The coolest national parks you didn't know existed
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}There's no need to travel far for adventure. Check out these little known national parks. (Image: Channel Islands National Park- Courtesy of iStock)
West of Key West, Florida, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/drto/index.htm" target="_blank">this national park</a> is comprised of seven islands, each offering rich marine life and stunning views of the Gulf of Mexico. Whether it’s snorkeling in clear tropical water or learning the history of 19th century Fort Jefferson, this national park provides a unique experience for everyone. And since one day might not be enough, guests can bring a tent and camp out at Garden Key.<a href="https://www.nps.gov/drto/index.htm" target="_blank"></a> (Courtesy of iStock)
Possibly Kentucky’s best kept secret, the early guide Stephen Bishop called <a href="https://www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/things2do.htm%20" target="_blank">Mammoth Cave</a> “a grand, gloomy and peculiar place.” Home of the world’s longest known cave system, the park contains over 70 endangered, threatened or state-listed species. Mammoth Cave also offers camp sites, rivers, hiking trails, bike paths, and horseback riding. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/maca/planyourvisit/things2do.htm%20" target="_blank"></a> (Courtesy of iStock)
Due to their isolation, the five islands of <a href="https://www.nps.gov/chis/planyourvisit/outdooractivities.htm%20%20%20" target="_blank">Channel Islands</a> contains unique animals and plants that exist nowhere else on earth. The park has a wealth of recreational activities including hiking, camping, fishing, surfing, diving, snorkeling, boating, and even a seal and sea lion viewing. (Courtesy of iStock)
<a href="https://www.nps.gov/katm/index.htm" target="_blank">Katmai National Park & Preserve</a> is filled with mountain views, ample wildlife and over 700 plant species. Named for the mountain it surrounds, Katmai is a protected habitat for moose, caribou, red foxes, wolves, lynx and brown bears. Since its devastating volcanic eruption in 1912, it's been protected as a living laboratory and continues to inspire awe with its fauna and volcanics. (Courtesy of iStock)
Considering its name, it is not surprising that <a href="https://www.nps.gov/lavo/index.htm" target="_blank">Lassen</a> is a park filled with volcanoes. The park is lined with jagged peaks indicative of historic eruptions. The park contains eight hydrothermal areas (hot water areas), which indicate active volcanism and a possibility of further eruptions. (Courtesy of iStock)
This unconventional <a href="https://www.nps.gov/pefo/index.htm" target="_blank">forest</a> is full of fossils and unique geological formations. The park is also a habitat for hundreds of species of plants as well as diverse animals including coyotes, bobcats, green herons, bald eagles, and many others. The Petrified Forest has become even more of a place for discovery with exclusive new hikes to areas never open before. (Courtesy of iStock)
<a href="https://www.nps.gov/cong/index.htm" target="_blank">Congaree</a> is the site of the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest in the southeastern United States. Nearby rivers periodically flow into the floodplain of the park, nourishing a unique ecosystem and rich biodiversity. (Courtesy of iStock)
At this national <a href="https://www.nps.gov/alca/index.htm%20" target="_blank">historic landmark</a>, see the site of the first lighthouse on the West Coast and the infamous federal prison. Alcatraz was the birthplace of the American Indian Red Power movement, as well as a Civil War fortress. With a bird sanctuary, gardens, and tide pools, this landmark has the natural features of a typical national park with a rich, manmade history inside. (Courtesy of iStock)
The largest subtropical wilderness in the country, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/index.htm" target="_blank">Everglades National Park</a> is a habitat for rare and endangered species including the manatee, American crocodile and Florida panther. With features like a week-long canoe route, bike paths, and observation towers, the park offers nothing short of an adventure. (Courtesy of iStock)
This designated wilderness contains one main island and 450 smaller islands, occupying the northwestern portion of Lake Superior. Because of its isolation, the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/isro/learn/nature/index.htm" target="_blank">park</a> is an International Biosphere Reserve, and has bred a unique ecosystem. (Courtesy of iStock)