The US is home to nearly 60 national parks, some famous the world over. But peppered among the lower 48 states, there is a vast array of unbroken wilderness you may never have even heard of. Whether you’re hiking, climbing, or just taking stunning photographs, these hidden gems are not to be missed.
Lassen Volcanic National Park – California
As the name might suggest, Lassen is the place to go if volcanoes get your blood flowing. This park features all four geological types of volcanic mountains: shield, plug dome, cinder cone, and composite. The namesake Lassen Peak is part of the volcanic chain know as the Pacific Rim but you’re unlikely to see any eruptions. Erupting only every few thousand years, Lassen’s most recent blast occurred in 1915.
Great Basin National Park – Nevada
With Wheeler Peak offering a picturesque- and challenging- hike, Great Basin has some outstanding high altitude views. While making the 8.6 mile trek to the top you’ll encounter what scientists believe to be one of the oldest living things on earth, the Bristlecone Pine. One such tree in the park was cut down in 1964 as part of a research project and it was found to be some 5,000 years old.
Capitol Reef National Park – Utah
If you yearn to see some unusual wildlife, head to Capital Reef. Desert Bighorn Sheep patrol the Pinyon-Juniper forests, while canyon bats – North America’s smallest winged mammal – flit through the air by night. You may also see a relative of the raccoon, the ring-tailed cat, which makes its home in the deserts of the Southwest. Capitol Reef has many spires, canyons, and arches formed in the colorful sandstone.
Petrified Forest National Park – Arizona
With its tremendous lengths of wood turned to stone, Petrified Forest National Park is filled with massive amounts of fossilized tree trunks. Dating back to the Triassic period, these trees are more than 200 million years old. Paleontologists have also unearthed the remains of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals. Between the rocky, barren mesas lies a pocket of green where pronghorn antelope play.
Black Canyon, Gunnison National Park – Colorado
Taking a backseat to the world famous Grand Canyon, Black Canyon rests quietly in the southwestern corner of Colorado. Over the course of over 2 million years, the Gunnison River has carved out a 48 mile long canyon with walls nearly 2,000 feet high. Hiking within the canyon itself is limited to experienced climbers, and there are no maintained trails. But for the non-climber, the views from the rim are no less spectacular with near-vertical drops to the river below. The hot spot here is the “painted wall”, which features beautiful striations of color splashed across the 2,250 foot vertical rock face.
