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List

Top 10 National Recreation Areas in National Forests

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There are 21 National Recreation Areas administered solely by the U.S. Forest Service (and one co-managed with the National Park Service).  This is a list of our favorites, since we already ranked our Top 10 National Recreation Areas run by the National Park Service.  The U.S. Forest Service also manages nine National Scenic Areas, so we will probably never rank those, but by far the two best are Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge and California’s Mono Basin.  Click here to see all our Top 10 lists.

10. Land Between The Lakes (Kentucky-Tennessee)

A planetarium and a bison herd can be found in the land between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake

9. Grand Island (Michigan)

An undeveloped island beckons hikers and bikers at the western edge of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

8. Winding Stair Mountain (Oklahoma)

Eastern Oklahoma is surprisingly mountainous and densely forested

7. Mt. Rogers (Virginia)

Hike the Appalachian National Scenic Trail to the top of Virginia or hop on a bike to coast down the Virginia Creeper Rail Trail

6. Spring Mountains (Nevada)

Snow frequently falls in these scenic peaks just north of Las Vegas

5. Hells Canyon (Oregon-Idaho)

The whitewater rapids of the Snake River cut what is arguably the deepest canyon in North America

4. Oregon Dunes (Oregon)

Coastal sand dunes interspersed with Douglas-fir forests attract hikers and ORV drivers

3. Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks (West Virginia)

The state’s highest point and a popular rock climbing area are separated by a narrow valley

2. Mt. Baker (Washington)

One of the prettiest roads in the U.S., Mt. Baker Scenic Byway (Highway 542) dead ends at the high elevation of Artist Point

…and finally our #1 National Recreation Area in a National Forest:

1. Sawtooth (Idaho)

The jagged peaks here live up to their name at the intersection of Boise, Challis, and Sawtooth National Forests

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Honorable Mentions

Ed Jenkins (Georgia)

Encompassing Springer Mountain, the southern terminus of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail

Arapaho (Colorado)

The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail cuts through this lake-filled basin west of Rocky Mountain National Park

Flaming Gorge (Wyoming-Utah)

A red rock canyon on the Green River was dammed to form this pretty border-crossing reservoir

Pine Ridge (Nebraska)

An extension of the Black Hills into northwestern Nebraska, this seldom visited area is home to reintroduced bighorn sheep

Moosalamoo (Vermont)

The Falls of Lana, Silver Lake, Voter Brook Overlook, and Robert Frost Interpretive Trail are all worth a visit

Learn more about these National Recreation Areas and the 155 National Forests they are in with our guidebook Out in the Woods

List

Top 10 Natural Phenomena to See in the U.S.

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We like to make Top 10 Lists for our readers to prioritize where to go, so here is a new one we came up with specifically to celebrate our 500th blog post.  If we already have a post highlighting the type of natural wonder mentioned, we included a link (plus a few extra for future posts).  These lists are by no means exhaustive of all the states or public lands where you can witness these phenomena.  Click here for all our Top 10 Lists.

10. Natural bridge or arch (Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Nevada, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, Wyoming)

Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Daniel Boone National Forest, Natural Bridges National Monument

9. Sand dune field (California, Colorado, Indiana, Michigan, New Mexico, Texas, Utah)

Death Valley National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Indiana Dunes National Park, Mojave National Preserve, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, White Sands National Park

8. Sea cave (California, Michigan, Oregon, Wisconsin)

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Channel Islands National Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

7. Slot canyon (Arkansas, California, New Mexico, Utah)

Capitol Reef National Park, Death Valley National Park, Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

6. Coral reef (American Samoa, Florida, Hawai‘i, Virgin Islands)

National Park of American Samoa, Buck Island Reef National Monument, Dry Tortugas National Park, Pu‘uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park, Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument, Virgin Islands National Park

5. Giant sequoia or coast redwood tree (California)

Giant Sequoia National Monument, Kings Canyon National Park, Los Padres National Forest, Redwood National Park, Sequoia National Park, Sierra National Forest

4. Geyser or geothermal area (California, Hawai‘i, Nevada, Oregon, Wyoming)

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Yellowstone National Park

3. Bioluminescence (Alabama, Florida, Hawai‘i, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands)

Canaveral National Seashore, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve

2. Aurora borealis (Alaska, Michigan, Minnesota)

Chippewa National Forest, Denali National Park and Preserve, Hiawatha National Forest, Keweenaw National Historical Park, Voyageurs National Park

…and finally our #1 natural phenomenon to see in the U.S.:

1. Lava (Hawai‘i)

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

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Honorable Mentions

Cave (Alabama, Arizona, California, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, New Mexico, South Dakota, Tennessee)

Caribou National Forest, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Great Basin National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Mammoth Cave National Park, Sequoia National Park, Wind Cave National Park

Tidepool (Alaska, California, Maine, Oregon, Washington)

Acadia National Park, Cabrillo National Monument, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Olympic National Park, Redwood National Park

Tidewater glacier (Alaska)

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park

Natural hot springs (Arkansas, California, Idaho, Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming)

Beaverhead National Forest, Big Bend National Park, Boise National Forest, Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Clearwater National Forest, Hot Springs National Park, Yellowstone National Park

Walk behind a waterfall (Arkansas, Colorado, Indiana, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Utah)

Buffalo National River, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Hoosier National Forest, Zion National Park

Alpine tundra (Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming)

Bighorn National Forest, Bridger National Forest, Coconino National Forest, Eldorado National Forest, Gallatin National Forest, Glacier National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Inyo National Forest, Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite National Park

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