When we plan our trips each year, the first thing that comes to mind is, Which National Park do we want to go to? It is just a no-brainer because we see them so much on social media, TV, and in travel magazines. They also report large crowds and extreme traffic during their peak seasons and people don’t even blink. What if I told you there was an alternative that can provide the same jaw-dropping experience? This is without the hassle of fighting for a parking spot or trying to see over someone else’s head. Let me show you, the 17 Best State Parks in the USA that are better than some National Parks.
Table of Contents
- Dead Horse Canyon Utah
- Eldorado Canyon Colorado
- Smith Rock Oregon
- Letchworth New York
- Emerald Bay California
- Akaka Falls Hawaii
- Fall Creek Falls Tennessee
- Julia Pfeiffer Burns California
- Johnson’s Shut-ins Missouri
- Valley of Fire Nevada
- Cumberland Falls Kentucky
- City Of Rocks New Mexico
- Starved Rock Illinois
- Hocking Hills Ohio
- Red Rock Arizona
- Prairie Creek Redwoods California
- Palo Duro Canyon Texas
- Garden of the Gods Colorado
- Monument Valley Arizona
State Park vs National Park, what is the difference?
Believe it or not, some state parks offer as much or more than some of our national parks. After all, these are lands that state officials felt were important enough to set aside for public use. Many of them provide great recreation or have amazing scenic beauty, while others have historical or scientific importance.
The main difference between state and national parks is that the state government oversees them, not the federal government. You can expect a more standardized level of services and upkeep at national parks. With state parks, it can vary widely. Sometimes this is a good thing, especially in some states that don’t mind spending more on park renovations.
What makes a state park great?
Simply put, it is the location, most cost less but still offer all the Beauty. Most people set the State Park bar pretty low, but when visited they are amazed beyond belief. You go in not expecting much and then the next thing you know your jaw is on the floor.
For the next few weeks you are posting pictures on Facebook and telling all your friends they must go see it. Best of all you don’t have to fight for a parking spot most of the time and often you have your little neck of the woods all to yourself.
State Parks are the stepchild of the park system and don’t get the respect that they should. Whatever the reason, here’s our list of 17 State Parks that go above and beyond.
17 Best State Parks in the USA
There are many State Parks all over this country of ours and I just pulled some of my favorites. Once you mark all these off your list, research further for the others that each state provides for your enjoyment.
During my research, I found so many parks that I never even knew existed. Most of these places provide great views, water attractions, and all the hiking opportunities anyone could ask for.
Best of all these parks don’t have the flood of tourist pouring in and making them hard to even enjoy. Don’t get me wrong, I love our National Parks and try to see many of them as much as possible.
I just try and hit National Parks in the off-season and the rest when everyone is out exploring. Some of these parks still draw a nice crowd, but nothing like Zion or Yosemite will.
1. Dead Horse Point State Park, Moab, UT
My favorite by far is Dead Horse Point State Park, right by Canyonlands on the same road going in. There is no way I could have left this off our list of Best state parks in the USA after it has amazed me so.
We just spent a week in Moab and this park definitely held its own against Arches and Canyonland. If you time it right you can get a perfect sunset picture right over the horizon.
At $4 currently, this could be the best value to get into a park like this.
Hold onto your hat when at the overlook, trust me on that one!
Park Location
UT-313, Moab, UT 84532
Contact
Best state parks in the USA
Dead Horse Point State Park is a state park of Utah in the United States, featuring a dramatic overlook of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park. The park covers 5,362 acres of high desert at an altitude of 5,900 feet.
2. Eldorado Canyon State Park, Eldorado Springs, CO
Colorado is packed with many great views to choose from. Let me tell you, Eldorado Canyon will definitely be a visit that you will want to share with the world.
Kind of a hidden gem, but does get quite a few visits during the peak season.
This Park is known for rock climbing & outdoor activities, thanks to sandstone cliffs & natural attractions.
Currently, $10 per car to park and a $4 entrance fee.
Park Location
9 Kneale Road
Eldorado Springs, CO, 80025
Contact
6060 Broadway
Denver, CO 80216
303-297-1192 (Mon-Fri 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. MST, except state holidays)
Eldorado Canyon State Park is part of the Colorado State Park system. It is located in Boulder County near the city of Boulder. The park consists of two areas, the Inner Canyon and Crescent Meadows. The park encompasses 885 acres with a variety of recreation opportunities available.
3. Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne, OR
This park is a renowned rock climbing destination in a dramatic canyon with hiking trails & primitive campsites.
Beautiful rock faces tower above perfect water features. Jaw-dropping views from one end of the park to the other.
At $5 currently, this is a hard-to-pass-up destination when visiting Oregon State.
Park Location
Terrebonne, OR 97760
Contact
1-800-551-6949
park.info@oregon.gov
Smith Rock State Park is a state park located in central Oregon’s High Desert near the communities of Redmond and Terrebonne. The day-use area of the park is open daily from dawn to dusk. The park also has a camping area as well that accommodates tent camping only.
4. Letchworth State Park, New York
Want trees? We got em!
Scenic waterfalls & cliffs in a massive park with 66 miles of hiking trails, river rafting & more.
Currently $10 entry fee
Cabin and Inn lodging available
Park Location
1 Letchworth State Park, Castile, NY 14427
Contact
Letchworth State Park is a 14,427-acre New York State Park located in Livingston County and Wyoming County in the western part of the State of New York. The park is roughly 17 miles long, following the course of the Genesee River as it flows north through a deep gorge and over several large waterfalls.
5. Emerald Bay State Park, California
Currently, $10 entrance fee for the park – Fee covers Emerald Bay and DL Bliss State Park – Dogs are not allowed in the park or campground to protect the wildlife
Lake Tahoe’s crown jewel – an oasis of shimmering greens, turquoise, and blues against a strikingly beautiful mountain backdrop on the Lake’s west shore – is Emerald Bay. Due to Lake Tahoe’s incredible clarity and depth, the colors of the lake are surreal, and Emerald Bay is the perfect place to take in the entirety of the scene.
Park Location
138 Emerald Bay Rd, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
Contact
Best state parks in the USA
Emerald Bay State Park is a state park in California in the United States, centered on Lake Tahoe’s Emerald Bay, a National Natural Landmark. Park features include Eagle Falls and Vikingsholm, a 38-room mansion that is considered one of the finest examples of Scandinavian architecture in the United States
6. Akaka Falls State Park, Hawaii
The current entry fee is $5
If you are ever on the island, this is a must-see park
Tropical rainforest park offering a .4-mile loop footpath leading up to a 442-foot scenic waterfall.
Pleasant self-guided walk through lush tropical vegetation to scenic vista points overlooking the cascading Kahuna Falls.
O‘AHU (MAIN) OFFICE
Street Address:
Kalanimoku Building
1151 Punchbowl Street, Room 310
Honolulu, Hawai‘i, 96813
Phone: (808) 587-0300
Fax: (808) 587-0311
E-mail: dlnr@hawaii.gov
Akaka Falls State Park is a state park on Hawaii Island, in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The park is about 11 miles north of Hilo, west of Honomū off the Hawaii Belt Road at the end of Hawaii Route 220. It includes its namesake ʻAkaka Falls, a 442-foot tall waterfall.
7. Fall Creek Falls State Park, Tennessee
Free to enter as well as all Tennessee State Parks
The park has 222 campsites in five different areas. All sites have tables, grills, water, and electricity and are served by six bathhouses. 92 sites have sewer connections. Some sites will accommodate an RV up to 65 feet in length. Ice and firewood may be purchased year-round. Most campgrounds are accessible to persons with a disability.
Park Location
2009 Village Camp Road
Spencer, TN 38585
Contact
Camping Info & Reservations
If you are searching for the best State parks in the USA, you may also be interested in our list of the Best Beach Camping in the USA
Best state parks in the USA
Fall Creek Falls State Park is one of Tennessee’s largest and most visited state parks. The park encompasses more than 29,800 acres sprawled across the eastern top of the rugged Cumberland Plateau.
Laced with cascades, gorges, waterfalls, streams, and lush stands of virgin hardwood timber, the park beckons those who enjoy nature at its finest. Fall Creek Falls, at 256 feet, is one of the highest waterfalls in the eastern United States. Other waterfalls within the park include Piney Falls, Cane Creek Falls, and Cane Creek Cascades.
8. Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Big Sur, California
This is another one of my favorite spots to visit. Actually, all along highway one is filled with many beautiful places to stop and enjoy.
$10 entrance fee
This state park is named after Julia Pfeiffer Burns, a well-respected pioneer woman in the Big Sur country. The park stretches from the Big Sur coastline into nearby 3,000-foot ridges.
It features redwood, tan oak, madrone, chaparral, and an 80-foot waterfall that drops from granite cliffs into the ocean waters of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The higher elevation trails east of Highway 1 (currently closed) offer panoramic views of the sanctuary and miles of rugged coastline.
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is a state park in California, 12 miles south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park on California’s Pacific coast. A main feature of the park is McWay Falls, which drops over a cliff of 80 feet into the Pacific Ocean. The park is also home to 300-foot redwoods which are over 2,500 years old.
Park Location
52801 CA-1, Big Sur, CA 93920
Contact
9. Johnson’s Shut-ins State Park, Missouri
Might be playing favorites a little since I grew up in Missouri and visit this place many times over the years. This is one amazing place to spend a hot afternoon swimming and just enjoying nature. With an onsite campground and plenty of other activities, you can’t go wrong. Just had to add this “special to me” place to our list of Best state parks in the USA.
Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park is a public recreation area covering 8,781 acres (3,554 ha) on the East Fork Black River in Reynolds County, Missouri. The state park is jointly administered with adjoining Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, and together the two parks cover more than sixteen thousand acres in the St. Francois Mountains region of the Missouri Ozarks.
The term “shut-in” refers to a place where the river’s breadth is limited by a hard rock that is resistant to erosion. In these shut-ins, the river cascades over and around the smooth-worn igneous rock, creating a natural water park that is used by park visitors when water levels are not dangerously high
Park Location
148 Taum Sauk Trail, Middle Brook, MO 63656
Contact
moparks@dnr.mo.gov
800-334-6946
If you are ever in the area, you must also visit Elephant Rock State Park since you are just a hop skip, and jump away (see picture below)
10. Valley of Fire State Park, Overton, Nevada
This one was a great visit as we left Las Vegas and headed to Colorado. Hiking trails everywhere and some amazing Petroglyphic drawings all around to keep you wondering how. Where did these people go? What was their inspiration?
The $2 Entry fee is well worth the visit
Valley of Fire State Park is a public recreation and nature preservation area covering nearly 46,000 acres located 16 miles south of Overton, Nevada. The state park derives its name from red sandstone formations, the Aztec Sandstone, which formed from shifting sand dunes 150 million years ago.
Best state parks in the USA
Prehistoric inhabitants of the Valley of Fire included the Ancestral Puebloans, also known as the Anasazi, who were farmers from the nearby fertile Moapa Valley. Their approximate span of occupation has been dated from 300 BC to 1150 AD.
Their visits probably involved hunting, food gathering, and religious ceremonies, although scarcity of water would have limited their stay. Fine examples of rock art (petroglyphs) left by these ancient people can be found at several sites within the park.
Park Location
29450 Valley of Fire Hwy, Overton, NV 89040
Contact
702-397-2088
11. Cumberland Falls State Park, Kentucky
$0 Entrance fee
Imagine a wall of water falling 60 feet into a boulder-strewn gorge, a whispering mist that kisses the face, and a magical moonbow visible on a clear night under a full moon.
Known as the Niagara of the South, the 125-foot wide curtain of water is dramatic day or night. But it’s only at night during a full moon that you can see the moonbow, a phenomenon not found anywhere else in the Western Hemisphere.
%20HDR%2016%20Adjusted%2024%20X%2018%20300%20dpi%20crop-L.jpg)
Fall seems to be a great time to visit this park as the trees would be beautiful. I think you can understand why this has made our list of Best state parks in the USA.
Park Location
7351 Highway 90 Corbin, KY 40701
Contact
Phone: 606-528-4121
Email: joe.mounce@ky.gov
12. City of Rocks State Park, New Mexico
$5 Daily Use – $40 Yearly
City of Rocks State Park is a state park in New Mexico, consisting of large sculptured rock formations in the shape of pinnacles or boulders rising as high as 40 feet.
Named from the incredible volcanic rock formations found here. The park encompasses a one-square-mile area in the scenic Chihuahuan desert region of southwestern New Mexico at an elevation of 5,200 feet.
The bedrock forming the City of Rocks was created 34.9 million years ago by a volcanic eruption. Then over millions of years, erosion sculpted the rock formations seen today.
The eruption was from the Emory Caldera, centered near Hillsboro Peak at the southern end of the Black Range. The eruption was estimated to be a VEI 8 eruption, and it emplaced the Kneeling Nun Tuff, a tuff bed covering an area of 314-square-mile (810 km2), which makes up the bedrock of the park.
Park Location
327 NM-61, Faywood, NM 88034
Contact
13. Starved Rock State Park, Illinois
$0 Entrance Fee
Starved Rock State Park is a wilderness area on the Illinois River in the U.S. state of Illinois. It’s known for its steep sandstone canyons formed by glacial meltwater.
Several, including St. Louis, French, and Wildcat canyons, have waterfalls. A wooded trail leads to Lover’s Leap Overlook, with views of the river and Starved Rock Dam. Park wildlife includes white-tailed deer, bald eagles, and migratory birds.
The park derives its name from a Native American legend. In the 1760s, Chief Pontiac of the Ottawa tribe was attending a tribal council meeting. At this council of Illinois and the Pottawatomie, an Illinois-Peoria bravely stabbed Chief Pontiac. Vengeance arose in Pontiac’s followers.
A great battle started. Illinois, fearing death, took refuge on the great rock. After many days, remaining Illinois died of starvation giving this historic park its name – Starved Rock.
Park Location
2678 E 875th Rd, Oglesby, IL 61348
Contact
1 Natural Resources Way
Springfield, IL 62702
Phone: 217-782-6302
14. Hocking Hills State Park, Ohio
$0 Entrance Fee for all Ohio State Parks
Hocking Hills State Park is a state park in the Hocking Hills region of Hocking County, Ohio, United States. In some areas, the park adjoins the Hocking State Forest. Within the park are over 25 miles (40 km) of hiking trails, rock formations, waterfalls, and recess caves. The trails are open from dawn to dusk, all year round, including holidays.
The park contains seven separate hiking areas: Ash Cave, Cantwell Cliffs, Cedar Falls, Conkle’s Hollow (nature preserve), Old Man’s Cave, Rock House, and Hemlock Bridge Trail to Whispering Cave.
Hocking County was named after the Hockhocking River. Hockhocking, in Delaware’s tongue, signifies a bottle. In Shawnee, Wea-tha-Kagh-Qua-sepe, meant bottle river.
The Hockhocking River had a waterfall of nearly 20 feet located about 6 or 7 miles northwest of Lancaster. Above the falls, the creek was very narrow and straight, forming the “bottle” neck.
Park Location
19852 State Route 664, Logan, OH 43138
Contact
Park Office (740) 385-6841
Camp Office (740) 385-6165
15. Red Rock State Park, Arizona
$7 Daily Fee
I remember the first time driving down the highway and saw Sedona in front of me. I had my jaw on the floorboard and just could not believe how beautiful all the red rock formations were. It is just breathtaking and a must-see for anyone.
Red Rock State Park is a state park in Arizona, United States, featuring a red sandstone canyon outside the city of Sedona. The main mission of this day-use park is the preservation of the riparian habitat along Oak Creek.
Red Rock State Park is a 286-acre nature preserve and an environmental education center with stunning scenery. Trails throughout the park wind through manzanita and juniper to reach the rich banks of Oak Creek. Green meadows are framed by native vegetation and hills of red rock.
The creek meanders through the park, creating a diverse riparian habitat abounding with plants and wildlife. This riparian habitat provides the setting and the opportunity for the park to offer a focus on environmental education.
Park Location
4050 Red Rock Loop Rd, Sedona, AZ 86336
Contact
16. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, California
I have not been to Redwoods yet but did visit Sequoia and just imagine the splendor of these giants. If you have never been and seen these, it is a must at some point in your life. Just the way they make you feel so small and understand where you actually sit in this world. If you ever do visit you will understand why this made our list of Best state parks in the USA.
$8 Daily Use for vehicles
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is a state park, located in Humboldt County, California, near the town of Orick and 50 miles north of Eureka. The 14,000-acre park is a coastal sanctuary for old-growth Coast Redwood trees.
Visitors can stay at either Elk Prairie or Gold Bluffs Beach campgrounds and explore the park via three scenic drives, 75 miles of hiking trails, and a 19-mile bike loop. Traverse self-guided nature trails, as well as the Revelation Trail (designed to emphasize the use of the five senses) and the Redwood Access Trail, (designed for people with physical limitations.)
Many visitors take the gentle walk to Fern Canyon, which was used as a backdrop for the movie Jurassic Park. Most of the park is dedicated to the enjoyment and protection of coast redwoods and the luxuriant life around them.
Park Location
127011 Newton B. Drury Scenic Pkwy, Orick, CA 95555
Contact
17. Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas
$8 Daily Use
Palo Duro Canyon is a canyon system of the Caprock Escarpment located in the Texas Panhandle near the cities of Amarillo and Canyon. As the second-largest canyon in the United States, it is roughly 120 mi long and has an average width of 6 mi, but reaches a width of 20 mi at places.
Its depth is around 820 ft. (250 m), but in some locations, it increases to 1,000 ft. (300 m). Palo Duro Canyon (from the Spanish meaning “hard stick”) has been named “The Grand Canyon of Texas” both for its size and for its dramatic geological features, including the multicolored layers of rock and steep mesa walls, which are similar to those in the Grand Canyon. It is part of Palo Duro Canyon State Park.
Park Location
11450 State Hwy Park Rd 5, Canyon, TX 79015
Contact
Not State or National Parks, but who’s counting
There are beautiful places all over this country and some are not State or National parks. Some of these are just protected areas of amazing sights that you must behold. Below is a couple that we visited and have to share with you and hope one day you will go by and take in what they have to offer.
Garden of the Gods Park, Colorado Springs, CO
$0 Entrance fee
This is another park we recently visited and it did not disappoint in any way. Comprising 1,300 acres of sandstone formations, this park offers a visitor center & hiking trails.
The garden’s red rock formations were created during a geological upheaval along a natural fault line millions of years ago. Archaeological evidence shows that prehistoric people visited the Garden of the Gods about 1330 BC.
At about 250 BC, Native American people camped in the park; they are believed to have been attracted to wildlife and plant life in the area and used overhangs created by the rocks for shelter.
Many native peoples have reported a connection to the Garden of the Gods, including Apache, Cheyenne, Comanche, Kiowa, Lakota, Pawnee, Shoshone, and Ute people.
The area now known as the Garden of the Gods was first called Red Rock Corral by the Europeans. Then, in August 1859, two surveyors who helped to set up Colorado City explored the site.
One of the surveyors, M. S. Beach, suggested that it would be a “capital place for a beer garden”. His companion, the young Rufus Cable, awestruck by the impressive rock formations, exclaimed, “Beer Garden! Why it is a fit place for the Gods to assemble. We will call it the Garden of the Gods.
Park Location
1805 N 30th St, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Contact
719-634-6666
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Arizona
$10 per person or $20 per vehicle Daily entrance fee
When visiting the Navajo Nation’s Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, you are experiencing one of the most majestic – and most photographed – points on earth.
This great valley boasts sandstone masterpieces that tower at heights of 400 to 1,000 feet, framed by scenic clouds casting shadows that graciously roam the desert floor. The angle of the sun accents these graceful formations, providing scenery that is simply spellbinding. Not a State Park but one of my favorites on our list of Best state parks in the USA.
The landscape overwhelms, not just by its beauty but also by its size. The fragile pinnacles of rock are surrounded by miles of mesas and buttes, shrubs and trees, and windblown sand, all comprising the magnificent colors of the valley.
All of this harmoniously combines to make Monument Valley a truly wondrous experience. Enjoy this beautiful land.
Park Location
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Arizona
Contact
Conclusion
As you have seen there are so many beautiful parks all over this country. Our National Parks are amazing but why wait in line during peak season when you can visit other amazing parks that also have much to offer?
We recently visited a bunch of National Parks and still want you to get to more of them. just at the right time.
Visited recently
- Sequoia / Kings Canyon
- Grand Canyon
- White Sands
- Zion
- Bryce
- Joshua Tree
- Arches
- Canyonland
- Capitol Reef
National, State, Reserve, or Protected land, just get out there and enjoy the beauty that all 50 states have to offer. Many have camping so you can even stay close to all the action. Hopefully, you enjoyed the Best state parks in the USA!
Next up we are going to explore the Best Caves in the USA
If you are searching for the best State parks in the USA, you may also be interested in our list of the Best Beach Camping in the USA
2 thoughts on “17 State Parks that are better than some National Parks”