Described as 鈥淎merica鈥檚 best idea,鈥� the National Park System was established in large part to protect the nation鈥檚 most precious landscapes, from the deepest canyons to the tallest peaks. Some of the parks are so dang beautiful, they鈥檝e been known to make people contemplate their own existence.

But not everyone traveling to a national park is moved to existential enlightenment. Some visitors come away angry, frustrated, or disappointed, and they turn to the internet to express themselves. Recently, for my annual end-of-year wrap up of the worst national-parks reviews,听I spent an unhealthy amount of time perusing visitor comments on national parks on Google Maps, Yelp, and TripAdvisor to find the best of them.

I learned a few things in the process. I learned听that a lot of people don鈥檛 like the timed entry and reservation systems that many parks have put in place to combat overcrowding. Like, a lot of people; I saw thousands of complaints on that topic. Also, the general lack of parking gets people fired up.

I discovered some really interesting and funny one-star (out of a possible five stars) reviews that spanned quite a spectrum, from someone complaining about the weather (apparently Canyonlands is too hot and sunny) or questioning humanity鈥檚 fascination with nature in general (to this person, Joshua Tree听is just a load of big stones).

Here are my favorite bad national-park reviews of 2024. As ever, we nod to , grandmaster collector of such information, which, as autumn lit up the multitude of colors in the national forest of Vermont, noted this doozy: 鈥淣ot a memorable place to go.鈥�

(Note: Some reviews below were edited for brevity, but I left spelling errors and grammar mistakes intact.)听

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

Great Smoky Mountains National Park protects 500,000 acres of mountains, rivers and historic farmland that is widely recognized as the most biodiverse landscape in North America. But not everyone loves it.

鈥淭his is the Walmart of national parks.鈥� 鈥�Google Maps

鈥淎 terrible experience! This national park is the largest and most popular park in the middle of the United States and famous for their beers (sic). Every staff of the park told us that beers (sic) were everywhere. However, this park was really disappointing that I did not see any beer (sic). I only saw many turkeys and one fox鈥S]ummer might not be a good time to visit here because beers (sic) or other wild animals could hide in trees and bushes.鈥濃��Google Maps

2. Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada

This 3.4 million-acre park, straddling California and Nevada, is known for its deep canyons, salt flats, and ghost towns. The first commenter reviewed it without ever having been there.

鈥淗aven’t gone yet, will go soon, sounds hot tho.鈥濃��Google Maps

鈥淒on’t go, nothing to see鈥�.The rock formation is not that great, quite dusty, hot, etc. Feels like an open pit mine. The only use case I can see is if you want to 鈥� test yourself or your car AC.鈥濃��Google Maps

3. Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana

Designated a national park in 2019, Indiana Dunes protects dunes and forest on the edge of Lake Michigan, all less than 50 miles from downtown Chicago. But apparently the park has some policies on parties.

鈥淐an’t grille, can’t smoke, can’t drink, can’t play loud music…who wants to just sit on sand.鈥�鈥擥辞辞驳濒别 Maps

4. Redwood National and State Parks, California

This collection of state and federally protected parks houses the world鈥檚 tallest trees, with landscapes spanning from rugged coastlines to thick interior woodlands. Tree color may be a subjective thing.

鈥淐alifornia sucks so I don鈥檛 know why I was surprised when I was very disappointed. The trees aren鈥檛 as big as everyone says and they鈥檙e not red either, terrible name. The National park should just sell the land and turn the trees into paper.鈥濃��Google Maps

5. Joshua Tree National Park, California

One of my personal favorite units in the park system, Joshua Tree is home to gorgeous desert landscapes full of boulders that attract climbers and gawkers alike.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just a load of big stones. If you go make sure to take a packed lunch and drinks, you鈥檒l certainly thank me.鈥� 鈥�TripAdvisor

6. New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia

The newest unit to be granted full park status, New River Gorge is a multi-adventure playground with world-class paddling, rock climbing, hiking, and mountain biking. Other than that鈥�

鈥淚f you hike or like white water rafting, this is a great place. Otherwise, not much else to do.鈥濃��Google Maps

7. Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

I haven鈥檛 visited Dry Tortugas yet, but it鈥檚 on my list because these islands west of the Florida Keys offer some of the most remote spits of land in America, with beautiful snorkeling and paddling. Some feel waterlogged though.

鈥淚 paid full price for only 1% of land??? Park is literally 99% water….. my shoes got wet too like what????? More like the NOT dry Tortugas鈥濃��Google Maps

8. Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

Couple the tallest sand dunes in North America with long-range views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and you鈥檝e got鈥�

鈥淭he only reason people go here is to buy a piece of fudge or a T-shirt. That’s about it. This is literally a dumping area for the fine sand used to make volleyball courts. The funniest thing to do here is simply people watching. They act like they never seen dirt before.鈥濃��Google Maps

9. Everglades National Park, Florida

Everglades protects the largest wilderness east of the Mississippi. This review is close to being a haiku.

鈥淣o cocodrilos.

no crocodiles seen

money is lost.鈥濃��Google Maps

10. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

This national park encompasses the 14,000-foot peak Mount Rainier, which also happens to be an active volcano. The duality of the situation is driving one visitor crazy.

鈥淭hey market this place as a beautiful mountain paradise full of pastoral hikes and woodland creatures but at the same time remind you it is ready to kill you and your entire family and surrounding towns without a moment’s hesitation. Come here if you want to be gaslit by a mountain.鈥濃��Yelp

11. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Picture alpine lakes set beneath craggy, 13,000-foot peaks, and you鈥檒l have an idea of the scenery within Grand Teton National Park. Meh.

鈥淚’ve seen better in video games smh. Mother nature better step it up.鈥濃��Google Maps

12. Sequoia National Park, California

California鈥檚 jointly managed Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are famous for their groves of giant Sequoia trees, a species that only grows on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The drive in to reach them is irking some visitors.

鈥淎 road that is truly too long and winding鈥’m still recovering from the tiredness and motion sickness of the 5 hours driving around tight curves.鈥濃��TripAdvisor

13. Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

I recently decided that Capitol Reef is the country鈥檚 most underrated park for adventure. It has arches, canyons, domes, rock climbing, and gravel rides galore. One reviewer seems to be upset that the park didn鈥檛 take enough of his money.

鈥淭HIS PLACE SHOULD NOT BE A NP. It鈥檚 beyond mids and a waste of taxpayers money. Doesn鈥檛 even have a fee station to support itself鈥rotect the land no doubt but either charge everyone that comes through or make it a monument.鈥濃��Google Maps

14. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most visited parks in the country, with more than 4 million people clamoring to experience it annually. The park is so popular that management deemed a timed-entry system necessary to mitigate crowds. A visitor was not psyched.

鈥淲hat kind of communist came up with this system and why? I thought I lived in America, land of the free …. For all the Americans that didn’t even protest at all, thanks for nothing.鈥濃��Yelp

15. Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

North Dakota鈥檚 Theodore Roosevelt National Park is one of the lesser-visited of our national parks, shown in the annual listings as attracting 750,862 visitors, when each in the top five attracts over 4 million (and Great Smoky Mountains NP receives over 13 million). So maybe it鈥檚 unsurprising that one visitor mixed it up with a different park.

鈥淢aybe I missed it but I didn鈥檛 see his face in any of the cliffs or mountains. Probably erosion. Time for a touch up.鈥�鈥擥辞辞驳濒别 Maps

16. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho

Is there a landscape more dynamic than what you find inside Yellowstone National Park, where water boils and shoots into the sky like the fountains in Las Vegas?

鈥淲ater bubbling out of the ground. Wow.鈥濃��Google Maps

鈥淪ame thing (e.g. geysers) everywhere. I got bored the second day.鈥�鈥擥辞辞驳濒别 Maps

17. Yosemite National Park, California

驰辞蝉别尘颈迟别鈥檚 granite peaks, valleys, and mountains might have captivated Ansel Adams, but nobody ever mentions how uncomfortable nature is, do they?

鈥淎ll the hikes are uphill, and you’re practically climbing cliffs. I got soaked by several incredibly large waterfalls just by standing at the bottom.鈥濃��Google Maps

18. Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Dubbed 鈥渢he land of stone and light,鈥� Badlands holds 224,000 acres of vast prairie and striking geological formations that seemingly rise out of nowhere. That didn’t satisfy this reviewer.

鈥淣ot enough mountain.鈥� 鈥�Google

听19. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado

This national park is known for its deep, steep gorge and rugged terrain, and it has a savvy reviewer who wants it all to himself.

鈥淛K. It鈥檚 the best spot in CO. I went one star so that everyone stays away and keeps it this way!鈥�鈥擥辞辞驳濒别 听

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist. He has complained about many ridiculous things during his life, but never once looked at the Teton Range and thought 鈥渧ideo games are cooler than that.鈥� See also his recent articles on ten years鈥� worth of awful reviews on the revered Grand Canyon, or what makes the perfect mountain town, loving surfing and surf towns, and why he plays golf two days a week and thinks about it even more.

The post The Worst National-Parks Reviews of the Year appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

We get it鈥攏ot everyone wants to pitch a tent and forego showers when visiting our public lands. And honestly, because of a recent boom in new national-park lodging, you don鈥檛 have to. In 2020, I moved into my minivan and traveled to nearly every park in the U.S., penning dispatches about them for 国产吃瓜黑料. When I wasn鈥檛 catnapping in the back of my vehicle, I occasionally splurged on fun motels and lodges in gateway towns.

Whether you鈥檙e headed to the rust red maw of the Grand Canyon or the wooded summits of Great Smoky Mountains, loads of new hotels and glamping retreats are popping up to meet the demands of park visitors, whose numbers have exploded since the pandemic. From retro-futuristic roadside motels to Dolly Parton-themed resorts and remodeled national-park lodges, there鈥檚 a little something for everyone on this list.

1. Ofland Escalante

Closest national park: Bryce Canyon, Utah

Best for: Chic glamping, tiny homes, post-hike hot tubs

With its modernist cabins, spa-inspired bathhouses, and food truck that serves up Americana fare (like meatloaf patty melts and cornbread French toast), this newer outpost on Southern Utah鈥檚 stunning Highway 12 just rebranded and added deluxe cabins in 2024 and is a true outdoor-lover鈥檚 paradise. Situated a mere ten minutes from Hole in the Rock Road, the washboard byway leading to many of Grand Staircase Escalante鈥檚 top slot canyons, is the ultimate, pet-friendly base camp for exploring the Beehive State鈥檚 red-rock country.

An hour鈥檚 drive delivers you to the colorful hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, while a 90-minute car ride gets you up to my personal Utah fave, Capitol Reef. In the evening, enjoy a steamy outdoor shower, followed by a drive-in movie with free popcorn at Ofland鈥檚 own big-screen theater, or plop into the property鈥檚 pool and hot tub before enjoying the snap, crackle, and pop of your personal fire pit. If it鈥檚 not too hot, spend an afternoon clambering around in Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons.

2. Populus Hotel

Closest national park: Rocky Mountain, Colorado

Best for: Eco-friendly amenities, luxe dining, nearby art museums

Set in downtown Denver, a stone鈥檚 throw from the State Capitol, the Denver Art Museum, and Civic Center Park, is making history in 2024 as the nation鈥檚 first carbon-positive hotel. It has been designed from the ground up to utilize solar and wind power, highlight locally sourced ingredients from Colorado in each of its dining concepts, and closely monitor all emissions so that remaining carbon is balanced out by supporting projects that capture carbon elsewhere. The hotel has already planted over 70,000 trees (and counting).

A stay at Populus is ideal for the Denver-bound traveler who wants to experience the best of two worlds: city-focused creature comforts with the option to hike amidst the Rocky Mountain National Park tundra or scramble up . With the Wild Basin entrance roughly 66 miles away, it鈥檚 an easy day trip to the park. Rooms here are jaw-droppingly gorgeous and themed after the state鈥檚 famous aspen trees, with ultra-soft earth-toned bedding, natural forest sounds in the elevators, and eyelet-shaped windows overlooking the Denver skyline.

Chow down on post-hike grub with dreamy sunset views at the on-site rooftop restaurant Stellar Jay or enjoy fresh, seasonal Colorado fare at the downstairs restaurant Pasque, both helmed by executive chef Ian Wortham.

3. The Pathmaker Hotel

Closest national park: Acadia, Maine

Best for: Exploring downtown Bar Harbor, ocean strolls, simple elegance

With a primo location in downtown Bar Harbor, two blocks from the Bar Island Trail, whale-watching tours and the delicious, creamy rolls at Stewman’s Lobster Pound, opens in late 2024. Featuring suites, double queen, and classic king-sized rooms decorated in elegant neutral tones, this hotel also offers kitchenettes with mini-fridges and microwaves. What鈥檚 even better is that breakfast is included, making it easy to start your morning hike up neighboring or a stroll around Sieur de Monts鈥� historic gardens with a full belly.

It鈥檚 also worth noting that Acadia is home to 45 miles of crushed-stone carriage roads, which are all bike- and dog-friendly. Rent a bicycle at Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop, a five-minute walk from the hotel鈥檚 front door, and spend a day zipping around the park without your car before relaxing with a pot of tea and freshly made popovers at Jordan Pond House鈥搃t was one of my favorite things I did on my giant parks road trip.

4. The Rusty Parrot Lodge and Spa

Closest national park: Grand Teton, Wyoming

Best for: Spa getaways, Jackson ski and hiking trips, luxury mountain vibes

Just remodeled and reopened in early July, following a devastating 2019 fire, this Jackson Hole favorite is back and better than ever. rooms and suites boast a bit of a chic hunting-lodge feel, complete with stone fireplaces, tufted headboards, and the occasional pop of cowboy-themed art.

Fly fish in the Snake River, feel the leg burn on a hike up , or pop on over to the nearby National Elk Refuge for a . When you鈥檙e done exploring the toothy Teton Range, fill up on Idaho Trout Saltimbocca at the lodge鈥檚 Wild Sage Restaurant, or indulge in a CBD-infused herbal sugar scrub at its Body Sage Spa. Either way, you鈥檒l leave feeling full and rejuvenated.

5. Wildhaven Yosemite

Closest national park: Yosemite, California

Best for: Affordable glamping, Yosemite Valley exploration, communal hangs

is making waves this year as the newest glamping resort outside the Free Solo-famous Yosemite National Park. Situated 34 miles from the Arch Rock Entrance Station on 36 rugged acres of rolling Sierra Nevada foothills, the property offers 30 safari tents and 12 tiny cabins, well-appointed with amenities like fire pits and private decks.

A communal BBQ area boasts grills and shaded picnic tables, while glamping sites share communal bathrooms and showers. After a day of hiking and snapping photos of from Cook鈥檚 Meadow, recharge your electronics with electricity access in every tent.

Complimentary coffee and tea help start your day off, and every stay at Wildhaven includes access to on-site classes and events, like Yogasemite yoga classes and Sierra Cider tastings, for when you鈥檙e not huffing and puffing up Upper Yosemite Falls for those epic views. Looking for even more regional glamping news? A top national-park lodging purveyor, , has announced that it鈥檚 also opening a brand-new Yosemite location near Big Oak Flat in 2025.

6. Field Station Joshua Tree

Closest national park: Joshua Tree, California

Best for: Mountain bikers, large groups, pool hangouts

are designed with the intrepid outdoorsperson in mind. Bike racks for your hardtail are in every room, hooks for hanging packs are in ample supply, and an on-site gear shop makes it easy to grab any of the Ten Essentials you might have forgotten before speeding off and into the park, which is just 13 miles (a 20- to 25-minute drive) away by car. If you鈥檙e a diehard coffee drinker, you鈥檒l be thrilled that the lodge has a small espresso bar, Little Station Coffee & Kitchen, which serves everything from cold brew to toasted bagels to start your morning out right.

Choose between standard king-bed rooms and double-queen bunk rooms (which sleep up to 10) and have plenty of space for your whole crew to spread out and save cash, then head on over to the North Entrance (it鈥檚 the closest one) of Joshua Tree and enjoy epic trails like the or bouldering along the formation-filled .

When you鈥檙e not adventuring in the park, don鈥檛 miss the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Museum in town, which exhibits loads of large-scale found-object art, like TVs and rubber tires.

7. Dollywood鈥檚 HeartSong Lodge & Resort

Closest national park: Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee and North Carolina

Best for: Families, pool time, East Coast hikers

Opened in November 2023, seems tailor-made for families traveling with young kids. Even the hotel鈥檚 standard-issue rooms offer fun extras, like murphy beds, sleeper sofas, clothing-storage space, and mini fridges. Lovely mid-century modern furnishings combine with a massive stone fireplace in the four-story, atrium-style lobby, where guests can chill out when they鈥檙e not splashing about in the large pool complex or dining at one of the lodge鈥檚 four restaurant options.

Though the resort is clearly geared towards travelers heading into the Dollywood theme park (there鈥檚 complimentary trolley service from the hotel), it鈥檚 also a brief 15-mile (20-minute) drive to Great Smoky Mountains鈥� Sugarlands Visitor Center. From there, visitors can easily drive to the exceedingly popular , or gaze out at verdant, forested hills at Newfound Gap, which marks the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. Best of all, adjoining rooms and roomy family suites with cozy bunk beds make it easy for you and your loved ones to spend loads of time together, whether that鈥檚 in the lodge or trekking to the park鈥檚 many rushing waterfalls.

8. Flamingo Lodge

Closest national park: Everglades, Florida

Best for: Birders, paddlers, Tropical Florida ambiance

Initially opened in the 1960s as part of the National Park Service鈥檚 retro-futuristic Mission 66 Project, Flamingo Lodge was forced to shut its doors in 2005, after suffering extensive damage from Hurricane Wilma, when storm surges swelled up to nine feet. Thankfully, , which is named after the distinctive pink birds that once migrated to the area in droves, before plume-hunters nearly poached them out of existence, has been fully rebuilt and reopened in October 2023.

It鈥檚 the only non-camping, non-houseboat option for accommodations inside the parklodging available inside Everglades National Park, and given the park鈥檚 enormous acreage (at 1.5 million acres, it is roughly twice the size of Yosemite), creates a welcome bastion for beachgoers exploring the state鈥檚 coastal prairie and boaters enjoying the sunshine and warm, tropical air of the Florida Bay.

Inside the lodge鈥檚 four eco-friendly container buildings are 24 spacious guest rooms, ranging from studios to two-bedroom suites, in clean neutral hues with the occasional pop of tropical jewel tones. Also onsite are a restaurant serving organic, locally sourced cuisine (think breakfast burritos and pineapple pulled-pork sandwiches) and a marina, where visitors can rent anything from bicycles to double kayaks and pontoon boats. Spend a day cycling the and keep your eyes peeled for huge herons.

9. Americana Motor Hotel

Closest national park: Grand Canyon, Arizona

Best for: Travelers with dogs, EV road trips, hipster pool scene

There鈥檚 so much to love about the Jetsons鈥�-style that it鈥檚 hard to fit it all into a single paragraph, but we鈥檒l do our darndest. Set in the northern Arizona city of Flagstaff, one hour from the Grand Canyon and 90 minutes from Petrified Forest, this vintage-style motor lodge should check every box on your Route 66 daydream list. First of all, there are EV chargers aplenty, free morning coffee, and communal fire pits with outdoor hang space.

But this site truly goes above and beyond the standard-issue motel amenities by offering loaner telescopes for optimized night-sky viewing, year-round heated pool, and a fenced-in 鈥渂arkyard鈥� with a dedicated dog-wash station to rinse off your muddy trail pooch. They鈥檝e even got free hotel bicycles for those wishing to take a spin around Flagstaff.

The interiors of the rooms are just as fabulous as the resort鈥檚 exterior, with space-age d茅cor (think astronaut sculptures and galaxy wall art), walk-in showers, and disco balls. Hungry? After a trek down to or a stroll along the Grand Canyon鈥檚 South Rim, fill up at the Americana鈥檚 Pacific Mexican seafood truck, Baja Mar, which dishes out badass shrimp ceviche and battered fish tacos to hungry hikers.

Emily Pennington is a freelance journalist specializing in outdoor adventure and national parks. She鈥檚 traveled to public lands on all seven continents and visited all 63 U.S. national parks. Her book, , was released in 2023. This year, she鈥檚 getting more acquainted with her new backyard, Rocky Mountain National Park.

The post The Best New Hotels with Easy Access to U.S. National Parks appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Sure, our national parks protect stunning landscapes that are the backdrop to countless fond memories for families and adventurers alike. But these parks have also been the scene of baffling crimes and strange scenarios, from gangster-owned moonshine operations to unexplained disappearances.

There are an estimated in our parks, according to the National Park Service. Most of those are accidental鈥攄rowning is the number-one cause鈥攂ut the odd murder does occur.

People occasionally just seem to vanish. The Park Service even maintains a with information about cold cases of people who went missing or were killed on park property, with clues or remains sometimes found but what happened still unknown. The oldest case on the site鈥�the murder of a 10-year-old boy whose remains were found in Rocky Mountain National Park鈥�has been open for 65 years. (If you have information about any of these, you can submit it through the site.)

I鈥檝e compiled some of the most puzzling unsolved mysteries in our national park system.

Yosemite National Park, California

A Severed Hand

Yosemite National Park: Steep granite. Tall waterfalls. Traffic jams in the valley鈥攁nd a severed hand found in a scenic meadow. In 1983, a family was exploring Summit Meadow off Glacier Road when one of the children discovered a severed hand and forearm. In spite of consistent searches from investigators, no other body parts were found, and authorities were unable to identify the victim or make progress on the case. In 1988, a skull was found across the street from the site, but the Park Service still couldn鈥檛 attach a name to the victim.

It wasn鈥檛 that the Park Service, using a DNA profile from the remains, named the victim: Patricia Hicks, a woman linked to a local cult leader who allegedly used LSD to weaken and disorient sexual victims. The man had been convicted of assaulting women in the 1980s, but disappeared before he was incarcerated.

But according to a 2022 report by the San Francisco Gate and a 2022 episode of the ABC News show , investigators think the cult connection was incidental and that Hicks was actually killed by the notorious serial murderer Henry Lee Lucas, who confessed to hundreds of slayings across the nation. Lucas, at the time of his arrest, revealed details about the Summit Meadow crime scene that had not been released in the media.

Still, the details that Lucas gave regarding the incident and victim were deemed circumstantial, so the murder remains unsolved. Lucas died in prison in 2001, and the question of who was behind the murder of Patricia Hicks may never be solved.

听Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

The Newlyweds Who Disappeared

The Grand Canyon might be best known for its 5,000-foot walls, but the rapids at the bottom of that gorge are huge as well. The Green River and Colorado River descend for more than 270 miles in a torrent of class IV and V whitewater, with multiple massive waves and many boulders to maneuver around. Native Americans likely traveled the Canyon for hundreds of years, but the first European American documented as navigating it was John Wesley Powell, in 1869. Since then, roughly 100 people have drowned in the rapids.

Arguably the most famous and mysterious drowning or incident happened in 1928, when the newlyweds Glen and Bessie Hyde听attempted to paddle the Grand Canyon on their honeymoon. They were in a boat that Glen had built, attempting a speed-record paddle through the canyon that would also have made Bessie the first woman to run it. (Rubber rafts wouldn鈥檛 become common until after WWII.) The Hydes were last seen on November 18, and their boat was found intact with all of their supplies a month later, on December 19. The boat was in perfect condition, with all of the contents, including Bessie鈥檚 diary, intact.

Search parties scoured the canyon, but their bodies were never found. It鈥檚 possible (and probable) that the couple was washed out of the boat during one of the rapids, and the vessel continued downstream without them. But Glen and Bessie were both experienced rafters.

A popular theory has emerged over the years that Bessie murdered her new husband somewhere deep in the canyon. Another river runner, Emery Kolb, encountered the couple deep in the canyon and noted Bessie鈥檚 hesitance to continue the journey, and that they didn鈥檛 have life jackets.

In 1971, a woman named Elizabeth Cutler claimed to be Bessie Hyde, alleging that she stabbed her husband during a fight and had been living a different life ever since. Cutler eventually denied the claim, and it was later rumored that the pioneering river runner Georgie Clark, the first woman to own a commercial rafting business in the Grand Canyon, was actually Bessie Hyde.

After Clark died in 1992, the Hydes鈥� marriage license was found in her home, as well as a birth certificate identifying Clark as Bessie DeRoss, according to an account by . DeRoss was her birth name; why she changed her first name to Georgie is unknown. Georgie Clark was married twice, and had a daughter who died in a bicycle accident. We don鈥檛 have enough info to say Clark was the Bessie who disappeared in the Grand Canyon, and some historians have discounted the idea.

Everglades National Park, Florida

A Lost City

Everglades National Park is a large, jungle-like expanse of mostly water covering 1.5 million acres in Southern Florida. It鈥檚 also mysterious as hell, the site of more than 175 unsolved murder cases since 1965. Blame the remote nature of the park and its large population of man-eating beasts like alligators and bull sharks; a section of U.S. 41 running through the park, known as Alligator Alley, is a notorious place for murderers to dump bodies.

There are even theories of supernatural shenanigans. In 1945, a group of five Navy bombers took off from Fort Lauderdale on a routine two-hour training flight off the coast of Florida, but the leader of the crew radioed back to the control tower that they were lost. After several increasingly frantic communications, contact ceased entirely. A rescue air ship released to search for the bomber also disappeared.

These missing planes spawned the legend of the Bermuda Triangle, where many ships and planes have disappeared without explanation and which touches a corner of the Everglades. The planes have never been found, but one theory is that the bombers were well off course and crashed in the Everglades.

My favorite Everglades mystery, though, concerns a three-acre island in a remote section of the park south of Alligator Alley known as 鈥淭he Lost City鈥� that at various times throughout history has reportedly been a Seminole settlement, a Confederate soldier hideout, and a moonshine operation. The island doesn鈥檛 appear on any maps, and no roads or known trails lead to it. But according to an article published in the , it is registered as an archeological site in the Florida State Archives and has been studied by state archeologists and wildlife officers, who uncovered ruins of wooden shacks, a canoe, Native artifacts and a large iron kettle, the type often used to distill moonshine out of sugar cane.

Some artifacts were hundreds of years old, but most came from the Prohibition era, when the island was likely used as the hub of a bootlegging operation. Historians aren鈥檛 sure why the original Seminole residents abandoned the settlement. As for the Confederate soldiers, who were supposedly hiding out after stealing Union gold, archeologists believe they were killed by Native Americans for trespassing on sacred ground.

The most recent legend surrounding the island has to do with Al Capone, who reportedly owned a speakeasy in a nearby town during Prohibition and may have run a moonshining operation on the island. Since both the speakeasy and the still were illegal operations, there鈥檚 no paper trail linking the gangster to The Lost City, so we may never know whether this part of his famous tale is true.

Death Valley National Park, California

Missing Tourists

Death Valley National Park is a notoriously inhospitable landscape. It鈥檚 known as the hottest place on earth, with the world-record highest air temperature of 134 degrees recorded at Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913. The desert, which sits in a basin almost 300 feet below sea level, gets an average of just two inches of rain a year, and when precipitation does come, flash floods are common.

Obviously, summer is one of the most dangerous times to visit the hottest place on earth, which might help explain what happened to four German tourists who in July 1996. The visitors, 34-year-old Egbert Rimkus and his 11-year-old son, and Cornelia Meyer, 27, and her 4-year-old son, were in the U.S. exploring California and the Southwest for a month. They rented a minivan in Los Angeles and entered Death Valley on July 22, scheduled to fly back to Germany on July 27.

But they never made it out of the park. The minivan was found in October of that year by a ranger flying over the southern portion of the park looking for illegal drug labs. He spotted the vehicle in Anvil Canyon, a federally protected wilderness area of the park with no active roads. The van was stuck in the sand, the doors were locked, and three tires were flat.

Investigators linked the minivan to the Germans after tracking down the rental info and were able to trace their itinerary through receipts and wire transfers. After entering the desert on July 22, they camped in Hanaupah Canyon, when temperatures were hitting the mid 120s. Based on a logbook signed by the Germans, rangers believe the group was attempting to cross Mengle Pass鈥攁 rough, 4WD-only road at the end of Butte Valley鈥攃ouldn鈥檛 make it, and tried to reroute through the roadless Anvil Canyon.

Rangers dispatched teams to search for the Germans after discovering the minivan, but were only able to find a single Bud Ice beer bottle located 1.7 miles east of the site. After four days and more than 250 people involved in the effort, the search was called off.

Getting lost in the desert and dying of heat stroke is the most plausible answer to the fate of the Germans, but the fact that they disappeared without a trace is puzzling. Some suspected foul play (possibly regarding illegal drug operations), and others suggested the Germans staged their disappearance to start a new life. Or could the Germans have seen something they weren鈥檛 supposed to at a nearby military institution? This area of the park was also near a ranch associated with Charles Manson and his cult.

Theories circled the lost Germans for more than a decade. It wasn鈥檛 until 13 years later that two avid hikers and search-and-rescue members from Riverside County, California, who had been researching the disappearance found the remains of the adult Germans in a remote and rugged portion of the park, four miles from the border of the China Lake Military Facility and eight miles from their minivan. More bones were found on subsequent searches, but there wasn鈥檛 enough DNA to connect the remains to the children.

Evidence seems to point towards the visitors making a series of fatal mistakes, like using outdated maps and traveling in the desert without sufficient emergency supplies, then attempting a shortcut (Mengle Pass) on unknown terrain. The fact that four people, including young children, were able to leave the van and hike for miles without leaving a trace, save for a single beer bottle, is still odd. In the end, so much time passed between the Germans going missing and the partial remains being found, that investigators will likely never have a complete picture.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina

A Child Disappears

Great Smoky Mountains is probably best known as a drive-through park鈥攁 place where most people stick to the roads, established viewpoints, and short nature trails starting within a few feet of parking lots. But there are remote sections of the park, and the forest is dense, with a thick understory of rhododendron obscuring terrain beyond the trail. That鈥檚 the terrain that the Martin family was camping in when their six-year-old son, Dennis, .

Over Father鈥檚 Day weekend, the Martins and two other families camped out in Spence Field, a backcountry meadow of roughly five miles from the nearest road. Dennis, his older brother, and a few other boys wanted to play a prank on their parents, hiding in the bushes and jumping out to scare them. Dennis鈥檚 father saw his son step off the trail into the bushes鈥攁nd it was the last time anyone ever saw him.

When the other boys jumped out of the bushes a few minutes later, Dennis was absent. The family searched for him for four hours before hiking to the nearest ranger station to alert authorities. A massive search commenced, with more than 1,000 people involved, but no sign of the missing child was found.

To this day, the search remains the largest ever deployed in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and it influenced the way in which national parks undertake modern searches. It鈥檚 now widely accepted that the sheer volume of inexperienced people looking for Dennis probably obscured any clues that professional search-and-rescue crews might have uncovered. Now, when a person goes missing inside a park, a few experienced trackers are deployed first. Only hours or days later are larger search parties engaged in the effort.

The FBI suspected no foul play in the case of Dennis Martin. A number of false reports initially gave hope for some closure for the Martin family, but none panned out. Early in the investigation, a witness reported hearing a child scream and seeing a strange man drive away in a white Chevy, but investigators ruled the incident unrelated because it was too far from the last place Dennis was seen. In the 1980s, a hiker looking to harvest ginseng illegally inside the park reported finding the skeleton of a child roughly 10 miles from Spence Field, but when rangers searched the area, they found nothing.

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

A Murder

National parks rely heavily on seasonal employees, who generally occupy jobs during the busy, warm months, often living in employee housing. That was exactly what Sheila Kearns was doing in Mount Rainier National Park in 1996. Sheila Kearns, age 43, was hired to work in the park鈥檚 Paradise Inn in August, and by all was so good at it that she was hired to stay on through the winter.

Employees at Mount Rainier mark the end of a season with a bonfire and party. The last time anyone saw Kearns was at one of those parties, on October 4, 1996, when she told a coworker how excited she was to stay on. Kearns was in the process of moving into her new employee housing unit over the next few days when she disappeared. On October 6, she didn鈥檛 show up to work. Her possessions were in her new room, but there was no sign of Kearns.

A three-day search in the park revealed nothing. As the Seattle Times wrote in 1997, 鈥淧ark officials at first believed Kearns might have become lost on a trail but later said she might have been abducted.鈥� Winters are rough in Mount Rainier, and within weeks of the search, snow set in. Seven months later, in May 1997, after the spring thaw, a volunteer who was setting up a navigation course for park rangers found skeletal remains at the community building in the old Longmire campground, about a mile from the inn. The remains were scattered around a 300-yard area.

Almost 40 years later, the question of who or what killed Kearns remains unanswered. At the time the FBI investigated possible suspects but to this day does not have a person of interest.

Graham Averill is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 national parks columnist. He鈥檚 easily spooked and admits that researching these mysteries made him think twice on multiple occasions recently when out in the woods on his own. But even after exploring these unfortunate events, he knows that the national parks and forests are arguably the safest places in the country.

The post The Creepiest Unsolved Mysteries in U.S. National Parks appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

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

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

Acadia National Park, Maine

Cadillac Mountain Summit

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

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

Arches National Park, Utah

Fiery Furnace Overlook

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

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

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Big Badlands Overlook

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

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

Big Bend National Park, Texas

South Rim Viewpoint

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

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

Biscayne Bay National Park, Florida

Boca Chita Key Lighthouse

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

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

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado

Painted Wall Overlook

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

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

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Sunrise Point

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

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

Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Grand View Point

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

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

Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

Panorama Point Overlook

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

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

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico

Temple of the Sun

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

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

Channel Islands National Park, California

Inspiration Point

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

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

Congaree National Park, South Carolina

Weston Lake Overlook

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

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

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Watchman Overlook

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

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

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

Brandywine Falls

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

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

Death Valley National Park, California and Nevada

Zabriskie Point

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

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

Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Wonder Lake

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

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

Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

Fort Jefferson Rooftop View

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

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

Everglades National Park, Florida

Anhinga Trail Covered Observation Deck

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

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

Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Aquarius Lake 1, Arrigetch Valley

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

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

Gateway Arch National Park, Missouri

Luther Ely Smith Square

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

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

Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Margerie Glacier

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

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

Glacier National Park, Montana

Swiftcurrent Lake

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

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

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Desert View Point

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

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

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Jenny Lake Overlook

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

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

Great Basin National Park, Nevada

Mather Overlook

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

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

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

High Dune on First Ridge

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

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

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee

Charlies Bunion

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

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

Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas

Salt Basin Dunes

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

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

Haleakala National Park, Hawaii

Puu Ula Ula Summit

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

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

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii

Kilauea Overlook

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

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

Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas

Hot Springs Mountain Pavilion

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

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

Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana

Lake View Beach

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

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

Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

Scoville Point

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

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

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Keys View

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

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

Katmai National Park, Alaska

Brooks Falls

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

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

Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

Aialik Glacier

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

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

Kings Canyon National Park, California

Evolution Lake

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

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

Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska

Great Kobuk Sand Dunes

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

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

Lake Clark National Park, Alaska

Turquoise Lake

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

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

Lassen Volcanic National Park, California

Cinder Cone Summit

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

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

Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

Drapery Room

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

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

Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

Cliff Palace Overlook

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

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

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Myrtle Falls

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

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

National Park of American Samoa, American Samoa

Pola Island Trail

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

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

New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia

Long Point

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

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

North Cascades National Park, Washington

Sahale Glacier Camp

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

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

Olympic National Park, Washington

Rialto Beach

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

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

Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Kachina Point

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

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

Pinnacles National Park, California

Condor Gulch Overlook

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

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

Redwood National Park, California

Tall Trees Grove

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

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

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Mills Lake

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

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

Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Wasson Peak

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

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

Sequoia National Park, California

Bearpaw Meadow

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

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

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Hazel Mountain Overlook

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

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

Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

River Bend Overlook

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

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

Virgin Islands National Park, Virgin Islands

Cruz Bay Overlook

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

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

Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Kabetogama Lake Overlook

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

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

White Sands National Park, New Mexico

Roadrunner Picnic Area

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

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

Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota

Rankin Ridge

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

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

Wrangell鈥揝t. Elias National Park, Alaska

Root Glacier Trail

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

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

Yellowstone National Park, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming

Artist Point

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

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

Yosemite National Park, California

Glacier Point

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

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

Zion National Park, Utah

Canyon Overlook

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

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

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

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

We have cute bears in the Smokies. Deep black fur, chocolate-brown eyes, couple hundred pounds鈥iant teddy bears that look adorable from a safe distance.

Then one day I was running solo through Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I鈥檇 seen bears before, mostly from the saddle of my gravel bike, 100 yards away. But this time the bear was large, like a refrigerator on four paws, and just 30 feet off. I was alone, deep in the backcountry, and spooked it as I ran around a blind corner. The bear looked up, a sinister presence.

I couldn鈥檛 remember what I was supposed to do. Should I look at my feet or stare back or run like hell?

Fortunately, the bear was absorbed in scratching at the ground near a tree, and after a glance my way went about its business. I sidestepped off the trail, giving the massive beast a 200-foot berth while keeping my eyes on it. A hundred yards later I crept back on the trail, and we both went our separate ways. That鈥檚 how most wildlife encounters go.

鈥淧eople think they鈥檙e monsters that are bloodthirsty [and] want to attack humans,鈥� says Jeremy Breitenstein, a wildlife photographer who鈥檚 been taking pictures of bears in the lower 48 and Alaska for several years. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 just another wild animal that survives off vegetation. As long as you go into their territory prepared, you鈥檒l be OK.鈥�

Breitenstein did have a bad encounter with a grizzly in Alaska that tore into his tent. He didn鈥檛 have food with him, but neither had he erected a portable electric fence, as is standard procedure in Alaska鈥檚 backcountry, to protect himself. 鈥淚t was my error,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he bear was just curious. I talked to it calmly in a loud voice, and it backed away. Yes, accidents happen. Bears can be dangerous. But they鈥檙e more scared of us than we should be of them.鈥�

Bears are just one member of the animal kingdom you want to be prepared to see when you鈥檙e spending time in our national parks, which protect the most dramatic landscapes鈥攁nd the most abundant, diverse, and dangerous animals鈥攊n North America. This country鈥檚 park system boasts giant reptiles in the south, big grizzlies up north, and stealthy cats in between.

These are nine of the most dangerous animals in our national parks and the best ways to stay safe while visiting their homes. These animals are amazing, and we need to respect them. When we work to keep ourselves safe, we鈥檙e actually keeping the wildlife safe too, because when humans screw up, it鈥檚 the animals that ultimately suffer.

Alligators and Crocodiles

Found: in Everglades National Park, coastal park units in Georgia and South Carolina, and throughout Gulf Coast states.

After appearing on the endangered-species list as recently as the 1980s, alligators have bounded back, and are now more than a million strong in Florida alone. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission notes that there have been 442 unprovoked attacks, including two dozen deaths, between 1948 and 2021. In the last decade, there have been an average of 10 alligator attacks a year, but according to the only 4 percent are fatal.

Still, their size is intimidating鈥攁dults can be 12 feet long and 500 pounds鈥攁nd their jaws are loaded with 80 teeth, able to bite down with awesome force. And they look like dinosaurs. So yeah, terrifying.

But your chances of survival are good if you run into an alligator in Everglades National Park, where an estimated 200,000 are living and hunting in the rivers and wetlands. In fact, a couple of recent survival stories from the Everglades serve as cautionary yet encouraging tales.

In the fall of 2022, a man survived three days in the swamp after losing his arm to an alligator in Lake Manatee, north of the park. In 2020, a college student was bitten by an alligator near the Pahayokee Trail inside Everglades Park after swimming in a stagnant swamp with thick vegetation鈥攑rime gator habitat. She escaped with two puncture wounds and took herself to the hospital.

Staying safe in gator country is pretty straightforward, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Don鈥檛 feed them and don’t swim in alligator habitat. The animals prefer slow-moving rivers and still swamps and ponds, preying on fish, frogs, and small animals. They typically feed at night, but are active during the day as well.听 If you鈥檙e on land and a gator charges you, run as fast as you can. If you鈥檙e bitten, fight back, aiming for the gator鈥檚 eyes. If that fails, try to jam an object down its throat to induce a gag reflex.

In the Everglades, you also have the potential to run into an American crocodile, a saltwater-living species that can be found in the park鈥檚 coastal waters. Crocodiles and alligators look similar (the croc snout is more pointed than a gator鈥檚) and behave similarly. There are far fewer crocs than gators鈥攖he park only has an estimated 2,000 of them)鈥攂ut the Everglades is the only place in America where you鈥檒l find both species. Safety wise, the advice is the same: don鈥檛 feed them, don鈥檛 swim in their habitat, and if one charges you, run like hell.听

Mountain Lions

Found: in national parks from California to Texas, essentially all those in the American West, including Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado; North Cascades National Park, Mount Rainier National Park, and Olympic National Park, Washington; Lassen Volcanic National Park, Sequoia National Park, and Yosemite National Park, California; Yellowstone National Park, in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho; and Everglades National Park, Florida.

Panther, cougar, mountain lions鈥hese are all different names for the same beautiful, big cat that mainly prowls the mountains and deserts of the Western U.S. There was a time when mountain lions roamed every state, but after overzealous hunting and habitat loss, they鈥檙e relegated to 14 western states and a small population in Florida. Still they enjoy an almost mythical 鈥渂oogeyman鈥� status.

鈥淚 think big cats get to something deep down in our ape DNA, triggering an instinctual fear response,鈥� says Josh Rosenau, conservation associate with the Mountain Lion Foundation.

Tales of mountain lion encounters haunt our national park system, from the 10-year-old boy who was killed in Rocky Mountain National Park in 1997 to the trail runner who was attacked in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in September 2022.

Still, there have only been 24 human fatalities from lions in the last 100 years, far fewer than the majority of other animals on this list.

鈥淭hese cats are so elusive, and try so hard to avoid people, that a hiker would be lucky to even see a single mountain lion once in their entire life, let alone have a scary encounter,鈥� Rosenau says.

When attacks occur, he adds, it鈥檚 usually because a hiker surprises a cat that鈥檚 hiding close to a trail. The best avoidance is to hike in groups, and try to keep your dogs and children close to the group if possible. Most of all, talk to each other while you hike. 鈥淗uman voices are an effective deterrent,鈥� Rosenau says. 鈥淥ne researcher even found that playing talk radio near livestock kept cats away.鈥� (Read a story about someone who found success with Metallica to deter a mountain lion.)

If you encounter a mountain lion in the wild, don鈥檛 run. That just triggers their chase gene. Instead, stand tall, maintain eye contact, and let the animal know you鈥檙e willing to defend yourself. Make yourself big, wave your hands, and make noise.

鈥淥n the rare occasion that a mountain lion attacks, you usually only have to scream at it,鈥� Rosenau says, 鈥渁nd it flees.鈥�

Great White and Tiger Sharks

Great Whites found: in Channel Islands National Park, Point Reyes National Park鈥asically any park in California that touches the Pacific, also Cape Cod National Seashore, and Acadia National Park

Tiger Sharks Found: in Biscayne National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, and in the waters surrounding Hawaii鈥檚 national parks.

Last winter, a swimmer was snorkeling off the coast of Dry Tortugas National Park, a cluster of protected islands south of the Florida Keys, when a six-foot lemon shark attacked, biting her left foot. The shark tugged at her leg and she reacted immediately, kicking at its face with her good leg, then punching it in the face with her fists until she broke free and swam to shore. This is the way most shark attacks go, according to Gavin Naylor, director of the International Shark Attack Report, which gathers and studies incidents from all over the world.

鈥淢ost shark attacks are quick. A shark bites an ankle or arm, doesn鈥檛 like what it鈥檚 bitten, and moves on,鈥� Naylor says, adding that statistically speaking, you鈥檙e most likely to be bitten by a requiem shark, a classification that include blacktip and lemon sharks鈥攂oth of which are commonly found near beaches. But great-white and tiger-shark bites are more likely to be fatal, simply because of the size of the animals.

鈥淭iger sharks are huge, like 1,000 pounds, so a bite can remove a limb,鈥� Taylor says. 鈥淭hey also tend to stick around after a bite, circling.鈥�

As for white sharks, they鈥檙e often twice as big. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e so explosive, coming up from below,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 unlikely you could be stitched up after a white shark attack.鈥�

In terms of the ratio of fatality per attack, the white shark is the king, according to multiple sources.

White sharks are fond of cold waters and can be found off the coast of California and New England, though they鈥檝e been recorded in the warmer waters around Florida, too. Tiger sharks stick to warmer temps and are common around Hawaii and Florida. Safety measures are mostly common sense鈥攄on鈥檛 swim alone, try not to swim at twilight hours, avoid water where people are actively fishing, and don鈥檛 swim with an open wound.

Taylor insists that shark attacks be put in context. There were only 57 attacks confirmed worldwide last year; Florida had the most, with 16 attacks in 2022, mainly because of an abundance of opportunity.

鈥淔lorida has a lot of beaches, with a lot of tourists, and it鈥檚 warm all year,鈥� Naylor says. 鈥淏ut sharks aren鈥檛 dangerous at all, really. You鈥檙e between 100 and 200 times more likely to drown than be bitten by a shark.鈥�

Grizzly Bears, aka Brown Bears

Found: throughout Alaska including in Katmai National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park, Glacier Bay National Park, Denali National Park, Kobuk Valley National Park, Wrangell-St. Elias, and Lake Clark National Park; in the lower 48, Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park have populations.

Alaska鈥檚 Katmai National Park is ground zero for brown bears. The park was actually established in 1918 to protect the species and now boasts 2,000 of them, the largest population in the United States. Katmai is also home to the very popular Brooks Falls webcam, where you can watch grizzlies fishing for salmon from the comfort of your home.

Alaska is the only state that supports all three species of bear, and it sees the most bear attacks in the U.S. Probably the most famous happened in Katmai National Park, when Timothy Treadwell, a filmmaker who made a name for himself by interacting with the species in uncomfortable ways, and his girlfriend, Amie Huguenard, were attacked and killed while sleeping in a tent in 2003.

In the lower 48, Yellowstone has its own population, with an estimated 150 brown bears living inside its borders. According to Yellowstone鈥檚 , only 44 people have been injured inside the park out of 118 million visits since 1979. The park says venturing into the backcountry increases your risk of grizzly attack, with 1 in 232,613 backcountry hikers attacked as opposed to 1 in 59.5 million visitors in the front-country developed areas.

Since 1872, when the park was established, only eight people have been killed by grizzlies inside the park. Compare that to the park鈥檚 125 drowning victims, 23 deaths from falling into hot springs, or seven killed by falling trees. The last death inside the park was in August 2015 when a solo day hiker was killed by an adult female grizzly with two cubs near Elephant Back Loop Trail.

In July 2021, a 65-year-old cyclist, Leah Lokan, was killed by a grizzly while camping in the small town of Ovando, Montana, near Flathead National Forest. While Lokan was an experienced outdoors person and armed herself with bear spray and removed the most obvious sources of food smell from her tent, something can be learned from the accident (which did not occur in a national park). She was awakened early in the morning by a 400-pound grizzly sniffing around her tent. She yelled, 鈥淏ear!鈥� to warn two other cyclists who were also camping, and the grizzly fled.

Lokan removed food from her tent and re-entered it. The bear returned an hour later, killing her. According to a of the incident by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, bags that once contained dried blueberries were found inside the tent and retained some aroma, and food had been left inside saddlebags on her bike, which was roughly 10 feet away. Wildlife officials determined the bear had developed a 鈥減redatory instinct鈥� that was likely triggered by the food in the bike bags as well as the lingering smell of food cooked at a picnic during the day. The main mistake, according to wildlife officials, was returning to the tent after the first bear encounter.

The National Park Service recommends a handful of clear practices to stay safe in bear country. One is never to hike alone. Instead, hike in groups of three or more, and talk during your hike. That alone gives you the best chance of avoiding a grizzly encounter in the wild. Carry bear spray, never leave your pack unattended (bears that find human food in packs can get habituated to it and become problem bears in the future), and stay on maintained trails.

Research in Yellowstone suggests people are more likely to encounter bears when off-trail. But the golden rule of traveling in bear country is to store food, and anything that smells like food, away from your tent. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, you should cook and store food at least 100 yards from your tent if possible.

鈥淲e want to prevent bears from associating humans as a food source, so food storage while hiking and camping is very important,鈥� says Leslie Skora, a wildlife biologist with Katmai National Park, in an email. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good idea to store all scented items in a bear-resistant container while camping. Other precautions while camping are to keep a separate cooking area away from the sleeping area. Electric fences are another option to help deter bears from investigating camps.鈥�

Mojave Rattlesnakes

Found: in national parks in California; Death Valley, Nevada; Big Bend National Park, Texas; Grand Canyon and Saguaro national parks, Arizona; and Carlsbad Caverns National Park, and other New Mexico parks.

We have a lot of rattlesnakes in North America. There are more than 20 different听 species found in so many states across the country, it鈥檚 easier to list those that have none: Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, and Rhode Island, though they are rare and endangered in a number of others.

While the Mojave rattler is found in the parks many western national parks parks, other rattlesnake species are found in parks including Shenandoah, Great Smoky Mountains, Everglades, Badlands, Theodore Roosevelt, Yellowstone (but not Glacier), Great Basin, Zion, and Rocky Mountain.

The variety of rattlesnakes in the U.S. is vast, from the Eastern Diamondback, which loves the long pine forests of the Southeast and can be found in parks throughout the region, from the Everglades to Cumberland Island National Seashore, to the sidewinder, found in the deserts of the Southwest. Rattlers look to be one of the few species poised to handle our changing climate. According to a recent by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and the University of Michigan, the seven species of rattlesnakes found in California are set to experience population growth thanks to climate change; the warmer climate will make it easier for the snakes to reach optimal internal temperatures for eating and reproducing, and to stay active through more of the year. Awesome.

Given the numbers of rattlers in the wild, encounters are inevitable (read about one here). According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, roughly 8,000 people are bitten by venomous snakes (including rattlers) annually, with 10 to 15 deaths per year.

In 2020, were recorded in Yosemite National Park within the span of three days, and both required helicopter evacuations. The most dramatic involved a backpacker who was bitten while fishing barefoot in the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River. The man and his wife tried hiking out together, but he was unable. She pinned his location on her phone and hiked through most of the night until she found another backpacker, who had a satellite device and called for a rescue. The bite victim was helicoptered to a nearby hospital, given two doses of antivenom, and discharged.

Fortunately for that backpacker, Yosemite is home to only one kind of rattlesnake, the Northern Pacific rattler, a relatively mild species, especially compared to the Mojave rattlesnake, which is considered the most deadly snake in North America, with venom as toxic as a cobra鈥檚. A bite from a Mojave rattlesnake can cause breathing problems, blurred vision, weakness, and even cardiac arrest.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e 10 times more venomous than any other rattlesnake,鈥� says Jason Wallace, program director for the Desert Studies Center, just outside of the Mojave National Preserve, San Bernardino County, California, which has a thriving population of Mojave rattlers. 鈥淚t actually has two types of venom; one messes with your nervous system and respiratory system, and the other destroys tissue cells.鈥�

There are legends about aggressive Mojave rattlesnakes, with stories of people being chased by them, but Wallace calls that folklore. 鈥淭hey鈥檒l get aggressive if you corner them, but they don鈥檛 want to mess with you. Usually, you won鈥檛 even see them because they鈥檙e nocturnal, and they hide when they feel the vibrations from your feet.鈥�

To avoid a rattlesnake, try to be aware of your surroundings. Wear thick hiking boots and long pants and watch where you put your hands and feet. Use trekking poles and always zip tents up. If you are bitten, stay calm and forget everything you鈥檝e ever heard about snake bites. Do not apply a tourniquet, do not try to suck the venom out, and don鈥檛 bother with a rattlesnake kit. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a fun souvenir, but worthless,鈥� Wallace says.

Instead, call for help from the site if you can. Getting a picture of the snake will help the doctors determine the course of action. Walk calmly toward your car if it鈥檚 nearby. Wash the site with soap and water if possible and remove any jewelry, because your extremities are likely to swell. The key, according to Wallace, is not to panic. 鈥淔reaking out moves the venom through your system faster. Keep in mind that getting bit by a rattlesnake is not a death sentence. There鈥檚 antivenom out there.鈥�

Polar Bears

Found: in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. Polar bears have also been known to roam into the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve and Cape Krusenstern National Monument.

Polar bears thrive in the frigid, wet conditions that most humans avoid, living in the coldest coastal parts of Canada, Greenland, Norway, Russia, and the United States. They鈥檙e great swimmers, clocking sustained speeds of 6 miles per hour in the water, and spend most of their time hanging out on ice sheets hunting for seals.

Polar-bear attacks on humans are rare: according to between 1870 and 2014 there were 73 confirmed polar-bear attacks on people. That鈥檚 a low number, but attacks seem to be increasing in frequency, according to research performed by Polar Bears International. Scientists believe it might be the result of climate change and melting sea ice, forcing bears beyond their typical territory in search of food.

This past January saw the first reported human death by a polar bear in 30 years, when one charged through a small village on the tip of the Seward Peninsula in western Alaska and killed a woman and her child.

The polar bear is the top predator in the arctic, weighing in at 2,000 pounds, with 42 razor-sharp teeth and a top land speed of 25 miles per hour. Michael Wald, owner of a guide service leading trips through the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, told us in an email that the best defense is avoidance. 鈥淲e almost never see them on our guided camping trips and work to make sure we are not in areas where they are likely to be,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淚n particular, we avoid camping on the Arctic Coast in August, when there tend to be lots of polar bears鈥� hunting seals, in preparation for winter.

Still, Wald likes seeing polar bears in the wild as much as anyone. 鈥淭hey are beautiful animals and their power is evident. Even seeing polar-bear tracks is thrilling.鈥�

While avoidance is the best tactic, if you are traveling along the coast of the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, the recommends developing a safety plan that includes 24-hour bear monitoring (continually scoping your intended terrain), and carrying bear-resistant storage containers, binoculars, pepper spray, noise makers, and electric fences. Camp at least a mile inland to reduce potential for contact. Travel in groups, have a designated bear spotter, and have specific plans for encountering bears at different distances. Sleeping in shifts is a good idea, too.

鈥淚f you understand and respect bears, you can avoid most problems with them,鈥� Wald says. 鈥淒on鈥檛 invade their space and surprise them, and don鈥檛 give them a reason to be curious about you or your camp. Peaceful coexistence is achievable.鈥�

If you don鈥檛 run. Pull your bear spray out, remove the safety clip, and be patient. If the animal is unaware of you, wait until it鈥檚 safe to move. If the bear approaches you, defend yourself using your bear deterrent as soon as it鈥檚 in range (within 25 feet). If that fails, fight back, aiming your fists at the bear鈥檚 nose.

Box Jellyfish

Found: off the coast of Hawaii鈥檚 National Parks and occasionally the U.S. Virgin Islands National Park.

Getting stung by a jellyfish sucks. The burning sensation is immediate. Your friend offers to pee on your leg to make it better. This is a myth: urine may exacerbate the stinging.

But getting stung by a box jellyfish, as can happen in Hawaii鈥檚 parks and the U.S. Virgin Islands, is far worse. This particular species is different from other jellyfish in that they have eyes and can actively swim instead of floating with the currents. They also have tentacles up to nine feet long, which are covered with tiny poisonous darts that can cause paralysis and cardiac arrest in victims. In fact, the box jellyfish is the most venomous marine animal on the planet.

Scientists can鈥檛 agree on the exact mechanism that causes the cardiac arrest, but the venom targets the nervous system, red-blood cells, and ultimately the heart. Still, deaths from box jellyfish are rare鈥攐nly 79 have been reported since the late 1800s, when scientists began keeping records. Children are at the highest risk.

Fortunately, avoiding box jellyfish is pretty straightforward. They tend to appear close to Hawaii鈥檚 coastline 10 days after a full moon each month, and safety officials issue regular public warnings. Stay out of the water during these times and you should be fine. If you do get stung by a box jelly and are having a severe reaction, go immediately to the emergency room. Treatment could include CPR and antivenom. Milder stings can be soaked in warm water to ease the pain.

Black Bears

Found: in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee; Shenandoah National Park, Virginia; Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho; Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming; Glacier National Park, Montana; Mount Rainier National Park, Washington; Big Bend National Park, Texas; Denali National Park, Alaska; Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado; Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota; Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Redwood National Park, and Yosemite, California. There are a few in Acadia, Maine. Really, they are in just about every mountainous park with trees.

Grizzly bears might be the scariest species of bear in the lower 48, but you鈥檙e more likely to encounter a black bear, because they are so prevalent. An estimated 750,000 black bears live in the forests of 32 states, stretching from Florida into Canada, and coast to coast. An estimated 1,900 bears live in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which works out to two bears per square mile.

Black bears are no pushovers. They can grow up to six feet long, and weigh between 200 and 600 pounds. There were 48 fatal bear attacks in North America between 2000 and 2017, and black bears were responsible for 25. They eat whatever they can find, mostly berries and nuts, but will chow down on insects and small animals, too. They have a keen sense of smell, can climb trees, and are easily addicted to cocaine (just ).

Bear encounters are rare inside the parks, usually non-fatal, and occasionally comedic. In 2019, a bear was caught on camera sitting in a hot tub on a cabin鈥檚 porch in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, on the Great Smoky Mountains park border.

But in a serious encounter last June, a family of five was camping in Elkmont Campground, when a bear tore into their tent at 5 A.M., attacking a three-year-old girl and her mother. The bear was large鈥攁round 350 pounds鈥攚hich park biologists believe suggests it had regular access to non-natural food sources. Rangers think the bear was attracted to food smells in the campground, particularly dog food left out at the site.

The father was able to scare the bear from the tent, and the victims suffered superficial lacerations to their heads. Rangers closed the campground, set traps, and the area. A male bear was captured and euthanized, which leads us back to what I said earlier on: most of the time human-wildlife encounters end up worse for the animal.

The number-one rule with black bears: don鈥檛 feed them. A subset of that rule is to secure your food if you鈥檙e camping in bear country. That means storing all your food and anything that smells like food in your car if you鈥檙e in the frontcountry, and using a bear-proof container in the backcountry. Black bears have the best sense of smell of any land animal in the U.S., so that toothpaste container or half-eaten protein bar in your pack, tucked into the corner of your tent, smells delicious.

If you on the trail, keep your distance. Black bears mostly attack when feeling defensive. If the bear charges, stand your ground. Do not run, as bears love a chase and are faster than you. Make yourself big and loud. Throw rocks if the bear persists. When the bear is within 20 yards, discharge your bear spray. If that doesn鈥檛 work, and the bear attacks, fight back. Aim for the nose, and punch like crazy.

Graham Averill is 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别鈥檚 national park鈥檚 columnist. He鈥檚 typically too loud a hiker to encounter wildlife on the trail, but does see quite a few black bears while biking gravel roads in Pisgah National Forest near the Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. His healthy fear of sharks would keep him out of the ocean if he didn鈥檛 love surfing so much.听

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