If you’ve been dreaming of a quiet sunrise at Delicate Arch or a peaceful hike through Yosemite Valley, we’ve got some tough news: You’re not the only one. National parks across the country are more popular than ever—in fact, 2024 saw a record 331.9 million national park visits.
While that means more folks are unplugging, getting outside, and discovering the magic of these wild places (which hopefully turns them into lifelong stewards of the land), those numbers make it harder for travelers to enjoy some of the country’s most spectacular landscapes without having to jockey for a tourist-free view.
Of the 63 national parks, people tend to flock mostly to the well-known names, such as Great Smoky Mountains, Grand Canyon, Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone, and Zion national parks, all of which topped the National Park Service’s annual visitors list in 2024. This leaves the roads of the other equally incredible parks and natural areas far less traveled. For every packed marquee park, there’s a lesser-known spot that delivers the same kind of awe without the bumper-to-bumper caravans and heavy trail traffic.
These are some of the best alternatives to the busiest national parks. They’re every bit as wild, dramatic, and unforgettable—you just don’t have to share them with everybody.
Tips for getting outside this summer
In addition to the 63 official national parks, the U.S. also has more than 100 national monuments—usually smaller areas designated worthy of protection for historical, cultural, and/or scientific interest—and hundreds of state parks well worth a visit. The boundaries of nature also expand beyond the official lines of our national parks, with many national forests and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands neighboring them and covering similar geographical features.
No matter where you go, remember to practice Leave No Trace principles and pack out what you pack in, stay on trails, avoid feeding or getting close to wildlife, always let someone know where you’re going in case of an emergency, and download offline maps or keep a paper backup in the likely case that you lose reception out in the wilderness.
Instead of Olympic National Park in Washington...
Visit North Cascades National Park in Washington
Less than a three-hour drive north of Seattle, the North Cascades are one of the most geologically complex places in the United States. The Washington park encompasses the North Cascade Mountains, home to some of the state’s highest peaks, and Lake Chelan, the third-deepest lake in the nation. You’ll also find a temperate rainforest, glaciers, and waterfalls. Dive into this array of landscapes on the 7.4-mile round-trip Cascade Pass Trail, which winds through old-growth forest with views of the Cache Col glacier and the Stehekin River Valley along the way.
Where to stay
North Cascades National Park has many options for both developed and dispersed camping. For those who prefer a bed, consider the rustic Sun Mountain Lodge in nearby Winthrop.
More than 500 miles of trails run through Shenandoah National Park.
Photo by Jon Bilous/Shutterstock
Instead of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina/Tennessee...
Visit Shenandoah National Park in Virginia
While hiking any part of the 500 miles of trails (including stretches of the Appalachian Trail) in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park, you can enjoy the same sort of sweeping views of low-rolling hills, wooded hollows, and waterfalls that you’d find in the Great Smoky Mountains, with a fraction of Great Smoky’s yearly visitors. As a bonus, the leaf-peeping in the fall is spectacular.
Where to stay
Shenandoah National Park is a doable day trip from the Washington, D.C. area, but if you’d rather take your time, book a stay at one of the park’s campgrounds or a rental in one of the nearby gateway towns of Waynesboro, Luray, or Front Royal. Faraway Camp and Iris Inn are good options if you’re into glamping.
The Gunnison River flows for about 110 miles, curving around the peaks of its namesake national park.
Photo by Joshua J. Cotten/Unsplash
Instead of Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona...
Visit Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado
Sure, the Grand Canyon’s North Rim is a less-touristy alternative to the South Rim, but it’s closed for much of the winter, and the dramatic views at Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado, about seven hours away, are also breathtaking. The park’s deep canyons, craggy spires, and 2,000-foot cliffs are awe-inspiring in their own way, and the area is known for its class V kayaking and expert climbing, as well as easy to moderate hiking.
Where to stay
Black Canyon of the Gunnison has several campgrounds within the park as well as basic hotel options in Montrose, 30 minutes away from the Black Canyon’s South Rim. If you don’t mind a little bit of a drive, there are some good options an hour away in Ouray, including Beaumont Hotel & Spa and St. Elmo Hotel.
Maroon Bells is known as much for its peaks as for its fields of wildflowers.
Photo by Megan Byers/Unsplash
Instead of Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado...
Visit Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness in Colorado
Sure, Rocky Mountain National Park is impressive, but the mountain range for which it’s named doesn’t stop at the park’s boundaries. Stretching 3,000 miles from northern Canada to New Mexico, the Rockies run through much of Colorado—including the Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness, which sits just outside the town of Aspen. Here you’ll find several of Colorado’s infamous “fourteeners” (mountain peaks over 14,000 feet), like Castle and Maroon peaks, as well as alpine lakes, waterfalls, and hot springs.
Where to stay
There are several campgrounds within the wilderness area (some of which require permits), but for less-rugged accommodations, stay at a hotel in the nearby town of Aspen. Some excellent choices include the rustic-yet-modern Hotel Jerome; The Mollie, which opened in town in 2024; or Aspen Meadows, a Bauhaus-inspired all-suite resort on the West End. Snowmass is also nearby and tends to have hotel options, like The Limelight and The Viceroy, which are better suited for families, thanks to proximity to more kid-friendly amenities and adjoining rooms.
Related: 7 Best National Parks and Monuments in Colorado and How to Visit Them
Utah’s iconic rock arches can be found throughout the state, including at Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument.
Photo by GPA Photo Archive/Flickr
Instead of Zion National Park in Utah...
Visit Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument in Utah
Utah’s “Big 5 parks”—Zion, Arches, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Bryce Canyon—are all as busy as ever. However, Utah’s most iconic features—sandstone cliffs, slot canyons, and rock arches—can be found throughout the state. One of the best places to explore them without the crowds is Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument—a 1-million-acre expanse of public lands that ranges from low-lying desert to coniferous forest. If you plan to go deep into the park, consider packing a compass; the backcountry here has neither signs nor phone service.
If you’re driving between Salt Lake City or Moab and Escalante, make a pit stop at Goblin Valley State Park (one of our favorite state parks in the West), which is known for its tall, mushroom-shaped rock formations called hoodoos, also known as goblins.
Where to stay
Vast as Escalante is, where you stay will depend on the areas you plan to visit. Developed and dispersed camping options are abundant throughout, but for those who prefer a bit of luxury, consider booking a cabin or Airstream at Ofland Escalante, just west of the town of Escalante and attractions like Zebra Canyon and Escalante Petrified Forest State Park. On the southern edge of the Escalante region near Lake Powell, Under Canvas operates a luxury camping experience that was named the first Dark Sky Lodge ever in 2023.
Sequoias are the third-longest-lived species of tree, with some in California more than 3,000 years old.
CK Foto/Shutterstock
Instead of Yosemite National Park in California...
Visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks and the Sierra National Forest in California
You may know Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks (two parks managed as one) in California as the place to walk among giants—giant sequoias, that is—but there are also more than 800 miles of trails through peaks and valleys. Best of all, the parks are only a three-hour drive (give or take) from Yosemite. So if you really can’t skip the big name, you can at least get a taste of both worlds.
In between Yosemite and Sequoia sits the Sierra National Forest, which encompasses several wilderness areas and parts of the Pacific Crest Trail and John Muir Trail (which overlap). Given that both areas include stretches of the Sierra Nevada, visitors will find many similar geographical features, from lakes and waterfalls to granite peaks and pines—with a touch more ruggedness.
Where to stay
In addition to campsites in Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, there are several lodge and cabin options within the parks: Wuksachi Lodge, John Muir Lodge, and Grant Grove Cabins. To explore the Sierra National Forest, make the family-friendly Snowcreek Resort in Mammoth your home base. AutoCamp Yosemite is also nearby.
Discover wilderness, without the crowds, in Custer Gallatin National Forest.
Photo by Jessie Beck
Instead of Grand Teton & Yellowstone national parks in Wyoming...
Visit Custer Gallatin National Forest via the Beartooth Highway in Montana
If you’re looking to skip the crowds at Yellowstone, head east of the park on the scenic Beartooth Highway, which winds across Wyoming and Montana, over dramatic peaks and through green valleys, before ending in the town of Red Lodge. Along the way are plenty of jumping-off points into Gallatin National Forest. Although it holds none of the geothermal features Yellowstone is known for, it has many canyons, lakes, and glacial basins to explore.
Where to stay
Camp at the scenic East Rosebud campground in Custer Gallatin National Forest, which overlooks a remote lake surrounded by towering peaks. The Forest Service also operates some modest cabin rentals.
Water makes up more than 40 percent of Voyageurs National Park, making it the perfect location for an abundance of water activities.
Photo by Frank Kennedy MN/Shutterstock
Instead of Acadia National Park in Maine...
Visit Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota
More than 40 percent of Minnesota’s Voyageurs National Park is covered in a network of lakes, rivers, and estuaries, and there are water activities aplenty. Book a boat tour or bring your own; when the water freezes over, break out the cross-country skis or test your snowmobiling skills. Just don’t get too set on a bedtime—the aurora borealis might surprise you by flitting across the sky on a cloudless night.
Where to stay
As a certified International Dark Sky Park, Voyageurs gives visitors a good reason to spend the night. Reserve one of the park’s many campgrounds (some drive-in, some backcountry, and many only accessible by canoe), or stay on the water in a houseboat (permit required). In the town of Ash River, Ebel’s rents houseboats from which you can navigate Voyageur’s waterways. You might also consider The Oliver Inn, in the 19th-century former city hall, if you want to sleep in historic rooms on solid ground.
Guadalupe Mountains National Park protects an extensive marine fossil reef, what was once a major inland sea millions of years ago.
Photo by Jasperdo/Flickr
Instead of Joshua Tree National Park in California...
Visit Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas
It’s hard to picture, but this mountainous park stretching 135 square miles was once a marine reef, part of a vast inland sea that covered Texas some 265 million years ago. Now it’s one of the best-preserved examples of a marine fossil reef on Earth—and surprisingly biodiverse. Guadalupe Mountains National Park hosts more than 1,000 plant species, some of which exist nowhere else in the world, and more than 400 species of mammals, birds, and reptiles. With four of the tallest mountains in Texas and over 80 miles of trails, Guadalupe is also a playground for hikers and backpackers.
Where to stay
Guadalupe Mountains National Park has two campgrounds, which are the best option for a place to stay. Carlsbad, the nearest major town and one hour to the north, has some basic hotel options as well.
As the largest national park in the country, Wrangell–St. Elias has a number of record-breaking mountains, glaciers, and other landmarks.
Photo by BlueBarronPhoto/Shutterstock
Instead of Glacier National Park in Montana...
Visit Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska
At 13.2 million acres, Alaska’s Wrangell–St. Elias is the largest national park in the United States—the size of Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, and Switzerland combined. With the second-highest peak in the country (Mount St. Elias), one of the largest active volcanoes in North America (Mount Wrangell), and a glacier larger than Rhode Island (the Malaspina Glacier), it offers endless opportunities to explore. Other highlights include biking the remote Nabesna Road and floating from Nizina Glacier Lake to the Chitina River.
Where to stay
Since it’s relatively difficult to get to, Wrangell–St. Elias is best explored over a few days. Within the park, some local favorites for overnights include Ma Johnson’s Historical Hotel in McCarthy, Kennicott Glacier Lodge in Kennicott, and the opulent 20-bedroom backcountry lodge Ultima Thule (“a distant or unknown region” in Latin).
This article was originally published in 2019 and most recently updated on April 23, 2025, with current information. Brooke Vaughan and Bailey Berg contributed to the reporting of this story.
