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List

Top 10 Visitor Centers in National Forests

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We have now published blog posts on more than half of the 155 National Forests and 20 National Grasslands in America, so it seemed like a good time to do another Top 10 list.  Visitor centers are much rarer in National Forests than sites managed by the National Park Service (plus they seem to mostly be open only on weekdays), but there are still some good ones.  Some are small and tourist-focused like the one at historic Lolo Pass on the Idaho-Montana border, while others are large but mostly serve as the headquarters for employees, like at Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota.  Presented here are the best from our travels, plus check out some of our favorite National Forests in our many other Top 10 lists.  Still struggling to figure out the difference between a National Park and a National Forest?  Read this blog post for help.

10. El Yunque National Forest (Puerto Rico)

The Forest Service’s El Portal Rainforest Visitor Center reopened in January 2022, just weeks after we visited this as our final one of all 155 National Forests.

9. Gila National Forest (New Mexico)

This visitor center is co-managed with the National Park Service due to its proximity to Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument; ask about the hot springs in the area.

8. Ottawa National Forest (Michigan)

An interpretive trail through the forest leaves from this site, a good stop before driving down to Black River Harbor Recreation Area past its many waterfalls.

7. Inyo National Forest (California)

In the White Mountains, a steep paved road leads to a visitor center at the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, and visit the one on Mono Lake along scenic Highway 395.

6. Gallatin National Forest (Montana)

Earthquake Lake Visitor Center on Highway 287 is open in the summer to tell the tragic story of August 17, 1959.

5. Toiyabe National Forest (Nevada-California)

There are cool stained-glass windows along the top of this modern visitor center outside Las Vegas.

4. St. Francis National Forest (Arkansas)

Mississippi River State Park has an amazing new visitor center that interprets this small neighboring National Forest, and it has a gift shop.

3. Sawtooth National Recreation Area (Idaho)

There are a couple of visitor centers around scenic Redfish Lake and the town of Stanley in both Sawtooth and Challis National Forests.

2. Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument (Washington)

Gifford Pinchot National Forest runs seasonal visitor centers on both the east and west sides of Mt. St. Helens, plus there is one in Seaquest State Park.

…and finally our #1 National Forest visitor center:

1. Tongass National Forest (Alaska)

The Southeast Alaska Discovery Center in Ketchikan accepts America the Beautiful passes, so bring yours along on the cruise ship, which is how most visitors arrive.

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Honorable Mentions

Coconino National Forest (Arizona)

Red Rock Ranger Visitor Center has the best location in the heart of Sedona right off Red Rock Scenic Byway (Highway 179)

Black Kettle National Grassland (Oklahoma)

Located downstairs from the National Park Service visitor center for Washita Battlefield National Historic Site, there is also an excellent interpretive trail outside.

Grand Mesa National Forest (Colorado)

A log cabin atop the mesa shows two films about the region, while the historic Lands End Observatory offers superb views.

Wayne National Forest (Ohio)

Always seem to drive past this Welcome Center on Highway 33 when it is closed, but it looks nice from the outside.

Caribou National Forest (Idaho)

The National Oregon/California Trail Center in Montpelier has a Forest Service flag flying out front, but it does not seem to be run by them at all.

Buffalo Gap National Grassland (South Dakota)

Wall Drug is not the only attraction in the town of Wall, as the National Grasslands Visitor Center serves as the main interpretive site for all 20 National Grasslands (plus Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, which has its own nice visitor center in Illinois). 

Forest Service Information Center (Washington, D.C.)

We have been inside the historic 1878 Sidney R. Yates building on Independence Avenue SW, but do not recall the animatronic Smokey Bear that now resides there.

Learn more about all 155 National Forests in our travel guidebook Out in the Woods

List

Top 10 Gifts Highlighting National Monuments

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It is gift buying season again, so here are the best ideas for the person on your list who loves National Monuments.  This year we published Monumental America, our travel guidebook to the 138 National Monuments, so we have had those often-overlooked public lands on our minds. We previously published our Top 10 Gifts for National Park Lovers.  Click here to see all of our Top 10 Lists, including some book lists that may help you find a special gift for your favorite reader.  As always, products we have created are available under the Shop tab above. We also have a Pinterest board for National Monuments, as well as one for National Park gifts and those harder-to-find National Forest gifts.

10. Postcards

For someone who loves one of the 138 National Monuments, pick up a postcard from Anderson Design Group

9. Quarters

The U.S. Mint finished releasing its America the Beautiful series in 2021; there are books and maps highlighting all 56 quarters (and you can buy the entire set for little more than the coins’ value)

8. Phone Case

Devils Tower became the first National Monument in 1906, so why not commemorate it on the one thing you take with you everywhere?

7. Coasters

We often purchase a Lantern Press coaster from the National Park Service bookstore during our visits, but there are also sets for sale online

6. Stickers

For someone on the quest to visit all 138 National Monuments, pick up a sticker set showcasing all of them

5. Mugs

Why not recall a favorite National Monument every time you enjoy a hot beverage? Check out the options at Western National Parks Association

4. Blanket

Keep warm under a National Parks and Monuments blanket map from Nomadix

3. Posters

Artwork or photographs of our beautiful National Monuments make a great gift and there are an overwhelming number of options (try starting at Creative Action Network)

2. Clothing

T-shirts, hoodies, socks, and anything else people wear have all been emblazoned with National Monument logos and images; did you know the Statue of Liberty is a National Monument?

…and finally our #1 gift featuring National Monuments:

1. Monumental America Guidebook

Especially if your National Monuments journey is just getting started, our one-of-a-kind guidebook can help with planning the travel logistics

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Honorable Mentions

Puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles had a renaissance during the pandemic and there are many National Monument options in photographs or artwork

Photo album or photo board

We passport stamp all of the “unigrid” pamphlets (like the ones Echo the Raven poses with for each NPS blog post) from the parks and collect them in a photo album (actually three since we have visited 414 of 433 units so far)

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List

Top 10 National Monuments in National Forests

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Only 16 of the 138 U.S. National Monuments are found in National Forests, and many of those are jointly administered with the Bureau of Land Management (the BLM ones will be covered in a future Top 10 List).  Moreover, ten of them are located in only two states (California and Colorado).  However, that does not mean they are not worth checking out.  We have visited 15 with the exception of Admiralty Island in Alaska (but did read Alone in the Fortress of the Bears by Bruce L. Nelson), so we have an educated opinion in our ranking.  Click here to see all our Top 10 Lists, including our Top 10 National Monuments Managed by the National Park Service.

Learn more about all the National Monuments in our new book Monumental America: Your Guide to All 138 National Monuments

10. Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains (California)

A gondola ride up into Mt. San Jacinto State Park is the easiest way to access these mountains south of Palm Springs where the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) runs

9. Camp Hale–Continental Divide (Colorado)

During World War II, the 10th Mountain Division trained in this section of the Rocky Mountains

8. Browns Canyon (Colorado)

The only legal way to access these lands is on a whitewater rafting trip

7. Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni–Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon (Arizona)

The second newest of these 16 National Monuments includes the pictographs in Snake Gulch, part of Kaibab National Forest

6. Chimney Rock (Colorado)

This hilltop pueblo in San Juan National Forest may have been an astronomical observatory used for ceremonial purposes

5. Bears Ears (Utah)

La Sal National Forest’s Dark Canyon Wilderness has natural arches and cliff dwellings, as does the BLM portion of this sprawling National Monument

4. Misty Fiords (Alaska)

The first National Monument in a National Forest was created in 1978 and is best explored by floatplane from Ketchikan

3. Mount St. Helens (Washington)

The forest is quickly recovering in this area devastated by the 1980 volcanic eruption

2. Newberry (Oregon)

Beautiful lakes, waterfalls, and volcanic features are protected within Deschutes National Forest

…and finally our #1 National Monument in a National Forest

1. Giant Sequoia (California)

Not as busy as Sequoia National Park, there are some impressive giant sequoia trees found here (including the Boole Tree, one of our favorites)

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Honorable Mentions

Sand to Snow (California)

We are mostly familiar with the BLM part of this National Monument, but it stretches up into the San Gorgonio Wilderness of San Bernardino National Forest

San Gabriel Mountains (California)

Trails abound in the peaks that rise up to 10,068 feet above the Los Angeles metropolitan area

Berryessa Snow Mountain (California)

This portion of Mendocino National Forest is less than 100 miles from San Francisco

Admiralty Island (Alaska)

A large population of grizzly/brown bears occupies the Kootznoowoo Wilderness in Tongass National Forest 

Saint Francis Dam Disaster (California)

The site of this deadly dam failure is still under development within Angeles National Forest

Sáttítla Highlands (California)

The newest of these 16 National Monuments was created in 2025 from portions of Klamath, Modoc, and Shasta National Forests

Learn more about all the National Monuments in our book Monumental America: Your Guide to All 138 National Monuments

List

Top 10 National Forests for Day Hiking

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We have hiked in all 155 National Forests, and we used those experiences to write our guidebook Out in the Woods.  Most National Forests have hundreds of miles of trails, which are a great way to explore the landscape.  Sometimes it can be overwhelming because there are so many options.  Compared to our Top 10 Day Hiking Trails in National Forests, this list is focused on places where there are many good trails to choose from (and we did our best not to overlap).  We hope you are inspired to throw on your daypack and hit the trail.  Click here to see all our Top 10 lists, including our Top 10 National Forests for Backpacking and Top 10 Summit Trails in National Forests.

10. Tonto (Arizona)

Due to its proximity to Phoenix, many areas like Peralta and First Water Trailheads are often packed with hikers (as is Siphon Draw Trail, another favorite hike that gains 2,781 feet of elevation to the Flatiron, usually starting from Lost Dutchman State Park).

9. Hoosier (Indiana)

Pioneer Mothers Memorial Forest features a 0.8-mile trail that runs through the old-growth forest.  Hemlock Cliffs Trail is a 1.2-mile loop through a sandstone canyon that passes behind two unique waterfalls.  Longer hiking options include the 36.3-mile Terrill Ridge Trail that enters the Charles C. Deam Wilderness (Indiana’s one and only) and the 24.1 miles of trails around German Ridge Lake. 

8. Chequamegon (Wisconsin)

St. Peter’s Dome and Morgan Falls Recreation Area (fee) is one of the best developed sites, as are Aldo Leopold Commemorative Trail and Moquah Barrens Research Natural Area.  The North Country National Scenic Trail traverses a 61-mile stretch of Chequamegon National Forest and the southernmost disjunct section includes 49 miles of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.

7. Chattahoochee (Georgia)

The Gennett Poplar (a tulip-poplar tree more than five feet in diameter) is accessed by hiking 1.8 miles out-and-back with two stream crossings on the Bear Creek Tail.  Old-growth trees are also found in 175-acre Sosebee Cove Scenic Area.  Trails also access Anna Ruby Falls and the highest point in Georgia (4,784-foot Brasstown Bald).  Ed Jenkins National Recreation Area encompasses Springer Mountain, home of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail’s southern terminus and the Benton MacKaye Trail.

6. Mt. Hood (Oregon)

Some of the best waterfalls in the country are in Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and that does not include the trail that allows you to walk behind the roaring Tamanawas Falls.  Two great spots to photograph snowy Mt. Hood are from Trillium Lake and Lost Lake (where a three-mile hiking trail encircles it).

5. Ozark (Arkansas)

Hawksbill Crag (Whitaker Point) is an iconic Arkansas landmark in the Upper Buffalo Wilderness.  Alum Cove Natural Bridge National Recreation Trail is a 1.1-mile loop that crosses over a 130-foot-long sandstone bridge that is 20 feet wide with installed guardrails.  Another natural bridge (60 feet long) on Hurricane Creek can be found along the 165-mile Ozark Highlands National Recreation Trail.

4. Lolo (Montana)

Right outside Missoula are numerous hiking trails in Blue Mountain Recreation Area and Rattlesnake National Recreation Area.  Morrell Falls National Recreation Trail leads to a 90-foot-tall waterfall on the western slope of the Swan Range, and the nearby Pyramid Pass Trailhead provides access to the Bob Marshall Wilderness in adjacent Flathead National Forest.

3. White River (Colorado)

Hanging Lake and the Maroon Bells are two of the most picturesque places in Colorado, so parking can be an issue at both.  Most visitors do not make it beyond the photo-ops along Maroon Lake, but a hike up the valley at least to Crater Lake (1.8 miles one-way) is worth the effort.

2. Sierra (California)

A paved wheelchair-accessible walking path of less than a half-mile leads through the McKinley Grove of giant sequoia trees, plus there are two National Recreation Trails at Rancheria Falls and Lewis Creek (not to mention parts of the John Muir Trail and Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail). 

…and finally our #1 National Forest for day hiking:

1. Coconino (Arizona)

Mt. Humphreys made it on our Top 10 Summit Trails in National Forests and there are many other great hikes in the Kachina Wilderness on the San Francisco Peaks, plus countless trails around Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, and Sycamore Canyon.

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Honorable Mentions

George Washington (Virginia, West Virginia)

Crabtree Falls Observation Trail (day use fee) is easy to access from paved State Route 56 east of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  There are actually five waterfalls here with a total drop of 1,200 feet spread over a half-mile.  Other hikes include Bird Knob Loop Trail, Lion’s Tale National Recreation Trail, Waterfall Mountain Loop Trail, McDowell Battlefield Trail, Big Schloss Trail, and Massanutten Trail.

Pike (Colorado)

Devil’s Head National Recreation Trail leads to an amazing fire lookout tower surrounded by giant boulders (similar to The Crags, a 2.5-mile one-way trail near Cripple Creek), which is why it made it on our list of the Top 10 Day Hiking Trails in National Forests.

Green Mountain (Vermont)

Green Mountain National Forest contains part of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and about half of the 272-mile Long Trail, which in 1931 became the first named long-distance hiking trail in the U.S.  There are shorter trails at Moosalamoo National Recreation Area, Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area, Texas Falls, Robert Frost Wayside, Devil’s Den Cave, Lye Brook Falls, and Mt. Ellen.

San Bernardino (California)

The most developed parts of San Bernardino National Forest for hiking are around Big Bear Lake, Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, and the San Gorgonio Wilderness.  An Adventure Pass is required to park at popular trailheads, including Castle Rock, Grays Peak, Hanna Flat, and Cougar Crest to Bertha Peak.  Southwest of Big Bear Lake is the Champion Lodgepole Pine Trail, which is less than a mile hike through the lush Bluff Meadows to a stout seven-foot diameter tree.

Ottawa (Michigan)

Ottawa National Forest has 2,000 miles of streams and countless waterfalls.  Black River Harbor Recreation Area is traced by the North Country National Scenic Trail and has several beautiful falls along its passage to Lake Superior.  The Forest Service visitor center in Watersmeet has a half-mile interpretive loop and access to Agonikak National Recreation Trail.  

Learn more about our favorite hike in each of the 155 National Forests in our guidebook Out in the Woods: An Introductory Guide to America’s 155 National Forests

List

Top 10 Non-Fiction Books on Wildlife

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It is the holiday gift buying season again, so in addition to promoting our newest travel guidebook 50 States of Great: Road Trip Guide to America, we decided to rank our favorite non-fiction books about wildlife.  We did not realize how many we had read until we started researching other lists on the subject, so the competition was stiff.  We focused on wildlife, not domesticated wild animals, so we left off three popular books: H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald, The Daily Coyote by Shreve Stockton, and Wesley the Owl by Stacey O’Brien.  Click here to see all our Top 10 lists, including our Top 10 Gifts for National Park Lovers.

10. Lily Pond: Four Years with a Family of Beavers by Hope Ryden (1989)

A personal story that is enhanced by references to scientific studies on beavers

9. Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place by Terry Tempest Williams (1991)

Mostly autobiographical, this beautifully written tome is a love letter to Utah’s Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

8. Red Fox: The Catlike Canine by J. David Henry (1996)

Red foxes live almost everywhere in the U.S. having adapted to a wide variety of environments

7. A Beast the Color of Winter: The Mountain Goat Observed by Douglas H. Chadwick (1983)

North American mountain goats are the subject of this concise volume; Chadwick has also written The Wolverine Way (2010)

6. Heart and Blood: Living with Deer in America by Richard Nelson (1997)

Set mostly in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, this is an interesting perspective on a common mammal

5. Built for Speed: A Year in the Life of Pronghorn by John A. Byers (2003)

This book taught us so much about our backyard neighbors, from their predatory zygotes to their oversized hearts and lungs

4. Birdology: Adventures with Hip Hop Parrots, Cantankerous Cassowaries, Crabby Crows, Peripatetic Pigeons, Hens, Hawks, and Hummingbirds by Sy Montgomery (2010)

The first book we have read by prolific nature writer Sy Montgomery, but certainly not the last

3. The Rise of Wolf 8: Witnessing the Triumph of Yellowstone’s Underdog by Rick McIntyre (2019)

The first of a series that documents the dramatic lives of the reintroduced wolfpacks of Yellowstone National Park over the decades

2. Watch the Bear: A Half Century with the Brown Bears of Alaska by Derek Stonorov (2023)

One of the best books about bears ever written, it dispels myths based on a lifetime of close observation in Alaska

…and finally our #1 non-fiction book about wildlife:

1. Mind of the Raven: Investigations and Adventures with Wolf-Birds by Bernd Heinrich (1999)

Even if you know a lot about these fascinating and intelligent birds, you will learn something new. The obvious #1 choice for Raven About the Parks!

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Honorable Mentions

North American Tree Squirrels by Michael A. Steele and John L. Koprowski (2003)

Two researchers recount their studies on these frequently seen, but often misunderstood creatures

Wild in Arizona: Photographing Arizona’s Wildlife by Bruce D. Taubert (2016)

Incredible color photographs and expert tips on where to find wildlife in Arizona

Prairie Dogs: A Wildlife Handbook by Kim Long (2002)

A succinct look at this keystone species; we have also read the author’s equally good Squirrels: A Wildlife Handbook

The Social Lives of Animals by Ashley Ward (2022)

A biologist shares her personal experiences with wild animals across the globe

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey (2010)

Well-written and inspirational look at the often-overlooked wildlife that shares our daily existence

The Animal Dialogues: Uncommon Encounters in the Wild by Craig Childs (2007)

Personal encounters with wild animals from the celebrated author of House of Rain: Tracking a Vanished Civilization Across the American Southwest (2007)

 A Naturalist in Alaska by Adolph Murie (1961)

Set in Denali National Park, previously on our list of Top 10 Books Set in a National Park

Wildlife Watching in America’s National Parks: A Seasonal Guide by Gary W. Vequist and Daniel S. Licht (2013)

This useful guide was previously in our Top 10 Guidebooks to National Parks

Tracks of the Unseen: Meditations on Alaska Wildlife, Landscape, and Photography by Nick Jans (2000)

Previously in our Top 10 Non-Fiction Books Set in Alaska; Jans’ work is also included in the anthology Wild Moments: Adventures with Animals of the North (2009)

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