Beyond the parks
Wild Lands — National Forests, Wilderness & Monuments
The other 600 million acres. America’s national forests, wilderness areas, and national monuments — the vast, scenic, often-empty public lands between the marquee national parks and your next hidden gem.
74wild lands7kinds31states
Public land
28National Forests
PennsylvaniaAlleghenyOld-growth, the Kinzua valley & blazing fall colorSouth Dakota & WyomingBlack HillsGranite spires, Needles Highway & Black Elk PeakWyomingBridger-TetonWild country flanking the TetonsGeorgiaChattahoocheeNorth Georgia mountains and waterfallsTennesseeCherokeeSouthern Appalachian whitewater & baldsArizonaCoconinoSedona red rock and ponderosa high countryArizonaCoronadoSky-island mountains rising from the desertKentuckyDaniel BooneThe Red River Gorge’s natural archesOregonDeschutesCascade volcanoes and alpine lakes near BendWashingtonGifford PinchotMount St. Helens and old-growth CascadesVermontGreen MountainVermont’s forested spine and the Long TrailVirginia & West VirginiaGW & JeffersonVirginia’s Blue Ridge spine and Mount RogersNevada & CaliforniaHumboldt-ToiyabeThe Ruby Mountains — “Nevada’s Alps”CaliforniaInyoEastern Sierra peaks, Mono Lake & ancient pinesLouisianaKisatchieLouisiana’s only national forest — sandstone bluffsCaliforniaLos PadresThe Big Sur backcountry and condor countryWest VirginiaMonongahelaHighland bogs, Seneca Rocks & Spruce KnobWashingtonMount BakerGlaciated volcanoes and North Cascades alpineOregonMount HoodOregon’s iconic volcano and waterfall countryNorth CarolinaPisgahBlue Ridge waterfalls and forest roadsIdahoSawtoothJagged peaks and alpine lakes above StanleyCaliforniaShasta-TrinityMount Shasta, the Trinity Alps & Castle CragsWyomingShoshoneAmerica’s first national forest, east of YellowstoneMinnesotaSuperiorThe Boundary Waters canoe countryAlaskaTongassAmerica’s largest forest — a temperate rainforestUtahWasatch-UintasThe Wasatch above Salt Lake & the High UintasNew Hampshire & MaineWhite MountainsThe Presidentials and the KancamagusColoradoWhite RiverMaroon Bells and the Colorado high country
Public land
18Wilderness
Montana & WyomingAbsaroka-BeartoothThe Beartooth Plateau & Montana’s highest peakWashingtonAlpine LakesThe Enchantments — granite, larches & turquoise tarnsCaliforniaAnsel AdamsThe jagged Ritter Range and Thousand Island LakeMinnesotaBoundary WatersA million acres of lakes you travel by canoeCaliforniaDesolationGranite and glacial lakes above Lake TahoeOregonEagle Cap / Wallowas“Oregon’s Alps” in the Wallowa MountainsIdahoFrank ChurchThe largest wilderness in the Lower 48New MexicoGilaThe world’s first designated wildernessCaliforniaJohn MuirThe high Sierra crest and the JMTNorth CarolinaLinville GorgeThe “Grand Canyon of the East”ColoradoMaroon Bells–SnowmassThe most photographed peaks in North AmericaGeorgia & FloridaOkefenokeeA vast black-water swamp you paddle throughAlabamaSipseyAlabama’s “Land of a Thousand Waterfalls”MontanaThe BobA million acres of grizzly country south of GlacierOregonThree SistersA skyline of volcanoes, lava & alpine lakesCaliforniaTrinity AlpsGranite spires and lakes in far Northern CaliforniaColoradoWeminucheColorado’s largest wilderness — the Needle MountainsWyomingWind River RangeThe Cirque of the Towers & Wyoming’s highest peaks
Public land
18National Monuments
New MexicoBandelierAncestral Puebloan cliff dwellings in a canyonUtahBears EarsRed-rock canyons and ancestral cliff dwellingsCaliforniaCarrizo PlainCalifornia’s largest grassland and superbloomsUtahCedar BreaksA high-altitude amphitheater of red hoodoosArizonaChiricahuaA “wonderland of rocks” — balanced stone spiresColoradoColorado NMSheer red canyons above Grand JunctionIdahoCraters of the MoonA black sea of lava that looks like the moonWyomingDevils TowerAmerica’s first national monument — a stone monolithColorado & UtahDinosaurA cliff of dinosaur bones and wild river canyonsCaliforniaGiant SequoiaThirty-plus groves of the world’s largest treesUtahGrand Staircase–EscalanteSlot canyons and the great geologic staircaseOregonJohn Day Fossil BedsThe candy-striped Painted HillsCaliforniaLava BedsThe most lava-tube caves in North AmericaWashingtonMount St. HelensThe volcano that blew its top in 1980CaliforniaMuir WoodsOld-growth coast redwoods near San FranciscoArizonaOrgan Pipe CactusThe only place organ pipe cactus grows wild in the USNew MexicoRio Grande del NorteAn 800-foot gorge, wild rivers & a volcanoArizonaVermilion CliffsThe Wave and towering red escarpments
Public land
3National Preserves
Public land
2National Seashores
Public land
1National Lakeshores
Public land
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