19 Stunning State Parks in the U.S. That Rival National Parks

Our National Park System encompasses 433 national park sites in the U.S. They span more than 85 million acres, with parks in all 50 states and extend into outlying territories. Within this expansive system, 63 sites include "national park" in their proper name, including well-known places like Acadia, the Great Smoky Mountains, and the Grand Canyon. While the national parks are incredible in their own right, the best state parks in the U.S. are worth a visit as well.

Over 6,600 scenic state parks, forests, and recreation areas in America cover an incredible 14 million acres. These parks provide a wide range of recreation opportunities in the most accessible, close-to-home settings. And when we say "opportunities," we mean bucket-list-level opportunities. Here are 19 state parks that rival national parks—and offer the country's finest natural scenery.

1. Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park - California

Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park's 10,000 acres are managed cooperatively by the National Park Service and California State Parks. They feature the most beautiful and lush old-growth forest in Northern California. This spacious expanse is one of our country's most precious and protected treasures—and success stories. During western expansion in the 1800s, the redwoods were under siege.

The massive trees offered early settlers a seemingly endless supply of lumber; however, within 100 years, the vast forests had dwindled to a shadow of their former glory. By the early 1900s, it was apparent that the future of the old-growth redwood forests was in jeopardy. But thanks to the actions of California's Save-the-Redwoods League, these glorious giants received the protection they needed.

Today, Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park is arguably one of the most beautiful state parks in California, and one of the most wondrous and wild places in the country. Its vast size means that this treasure is generally not very crowded, either, especially during the shoulder season, just before and after the summer crowds. If you want to lose yourself in the forest à la John Muir, visit this California State Park.

2. Emerald Bay State Park - California

Lake Tahoe is a California icon, and Emerald Bay State Park is a stunning natural area with one of the world's most famous lakes and a popular photography destination. This state park is everything you'd hope for at Lake Tahoe, with endless skies, verdant (or, emerald, as it were) forests, and shockingly blue waters.

Along with its astounding natural beauty, this park is home to Vikingsholm mansion, a commanding castle that's an incredible example of Scandinavian architecture. Visit it by hiking down a steep, one-mile trail. Emerald Bay is also home to a unique underwater trail for SCUBA divers and adventurers, making it a year-round destination for adventure seekers, outdoor enthusiasts, wildlife lovers, and dreamers. However, the most ideal time of the year to visit this California state park is when the weather is optimal, from late spring through early fall. You can also reach Emerald Bay in a number of ways, including via a scenic drive or bike ride along the Tahoe Scenic Loop or by boat from one of Lake Tahoe's marinas.

3. Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park - California

One of the most objectively beautiful places in the entire country, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is a vibrant jewel that represents the sublime beauty of California's Pacific Coast. The park is named after a beloved pioneer woman in Big Sur—the daughter of one of the first settlers of California, in fact. Rugged and resplendent, with the Pacific Coast's rocky outcroppings and Hawaii's cerulean waters, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is nothing short of wildly and wonderfully beautiful.

4. Silver Falls State Park - Oregon

Of all the beautiful places in the Pacific Northwest, Silver Falls State Park truly stands out. This park is breathtakingly beautiful; it possesses many of the PNW’s unique features and wonders, and with an abundance of stellar trails and campsites, Silver Falls stands out as Oregon’s single best state park.

At 9,000 glorious acres, Silver Falls is the largest and most popular state park in Oregon, and it's easy to see why once you see all this wondrous place has to offer. Silver Falls State Park is home to a lush temperate rain forest of Douglas-fir, western hemlock, Oregon grape, and many other native trees and plants.

Of course, this Oregon State Park is best known for its waterfalls, with South Falls the most spectacular at 177 feet, and you can even walk behind it via a hike along the Trail of Ten Falls! The smaller North Falls and Middle Falls are also worth admiring. While Crater Lake often steals the show on the Oregon parks podium, Silver Falls State Park is, in our opinion, as lovely as its national park sibling and one of the best waterfall state parks in the country. And the best time to visit this Oregon state park is spring, after the snowmelt, when the waterfalls will really be at their fullest.

5. Makoshika State Park - Montana

Widely regarded as the single best park in Montana (national or state), Makoshika State Park is an otherworldly expanse encompassing 11,538 acres at an elevation of 2,415 feet. This park, the largest state park in Montana, looks positively alien, with terrain and topography unlike anything else in Big Sky Country. Not only is Makoshika State Park hauntingly beautiful, but it has been one of Montana's largest sites for fossil discoveries, making it a rich place for recreation and reflection. It's one of the most incredible bucket list state parks in the country to visit.

6. Custer State Park - South Dakota

The 71,000-acre Custer State Park is in a league of its own; it's so scenically stunning, in fact, that many believe it should be designated a National Park. Its landscape is a study in juxtaposition—stark and soft, unmoving and undulating, all at once. Rocky outcroppings and jagged peaks intermingle with soft foliage and active wildlife, with mountainous and flat topography. While the landscape alone is worth the trip to Custer, the park itself is wonderfully unique. It hosts an annual Buffalo Roundup, with cowboys and girls moving over 1,300 American buffalo through the valley to the corals. This festival takes place in late September and is an incredible spectacle that certainly belongs on any wildlife enthusiast's bucket list.

7. Tettegouche State Park - Minnesota

Tettegouche State Park is a magnificent Minnesota state park on the shores of Lake Superior. It covers more than 9,000 acres along the North Shore, making it a must-visit destination for nature lovers in this far-north region of the state. Regardless of where you live (Minnesota or otherwise), it's worth discovering, though. With its rocky cliffs, rushing waterfall, and amazing views of Lake Superior, Tettegouche State Park is a picturesque park that showcases the best of the Land of 10,000 Lakes' features. Visit in different seasons for different nature experiences: spring for waterfalls, fall for foliage, and winter for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

8. Valley of Fire State Park - Nevada

It's almost incomprehensible that Valley of Fire State Park, a natural wonderland of fiery red sandstone formations, is hiding just beyond the bright city lights of Las Vegas. In addition to being the most visually stunning Nevada State Park, it's also the state's oldest. The Civilian Conservation Corps began work on the land in 1933, and it was officially designated a state park in 1935.

You'll instantly understand why the park was named "Valley of Fire" during your first visit. Consisting of nearly 46,000 acres, vibrant, violently red rock formations stretch as far as the eye can see. It's an astonishing spectacle to witness with your own eyes; a moving experience you won't soon forget.

It's best to visit Valley of Fire State Park between October and April when the weather is warm but not too hot; during summer, temperatures are typically in the triple digits. Aside from hiking, exploring the park via a scenic drive along the Valley of Fire Scenic Byway is a bucket-list-worthy adventure in Nevada.

9. Palo Duro Canyon State Park - Texas

Hailed as the "Grand Canyon of Texas," Palo Duro Canyon is the second-largest canyon in the country. Within the eponymous state park, there are numerous ways to explore the canyon, starting with its 30 miles of trails. This canyon is 120 miles long and 20 miles wide, and is up to 800 feet deep in some areas. A place rich in history, you can see the beautiful colors of four geologic layers painted on the colossal canyon walls.

The canyon began forming a million years ago—but the canyon walls tell a much older geologic story, one that began 250 million years ago! Prepare to experience total awe and wonder at this Texas State Park.

10. Caddo Lake State Park - Texas

Caddo Lake State Park is an otherworldly expanse that is certainly not what most envision when they imagine Texas. If it helps, this Texas State Park straddles the Texas-Louisiana border, which slightly explains the landscape. Because of the landscape? It's dramatic, lush, and, frankly, a bit unsettling.

Caddo Lake is not only the sole natural lake in Texas, but also the world's single-largest bald cypress forest. Thick Spanish moss hangs down into the water, creating a hauntingly beautiful scene guaranteed to capture the imaginations of all who experience it. See for yourself why Caddo Lake State Park is one of the best state parks to visit in the U.S.

11. Hunting Island State Park - South Carolina

Pristine and postcard-perfect, Hunting Island State Park is a gem hiding in South Carolina. The state's most-visited state park features five miles of beaches, including a gorgeous boneyard beach with sun-bleached downed trees. It also includes a campground, nature trails, a nature center, and a circa 1875 lighthouse open for tours. And while hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to the park each year, especially in the summer, with an entire island to explore, Hunting Island State Park rarely feels crowded.

12. Chimney Rock State Park - North Carolina

North Carolina has 41 state parks, but most agree that Chimney Rock State Park stands out as the best. While several states in the U.S. have natural wonders they've dubbed "chimney rock"—Nebraska, Minnesota, and Kentucky, to name only a few—the 315-foot natural chimney rock at Chimney Rock State Park is wholly unique, offering intrepid explorers epic, 360-degree views. (The best part? Elevator access makes this scenic vista accessible for all!)

Headlining rock aside, Chimney Rock is home to some can't-miss trails that offer equally extraordinary views, one of which leads to the state's most iconic waterfall. This is among the best U.S. state parks worth visiting. Due to the popularity of this park, reserving tickets in advance on the Chimney Rock Park website is strongly recommended.

13. Fall Creek Falls State Park - Tennessee

Tennessee is a state rife with waterfalls, from the cascades that stud the Mississippi to the cavernous expanse of the Great Smoky Mountains. Of course, the entire state is known for its natural beauty, but these incredible natural water features stand out. Fall Creek Falls State Park is one of the most awe-inspiring state parks with waterfalls. It's the most-visited state park in Tennessee, and for good reason: it’s home to the tallest waterfall in Tennessee, the eponymous Fall Creek Falls. At a commanding 256 feet tall, Fall Creek Falls is the highest waterfall in the park and the eastern U.S. It's a dazzling vision sure to delight even the hardest-to-please adventure seekers.

14. Cumberland Falls State Resort Park - Kentucky

Among state parks, Cumberland Falls State Resort Park reigns supreme. It's 1,657 acres of pure Bluegrass beauty, offering visitors an extraordinary park experience. The hiking here is unrivaled: there are 12 hiking trails throughout the park, and they'll take you past some truly remarkable rock formations, historic bridges, and other impressive natural features, including eponymous falls. It's truly one of the most scenic hiking destinations in the USA.

Cumberland Falls—Kentucky's "Niagara of the South"—is a majestic 68-foot waterfall on the Cumberland River. Not only is Cumberland Falls an awe-inspiring force; it's also the site of a rare natural phenomenon. Known as a "moonbow," Cumberland Falls is one of the few places on the planet that regularly produces this prismatic phenomenon, created when light is refracted through the spray.

15. Hocking Hills State Park - Ohio

Ohio is home to a lovely national park, but that's not the only extraordinary park up the Buckeye State's sleeve. In southeastern Ohio's Appalachia, Hocking Hills State Park boasts some of the region's most sublime scenery and bucket-list-worthy outdoor recreation. The hiking here is second to none—the trails within this 2,356-acre Ohio State Park offer incredible natural wonders like waterfalls, caves, cliffs, and rock formations.

Between Old Man's Cave, Ash Cave, Devil’s Bathtub, and Cedar Falls, you could spend days exploring dozens of caves and waterfalls in Hocking Hills, an outdoor adventure we'd happily embark upon at one of the most unique state parks in the U.S.

16. Watkins Glen State Park - New York

Watkins Glen State Park is the most popular state park in the Finger Lakes region, and for good reason. The park's iconic Rainbow Bridge and Falls are absolutely breathtaking—so beautiful, in fact, that they don't look real. The hikes in this state park are equally enchanting; the trails wind through verdant forests with stone staircases, secret caves, and trickling waterfalls. Watkins Glen State Park is the closest you'll come to experiencing Tolkien's Middle Earth... and it's a sublime experience and one of the top outdoor bucket list destinations in New York.

17. Baxter State Park - Maine

Acadia National Park often steals the spotlight in the Pine Tree State, but Baxter State Park easily keeps pace. Baxter State Park in Millinocket offers 200,000 beautiful acres to explore, unwind, and let go. It also allows adventure-seekers to challenge themselves on some of the state's hardest trails. Governor Percival P. Baxter gifted the park to the state of Maine in 1931—his only stipulation was that it remain "forever wild." Today, if you visit, you'll see that the mandate has been taken seriously, as this is one of New England's wildest-feeling spots and one of the most scenic hidden-gem state parks in Maine.

18. Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park - Hawaii

Nestled on Kauai’s north shore, Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park is one of the country's most breathtaking and isolated state parks. Despite its remoteness, the jagged coastline, towering mountains plunging into the sea, and bright and beautiful colors are iconic, instantly recognizable, and Hollywood-famous.

While visitors often opt for helicopter or boat tours of this park, the most immersive way to experience the Nā Pali Coast is on two legs! The Kalalau Trail is a bucket-list trek; the most popular section is the first stretch from Ke’e Beach to Hanakapiai Valley, a "sand trail" through Hawaii's jungle oasis. But hikers who continue on the trail will be rewarded with unrivaled views of Hanakapiai Falls. Towering 300 feet into the sky, this waterfall truly looks like something falling from the heavens.

19. Kachemak Bay State Park - Alaska

Of all the best state parks in each state, Kachemak Bay State Park is a destination that should be at the very top of every explorer's bucket list. Located south of Homer, Alaska, this stunning state park has extraordinary experiences, from whale watching and island hopping to hiking or kayaking past glaciers.

Kachemak Bay is Alaska's very first state park, and it’s packed with a whopping 400,000 jaw-dropping acres of some of the most awesome scenery on the planet: glaciers, towering mountain peaks, beautiful ocean bays, and stunning forested land and islands. Remote and rugged, you’ll have to fly in or boat to the shoreline and hike into the park. While this remoteness might deter some, to us, it's perhaps the most enticing allure of the Last Frontier.

The Most Beautiful State Parks Across America

From coast to coast, discover the best state parks in America, offering endless scenery and outdoor adventures from hiking and chasing waterfalls to camping, swimming, boating, fishing, and more. The state parks listed above certainly rival our national parks, oftentimes with fewer crowds and a more peaceful nature experience. Which of these state parks have you yet to visit? If you're ready to plan a spectacular upcoming trip, discover the best waterfall hikes across America and the best campgrounds in the U.S.