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TOP 100 STATE PARKS IN THE UNITED STATES

Devils Garden Loop, Arches National Park

Welcome to Bigroads.com's guide to the best state parks in the United States!

The United States has well over 5,000 state parks. But which ones are widely considered to be the best? We have put together a highly-opinionated list of what we believe to be the top 100 state parks in the United States. It is not an easy task to pick out 100 state parks out of a pool of several thousand, so this web-page will forever be a work-in-progress as we travel & visit more state parks across the country.

This top 100 state parks list is sorted alphabetically by state (and not by rating or quality). Remember, though, this is just our opinionated / subjective list. There are hundreds of other fascinating state parks in the United States. That being said, you probably won't want to miss any of these 100 undeniably outstanding state parks:

If you enjoy state parks, then we recommend picking up a copy of this fantastic guidebook: National Geographic Guide to State Parks of the USA

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STATE	STATE PARK NAME	THE STATE PARK IS FAMOUS FOR / KNOWN FOR
Alabama	Gulf State Park	beach
Alaska	Chugach State Park	mountain scenery, glaciers, hiking trails
Arizona	Red Rock State Park	desert scenery, hiking trails
Arizona	Slide Rock State Park	desert scenery, swimming holes, natural waterslides
Arizona	Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park	prison tours
Arkansas	Petit Jean State Park	hiking trails, waterfalls
California	Anza-Borrego Desert State Park	desert scenery, 4WD-ing, palm oasis, hiking trails
California	Bodie State Historic Park	ghost town, mining ruins
California	Crystal Cove State Park	beach
California	Emerald Bay State Park	beach
California	Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park	redwood trees, hiking trails
California	Humboldt Redwoods State Park	redwood trees, hiking trails
California	Huntington Beach State Park	beach
California	Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park	redwood trees, hiking trails
California	Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park	waterfall, coastline views
California	MacKerricher State Park	beach, wildlife viewing, scenic views
California	McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park	waterfall, hiking trails
California	Montana de Oro State Park	hiking trails, wildflowers, scenic views
California	Mount San Jacinto State Park	hiking trails, scenic views
California	Mount Tamalpais State Park	hiking trails, scenic views
California	Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park	redwood trees, hiking trails
California	Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park	redwood trees, hiking trails
Connecticut	Gillette Castle State Park	historic castle
Delaware	Cape Henlopen State Park	beach
Florida	Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park	beach
Florida	Blue Spring State Park	natural spring, hiking trails, manatee-viewing
Florida	Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park	natural spring, wildlife viewing, boat tours
Florida	Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park	wildlife viewing, bird-watching, manatee-viewing
Florida	Florida Caverns State Park	cave tours
Florida	Henderson Beach State Park	beach
Florida	John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park	SCUBA diving, boat tours
Florida	Lovers Key State Park	beach
Florida	Myakka River State Park	bird-watching, canoeing/kayaking, hiking trails
Florida	St. Andrews State Park	beach
Florida	Stump Pass Beach State Park	beach
Georgia	Amicalola Falls State Park	waterfall
Georgia	Tallulah Gorge State Park	hiking trails, waterfalls, scenic views
Hawaii	Akaka Falls State Park	waterfalls
Hawaii	Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park	coastal views, hiking trails, scenic views
Hawaii	Wai'anapanapa State Park	beach
Hawaii	Waimea Canyon State Park	scenic views
Illinois	Starved Rock State Park	waterfalls, geologic attractions, hiking trails
Indiana	Indiana Dunes State Park	sand dunes, beaches, hiking trails
Kentucky	Cumberland Falls State Resort Park	waterfall, hiking trails
Kentucky	Natural Bridge State Resort Park	geologic attractions, hiking trails, scenic views
Maine	Baxter State Park	mountain scenery, hiking trails, waterfalls, scenic views
Maine	Camden Hills State Park	coastal scenery, hiking trails, scenic views
Maine	Grafton Notch State Park	mountain scenery, hiking trails, waterfalls, scenic views
Massachusetts	Mount Greylock State Reservation	hiking trails, scenic views, waterfalls
Michigan	Ludington State Park	beach, canoeing/kayaking
Michigan	Mackinac Island State Park	geologic attraction, natural arch, hiking trails
Michigan	Palms Book State Park	natural spring
Michigan	Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park	hiking trails, scenic views
Michigan	Tahquamenon Falls State Park	waterfalls, hiking trails
Minnesota	Gooseberry Falls State Park	waterfalls, hiking trails
Missouri	Elephant Rocks State Park	geologic attraction, hiking trails
Nevada	Valley Of Fire State Park	desert scenery, geologic attractions, hiking trails, scenic views
New Hampshire	Crawford Notch State Park	mountain scenery, hiking trails, waterfalls, scenic views
New Hampshire	Franconia Notch State Park	mountain scenery, hiking trails, waterfalls, scenic views
New Hampshire	Mount Monadnock State Park	hiking trails, scenic views
New Hampshire	Mount Washington State Park	mountain scenery, hiking trails, scenic views
New Hampshire	Cardigan Mountain State Park	hiking trails, scenic views
New York	Buttermilk Falls State Park	waterfalls, hiking trails
New York	Letchworth Falls State Park	waterfalls, hiking trails, scenic views
New York	Minnewaska State Park Preserve	hiking trails, scenic views
New York	Niagara Falls State Park	waterfalls
New York	Robert Treman State Park	waterfalls, hiking trails
New York	Taughannock Falls State Park	waterfalls, hiking trails
New York	Watkins Glen State Park	waterfalls, hiking trails
North Carolina	Chimney Rock State Park	geologic attractions, hiking trails, scenic views, waterfall
North Carolina	Fort Macon State Park	historic fort
North Carolina	Jockey's Ridge State Park	sand dunes, hang-gliding
Ohio	Hocking Hills State Park	geologic attractions, hiking trails, waterfalls
Oregon	Ecola State Park	hiking trails, scenic views, waterfalls
Oregon	Oswald West State Park	hiking trails, beach, scenic views
Oregon	Shore Acres State Park	scenic views, botanical gardens
Oregon	Silver Falls State Park	waterfalls, hiking trails
Oregon	Smith Rock State Park	desert scenery, scenic views, rock-climbing, hiking trails
Pennsylvania	Ohiopyle State Park	hiking trails, mountain biking, whitewater rafting
Pennsylvania	Presque Isle State Park	beach, hiking trails, bird-watching
Pennsylvania	Ricketts Glen State Park	waterfalls, hiking trails
South Carolina	Hunting Island State Park	beach, scenic views
South Carolina	Huntington Beach State Park	beach, bird-watching
South Dakota	Custer State Park	wildlife viewing, hiking trails, scenic views
Tennessee	Cummins Falls State Park	waterfalls, swimming hole
Tennessee	Fall Creek Falls State Park	waterfalls, hiking trails
Texas	Big Bend Ranch State Park	desert scenery, hiking trails, 4WD-ing, scenic views
Texas	Enchanted Rock State Park	geological attraction, hiking trails, scenic views
Texas	Palo Duro Canyon State Park	geological attraction, hiking trails, scenic views
Utah	Antelope Island State Park	desert scenery, wildlife viewing, hiking trails, scenic views
Utah	Dead Horse Point State Park	desert scenery, scenic views, hiking trails
Utah	Goblin Valley State Park	desert scenery, geologic attractions, hoodoos
Utah	Snow Canyon State Park	desert scenery, geologic attractions, hiking trails, scenic views
Virginia	First Landing State Park	beach, hiking trails, swamp
Virginia	Grayson Highlands State Park	hiking trails, scenic views, horseback riding
Washington	Deception Pass State Park	hiking trails, scenic views
Washington	Fort Worden State Park	historic fort, scenic views, hiking trails
Washington	Moran State Park	hiking trails, scenic views
Wisconsin	Devil's Lake State Park	beach, hiking trails, mountain biking
Wisconsin	Peninsula State Park	beach, hiking trails, mountain biking

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

Taughannock Falls, Taughannock Falls State Park, New York

Tablelands, Katahdin, Baxter State Park, Maine

Bodie State Historic Park, California

Snow Canyon State Park, Utah

Mount Battie, Camden Hills State Park, Maine

Chimney Rock, Chimney Rock State Park, North Carolina

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

Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah

Enchanted Rock State Park, Texas

Palm Oasis, Anza-Borrego State Park, California

Goblin Valley State Park, Utah

McWay Falls, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, California

Middle Falls, Letchworth State Park, New York

Slide Rock State Park, Arizona

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