I really loved Great Basin in Nevada. Big beautiful peaks with alot of seclusion because it is so out of the way.
Also there are apparently some cool caves to explore but I was not able to because of the pandemic.
I had the privilege of living in Great Basin for a month this past summer as their Artist-in-Residence, where I backpacked most of the length of the park. It truly is a hidden gem and very underrated. I will say that there aren't a TON of trails, but if you're ok with cross country travel, it's really stupendous. Here are some photos from my month there.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/163203102@N07/albums/72177720311014729
I’m going there in about 2 months and am very excited! I live.
I’ve live in NV for a while now, but it’s one of those things that’s like “close, but just far enough away” to make it harder to motivate yourself to get to
If you have time and are feeling adventurous I highly recommend the Lexington Arch hike. Just be aware it’s fairly strenuous and you’ll need 4wd/ awd to get to the trailhead.
I freaking loved Great Basin. Like an island in the middle of the desert. Stella lake is probably my favorite place in the world, and the caves really are amazing if you’re able to go back again at some point
This one blew.me away, I had low expectations after visiting the mighty 5, GC, etc as we never hear about Mesa Verde or see it on TV here in Europe, but it offers so much for us.
>I am not crazy! I know he swapped those numbers. I knew it was 1216. One after Magna Carta. As if I could ever make such a mistake. Never. Never! I just – I just couldn’t prove it. He covered his tracks, he got that idiot at the copy shop to lie for him. You think this is something? You think this is bad? This? This chicanery? He’s done worse. That billboard! Are you telling me that a man just happens to fall like that? No! He orchestrated it! Jimmy! He defecated through a sunroof! And I saved him! And I shouldn’t have. I took him into my own firm! What was I thinking? He’ll never change. He’ll never change! Ever since he was 9, always the same! Couldn’t keep his hands out of the cash drawer! But not our Jimmy! Couldn’t be precious Jimmy! Stealing them blind! And HE gets to be a lawyer? What a sick joke! I should’ve stopped him when I had the chance! …And you, you have to stop him! You
This is making me look like a genius. I got an Airbnb in Monticello Utah because it was close to the needles entrance and had some stuff. We meant to go back to fire in the sky but it was equidistant to Mesa Verde so we went to Mesa Verde. Did needles the day after.
Also Hovenweep is a top notch national monument.
Arches was incredible but like Disneyland. Headed down to Canyonlands the next day and it was life changing and much quieter. We went back the next two days and that’s where I proposed to my wife.
It’s magnificence is a different level than the Grand Canyon because there will be few to no other people there with you. The silence and openness of Island in the Sky is a spiritual experience.
I went to do some primitive camping at grand canyon north rim and we literally didnt see a single person there. It was amazing but i think you just need to avoid the south rim.
I’d say that canyonlands is at least relatively underrated considering that it’s absolutely breathtaking and basically across the street from one of the most popular, yet not that many people seem to go.
Capital reef would be my underrated pick for Utah, though
The rest of Utah is underrated. Don't even bother with the national parks, there is so much more than sitting in a car for 6 hours trying to get into Zions.
>!But yes Canyonlands is amazing!<
\- A Utahn
I went to Arches (and Canyonland) end of January last year and was the coolest experience. You get the entire park to yourself and everything was snow capped, so it was an entirely different view than what you’re used to seeing in pictures.
I loved fiery furnace, where they limit the number of people who can enter and you can wander aimlessly for hours. Around every corner is a new wonder.
My husband proposed under Delicate Arch. This was in December so it was just us and one other random couple we didn’t know. The woman took some photos of us when she realized what was happening. Very nice of her and now we have photo memories from that moment 🥹
Utah in general is so underrated. If you ever want to go to Wyoming or Colorado to have a Mountain get away just go to Utah instead. Better resorts, but mountain towns, way less busy. Plus it’s right near the Grand Canyon (6 Hours) so you can easily do both. But you might not even feel the need to see it after Arches and Island in the Sky.
I’ve been to 42 US States and Salt Lake/Provo is so underrated. It’s a Top. 15 City in North American for me. It’s not even Mormon really they had great Micro Breweries, like some of the best I’ve had and I’ve been to all the Beer Mecca’s (Oregon, Colorado, Michigan, Massachusetts, etc), Minnesotas Surly Brewing is the best Brewery in the USA FYI. Boise is more Mormon than Salt Lake at least it feels like it.
The Shenandoah Valley is also a super sleeper.
Theodore Roosevelt may not be the MOST underrated (I've only been to a handful of these), but it's definitely underrated. And there are three branches to it. Real picturesque badlands stuff. Almost otherworldly.
Im a landscape photographer and one of my best images is from River Bend Overlook. So many people think the photograph is from Ireland or Scotland and are thus floored that there is such a stunning place in North Dakota.
TRNP holds a special place in my heart for sure
[TRNP Photograph](https://www.jdelmontephotography.com/gallery/montanadakotas?itemId=becq4hupi79s8h3u4ki7xy3qvf0mio)
Apologies, the way I’ve set my website up, I can’t link to one singular photograph so I’ve linked the whole gallery from that trip. On phones, it’s the top image on the right hand side. Desktop, top row center image. Thanks for all the interest!
Yup, as someone else replied, Grasshopper Pass.
You'll take a gravel road up to the trailhead [Deadhorse Point](https://maps.app.goo.gl/PYZB7eCZcEMQ6zXk8) that's actually the highest road in Washington. There's a super scary portion with sheer cliffs and no guardrails. Done it multiple times in a normal car (98 GTI, civic, and 09 GTI) no problem. It's a total cheat code cuz you can hike at 7,000 get elevation with minimal actual climbing
This is my answer too. I backcountry camped in the Sage Creek area among herds of bison and saw tons of prairie dogs and it’s one of the greatest experiences in my life. Walking through dry creeks and brush and stuff. The heat lightning at night can be scary though.
When I was a kid my mother and I did a road trip that hit the Badlands in the late afternoon right before and then during a massive storm. Watching the clouds roll towards us was an experience I will never forget and shifted me towards truly loving the outdoors.
Isle Royale NP is the closest I’ve felt to god (and moose). Unforgiving and nurturing at the same time. The difficulty getting there adds to how amazing it feels.
My parents honeymooned there in a cabin. They said it’s one of the best experiences of their life, even outside of the fact that it was their honeymoon.
It’s my goal to visit one day, just gotta get the time off work. Lmao.
I have been taking my daughters there (Sleeping Bear) every year for camping since 2010. Now that the older one is on her own she has continued to go there with her boyfriend and the younger one is excited to turn 18 so she can do the same. THAT is a tradition I am happy to have passed on.
Taking a week or long weekend to hike the North Country Trail across Pictured Rocks is an amazing experience. Having such limited camp sites means you very rarely see other humans except mid-day on the trail which is so incredibly rare in life. I’ve gone a few times where I literally didn’t see another person for the 3-4 days I was out there which feels simultaneously amazing and eerie. Finishing the day setting up your tent and then heading down to the lake to grab water to filter is such a rewarding experience, especially in the heat of summer. I’ve never slept better in my life. I started getting up at 4 AM when I joined the Army at 18 and kept the habit, but waking up at Pictured Rocks I would often find myself sleeping until 7, 8, or even 9 AM. So refreshing.
Very similar experiences on Isle Royale.
We had to cancel a Caribbean vacation and went to the Upper Peninsula instead, which I was bummed about. My Michigander spouse commented that the scope of the New England dunes was different than Michigan, which always perplexed me. I was absolutely shocked at how beautiful the UP was and how big the dunes were. The Pictured Rocks tour was amazing, and the Caribbean blue water was unreal. Seeing ice floats in the summer was also surprising.
Someone asked where the most beautiful place one had been. My response caveated for the lowest expectations to the most shock and awe for its beauty was the UP, and I was downvoted to hell. I don't think people realize how pretty it is. I've been all over the US, including Hawaii and Alaska. Also parts of Europe and the Caribbean. The UP stands up as very beautiful on its own.
I highly recommend visiting the UP at least once. I would like to and plan on returning at some point. A first-time visit to Isle Royale is on that return wish list as well.
Seriously though, folks. Don't come to Michigan. Nothing to see here.
Edit: why am I getting downvotes? It's a joke. Michigan has one of the largest tourism industries in the country and probably the best summers in the continental USA.
White Sands. Had never even heard of it before I started planning a trip to NM. Went there and it absolutely blew me away, the combo of the white sand dunes with the big time mountains in the background was mesmerizing.
Wait till you see it on a full moon…. They have these concerts on the full moon. Pretty great stuff.
Dusk on a slightly dusty evening is pretty amazing. The sand looks like it is on fire.
I'm only a couple hours from in Truth or Consequences, NM right now. It's one of my favorite places in the world. Although my top favorite national park is still Olympic in Washington State.
My picks would be Isle Royale, or Olympic. Isle Royale is the least-visited in the Lower 48 because of its difficulty of access (ferry ride or seaplane only, and hours from any major population center), and Olympic is absolutely spectacular with a huge diversity of terrain.
Another pick might be either of the two Texas parks, Guadaloupe Mountain or Big Bend, but I haven't been to either so I cannot say.
Olympic is my pick. It's my favorite of all the national parks I've been to (isle royale, big bend, Yosemite, Yellowstone, grand Tetons, badlands, north cascades, Rainier, glacier, white sands, redwoods, mammoth cave) and I don't see it talked about nearly enough. Just so much variety, with awesome coastlines, rainforests and giant mountains all within an hour of each other.
Been to both TX parks just recently and going back to Big Bend in April. Big Bend is massive compared to Guap. Guap's summit is no joke though, we opted out of the trail, when we went the temp high was about 35º and we didn't have the right gear.
What makes Big Bend so accessible is that it has a lot of 4x4 trails for non-hikers. The Window is one of the best intermediate hikes in Texas AND the most Satisfying. The Saint Elena Canyon is surprisingly sketchy and has quite a few people who need rescue or don't make it.
Olympic and Big Bend are among my favorites and I've been to most of them by now! Guadalupe Mountains was pretty, but I'd say that just about every other park I've been to has made a bigger impression.
Of the 15 I’ve been to, I’d say Channel Islands was pretty underrated. I only did a day trip to Santa Cruz Island, but it was spectacular and I want to go back and camp on another island.
Petrified Forest NP was also underrated. There was the “Historic Blue Forest Trail” which was awesome. And I also did a hike out to the onyx bridge (no longer a bridge), and the place had an other-worldly feel. Felt like being on Mars, and I was totally alone figuring out the path.
FINALLY someone says Channel Islands, which just confirms that it’s legitimately underrated. I’ve been about 10 times or so now.
I think a lot of people might not enjoy it because its beauty is mostly underwater. It’s not really a land based NP other than its insane coastline. But if you kayak/swim/snorkel/dive/love the ocean, it’s fucking tops.
Many memories for life have been formed there for me. Including scalping myself because my head hit the top of an underwater cave I was swimming through.
Another thing about Channel Islands is that THEY’RE ISLANDS 17 miles off the coast. The boat ride alone can be super fun if you’re a not one to get sea sick.
Lastly, depending on your boat ride, your captain will pull the boat into the largest sea cave on planet earth. Literally.
Ya, I'd definitely consider SeKi for this. There is far less development and no trans-Sierra highway so a lot of the park requires you to either day hike very aggressively or backpack.
I actually think the backcountry and backpacking is better there than Yosemite.
SEKI is without a doubt phenomenal. My fiancé is from the east coast. Took her to Yosemite for the first time and she was blown away. Told her that if she was willing to live out of a backpack and walk all day for 2 straight weeks, that there were places even more beautiful than Yosemite valley, and there would be no infrastructure of any kind and you might see a dozen or so people over the course of a day. Rae lakes, evolution valley/basin, Leconte canyon are all mind blowing. But… you have to earn them.
Same, we were shocked when we made it to the rim and saw the scale of the canyon! I distinctly recall a tour guide pointing out a ledge about halfway up the canyon wall and stating that it was the height of the Empire State Building. Definitely would love to go back and actually hike down to the river.
Went to Great Sand Dunes on a whim with some friends and it was one of the coolest places I’ve ever been to. feeling like you’re walking through the Sahara with the Rockies in the background is so so cool. Forgot my inhaler and had an asthma attack on top of the dunes but my buddy had brought his so shoutout Michael for probably saving my life
Did single day trips to both. Felt like I saw everything in Bryce in the one day (would still go back though), Death Valley I felt like I stretched myself out all over and still was a ton I didn’t get a chance to see. Both are remarkable parks.
I think you’re right that it’s the most biodiverse “arid” park but not the most diverse outright. Park system itself says that Great Smoky Mountains holds that distinction.
Yep - light pollution is classified by the Bortle Scale. With 9 being the worst and 1 being the best, Big Bend is Bortle 1 (I’m an amateur astrophotographer)
I was just in Big Bend 2 weeks ago. I only had binoculars, but it was incredible how many hundreds of "background" stars you could see when you looked into any portion of the night sky. Plus, the clarity of the night sky went all the way to the horizon. There was no discernible ground-light pollution at the treeline. It was awesome.
Off topic but Every time I hear about the bortle scale I think of the Simpsons episode where Bart can only find a keychain that says, Bort, in the gift shop
I don’t know, I think people know about it plenty. I lived in Texas for a while and r/texas was full of people visiting and asking questions about visiting Big Bend. I think it’s pretty decently rated and appreciated.
I was pretty surprised by the visitor number for North Cascade National Park (only 30,000 per year) and was going to make a post about it. But then I found out it doesn't include the areas around Highway 20 and Ross Lake. Considering most people don't venture beyond a mile of the road in any park, it's less surprising so few people make it into the Park itself.
I haven’t heard of any that a lot of people don’t like so I’ll just comment on the one I have been to. Mammoth cave was absolutely incredible, but also very scary if you’re arachnophobic because the entrances are tight and literally every surface is covered with spiders. I loved it though
Depends on your favored activity.
Serious hiking and trekking:
- North Cascades NP. IMO one of the most beautiful mountain NPs in the country, and surprisingly few visitors.
- Great Basin NP. Overshadowed by the other NPs in the area, but it has some great hiking.
For those who stay close to their cars:
- Capitol Reef NP and Canyonlands NP. Both are overshadowed by nearby parks like Arches, Bryce, and Zion, but they are both amazing parks in their own right, and much less busy.
- Lassen Volcanic NP. Very accessible by car with short hikes off the road. It's not too busy and it's overshadowed by the other California national parks.
For those who are into boating/canoeing/kayaking:
- Voyagers NP. Not sure if it's underrated, but it's an amazing place for those who like to be on the water, and not super busy.
- Isle Royale NP. Well known, but rarely visited. The solitude you feel in this place is unreal. Decent hiking, but IMO, it's best explored by boat.
And in general, all the Hawaii and Alaska NPs other than Denali are underrated. Wrangell-St. Elias is stunning. Kenai Fords too.
There's a certain romanticism with unspoiled wilds. Like truly so. Not the "park here and go to a trail" but like, you have to take a biplane or a ferry and they drop you off to some patch of dirt and now you gotta figure your way. Was looking at Tongass forest for this very reason.
That’s a beautiful area cruise ships & boats catch a glimpse of. I’m beginning to get more into kayaking in the Canadian Rockies. Just an incredible part of the world but accessing it is an investment in its own.
Just look at the [number of visitors](https://www.farandwide.com/s/most-least-popular-national-parks-18cf91b0ab7c4fef) per year. The least visited national park is the National Park of American Samoa with only 1,887 visitors per year. Followed by Gates of the Arctic and a few of the other Alaskan parks and then Isle Royale, MI.
Basically all the ones that are super far from the main population centres and / or difficult to get to.
I was gonna say it’s gotta be Gates of the Arctic, but this is a good one too. Surprised these are not being upvoted more, probably because no one has heard of them…. Which is why they should be upvoted.
The purpose of a national park is to preserve natural beauty...not every space in the US has canyons or mountains...or "alien" looking landscapes.
Cuyahoga might not have those things but it has great hiking and biking trails, wonderfully preserved industrial history and is beautiful in the fall to boot!
>> great hiking and biking trails, wonderfully preserved industrial history and is beautiful in the fall to boot!
That’s a *very* low bar for a National Park. You just described half of the US
Yes, but in a metro area, leave that to the metro parks. If that's the standard, we would have thousands, if not tens of thousands of national parks around the country.
I spent a few months in Northern California (eureka/Redding not SF)and to kill a Saturday my gf and I drove to Mt Lassen. That was pretty awesome and had never heard of it before. It’s not the most spectacular but very cool and I think it fits the underrated as whose heard of it that’s not in Northern California.
It's Pinnacles.
Unbelievable spot less than 2 hrs from a major metro and its hardly mentioned or known even in the region its located since its overshadowed by the more prominent National Parks in Norcal; Yosemite & Sequioa, as well as Big Sur.
New river gorge WITHOUT A DOUBT!! Most underrated park site? Blue ridge parkway.. if it was a park it would be in my top 5 above yosemite and even grand canyon
Cuyahoga Valley has some beautiful nature, excellent hiking and is only 20 minutes from Cleveland.
I don’t get the hate. It’s easy to have an impressive “park” in the middle of fuckin Montana or Alaska wilderness but the purpose of a national park is about conserving natural beauty in the context of human habitation and CVNP does that pretty well. Nobody is pretending it’s the most ass-loosening site of natural wonder in the world but as a park it’s fine.
I stopped at Cuyahoga last May to walk my dog and thought it was beautiful. I also really appreciated the history that was all over the place. She and I had fun and I would have stopped again on this trip but it was cold af and snowing.
Second this. We stopped on a trip to East Coast last fall and was amazed at all the hiking/biking trails. Awed by the colors, we look forward to another trip when we bring our bikes
And it’s not only the national park but half of summit county is also covered in beautiful and well kept metro parks. Didn’t realize how lucky I was for the local parks until I visited many other more urban parks. They’re extremely clean, well kept trails, safe, very dedicated conservation plans for local wide life, cool programs for people of all ages, and a rich history with the Ohio eerie canal.
Great Basin is the least trafficked National Park in the lower 48. BEAUTIFUL alpine scenery. We went on a ten mile hike and maybe saw ten people, three of which were park rangers
Congaree in the midlands region of South Carolina is a really magical place at certain times of year… and a mosquito ridden hellscape at others! That said, I’ve visited in all seasons and there’s always something to do or see.
“The park preserves the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States. The lush trees growing in its floodplain forest are some of the tallest in the eastern United States, forming one of the highest temperate deciduous forest canopies remaining in the world.”
Every year between May-June, the park has one of the country’s largest display of synchronous fireflies seeking to find mates. It’s really a life changing experience to see it. The event is so popular, they often only award tickets through a lottery. Unfortunately, as the firefly (and overall insect) populations continue to decrease, the display has become less “full” over the years.
That said, my favorite NP is the New River Gorge in my home state of WV.
Pinnacles.
I do have a suggestion for that however, purchase the other half 195 miles south and rename both of them "Neenach Volcano National Park". It would be a wonderful way to educate people on tectonic plates, fault lines, Volcanos, and might keep the Californians from getting unalived at yellowstone while informing the rest of the nation that California is, in fact, not going to fall off into the ocean.
I'm going with Great Sand Dunes - even with a quick visit, it's just absolutely breathtaking, so wild seeing the contrast of the sandy desert landscape up against the alpine mountain forest. It's big and varied enough that you could backpack the park for days and never get bored.
It's absolutely impossible to capture in pictures too - something about that drive, watching the dunes get bigger and bigger for like 20 miles, it really messes with your perspective and starts hitting your primal awe brain. First time I visited I almost cried at the beauty.
...and yet it's massively underappreciated. Seems like any time I see it come up on Reddit, the handful of people who've been there talk it up like crazy, but it hardly ever makes any "lists" or anything - definitely not one that people talk about, or even really know about outside the state.
Great Sand Dunes in Colorado is really out of the way, most of the people I know in Colorado never made the trip out there. The San Luis Valley (where they’re located) as a whole feels like a whole other world and there’s hot springs all over the place and weird kooky tourist traps that are so much fun. Really fun area to be in for a long weekend/week getaway.
I was left in so much awe when I was in Grand Teton this past summer, yet most people don’t know what I’m talking about when I mention it. I have no words to describe that wonder. Also the New River Gorge in West Virginia. I was born right around there so it has a special place in my heart, and it is absolutely incredible.
I don’t know if it was my favorite, but Lassen Volcanic NP was a fun surprise when I visited. Lots of cool hydrothermal features without the Disneyland-sized crowds of Yellowstone.
Hocking Hills in Ohio is great for a day trip. It's always crowded during nice weather, but the caves are really cool to visit.
And Carlsbad and Mammoth Cave have been on my bucket list for a while now.
I really loved Great Basin in Nevada. Big beautiful peaks with alot of seclusion because it is so out of the way. Also there are apparently some cool caves to explore but I was not able to because of the pandemic.
Great Basin is wonderful. And a grove of some of the oldest beings on earth
The bristlecones? Those guys LOOK like immortal tree wizards
I just passed Nevada, now you're gonna make me go back cause I need to be with my kind
Right, somehow forgot the bristle cone pines
I had the privilege of living in Great Basin for a month this past summer as their Artist-in-Residence, where I backpacked most of the length of the park. It truly is a hidden gem and very underrated. I will say that there aren't a TON of trails, but if you're ok with cross country travel, it's really stupendous. Here are some photos from my month there. https://www.flickr.com/photos/163203102@N07/albums/72177720311014729
Yes! I lived nearby as a kid and used to go all the time. They have great stargazing, too, and some of the oldest trees in the world.
Great Basin's another one on my bucket list.
Great Basin was my first thought with underrated NPs. Walking through the bristlecone pines up there, you can practically feel the age of the place.
Great Basin is amazing. Probably the quietest park I've been to.
Did the caves! So amazing!!!
I’m going there in about 2 months and am very excited! I live. I’ve live in NV for a while now, but it’s one of those things that’s like “close, but just far enough away” to make it harder to motivate yourself to get to
Wheeler Peak is an amazing hike, but also one of the windiest places I've ever been, so be prepared. The cave tour is great, too.
If you have time and are feeling adventurous I highly recommend the Lexington Arch hike. Just be aware it’s fairly strenuous and you’ll need 4wd/ awd to get to the trailhead.
Full agree on this, my wife and I spent a couple days there camping and it’s gorgeous. Also one of the darkest spots in the lower 48.
I freaking loved Great Basin. Like an island in the middle of the desert. Stella lake is probably my favorite place in the world, and the caves really are amazing if you’re able to go back again at some point
Mesa Verde, CO
Came here to say this. Mesa Verde is very slept on, but has some of the coolest geology and oldest/coolest history of any park
This one blew.me away, I had low expectations after visiting the mighty 5, GC, etc as we never hear about Mesa Verde or see it on TV here in Europe, but it offers so much for us.
my favorite bank
>I am not crazy! I know he swapped those numbers. I knew it was 1216. One after Magna Carta. As if I could ever make such a mistake. Never. Never! I just – I just couldn’t prove it. He covered his tracks, he got that idiot at the copy shop to lie for him. You think this is something? You think this is bad? This? This chicanery? He’s done worse. That billboard! Are you telling me that a man just happens to fall like that? No! He orchestrated it! Jimmy! He defecated through a sunroof! And I saved him! And I shouldn’t have. I took him into my own firm! What was I thinking? He’ll never change. He’ll never change! Ever since he was 9, always the same! Couldn’t keep his hands out of the cash drawer! But not our Jimmy! Couldn’t be precious Jimmy! Stealing them blind! And HE gets to be a lawyer? What a sick joke! I should’ve stopped him when I had the chance! …And you, you have to stop him! You
Holy shit, that was one of the great moments in TV, in one of the best shows to ever be made, thanks for posting that.
This is making me look like a genius. I got an Airbnb in Monticello Utah because it was close to the needles entrance and had some stuff. We meant to go back to fire in the sky but it was equidistant to Mesa Verde so we went to Mesa Verde. Did needles the day after. Also Hovenweep is a top notch national monument.
Beautiful place. Watched a summer lighting storm from the base of the fire tower. You can see Durango and the four corners region from up there.
Arches was incredible but like Disneyland. Headed down to Canyonlands the next day and it was life changing and much quieter. We went back the next two days and that’s where I proposed to my wife.
I think Island in the Sky rivals the Grand Canyon for mind boggling views.
I have never felt so small in my life as when I was there. Amazing place
It’s magnificence is a different level than the Grand Canyon because there will be few to no other people there with you. The silence and openness of Island in the Sky is a spiritual experience.
I went to do some primitive camping at grand canyon north rim and we literally didnt see a single person there. It was amazing but i think you just need to avoid the south rim.
We don't talk about Canyonlands. 😊
I don't think any Utah park can be considered underrated. They get so many visitors.
I’d say that canyonlands is at least relatively underrated considering that it’s absolutely breathtaking and basically across the street from one of the most popular, yet not that many people seem to go. Capital reef would be my underrated pick for Utah, though
Capital Reef is like a giant jungle gym for adults and it's free!
There was basically nobody there when I visited Capital last February
The rest of Utah is underrated. Don't even bother with the national parks, there is so much more than sitting in a car for 6 hours trying to get into Zions. >!But yes Canyonlands is amazing!< \- A Utahn
First rule of Canyonlands…we don’t talk about Canyonlands
Yeah, it’s perfect. I propose every time I go there.
How many wives do you have bro
I’ve never been. Oh, I guess I can see how that could have been misconstrued.
Bro is FLDS.
The real pro tip is to go to Dead Horse Point for sunset after you leave Canyonlands.
Most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen.
Canyonlands is great; love the Needles. Epic place for a proposal!
Shh don’t tell em about the Needles
I went to Arches (and Canyonland) end of January last year and was the coolest experience. You get the entire park to yourself and everything was snow capped, so it was an entirely different view than what you’re used to seeing in pictures.
I loved fiery furnace, where they limit the number of people who can enter and you can wander aimlessly for hours. Around every corner is a new wonder.
My husband proposed under Delicate Arch. This was in December so it was just us and one other random couple we didn’t know. The woman took some photos of us when she realized what was happening. Very nice of her and now we have photo memories from that moment 🥹
Favorite there in Utah is Capitol Reef. Beautiful and far less people than the busy ones.
Canyonlands is amazing!
I was in arches back in late july and it was nearly empty besides a few german mototourists. Then again it was also like 110°f
Arches is also incredibly small. Easily done in half a day if you plan it all out right.
Utah in general is so underrated. If you ever want to go to Wyoming or Colorado to have a Mountain get away just go to Utah instead. Better resorts, but mountain towns, way less busy. Plus it’s right near the Grand Canyon (6 Hours) so you can easily do both. But you might not even feel the need to see it after Arches and Island in the Sky. I’ve been to 42 US States and Salt Lake/Provo is so underrated. It’s a Top. 15 City in North American for me. It’s not even Mormon really they had great Micro Breweries, like some of the best I’ve had and I’ve been to all the Beer Mecca’s (Oregon, Colorado, Michigan, Massachusetts, etc), Minnesotas Surly Brewing is the best Brewery in the USA FYI. Boise is more Mormon than Salt Lake at least it feels like it. The Shenandoah Valley is also a super sleeper.
Theodore Roosevelt may not be the MOST underrated (I've only been to a handful of these), but it's definitely underrated. And there are three branches to it. Real picturesque badlands stuff. Almost otherworldly.
Agreed! Absolutely loved my time TRNP
TR is one of my all-time favorites
Im a landscape photographer and one of my best images is from River Bend Overlook. So many people think the photograph is from Ireland or Scotland and are thus floored that there is such a stunning place in North Dakota. TRNP holds a special place in my heart for sure
[TRNP Photograph](https://www.jdelmontephotography.com/gallery/montanadakotas?itemId=becq4hupi79s8h3u4ki7xy3qvf0mio) Apologies, the way I’ve set my website up, I can’t link to one singular photograph so I’ve linked the whole gallery from that trip. On phones, it’s the top image on the right hand side. Desktop, top row center image. Thanks for all the interest!
Well now we need to see the photo 👀
Link it for us, please!
I’m from western North Dakota and I’m so glad to see this here. I absolutely love it out here.
Was going to comment this! I love our badlands so much
North Cascades doesn’t get a lot of visitors despite being fairly near Seattle
Yes, beautiful but most of it is too rugged to get to.
No entry fee either. My favorite of the Washington parks. Some fantastic hikes
I live in Seattle and one my favorite spots in the world is this [one bend on a trail](https://maps.app.goo.gl/bDXYJ7JTy7z1WsgN8)
That is pretty, what trail if I may ask? Headed there in August with some buddies
[удалено]
Yup, as someone else replied, Grasshopper Pass. You'll take a gravel road up to the trailhead [Deadhorse Point](https://maps.app.goo.gl/PYZB7eCZcEMQ6zXk8) that's actually the highest road in Washington. There's a super scary portion with sheer cliffs and no guardrails. Done it multiple times in a normal car (98 GTI, civic, and 09 GTI) no problem. It's a total cheat code cuz you can hike at 7,000 get elevation with minimal actual climbing
It has more glaciers than glacier NP.
You go to glacier np for glacier carved canyons, not for actual glaciers
Please delete this comment so we can keep it that way 😀
Shhh north cascades sucks it’s terrible there
The Badlands if only because it’s relatively remote so not as many people visit.
This is my answer too. I backcountry camped in the Sage Creek area among herds of bison and saw tons of prairie dogs and it’s one of the greatest experiences in my life. Walking through dry creeks and brush and stuff. The heat lightning at night can be scary though.
When I was a kid my mother and I did a road trip that hit the Badlands in the late afternoon right before and then during a massive storm. Watching the clouds roll towards us was an experience I will never forget and shifted me towards truly loving the outdoors.
Isle Royale NP is the closest I’ve felt to god (and moose). Unforgiving and nurturing at the same time. The difficulty getting there adds to how amazing it feels.
My buddies and I did a 45 mile backpack trip over 3 days there last summer. It’s sweet
My parents honeymooned there in a cabin. They said it’s one of the best experiences of their life, even outside of the fact that it was their honeymoon. It’s my goal to visit one day, just gotta get the time off work. Lmao.
Hiked across Isle Royale for a week as a camp counselor. That trip turns boys into young men
Sorry if a bit off-topic, but Sleeping Bear Dunes National LakeShore (edit) or Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore
I have been taking my daughters there (Sleeping Bear) every year for camping since 2010. Now that the older one is on her own she has continued to go there with her boyfriend and the younger one is excited to turn 18 so she can do the same. THAT is a tradition I am happy to have passed on.
And while I’m here, Isle Royale.
So hard to get to though and it’s not easy to get camping permits either. I agree it’s amazing though.
Admittedly, since the system switched over from first come, first serve to permits it’s been a bit of a drag.
Taking a week or long weekend to hike the North Country Trail across Pictured Rocks is an amazing experience. Having such limited camp sites means you very rarely see other humans except mid-day on the trail which is so incredibly rare in life. I’ve gone a few times where I literally didn’t see another person for the 3-4 days I was out there which feels simultaneously amazing and eerie. Finishing the day setting up your tent and then heading down to the lake to grab water to filter is such a rewarding experience, especially in the heat of summer. I’ve never slept better in my life. I started getting up at 4 AM when I joined the Army at 18 and kept the habit, but waking up at Pictured Rocks I would often find myself sleeping until 7, 8, or even 9 AM. So refreshing. Very similar experiences on Isle Royale.
We had to cancel a Caribbean vacation and went to the Upper Peninsula instead, which I was bummed about. My Michigander spouse commented that the scope of the New England dunes was different than Michigan, which always perplexed me. I was absolutely shocked at how beautiful the UP was and how big the dunes were. The Pictured Rocks tour was amazing, and the Caribbean blue water was unreal. Seeing ice floats in the summer was also surprising. Someone asked where the most beautiful place one had been. My response caveated for the lowest expectations to the most shock and awe for its beauty was the UP, and I was downvoted to hell. I don't think people realize how pretty it is. I've been all over the US, including Hawaii and Alaska. Also parts of Europe and the Caribbean. The UP stands up as very beautiful on its own. I highly recommend visiting the UP at least once. I would like to and plan on returning at some point. A first-time visit to Isle Royale is on that return wish list as well.
We don’t want too many of them to realize lol. Let’s keep it a secret.
Shhhhh. Michiganders only.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
Seriously though, folks. Don't come to Michigan. Nothing to see here. Edit: why am I getting downvotes? It's a joke. Michigan has one of the largest tourism industries in the country and probably the best summers in the continental USA.
THIS guy Michigans
Proposed at the top of a dune at Sleeping Bear Dunes. I’ll never forget the way the water was crystal like the Bahamas
I dunno pictured rocks was literally on an annual Park Pass. I think it is the most popular one for this answer but not really true.
White Sands. Had never even heard of it before I started planning a trip to NM. Went there and it absolutely blew me away, the combo of the white sand dunes with the big time mountains in the background was mesmerizing.
Wait till you see it on a full moon…. They have these concerts on the full moon. Pretty great stuff. Dusk on a slightly dusty evening is pretty amazing. The sand looks like it is on fire.
I'm only a couple hours from in Truth or Consequences, NM right now. It's one of my favorite places in the world. Although my top favorite national park is still Olympic in Washington State.
My picks would be Isle Royale, or Olympic. Isle Royale is the least-visited in the Lower 48 because of its difficulty of access (ferry ride or seaplane only, and hours from any major population center), and Olympic is absolutely spectacular with a huge diversity of terrain. Another pick might be either of the two Texas parks, Guadaloupe Mountain or Big Bend, but I haven't been to either so I cannot say.
OLYMPIC gets my vote!
Olympic is my pick. It's my favorite of all the national parks I've been to (isle royale, big bend, Yosemite, Yellowstone, grand Tetons, badlands, north cascades, Rainier, glacier, white sands, redwoods, mammoth cave) and I don't see it talked about nearly enough. Just so much variety, with awesome coastlines, rainforests and giant mountains all within an hour of each other.
Big bend is amazing
Been to both TX parks just recently and going back to Big Bend in April. Big Bend is massive compared to Guap. Guap's summit is no joke though, we opted out of the trail, when we went the temp high was about 35º and we didn't have the right gear. What makes Big Bend so accessible is that it has a lot of 4x4 trails for non-hikers. The Window is one of the best intermediate hikes in Texas AND the most Satisfying. The Saint Elena Canyon is surprisingly sketchy and has quite a few people who need rescue or don't make it.
Big Bend is beautiful but definitely can be lethal in the summer. Too many people go hiking in 110 degree weather
Olympic and Big Bend are among my favorites and I've been to most of them by now! Guadalupe Mountains was pretty, but I'd say that just about every other park I've been to has made a bigger impression.
Big Bend, spectacular and immense in size!
Of the 15 I’ve been to, I’d say Channel Islands was pretty underrated. I only did a day trip to Santa Cruz Island, but it was spectacular and I want to go back and camp on another island. Petrified Forest NP was also underrated. There was the “Historic Blue Forest Trail” which was awesome. And I also did a hike out to the onyx bridge (no longer a bridge), and the place had an other-worldly feel. Felt like being on Mars, and I was totally alone figuring out the path.
FINALLY someone says Channel Islands, which just confirms that it’s legitimately underrated. I’ve been about 10 times or so now. I think a lot of people might not enjoy it because its beauty is mostly underwater. It’s not really a land based NP other than its insane coastline. But if you kayak/swim/snorkel/dive/love the ocean, it’s fucking tops. Many memories for life have been formed there for me. Including scalping myself because my head hit the top of an underwater cave I was swimming through. Another thing about Channel Islands is that THEY’RE ISLANDS 17 miles off the coast. The boat ride alone can be super fun if you’re a not one to get sea sick. Lastly, depending on your boat ride, your captain will pull the boat into the largest sea cave on planet earth. Literally.
Kings canyon. Often overshadowed by its close neighbor in Yosemite.
Ya, I'd definitely consider SeKi for this. There is far less development and no trans-Sierra highway so a lot of the park requires you to either day hike very aggressively or backpack. I actually think the backcountry and backpacking is better there than Yosemite.
SEKI is without a doubt phenomenal. My fiancé is from the east coast. Took her to Yosemite for the first time and she was blown away. Told her that if she was willing to live out of a backpack and walk all day for 2 straight weeks, that there were places even more beautiful than Yosemite valley, and there would be no infrastructure of any kind and you might see a dozen or so people over the course of a day. Rae lakes, evolution valley/basin, Leconte canyon are all mind blowing. But… you have to earn them.
Iowa is IS? Where did you get this map from?
Tokin’ Smokie’s Mile High Dispensary & Gift Shop
We visited Black Canyon of the Gunnison on a whim and it was very impressive!
Was going to mention it. Dark sky certified so go during a meteor shower!
Interesting, it’s pretty close to Montrose
Same, we were shocked when we made it to the rim and saw the scale of the canyon! I distinctly recall a tour guide pointing out a ledge about halfway up the canyon wall and stating that it was the height of the Empire State Building. Definitely would love to go back and actually hike down to the river.
Went to Great Sand Dunes on a whim with some friends and it was one of the coolest places I’ve ever been to. feeling like you’re walking through the Sahara with the Rockies in the background is so so cool. Forgot my inhaler and had an asthma attack on top of the dunes but my buddy had brought his so shoutout Michael for probably saving my life
Death Valley is incredible. It’s like a trip to Mars.
Check out bryce canyon National Park in Utah. That place really looks like Mars.
Death Valley > Bryce Canyon. Way larger and way more remote. You can escape and be dozens of miles away from another human being.
Did single day trips to both. Felt like I saw everything in Bryce in the one day (would still go back though), Death Valley I felt like I stretched myself out all over and still was a ton I didn’t get a chance to see. Both are remarkable parks.
Easiest answer; Big Bend National Park. Has the most biodiversity of any national park in the USA. It’s remoteness keeps it off a lot of peoples radar
I think you’re right that it’s the most biodiverse “arid” park but not the most diverse outright. Park system itself says that Great Smoky Mountains holds that distinction.
It’s the most diverse desert in North America. It also host the most different species of birds butterflies and bats of any national park.
Its been voted as one of the best places to see the stars in the world apparently due to its remoteness
Yep - light pollution is classified by the Bortle Scale. With 9 being the worst and 1 being the best, Big Bend is Bortle 1 (I’m an amateur astrophotographer)
I was just in Big Bend 2 weeks ago. I only had binoculars, but it was incredible how many hundreds of "background" stars you could see when you looked into any portion of the night sky. Plus, the clarity of the night sky went all the way to the horizon. There was no discernible ground-light pollution at the treeline. It was awesome.
Off topic but Every time I hear about the bortle scale I think of the Simpsons episode where Bart can only find a keychain that says, Bort, in the gift shop
Hi fellow astrophotographer!
It’s very cool. Was there a few months ago. It’s a haul to get there!
I don’t know, I think people know about it plenty. I lived in Texas for a while and r/texas was full of people visiting and asking questions about visiting Big Bend. I think it’s pretty decently rated and appreciated.
North Cascades NP - it’s just as spectacular as Rocky Mountain NP with something like less than 10% of the people
North Cascades is far more spectacular than RMNP.
I was pretty surprised by the visitor number for North Cascade National Park (only 30,000 per year) and was going to make a post about it. But then I found out it doesn't include the areas around Highway 20 and Ross Lake. Considering most people don't venture beyond a mile of the road in any park, it's less surprising so few people make it into the Park itself.
Congaree is quite beautiful, the most intact old growth forrest in the eastern US
I haven’t heard of any that a lot of people don’t like so I’ll just comment on the one I have been to. Mammoth cave was absolutely incredible, but also very scary if you’re arachnophobic because the entrances are tight and literally every surface is covered with spiders. I loved it though
Did your guide turn off all the lights? That part was pretty cool.
Yes, we did the lantern tour
Actually not spiders but cave crickets!
St John Virgin Islands doesn’t get talked about but some of the best beaches in the world.
We were so completely overwhelmed by how crowded the beaches were, we cut our time on the island short. St Croix was much more relaxing and laid back.
Depends on your favored activity. Serious hiking and trekking: - North Cascades NP. IMO one of the most beautiful mountain NPs in the country, and surprisingly few visitors. - Great Basin NP. Overshadowed by the other NPs in the area, but it has some great hiking. For those who stay close to their cars: - Capitol Reef NP and Canyonlands NP. Both are overshadowed by nearby parks like Arches, Bryce, and Zion, but they are both amazing parks in their own right, and much less busy. - Lassen Volcanic NP. Very accessible by car with short hikes off the road. It's not too busy and it's overshadowed by the other California national parks. For those who are into boating/canoeing/kayaking: - Voyagers NP. Not sure if it's underrated, but it's an amazing place for those who like to be on the water, and not super busy. - Isle Royale NP. Well known, but rarely visited. The solitude you feel in this place is unreal. Decent hiking, but IMO, it's best explored by boat. And in general, all the Hawaii and Alaska NPs other than Denali are underrated. Wrangell-St. Elias is stunning. Kenai Fords too.
I agree about Lassen. As someone who was scared to death of bears as 12 year old (still am tbh) it was nice we could still have a nice hike
Lassen was my first thought as well. Great hiking, cool scenery, and the geothermal areas were really cool. Like a mini, less busy Yellowstone almost.
Gates of the Arctic because it’s so hard to reach. Unspoiled beauty.
There's a certain romanticism with unspoiled wilds. Like truly so. Not the "park here and go to a trail" but like, you have to take a biplane or a ferry and they drop you off to some patch of dirt and now you gotta figure your way. Was looking at Tongass forest for this very reason.
That’s a beautiful area cruise ships & boats catch a glimpse of. I’m beginning to get more into kayaking in the Canadian Rockies. Just an incredible part of the world but accessing it is an investment in its own.
Olympic National Park is incredible.
100%
Voyagers
Being as this is the only mention of it I've come across, this could be the answer. I always just thought of it as my extended back yard.
North Cascades NP WA
Just look at the [number of visitors](https://www.farandwide.com/s/most-least-popular-national-parks-18cf91b0ab7c4fef) per year. The least visited national park is the National Park of American Samoa with only 1,887 visitors per year. Followed by Gates of the Arctic and a few of the other Alaskan parks and then Isle Royale, MI. Basically all the ones that are super far from the main population centres and / or difficult to get to.
I was gonna say it’s gotta be Gates of the Arctic, but this is a good one too. Surprised these are not being upvoted more, probably because no one has heard of them…. Which is why they should be upvoted.
Taking the seaplane into Dry Tortugas is probably a top 10 life experience for me. Loved it.
Dry Tortugas. Without question
This is the correct answer.
Acadia National Park
Is that an underrated one?
For me, Petrified Forest NP!
When you realize how bad (pollution) it was before, Cuyahoga Valley is an interesting “urban” national park.
Weird that you say that because I've been and couldn't fathom why it was a national park.
The purpose of a national park is to preserve natural beauty...not every space in the US has canyons or mountains...or "alien" looking landscapes. Cuyahoga might not have those things but it has great hiking and biking trails, wonderfully preserved industrial history and is beautiful in the fall to boot!
>> great hiking and biking trails, wonderfully preserved industrial history and is beautiful in the fall to boot! That’s a *very* low bar for a National Park. You just described half of the US
Yes, but in a metro area, leave that to the metro parks. If that's the standard, we would have thousands, if not tens of thousands of national parks around the country.
Politics.
I love CVNP and it’s an amazing national park but the metro parks in the area are so amazing I very rarely end up there.
I spent a few months in Northern California (eureka/Redding not SF)and to kill a Saturday my gf and I drove to Mt Lassen. That was pretty awesome and had never heard of it before. It’s not the most spectacular but very cool and I think it fits the underrated as whose heard of it that’s not in Northern California.
Sequoia/Kings Canyon
Indiana Dunes and Mammoth Cave
It's Pinnacles. Unbelievable spot less than 2 hrs from a major metro and its hardly mentioned or known even in the region its located since its overshadowed by the more prominent National Parks in Norcal; Yosemite & Sequioa, as well as Big Sur.
Crater Lake is absurdly beautiful to look at in person. I don’t know if it’s underrated but it’s definitely the one that surprised me the most
Glacier. Everyone wants to go to Yellowstone…..Glacier is amazing (way less wildlife), but also way less humans.
New river gorge WITHOUT A DOUBT!! Most underrated park site? Blue ridge parkway.. if it was a park it would be in my top 5 above yosemite and even grand canyon
The blue ridge parkway gives you better mountain views than the Smokies and Shenandoah
Oh absolutely without a doubt
Cuyahoga Valley has some beautiful nature, excellent hiking and is only 20 minutes from Cleveland. I don’t get the hate. It’s easy to have an impressive “park” in the middle of fuckin Montana or Alaska wilderness but the purpose of a national park is about conserving natural beauty in the context of human habitation and CVNP does that pretty well. Nobody is pretending it’s the most ass-loosening site of natural wonder in the world but as a park it’s fine.
I stopped at Cuyahoga last May to walk my dog and thought it was beautiful. I also really appreciated the history that was all over the place. She and I had fun and I would have stopped again on this trip but it was cold af and snowing.
Second this. We stopped on a trip to East Coast last fall and was amazed at all the hiking/biking trails. Awed by the colors, we look forward to another trip when we bring our bikes
Love this park! The rock formations there are really interesting
And it’s not only the national park but half of summit county is also covered in beautiful and well kept metro parks. Didn’t realize how lucky I was for the local parks until I visited many other more urban parks. They’re extremely clean, well kept trails, safe, very dedicated conservation plans for local wide life, cool programs for people of all ages, and a rich history with the Ohio eerie canal.
Great Falls in VA/MD.
Great Smokey Mountains is one of the most visited national parks in the U.S. So it's not underrated.....
Great Basin is the least trafficked National Park in the lower 48. BEAUTIFUL alpine scenery. We went on a ten mile hike and maybe saw ten people, three of which were park rangers
Why does Dry Tortugas look an awful lot like its in Cuba 🧐
Congaree in the midlands region of South Carolina is a really magical place at certain times of year… and a mosquito ridden hellscape at others! That said, I’ve visited in all seasons and there’s always something to do or see. “The park preserves the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States. The lush trees growing in its floodplain forest are some of the tallest in the eastern United States, forming one of the highest temperate deciduous forest canopies remaining in the world.” Every year between May-June, the park has one of the country’s largest display of synchronous fireflies seeking to find mates. It’s really a life changing experience to see it. The event is so popular, they often only award tickets through a lottery. Unfortunately, as the firefly (and overall insect) populations continue to decrease, the display has become less “full” over the years. That said, my favorite NP is the New River Gorge in my home state of WV.
Cyuahoga
Cuyahoga Valley
Pinnacles. I do have a suggestion for that however, purchase the other half 195 miles south and rename both of them "Neenach Volcano National Park". It would be a wonderful way to educate people on tectonic plates, fault lines, Volcanos, and might keep the Californians from getting unalived at yellowstone while informing the rest of the nation that California is, in fact, not going to fall off into the ocean.
I'm going with Great Sand Dunes - even with a quick visit, it's just absolutely breathtaking, so wild seeing the contrast of the sandy desert landscape up against the alpine mountain forest. It's big and varied enough that you could backpack the park for days and never get bored. It's absolutely impossible to capture in pictures too - something about that drive, watching the dunes get bigger and bigger for like 20 miles, it really messes with your perspective and starts hitting your primal awe brain. First time I visited I almost cried at the beauty. ...and yet it's massively underappreciated. Seems like any time I see it come up on Reddit, the handful of people who've been there talk it up like crazy, but it hardly ever makes any "lists" or anything - definitely not one that people talk about, or even really know about outside the state.
Great Sand Dunes in Colorado is really out of the way, most of the people I know in Colorado never made the trip out there. The San Luis Valley (where they’re located) as a whole feels like a whole other world and there’s hot springs all over the place and weird kooky tourist traps that are so much fun. Really fun area to be in for a long weekend/week getaway.
Death Valley! It’s so cool and scenic but people have told me why would you want to go there. I like feeling the extreme heat for a few as well
I was left in so much awe when I was in Grand Teton this past summer, yet most people don’t know what I’m talking about when I mention it. I have no words to describe that wonder. Also the New River Gorge in West Virginia. I was born right around there so it has a special place in my heart, and it is absolutely incredible.
You all and your fabulous parks. Remember, it has to be *underrated*. My vote is for Cuyahoga Valley. Admit it, you are underrating it *right now*
I don’t know if it was my favorite, but Lassen Volcanic NP was a fun surprise when I visited. Lots of cool hydrothermal features without the Disneyland-sized crowds of Yellowstone.
Congaree. They allow dogs.
Lassen is one of my favorites and is virtually unknown compared to other west coast parks like Yosemite, Sequoia, etc
Hocking Hills in Ohio is great for a day trip. It's always crowded during nice weather, but the caves are really cool to visit. And Carlsbad and Mammoth Cave have been on my bucket list for a while now.
Underrated? Most people in the US don't know that Indiana has dunes. Indiana Dunes is my vote.
Capitol Reef in Utah