America’s state parks are the underrated MVPs of outdoor travel. While bucket-list spots like Yellowstone National Park and Yosemite National Park steal the spotlight, thousands of state parks across the country offer equally jaw-dropping landscapes, without the crowds, timed entry permits, or packed parking lots.
We’re talking waterfalls, canyons, wildlife, beaches, and hiking trails that absolutely hold their own. In many cases, state parks even offer more flexibility like swimming, boating, and fewer restrictions.
If you’re looking for unforgettable scenery without chaos, these state parks deserve a top spot on your travel list.
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Best State Parks on the East Coast for Waterfalls & Hiking
Franconia Notch State Park -New Hampshire
Set in the White Mountains, this park delivers dramatic alpine scenery in a compact, easy-to-explore area. Highlights include the Flume Gorge, a narrow granite canyon with waterfalls, covered bridges, and sweeping views from Cannon Mountain.
The Aeiral Tramway is also a great way to see the park. Best time to visit: May through October for full access. Winter offers skiing, but few amenities.
Pro Tip: Before you head to any park, be sure to check their website for any closures or changes so you aren’t disappointed when you get there.
Letchworth State Park – New York
Nicknamed the “Grand Canyon of the East,” this park features three major waterfalls plunging into a 600-foot gorge. Add 60 plus miles of trails and you’ve got a dream for hikers and photographers. You can even take a hot air balloon ride over the park!
The park is open year-round with skiing available in winter and swimming in summer.
Don’t miss: Fall colors – they’re next level.
Fall Creek Falls State Park – Tennessee
Home to one of the tallest waterfalls (256 feet) in the eastern U.S., this park delivers big Appalachian scenery, without the crowds of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The 26,000-acre park encompasses multiple cascading waterfalls, deep gorges carved into the Cumberland Plateau, and forests that explode with color each autumn.
Birdwatching, cycling, and swimming in the lake give you plenty of options during your visit. The park is open all year, but keep in mind that the road and most activities close at sunset.
Pro Tip: Be sure your camera has a wide-angle lens; this way you can capture the waterfalls. We use the Kodak PixPro. It takes great pictures and videos, plus it’s a nice size for travel.
Falling Waters State Park – Florida
Florida’s tallest waterfall drops into a mysterious sinkhole. Yes, Florida has waterfalls. Tucked into the Panhandle, the trails here wind through pine forests, lot of wildflowers, and alongside remnants of an 1860s gristmill that once kept the local community fed.
The park is open 8 AM until sunset, 365 days. Don’t miss this one, the water is amazing.
Midwest State Parks for Wildlife & Wide-Open Landscapes
Beavers Bend State Park – Oklahoma
Tucked into the southeast corner of the state near Broken Bow Lake, this park sits inside the Ouachita Mountains and feels more like Colorado than the southern plains. Expect pine forests, crystal-clear water, and surprisingly great fall colors.
The Mountain Fork River runs right through the park, offering some great trout fishing along with kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding. Hiking is also popular here, especially in fall with underrated colors. Wildlife in the park offers beavers, foxes and black bears. The park is always open.
Prairie State Park – Missouri
Flat? Technically. Boring? Not even close. Visitors to the park see panoramic vistas of swaying grass and ever-changing wildflowers with unexpected beauty.
But the real stars are the bison. If you want to see some wildlife in their natural habitat, this park is for you. The park is open year-round, sunrise to sunset. Park buildings aren’t open on national holidays.
Pro Tip: Be sure to keep a safe distance from any wildlife. They are faster than you think. This is where a zoom lens comes in handy.
Read More: How to Safely View Wildlife in National and State Parks (And Still Get Amazing Photos)
Custer State Park – South Dakota
This 71,000-acre park with the diverse terrain of the Black Hills rivals entire national parks. The park is home to one of the largest publicly owned bison herds in the world, with around 1,300 animals roaming freely across grasslands and pine-covered hills.
The 18-mile Wildlife Loop Road offers guaranteed wildlife encounters, where you can see bighorn sheep, elk, whitetail deer, prairie dogs, coyotes, eagles, and hawks. While the Needles Highway winds through granite spires so narrow that tunnels had to be carved through the rock itself. The park is open year-round, but some amenities aren’t available in winter months.
Peninsula State Park – Wisconsin
Cliffs, beaches, lighthouse views, and classic Midwest charm, think Cape Cod, but quieter and more affordable.
The park features 20 miles of trails winding along the Niagara Escarpment cliffs above Green Bay’s blue waters. The park offers many species of birds for bird watchers. Other animals you will find at Peninsula are foxes, coyotes and more. The park is open 6 AM to 11 PM daily all year.
Southwest State Parks with Desert & Canyon Views
Palo Duro Canyon State Park – Texas
The second-largest canyon (8800 feet deep) in the U.S. and way less crowded than Grand Canyon National Park. The canyon walls display 250 million years of geologic history in layers of red, orange, purple, and white rock.
Hiking trails wind through the canyon floor past hoodoos, juniper trees, and ancient rock formations. One of the most iconic hiking destinations in the entire state is the Lighthouse. Mountain bikers, horseback riders, and jeep tours are available to explore the park. The park is open from 7:30 AM to 10 PM all year round. Just be aware that it could close due to weather conditions.
Slide Rock State Park – Arizona
A natural water slide carved into red rock. Who thought you could swim in the middle of the desert, but you can near Sedona in Oak Creek canyon. It’s basically the most fun you can have in a state park.
There are also quite a few trails to hike while you’re drying off. The vibrant red cliffs surrounding the creek provide that classic Arizona scenery without requiring a trip to the Grand Canyon. The park is open year-round. It opens at 8 AM, fall and spring it closes at 6 PM, winter 5 PM and summer 7 PM.
Goblin Valley State Park – Utah
Feels like Mars with thousands of mushroom-shaped rock formations rising from the desert floor. These ‘goblins’ were carved by wind and water over millions of years, creating a landscape that looks more like a sci-fi movie set than planet Earth.
You can wander freely among the formations here, unlike some of the national parks. The park is open daily from 6 AM to 10 PM.
Valley of Fire State Park – Nevada
Just outside Las Vegas, this park delivers fiery red rock landscapes that rival Utah’s Mighty 5 without the crowds. The park features 40,000 acres of stunning desert scenery, ancient petroglyphs carved by ancestral Puebloans, and unique rock formations.
The scenic drives offer great pull-offs for those who don’t enjoy hiking and for those that do there are plenty of trails for you. The park is open at sunrise to sunset, 365 days. Please keep in mind that summer is super-hot and some trails will be closed from May 15th to September 30th.
Learn more: Valley of Fire State Park: Nevada’s Hidden Gem
West Coast State Parks That Feel Like a Dream
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park – California
Add Redwoods plus Big Sur River views and coastal mountains and you get pure California magic!
From hiking to whale watching and exploring lighthouses and redwoods, this park will keep you busy. The park stays beautiful year-round, whether you’re watching winter storms roll in or enjoying summer warmth. The park is open 8 AM to sunset, all year.
Emerald Bay State Park – California
One of the most photographed places in the U.S. and yes, it’s even better in person. One of the state parks on Lake Tahoe’s shores offers the beautiful blue-green bay surrounded by granite peaks, with the Scandinavian-style Vikingsholm castle perched on its shore.
Trails lead to overlooks where you can see the entire bay spread out below, its colors shifting from emerald to sapphire depending on the light. There is no road leading to the lake from this park. The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset, although some trails close due to snow in winter.
Smith Rock State Park – Oregon
A rock climber’s paradise that towers above Crooked River with colorful cliffs and rock spires. The park offers miles of trails for hikers, too, winding through the high desert with views of snow-capped Cascade peaks in the distance.
Towers of volcanic ash rise like the spires of a cathedral out of the sage and dust of the high desert. The Misery Ridge Trail leads to viewpoints that showcase why this park is considered one of the 7 Wonders of Oregon. The park is open from dawn to dusk, every day.
Alaska & Hawaii: Next-Level State Parks
Chugach State Park – Alaska
Nearly 500,000 acres of pure wilderness, right next to Anchorage, makes it one of the largest state parks in America. Within its boundaries, you’ll find massive glaciers, turquoise lakes, jagged peaks, and abundant wildlife, including bears, moose, and Dall sheep.
The fact that you can access this wilderness so easily from a major city makes it even more remarkable. This park is open 24 hours a day, every day.
Waimea Canyon State Park – Hawaii
They call it the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific,” and honestly, it earns the title. The canyon stretches more than 10 miles long and reaches up to 3,000 feet deep.
The park consists of a scenic drive, lookouts of the canyon, a viewpoint of Ni‘ihau Island, and trails. Adjacent forest reserves have long, strenuous hikes into and out of the canyon. Seasonal trout fishing is also available. The park is open daily, sunrise to sunset.
Why State Parks Deserve a Spot on Your Bucket List
State parks started as local efforts to protect special places and now, they’ve grown into one of the best-kept secrets in travel. They’re easier to access, more affordable, and often less restrictive than national parks. And the biggest bonus? You don’t have to fight crowds to enjoy them.
If you want incredible scenery and a little breathing room, state parks aren’t the backup plan, they might just be the better one.
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