Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Letchworth State Park In New York is the best state park to visit this fall, according to HomeToGo. getty You don’t have to fight the crowds at National Parks to experience epic nature this fall. Across the country, you’ll find 9,817 state parks with just as much gorgeous scenery and memorable adventures as their national counterparts, plus a lot more solitude.
With so many options, finding the perfect state park can be overwhelming. Fortunately, researchers at HomeToGo have put out a new report highlighting the best state parks to visit this fall. They used internal data to pinpoint the top 50 state parks travelers have been searching for as they plan upcoming getaways.
Then, they analyzed data on each one’s size, number of trails, wildlife diversity, and photogenic appeal to figure out which state parks offer the best overall experience. Here’s a look at the 11 best state parks, according to the 2024 HomeToGo State Park Index . 1.
Letchworth State Park (New York) Letchworth State Park in New York getty Letchworth State Park took top honors on the list of the best state parks, and for good reason. It features more than 20 waterfalls that tower as high as 600 feet, 66 miles of hiking trails, and dramatic cliffs that have earned it the nickname the “Grand Canyon of the East.” Make your visit to this state park even more memorable by taking a hot air balloon ride over the falls and getting a bird’s-eye view of the fall foliage.
2. Palo Duro Canyon State Park (Texas) Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Texas getty You’ll earn bragging rights when you visit Palo Duro Canyon State Park . It’s home to the second largest canyon in the country, after the Grand Canyon, that stretches for 120 miles.
Catch epic views of four beautifully colored geologic layers and otherworldly hoodoos on more than 30 miles of hiking trails at this top state park in Texas. function loadConnatixScript(document) { if (!window.cnxel) { window.
cnxel = {}; window.cnxel.cmd = []; var iframe = document.
createElement('iframe'); iframe.style.display = 'none'; iframe.
onload = function() { var iframeDoc = iframe.contentWindow.document; var script = iframeDoc.
createElement('script'); script.src = '//cd.elements.
video/player.js' + '?cid=' + '62cec241-7d09-4462-afc2-f72f8d8ef40a'; script.setAttribute('defer', '1'); script.
setAttribute('type', 'text/javascript'); iframeDoc.body.appendChild(script); }; document.
head.appendChild(iframe); const preloadResourcesEndpoint = 'https://cds.elements.
video/a/preload-resources-ovp.json'; fetch(preloadResourcesEndpoint, { priority: 'low' }) .then(response => { if (!response.
ok) { throw new Error('Network response was not ok', preloadResourcesEndpoint); } return response.json(); }) .then(data => { const cssUrl = data.
css; const cssUrlLink = document.createElement('link'); cssUrlLink.rel = 'stylesheet'; cssUrlLink.
href = cssUrl; cssUrlLink.as = 'style'; cssUrlLink.media = 'print'; cssUrlLink.
onload = function() { this.media = 'all'; }; document.head.
appendChild(cssUrlLink); const hls = data.hls; const hlsScript = document.createElement('script'); hlsScript.
src = hls; hlsScript.setAttribute('defer', '1'); hlsScript.setAttribute('type', 'text/javascript'); document.
head.appendChild(hlsScript); }).catch(error => { console.
error('There was a problem with the fetch operation:', error); }); } } loadConnatixScript(document); (function() { function createUniqueId() { return 'xxxxxxxx-xxxx-4xxx-yxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx'.replace(/[xy]/g, function(c) { var r = Math.random() * 16 | 0, v = c == 'x' ? r : (r & 0x3 | 0x8); return v.
toString(16); }); } const randId = createUniqueId(); document.getElementsByClassName('fbs-cnx')[0].setAttribute('id', randId); document.
getElementById(randId).removeAttribute('class'); (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.
elements.video/tr/si?token=' + '44f947fb-a5ce-41f1-a4fc-78dcf31c262a' + '&cid=' + '62cec241-7d09-4462-afc2-f72f8d8ef40a'; cnxel.cmd.
push(function () { cnxel({ playerId: '44f947fb-a5ce-41f1-a4fc-78dcf31c262a', playlistId: 'cce06289-75b9-40f5-8676-50e517ab7eb5', }).render(randId); }); })(); MORE FOR YOU Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Clues And Answers For Tuesday, August 27th WWE Raw Results: Winners And Grades On August 26, 2024 Forbes Asia Releases Fourth Edition Of 100 To Watch List 3. Hocking Hills State Park (Ohio) Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio getty Dense forests, mysterious recess caves, deep gorges, and waterfalls make Hocking Hills State Park a must-visit destination for nature lovers.
Most travelers make a beeline to Old Man’s Cave, so if you’re looking for more solitude, check out one of this state park’s other worthwhile sites, like Conkle’s Hollow or Cantwell Cliffs. 4. Mohican State Park (Ohio) Mohican State Park in Ohio getty Hot on the heels of Hocking Hills on the list of the best state parks is another Ohio destination: Mohican State Park.
Conveniently situated between Columbus and Cleveland, this state park is home to stunning waterfalls, breathtaking fall foliage, and a famous covered bridge. Hike to the fire tower for a view of the scenery. 5.
Lake of the Ozarks State Park (Missouri) Lake of the Ozarks State Park in Missouri getty Looking for a fall getaway that’s on the water? Lake of the Ozarks State Park in Missouri has you covered with a whopping 89 miles of shoreline. Rent a boat for a crisp day on the water this fall, or stretch your legs on more than a dozen hiking trails in this state park. The 1.
3-mile Lake Trail offers lovely views of the lake. 6. Indiana Dunes State Park (Indiana) Indiana Dunes State Park in Indiana getty Prepare to be awestruck at Indiana Dunes State Park .
This state park features massive sand dunes, some standing more than 200 feet over Lake Michigan, that have formed over thousands of years. If you’re up for a rugged hike, there’s a 1.5-mile trail that goes over three of the park’s highest dunes.
7. Starved Rock State Park (Illinois) Starved Rock State Park in Illinois getty With 18 different canyons, Starved Rock State Park offers travelers a ton of opportunities to explore. Hike between vertical walls of moss-covered sandstone and atop forested bluffs on the state park’s 13 miles of trails.
You can also see eagles, herons, and pelicans soar over the Illinois River. 8. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (Florida) John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Florida getty The best state parks aren’t only found on land—they’re also found in the water.
Case in point: John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park , which opened as the first undersea park in the country in 1963. Located at Key Largo, the park offers travelers the chance to see only living coral reef in the continental United States on glass-bottom boats and snorkeling and diving tours. 9.
Garner State Park (Texas) Garner State Park in Texas getty Garner State Park ’s 16 miles of hiking trails help travelers see the brilliant colors of Texas in the fall at their very best. The short but steep Old Baldy Trail gives you a stellar view of the Frio River Canyon. You can also trek to a 30-foot cave filled with sparkly crystals.
Bring a flashlight to see it glitter! 10. Presque Isle State Park (Pennsylvania) Presque Isle State Park in Pennsylvania getty Pennsylvania debuts on the list of the best state parks with Presque Isle , a 3,200-acre sandy peninsula that juts into Lake Erie. Its picturesque coastline contains more endangered, threatened, and rare species than any other similarly sized area in the state.
Activities in the fall include hiking, cycling, skating, and boating. 11. Beavers Bend State Park (Oklahoma) Beavers Bend State Park in Oklahoma getty Situated in the Ouachita Mountains, Beavers Bend State Park teems with wildlife, including black bears, bald eagles, and woodpeckers.
The park’s forests showcase brilliant shades of red, orange, and yellow, creating a stunning contrast against Broken Bow Lake and the Mountain Fork River. Just outside the Forest Heritage Center Museum, you can see a 27-foot totem pole that’s part of a national collection of sculptures memorializing the Trail of Tears..
