Earth Day may have passed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still celebrate the Earth! Especially when our state and national parks are being threatened with demolition. Now, more than ever, is the time to get out of the house, close our laptops, and explore the land around us. My aunt and uncle have been visiting state and national parks around the country since 2016 and have explored over 80 parks so far. From two traveling experts, here are seven of their favorite state and national parks to get out of your comfort zone, reconnect with the Earth, and do your wallet a big favor.
- Big bend national park, texas
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Did you know that Texas is so big that it has 11 different ecological regions? Located in southwest Texas’s Brewster County, Big Bend National Park is home to 150 miles of hiking trails, 1,200 plant species, 450 species of birds, and over 1,250 square miles of land. The park borders Mexico and has campsites, lodging, river trips, and more. Additionally, it has been hailed as one of the best spots in North America to stargaze.
If you’re not into hiking up mountains or exploring the twists and turns of desert terrain, don’t worry — you can enjoy a simple yet scenic car ride through the park, too.
Photo by Michelle Khan - Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
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Located in southwestern Utah and known for its bright orange rock formations, Bryce Canyon is actually not a canyon, despite its name! Instead, it’s composed of over a dozen rock amphitheaters that eroded into the Paunsaugunt Plateau.
Bryce Canyon is home to 1,000 plant species and over 60 butterfly species. Additionally, it hosts annual prairie dog festivals on Utah’s Prairie Dog Day, where they recognize the prairie dog as a keystone species. (I didn’t even know there was a Prairie Dog Day.)
Bryce Canyon is also located about 40 miles northeast of Zion National Park, another national park with breathtaking sights, so you can check both out while you’re in the area!
- fort pickens, florida
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Calling all UCF students: don’t worry, this one’s in Florida! Fort Pickens is the largest of the four brick military forts built to protect Pensacola during the 1800s. This historical site is located on Pensacola Beach, along the Gulf Islands National Seashore, and also features other historic structures, such as Battery Cooper and Battery Worth.
Aside from campgrounds, Fort Pickens has a ferry plaza, picnic area, park store, and walking trails. If you’d prefer a little more direction as you explore the site, you can also book guided nature and history tours. And yes, you can swim here at Langdon Beach and end the day with a good tan.
Photo by Michelle Khan - golden gate canyon state park, colorado
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Yep, Colorado isn’t just home to Rocky Mountain National Park. Not to be confused with California’s famous Golden Gate Bridge — seriously, the two are nowhere near each other — Colorado’s Golden Gate Canyon State Park is absolutely worth visiting.
Skiing and snowshoeing? Check. Fishing? Check. The standard campgrounds, hiking trails, bike paths, horseback riding paths, and picnic sites? Check. Insider tip: keep your eyes open for bear marks on trees too — when my aunt went, she said that this was one detail about the park that fascinated her the most.
While you’re at it, since the park is located just 30 miles from Denver, you can check out the city, too!
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
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Don’t go to this one if you’re claustrophobic! Located in New Mexico’s Eddy County, Carlsbad Caverns is known for having the largest accessible cave chamber in North America, the Big Room. The park itself has about 120 caves, but that number is constantly changing as more are regularly discovered.
Aside from these wondrous caves, the park is also home to over 750 plant species, 54 amphibian and reptile species, and 17 bat species. Yep, you heard me right: 17 bat species. On that note, the park offers a free Bat Flight Program from April to October, where participants can witness over 1,000 bats flying out of the caverns to begin their nightly hunt for food.
- great smoky mountains national park, tennessee & north carolina
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You’ve definitely heard of this one before — if not, then you really need that getaway after finals season because the Great Smoky Mountains is America’s most visited national park. The Smokies have been a movie set for popular movies like The Fugitive, The Hunger Games, Forrest Gump, and more. After you see photos of the landscape, it’s not hard to understand why.
The park, located in both Tennessee and North Carolina, is home to awe-inspiring waterfalls, valleys, mountains, and rivers, as well as swimming holes, lodging, hiking trails, historical buildings, and campgrounds. This is one park that must be on your bucket list.
- enchanted rock state natural area, texas
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I saved my personal favorite for last. In 2021, I traveled to Enchanted Rock with my aunt, uncle, and mother, and it was, by far, one of the best experiences of my life. This pink granite rock mountain has an elevation of 1,825 feet and rises 425 feet above the park’s base elevation. The environment also boasts 11 miles of surrounding hiking trails, four central plant communities, and a variety of animals, including rabbits, armadillos, white-tailed deer, and more. And yes, after paying a minimal entrance fee of $8, you can climb Enchanted Rock.
Feel free to stargaze, enjoy the sights from the top of the mountain, and stay up there for as long as you’d like. When I went with my family, we watched the sunset from the top of the mountain, and it was so serene. Even though my legs hurt so much by the end, I could have stayed there for hours.
Photo by Michelle Khan
I know — the thought of climbing through canyons, hiking across mountainous terrain, and exploring underground caves is daunting, especially if you haven’t done it before. Before climbing up Enchanted Rock, I was scared witless. But after I did, I left the park feeling like a whole different person. I felt courageous and empowered, and left someone much braver than the person who entered the park.
The Earth has a surface area of about 197 million square miles. In other words, the Earth is massive, and life is too short to stay confined to the few miles surrounding your home. As we say goodbye to this year’s Earth Day, I hope this article serves as a reminder that you are braver than you think, and the world is full of beautiful sights worth exploring.