Let’s start with a forward from the author (that’s me!). This list of underrated US National Parks you should add to your bucket list is based on the 25 National Parks that I’ve visited in my life. I am well aware that there are national parks that are way more underrated than these. I just haven’t had the chance to explore them yet. As and when I explore more of our national parks, I’ll be sure to update this list!
Table of Contents:
- My US National Park Road Trip
- Justyn’s Quick National Park Tips
- 7 Underrated US National Parks
- US National Park Planning Tips
- What to Pack for Your US Road Trip
My National Park Rating System
In other words, how am I determining if a national park is underrated or not?
I’ve based this rating off my own experience in each of these parks – and whether or not I think the park is highly rated, not only by local travelers, but by overseas visitors as well.
While people travel from all over the world to see the Grand Canyon or wander amongst the ancient Redwoods, a lot of people haven’t heard of, or planned on visiting these parks.
This article is 100% opinion-based. You might look at this list and think these parks aren’t underrated at all, or that other parks are even more underrated than these. That’s perfectly fine! I’d love to know what US National Parks you find underrated so I can add them to my list.
A few years ago, my husband and I bought a Sprinter van. We spent months converting it into a tiny home on wheels to take the ultimate road trip across the US. We lived in that van for a year, traveling to 25 states and 21 national parks on that trip alone.
My US National Parks Road Trip
Our goal was to see as much of the country as possible, and my husband had a rare opportunity to spend a full year in the US. It was one of the greatest trips of our lives – and something I recommend everyone should do.
The US is the perfect place for long, national park filled road trips. And for most people coming to the US, or looking to plan a trip similar… their first questions are always centered around where they should go. The beautiful thing about the US is how much wide open space there is – and how much land (especially in the west) is dedicated to recreational activities.
Some of my favorite memories from our trip include the week we spent camping on the BLM land right outside Joshua Tree, where we could head into the National Park to hike each day. And I’ll never forget the night that we pulled into Badlands National Park’s free camping to wake up in the morning and find we were sleeping on the edge of the iconic hills.
Our year-long trip in America was filled with the most incredible landscapes and campsites of my life. There were so many nights where we could see the milky way from the van, and wake up to be the first people inside the park.
It is such a special way to experience the country – and I think that every American should fight to protect these public and protected lands. We’ve traveled to plenty of countries where the beautiful land is locked away behind high fences and even higher fees. We’re so lucky to have our public lands in America.
Protecting Our Public Lands
To help protect our public lands, read this article from REI and take action with Outdoor Alliance.
Now that you’re onboard, let’s talk about the underrated US national parks that you need to add to your travel bucket list!
Justyn’s Quick National Park Tips
🇺🇸 The US is BIG. Much bigger than I thought. Give yourself as much time as you possibly can and know that travel days always take longer than maps say they’re going to.
🏕️ Download the app iOverlander to find reviewed camping spots across the country. I tried all of the apps, and this one was by far the most used and updated.
🥾Please recreate responsibly, always leave no trace, and help protect our national lands and resources. Our national parks are worth protecting and fighting for.
7 Underrated US National Parks to add to your Travel Bucket List
Canyonlands, Utah
I grew up in Utah, so exploring the ‘Mighty 5’ has always been a huge part of my life. I am biased and think that Utah has some of the most stunning national parks in the US. And having visited Canyonlands more than 5 times, I can say that even now, it’s one of the most underrated national parks.
I’ve decided to put it first on my list because it’s only an hour away from Arches, one of the most highly-rated national parks in the US… yet it gets way less visitors.
Here’s the thing, I’m not saying skip Arches… If Arches is on your bucket list, it is hands down worth visiting. It is one of the most otherworldly places! But it is busy, so you need to plan your trip accordingly. However, while you’re there, don’t skip Canyonlands. And don’t just do the drive to Grand View Point Overlook. Actually get out and explore Canyonlands.
In my opinion, the landscape in Canyonlands rivals famous places like Horseshoe Bend and the Grand Canyon. The hikes will be way less crowded and you have the chance to learn so much about the unique landscape of Canyonlands. If you really want to get off the beaten path, Canyonlands is the perfect park for you.
I highly recommend this tour, taking you from Moab to explore the Sky District in Canyonlands or if you really want to escape the crowds, book this tour which will take you into the heart of the Needles District.
White Sands, New Mexico
White Sands is famous for its miles and miles of white gypsum sand that forms dunes in the middle of the desert in New Mexico. It’s been a national monument since 1933 but it only recently received national park status in 2019.
The white sands are from gypsum deposits that were left behind when an ancient sea evaporated. And when you’re there, it’s hard to imagine a sea ever existing! This is the largest gypsum dune in the entire world.
Why is White Sands underrated? I think partly because New Mexico is underrated. You don’t often meet people planning a trip to New Mexico… But even so, New Mexico was one of the weirdest and coolest places we’ve visited. If you want to see a side of America that is shockingly empty and quiet, drive through New Mexico.
In terms of ‘population density’, New Mexico is rated 45/50. And when you come up out of the desert and upon White Sands, it’s such a unique and beautiful experience.
You really only need a day exploring White Sands. So, I understand that if you’re only coming on a short trip to the US, it probably won’t make sense. But if you find yourself passing through, or planning a longer trip to the US, I highly recommend you add White Sands to your travel bucket list.
While you’re there, make sure to explore the dunes. The incredible thing about this park is how much freedom you have. I highly recommend grabbing a couple of beers and climbing your favorite looking dune for sunset. Make sure to wear something warm, desert nights are deceptively cold.
Saguaro, Arizona
Saguaro is named after the giant Saguaro cacti that grace the park and surrounding area. Besides these giants, the park is also home to thousands of other desert species. And it’s been a national park since 1994 (before Joshua Tree and Death Valley).
The Saguaro cacti are incredible. They can grow up to three stories tall – something you have to see in person to really believe. But they grow incredibly slowly, only gaining a few inches in the first 8 years of their lives.
It didn’t take long for us to fall in love with Saguaro. The trails in the park not only get you close and personal with the Saguaro cacti, but they also teach you about all the other desert life in the area. And I was constantly surprised by how quiet it was.
The park is close to Tuscon, yet when we visited (around Christmas time), it was surprisingly empty. Even over the Christmas period when local residents would have time off and kids would be out of school, we had hiking trails within the park completely to ourselves.
And in fact, it’s so close to Tuscon that the city actually splits the park into two sections. There is the Western Tuscon Mountain District and the Eastern Rincon Mountain District. You’ll want to make sure to visit both sections – which the national parks service says are home to over 3,500 different species.
You’ll want to spend a few days exploring this park and learning about the unique desert ecosystem that calls it home.
Badlands, South Dakota
Badlands National Park in South Dakota offers not only otherworldly landscapes but also a deep and important look into Native American history.
Similarly to White Sands, millions of years ago, Badlands was actually an inland sea. The water started receding around 75 million years ago… and if you flash forward to today, you are left with an iconic landscape that I haven’t seen anywhere else in the world.
You might not know this (I certainly didn’t), but Badlands was part of the Louisiana Purchase, one of the biggest land deals in American history. It’s also home to some of the country’s most endangered species; American bison, Black Footed Ferrets and Big Horn Sheep, which you might even get to see wandering the hills around the free camping outside the park.
There are plenty of hiking trails and places to explore within the park – but it’s another place where we had most of the trails to ourselves! While a few places in the park get busy, it’s very easy to get off the beaten track and feel like you have this landscape all to yourself.
To learn more about the Native American history in the area, you should visit the Journey Museum and Learning Center in Rapid City. If you love this park, you should also try to understand it and its history. I also recommend reading this interesting article from National Geographic.
Teddy Roosevelt, North Dakota
Yes, I know that planning a trip to North and South Dakota isn’t on the top of anyone’s US Bucket List. However, it’s one of the coolest landscapes in the country, with one of the only chances to see unique wildlife like prairie dogs, wild horses and bison.
I didn’t have high expectations of the grasslands, and wasn’t expecting to find Teddy Roosevelt National Park that interesting… but I ended up falling in love with it! There are unique walks all throughout the park that offer stunning views, wildlife viewing and no crowds.
Teddy Roosevelt is separated into three districts that protect a total of 70,000 acres. The most visited is the South Unit, home to a 36-mile loop with a number of overlooks and nature trails. Then there’s the North Unit with a 14-mile scenic road to the iconic River Bend Overlook (the second most photographed spot in North Dakota).
Finally there’s the Elkhorn Ranch Unit, home to Roosevelt’s ranch. This is the least-visited part of the park.
Our favorite part of the park to explore was actually the quieter North Unit. During your trip make sure to stop and see the cannon balls, hunt for petrified wood – this park is home to a huge concentration of petrified wood, and watch a sunset over the grasslands.
But whatever you do during your trip, do not carve into the stones. I saw a father and his two children carving into rocks just out of sight of the road. I shouted at them to stop… so if you’re there and you see a half finished carving of “family-first” (I’m not kidding), you’ll know I was there.
It’s so upsetting to see people disrespecting the national parks. And to see a father teaching his children that it’s OK, is even more disappointing. Just because a park is quiet, does not mean you have any right to leave your mark there.
North Cascades, Washington
Washington is famous for its national parks, but North Cascades is definitely their most underrated park. There are many beautiful drives and incredible hiking trails hidden within this park. Like each of these parks, it was surprisingly quiet when we were there. I think we passed fewer than 10 other people in our entire visit.
We visited North Cascades after exploring both Olympic and Mount Rainier National Parks – and North Cascades was beyond empty in comparison.
I didn’t know this beforehand, but North Cascades is home to the largest concentration of glaciers in the contiguous United States. These glaciers and the high elevation of the park make for some stunning and unique scenery and diverse wildlife.
There are over 400 miles of trails within North Cascades National Park. This means you could spend weeks exploring without ever covering it all. Outside of Alaska, this is one of the most rugged places left in the US. This is probably another reason why it doesn’t get visited as frequently.
If you want to explore somewhere truly unique and away from the crowds, make sure to add North Cascades to your travel bucket list.
A note on fall foliage: If you want to visit during ‘Larken Season’, the time of year when the Larken’s turn yellow – this park will be exceptionally crowded. Please take all of my advice and apply it to visits outside of this brief window each year.
Grand Tetons, Wyoming
Grand Tetons is one of my favorite national parks in America. You will love it if you love backcountry hiking and wildlife viewing. We saw more wildlife here than anywhere else in the country. From bears to great horned owls, to moose and bison, we saw it all in the Grand Tetons.
I’ve added it to this underrated national parks list because I am shocked by the number of people who skip right by it on the way to Yellowstone.
With how many visitors Yellowstone gets, I am always surprised with how empty the Grand Tetons are. I get it, Yellowstone is a very different park. In Yellowstone it’s a lot of ‘sights’ to see on nice maintained pathways. In the Grand Tetons, it’s a lot more rugged hiking and occasional bear and moose encounters.
I fell in love with the Grand Tetons immediately, and continued to love it more with each hike we did. It was one of those parks we ended up staying way longer than planned in.
You can still tack it on to your trip to Yellowstone, but I highly recommend giving the Grand Tetons a couple of days! Get out and do as much hiking as you can/want! You’ll see just how rugged and beautiful this national park is and you might even see more wildlife than in Yellowstone. I know we did!
US National Park Planning Tips
Now that you have seven new underrated US National Parks on your bucket list, it’s time to start planning your trip. Keep in mind that some of these are underrated also due to the fact that they’re a bit harder to reach and farther away from big international cities… but they are definitely worth making the trip when you can.
Unfortunately we don’t have really low cost flight options like you can find in other parts of the world, so make sure to search for good deals on Kiwi. I always check there to make sure I’m getting the best deal.
For any US national park trip, you’ll need a car. If you’re renting a car, start your search on Discover Cars. It’s where I always find the best deals and most transparent pricing.
When you’re planning your US National Parks trip, you’ll have a few different options for accommodation. You can stay in a hotel nearby (I recommend Booking.com), you can rent a campervan or you can bring your tent and camp!
If you’re camping/sleeping in your car or campervan, make sure to download the app iOverlander. My husband and I tried them all, but iOverlander was by far the most up to date.
What to Pack for Your US National Parks Trip
Pack light, especially if you’re planning on flying to various states during your trip! This will help you save money – and if you’re renting a campervan, you won’t want a bunch of suitcases taking up all of your space. Here are some of the things I had on our US road trip that I absolutely loved (and wore or used all the time).
Hiking Gear
Hiking boots are a must-have, and you’ll want to make sure you have a comfortable pair. These are my go-to! They’re super comfortable for long hikes and high quality so they’ll last for years to come. If you prefer an ankle height option, these are also great.
I also recommend a good pair of hiking pants. I love this pair because they also turn into shorts. These pants travel all over the world with me – and they’re really comfortable for hiking all day.
Also make sure to use hiking poles, even when you’re not doing strenuous hiking. My husband’s godfather is a Slovene climber and he participated in a study that showed the real-life benefits of always using hiking poles to protect your joints. Now, we never go hiking without them.
Reusable Waterbottle
This National Parks waterbottle will be such a fun way to memorialize your trip and keep track of all the national parks you’ve visited. Having a waterbottle you can refill is vital – so why not have one that looks so cute? I’ve had mine for years, and as long as you’re careful with it, I’ve found that the stickers actually stay on really well.
Good Quality Layers
No matter what time of year it is, if you’re planning on going backcountry in any of the parks, make sure to have good layers. Merino is always the recommendation – these are my favorite baselayers. Make sure that you have a good rain jacket and lightweight puffer jacket.
Final Thoughts on Underrated US National Parks for Your Bucket List
Have I convinced you to plan a trip to one of these underrated National Parks? Or have I pissed you off for not including your favorite underrated park? Feel free to let me know in the comments below.
And no matter what national park you choose to explore, make sure to always follow Leave No Trace principles. For more hiking inspiration, read my favorite hikes in Cottonwood Canyon, Utah next!
Enjoy your trip – I wish I was going with you!
Love this travel guide? Much like a cup of coffee, I pour my heart and soul into each post! Say thank you by buying me a cup of coffee. Support this blog and keep it ad-free.
If you want to see where in the world I am, make sure to follow me on Instagram and TikTok.
