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TOP 100 STATE PARKS IN THE UNITED STATES

Mount Rainier, Washington Zion Narrows, Zion National Park Devils Garden Loop, Arches National Park

Welcome to the Bigroads guide to the best state parks in the United States!

The United States has well over 5,000 state parks, and you can find state parks in each of the 50 states. That's obviously a lot of parks, and so it can be overwhelming to determine which ones to include in your next trip. To help you plan, I have put together an opinionated list of what I feel are the top 100 state parks in the United States. In this list you'll find amazing places to see waterfalls, climb mountains, relax at the beach, witness wildlife, and more.

This top 100 state parks list is sorted alphabetically by state (and not by rating/quality). If you enjoy state parks, then I recommend picking up a copy of this fantastic guidebook: National Geographic Guide to State Parks of the USA

Author/Contributor: Greg Parsons

 TOP 100 U.S. STATE PARKS


Here is my list of the top 100 state parks in the U.S. Those marked with an icon represent my selection for the top state park in each state. I have personally visited most of these state parks, and I hope to finish the rest within the next few years. I welcome your feedback (using my email above) if you disagree with any of my choices.

STATE STATE PARK NAME WHAT IS THE STATE PARK KNOWN OR FAMOUS FOR? DOES PARK REQUIRE
ADVANCED
RESERVATIONS?
Alabama Gulf State Park beach NO
Alaska Chugach State Park mountain scenery, glaciers, hiking trails NO
Arizona Kartschner Caverns State Park cave tours YES (cave tours)
Lost Dutchman State Park desert scenery, hiking trails, rock-scrambling NO
Slide Rock State Park desert scenery, swimming holes, natural waterslides NO
Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park prison tours NO
Arkansas Mount Magazine State Park scenic views, mountain accommodations, state highpoint, trails NO
Petit Jean State Park hiking trails, waterfalls NO
California Anza-Borrego Desert State Park desert scenery, 4WD-ing, palm oasis, hiking trails NO
Bodie State Historic Park ghost town, mining ruins NO
Crystal Cove State Park beach NO
Emerald Bay State Park beach NO
Humboldt Redwoods State Park redwood trees, hiking trails NO
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park redwood trees, hiking trails NO
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park waterfall, coastline views NO
McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park waterfall, hiking trails NO
Montana de Oro State Park hiking trails, wildflowers, scenic views NO
Mount San Jacinto State Park hiking trails, scenic views NO
Point Lobos State Reserve ocean views, hiking trails, whale-watching, SCUBA diving YES (for diving only)
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park redwood trees, hiking trails NO
Delaware Cape Henlopen State Park beach NO
Florida Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park  beach NO
Blue Spring State Park freshwater spring, hiking trails, manatee-viewing NO
Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park freshwater spring, wildlife viewing, boat tours NO
Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park wildlife viewing, bird-watching, manatee-viewing NO
Henderson Beach State Park beach NO
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park SCUBA diving, boat tours NO
Lovers Key State Park beach NO
Silver Springs State Park freshwater spring, glass bottom boat tours, manatee-viewing NO
St. Andrews State Park beach NO
Stump Pass Beach State Park beach NO
Georgia Amicalola Falls State Park waterfall NO
Tallulah Gorge State Park hiking trails, waterfalls, scenic views NO
Hawaii Akaka Falls State Park waterfalls NO
Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park coastal views, hiking trails, scenic views NO
Wai'anapanapa State Park beach YES
Waimea Canyon State Park scenic views NO
Illinois Giant City State Park geologic attractions, hiking trails NO
Matthiessen State Park geologic attractions, hiking trails NO
Starved Rock State Park waterfalls, geologic attractions, hiking trails NO
Indiana Brown County State Park scenic views, hiking trails, mountain biking, horseback riding NO
Indiana Dunes State Park sand dunes, beaches, hiking trails NO
Kentucky Carter Caves State Resort Park cave tours, natural bridges, hiking trails, lodges NO
Cumberland Falls State Resort Park waterfall, hiking trails NO
Natural Bridge State Resort Park geologic attractions, hiking trails, scenic views NO
Maine Baxter State Park mountain scenery, hiking trails, waterfalls, scenic views YES (certain trailheads)
Massachusetts Mount Greylock State Reservation hiking trails, scenic views, waterfalls NO
Michigan Ludington State Park beach, canoeing/kayaking NO
Mackinac Island State Park hiking and biking trails, natural arch, historic landmarks NO
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park hiking trails, scenic views NO
Tahquamenon Falls State Park waterfalls, hiking trails NO
Minnesota Gooseberry Falls State Park waterfalls, hiking trails NO
Missouri Elephant Rocks State Park geologic attraction, hiking trails NO
Montana Makoshika State Park geologic attraction, hiking trails NO
Nebraska Fort Robinson State Park hiking trails, mountain biking, Jeep and stagecoach tours NO
Nevada Cathedral Gorge State Park geologic attraction, hiking trails NO
Valley of Fire State Park desert scenery, geologic attractions, hiking trails, scenic views NO (this could change)
New Hampshire Crawford Notch State Park mountain scenery, hiking trails, waterfalls, scenic views NO
Franconia Notch State Park mountain scenery, hiking trails, waterfalls, scenic views YES (Echo Lake parking)
Monadnock State Park hiking trails, scenic views, camping YES (certain trailheads)
Mount Washington State Park mountain scenery, hiking trails, scenic views NO
New Jersey Liberty State Park views of NYC & Statue of Liberty, 9/11 memorial, walking paths NO
New York Adirondack Park scenic drives, hiking trails, mountain scenery YES (certain trailheads)
Buttermilk Falls State Park waterfalls, hiking trails NO
Letchworth State Park waterfalls, hiking trails, scenic views NO
Minnewaska State Park Preserve hiking trails, scenic views NO
Niagara Falls State Park waterfalls NO
Robert Treman State Park waterfalls, hiking trails NO
Taughannock Falls State Park waterfalls, hiking trails NO
Watkins Glen State Park waterfalls, hiking trails NO
North Carolina Chimney Rock State Park geologic attractions, hiking trails, scenic views, waterfall NO
DuPont State Recreational Forest waterfalls, hiking trails, mountain biking NO
Fort Macon State Park historic fort NO
Grandfather Mountain State Park scenic views, hiking trails NO
Ohio Hocking Hills State Park geologic attractions, hiking trails, waterfalls NO
Oregon Ecola State Park hiking trails, scenic views, waterfalls NO
Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor ocean views, secluded beaches, rock formations NO
Silver Falls State Park waterfalls, hiking trails NO
Smith Rock State Park desert scenery, scenic views, rock-climbing, hiking trails NO
Pennsylvania Ohiopyle State Park hiking trails, mountain biking, whitewater rafting NO
Ricketts Glen State Park waterfalls, hiking trails NO
South Carolina Huntington Beach State Park beach, bird-watching NO
South Dakota Custer State Park wildlife viewing, hiking trails, scenic views NO
Tennessee Burgess Falls waterfall NO
Cummins Falls State Park waterfalls, swimming hole NO
Fall Creek Falls State Park waterfalls, hiking trails NO
Texas Big Bend Ranch State Park desert scenery, hiking trails, 4WD-ing, scenic views NO
Caddo Lake State Park paddling, wetlands, beautiful forests NO
Palo Duro Canyon State Park geological attraction, hiking trails, scenic views NO
Utah Dead Horse Point State Park desert scenery, scenic views, hiking trails NO
Goblin Valley State Park desert scenery, geologic attractions, hoodoos NO
Snow Canyon State Park desert scenery, geologic attractions, hiking trails, scenic views NO
Virginia First Landing State Park beach, hiking trails, swamp NO
Grayson Highlands State Park hiking trails, scenic views, horseback riding NO
Natural Bridge State Park natural bridge, hiking trails, waterfall (Lace Falls) NO
Washington Cape Disappointment State Park ocean views, old-growth forests, Lewis & Clark history; trails NO
Deception Pass State Park hiking trails, scenic views NO
Fort Worden State Park historic fort, scenic views, hiking trails NO
Palouse Falls State Park waterfall, desert scenery NO
Wisconsin Devil's Lake State Park beach, hiking trails, mountain biking NO

 BEST STATE PARKS FOR WATERFALLS


Here is a list of many of the best U.S. state parks for waterfalls:

Alabama - DeSoto Falls State Park
Arkansas - Petit Jean State Park (e.g. Cedar Falls)
California - McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park
Colorado - Rifle Falls State Park
Connecticut - Kent Falls State Park
Georgia - Amicalola Falls State Park
Georgia - Tallulah Gorge State Park
Hawaii- Akaka Falls State Park
Idaho - Thousand Springs State Park
Illinois - Starved Rock State Park
Indiana - Clifty Falls State Park
Kentucky - Cumberland Falls State Resort Park
Maine - Baxter State Park (e.g. Big and Little Niagara Falls, Howe Brook Falls, Katahdin Falls, Little Abol Falls)
Maryland - Swallow Falls State Park
Massachusetts - Bash Bish Falls State Park
Michigan - Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park
Michigan - Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
Michigan - Tahquamenon Falls State Park
Minnesota - Gooseberry Falls State Park
Minnesota - Grand Portage State Park
Minnesota - Tettegouche State Park
Nebraska - Smith Falls State Park
New Hampshire - Crawford Notch State Park (e.g. Arethusa Falls, Ripley Falls, Silver Cascade)
New Hampshire - Franconia Notch State Park (e.g. Falls on the Flume-Pool Loop, Falls on the Falling-Waters Trail, The Basin)
New York - Buttermilk Falls State Park
New York - Chittenango Falls State Park
New York - Letchworth Falls State Park (e.g. Lower Falls, Middle Falls, Upper Falls)
New York - Niagara Falls State Park
New York - Robert Treman State Park (e.g. Lower Falls, Lucifer Falls)
New York - Taughannock Falls State Park
New York - Watkins Glen State Park
North Carolina - DuPont State Recreational Forest
North Carolina - Gorges State Park
North Carolina - South Mountains State Park
Ohio - Hocking Hills State Park (e.g. Cedar Falls, Upper Falls at Old Man's Cave)
Oklahoma - Natural Falls State Park (e.g. Dripping Springs)
Oregon - Silver Falls State Park
Oregon - White River Falls State Park
Pennsylvania - Ohiopyle State Park (e.g. Cucumber Falls, Ohiopyle Falls, Sugar Run Falls)
Pennsylvania - Ricketts Glen State Park
Tennessee - Burgess Falls State Park
Tennessee - Cummins Falls State Park
Tennessee - Fall Creek Falls State Park
Washington - Palouse Falls State Park
Washington - Wallace Falls State Park
West Virginia - Blackwater Falls State Park
Wisconsin - Amnicon Falls State Park
Wisconsin - Cooper Falls State Park
Wisconsin - Willow River State Park

If you visit Niagara Falls State Park, I also highly recommend either walking or driving into Canada and seeing the falls from their perspective. There are also a lot of hotels and tourist services on the Canadian side.
 

 BEST STATE PARKS FOR MOUNTAIN HIKING


Here is a list of many of the best U.S. state parks for mountain hiking:

Alaska - Chugach State Park (e.g. Flattop Mountain)
Arizona - Lost Dutchman State Park (e.g. The Flatiron)
Arizona - Picacho Peak State Park
Arkansas - Pinnacle Mountain State Park
California - Mount San Jacinto State Park
California - Mount Tamalpais State Park
Maine - Baxter State Park (e.g. Doubletop, Katahdin, The Owl, Traveler Mountain Loop)
Maine - Camden Hills State Park (e.g. Mount Battie)
Maine - Grafton Notch State Park (e.g. Baldplate Mountain)
Massachusetts - Mount Greylock State Reservation
New Hampshire - Cardigan Mountain State Park (e.g. Cardigan Mountain)
New Hampshire - Crawford Notch State Park (e.g. Mount Willard)
New Hampshire - Dixville Notch State Park (e.g. Table Rock)
New Hampshire - Franconia Notch State Park (e.g. Mount Lincoln, Mount Lafayette, Cannon Mountain, Mount Pemigewasset)
New Hampshire - Major Mountain State Forest (e.g. Mount Major)
New Hampshire - Monadnock State Park (e.g. Mount Monadnock)
New Hampshire - Winslow State Park (e.g. Mount Kearsarge)
New Jersey - Worthington State Forest (e.g. Mount Tammany)
New York - Adirondack Park (e.g. Algonquin Peak, Cascade Mountain, Dix Mountain, Mount Haystack, Mount Marcy)
New York - Bear Mountain State Park
New York - Catskill Forest Preserve
North Carolina - Mount Mitchell State Park
South Dakota - Bear Butte State Park
South Dakota - Custer State Park (e.g. Black Elk Peak)
Texas - Enchanted Rock State Park
Vermont - Camel's Hump State Park
Vermont - C.C. Putnam State Forest (e.g. Mount Hunger, Stowe Pinnacle)
Vermont - Mount Ascutney State Park
Vermont - Willoughby State Forest (e.g. Mount Pisgah)

For more peak-bagging fun, visit my Classic Summit Hikes in the U.S. guide.

 BEST STATE PARKS FOR DESERT SCENERY


Here is a list of many of the best U.S. state parks for desert scenery:

Arizona - Catalina State Park
Arizona - Lost Dutchman State Park
Arizona - Picacho Peak State Park
Arizona - Red Rock State Park
Arizona - Slide Rock State Park
California - Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
California - Red Rock Canyon State Park
Nevada - Cathedral Gorge State Park
Nevada - Valley of Fire State Park
New Mexico - Bottomless Lakes State Park
New Mexico - City of Rocks State Park
Texas - Big Bend Ranch State Park
Texas - Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Utah - Antelope Island State Park
Utah - Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Utah - Dead Horse Point State Park
Utah - Goblin Valley State Park
Utah - Goosenecks State Park
Utah - Gunlock State Park
Utah - Kodachrome Basin State Park
Utah - Sand Hollow State Park
Utah - Snow Canyon State Park

 BEST STATE PARKS FOR BEACHES


Here is a list of many of the best U.S. state parks for beaches. Some of these are ocean beaches, and some are lake beaches.

Alabama - Gulf State Park
California - Crystal Cove State Park
California - Emerald Bay State Park
California - Huntington State Beach
Connecticut - Hammonasset Beach State Park
Delaware - Cape Henlopen State Park
Florida - Bahia Honda State Park
Florida - Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Florida - Caladesi Island State Park
Florida - Grayton Beach State Park
Florida - Henderson Beach State Park
Florida - Lovers Key State Park
Florida - St. Andrews State Park
Florida - Stump Pass Beach State Park
Hawaii - Makena State Park
Hawaii - Wai'anapanapa State Park
Indiana - Indiana Dunes State Park
Maine - Popham Beach State Park
Maryland - Assateague State Park
Michigan - Holland State Park
Michigan - Ludington State Park
New Hampshire - Hampton Beach State Park
New Jersey - Island Beach State Park
North Carolina - Carolina Beach State Park
North Carolina - Hammocks Beach State Park
Pennsylvania - Presque Isle State Park
Ohio - Headlands Beach State Park
Oregon - Harris Beach State Park
South Carolina - Hunting Island State Park
South Carolina - Huntington Beach State Park
South Carolina - Myrtle Beach State Park
Virginia - False Cape State Park
Virginia - First Landing State Park
Wisconsin - Harrington Beach State Park

 BEST STATE PARKS FOR WILDLIFE VIEWING


Here is a list of many of the best U.S. state parks for wildlife viewing:

California - Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park (e.g. Roosevelt elk)
California - Point Lobos State Natural Reserve (e.g. whale-watching)
Florida - Blue Spring State Park (e.g. manatees)
Florida - Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park (e.g. manatees)
Florida - Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park (e.g. manatees)
Florida - Manatee Springs State Park (e.g. manatees)
Maine - Baxter State Park (e.g. moose)
South Dakota - Custer State Park (e.g. bison, burros, pronghorn, prairie dogs, mountain goats, bighorn sheep)
Utah - Antelope Island State Park (e.g. bison, pronghorn, bighorn sheep)

 BEST STATE PARKS FOR CAVE TOURS


These state parks offer excellent guided cave tours. Some of these require advance reservations that often sell out (e.g. Kartchner Caverns)

Alabama - Cathedral Caverns State Park
Alabama- Rickwood Caverns State Park
Arizona - Kartchner Caverns State Park
Florida - Florida Caverns State Park
Illinois - Cave-In-Rock State Park
Iowa - Maquoketa Caves State Park
Kentucky - Carter Caves State Resort Park
Missouri - Lake of the Ozarks State Park (e.g. Ozark Caverns)
Missouri - Meramec State Park (e.g. Fisher Cave)
Missouri - Onondaga Cave State Park (e.g. Onondaga Cave and Cathedral Cave)
Montana - Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park
Nebraska - Indian Cave State Park
Oklahoma - Alabaster Caverns State Park
Oklahoma- Robbers Cave State Park
Texas - Kickapoo Cavern State Park
Texas - Longhorn Cavern State Park

To discover more places to take cave tours, visit my Top 25 Cave Tours in the U.S. guide.

 STATE PARKS WORTHY OF BEING A NATIONAL PARK


Here is a list of U.S. state parks that are worthy of being a national park. Although they are worthy, my hope is that they do not become national parks as visitation would swell too quickly for the park to handle it well. It could also lead to closed areas and/or timed entry/advanced reservation requirements.

Alaska - Chugach State Park
Arizona - Kartchner Caverns State Park
California - Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
California - Humboldt Redwoods State Park
California - Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
Florida - Blue Spring State Park
Florida - John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Hawaii - Waimea Canyon State Park
Illinois - Starved Rock State Park
Maine - Baxter State Park
Nevada - Cathedral Gorge State Park
Nevada - Valley of Fire State Park
New Hampshire - Franconia Notch State Park
New Hampshire - Mount Washington State Park
New York - Adirondack Park
Maine - Baxter State Park
Michigan - Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
Montana - Makoshika State Park
Ohio - Hocking Hills State Park
Oregon - Ecola State Park
Oregon - Silver Falls State Park
Pennsylvania - Ricketts Glen State Park
South Dakota - Custer State Park
Texas - Big Bend Ranch State Park
Texas - Caddo Lake State Park
Utah - Dead Horse Point State Park
Utah - Goblin Valley State Park
Utah - Snow Canyon State Park
Wisconsin - Devil's Lake State Park

 GREAT STATE PARKS NEAR MAJOR CITIES


You can find some fantastic state parks that are reasonably close to major U.S. cities. Some of the best state parks close to our major cities include:

Austin - Enchanted Rock State Park, Longhorn Cavern State Park, McKinney Falls State Park, Pedernales Falls State Park
Boston - Blue Hills Reservation, Middlesex Fells Reservation, Walden Pond State Reservation
Denver - Eldorado Canyon State Park, Golden Gate Canyon State Park
Chicago - Illinois Beach State Park, Indiana Dunes State Park, Matthiessen State Park, Starved Rock State Park
Las Vegas - Valley of Fire State Park
Miami - Big Baggs Cape Florida State Park
New York City - Liberty State Park, Harriman State Park, Rockefeller State Park Preserve, Wawayanda State Park
Orlando - Blue Spring State Park, Wekiwa Springs State Park
Phoenix - Lost Dutchman State Park, Picacho Peak State Park, Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
Salt Lake City - Antelope Island State Park
San Francisco - Angel Island State Park, Mount Diablo State Park, Mount Tamalpais State Park
 

 PHOTOGRAPHS OF VARIOUS STATE PARKS


Here are a few photographs from my travels to various state parks across the U.S. over the years:


Unnamed Arch on the White Dome Loop, Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
unnamed Arch on the White Dome Loop in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada

Taughannock Falls, Taughannock Falls State Park, New York
Taughannock Falls in Taughannock Falls State Park, New York

beach and seastacks at Ecola State Park, Oregon
beach and seastacks at Ecola State Park, Oregon

Natural Bridge State Park, Virginia
Natural Bridge State Park, Virginia

Burney Falls at McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park
Burney Falls at McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park, California

Tablelands, Katahdin, Baxter State Park, Maine
the tablelands on Katahdin in Baxter State Park, Maine

Bodie State Historic Park, California
one of the ghost town buildings of Bodie State Historic Park, California

Snow Canyon State Park, Utah
desert scenery in Snow Canyon State Park, Utah

Mount Battie, Camden Hills State Park, Maine
ocean views from Mount Battie in Camden Hills State Park, Maine

Chimney Rock, Chimney Rock State Park, North Carolina
looking down on Chimney Rock in Chimney Rock State Park, North Carolina

Views from the Webster Cliffs during foliage, Crawford Notch State Park, New Hampshire
views from the Webster Cliffs during foliage in Crawford Notch State Park, New Hampshire

Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah
views from Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah

Enchanted Rock State Park, Texas
potholes at the top of Enchanted Rock State Park, Texas

Palm Oasis, Anza-Borrego State Park, California
a palm oasis in Anza-Borrego State Park, California

Goblin Valley State Park, Utah
weird rock formations in Goblin Valley State Park, Utah

McWay Falls, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, California
McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, California

Middle Falls, Letchworth State Park, New York
Middle Falls in Letchworth State Park, New York

Slide Rock State Park, Arizona
swimming at Slide Rock State Park in Sedona, Arizona


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