Condé Nast Traveler: Alternative National Parks

Above, Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California is one alternative. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

America has 63 national parks, some of which are almost always crowded with people.

Personally, I prefer visiting national parks during the off-season when there's fewer people. But not everyone has the luxury of being retired and able to go during the off-season. But they have some alternatives to the more popular parks and are equally worthy of a visit.

Condé Nast Traveler has an article on the alternative national parks that seem to be off people's radar and are less crowded during vacation season.

They begin with:

National parks are having their moment. With many seeing record numbers this year and the amount of yearly visitors rising by over 53 million from 2013 to 2019, it can feel like a fool’s errand to attempt an off-grid adventure amid throngs of other visitors. Not only are campgrounds booking up months in advance—at some parks, popular trails feel as jammed as Friday traffic in Los Angeles.

The good news is that out of the country’s 63 national parks, only a dozen or so draw constant crowds. Many others remain off of many Americans' radars. We’ve selected a few of our favorite lesser-known national parks, and which destinations they make great alternatives to. That being said, every one of these parks is bucket list-worthy on its own merits. 

To read more, go here.