These underdogs can hold their own against the national parks any day.

America ’s 63national parksmay get all the glory and the Ken Burns documentaries , but nigh three times as many people visit the country ’s more than 10,000state parkseach year . In totality , they sweep more than 18 million acres across the US — that ’s more than Rhode Island , Delaware , Connecticut , New Jersey , and New Hampshirecombined .

These spaces have always been invaluable , but have become even more crucial during late old age as stressed - out Americans scrambled to fill their wanderlust and rediscover their love life of the great open . State parks have served as telephone extension of our own backyards , offering up escapade both magnanimous - graduated table and sexual . And even as travelling further afield returns , they ’ll remain alluring entry points to nature , often with fewer crowds than their better - known , big - name buddy .

Below , you ’ll find the cream of the state of matter - Mungo Park crop , from the wildlife that encirclesthe craggy spires of the Rockiesto roaring waterfalls andhidden beaches hiding just out of mess .

State Parks

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Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

large Sur , CaliforniaAs if 300 - foot redwood and world - class scuba diving event from a gorgeous remote beach cove were n’t enough , this fiddling treasure of a park not far fromthe road near Big Suralso feature the glorious McWay Falls , a stunning 80 - foot waterfall that flow directly into the ocean . get down to the beach is n’t well-situated , but the payoff is huge . Just look at the photo .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Big Sur House

Makoshika State Park

Glendive , MontanaImagine walking among sleepingTyrannosaurus rexes and triceratops , trying to be quieter than the bubbling streams or the warm malarky rushing through the ferny understory and high - medallion trees . Now fast forward 66 million yr . Today , Makoshika State Park—“bad globe ” to the Lakota — is 12,000 acres of mudstone and sandstone badlands bespeckle with orange - gray collapsible shelter Rock that spring up like giant mushrooms in a petrified fairy story domain , fossils buried under and around their stems . Hop on the Diane Gabriel Trail to Sunset Overlook once the day is nose down , keep an eye out for hadrosaur castanets , and do n’t go home without seeing the super C - T edge , a thin isthmus in the tilt marking the demise of this spot ’s former heavyweight champs .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Badlands Kitchen and Home

Baxter State Park

Millinocket , MaineNot only is this sprawling 200,000 - Akko park home base to Northern Maine ’s beloved Mount Katahdin ( the Department of State ’s high-pitched peak and the northerly endpoint of theAppalachian Trail ) , it ’s also the domain of a killer variety of wildlife , from hawk to black bears who make their home amid the park ’s peaceful lakes and waterfalls . The Mungo Park is null of paved road , pass H2O , and electrical energy , so this is your chance for the full Thoreau experience .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Dak Mountain View Lodge

Iao Valley State Park

Wailuku , HawaiiTo call this West Maui Mountains parking lot " lush " is a hall - of - fame understatement . Its heavy rain forest canopy make this popular Hawaiian park one of America ’s more unequaled , dominated by the Iao Needle — a 1,200 ft flora - covered lava remnant that rise from the vale floor to a high height than the Eiffel Tower . crack its picture whileexploring the laid - back trailsof this peaceful 10 - nautical mile - foresightful park .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : The Blue Door on Church Street

Valley of Fire State Park

Overton , NevadaThe honest-to-god and largest state parkland in Nevada — a spot ill-famed for its trippy desert mirages , bothnaturalandmanmade — Valley of Fire capture its name from the enormous , stripy red rock formations that embrace the area , seduce the terrain appear as if Mother Nature melted down candy canes and teem them out across the landscape painting . HitRainbow Vistafor some of the best view and look closely for 3,000 - year - old petroglyph — then hop in the car and hightail it toVegasjust an hour away .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Desert Valley HideOut

Peninsula State Park

Fish Creek , WisconsinTheCape Cod of the Midwestoffers up its fair contribution of unexpected geographical contradiction in terms in a DoS whose stunning coast often gets pretermit — but even by Door County standards , Peninsula State Park is a jaw - dropper . There ’s much to explore , but for maximal awe hit theEagle Trail , a two - mile outing that go atop a dolomite cliff and descends 200 foundation through dense timberland to the Lake Michigan shoreline . Here , you ’ll find the remains of ancient ocean caves in the shadow of the 250 - understructure - high Niagara Escarpment . It ’s even better seen from kayak , where you could nock views of this UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve while being lulled by wave .   see your gradation — loose stone and expose beginning will have you forgetting to admire the view .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Ephraim habitation

Eldorado Canyon State Park

Eldorado Springs , ColoradoIn a stateas productive in parkland as Colorado(it hasfournational parks ) , the land Mungo Park bundle a infernal region of a punch . Little Eldorado Canyon State Park , just a short drive fromBoulder , is a hot spot for rock’n’roll - rise walls : It has over 1,000 technical climb routes within the park , plus11 miles of hiking / mountain - biking track , and fishing opportunities in the scenic South Boulder Creek . And if you get thirsty , Boulder’sMountain Sun Pub & Breweryis only 20 minutes aside .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Colorado Quartz Mountain Ranch

Cayo Costa State Park

Captiva , FloridaOnly accessibleby sauceboat or whirlybird , Cayo Costa is a quick drive from the popular holidaymaker terminus of Captiva Island but a worldaway from the Florida of your spring - breaking nightmares . You ’ll spend the day walking pristine blanched - sand beaches disperse withghostly Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree skeletonsand playful dolphins that can often be seen swim closely to the shore . If you ’re lucky , you may also blob a manatee or barefaced eagle in the eminent tree as birds travel from limb to limb . While sunbathing is the prime refreshment activity here , you’re able to also camp on your boat or in one of the common ’s 30 extremely recommended tent situation .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Hidden Treasure

Niagara Falls State Park

Niagara Falls , New YorkObvious pick ? Of course . compulsory plectrum ? Absolutely . Hordes of pic - snap tourer you think from high school may have stain your memories of the spot , but America ’s former state park stay democratic for a reason — or 750,000 of them , which is the number of Imperial gallon of pee rushing over the falls every second . sustain up airless , personal , and extremely wet with perhaps the most famous waterfall in the human race is a religious rite of passage . Discovering that the whole park is actually pretty rad is just a bonus .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : graceful puritanical Home

Castle Rocks State Park

Almo , IdahoIdaho ’s cause a riches of state parks that aid reinforce our location of the state as one of the union ’s most overlooked , but with respect to beloved Priest Lake , Castle Rocks is an absolute stunner . Here , amid the Albion Mountains , you ’ll regain a sea of wildflowers in the bounce , allow a pictorial line to the vertiginous rock-and-roll formations that are rife for climbers of all acquirement story . Camping can be done in the backcountry or in yurt , and it ’s not uncommon to see wild horses browse in the grassland .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Castle Rocks Getaway

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Kachemak Bay State Park

Homer , AlaskaIf you ’re looking for wild , this massive 400,000 - acre car park   has your number . You ’ll need to fly in ortravel by boat(most likely fromHomer ) as there is no route access to much of the park — which is what preserves this pristine wild that is home base to whales , sea lion , Alces alces , and an improbably various grasp of ocean snort . But its main plus persist its bionomical diverseness : whether you ’re looking for sandlike beach , dull forests , or monumental ice fields and glacier , you ’ll find it all here .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : The Moose Lodge

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Borrego Springs , CaliforniaSprawling out across a severe expanse of 600,000 acres about an hour Dixie ofCoachella , California ’s large state of matter park ( and second - largest in the low-spirited 48 ) is a jacket jewel of America ’s state park system . By solar day it has110 miles of hiking trailsto explore and 12 designated wildlife areas , and by Nox the immense desertscape delivers some of thebest stargazing in America . The park is also a internet site of great geologic importance , as it has been found to contain over 500 type of fossils that are up to 6 million years older . If you ca n’t picture the prehistorical vibes on your own , there are also 130 + jumbo metal animal sculpture that pop up out of nowhere as you roam the park ’s unforgiving terrain .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : The House on the Hill

Ecola State Park

Astoria , OregonLocated just outdoors of coastal charmer Cannon Beach , this vista drunken revelry of a commonwealth park unfold ninescenic miles of Pacific Northwestern coastlinefrom Cannon Beach to Seaside , offering secluded coves , lush spruce forest , and grassy bluff overlook its seductive beaches . A park so aphrodisiac it ’s a film star , here you’re able to enamor arresting opinion ofThe Gooniesrally stage Haystack Rock or reenact the terminal vista ofPoint Breakon the beach that doubled for Australia . incentive : the also - very - coolOswald West State Parkis just a 15 - minute ride to the south .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : The Viewpoint

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Little Missouri State Park

Dunn Center , North DakotaWith great sections of this rude Mungo Park only accessible by foot or horseback , this lesser - known park is famous for its windswept badlands vistas and reverence - exhort scenery ripe for the taking via47 miles of backpacking and horseback - riding trails . There are few rules at this remote BYOH ( bring your own horse ) outpost , but there is one : you must fertilize your sawhorse with certify weed - free hay , available for purchase at the ballpark .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Watford City Townhouse

Emerald Bay State Park

Lake Tahoe , CaliforniaThere ’s a understanding Emerald Bay is one of Lake Tahoe ’s most pop attraction . cover both the only island on the lake ( Fannette Island ) and a crazy 38 - room Scandinavian sign calledVikingsholm , Emerald Bay is also unequalled in that it is one of the first parks in the state whose underwater shipwrecks are also protected . The independent body process here include camping ( aka drunkenness ) on your boat and staring at the deep - blue hues of the lake as you muster up the braveness to cannonball into its fresh water .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Waterfront paragon

Caddo Lake State Park

Karnack , TexasAt nigh 30,000 acre , this state green on Texas ’ east side — the frigid opposite of barren desert ofwest Texas — is an downright tangle of bayous and sloughs , of tranquil wetland and watercourse arresting in daytime and eery by moonlight . bunk your boat paddle through the placid , brumous weewee of Caddo Lake , duck beneath Spanish moss hanging like serpents from the limb of ancient bald cypress tree . These giants tower over you and stand , waistline - deep , in every direction — this is the big cypress tree forest in the world . See if you may reconnoiter out Dick & Charlie ’s Tea Room , a stilt menage on the body of water that suffice as a Prohibition - era speakeasy . A sign tack on to a nearby cypress tree reads “ House normal : 1 . There ai n’t none . ”

Amazing Airbnb nearby : FirstCastCabin

Smith Rock State Park

Terrebonne , OregonWhile it is known as one of the best rock - climb areas in the West and regard as the birthplace of American mutant climbing , Smith Rock also delights withlow - wallop family hikesand eye - drink down scene at every turn . Watch gilt eagle soar over the Crooked River stock with river otters as you try not to burn out your iPhone battery snapping pictures of the notched rock formations popping up in this key Oregon high - desert outpost . incentive : nearby Bend is home to one of thebest beer scenes in the country .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Smith Rock Nest

Slide Rock State Park

Sedona , ArizonaWe hump water common are n’t exactly everybody ’s jam ( although we ’d argue thatthey’re not all big ) . But there ’s something aboutcareening down a tricky incline crafted specially by Mother Naturethat just hits dissimilar . Such is the showcase at Slide Rock State Park , named for the all - natural , 80 - foot - long ruby tilt piss slide that took around 8 million yr to mould . Instead of spending a hundred bucks on a water park time of year pass , amount here for $ 20 and employ the money you save to head 7 miles to the south to Sedona : one ofthe most beautiful position in Arizona , and akickass desert townthat’sa lifelike phenomenon in its own right .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Sedona Sunset Jewel

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Letchworth State Park

Castile , New YorkWhether you ’re into horseback riding , whitewater raft , or simply stare at glorious falls cascading over rocky gorge drop environ by succulent woodland , you ’ll find it all at this beautiful Western New York parkland known as the " Grand Canyon of the East . " The 17 - mile - long park contains66 miles of hiking trailsand over 20 waterfall , one of which is straddle by a picturesque 235 - foot railroad trestle . In the wintertime months , you may also pull the wool over someone’s eyes underground and cruise the park by sawbuck - drawn sleigh — but nothing beats floating over the park in a raging air balloon on a exculpated summertime or dip daytime . you may also camp in one of 82 rustic cabins or , if you feel like getting corporal , charter an in - park group discussion core .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : The West Barn

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Sip on blueberry beer by a fire pit, blow your own glass, and watch for rare birds.

Dead Horse Point State Park

Moab , UtahAlthough it ’s not a family name , Dead Horse drive coattail in the best path potential : It ’s posit near one ofUtah ’s Big Five , it ’s fundamentally theGrand Canyon ’s long - lost twin , and it was the backdrop forThelma & Louise ’s iconic net setting . Mountain biking the badassIntrepid Trailis a must for quiver - seeker , but the more relaxed can simply gaze open - mouthed from 2,000 feet in the atmosphere down at the deep - red-faced rock candy , resplendent hues , and bird’s-eye vistas of the Colorado River andCanyonlands National Park . The park gets its name from horses who often died in this unforgiving landscape and , with much of the park capable with unfenced cliff and little signage , you best exercise a bit of coarse sense if you desire to make it out of here awake .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Vasaca Utah

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Watkins Glen State Park

Watkins Glen , New YorkOn the Gorge Trail in New York’sFinger Lakesregion , you startle out walk through a dark burrow carved deep into the rock . In front of you is a pit bridgework — the first of many . You cross it , quickly find yourself underneath Cavern Cascade , water rushing over and ahead of you down the minute 400 - animal foot gorge . Through another burrow and underneath a suspension bridge , you ’re now in The Narrows , a moss- and fern - covered surround more akin to a rainforest than anything . Up the stairs , your oculus gear up on Glen Cathedral , where dry grasses and shrubs seem like they descend out of the desert . But it ’s quickly back to waterworld : Central Cascade plunges 60 feet into the gorge , followed by Rainbow Falls a few hundred steps later . Dripping springs along a dark , narrow pathway chair you across Spiral Gorge , to Mile Point Bridge , and then up 180 stone gradation nickname Jacob ’s Ladder — all this in a whirlwind , two - naut mi trek .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Sunset Shores

Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park

Grant , WashingtonCentral and Eastern Washington ’s arid clime is already a stark contrast to the evergreen pines and thunder oceans the state ’s name conjures . That ’s before you come across the otherworldly lakes dotting the landscape . take the air up to the Vista House Overlook — a short 15 - geographical mile drive from the healing waters of Soap Lake — and you ’ll catch a scene of blue - gullible puddles beneath a 400 - foot - high , 3.5 - mile - wide-eyed cliff . It ’s all shrub - steppe habitat : barren , volcanic desert terrain . This dry , arid landscape painting was once the world ’s large waterfall : 350 feet of water repeatedly fell over this ridge at 65 mph some 13,000 years ago during the Ice Age floods . Attempt to litigate this geological carnage , then reserve it for Deep Lake on the car park ’s far easterly side . Take the 2.25 - international nautical mile Deep Lake Trail along the basalt ridgepole , or grab the kayak and boat paddle this morose Ice Age leftover , floating between tabletop cliffs .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : The Dome at Blue Lake

Cathedral Gorge State Park

Panaca , NevadaIf you love the spectacular spire of Bryce Canyon or thevast , rolling desolation of the Badlandsbut do n’t love the crowds , visit Cathedral Gorge instead . About 2.5 hours north of Vegas , this relatively small Department of State park — less than three straight miles — backpack a lot in , with a striking drop into a tangle - like valley floor filled with otherworldly time slot canon , surrounded by hulking spire , and decorated by rock pillars formed tens of one thousand thousand of years ago from   volcanic ash tree . The already - frequent scenery is made even more so by the stone structure built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s , including an abandon water tower that looks like the turret of a castle . Despite the large absorption of state parks in this part of Nevada , it still feel incredibly remote ; the only towns within 100 knot of the parking area all have population of about 1,000 , and at some point you ’ll likely witness that you ’ve driven an minute or more without any cell service .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Panaca home plate

Chugach State Park

Anchorage , AlaskaSo , this is what mountains are supposed to bet like . You might think this park ’s emplacement just 20 minutes south ofAnchoragemight lead to pack crowds … until you realize this monumental 500,000 - acre park is the third - largest in the commonwealth . So yeah , there ’s mint of place to spread out a blanket and get weird . Combine that with Alaska ’s legal cannabis and you ’ve got a middling fun daytime of hike amidst pristine glaciers , river , and lakes on your manus . you’re able to also drive scenic highways , ATV theBird Valley Trail System , or whale - watch at the scenic Beluga Point . All good .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : The Hemlock Mountain House

Fall Creek Falls State Park

Spencer , TennesseeThis popular park is beloved by Tennesseans not only for its 256 ft namesake falls Fall Creek Falls ( the high-pitched barren - drop waterfall east of the Mississippi ) , but also for cave likes Rumbling Falls Cave System ( the second - largest cave chamber in the country ) and forward-looking amenities including an 18 - hole golf course of study , zip line , and an Olympic - sized swim pool . Although cooling off in one of its many raw waterfall is always a better approximation .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Fall Creek Falls Cabin

Hunting Island State Park

Beaufort , South CarolinaIt may be South Carolina ’s most chit-chat land park , but that does n’t stop this secluded barrier island located 15 mile east of Beaufort from being one of the most picturesque destinations in the South , thanks to its famous beacon light , pristine beach , and popular sportfishing laguna . Fun fact : many of the Vietnam scenes fromForrest Gumpwere filmed here .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Harbor Point Beach Estate

Adirondack Park

Northville , New YorkPart state park , part timberland preserve , and part privately owned commonwealth encompass 102 townsfolk and Village , Adirondack Park is massive . total 6.1 million acres , America ’s fully grown state park is big thanYellowstoneandYosemitecombined . about half of the land is owned by the State of New York and designed as " forever wild , " encompassing all of the Adirondacks ' famed 46 High Peaks as well as 3,000 lakes and 30,000 air mile of river . So tamp up the canoe or kayak , get ready to scale Mount Marcy , or only meander about its2,000 land mile of tramp trails . You ’re gon na be here a while .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Adirondack Riverfront Home

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Crystal lakes, sky-high mountains, and very comfortable chairs.

Custer State Park

Custer , South DakotaLocated inSouth Dakota ’s legendary Black Hills realm , the commonwealth ’s first and largest nation park is most notable for its photogenic herd of 1,500 wild bison that freely cast the land as well as other Wild West creatures like pronghorns , bighorn sheep , and mountain lions . The scene is everything you believe of when you close your eyes and visualise the great American West , lay out before you amidst 71,000 acres of immense open view and mountain lake . The piazza is so cool that even Calvin Coolidge made it his " summertime White House , " so that has to count for something , right-hand ?

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Tatanka Cabin

Tettegouche State Park

Silver Bay , MinnesotaLocated about an hour north of theunderrated township of Duluthalong themagnificent Highway 61 , this scenic Midwestern park offers everything from stunning view of jagged drop over Lake Superior , to roaring waterfall , to forested hikes along the 310 - mileSuperior Hiking Trail . If you do n’t finger like going onthatlong of a boost , roaming the area around Palisade Head or paddling over to your kayak - in campsite should more than suffice . Pro peak : while you ’re here , channelize another 20 minutes north to snap a photo of the ludicrously picturesque pharos atSplit Rock Lighthouse State Park .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Cabin Beck

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Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Canyon , TexasThis sprawling park inthe spirit of the Texas panhandlehas everything you cogitate of when you imagine a great American nature retirement , most notably the Brobdingnagian exposed blank of the " Grand Canyon of Texas " known as the 70 - mile Palo Duro Canyon . Horseback rides andhikes amidst its brainy - red rocks and freaky hoodoosare a must , but what really fix this parking lot apart are its one - of - a - kind activities like take in lively music at its Red Rocks - stylePioneer Amphitheatre , or sleeping in historical brick huts you’re able to rive , make this easily one of the coolest campsites in America .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : The Hideout

Na Pali Coast State Park

Kapaa , HawaiiThis position is just ludicrous . With otherworldly cliffs rising 4,000 ft above the beautiful Pacific Ocean coastline it straddles , this remote section of Kaua’i ’s northwest coast is unobtainable by car , signify you postulate tocharter a boatorhelicopterto get the most talkative views of its stunning " realm before time " appeal . The more adventuresome canhike or kayak their way through its 6,000 + acresof breathtaking waterfalls , lush valleys , gorgeous forested cliff , remote beach , and historical Harlan Stone - wall terraces . In other words , sure beats hanging out at the hotel bar all day .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : The Surfshack

Goblin Valley State Park

Green Valley , UtahThis sprawling , otherworldly stretchability of the San Rafael Desert is positively overflowing with rock formations both monstrous and priapic , home to some of the country ’s in effect stargazing , and somehow whole overlooked , meaning you ’ll probably have it to yourself with minimal effort . It ’s endlessly trippy and extremely explorable , a kaleidoscopic vacation spot where towering rock titans and their more diminutive underlingscapture hikers ' imaginationslike some sort of living routine of folklore crossed over with a Dr. Seuss illustration . It ’s utterly hypnotic . Such is the power of hoodoo in the kingdom of the dependable Goblin King .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Red Rock Cave Home

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Chimney Rock State Park

Asheville , North CarolinaThe fleur-de-lis - go past 315 - pes granite monolith is the centerpiece of   this 8,000 - acre wilderness outside ofAsheville , and gazing down on the ocean of Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree below as theyturn fiery in the fall is an unforgettable experience . But the crag is n’t the only notable rock in the area . Boulders like Rumbling Bald Mountain have become terminus for climbers from all over the region . And the roaring , 404 - ft Hickory Nut Falls might even be more illustrious than the patriotic namesake rock : It was prominently featured inLast of the Mohicans , a canonic dad flick and a favorite of high-pitched - school history sub nationwide .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Chimney Rock Glamping Dome

Island Beach State Park

Seaside Park , New JerseyJersey is more than the sum of its stereotype , and those in the know will tell you that the near topographic point to pawn in the sunlies beyond the Shore towns . Island Beach is positively massive , allowing you to ditch the crowd in favor of soaking in stretches of pristine beach in relative solitude , with only furious foxes to serve you deal the sentiment . It ’s not as epic in graduated table as many of the parks on this list , but it ’s certainly an oddity , a spot attainable to New Yorkers that actually bring in you sense like you ’ve key out some misplace beach without an outside flight . Plus , there ’s a barroom , because sometimes Jerseyiswhat you expect it to be . Amazing Airbnb nearby : Seaside   Beachfront nursing home

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Palouse Falls State Park

LaCrosse , WashingtonWestern and Northern Washingtontend to grab all the attention , what with the massive national parks , beautiful seashore , alpine villages , and goddamnTwin Peaks itself . But the eastern part of the United States Department of State get out its weighting as well , and it take one glance at Palouse Falls to see why . Here , the state reveals what is likely a to - graduated table miniature version of the Grand Canyon , minus all the RV - spring tourer and plus a 200 - foot falls dropping into an impossibly clear punchbowl . And at 94 Acre , it ’s infinitely more explorable than that enceinte - ass hole in the background out in Arizona .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Hideaway Tent with Pool & Hot Tub

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park

MichiganMichigan ’s shoreline is a sturdy turn to stick to , but keep guide north and you ’ll eventually come across the glorious sea of tree diagram that make up the Porcupine Mountains . This 60,000 - Accho wilderness area is pack full of denseforest hikes , roaring waterfalls , and sempiternal view , spanning whitewater rivers and the shores of Lake Superior . There ’s a reason that Yoopers constantly complain when the Bible get out about the jaw - dropping beauty ofMichigan ’s Upper Peninsula : It ’s one of the most beautiful and least - explored berth in the state , and Porcupine Mountains is just one stepping stone into the dense , untamed peninsula .

Amazing Airbnb nearby : Gitchee Gumee Ecolodge

an ocean cove surrounded by large, grassy cliffs and palm trees

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park|lucky-photographer/Shutterstock

a large desert with brush and strange hoodoo rock formations

Makoshika State Park|Posnov/Moment/Getty

person hiking along a craggy mountaintop

Baxter State Park|Jerry Monkman/Aurora Photos/Getty Images

green jungle mountains

Iao Valley State Park|Photograph by Michael Schwab/Getty Images

car driving through a red rock canyon toward mountains

Valley of Fire State Park|Mike McBey/Flickr

person canoeing down a river past a woodsy cliff

Peninsula State Park|Photo courtesy of Destination Door County

a glimpse through a snowy canyon

Eldorado Canyon State Park|Flickr/Max and Dee Bernt

a beach strewn with dead trees

Cayo Costa State Park|Flickr/james st john

an enormous, powerful waterfall amidst a forest

Niagara Falls State Park|turtix/Shutterstock

horses in a grassy plain with towering rocks in the distance

Castle Rocks State Park|Castle Rocks State Park

This Idaho State Park Is the Right Way to Be Outside

person canoeing in a lake surrounded by snowy mountains

Kachemak Bay State Park|Scott Dickerson/Design Pics/Getty Images

a dragon sculpture diving in and out of the sand in the desert

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park|MetasZBABLU/Shutterstock

person walking along a trail above a beach

Ecola State Park|JORDAN SIEMENS/GETTY IMAGES

Eat, Drink, and Explore Oregon’s Rugged Coastal Towns

mountains covered in grass

Little Missouri State Park|Zack Frank/Shutterstock

a large lake encircled by trees

Emerald Bay State Park|cassiohabib/Shutterstock

a bayou in the morning

Caddo Lake State Park|Jennifer M. Ramos/Getty Images

a group of backpackers hiking on a boardwalk near a rock canyon

Smith Rock State Park|Kacey Klonsky/Image Source/Getty Images

people sliding down and hanging of the banks of a natural water slide in Arizona

Slide Rock State Park|PxHere

12 Badass Natural Water Slides Across America

a hot air balloon over a large forest waterfall

Letchworth State Park|Jim Vallee/Shutterstock

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a person camping on a cliff above a rocky river canyon

Dead Horse Point State Park|Digital Vision/Photodisc/Getty Images

Photographic Proof That Utah Should Just Be One Big Epic National Park

a waterfall near a natural bridge

Watkins Glen State Park|Photo by Katkami/Getty Images

a river near mountains and open plains

Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park|Zack Frank/500px/Getty Images

a desert trail winding through a red rock canyon

Cathedral Gorge State Park|Arlene Waller/Shutterstock

a person gazing out over a river toward a snowy mountain range

Chugach State Park|Michael Jones/Design Pics/Getty Images

several waterfalls streaming into a lake

Fall Creek Falls State Park|Eddie Caldwell/EyeEm/Getty Images

a grove of palm trees lining a beach at high tide

Hunting Island State Park|Denton Rumsey/Shutterstock

a hiker overlooking a forest, lake, and mountains

Adirondack Park|benedek/Getty Images

This Ruggedly Gorgeous Section of Upstate NY Is Somehow Still Overlooked

a person walking on a trail next to a lake surrounded by large stacked rocks

Custer State Park|Federica Grassi/Moment/Getty

a lake near fall foliage

Tettegouche State Park|Igor Kovalenko/Getty Images

This Rugged and Winding Coastline Is a Superior Road Trip Destination

large red rock spires fronted by grassy desert plains

Palo Duro Canyon State Park|Zack Frank/Shutterstock

two women sitting beneath a tree on a cliff near the ocean

Na Pali Coast State Park|Per Breiehagen/Stone/Getty Images

a field of bright red rocks in a canyon

Goblin Valley State Park|JAMES KEITH/MOMENT/GETTY IMAGES

Goblin Valley Is the Trippy, Surreal State Park You’ve Been Missing

people on a cliff beneath an American flag overlooking sweeping forests and a river

Chimney Rock State Park|Alexey Rotanov/Shutterstock

a fox on a beach

Island Beach State Park|Tick Tock Photo/SHUTTERSTOCK

This New Jersey State Park Is the Beach Escape You Need Right Now

person hiking along the edge of a cliff with a waterfall nearby

Palouse Falls State Park|Christopher Kimmel/Aurora Photos/Getty Images

man and his dog standing at the edge of a cliff

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park|Layne Kennedy/Corbis Documentary/Getty Images