One of the best qualities of the National Park Service is the diversity of the more than 400 park offerings. While some parks cover thousands of acres of land, some are comparable in size to just a few city blocks, and the range of features is incredibly varied, too.

We all know of the fantastic geysers in Yellowstone and the intense heat in Death Valley, but with the sheer number of parks that exist, there are so many incredible adventures to be had at lesser-known destinations like these.

A Visit to the Top

Gates of the Arctic National Park, which lies just outside the Arctic Circle in Alaska, is second only in size to Denali National Park, and, at nearly 8.5 million acres, is bigger than the country of Belgium! The lack of roads and rough terrain make the majority of the park difficult to access by car, but the trip is well worth it for the views of the Arctic Ocean at its northernmost points.

Across the Pacific

Not every American national park lies within the confines of a state. In fact, almost 5,000 miles offshore from California sits one of the most gorgeous parks—National Park of American Samoa—on the US island territories of Tutuila, Ta'ū, and Ofu. The park is home to hundreds of different species of birds, mammals, and marine life, including one of the largest colonies of coral in the world.

NOLA’s Music Culture

Everyone knows that Louisiana, more specifically, the city of New Orleans, is the birthplace of jazz music; so it’s no surprise that it’s also home to the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, dedicated to preserving and educating the public on all things jazz culture. With dozens of educational programs and a vast collection of oral histories from musicians across the city, the park helps keeps the spirit of jazz alive in the Big Easy.

The Trail of a Messenger

It’s hard to believe, but before the invention of the telegraph, the only way for Americans living out west to communicate with those in the east was via The Pony Express. The group of horseback-riding Pony Express messengers delivered mail from the modern-day Midwest to California in just ten days and now has a national park dedicated to their historic route.

Back to the Jurassic

Some parks focus on recent history, while others are dedicated to the country’s prehistoric natural artifacts. Dinosaur National Monument, located along the Utah-Colorado border, is home to not only a wide array of dinosaur fossils, but also artifacts from the Fremont people, who left fascinating petroglyphs and pictographs (stone carvings and paintings) that date back more than 1,000 years.

Want to know which park is right for you? Take our Park Quiz to see where your next adventure should be  

Visit the blog for more history on the National Park Service, and ideas for summer adventures.