The park also provides opportunities for hiking, camping, and playing in the fresh water of Lake Shelby.
Only a 20-minute drive from Anchorage, this vast green space is one of Alaska’s most accessible.
It’s also one of the largest state parks in the country.
Getty Images
There’s even a seasonal cafe where it’s possible for you to rest your legs between activities.
Whichever park you choose to explore, you’re bound to see some of the world’s tallest trees.
Silver Sands State Park Connecticut
Thisstate parkcomprises acres upon acres of dunes, beach, and woodlands.
Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure
Strolling along the boardwalk is a breezy way to explore the marshland and shoreline.
Walk out to the Point Overlook to see where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean.
Learn about the native flora and fauna at the Seaside Nature Center.
Getty Images
Or rent a bike for free and cycle the Loop trail that circumnavigates the park.
Other activities include birding, hiking, picnicking, swimming, and scuba diving in Blue Hole Spring.
With a permit, you’re free to even make the memorable descent to the gorge floor.
Ron and Patty Thomas/Getty Images
Either way, don’t miss the park’s iconic suspension bridge.
Breathtaking natural features include freshwater caves, lava tubes, sea arches, a blowhole, and tropical forest.
One of the park’s more unusual offerings is disc golf.
Christopher Larson/Travel + Leisure
And if you happen upon a white-tailed deer or a bald eagle, the effect is only magnified.
In the summer, rent a kayak at the campground and see the park from the Illinois River.
When you need a break, cool off in the shade of Backbone Cave.
Bob Gundersen/Getty Images
If you’re feeling up for it, take on the 20-mile hike around the circumference of the park.
Assateague State Park Maryland
This park sits onAssateague Island, a barrier island off theMaryland coast.
Theone-of-a-kind destinationis best known for its wild horses, often spotted running along the beach.
Jennifer Idol/Stocktrek Images/Getty Images
Hike to the top to get beautiful views of the wilderness, up to 90 miles out.
Long trails outfitted with shelters accommodate backpackers.
Further inland, there are more than 90 miles of hiking trails leading to waterfalls and scenic viewpoints.
Getty Images
In the winter, powderhounds flock to the Porcupine Mountains for skiing, snowmobiling, and more.
But what really makes this park special is the fact that it contains the headwaters of theMississippi River.
you’re able to even walk on rocks across a shallow part of the water.
Nicola Patterson/EyeEm/Getty Images
Archeological digs in the park indicate that it was inhabited by Indigenous peoples as long ago as 7000 B.C.E.
Today, parkgoers come to hike, fish, camp, swim, picnic, and boat.
Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park Missouri
The terrain inJohnson’s Shut-Ins State Parkis both stunning and surprising.
Getty Images
Makoshika State Park Montana
Ever dreamed of traveling to Mars?
You’ll get a similar effect a lot closer to home atMakoshika State Park.
The sea of sandstone is speckled with 2,000-year-old petroglyphs.
Getty Images
And where the ground isn’t covered by rock, you might see petrified trees.
A scenic byway connects the east and west entrances.
Along it, there are places to pull over and see cool rock formations or go for hikes.
Getty Images/Cavan Images RF
you’ve got the option to descend into the gorge on a two-mile boardwalk loop.
The aptly namedIsland Beach State Parkis a 10-mile piece of land separating Barnegat Bay and the Atlantic.
Find your favorite beach-related activity here, be it fishing, swimming, windsurfing, or kayaking.
Getty Images
A volcano erupted millions of years ago, spewing rocks and boulders across the landscape.
Colt State Park Rhode Island
Colt State Parkoffers some of the best ocean views inRhode Island.
In the winter, you’re free to cross-country ski and snowshoe right next to the sea.
John Elk III/Getty Images
If you’re lucky, you might even spot a bison.
It’s located on the Texas Panhandle, hundreds of miles from the much-busier Grand Canyon.
Goblin Valley State Park Utah
See the otherworldly, mushroom-shaped rock pinnacles that giveGoblin Valleyits name.
Getty Images
There are no marked trails within the three-square-mile area, so you might roam among the gnomes freely.
Go after dark for next-level stargazing thanks to a lack of light pollution.
The park provides easy access to hiking and great picnicking spots.
Emilie Bouvier/Nebraska Tourism
“The notch” also attracts cavers and climbers alike.
Rogers Recreation Area and Jefferson National Forest.
Trails range from less than a mile to just over three miles.
Paul Massie/Getty Images
For a memorable jaunt, walk the Grayson Highlands stretch of the Appalachian Trail.
In addition to stunning scenery, the park also has plenty of hiking, biking, and fishing.
Devil’s Lake State Park Wisconsin
Thelargest state park in Wisconsinis also one of the most stunning.
Parker Hill/500px/Getty Images
The glacier-formed Devil’s Lake is surrounded by impressive bluffs and woodland.
Enjoy a soothing soak at the free public bathhouse or hike through the park’s trails looking for bison.
Getty Images
David Arment/Getty Images
Getty Images
Lane Turner/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Melissa Kopka/Getty Images
Martina Birnbaum/EyeEm/Getty Images
Getty Images/Collection Mix: Subjects RF
Getty Images
Alisha Bube/Getty Images
