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My winter holiday decorations are repacked in boxes stacked in a corner of my basement. Empty pots on my windowsill wait for flowers to bloom. I stare at them, longing to recover from the frenzy of the past few months. I need a temperate, majestic and quiet oasis. What I need is a trip to one of our nation’s 63 national parks! Here are five beauties off most people’s radar that are perfect to visit before summer.
Great Basin National Park, Nevada
Drive northwest of Las Vegas for approximately 4.5 hours and reset without crowds in Great Basin National Park. A scenic road offers views of peaks, valleys and salt flats, and guided tours are available for the wondrous Lehman Caves, which are 50°F year-round. You can hike to tarn lakes, take a trail through bristlecone pines thousands of years old, climb over rocks and reach an ideal place to see Nevada’s only glacier beneath the state’s second-highest peak. After dark, discover the park’s night sky. Great Basin National Park is an International Dark Sky Park, with the least polluted and clearest night skies in the contiguous United States, providing exceptional stargazing.
Visitor Tip: Check the park calendar for free astronomy ranger programs. Keep an eye on the weather, too. Temperatures can fluctuate, and storms and melting snow can cause closures.
Big Bend National Park, Texas
On the edge of western Texas and bordered by Mexico, Big Bend National Park covers a remote yet varied section of the country. Take a 30-mile scenic drive, soak in hot springs and hike trails through desert, mountains and canyons along the Rio Grande. Pause to watch birds; hundreds of species have been seen given the diverse habitats. Dinosaurs used to inhabit the area and you can learn all about them at the Fossil Discovery Exhibit. Before sunset, find the boardwalk near the central visitor center for a spot to watch the sky transform above the peaks.
Visitor Tip: Go before May’s planned construction. Also, bring your passport and spend an afternoon in Mexico.
Channel Islands National Park, California
Off the coast of California between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, discover Channel Islands National Park. Journey across the water by seaplane or boat (concessioner or private). Travel times vary from one hour to 4.5 depending on the island chosen and the marine life encountered. Dolphins, whales, seals, sea lions and more can be spotted. Hike trails with wildflowers in the spring and bird watch. Kayak, scuba dive, snorkel and explore sea caves, too.
Visitor Tip: For a day trip, book an early boat and pack a jacket, food, water and any necessities because they aren’t available for purchase on the islands.
Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas
Drive 110 miles east of El Paso, Texas, to a park composed mostly of wilderness, a designation protecting it from human development. The park also holds international geologic significance, given its non-coral fossil reef created around 273 million years ago. Eighty miles of trails traverse through desert, canyon and mountain terrains. While exploring, see eight of the 10 highest peaks in Texas and discover bright-white dunes covering nearly 2,000 acres of the park, like those in White Sands National Park, but with a fraction of the crowds.
Visitor Tip: Located only 56 miles southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico, plan back-to-back visits to two national destinations.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
Millions of years ago under the Guadalupe Mountains, caverns formed. Over 119 are within Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico. To go spelunking, reserve time-entry tickets and descend into the caverns (around 56°F year-round) through an elevator from the visitor center or by walking down 750 feet on a steep paved path. Once underground, explore spectacular formations on your own and others on a ranger-led tour. From late May through October, an evening bat flight occurs when thousands of bats per minute can fly out of the cave searching for food.
Visitor Tip: Wear good hiking shoes or sneakers and keep in mind that older members of the familiy or anyone with an injury might have a harder time getting up and into the caves.
Whether you choose to explore these less-visited parks or more popular ones, start at a visitor center and get tips from rangers. Buying an annual “America the Beautiful” pass for $80 gives you access to all national parks and more. The hardest part now is picking where to go first.
Have you been to any of the above? What's your favorite national park? Let us know in the comments below.
