You don’t need to travel far to fall under the spell of the mountain vistas, pristine lakes, and untamed wildlife of these iconic and under-the-radar gems.
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Home to more than 10,000 hydrothermal features, including 300 geysers—the world’s largest concentration—Yellowstone is one of the most geologically spectacular national parks on the globe. Dating back to 1872, it’s also the world’s oldest. Mammoth Hot Springs is not to be missed; it’s one of the few places where you can find active travertine terraces, which look like mini-lakes stacked on top of each other at an angle. One of the largest volcanic eruptions in history happened here, creating one of the largest known calderas. Exploring the park is easy, thanks to five spaced apart entrances, 400-plus miles of roads, and 1,000 miles of trails, from which you can view the wooly bison, bighorn sheet, elk, and more. TIP: Book well in advance to stay at the Old Faithful Inn. Peak season mid-April—late October; entrance fee $25 per vehicle valid for seven days.
http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm
Olympic National Park,
Washington
Here, sea stars float in tidal pools, dolphins frolic offshore, and spotted owls whiz through dense patches of primeval forest. The park—95 percent of which is designated as protected wilderness—owes much of its biological diversity to having been long protected by glacial ice. In fact, it’s home to 15 kind of animals found nowhere else in the world, supported by three wildly different ecosystems: Glacier-capped mountains, old-growth rain forest, and more than 70 miles of Pacific coast. The globe’s largest unmanaged Roosevelt Elk herd also roams over this craggy land, crisscrossed by 600 miles of trails suitable for all fitness levels. TIP: The best place to view the snow-dusted Bailey Range of the Olympic Mountains is at Hurricane Ridge, located about three miles above sea level. On a clear day, you may spot Vancouver Island and the San Juan Islands. Busiest Aug.—Sept., least crowded Jan.—Feb.; entrance fee $10 per vehicle.
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Carved long ago by the mighty Colorado River, this canyon’s dimensions are hard to comprehend, even if you’re lucky enough to stand at its edge. Reaching a depth of nearly 6,000 feet, a length of 277 miles, and spanning between one and 18 miles between the North and South Rims, the enormity of the preserve is rivaled only by its age. For those who count such things, limestone at the top dates back 260 million years, while metamorphic rock at the bottom is estimated to be 1.8 billion years old. Both desert and forest habitats are found here, home to everything from the California condor to mountain lions. Catch the park at sunrise or sunset to see the mesas and buttes bathed in an otherworldly glow. TIP: You’ll capture the best photos in the morning or late afternoon. Busiest in July and Aug., least crowded Nov.—Jan.; entrance fee $25 per vehicle.
http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado
One of the country’s lesser-traversed expanses, the Black Canyon—accessed via a road that travels up onto a mesa and through a pinon-juniper forest—started out as a national monument in 1933 and was only granted national park status in 1999. Today, folks come here to spot Peregrine falcons, bighorn sheep, and bobcats. Wildlife aside, the most stunning feature is geological and known as the “painted wall.” It’s a dramatic, 2,250-foot cliff comprised of black metamorphic rock called gneiss (pronounced “nice”), etched with ropes of shiny pink pegmatite twisted in the shape of dragons. TIP: You’ll need a permit to hike into the canyon. Busiest in July—Aug., least crowded Dec.—Jan. (the North Rim closes when snowfall is 4-plus inches); entrance fee $15 per vehicle.
http://www.nps.gov/blca/index.htm
Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee + North Carolina
It’s little wonder why this is the country’s most visited national park, clocking in at an average of nine million visitors each year. Dating back 200-300 million years, the gently undulating Smokies rise from 875 to 6,643 feet and are among the world’s oldest mountains. They’re especially beautiful during leaf-peeping season (beginning as early as mid-September), when yellow birch and pin cherry trees begin to turn. Wildlife is also a draw: There are 17,000 known species and possibly as many as 80,000 more. Most notable are the American Black Bear (there were 1,500 at last count), as well as the red-cheek salamander (the park is known as the salamander capital). TIP: Park insiders love the sandstone boulders, which fall from cliffs high in the mountains and move into steep-sided streams over time. Carried downstream, rounded, and eventually broken down, the remnants of some of these boulders have traveled as far as the Gulf of Mexico as sand. Busiest July—Aug., least crowded Jan.—Feb.; free unless you stay at developed camps.
http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm
Channel Islands National Park
These five islands off the California coast are magnets for water lovers. Kayaking, bird watching, and diving are the best ways to explore the place that’s been dubbed the Galapagos of North America. Teeming with dolphins, seals, and the largest aggregation of blue whales in the world, perhaps the most startling underwater inhabitant yet is the Giant Black Sea Bass, a gentle giant of a fish that can stretch to seven feet and 750 pounds. On the northwest coastline of Santa Cruz island, the Painted Cave is not to be missed. It’s one of the world’s largest and deepest sea caves that looks spattered with all the colors of the rainbow, thanks to its colorful types of rock, lichens, and algae. TIP: Pack a pair of binoculars. Located off the Santa Barbara/Ventura Coastline, the closest park island is 11 miles and the farthest is 55; private boats are permitted on select areas with a permit, but local operators also offer tours. Busiest July—Aug., least crowded Oct.—Dec. (visit Jan.-Mar. to see migrating gray whales, in spring to see wildflowers).
http://www.nps.gov/chis/index.htm
Acadia National Park, Maine
The jewel of Maine covers 49,000 acres on Mount Desert Island. More than 2.2 million adventure types flock to what was the first national park on the east coast, established in 1916. Evergreen forests ring sparkling lakes in the shadow of craggy mountains, making it an ideal destination for hiking, camping (there are three campgrounds, Blackwoods, Seawall, and Isle de Haut), boating, even cross-country skiing in the winter. Many of the beaches are spectacular too, but the slightly crunchy sand is scattered with the skeletons of crabs, mussels, and sea urchins. Consider heading to Somes Sound, where evidence of the long-ago carving of granite by glaciers is evident everywhere in the form of striations and giant boulders. Acadia is also a bird-watcher’s haven, with a record 338 species; the eerie call of the red-throated loon will not be soon forgotten. TIP: To get there, travel just three miles north of Bar Harbor. Busiest July—Aug., least crowded Jan.—Feb. entrance fee $20 per vehicle.
http://www.nps.gov/acad/index.htm
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Arguably the world’s most majestic string of mountains, the snow-capped Rockies hit a high note of 14,259 feet at Longs Peak. In the park, 124 peaks are 8,789 feet and higher, 118 are above 10,000, 77 top 12,000, and 20 soar past 13,000—in a word, awesome. One third of the park is above tree line, while the rest is carpeted in Douglas fir, Ponderosa pine, juniper, blue spruce, and aspen. More than a quarter of all the plants here are also native to the Arctic. One delightful exception: The Colorado columbine, whose bluish-purple bloom nods in the sun-warmed breeze. TIP: Help prevent altitude sickness by making sure to acclimatize and drink water often. Busiest July—Aug., least crowded Jan.—Feb. (visit June—July to see bighorn sheep and wildflowers, Sept.—early Oct. for elk mating season); entrance fee $20 per vehicle.
http://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm