The U.S.features some state parks that rival national parks in scenery. Located in the desert, the plain, the mountains and along the ocean, families can visit some of the best state parks in the U.S. Scattered across the U.S., visitors can hike, camp or take a scenic drive to enjoy each park’s landscape.
10 Best State Parks in U.S.
Custer State Park
Big Bend Ranch State Park
Humboldt Redwoods State Park,
Iao Valley State Park
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Minnewaska State Park Preserve
Niagara Falls State Park
Palo Duro State Park
Peninsula State Park
Quoddy Head State Park
Sand Harbor State Park
Custer State Park in Custer, SD
Protected since 1912, Custer State Park is known for some of North America’s top wildlife viewing. Nestled between the National Park sites of South Dakota, it is in the middle of the Black Hills.
From hiking to boating to rock climbing, Custer State Park also offers abundant outdoor recreation opportunities. Since it offers lots of camping and lodging options, it can be the base camp for a Black Hills getaway to remember.
Top Things to Do in Custer
Big Bend Ranch State Park in Terlingua, TX
Big Bend Ranch State Park is a 311,000-acre state park located on the Rio Grande in Brewster and Presidio counties, Texas. It is the largest state park in Texas. It is next door to Big Bend National Park.
Big Bend offers an end-of-the-road feeling. Part of the Chihuahua Desert, visitors enjoy hiking, scenic drives and river rafting if the water is high enough. Big Bend Ranch State Park is also home to a resident herd of Texas Longhorns.
Top Things to Do in Big Bend
Humboldt Redwoods State Park in Weott, CA
It is home to Rockefeller Forest, the world’s largest remaining contiguous old-growth forest of coast redwoods. It is 53,000 acres in size.
One-third, or 17,000 acres, of the park, is old-growth redwood forest, the largest expanse of ancient redwoods left on the planet. It is south of the Redwood National and State Parks.
Iao Valley State Park in Wailuku, HI
This 4,000-acre, 10-mile-long park sits in central Maui amongst a verdant landscape and striking rock features, like the Iao Needle that spikes 1,200 feet into the air. One of its more popular hiking trails is the paved 0.6-mile Iao Needle Lookout Trail.
It is here where King Kamehameha I and his forces won against Maui’s tribal army during the Battle of Kepaniwai in 1790. This park requires reservations for out-of-Hawaii visitors.
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park in Big Sur, CA
About 12 miles south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park on California’s Pacific coast, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is named after a Californian pioneer. A main feature of the park is McWay Falls, which drops over a cliff of 80 feet into the Monterrey Bay National Marine Sanctuary,
The park is also home to 300-foot redwoods, which are over 2,500 years old. There are also madrones and oaks. To get to the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, note US Highway 1 is closed south of the park, so visitors must enter from the north.
Minnewaska State Park Preserve in Kerhonkson, New York
The 22,275-acre Minnewaska State Park Preserve is home to Lake Minnewaska. It is on the Shawangunk Ridge, or the Gunks, 2,000 feet above sea level and part of the Appalachian Mountains.
During the summer, Lake Minnewaska and Lake Awosting offer guarded swimming beaches surrounded by forests. During the fall, Minnewaska State Park Preserve is the place for fall colors.
In addition to enjoying Lake Minnewaska, visitors often take the .2-mile Awosting Falls Connector Trail to the 60-foot Awosting Falls. Additional Bogerman Falls, Rainbow Falls and Stony Kill Falls are located in the Minnewaska State Park.
Minnewaska State Park features 35 miles of carriage roads used for biking and hiking trails and 50 miles of hiking trails. Rock climbing is popular in the park as well.
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Niagara Falls State Park in Niagara Falls, NY
Niagara Falls is in a state park and Niagara Falls State Park is the oldest state park in the U.S. It’s free to visit and open year-round and 24 hours a day.
Hugging the Niagara River’s side, there are many viewpoints to see the falls and the rushing river leading to the big drop. Pack a picnic lunch and make a day of it. There’s plenty of shade to toss a blanket out. You can also find lots of grab-and-go options in the park.
Frederick Law Olmstead, who designed Central Park in New York City, designed the park to preserve its natural beauty and allow visitors easy access to the falls. Before, the area was dominated by industrial businesses and threatened to destroy the area.
Top Things to Do in Niagara Falls
Palo Duro State Park in Canyon, TX
The Grand Canyon of Texas in the Texas Panhandle is second on THE Grand Canyon. The best feature of this canyon is that visitors can drive to the bottom of Palo Duro.
Along the route, drivers pass the colorful red and orange striations of the canyon walls. Palo Duro Canyon State Park offers its visitors scenic drives, hiking, biking, wildlife viewing and horseback riding, along with a summertime musical production.
Top Things to Do in Palo Duro State Park
Peninsula State Park in Fish Creek, WI
With over 3,700 acres to explore along the shores of Green Bay, it’s the third-largest state park in Wisconsin. With lots of activities inside the park, it is one of the top things to do in Door County, Wisconsin, with kids.
Peninsula State Park offers top biking trails, including the 9.6-mile Sunset Bike Route, a relatively level, shaded gravel path great for school-age kids. The park also offers 16 miles of off-road bike trails.
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Quoddy Head State Park in Lubec, ME
On the easternmost point of land in the continental United States, Quoddy Head State Park offers sweeping landscapes that are quintessentially Maine. The evergreen trees, rugged granite shore and the deep blue of the North Atlantic mix into a sublime landscape.
Quoddy Head State Park features a red-and-white striped lighthouse, the West Quoddy Head Light, built in 1808. This park offers hiking, and visitors can see Canada over the Quoddy Channel.
Sand Harbor State Park in Incline Village, NV
See the most photographed rocks in Lake Tahoe while you soak up the sun. Find kayaks and stand-up paddle boards available for rent within the park.
It’s a favorite spot to explore on the water. There’s a sand beach and a walking trail to get you back to Incline Village. Arrive early in the day, this park closes when the parking lot is full.
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