚 1.6-million-acre coastal plain has been at the epicenter of our nation鈥檚 conservation debate. High-profile drilling bills were thwarted in the eleventh hour in 1989 (thanks to the Exxon Valdez disaster), 1995 (a Bill Clinton veto), and 2005 (a filibuster by Senate Democrats). This time the stakes are even higher. Instead of trying to win public support, pro-drilling forces are opting to bypass our democracy. Their tactics undercut existing laws, ignore legitimate science, and greatly diminish the role of the American people in the decision-making process. The short game is drilling for oil in the crown jewel of our refuge system. The long game is dismantling baseline environmental protections that have helped prevent exploitation of our public lands since Richard Nixon was president.

Benito Mussolini had a saying for this style of power grab: If you try to pluck a live chicken all at once, it makes a terrible racket. Pluck that chicken slowly, feather by feather, and nobody notices.

The slow pluck began in fall 2017, when Alaska senator Lisa Murkowski tacked a rider onto the Republican tax-overhaul bill mandating that the federal government issue at least two leases for drilling in the coastal plain. This was a carefully planned tactic, since the tax bill couldn鈥檛 be filibustered. It gave a minority of drilling proponents their only chance at success against majority opposition. Even members of the GOP took issue with the move. In late November, a dozen House Republicans signed a letter objecting to the rider, citing the country鈥檚 overwhelming opposition to drilling in ANWR. (According to a 2017 Yale University poll, just 29 percent of registered voters supported oil exploration in the refuge.) Still, after an ebullient President Trump signed the tax bill, he bragged about it in a speech: 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think it was a big deal until one day a friend of mine who was in the oil business called. 鈥業s it true that you have ANWR in the bill?鈥� I said, 鈥業 don鈥檛 know. Who cares? What is that?鈥� … 鈥楻eagan tried, every single president tried … the Bushes, everybody.鈥� I said, you got to be kidding, I love it now.鈥�

Reporters at the time were quick to point out that there were still many protective regulations to clear before anyone could stick a drill in the tundra. That analysis was based on long-standing protections baked into the . In a nutshell, NEPA stipulates that while commerce is important, you can鈥檛 destroy federal lands in pursuit of industrial production without first completing exhaustive scientific analysis rich with public feedback. The act has been called the Magna Carta of the environmental movement.

Feather by feather, though, the Trump administration is plucking away at NEPA in order to push a wider pro-drilling agenda. In the summer of 2017, the Trump administration began 鈥渟treamlining鈥� the review process. Really this was cover for wholesale cuts to the length, depth, and intellectual honesty of the Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) that give NEPA its teeth.

With most Interior projects, the administration is requiring that the entire process be wrapped up in a calendar year and that the EIS should run only 150 pages. ANWR might be granted an exemption鈥攏obody knows at this point鈥攖hat allows for 300 pages, but even that鈥檚 paltry. In comparison, if a ski area wanted to expand into new terrain on its existing Forest Service lease, it could expect a two-to-seven-year process and a 500-to-600-page EIS. That may sound cumbersome, but as America has learned, industry ravages the landscape when left unchecked鈥攔ecall the private companies that spilled so much oil into Ohio鈥檚 Cuyahoga River that it routinely burst into flame, the developers who denuded Florida coastlines of mangroves, and nearly every EPA Superfund cleanup site you鈥檝e ever heard of. It鈥檚 simply better to go slow and get it right.

Dan Ritzman, director of the Sierra Club鈥檚 and a veteran of EIS battles, predicts that the ANWR report will contain inadequate analysis about the impacts of drilling. He has good reason to be pessimistic given the rushed timeline and drilling proponents鈥� recent claims that exploration won鈥檛 harm wildlife or the landscape. This winter, oil-company prospectors hope to conduct seismic testing on the coastal plain, which involves driving over the tundra in 90,000-pound thumper trucks and sending up to 62,000 pounds of peak force into the ground in hopes of finding an oil deposit. This is a problem for the threatened polar bears that make their dens in the snow. Researchers from Polar Bears International put the odds of the trucks crushing dens鈥攁nd the bears inside鈥攁t 23 percent. Nobody is sure what a seismic blast could do to the bears (who would test such a thing?), but it would likely drive some of them from their dens at least temporarily, possibly with fatal results for cubs.

SAExploration, the seismic company leading the search, claims it can mitigate damage by employing advanced forward-looking infrared imagery to locate dens before the big trucks roll. Unfortunately, according to Steven C. Amstrup, a former U.S. Geological Survey scientist who helped develop the technique, in practice it only works half the time.

As for the 200,000-strong porcupine caribou herd that鈥檚 often at the forefront of the ANWR debate鈥攊n part because of its importance to the native Gwich鈥檌n people鈥攑ro-drilling forces tout science suggesting that the animals tend to stay clear of oil rigs and roads. That sounds like a good thing until you dig a little deeper. The caribou鈥檚 calving grounds within the proposed drilling area are sometimes just eight miles wide. Build infrastructure there, and the herd could be forced out, causing a drastic decline in calf survival rates. This at a time when climate change, oil exploration, and other factors have caribou populations elsewhere in the Arctic on the precipice of steep declines.

The Trump administration has done its best to stanch public outcry about any of this. When the scope of the EIS was being hashed out last year, six of the seven public hearings took place in Alaska, giving drilling advocates a home-field advantage since every state resident receives checks from earnings on the state鈥檚 oil and gas royalties. (Polls have shown that Alaskans are overwhelmingly in favor of drilling in ANWR.) The seventh hearing was held in Washington, D.C., at 4:30 P.M. on a summer Friday. A Gwich鈥檌n representative says one meeting with their tribal government was scheduled with only a week鈥檚 notice, and the timing conflicted with a ceremony honoring a traditional chief. The administrators denied requests to reschedule. The scoping report also proposed a 45-day public comment period, shorter than the usual 60 to 90 days, let alone the extended 120 days you might expect for a controversial proposal to drill inside a wildlife refuge.

The reward for all the antidemocratic wrangling? According to from much questioned seismic testing in the 1980s, there鈥檚 between 4.3 and 11.8 billion barrels of recoverable oil under the federal portion of the coastal plain. That higher number is big for a U.S. oil field, but the USGS only gives it a 5 percent probability. Those odds reveal that the industry has little idea how much oil is really there, which is why it鈥檚 sending the thumper trucks. According to by the liberal Center for American Progress, drilling leases in ANWR will yield no more than $37.5 million for the U.S. Treasury over ten years. Which makes it all the more obvious that this fight isn鈥檛 just about ANWR. 鈥淭he coastal plain is a touchstone for conservation everywhere,鈥� says the Sierra Club鈥檚 Ritzman. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e using these same strategies to roll out this energy dominance across the landscape. If we鈥檙e not successful keeping them out of ANWR, we will see them moving into our backyards.鈥�

So what to do? For starters, when that curtailed public comment period on the EIS opens up鈥攊t鈥檚 expected to in late 2018鈥攚e need to flood the government with comments as well as hound our congressional representatives to open investigations into the gutting of NEPA regulations. This strategy actually works. It鈥檚 believed that the wave of outrage over interior secretary Ryan Zinke鈥檚 review of 27 national monuments helped limit the damage to just two. When a power-grabbing minority is plucking you over, it鈥檚 time to screech.

If that fails, you can expect conservation groups to take the administration to court. 鈥淚f they don鈥檛 follow the rules, rush the process, and make mistakes, we鈥檒l hold them accountable,鈥� says Lydia Weiss, government relations director for the Wilderness Society.听

Finally, says Lena Moffitt, senior director of the Sierra Club鈥檚 Our Wild America program,听there鈥檚 the tactic of publicly shaming private-sector players. Any businesses supporting ANWR drilling can expect a deluge of e-mail and social-media tags letting the world know what they鈥檙e up to. Such direct pressure on Shell Oil in 2015 is widely believed to have helped sway CEO Ben van Beurden鈥檚 decision to back down from offshore drilling in the Arctic.

In the near term, the Trump administration will likely succeed in defanging NEPA. Don鈥檛 let that discourage you to the point of despair. We the people can still save the coastal plain. We must. The ANWR debate is not just about oil. It never has been. The polar bears and the Gwich鈥檌n and your favorite wild places need us to fight for them now. So does our democracy.听

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