Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.gadling.com/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Off the beaten path: Road trip to a rarely visited National Park]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/06/10/rarely-visited-national-parks/http://www.gadling.com/2010/06/10/rarely-visited-national-parks/http://www.gadling.com/2010/06/10/rarely-visited-national-parks/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The big national parks are popular for a reason, but here are 10 other national parks and forests you may not have visited, and some fun activities to do while you are there. Consider one of these off-the-beaten-path parks for your summer round-trip:

Acadia National Park is a beautiful piece of the Maine coastline. Bring your alarm clock so you can wake early and hike to the top of Cadillac Mountain just before dawn. From this spot, you'll be the first person to see the sun rise over the US!

The White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire has some of the most rugged hiking on the Appalachian Trail. Mount Washington is located here and has the highest recorded winds on the planet. Take the train to the top and check out the buildings that are literally chained down so they don't blow away!

While the Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited national park, few travelers leave their car. Take a few days to hike the Appalachian Trail here. It bisects the park and delineates Tennessee from North Carolina. See if you can count the 100 tree varieties found in the region.

The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado, has the tallest sand dunes in the nation (Star Dune is over 750 feet). Bring your old skis or snowboard and spend a day sand-boarding!

The Bridger-Teton National Forest, in Wyoming, includes the Wind River Range. Don't forget your fishing pole or your backpack. The high alpine lakes are home to world-class trout fishing and humans rarely venture to these parts.

Continue reading Off the beaten path: Road trip to a rarely visited National Park

Off the beaten path: Road trip to a rarely visited National Park originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AcadiacaliforniacoloradoDevilsGardenGreatSmokyMountainsmaineMonumentMountWashingtonnational parksNationalParksnew hampshirenew yorkNewHampshireNewYorkparktennesseeutahWindRiverRangewyomingThu, 10 Jun 2010 14:00:00 EST