Top 10 Most Underrated National Parks in the US

If you’re wondering what the most underrated national parks in the United States are, you’ll have no more questions after reading through this article. 

The United States invented the concept of the National Park and being such a big country, the US is blessed with incredible national parks. Some of the most famous natural sights in the world can be found in US national parks. 

But not all parks are created equally. There is a lot of hype about some and not as much hype as there should be about others. So I have assembled a list of the ten most underrated national parks to help you navigate the National Park system. 

I’ve been to 9 of the 10  parks below and over 50 of the 63 parks in the system, so I have direct first-hand experience with just about everything here. So let’s get down to it!

And if you’re wondering which parks are the most overrated, check out my post on the top 5 overrated national parks that you should not waste your time on. I’ve also ranked the 10 worst national parks in the US, which do not necessarily align to the most overrated.

The Most Underrated National Parks

10. Gates of the Arctic

Gates of the Arctic is a national park you probably haven’t even heard of, unless you’re really into camping and hiking and hate people. Located entirely above the Arctic Circle in northern Alaska, it’s the largest national park in the country and larger than some entire states.

It’s basically just an endless wilderness of mountains, rivers, grizzly bears and arctic tundra. I’ve only just scratched the surface of the park near Wiseman, Alaska, but my wife did a 7-night backcountry trip about a month before we met. It’s not easy to get to, but the 10,000 or so people who do make it there every year are rewarded with an adventure like nothing else in the world. 

9. Big Bend

Big Bend is a huge wilderness area in southwest Texas on the Mexican border that I have unfortunately never made it to. Teeming with wildlife and desert vegetation, Big Bend is a hikers dream that deserves more recognition than it gets.

The main reason it’s not as well visited as it should be is surely its isolated location. It’s pretty far from any city in Texas, making it more than just a weekend getaway for nearly every American, including the vast majority of Texans. But those who have made it will tell you first hand that the park is simply fantastic and they wish they’d have stayed longer!

8. Lassen Volcanic

Nestled away in sparsely populated Northern California is Lassen Volcanic National Park. The average American probably hasn’t even heard of this park but if you visit you’ll be rewarded with splendid views of volcanic valleys and snow-capped mountains galore.

The thing that makes Lassen so unique is its geothermal activity. Most people don’t associate California with volcanos, but it’s a huge state and by the time you’re up near the Oregon border you’ve entered the volcano zone. Geothermal activity is rampant in the park. It’s like being in Iceland, just more green.

And one of the best parts of visiting Lassen is the lack of other visitors. It’s one of the least visited national parks so you’ll be able to enjoy some solitude as you explore. 

7. Canyonlands

While Canyonlands National Park is becoming more popular, it’s often overlooked compared to its neighbor Arches. It’s usually visited by people when Arches is too busy, or just because it’s so close. But Canyonlands is a stunning desert landscape that should be considered a top destination in itself and a necessary stop on any road trip through Southern Utah.

Epic canyons dot the landscape, as well as hundreds of natural arches and unique red rock formations. If you really want to get to know the wilderness, hit the south side of the park, which is a solid 90 minute drive from Moab. Beautiful rocky desert is all around you and you’ll be pleased to find few other humans.

Just tell someone where you’re planning on hiking. It’s dangerous alone in the desert and you don’t want Hollywood to make a movie out of you. I’m sure Aaron Ralston would trade his fame for his arm back any day!

6. Joshua Tree

Unless you live in the southwest United States you don’t hear a whole lot of people talking about Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California. But this epic stretch of the Mojave desert, filled with spiky Joshua trees that grow up to three stories tall, should be on every travelers bucket list.

Joshua Trees are unique to the Mojave – and U2 albums – and the biggest can be found here in the park. The park Is also known for its granite boulders. Rock climbers from LA can be found climbing in the park every weekend. The park itself is mostly flat, but there are plenty of boulders to scramble up to get a view of those endless Joshua tree forests! 

5. North Cascades

Just south of the Canadian border in Washington, North Cascades National Park is endless acres of pristine alpine wilderness. Seemingly forgotten compared to the more popular northern parks, the Cascade Mountains offer similar scenery with less people to get in the way.

The park itself is less developed than those more popular parks so it offers epic backcountry opportunities. Unfortunately for me, the weather was abysmal the one time I went there. Just look at the clouds in my photo here. So I think it’s time to go back!

4. Olympic

Another park in the state of Washington, Olympic National Park is not unpopular, but undervalued in my opinion. As it’s just on the other side of Puget Sound, it’s pretty easy to get to from Seattle. It features rugged mountains, glaciers, rocky coastlines, and the only temperate rainforest in the contiguous United States.

You won’t find monkeys hopping around this rainforest but it’s pretty cool nonetheless. Combining Olympic and North Cascades makes for a pretty epic adventure through the Pacific Northwest!

3. Saguaro

People the world over know of the Grand Canyon. And that’s fine, the Grand Canyon is a national treasure and a sight to behold. But Arizona has two other national parks that are not as well know: Petrified Forest and one of my personal favorite, Saguaro National Park.

Saguaro is practically in the city of Tucson and features mountains and valleys covered in various species of cacti, the most spectacular of these being the saguaro. The saguaro is the symbol of the desert southwest and is a fascinating cactus. In Saguaro National Park you will find the highest concentration of these unique desert plants in the world.

There are ample hiking opportunities in the park. Most of the main sights are easily accessible by road, making the park easy to see. It should not be missed by anyone travelling through Arizona.

2. Great Sand Dunes

Tucked away in the mountains of southern Colorado sits one of the most underrated national parks, Great Sand Dunes National Park. A relatively small park, here you will find the highest sand dunes in North America, rising 750 feet over the valley below.

Flanked by rugged mountain peaks to the east, the park offers the unique experience of climbing up the massive sand dunes as well as more traditional hiking options in the surrounding mountains. The top experience here is to get out on the dunes and see how far you can get.

Hiking up sand dunes is incredibly hard work but if you can make it to some of the higher dunes you will be rewarded with some awesome views. Great Sand Dunes is also easily accessible and can be seen in one day. If you’re driving though Colorado don’t miss the sand dunes!

1. Death Valley

My favorite national park, Death Valley doesn’t get the recognition it deserves and thus tops my list of the most underrated national parks. While it is becoming more and more popular each year with more and more visitors, it is still vastly undervalued compared to household names like Yosemite or Yellowstone. But I think it should be right up there with the big boys.

It’s the largest park in the contiguous United States and encompasses some of the most inhospitable land on the planet. The landscape of Death Valley is truly fascinating. Here you’ll find endless salt flats, colorful badlands, rolling sand dunes, and high alpine peaks.

Death Valley is also known as the hottest place on the planet. While those temperature records from 1913 are disputed, a normal summer here will feature numerous days over 120 degrees (49 C). Badwater Basin is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere, nearly 300 feet below sea level. Yet standing in Badwater Basin you’re barely 100 miles from the highest point in the lower 48, Mount Whitney.

Drive up to Dante’s View on a clear day and you can actually see both Badwater and Mt. Whitney at the same time! The geology and topography of the park is absolutely nuts. Every American should experience Death Valley at some point.

I highly recommend it for international visitors as well, so long as your trip is not in summer. I’m lucky enough to have been to Death Valley four times when I lived in Las Vegas, but can’t wait to go again one day! Be sure to check out my post on Death Valley if you plan on visiting. I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do!

Underrated National Parks – FAQs

Final Word

The United States has some amazing national parks, and many of them are truly underrated. In this article we have gone over the most underrated national parks and hopefully by now you know where your next hiking adventure is going to be!