Many people have either heard of or have been to Yosemite, Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Parks. However, out of the 58 national parks, there are some that most people have never heard of before.
Here are 5 of the least known national parks:
Arctic National Park and Preserve
The Arctic National Park and Preserve in Alaska is located on 8.4 million acres of land and is the northernmost national park in the United States. The entire park is untouched and there are no roads, trails or established campsites. Everyone needs to either hike or fly into the park. Many of the people who visit the area are experienced backcountry travelers. Visitors will see the Endicott and Schwatka Mountains inside the park. There are approximately 490,000 Western Arctic caribou in a herd in the park, which is the largest herd in all of Alaska.
Isle Royale National Park
The Isle Royale National Park is an isolated island in the middle of Lake Superior in Michigan. The park is only accessible by ferry, seaplane or private boat. There are plenty of things for visitors to do once they have reached the park. They can camp, hike, canoe, kayak, scuba dive and fish. There are ranger programs available, as well as programs for children.
North Cascades National Park
The North Cascades National Park is in Washington. On the west side of the park, the area is covered by a rainforest, while there is a dry ponderosa pine ecosystem on the east side of the park. On top of the mountains, there are more than 300 glaciers. Visitors are able to listen to the soothing sounds of cascading waters while walking through the valley.
Dry Tortugas National Park
Dry Tortugas National Park is a 100 square mile park that is located about 70 miles west of Key West, Florida. The inside of the park is mostly water, except for seven small islands. The park is only accessible by boat or seaplane. Anyone who happens to know about this park is aware that it is where the spectacular Fort Jefferson is located. This fort was used as a prison during the Civil War. There is also beautiful blue water, amazing coral reefs and a lot of marine life, which can all be seen from the secluded beaches inside the park.
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
The Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located in Texas and it’s where people can find fossil reefs from the Permian Era. The people who do visit this park enjoy hiking and backpacking through the magnificent wilderness. There are many hiking trails throughout the park. Some of the more popular ones are the Pinery Nature Trail, the Smith Spring Trail, the McKittrick Canyon Trail and the Guadalupe Peak Trail. There is also a museum, visitor’s center and a slide show for visitors.
For a change of pace and to avoid crowds, people may want to consider visiting one of these lesser known national parks this summer. It is guaranteed that everyone will be amazed with the beautiful scenery and everything they see while they are visiting one of these parks.
