You鈥檝e spotted geysers in Yellowstone, hiked to waterfalls in Yosemite, and pedaled the Cades Cove Loop in the Smoky Mountains. Good for you. That means it鈥檚 time to visit some of America鈥檚 lesser-known national parks鈥攑laces that draw smaller crowds but are equally astounding. At these hidden gems, from Alaska to South Carolina, you鈥檒l hike through watery caves, examine ancient cliff dwellings, and ride a bush plane to Arctic sand dunes.
Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
The longest-known cave system in the world isn鈥檛 located is some far-flung, exotic locale. It鈥檚 in south-central Kentucky. At , more than 400 miles of caverns have been mapped鈥攚ith more on the way. Sign up for an underground ranger-led hike, mountain bike more than 20 miles of trails, or float the Green River in a kayak. The park features three developed campgrounds, but we suggest the in nearby Bowling Green for its historic rooms, free breakfast, and new speakeasy-style bar in the lobby (from $259). The , a short walk away, has chicken and waffles and good microbrew.
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
History buffs will love , located in southwestern Colorado, a 90-minute drive from Durango, where you can visit some 5,000 archeological sites once home to the Ancestral Pueblo people. Take a self-guided tour of the famous cliff dwellings, and don鈥檛 miss the panoramic views from Park Point Lookout, a functioning historic聽fire lookout tower. Thanks to the park鈥檚 low-key vibe, you won鈥檛 have any trouble getting a last-minute campsite at (from $30), four miles inside the park鈥檚 entrance. Fuel up with the all-you-can eat pancake breakfast at Knife Edge Caf茅聽in Morefield's聽village.
Congaree National Park, South Carolina
Located 30 minutes outside Columbia, South Carolina, Congaree is home to the country鈥檚 largest swath of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest. Take in some of the park鈥檚 tallest trees by foot from the seven-mile round-trip Oakridge Trail or by canoe on Cedar Creek. The more adventurous can commit to a multiday backpacking trip into the park鈥檚 21,000 acres of wilderness. Go in early summer to catch the exceptional synchronous fireflies that light up the night sky for a week or two each year. The park has two campgrounds, or you can book a stay in a rustic log cabin at , 45 minutes away. in Columbia is well worth a visit afterward.
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Who knew hiking in remote West Texas could be this diverse? At, you can stroll through cacti and limestone canyons in the Chihuahuan Desert, walk along the edge of the Rio Grande, or climb the 7,825-foot Emory Peak in the Chisos Mountains. Bring your passport鈥攖he park straddles the border, and you can ferry over to Mexico for a short international trip. The (from $147), located within the park, has stone cottages,聽RV sites,聽and聽overlanding tours. Drop by the聽, in nearby Terlingua, for massive burgers and nightly live music.
Great Basin National Park, Nevada
There鈥檚 not much near , in eastern Nevada. It鈥檚 nearly four hours from both聽Las Vegas and聽Salt Lake City, which makes it the perfect place to get away and stargaze. Reserve a ranger-led tour of Lehman Caves, summit the 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak, and hike 60 miles of trail through bristlecone pine forests. The park has five campgrounds (from $15), and , five miles away in Baker, has ten rooms (from $75) and an accompanying restaurant called Kerouac鈥檚, which opened in 2017 as a welcome pit stop for weary travelers.
Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska
Getting to is no easy feat. You鈥檒l fly from Anchorage to Kotzebue (population: 3,266), then hop a chartered air taxi into the roadless Kobuk Valley, where fog, wind, and heavy rain often delay flights. But once you鈥檙e there, you鈥檒l have the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes鈥攖owering, 100-foot drifts that look more like the Sahara than Alaska鈥攑ractically to yourself. Bring a pack raft to float the Kobuk River, or venture to Onion Portage, a National Historic Landmark where indigenous people have gathered for 9,000 years to harvest caribou. The has three guest rooms (from $175), serves three meals a day, and offers guided fishing packages and a hike-and-boat tour of the dunes.