By Korrin Bishop
Seeking to escape the crowds and discover someplace new? Attempt a park dupe! Vacation spot “dupes” are a development geared toward providing journey alternate options for overcrowded areas. Park dupes counsel a spot that’s just 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 sources, resulting in delayed emergency response and different security considerations. It may well additionally create disagreeable site visitors and useful resource injury. Contemplating an alternative 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 identified about. Or, if you understand you’ve preferred a sure fashion of park prior to now, a park dupe affords one other place to attempt that’s seemingly up your alley.
Under, we provide seven alternate options for standard parks to get your journey dupe plans rolling. However when you’re nonetheless set on visiting a busier park, think about planning your journey throughout shoulder seasons or different occasions when the situation has fewer crowds. And, irrespective of the place you select to journey, at all times bear in mind to comply with the seven ideas of Go away No Hint.
1. Like Sequoia Nationwide Park? Attempt Redwood Nationwide and State Parks!
Photograph credit score: Korrin Bishop
Sequoia Nationwide Park in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains is thought for its towering big sequoia bushes, together with Common Sherman, the world’s largest identified single-stem tree by quantity.
If you wish to be wowed by monumental bushes 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 dwelling to spectacular groves of coastal redwoods, together with the world’s tallest dwelling tree at 380.3 toes. With beautiful shoreline, historical bushes, and beautiful spring wildflowers, Redwood Nationwide and State Parks is well worth the trek to this distant stretch of the Golden State. You’ll discover greater than 200 miles of trails by means of old-growth forests, prairies, and seashores. Be certain to acquire a allow for one of many park’s seven designated backcountry campsites.
2. Like Nice Smoky Mountains Nationwide Park? Attempt Cumberland Hole Nationwide Historic Park!
Photograph 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 USA. It’s particularly crowded in autumn when its rolling mountains placed on a colourful present.
If you happen to’re on the lookout for 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’ll 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 several other historic buildings.
3. Like Everglades Nationwide Park? Attempt Congaree Nationwide Park!
Photograph credit score: Korrin Bishop
Occupying 1.5 million acres on the southern finish of Florida, Everglades Nationwide Park is a singular subtropical wilderness of mangrove wetlands, sawgrass marshes, and hardwood hammocks. It’s a really distinctive ecosystem.
If you happen to’re on the lookout for 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 USA, together with a few of the tallest bushes within the East. Its distinctive floodplain panorama is full of alternatives for mountaineering and paddling. Congaree Nationwide Park is an excellent place to search out some solitude, rating within the high 15 least-visited nationwide parks, with round solely 250,000 journeys per yr.
4. Like Massive Bend Nationwide Park? Attempt Massive Bend Ranch State Park!
Photograph credit score: Jonathan Schmid
Situated in West Texas alongside a scenic stretch of the Rio Grande, Massive Bend Nationwide Park has grown in recognition over time. Reservations are required for all park campgrounds, with many filling up months upfront.
Nonetheless, by no means worry! If you happen to’d wish to discover the hanging canyons, river views, and huge desert expanses of this area however didn’t snag a reservation, head on over to Massive Bend Ranch State Park. The most important of the Texas state parks at about 500 sq. miles, Massive Bend Ranch State Park sits simply west of Massive Bend Nationwide Park. The park affords beautiful surroundings, fascinating geology, darkish evening skies, numerous wildlife, and historic remnants of over 10,000 years of human habitation. Come ready to hike, mountain bike, camp, or go horseback using.
5. Like Columbia River Gorge Nationwide Scenic Space? Attempt Umpqua Nationwide Forest!
Photograph credit score: Korrin Bishop
Nearly 30 miles east of Portland, Oregon, Columbia River Gorge Nationwide Scenic Space is dwelling to Multnomah Falls, the most-visited pure recreation web site within the Pacific Northwest, with greater than 2 million visits per yr. It may well get so busy that from mid-Might by means of early September, you need to have a timed-use allow to make use of the location’s fundamental parking space.
Nonetheless, Oregon is brimming with different scenic waterfalls value visiting. Attempt 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 superb for mountaineering by means of evergreen forests and standing in awe of columnar basalt.
6. Like Mammoth Cave Nationwide Park? Attempt Jewel Cave Nationwide Monument!
Photograph 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 earth, clocking in at over 400 miles of passageways.
If you wish to discover an equally spectacular but lesser-known cave, navigate your solution 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 USA and the fifth largest on the earth. The cave is thought for its dazzling jewel-like options and different intricate formations. The park additionally contains above-ground mountaineering trails value exploring, such because the Canyons Path loop that traverses by means of open meadows surrounded by canyon cliffs and rocky outcroppings. If you would like much more close by cave journey, the park is just below 30 miles from Wind Cave Nationwide Park, dwelling of the seventh longest cave on the earth.
7. Like Arches Nationwide Park? Attempt Massive South Fork Nationwide River and Recreation Space!
Photograph credit score: Arnita Sitasari Grey
Vacationers flock to Utah’s Arches Nationwide Park for its exceptional pure rock formations, together with greater than 2,000 iconic arches.
If you wish to discover some spectacular rock work, however moderately journey in a less-visited location, attempt Massive South Fork Nationwide River and Recreation Space. Situated alongside the border of Kentucky and Tennessee, the park is usually known as the Arches of the East. It has extra pure arches than some other area within the jap United States. A few of the hottest of the park’s greater than 100 sandstone arches embody Twin Arches, Needle Arch, and Cut up Bow Arch, all reachable by way of mountaineering trails. For arch lovers on the lookout for a change of surroundings, the greater than 125,000-acre park is far more forested and inexperienced than Utah’s pink rock landscapes. Go to for fewer crowds, rugged terrain, scenic rivers, sandstone bluffs, and deep gorges.
Broaden Your Adventures to New Public Lands With Alternate options for Common Parks
Whether or not on the lookout for a wilderness journey with extra solitude or just desirous to discover a brand new panorama just like one you already love, standard park dupes are a journey development value embracing. We hope these options get you dreaming and planning your subsequent journey within the nice outdoor. Don’t overlook to load up your favourite daypack with the necessities and seize your trekking poles earlier than you hit the path!
Have an concept for a park dupe that’s not on our record? We’d love to listen to about it! Share your greatest alternate options for crowded parks with us by tagging Gossamer Gear on social media (@gossamergear) and utilizing the hashtag #takelessdomore.
In search of extra out of doors journey inspiration? Try a few of our different articles on the Mild Toes weblog: