It’s astonishing that a site so magnificent can be covered in just a few hours. it can be managed on a drive, with or without stops. The colours and formations are the showstoppers, with ice-cream swirls of candy-coloured rock interspersed with the ancient significance of ancestral petroglyphs.
The name says it all – the colour of the water alone makes this park worth your while. Known as the winter haven of the Florida manatee, visitors can see hundreds of these enormous mammals in one place.
Located in the southwest of the state, City of Rocks takes its name from its towering formations, sculpted by the elements from ancient volcanic ash. With two different trails to explore, visitors can expect to see desert flora, such as bunny ear cacti and Yucca, and fauna such as javelinas and jackrabbits.
With its coastal setting, Ecola State Park has the best of both worlds when it comes to surfing and hiking. There’s plenty of tranquillity to be enjoyed too, with tide pooling a popular, family-friendly activity and, occasionally, whales to be spotted.
The striking geological formations at this park are billions of years old but, even if you weren’t wowed by their age, their sheer size and gravity-defying nature would stop you in your tracks – and there are 30 miles (48km) of it to explore.
Somewhere, over the moonbow… this rare phenomenon occurs relatively frequently at Cumberland State Falls, an almost phantasmic arc most often seen within a few days either side of a full moon.
Nicknamed ‘The Grand Canyon of Texas,’ Palo Duro is located in the state’s north. The landscape is full of drama – from striated canyon walls in earthy shades of red, purple and brown, to flora that entices with colour, while simultaneously issuing spiky warnings to curious fingers.
In a place as wild as Alaska – its licence plates proudly proclaim it to be ‘The Last Frontier’ – being named the state’s first park is not to be taken lightly. With miles of trails winding through its 400,000 acres, the diversity of landscape in Kachemak is awe-inspiring, with everything from glaciers to forests, from ocean to forest flora and fauna.
While some of the United States’ marvels were created by natural forces, this one was, rather less gloriously, formed via poor farming practices.
Covering 2,500 acres, there are over 25 miles (40km) of well-maintained trails here, weaving through woods resplendent with ferns and moss.