Saguaro National Park is a remarkable desert landscape surrounding Tucson, Arizona, where enormous saguaro cacti rise above the Sonoran Desert. The park is divided into two districts: the Rincon Mountain District east of Tucson and the Tucson Mountain District west of the city. The two sides offer different experiences. The West District is especially appealing…
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is one of Michigan’s most memorable Lake Superior destinations, combining colorful sandstone cliffs, waterfalls, beaches, forests, dunes, inland lakes, and scenic trails in one long shoreline landscape. The lakeshore stretches about 42 miles along Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It was established in 1966 as America’s first national lakeshore, making…
Petrified Forest National Park is one of Arizona’s most unusual landscapes, combining colorful desert scenery, ancient petrified wood, archaeological sites, petroglyphs, and a historic stretch of Route 66. The park is especially rewarding because you can experience several major sights without committing to long hikes. The park covers roughly 222,000 acres, while its main paved…
Joshua Tree National Park is a desert destination where the Mojave Desert and Colorado Desert meet. Its combination of twisted Joshua trees, enormous granite formations, cactus gardens, open desert, historic mining sites, and exceptionally dark skies gives the park a character that is very different from California’s other major outdoor destinations. The park covers approximately…
The General Sherman Tree is one of the most remarkable attractions in Sequoia National Park. Located in the Giant Forest, this enormous giant sequoia is best known for its extraordinary size and its place among the world’s largest trees by volume. Planning a visit does not require a difficult expedition. The main trail is relatively…
Ozark National Scenic Riverways is a large protected river landscape in Missouri centered around the Current River and Jacks Fork River. It combines spring-fed waterways, caves, bluffs, forests, historic sites, trails, and outdoor recreation in a single destination. The park encompasses more than 80,000 acres and is known for having more than 300 caves and…
Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky is the kind of destination where the underground experience can easily become the highlight of an entire trip. The cave system contains 400+ miles of mapped passages, while the park above ground covers roughly 52,800 acres of forests, rivers, trails, sinkholes, and rolling Kentucky landscape. For a first visit,…
Badlands National Park is one of the most unique landscapes in the United States, located in South Dakota. The park is famous for its dramatic rock formations, deep canyons, colorful layered cliffs, fossil beds, and large mixed-grass prairie ecosystem. Covering approximately 244,000 acres, the park offers a combination of scenic drives, hiking trails, wildlife viewing,…
Kootenay National Park is one of the most underrated destinations in the Canadian Rockies, offering a mix of turquoise lakes, dramatic canyons, hot springs, glaciers, mountain trails, and wildlife experiences. Located in southeastern British Columbia, this UNESCO World Heritage Site covers approximately 1,406 square kilometers of protected wilderness. Unlike the busier nearby parks, Kootenay provides…
