While national parks get most of the attention, state parks that are less well-known (and hence less visited) include some of the nation’s most picturesque vistas. There are many locations around the United States just waiting to be discovered, from the caverns of Ohio’s Hocking Hills State Park to the hoodoos in Utah’s Mars-like Goblin Valley State Park.
So strap up (literally) and get ready to see some of the most stunning and distinctive landscapes in the nation, whether you’re wanting to explore your own state or planning an phrazle epic road trip to the nation’s top state parks.
Gulf State Park’s Pier
If you think of Alabama, you may not immediately picture white-sand beaches, but a trip to Gulf State Park will make you reconsider. From the sugar-sand beaches of the Gulf Coast, you may kayak, ride, or do nothing at all. Additionally, the park offers chances for hiking, camping, and having fun in Lake Shelby’s freshwater.
Alaska’s Chugach State Park
Chugach State Park attracts nature enthusiasts with its over 500,000 acres of forests, mountains, and shoreline interspersed with glaciers and lakes. This large green area is one of Alaska’s most accessible and is just 20 minutes by car from Anchorage. Additionally, it’s one of the biggest state parks in the nation. Visit old ice fields, go hiking, cycle on gravel roads, and observe grizzlies fishing for their supper from a distance.
Arizona’s Lost Dutchman State Park
View the Superstition Mountains of Arizona from Lost Dutchman State Park, which is located at their foot. This park, which is located approximately 40 miles east of Phoenix, offers hikes through cactus farms and the chance to take in the magnificent red rock formations. If you’re fortunate, you could even see one of the Southwest’s wild pig-like animals known as peccaries.
Arkansas’s Devil’s Den State Park
The arid terrain of Devil’s Den State Park is peppered with wood and stone constructions built by the Civilian Conservation Corps roughly a century ago. You may go horseback riding, mountain biking through the forest, renting a boat to fish Lake Devil, camping, or renting a cottage in the park. Even a seasonal café is available for you to use while taking a break from your activities.
California’s Redwood National and State Parks
Federal and state agencies have partnered to create the vast Redwoods National and State Parks system in California. It consists of one national park with the same name and three state parks: Del Norte Coast, Jedediah Smith, and Prairie Creek. You’re sure to witness some of the tallest trees in the world no matter which park you decide to visit. Along the coastline of California, where the parks are located, you may be able to see whales and harbor porpoises.
Colorado’s Eldorado Canyon State Park
One of Colorado’s most beautiful canyons is found at Eldorado Canyon State Park. You may fly-fish for rainbow trout, trek under imposing sandstone cliffs, or tackle one of the park’s famous climbing routes. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, there is even a free shuttle that runs to the park, which is just a short drive from Boulder.
Connecticut’s Silver Sands State Park.
There are countless acres of dunes, coastline, and forests in this state park. A relaxing approach to explore the wetlands and seashore is to stroll along the boardwalk. And you can traverse a sandbar to go to Charles Island, which is home to an outstanding bird rookery, when it isn’t blocked off to protect breeding birds (May to November).
Delaware’s Cape Henlopen State Park
At Cape Henlopen State Park, where people go to swim, boat, fish, kayak, paddleboard, and surf, the water is everything. To observe where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, go to the Point Overlook. Visit the Seaside Nature Center to learn more about the local flora and wildlife. Alternately, you may ride a free bike on the Loop route that around the park.
Florida’s Ichetucknee Springs State Park
When you explore the inner marshes and springs of Florida, you’ll get to experience a side of the state that isn’t only beaches. You may go tubing down the six-mile Ichetucknee River or kayak among lush, green trees at Ichetucknee Springs State Park. Birdwatching, hiking, picnicking, swimming, and scuba diving at Blue Hole Spring are additional activities.
Georgia’s Tallulah Gorge State Park
The two-mile-long and almost 1,000-foot-deep valley serves as the park’s focal point. You may see within the formation, which was created by the Tallulah River, from the hikeable rim. Even the famous drop to the gorge bottom is possible with a permit. In any case, be sure to see the park’s famous suspension bridge.
Hawaii’s Wainapanapa State Park
The well-known Pailoa Beach, coastal hiking routes, and a traditional temple are all part of this Maui park. Freshwater caverns, lava tunnels, sea arches, a blowhole, and tropical forest are just a few of nature’s breathtaking creations.
Idaho’s Farragut State Park
The 4,000-acre Farragut State Park is located in northern Idaho’s Coeur d’Alene Mountains. You may pitch up tent close to Lake Pend Oreille before exploring more of the park’s hiking, bicycling, and fishing trails. Disc golf is one of the park’s more unique amenities. Visit the Farragut gift shop to get your gaming supplies before taking on one of the five 18-hole courses.
Illinois’s Starved Rock State Park
You’ll feel as if you’re in a another country when you visit Starved Rock State Park’s sandstone canyons, waterfalls, and woodland paths. Additionally, the impact is increased if you see a bald eagle or a white-tailed deer by chance. Rent a kayak at the campsite in the summer to see the park from the Illinois River.
Indiana’s Brown County State Park
If you like biking, visit Brown County State Park in Indiana for miles of singletrack that wind through rocky hills, ridges, and forests. A fantastic time to drive the park’s 20 miles of tree-lined roads and stop at all the picturesque overlooks is in the fall, when Indiana’s biggest state park is ablaze with color.
Iowa’s Backbone State Park
Spend your day at Backbone State Park kayaking, fishing for trout, rock climbing, or strolling or biking the 21-mile trail network. The Devil’s Backbone, which earned the park its name, is reached after a 0.8-mile circle that takes you to the park’s highest point. When you need a break, relax in Backbone Cave’s shade.
Kansas’ Wilson State Park
Wilson State Park boasts stunning sandstone cliffs and a reservoir with great bass and walleye fishing as well as kayaking, swimming, and paddleboarding opportunities. Despite having just three paths, the park offers plenty to suit every level of fitness and energy. Select between a 1-mile accessible loop, a 2-mile section of the Dakota Trail, or a 24.5-mile section of the Switchgrass hiking and bicycling trail.
Kentucky’s Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
The most famous feature of this park is Cumberland Falls, which is one of the few locations in the world where moonbows, also known as white rainbows or lunar rainbows, are often seen in the mists emanating from the falls. Take a trek through the forest or reserve a rafting adventure down the Cumberland River before you settle down to enjoy this spectacle.
Louisiana’s Chicot State Park
When you visit Chicot State Park, you’ll be right in the middle of Chicot Lake’s bayou environs, where bass, crappie, red-ear sunfish, and bluegill are stocked. Take on the 20-mile trek around the park’s perimeter if you feel up to it.