When people hear “national parks,” they often think of the western United States, imagining places like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone or Yosemite. Often overlooked, the Eastern United States is home to parks packed with natural beauty and adventure. Here are 11 parks on the East Coast that should be on your bucket list.
Acadia National Park
Location: Maine
Imagine a place where you can breathe in the intoxicating scents of the salty ocean and mountain pines at the same time. Lush forests give way to jagged red rock coastlines that stand the test of time against crashing waves.
Acadia offers breathtaking scenery along its coastal, forest, lake and summit trails. Cyclists can ride the crushed stone carriage roads through serene, lush forests. For those who prefer scenic drives, the 27-mile Park Loop Road offers spectacular views of the rocky coasts. For epic panoramic views, drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain, the park’s highest peak.
Be sure to make time to explore the park’s gateway, Bar Harbor. It has charming shops, excellent restaurants and beautiful coastal views. Also in .
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Location: Ohio
offers varied landscapes, unique adventures and a compelling history lesson. Transport is an important theme in the park; you can walk, cycle or take the train.
Many consider Brandywine Falls to be the most beautiful waterfall in Ohio. You can admire the 20-meter-high waterfall in the park from a boardwalk. Walk, bike or run the peaceful Towpath Trail, the same path where mules walked and boats pulled along the Ohio and Erie Canal. Take a relaxing train ride through Ohio history as you pass forests, quaint towns and wetlands. Beaver Marsh is teeming with wildlife, including birds, ducks, painted and snapping turtles, otters and beavers. Located atop a sandstone cliff, Ledges Overlook is a popular place to hike and watch the sunset.
Indiana Dunes National Park
Location: Indiana
Those who seek sand and solitude will love. Lake Michigan winds and waves created unique habitats along 15 miles of Indiana’s coastline. Guests can swim, walk on the beach, play in the sand or relax and enjoy the views along the park’s sandy beaches. The park is known for its diversity of plants and birds, making it a popular birding destination.
Indiana Dunes National Park offers more than 50 miles of hiking trails past peaceful forests, rolling dunes, boggy wetlands, and sunny prairies. It also features a 60-kilometer interconnected bike path system that covers the entire park. Those who enjoy water sports can canoe or kayak in the region’s rivers and waterways.
Shenandoah National Park
Location: Virginia
delivers enticing mountain views and wooded trails. Enjoy the park at a leisurely pace, whether you admire its beauty on foot or via a scenic drive. If you rush the experience, you may not appreciate the subtle nuances of the beauty or the size and scope of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
One of America’s most beautiful drives covers the entire length of the park, 170 kilometers. During your journey you will discover 75 viewpoints, each with breathtaking views. While the scenic drive provides breathtaking vistas, the trails allow you to explore more of the heart of the park and discover tranquil forests and waterfalls.
New River Gorge National Park & Preserve
Location: West Virginia
Scenic and recreational opportunities await you in wild, beautiful West Virginia. It has 70,000 hectares of wilderness along a fast-moving whitewater river that cuts deep, rugged gorges through the beautiful mountains. Although the New River is one of North America’s oldest rivers, the park is America’s newest national park, established in December 2020.
Known for its whitewater rafting, New River Gorge features class 3 to class 5 rapids for thrill seekers and hardcore adventurers. If that’s not your thing, don’t worry. In the park’s walking areas you will find peaceful forest trails, scenic views, historic landscapes, waterfalls and pools. The park consists of 133 kilometers of winding roads where you get several viewpoints of the rim and the gorge. There is something for everyone.
Mammoth Cave National Park
Location: Kentucky
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve, comprising rolling hills, deep river valleys and the world’s longest cave system. Explore above and below ground and discover the rich diversity of plant and animal life and thousands of years of human history.
The park offers many cave tours, from short walks to adventurous tours that require crawling or lanterns. Guests can choose the tour that best suits their experience and interests. More than 30 miles of the Green and Nolin Rivers flow through the park, offering canoeing, kayaking and fishing.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Location: Tennessee and North Carolina
America’s most visited area features misty mountains, rushing streams, lush forests, beautiful wildflowers, beautiful waterfalls and fantastic wildlife. The park is centered around “the Smokies,” a vast mountain range of forested ridges that straddle the Tennessee-North Carolina border. If you’re looking for a mountain retreat, there’s no better place to visit.
With babbling streams, rushing waterfalls, forests and mountains, walking is an absolute sensation. The park has trails for all skill levels. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is teeming with wildlife such as white-tailed deer, elk, black bears, turkeys and woodchucks. If you like history, this is your park. It includes more than 90 historic structures, including houses, barns, churches, schools and grist mills.
Congaree National Park
Location: South Carolina
features the most significant intact tract of old-growth hardwood forest in the southeastern United States. Despite being a low floodplain, the park is home to some of the tallest trees in the eastern United States, with an average canopy height of over 100 feet.
You can explore the park by walking or paddling. Those looking for a challenge can paddle the Congaree River Blue Trail, a 50-mile trek that starts in Columbia. Because there are campsites and sandbars along the route, rangers recommend two to three days for the trip.
Everglades National Park
Location: Florida
Many believe it is a swamp, but it is actually a slow-moving, 100-mile-long and 37-mile-wide river of grass. The surreal ecosystem is teeming with wildlife and offers unique recreational opportunities. Many guests take an airboat ride, zigzagging through the grassy river to see alligators and birds up close. Although the alligators are the main attraction for most, more than 300 bird species inhabit the area.
You can explore the park on foot, by bike or by tram. Some park areas offer opportunities to kayak through a maze of mangrove islands or look for manatees and crocodiles. Everglades National Park is also known for its epic sunsets.
Dry Tortugas National Park
Location: Florida
Located off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico, is a 100-square-mile park consisting of seven small islands in the open water. It features turquoise waters, alluring coral reefs, shipwrecks, an old war fort, diverse birdlife and vibrant marine life. Fort Jefferson, the park’s star attraction, has more than 16 million bricks and is the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere.
Because Dry Tortugas National Park is located 70 miles west of Key West, visiting the park requires extra planning. The only way to get there is by seaplane, ferry or private boat. Popular activities include snorkeling, swimming, bird watching and touring the fort. The largest island, Loggerhead Key, features a lighthouse and a popular snorkeling spot above a shipwreck.
Biscayne National Park
Location: Florida
is just 15 miles off the coast of Miami, yet it feels like a world away: the watery wonderland is home to aquamarine waters, emerald islands, and coral reefs teeming with tropical fish. You’ll also find remnants of human history, including shipwrecks and prehistoric tribal artifacts. Above the water’s surface you can enjoy warm sunshine, gentle breezes and peaceful vistas.
Popular activities include paddling and snorkeling. You can also experience the park through various boat trips. Cruising through Stiltsville is one of the most interesting. In the 1930s, people built small buildings on stilts off the coast of Miami, a place to party when gambling and alcohol were illegal.
Plan your adventures at the East Coast parks
While the national parks on the west coast are magical, the parks on the east coast offer plenty of beautiful scenery and unique activities. You can find everything from exciting whitewater rafting excursions to relaxing on a sandy beach. It’s time to update your travel bucket list!
Scott McConkey is a travel writer and founder of Miles with McConkey, where he provides travel ideas and travel guides. His wife Julie makes travel videos. They hope to inspire you to travel more.
