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List

Top 10 Roosevelt Family NPS Sites

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Following our 2023 visit to Buffalo, New York, we realized how many National Park Service (NPS) units revolve around the Roosevelt Family: Presidents Theodore (Teddy) and Franklin (FDR), plus influential First Lady Eleanor.  There are dozens of other NPS sites dedicated to former Presidents, so we will have to determine our favorites of those after we finish visiting them all someday.  We hope you enjoy our ranking and please let us know your favorite.  Click here to see all our Top 10 lists.

10. Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site (New York)

An interesting example of a historic brownstone home in New York City where a wealthy Knickerbocker family resided

9. Catoctin Mountain Park (Maryland)

Camp David is in the middle of this park, which was called Shangri-La by FDR, the first U.S. President to utilize the compound

8. Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site (New York)

Many world leaders visited this nondescript former-factory in Hyde Park even after the passing of Eleanor’s husband FDR

7. Theodore Roosevelt Island National Memorial (District of Columbia)

Teddy used to swim in the Potomac River year round, so it is fitting that his statue stands on this island on its Virginia bank

6. Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site (New York)

A lavish mansion sits above the Hudson River in Hyde Park near Vanderbilt National Historic Site

5. Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial (District of Columbia)

Instead of one large statue, there are multiple smaller ones portraying FDR’s historically long presidency

4. Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site (New York)

There is an interesting small museum downstairs and interactive exhibits throughout the house in downtown Buffalo where Teddy was sworn in following President McKinley’s death

3. Mount Rushmore National Memorial (South Dakota)

Theodore Roosevelt was the most contemporary and controversial figure carved into Mt. Rushmore, but his legacy has justified his inclusion

2. Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (New York)

Teddy’s mansion on Long Island is a beautiful house full of historic artifacts

…and finally our #1 Roosevelt Family NPS Site:

1. Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Dakota)

We think Teddy would love to visit the only one of the 63 National Parks named for a President, with bison roaming where he once ranched cattle

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Honorable Mentions

Roosevelt Campobello International Park (New Brunswick)

Summer home of FDR and Eleanor jointly managed by Parks Canada and the NPS

Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area (Washington)

The reservoir created by the Grand Coulee Dam in the 1930s was named for FDR

Roosevelt National Forest (Colorado)

Not an NPS site, but named for Teddy who created the U.S. Forest Service during his presidency

Yosemite National Park (California)

Who could forget the famous image of John Muir and Teddy camping in this National Park

Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)

One of many National Monuments established during Teddy’s presidency, several of which became National Parks

List

Top 10 Non-Fiction Books about Road Trips

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In honor of publishing our newest travel guidebook 50 States of Great: Road Trip Guide to America, we decided to rank our favorite non-fiction books about road trips.  We did not realize how many we had read until we started researching other lists on the subject, so the competition was stiff.  Two classics that did not crack our Top 10 are Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig (1974) and Blue Highways: A Journey into America by William Least Heat Moon (1982).  We would love to hear your favorite road trip book, fiction or non-fiction.  Click here to see all our Top 10 lists, including some road trip books in our Top 10 Non-Fiction Books Set in Multiple National Parks.

Know someone who loves road trips? Gift them our travel guidebook 50 States of Great: Road Trip Guide to America.

10. Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer: A Journey into the Heart of Fan Mania by Warren St. John (2004)

A lifelong Alabama fan follows his team through an entire football season in the late-1990s and learns about the RV culture of dedicated tailgaters

9. South to America: A Journey Below the Mason-Dixon to Understand the Soul of a Nation by Imani Perry (2022)

Most of the books on this list are light-hearted, but this one takes on racism and other serious subjects

8. A Life on the Road by Charles Kuralt (1990)

Autobiography of a reporter who spent much of his career doing human interest stories across the U.S.

7. Stephen Fry in America: Fifty States and the Man Who Set Out to See Them All by Stephen Fry (2010)

An interesting perspective from a British actor who filmed a documentary series while visiting all 50 states in the 2000s

6. A Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins (1979)

Does it count as a road trip if you walk the road instead of driving it? We think so, and the sequel The Walk West is also good

5. Travels with Charley in Search of America by John Steinbeck (1962)

Perhaps a bit dated now, but this is a cherished travelogue from the national treasure who wrote The Grapes of Wrath (a novel which is sort of a road trip book itself)

4. The Lost Continent: Travels in Small-Town America by Bill Bryson (2001)

A comedic take on American quirks by an ex-pat who lived in Great Britain for years

3. The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe (1968)

Delve “furthur” into the 1960s drug culture alongside One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest author Ken Kesey and his band of Merry Pranksters

2. Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell (2005)

A highly-entertaining travelogue of visiting the many places made famous by assassinations throughout American history

…and finally our #1 book about a road trip:

1. On the Road by Jack Kerouac (1957)

This classic does not really have a plot, just a bunch of interesting characters to drive back and forth across 1950s America with (it is often considered fiction, but it is based on real people and events)

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Honorable Mentions

Rising from the Plains (Annals of the Former World, Book 3 of 4) by John McPhee (1986)

Road cuts along highways are often destinations for geologists, especially in the Rocky Mountains

Northland: A 4,000-Mile Journey Along America’s Forgotten Border by Porter Fox (2018)

The author writes of his experiences traveling by canoe, freighter, car, and foot along the U.S.-Canada border

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson (1971)

This is a fun book that made it on many similar lists, but we are not sure it really qualifies as a road trip or just a “trip”

Roads: Driving America’s Great Highways by Larry McMurtry (2000)

We have not read this book yet, but it is now on our list

Know someone who loves road trips? Gift them our travel guidebook 50 States of Great: Road Trip Guide to America.

List

Top 10 States for State Parks

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We are currently finishing up our newest travel guidebook 50 States of Great (for sale now on Amazon), which focuses on our favorite State Park, National Forest, Roadside Attraction, and nine other categories for every state in America.  Choosing one State Park for some states was easy, but others have so many great options it was a difficult decision.  We wanted to honor those states in this list, and we also included our favorite parks in each state (with the best named first).  Some of the listings are State Historic Sites that may be managed by a different government agency than State Parks or State Forests.  Click here to see all of our Top 10 Lists, including our Top 10 States for National Forests and Top 10 States for National Park Service sites.

10. South Dakota (view our 7-Day Road Trip Itinerary)

Custer (pictured), Bear Butte, Palisades, Newton Hills, Fort Sisseton

Custer State Park might be the only one on this list worthy of being a National Park for its iconic wildlife and historic architecture

9. Indiana (view our 7-Day Road Trip Itinerary)

Indiana Dunes, Spring Mill, Falls of the Ohio, Angel Mounds, Clifty Falls, O’Bannon Woods, Brown County

The best part of Indiana Dunes National Park might be Indiana Dunes State Park, plus you can buy some freshly ground cornmeal at Spring Mill

8. Montana

Lewis and Clark Caverns (pictured), Makoshika, Bannack, Pictograph Cave, Flathead Lake

A limestone show cave, badlands full of dinosaur fossils, and the ghost town that started the 1862 gold rush

7. Missouri

Elephant Rocks, Johnson’s Shut-Ins, Taum Sauk, Ha Ha Tonka, Route 66, Prairie, Montauk, Meramec

A fun mix of pretty hiking trails and interesting history can be found in Missouri

6. Nevada

Valley of Fire, Cathedral Gorge, Berlin-Ichthyosaur, Lake Tahoe Nevada

Geology is the highlight in these beautiful State Parks

5. North Carolina

Hammocks Beach, Chimney Rock, Jockey’s Ridge, Fort Macon, Stone Mountain, Fischer Point, Raven Rock, South Mountains, Hanging Rock, Pilot Mountain, Brunswick Town, Morrow Mountain, William B. Umstead

Entry is free to nearly every State Park here and we have visited 30+ in our former home state

4. Hawai‘i (view our 14-Day Trip Itinerary)

Waimea Canyon, Napali Coast (pictured), Kealakekua Bay, ‘Iao Valley, Diamond Head, Lava Trees, Akaka Falls, Koke‘e, Isaac Hale, Iolani Palace, Ahupuaa O Kahana

Incredible scenery is almost a given on the islands of this tropical paradise

3. Arkansas

Crater of Diamonds (pictured), Pinnacle Mountain, Petit Jean, Mt. Magazine, Mississippi River, Devil’s Den, Village Creek, Lake Chicot

The only publicly-owned diamond mine in the world is a major attraction in Arkansas

2. Utah

Goblin Valley, Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Kodachrome Basin, Antelope Island, Goosenecks, Dead Horse Point

Geology is the highlight in these beautiful State Parks

…and finally our #1 state for State Parks:

1. Texas

Caprock Canyons (pictured), Palo Duro Canyon, Resaca de la Palma, Big Bend Ranch, Monahans Sandhills, Davis Mountains, Enchanted Rock, Devil’s Sinkhole, Kickapoo Cavern, Old Tunnel, Brazos Bend, Caddo Mounds, Mission Tejas, San Jacinto Battleground, Pedernales Falls

A large, diverse state offers a wide variety of park experiences from evening bat flights to backcountry camping

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Honorable Mentions

Virginia

False Cape, Grayson Highlands, Fairy Stone, First Landing, Douthat, Westmoreland

Backpacking on the beach in and the mountains, plus collecting fairy stones are highlights of our time in these (somewhat expensive) parks

California

Calaveras Big Trees (pictured), Pfeiffer Big Sur, Anza-Borrego Desert, Humboldt Redwoods, Moss Landing, Emerald Bay, Montaña de Oro, Mt. Tamalpais, Oceano Dunes, Fort Ross, Natural Bridges, Mt. Diablo

There have to be more State Parks here than anywhere else, some of which are amazing while others are not so great

Alabama

Cathedral Caverns, Rickwood Caverns, DeSoto, Cheaha, Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson (pictured), Gulf, Joe Wheeler

Cave tours, waterfalls, and mountain views can all be found in diverse Alabama

Oregon

Silver Falls, Beverly Beach, Smith Rock, Farewell Bend, Fort Stevens, Jessie M. Honeyman, Sunset Bay, Seal Rock, Wallowa Lake, La Pine

From the ocean to the mountains and all in between

Georgia (view our 7-Day Road Trip Itinerary)

Providence Canyon (pictured), Stephen C. Foster, Tallulah Gorge, Cloudland Canyon, Fort Mountain

Forested slopes, steep cliffs, waterfalls, and the lowlands of the Okefenokee Swamp

Michigan

Mackinac Island, Porcupine Mountains, Hartwick Pines, Fort Wilkins, P.J. Hoffmaster, Straits

Mackinac Island State Park was once a National Park and the Porcupine Mountains offer an incredible wilderness for backpacking on Lake Superior

South Carolina

Huntington Beach, Edisto Beach, Colonial Dorchester, Myrtle Beach, Hunting Island, Table Rock, Hampton Plantation, Devil’s Fork, Mountain Bridge

Some of the best ocean side campgrounds in the United States

List

Top 10 States for National Forests

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We are currently finishing up our newest travel guidebook 50 States of Great (for sale now on Amazon), which focuses on our favorite National Forest, State Park, Roadside Attraction, and nine other categories for every state in America.  There are a few states with only one National Forest (and ten without any), which made the selection process easy, but others like California (with 19) that were a real challenge to pick.  With that in mind, we thought it would be fun to select the top states for National Forest biodiversity and recreational opportunities.  Click here to see all of our Top 10 Lists, including our Top 10 States for State Parks and Top 10 Day Hiking Trails in National Forests.

10. Florida

Apalachicola, Ocala, and Osceola National Forests

1,434,931 acres (1,176,287 federal/ 258,649 other)

Crystal clear natural springs and biodiverse forests with endemic species make this a fun state to visit, just not so much during the muggy and buggy summers

9. Oregon

Deschutes, Fremont, Malheur, Mt. Hood, Ochoco, Rogue River, Siuslaw, Umpqua, Willamette, Winema, Siskiyou, Wallowa, Whitman, and Umatilla National Forests

17,314,842 acres (15,555,804 federal/ 1,759,038 other)

From sand dunes on the Pacific Ocean to Cascade Range stratovolcanoes, from countless waterfalls to dry hillsides above the Columbia and Snake Rivers

8. Alabama

Conecuh, Talladega, Tuskegee, and William B. Bankhead National Forests

1,288,521 (670,983 federal/ 617,538 other)

A state with surprisingly great backpacking opportunities and long trails through pine and hardwood forests

7. Alaska

Chugach and Tongass National Forests

24,359,118 (21,956,783 federal/ 2,402,335 other)

Some of the most rugged terrain in America is found in these temperate rainforests on the Pacific Coast

6. Utah

Ashley, Cache, Dixie, Fishlake, La Sal, Manti, Sawtooth, Uinta, and Wasatch National Forests

9,157,444 acres (8,152,640 federal/ 1,004,804 other)

Alpine peaks and red rock beauty stretch from the northern border to the south

5. Kentucky

Daniel Boone National Forest and Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area

2,153,550 (813,138 federal/ 1,340,412 other)

Bison herds, sandstone arches, waterfalls, and caves await in the forested hills of Kentucky

4. Wyoming

Bighorn, Bridger, Medicine Bow, Shoshone, and Teton National Forests

9,123,212 acres (8,694,111 federal/ 429,101 other)

Our favorite places to backpack in the world are all in our home state of Wyoming

3. Arizona (Click here to view our 7-Day Road Trip Itinerary)

Apache, Coconino, Coronado, Kaibab, Prescott, Sitgreaves, and Tonto National Forests

11,891,457 acres (11,264,619 federal/ 626,838 other)

Sky Islands that rise above the Sonoran Desert, the red rocks of Sedona, and extensive conifer forests

2. Washington

Colville, Gifford Pinchot, Mt. Baker, Okanogan, Olympic, Snoqualmie, and Wenatchee National Forests

10,109,600 acres (9,287,525 federal/ 822,075 other)

Glacier-clad peaks and beautiful lakes abound in the soggy and scenic Pacific Northwest

…and finally our #1 state for National Forests:

1. California

Angeles, Cleveland, Eldorado, Inyo, Klamath, Lassen, Los Padres, Mendocino, Modoc, Plumas, San Bernardino, Sequoia, Shasta, Sierra, Six Rivers, Stanislaus, Tahoe, Toiyabe, and Trinity National Forests

24,266,631 acres (20,790,923 federal/ 3,475,708 other)

Incredible endemic tree species like giant sequoia and coast redwood make these 19 National Forests the most biodiverse in America

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Honorable Mentions

Colorado

Arapaho, Grand Mesa, Gunnison, Pike, Rio Grande, Roosevelt, Routt, San Isabel, San Juan, Uncompahgre, and White River National Forests

15,339,248 acres (13,884,722 federal/ 1,454,526 other)

There is a short summer season to hike in Colorado’s mountains, but ski resorts and snowshoes open up the country in the winter

Michigan

Hiawatha, Huron, Manistee, and Ottawa National Forests

4,880,281 acres (2,866,752 federal/ 2,013,529 other)

Lighthouses on three Great Lakes, plus wonderful waterfalls, sand dunes, and hiking trails

Idaho (Click here to view our 7-Day Road Trip Itinerary)

Boise, Caribou, Challis, Clearwater, Idaho Panhandle (Coeur d’Alene, Kaniksu, St. Joe), Nez Perce, Payette, Salmon, Sawtooth, and Targhee National Forests

21,582,915 acres (20,416,960 federal/ 1,165,955 other)

Worth including if only for stunning Sawtooth National Recreation Area and the massive Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness

New Hampshire

White Mountain National Forest

828,356 acres (735,823 federal/ 92,533 other)

Only one National Forest in New Hampshire, but one of the few that could easily be a National Park

Puerto Rico

El Yunque National Forest

56,097 acres (28,434 federal/ 27,663 other)

Puerto Rico is not technically a state, but the only tropical rainforest in the National Forest system deserves recognition

List

Top 10 Day Hiking Trails in National Forests

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This was a difficult Top 10 list to pick since there are so many great hiking options in America’s 155 National Forests.  We realized some of our favorite trails were already included in our Top 10 National Forests for Backpacking, although Gila National Forest made it on both lists for different trails.  We also discovered we could make an entire list of Top 10 Summit Trails in National Forests, so check that out too.  Click here to see all of our Top 10 Lists.

10. Devil’s Head National Recreation Trail

Pike National Forest (Colorado)

At the end of this trail, an amazing fire lookout tower awaits surrounded by giant boulders (similar to The Crags, a 2.5-mile one-way trail near Cripple Creek)

9. Methuselah Grove Loop

Inyo National Forest (California)

High up in the remote White Mountains, a 4.5-mile loop passes Great Basin bristlecone pine trees that are thousands of years old and offers awesome views of the Owens Valley and Mt. Whitney

8. Rattlesnake Creek Trail

Dixie National Forest (Utah)

Skirts the edge of spectacular Cedar Breaks National Monument, a red rock badlands full of hoodoos where Great Basin bristlecone pine trees cling to the eroding edge

7. The Catwalk National Recreation Trail

Gila National Forest (New Mexico)

The first mile is partially elevated above raging Whitewater Creek on wide, steel grates complete with handrails and interpretive signs

6. Seneca Rocks Trail

Monongahela National Forest (West Virginia)

Seneca Rocks is very popular with rock climbers, but hikers can access the narrow rock ledge via a steep 1.3-mile one-way trail

5. Abineau Canyon Trail

Coconino National Forest (Arizona)

Sedona is full of scenic trails, but our favorite trail is north of Flagstaff in the San Francisco Peaks (especially when the quaking aspen leaves turn in October)

4. Crag Crest National Recreation Trail

Grand Mesa National Forest (Colorado)

It can be hiked as a 10.3-mile loop from two trailheads, but the crest portion of the hike is the highlight as it follows a narrow ridge of volcanic rock that offers spectacular views

3. Joyce Kilmer National Recreation Trail

Nantahala National Forest (North Carolina)

The tulip-poplars and other giant trees protected in this old-growth cove hardwood forest are spectacular

2. Trail of 100 Giants

Sequoia National Forest (California)

A short, paved trail past giant sequoias in the Longwood Meadow Grove (nearby, we highly recommend the 4.7-mile hike that climbs 698-feet to Buck Rock Lookout, arguably the nation’s most stunning location for a fire lookout tower)

…and finally our #1 day hiking trail in a National Forest:

1. Maple Pass Loop

Okanogan National Forest (Washington)

An 8.5-mile loop that switchbacks up more than 2,000 feet past Lake Ann to spectacular Maple Pass (the counter-clockwise route is less steep)

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Honorable Mentions

Rock Bridge Trail

Daniel Boone National Forest (Kentucky)

All of the trails in Red River Gorge Geological Area are great, with sandstone arches and overlooks as destinations

Wind Cave Trail

Cache National Forest (Utah)

There are canyon views the entire way as this 3.6-mile out-and-back trail gains more than 900 feet in elevation to the limestone arches of Wind Cave

Lake Ann Trail

Mt. Baker National Forest (Washington)

Often snow-packed well into July, this 4.2-mile one-way trail to Lake Ann offers unsurpassed views of Mt. Baker and Mt. Shuksan on clear days

Peralta Trail

Tonto National Forest (Arizona)

Due to its proximity to Phoenix, Peralta Trail is often packed with hikers (as is Siphon Draw Trail, another favorite hike that gains 2,781 feet of elevation to the Flatiron)

We have included our favorite hiking trail for each of the 155 National Forests in our travel guidebook Out in the Woods