10 off-the-beaten-path national parks you may never have heard of and are worth visiting
These national parks may not always dominate the headlines for most visitors, but they still offer some stunning scenery worth checking out.
FILE: See the National Parks to visit over the summer
Explore America's national treasures with adventurer Abby Hornacek as she tours the best sites across the country.
There are 63 national parks in America, and some of them are very well-known and visited, but others are what you'd call hidden gems—a little less mainstream than the others.
These national parks may not always dominate the headlines for most visitors, but they still offer some stunning scenery worth checking out.
So, next time you're making a national parks bucket list, consider these 10 for your next trip:
Great Basin National Park
For those seeking an adventure through the quiet Nevada wilderness, look no further than Great Basin National Park.
The National Park Service (NPS) itself says that the natural features of this national park often surprise first-time visitors, filled with desert valleys and snow-covered mountain peaks, there's way more to this rugged landscape in eastern Nevada than you'd expect.
LAKE MEAD PLUNGES TO HISTORIC LOW AS WATER LEVELS CONTINUE TO FALL
Road To Great Basin National Park, Nevada
(Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
Petrified Forest National Park
Located in the Painted Desert of Arizona, Petrified Forest National Park is made up of more than 200 million years of geologic history.
This national park spans more than 200,000 acres of magnificent landscapes, which hold ancient petrified trees, fossils, ancestral Puebloan sites and so much more.
WATCH YOUR STEP: TARANTULA SEASON IS UNDERWAY AT GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Highway 180 and Petrified Wood in Petrified Forest National Park.
(NPS Photo / FOX Weather)
Dry Tortugas National Park
This national park is situated 70 miles west of Key West in Florida, and consists of mostly crystal clear open waters and seven small islands, but that doesn't mean it's not worth missing next time you're in the Florida Keys.
Dry Tortugas National Park is home to historical and natural wonders above and below the ocean's surface, including Fort Jefferson and a vast expanse of marine life.
A wall at Fort Jefferson in Dry Tortugas National Park.
(NPS Photos by Brandon Cintron Gerena / FOX Weather)
North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National Park is just a few hours from Seattle and is what the NPS calls an "alpine landscape."
Jagged mountain peaks, tall pine trees and water features encompass this national park, making it a picturesque place in the Pacific Northwest.
BASEBALL IN THE WILD? MLB EYES ICONIC NATIONAL PARK FOR FUTURE NEUTRAL-SITE GAME
North Cascades National Park, Washington State on June 22, 2020.
(Karla Ann Cote/NurPhoto / Getty Images)
Isle Royale National Park
Isle Royale National Park is a remote island in the middle of Lake Superior that maybe not many people know about.
The national park is well-known for its vast wildlife and camping opportunities. The park is open every year from April 16 to Oct. 31 to avoid the harsh conditions of Michigan winters.
People kayaking in the waters around Isle Royale National Park.
(NPS Photo / FOX Weather)
Lassen Volcanic National Park
This national park found in Northern California is known for its volcanic geology, but that's not all it has to offer its visitors.
Lassen Volcanic National Park has a rich diversity of plants and wildlife, as well as virtually no light pollution, making it perfect for capturing some beautiful nighttime views of the stars.
NIAGARA FALLS UNVEILS NEW ATTRACTION BRINGING VISITORS CLOSER THAN EVER TO ICONIC NATURAL WONDER
Crumbaugh Lake as seen from the trail to Bumpass Hell from Kings Creek Picnic Area just past Cold Boiling Lake.
(NPS / FOX Weather)
Congaree National Park
Lesser-known Congaree National Park in South Carolina is home to the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest in the U.S.
The national park's dynamic natural landscape is defined by the presence of both floods and flames, the NPS says. Floodplains help nourish the natural forest landscape that makes up the park.
WHAT IF YELLOWSTONE ‘BLOWS’? A LOOK AT THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO
Congaree National Park in South Carolina
(NPS / Victoria Stauffenberg / FOX Weather)
Voyageurs National Park
Voyageurs National Park in northern Minnesota is a scenic landscape filled with 218,000 acres of lakes, forests and streams ready to take your breath away.
This national park has a rich ecosystem of not only historical significance but also plants and animals that help sustain the land.
VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK, MN June 15, 2024: National Park Service boats and Biologist during the search for bald eagles nest and eagle chicks in Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota on Saturday, June 15, 2024.
(Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post / Getty Images)
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve
One of Alaska's eight national parks, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, is absolutely stunning.
Tucked away a few hours from Anchorage, this mountainous landscape features active volcanoes, craggy mountains and turquoise lakes and vast wildlife, including bears.
Looking toward the bright blue waters of Lake Clark from above Port Alsworth as summer transitions into fall.
(NPS Photo/ T. Vaughn / FOX Weather)
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
This national park boasts the tallest sand dunes in North America, situated between the San Juan and Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Colorado.
Landscape view of visitors at the dunes in Great Sand Dunes National Park.
(NPS Photo / Mackenzie Reed / FOX Weather)
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve also features grasslands, wetlands, forests, alpine lakes and tundra.