Trying to escape the crowds and discover someplace new? Strive a park dupe! Vacation spot “dupes” are a development geared toward providing journey alternate options for overcrowded areas. Park dupes recommend a spot that’s much like a preferred wilderness space, so that you get the identical vibe with out as a lot of the hype.
Overcrowding in parks can pressure native assets, resulting in delayed emergency response and different security issues. It may additionally create disagreeable visitors and useful resource harm. Contemplating another choice to your travels when high-visitation parks are at their peak can each ease stress on land administration companies and provides you a chance to journey someplace you could not have in any other case recognized about. Or, if you already know you’ve favored a sure model of park previously, a park dupe provides one other place to attempt that’s doubtless up your alley.
Beneath, we provide seven alternate options for widespread parks to get your journey dupe plans rolling. However should you’re nonetheless set on visiting a busier park, take into account planning your journey throughout shoulder seasons or different occasions when the situation has fewer crowds. And, regardless of the place you select to journey, at all times keep in mind to observe the seven rules of Depart No Hint.
1. Like Sequoia Nationwide Park? Strive Redwood Nationwide and State Parks!
Picture credit score: Korrin Bishop
Sequoia Nationwide Park in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains is understood for its towering large sequoia timber, together with Basic Sherman, the world’s largest recognized single-stem tree by quantity.
If you wish to be wowed by huge timber at a lesser-visited nationwide park, head to California’s far-north coast for a go to to Redwood Nationwide and State Parks. This distinctive state and federal conservation effort is house to spectacular groves of coastal redwoods, together with the world’s tallest dwelling tree at 380.3 toes. With beautiful shoreline, historical timber, and beautiful spring wildflowers, Redwood Nationwide and State Parks is definitely worth the trek to this distant stretch of the Golden State. You’ll discover greater than 200 miles of trails by way of old-growth forests, prairies, and seashores. Be sure that to acquire a allow for one of many park’s seven designated backcountry campsites.
2. Like Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park? Strive Cumberland Hole Nationwide Historic Park!
Picture credit score: Korrin Bishop
Identified for its biodiversity, Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park, situated on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, is the most-visited nationwide park in the US. It’s particularly crowded in autumn when its rolling mountains placed on a colourful present.
If you happen to’re in search of close by fall leaf peeping with out the flocks of vacationers, head just a little north to Cumberland Hole Nationwide Historic Park, situated on the intersection of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia. The panorama at this park additionally places on a superb autumn present, and you may even see all the way in which to the Smokies on a transparent day. This cozy Appalachian wilderness contains 85 miles of trails throughout 14,000 acres, in addition to a cave and a number of other historic buildings.
3. Like Everglades Nationwide Park? Strive Congaree Nationwide Park!
Picture credit score: Korrin Bishop
Occupying 1.5 million acres on the southern finish of Florida, Everglades Nationwide Park is a novel subtropical wilderness of mangrove wetlands, sawgrass marshes, and hardwood hammocks. It’s a very distinctive ecosystem.
If you happen to’re in search of one other water-driven park within the Southeast, head to South Carolina for a go to to Congaree Nationwide Park. Whereas solely about 42 sq. miles, this park boasts the most important remaining tract of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the US, together with a number of the tallest timber within the East. Its distinctive floodplain panorama is crammed with alternatives for climbing and paddling. Congaree Nationwide Park is an excellent place to search out some solitude, rating within the prime 15 least-visited nationwide parks, with round solely 250,000 journeys per yr.
4. Like Huge Bend Nationwide Park? Strive Huge Bend Ranch State Park!
Picture credit score: Jonathan Schmid
Situated in West Texas alongside a scenic stretch of the Rio Grande, Huge Bend Nationwide Park has grown in reputation through the years. Reservations are required for all park campgrounds, with many filling up months prematurely.
Nonetheless, by no means concern! If you happen to’d prefer to discover the placing canyons, river views, and huge desert expanses of this area however didn’t snag a reservation, head on over to Huge Bend Ranch State Park. The most important of the Texas state parks at about 500 sq. miles, Huge Bend Ranch State Park sits simply west of Huge Bend Nationwide Park. The park provides gorgeous surroundings, fascinating geology, darkish night time skies, various wildlife, and historic remnants of over 10,000 years of human habitation. Come ready to hike, mountain bike, camp, or go horseback driving.
5. Like Columbia River Gorge Nationwide Scenic Space? Strive Umpqua Nationwide Forest!
Picture credit score: Korrin Bishop
Nearly 30 miles east of Portland, Oregon, Columbia River Gorge Nationwide Scenic Space is house to Multnomah Falls, the most-visited pure recreation web site within the Pacific Northwest, with greater than 2 million visits per yr. It may get so busy that from mid-Could by way of early September, you could have a timed-use allow to make use of the positioning’s predominant parking space.
Nonetheless, Oregon is brimming with different scenic waterfalls price visiting. Strive heading to Umpqua Nationwide Forest in southwest Oregon, the place you’ll not solely discover a beautiful river valley and pure sizzling springs, but in addition ample waterfalls inside a brief drive from each other. Make a cease at Toketee Falls, a double cascade plummeting a mixed 120 toes right into a brilliant blue pool. Additionally close by on Freeway 138 are Clearwater Falls, Whitehorse Falls, and Watson Falls. A go to to the realm is great for climbing by way of evergreen forests and standing in awe of columnar basalt.
6. Like Mammoth Cave Nationwide Park? Strive Jewel Cave Nationwide Monument!
Picture credit score: Korrin Bishop
Situated in central Kentucky, Mammoth Cave Nationwide Park attracts guests from close to and much to discover the longest cave system on the planet, clocking in at over 400 miles of passageways.
If you wish to discover an equally spectacular but lesser-known cave, navigate your option to South Dakota’s Black Hills the place you’ll discover Jewel Cave Nationwide Monument. Measuring over 200 miles in size, this cave system is the second longest in the US and the fifth largest on the planet. The cave is understood for its dazzling jewel-like options and different intricate formations. The park additionally contains above-ground climbing trails price exploring, such because the Canyons Path loop that traverses by way of open meadows surrounded by canyon cliffs and rocky outcroppings. If you would like much more close by cave journey, the park is slightly below 30 miles from Wind Cave Nationwide Park, house of the seventh longest cave on the planet.
7. Like Arches Nationwide Park? Strive Huge South Fork Nationwide River and Recreation Space!
Picture credit score: Arnita Sitasari Grey
Vacationers flock to Utah’s Arches Nationwide Park for its outstanding pure rock formations, together with greater than 2,000 iconic arches.
If you wish to discover some spectacular rock work, however quite journey in a less-visited location, attempt Huge South Fork Nationwide River and Recreation Space. Situated alongside the border of Kentucky and Tennessee, the park is typically known as the Arches of the East. It has extra pure arches than every other area within the japanese United States. Among the hottest of the park’s greater than 100 sandstone arches embrace Twin Arches, Needle Arch, and Break up Bow Arch, all reachable by way of climbing trails. For arch lovers in search of a change of surroundings, the greater than 125,000-acre park is far more forested and inexperienced than Utah’s purple rock landscapes. Go to for fewer crowds, rugged terrain, scenic rivers, sandstone bluffs, and deep gorges.
Increase Your Adventures to New Public Lands With Alternate options for In style Parks
Whether or not in search of a wilderness journey with extra solitude or just eager to discover a brand new panorama much like one you already love, widespread park dupes are a journey development price embracing. We hope these strategies get you dreaming and planning your subsequent journey within the nice outside. Don’t neglect to load up your favourite daypack with the necessities and seize your trekking poles earlier than you hit the path!
Have an thought for a park dupe that’s not on our checklist? We’d love to listen to about it! Share your finest alternate options for crowded parks with us by tagging Gossamer Gear on social media (@gossamergear) and utilizing the hashtag #takelessdomore.
On the lookout for extra outside journey inspiration? Try a few of our different articles on the Gentle Toes weblog:
