the difference between state and national parks is who the governing body is. national parks are regulated by the federal government and looked after by federal park rangers. state parks are usually much smaller scale in size and looked after by each state wildlife & natural reserve department etc.
There are also city and regional parks. Golden Gate Park is a city park in San Francisco. There's also the East Bay Regional Parks District, which has 73 parks in two counties across the bay from San Francisco. The smallest property in the national park system is Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial in Philadelphia. It takes up only 871 square feet/81 square meters.
I'll add that national parks usually preserve some natural or historical feature that is so distinct it's considered important to the whole country to preserve it and make it available to people. State parks are sometimes that, but they can also be a way for the state to carve out simple green space to enjoy. Kyle chose Adirondack Park for New York, but NY also boasts another good choice: America's First State Park, at Niagara Falls. Central Park may be a Historic Landscape, but at its core I believe it's a regular city park, like any of the parks in London (ignoring the cases where the park is technically some royal hunting preserve or something).
I'm from Michigan and we were ripped off. We have many amazing, gorgeous state parks. This guy shows one that nobody visits because it's not amazing. You can see some plain old shore line and woods just about anywhere in Michigan. We have falls, dunes, islands, caves, scenic rock outcroppings and mountains but Mr. Boring didn't show any of that.
I find that a lot of people aren’t as wowed by the flat desert-type landscapes since they’re not “conventionally beautiful” like the green and lush places with waterfalls but I must say, there’s something uniquely beautiful about being able to see untouched wilderness for miles and miles all the way to the horizon. This kind of landscape also makes for AMAZING sunrises/sunsets that you just can’t get anywhere else. Don’t sleep on states like Arizona, New Mexico or pretty much anywhere that has these kinds of landscapes!
there's nothing cooler than our most beautiful desert landscapes and there is certainly nothing more unique, especially for visitors from nations without deserts.
I've lived all over the US and I have to say that northern New Mexico, near the Colorado border, is some of the most diverse and beautiful country I've ever seen. I saw some of the most amazing sunsets and sunrises, even saw Haley's Comet down there. I lived in Durango, CO for a number of years when I was a kid and I'll always remember heading south on Route 550 and what an amazing quick change of scenery (from mountains to desert), when you enter New Mexico. It's one of those rare places where you *literally* feel like you've entered another state.
When I was eight, our family moved from rural Pennsylvania to Salt Lake City, Utah😳😳 I spent *years* complaining about the lack of green there, how much I missed rainstorms, etc. Mom took us to every National Park and National Monument in Utah, plus many of its State Parks and State Forests. We also visited many National/State Parks in Colorado and northern New Mexico. Years later, after living in Wisconsin for several years, I realized at some point that I really missed the desert. My mom and I went camping at Arches National Park. It was late fall, so more overcast than is otherwise typical for Southern Utah, and the overall color palette was quite muted. It was amazing to me how much it warmed my heart to discern nuances in the subtle shades of green visible in that environment. Ever since then, I’ve realized that I love many landscapes: - Lake George or Adirondack State Park (NY) for forests and older mountains - Kodachrome State Park (UT) or (as Kyle said) literally any of Utah’s truly stunning National Parks (Arches and Zion are my favorites) for desert and younger mountains - Haystack Hill State Park (OR) or any other public beach along the Oregon Coast (as Kyle also said) for ocean/beach And on, and on…
@@goosebump801 I feel you. When we're that young, we often don't appreciate all that's set before us simply because it's 'boring' or different than we're used to. Over the years, I've learned that there's a lot of beauty in unexpected places - if you give it a chance.
Came here to say this. Fell in love with the desert (west Texas) when I needed to get out of the city during the height of the pandemic. Basically, get away from civilization and any cell reception. I also went in the middle summer, so probably not the best time. lol But still fell in love with the landscape, and the night sky...unbelievable.
Central Park in New York City is a city park. There are city parks (municipal parks), county parks, state parks, and national parks. It's not size but jurisdiction that defines what category a park is. And every unit or protected area in the national park system isn't a national park. There are more than 400 units in the national park system, but only about 64 are actual national parks. The others can be National Seashores, National Lakeshores, National Recreation Areas, National Wilderness Areas, National Historical Parks, National Monuments, National Memorials, National Battlefields, National Trails, National Preserves, National Historic Sites. There are also National Wildlife Refuges and National Forests, which are not part of the national park system. It's a lot!
@@marigeobrien You are being a bit snide. :) National parks protect beautiful landscapes and prevent them from destruction. They protect plant and animal species. They protect historical heritage. They serve many purposes, and not all of the park lands are desolate desert and tundra. They are the places worthy of preservation for generations that come after us to enjoy.
I live in the Adirondack Park in New York state, like the video said it's the largest park in the contiguous United States. It covers 6.1 million acres, it contains 102 towns and villages but no cities, it contains over 10,000 lakes and ponds and has over 30,000 miles of rivers and streams and the motto of the park is Forever Wild.
Michigan was hosed. The guy basically told people to visit Alpena. Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park is a gem. Lovely scenery, and not too big to take in over a weekend of hiking.
Farragut State Park sits at the southern tip of lake Pend Oreille. It's a big lake at 168 square miles and over a thousand feet deep. There are at least 6 towns and numerous settlements. Sandpoint has over 8000 people.
If you come to California you have to see Big Trees or Redwoods, your concept of tree sizes will be changed forever. It is just plain amazing seeing the incredibly massive trees.
The trick with the Oregon coast is that there are so many, and they are all along the same road - plus there are dozens of cabin rentals, and RV camping places.
State parks often have a lodge and also cabins that can be rented so you have plenty of options to stay overnight. But you usually need to book them well in advance of your trip.
The whole cabin thing that you two were discussing (around ~9:00) is definitely a thing. It might take some internet searching, but yes, in a lot of these areas, they have vacations cabins and or "resorts" (which can mean the same thing).
Central Park is the largest municipal park, but second is Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, IN. You might like it. It is quite beautiful, peaceful, and you can swim or canoe from side to side.
Is Millie kidding when she says she's afraid of so many things? Planes, boats, bodies of water, docks, bridges, roads without railings, birds (chickens and turkeys), ghost towns, etc.
Planes is definitely a natural one boats is eh maybe they could sink. Also bridges that depends a bridge can break if it's old and how does someone react to that.
I like that this narrator is displaying lessor used parks. In Michigan there are state parks and state forests from the most northern part of the Upper Peninsula to most southern border of the Lower Peninsula and 100s of lakes and swamps. Michigan is bordered by 4 of the Great Lakes. I live in the country, most of Michigan is rural, about 35 miles north of Lansing. there are several state parks within an hour of my home in every direction.. I live a mile from a state forest and near 4 rivers and several creeks, most less than 2 miles from my house. I really enjoyed this narrator's low key style of presentation and no hype, just great facts.
There's National Parks, State Parks, City Parks (Central Park is a city park), County Parks, Township Parks, etc...Their determination is based on how the park is funded and maintained. Same goes for National Forests, State Forests, National Wildlife Refuge areas, and many many other types of "protected" lands. Some of my favorite areas are in the National Forests and Refuges, which aren't considered "parks", but again it's simply based on what part of the government maintains and funds the land maintenance. BTW, the Oregon and Washington coasts are AMAZING.
Just remember that the time of year will be your biggest influence to where you’re going to want to travel if you plan on doing outdoor activities in the US.
New York Central Park is a municipal park much like any local city park within a neighborhood. In other words it was created by and managed by the city (although in partnership with a private non-profit called the Central Park Conservancy.) A state park is public property owned and managed by the state it is in. A national park is federal land managed by the National Park Service.
I can agree with Custer State Park in South Dakota, that is an incredibly beautiful park and is next to Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Spearfish Canyon, and the Badlands. You could easily spend two weeks there alone.
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is 16,377 square miles... In those 16,000 square miles there are only 300,000 people. That makes the Upper Peninsular of Michigan pretty much a huge area for exploring. If you are looking for a State Park, McLean's State Park Would be my choice. RIght on the shore of Lake Superior, and several small towns to stop in and see. There are also several historic areas to visit, trails to explore, and beautiful water falls to see. There is mountains, low lands, and just undisturbed forest. :)
So for Michigan I get why he did Negwegon State Park in trying to highlight the Lake Huron state parks/forests. And totally recommend them if you are looking for solitude (although you can find solitude in plenty of parks in the UP and even some Lake Michigan parks). But yeah in terms of best state parks in MI, I would think that Tahquamenon Falls, Porcupine Mountains State Park, Ludington State Park, Mackinac Island State Park, Silver Lake State Park, and Hartwick Pines are all up there.
We went to Custer State Park at the end of April and it is absolutely stunning!! The reason Kyle said that you may drive around the Bison is because that road is an optional driving trail in the park. There are parts of the park that don't have any bison.
Central Park is designated as an Urban Park and in 1963 was also deemed a National Historic Landscape. Meaning it's just as protected if not more than a state park.
State Parks are definitely underrated. There’s a handful of state parks all about 1.5 hours from me, I love a bit of hiking whenever I can get to one. And usually about $5 per day to get into.
My friends and I camped annually at Sylvan Lake State Park in Colorado. The water is so clean you could see the bottom of the lake even at the deeper section.
The islands just off the coast of Washington state in the Puget Sound is my favorite place in the US in the summer months, you just can't beat it for natural beauty and the bonus is that you can take a ferry over to Canada as well. Oregon is also spectacular. The most unique state and national parks are in Utah.
My hometown of St Marys, PA (no apostrophe.. it's Marys, not Mary's) is surrounded by five state forests, the Allegheny, Susquehannock, Moshannon, Ekl, and Sproul. It's in Elk County and yep, there are elk there... some HUGE ones actually spend a lot of time hanging out at the visitor's center. There are also state game lands around there too. Little wonder why that area is called "The Pennsylvania Wilds". Gotta love an area that has annual bigfoot hunts! There's also the Kinzua Skywalk not too far away, definitely worth a visit.
Looked it up, the Adirondack park is 1/5th the size on England. Try to go every year, was just there a month ago to check out the leaves in fall/autum.
I live near Gorges in NC. He showed a little waterfall. Not sure which one he showed but it also has one of the biggest waterfalls - Whitewater. So big it has two parts - Upper and Lower.
What you saw was real! I'm 50 years old and I live in the US. But it wasn't until the mid-2010's that I was able to explore what beauty this country has. It is just mind boggling! To go from seeing pictures and video is nothing compared to actually being there in person... It's non-comparable!
Yes, the designation is based entirely on who owns and operates the park, not on the size. National designation is the US federal government, state parks are the state government. There are also different designations of management in both state and federal properties - parks, memorials, historic sites, forests, wildlife and/or fish & wildlife areas, etc. And municipalities often have large parks they own and manage - like Central Park (I believe this is owned and managed by New York City), and not a state or federal site.
And as a Californian, I can confirm it looks a lot like ours as was suggested. In fact, the entire west coast is gorgeous and mostly it's undeveloped unlike the east and Gulf coasts. No rows of condos blocking off any of the beaches of the 3 states.
The park you were asking about cabin rentals is about 20 minutes from me. That particular park doesn't have cabins, just campspots. But Lots of even nicer places nearby have cabin rentals
I wasn’t sure so I checked… California has 279 state parks and 9 National parks… and yes I am sure that all are worth a visit. Some you will find are historical and we’re created to save and show off a part of history, good and bad, but with that many it would take some time to try and visit them all. Many states have a lot of state parks for various reasons, and I am sure this is part of the reason that Americans usually don’t need passports as there are so many local places to visit. Well, I know that my wife and I would like to visit so many more places than we have so far, and many of them are around the world. I also know that it is more likely we will be seeing more inside the country than outside. Best wishes and I hope you do get the opportunity to visit some of these most amazing places. I know I am greatfull for all the places that I have seen in my life so far. Enjoyed seeing your reaction… and Millie… these bridges and walkways are the safe ones.. there are many out there that I would not go on, but these are safe and comfortable to walk on.
As a Floridian I would say Rainbow Springs as a state park. No one really speaks about Florida springs as a destination since Disney eats up most the tourism but they do get travelers. Give it a look its amazing. Also most state and national parks are very "drivable" and you can get to most viewpoints via car unless its clearly stated as a walking view only don't let that deter any future visits. I have been to a lot of state and national parks with my horrible back pain lol.
As someone from Illinois I can't believe he picked the Mississippi Palisades over Starve Rock or Matthiessen state parks which are know for miles of trails and numerous water falls.
I live about two hours' drive south of the Adirondack State Park in New York. It is massive, larger than Wales, for example. However, it is important to note the State of New York owns about half the land in the park. The rest is privately owned by residents and businesses within the park's boundaries, in finding ski areas, logging companies, etc.
I’m 79 and lived most of my life in Arizona, home of the Grand Canyon. If you get that far west it’s well worth a side trip to Grand Canyon National Park. To get a feel for the size of the Canyon a short walk down the Bright Angel or the Kaibab trail let’s you experience how truly enormous the Canyon is. Many years ago my wife and I, along with our two boys, rafted the Colorado River with a company that offered float trips on the river through the canyon. In all that distance (about 250 miles) there are only two commonly used trails out of the canyon, requiring a vertical climb of 4.000 feet to the south rim and over 5,000 feet to the north rim.
You could go to a theme park in North and South Carolina...right on the state line and a literal line runs down the middle. Called Carowinds. Lots of big rollercoasters and a swim park.
For my home state of Tennessee, I love Fall Creek Falls State Park. They have cabins that go out into the lake’s edge and beautiful hiking trails that take you to a stunning waterfall that you can even walk behind, if you’re not afraid of getting a bit wet. 💁🏻♀️
Had to laugh at "not walking the whole thing" for the Adirondacks in NY. Central Park is about 1.3 miles². The Adirondacks is closer to 18700 miles². I suppose you could hike the whole thing, but it'll take a while. It's an easy 2 hour drive to get through the park.
As for Missouri, I like the Branson area is beautiful and is part of the Ozark mountains. Lots of things to see and do there. As for Arkansas, there are a lot of great parks there - Petit Jean state park, the Ozark mountains, Cameron Bluffs, Hot Springs, Mena, and Eureka Springs areas are beautiful.
I love in Kentucky and Mammoth Cave National Park is a must.. Mammoth Cave is the longest cave system in the world. And, they're still finding more passage ways and have tours.
15:30 As someone who has lived in Upstate, NY (Albany Area) most of their life and recently bought a 2nd home in Tupper Lake the Adirondacks are my favorite park. I have been hiking, backpacking, camping, kayaking, and snowboarding there my whole life. I am actually a 46R which is a designation given to people who have summitted all 46 of the high peaks (all mountains over 4,000ft) and I am working on my Winter 46R status. It's funny you mentioned National Parks because The Adirondack State Park is actually larger than Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Park COMBINED.
Oh, and the reason it is a state park despite being so massive is because it was designated a park before the National Park System was much of a thing. It is also written in to the New York State Constitution that the park is to "remain forever wild" so it is VERY HARD for any development to happen there. Typically, housing is only available on land where there are already homes, industrial development is severely limited and has stricter guidelines, and in a good majority of the park (especially in The Keene Valley) it is hard to even get cell service. If I drive 10 minutes east or west of my house on Tupper Lake my cellphone goes dead for the next 20 minutes.
I live in New Jersey. To me -- in my limited experience -- the best state park in New Jersey is Island Beach State Park. It's located near the southern tip of the state and is, of course, a beach. What makes it so great is that, unlike most other New Jersey beaches, it never gets too crowded. That's because it only allows a certain number of cars in for the day, according to the number of parking spots it has. So even on the best beach day of the year you can go there and not worry about it becoming too crowded. The only down side is you have to get there early. They usually fill up by 9:30 in the morning, if not earlier. The best way is to go the day before and stay at a nearby motel. And the facilities are top-notch. Each parking area (they are spread out along the beach) funnels visitors through a kiosk that offers a changing room, a shower (for later), bathrooms and a food kiosk. Maybe other states have these amenities at all their beaches but they can only be found at this beach in New Jersey. I love it. Also, because it's in the southern region, the water is warmer and clearer than anywhere else along the New Jersey shoreline. When I think beach, I think IBSP. Sorry if this sounds like an advertisement. But it is that great. BTW, he fails to mention that Brendan Byrne State Park is right in the middle of the Pinelands, an area in New Jersey that is creepy, at best. It's somewhat swampy, making it inhospitable to live there so you have to travel for miles to the nearest towns. Also, there's a local legend about a beast that lives there known as the New Jersey Devil.
The Adirondacks are beautiful! I used to go camping up there every summer when I was a kid. And yes it is huge. And I think they are the youngest or one of the youngest mountain ranges in the states.
6:03 Just as a reference. The UK normally is greener than most of the US. There will be exceptions. Even the desert gets extremely green after heavy rain. But a simple photo filter can be used to make the sky more blue & the grass greener. 8:56 A log cabin there would be perfect . . . Unless surrounded by narrow bridges with chains. LOL!! National Park owned by the federal govt. State Park owned by state. City Park (Like Central Park) owned by the city. 20:00 The trees in the river/swamp are bald cypress (I'm pretty sure)
On the topic of bridges, you must turn off the anxiety and just go for it. In. Some places it's possible to find a simple rope bridge. If you can get accustomed to that, you can handle anything.
The little town I was born in, Chico, California, only has 101,000 people, but it has Bidwell Park, one of the largest city-owned parks in the country. Bidwell Park is 1490 hectares and some 18 km long.
I am from Connecticut and I would have chosen Gillette's Castle State Park for its uniqueness. There is picnicking at a pond, tour of the "castle" and trails to walk. One trail brings you through Mr, Gillette's train tunnel. In Autumn there is a stunning view of the Connecticut River from the castle with so much color. At Christmas it is decorated beautifully. If you take the Chester River Ferry you get a nice view of the castle on the hill. Check out the website for some photos.
A few pieces of advice on visiting various places if you're going to be getting off the US beaten path. 1. The most underrated part of the US I've visited would have to be the Ozark mountains in Northwestern Arkansas around the Fayetteville area. A lot of pretty smaller cities and amazing mountain scenery. 2. The Olympic peninsula in Washington is like something from middle earth. The Elwha River where some dams were removed in recent years is pretty impressive since you're seeing a whole ecosystem restoration taking place in real time. 3. If you're visiting the Oregon Coast, it is incredible but time your visit with utmost care in terms of driving during daylight only. In many stretches it is absolutely pitch dark as if you were in a cave with no street lighting of any kind and sheer cliffs on one side. It's a terrifying experience I have no plans to repeat. 4. The South Central Texas area including Austin and San Antonio. Be sure to spend some time viewing the evening bat flight from the Congress street bridge in Austin. 5. Central Arizona including the Sedona area is one of the most photogenic places on Earth let alone in the US. 6. If you're up for a fairly hard challenge and are physically fit, I recommend Mt. Si in Washington state. It is 3500 feet up approximately and the views on a warmer day are just magnificent. 7. The Teddy Roosevelt National Park area as mentioned in the video gets fairly few visitors and is absolutely worth going through. Just beautiful, tranquil and uncrowded.
If you like the change of Nebraska's Chadron State Park, just get outside of the park. You will see very limited trees on the plains in the sandhills. Mostly rolling hills. Prime cattle ranching country. The trees are the anomaly for the area.
I love parks with geological features. I have been to Custer State Park in South Dakota and it is beautiful. Since I live in Wisconsin; there's plenty of state parks to go to. Devil's Lake really cool, Point Beach is really nice. The one that is in my hometown is Rib Mountain State Park. It's not technically a mountain but it's amazing in autumn/fall with leaves turning color. But anything with geology I am going to go to those locations.
Rib Mountain is beautiful. I feel Kyle kind of screwed Wisconsin’s entry up, as he went with a state forest and not a park. Facilities and management are quite different. It may seem cliché, but I would have gone with Devil’s Lake, or maybe some along the Mississippi or St. Croix that are legitimate state parks.
@@aust25 I understand that it can get really busy at Devil's Lake since it is a very popular destination. When I went there last year; I went as early as I can get.
I live in NJ and as another commenter said, Island Beach State Park is amazing! Actually, NJ has everything but most people don't realize how amazing NJ is. You can go skiing in North Jersey and surfing in South Jersey, Cape May, the very tip of NJ is beautiful, the sunsets are incredible due to the way the winds blow, standing at the edge of Sunset Beach you can see Delaware. It's full of old Victorian homes and is also one of the most haunted places in the USA. Obviously I love my state of NJ 💖
Parklands here in the United States are administered at the city/town, county, state and national levels. Central Park is owned by New York City and maintained by the NYC Parks Department. On the other hand, Roberto Clemente State Park in the Bronx and Marsha Johnson State Park in Brooklyn are operated by the State of New York, while Liberty Island and Ellis Island are run by the US Government's National Park Service.
I live in Georgia but 2 hrs or so away from Cloudland State Park and have made the trip to go hiking there. It’s an absolutely beautiful place and so many hiking trails. If you wanna skip the hiking you can drive to the viewing area parking and just a short walk to where you can take some amazing pictures.
Millie, you need to see the walk bridge in Gatlinburg, TN that has the glass walkway. I'm sure you would absolutely hate it! lol It sways and is very high. I have to say that I was a tad nervous crossing it for the first time. It's very well built, but your instinct certainly tells you it's dangerous.
The Adirondack State Park in NY is roughly 6 million acres (2428113.853 hectares) in size, and contains some of the most unique and remote wilderness in the northeast. It's creation is actually a part of the New York State constitution.
Parks can be managed at the National, State, County, or City level. Parks also aren’t the only protected places where you can enjoy the outdoors, here. There’s national forests, state forests, wilderness areas, National Monuments (for example, there’s Mt. St. Helens National Monument), nature preserves, etc…
In West Virginia my dad and I crossed a bridge across a river and it was about 100 feet across and it was a swinging bridge and we get in the middle and start making it swing side to side....lots of fun...
When I was in highschool this park Chugach was 3 miles up the road from my house. My friends and I used to camp there 3 or 4 weekends each summer. Mostly to drink beer and roll big rocks down the very steep valley walls to see how far they would go or to find out how many times we could hit a big bush. No trees up there above about 800 feet above sea level. Lots o fun
We live in Georgia. We are trying to visit all the National Parks. There are 62. I habe to say after two 5000 to 6000 mile trips. There is such a vast difference in every state. You will love any of them as a well as state and city parks.
Black Mesa state park in oklahoma holds yearly "star parties" on top of the flat Mesa where they set up telescopes and you get amazing views of the sky because there's zero light pollution in the area. It's amazing
Taughannock Falls State Park in Trumansburg, NY gets my vote. Absolutely gorgeous. Custer State Park in SD is beautiful, too. And yes, there are cabins you can stay in and that trail along the lake is great scenery.
That suspension bridge at Tishomingo State Park in Mississippi isn't that bad. It does move a bit when you walk, but not that much. It's an absolutely beautiful place to visit and only costs $2.00 per person to visit for a day. There's tons of trails, creeks, ancient rock formations, and a lake. I live about 30 mins. from it and love to visit it especially during the week in the morning when no one else is around. It's so peaceful.
Happy you have a new flat. All of the states are different and have different types of parks. Lake Placid in New York is a majestic area where the Olympics were scheduled. Not near NYC but mountainous
As a Mississippian, I was surprised and pleased to see he picked Tishomingo State Park which is less than a half hour from my house. Very serene and beautiful, but often overshadowed by the more popular/touristy parks 🙂
PA Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, also referred to as the Pine Creek Gorge, stretches for over 45 miles with depths of nearly 1500 feet.
As a resident of Chadron, Nebraska, I have to say this area of the state is beautiful and unique. We have Toadstool Geological park(Nebraska badlands) nearby as well Fort Robinson, a former POW camp during WWII and the location where Crazy Horse was killed. Chadron State Park is also Nebraska’s first state park.
Omaha resident here. My father is originally from Crawford and I have spent a lot of time out there over the years. Fort Robinson is definitely special. I cannot recommend it enough!
Central Park is run by the city of New York. Adirondack Park is a large area of upstate NY which is a combination of public and private land. MOST of the land is protected but there are towns. Building is strictly regulated.
As he mentioned in this video, Utah has some very diverse and stunning State and National Parks. If you're into nature and what variety from red rock formations, to mountains and lakes, to Islands with Bison, definitely check out Utah.
I went to Utah reluctantly a few years ago. I had no interest. It was, hands down, one of the best state visits I’ve made. It’s like nowhere else I’ve visited and so pretty. I can’t wait to go back.
Come to Missouri. We can go float a river in a tube and take some coolers with drinks. Most states have something in them to go see. It just depends on what you like.
I've been to two new York state parks in my life. My vote would be for the finger lakes region and Watkins Glen state park. There is a reason one of the best golf courses on earth is located in the area. It's gorgeous. Almost every decently-sized state has awesome state parks.i live near Dillon State Park in Ohio. The fishing and boating is incredible.
Waimea Canyon is sometimes referred to as the The Grand Canyon of the Pacific. One of the best way to see it is by a helicopter ride offered as an excursion trip from the cruse lines.
Millie and beau - I have lived in Pacific NW 60 yrs and if you are interested in Idaho, Washington or Oregon, there are tons, TONS of rental cabins along a lake or river with hot tub, etc. If you want specific recommendations, let me know. I know you have visited NY, but a unique American way of life is in the rural areas, if that’s what you want to experience. Sounds like you are a little confused about park designations, which is easy to understand; these are some categories: National Monument, National Park, National Wilderness, National Forests, Bureau of Land Management, State Park, State Forests, County Parks, City Parks, etc. Eastern Yellowstone via Gardiner, Montana is a MUST see, beyond that, state parks are least crowded. Plan carefully and make reservations. You can find first come-first serve availability during the week, but not weekends. You are not alone, even people that live here, don’t get to experience all they want to. Good Luck! 🍀
If you ever go to check out some of the oregon coastline I'd recommend staying in or around fort Stephens. Not only is the coastline amazing (if the weather is decent) but there's also a really cool historic naval fort and its not too far from Astoria and Tillamook which have some additional cool stuff to check out
I live right next to Farragut state park. The little town of Bayview right up the road has a lot of floating houses on Lake Pend Oreille, one of my favorite places to visit.
The National Park Service not only runs maintains major National Parks like Yellowstone, but also runs and maintains national historical sites national monuments NYC has several NPS sites, the most famous of which is Statue of Liberty
In Delaware, the best state park is Cape Henlopen. You go one direction, you're at the ocean, the other, you're in a forest. There are fishing peers, free bikes to explore around 40 miles of paths, a nature museum, beaches, historic museum (Fort Miles), surf fishing, camping, . it's the best state park, I love this place! Trapp pond is ok, but nothing like Cape Henlopen. If you ever come to Delaware, you are invited and welcome to stay at my home.
Grayson Highlands is phenomenal! My family would go camping there every summer when I was in middle school. They have gorgeous swimming holes and hiking trails. You can also go on an bike ride down the mountain and/or a go kayaking/canoeing down a massive river. I preferred the kayaking because you can take your time and really enjoy everything around you.
One thing to remember about visiting all of the parks is this is a giant country and there are a lot of those parks. My state of Colorado has 42 state parks with 41 open to the public and we have four national parks within our state border. When you consider the size of all these parks it does amount to a lot for sure. I’ve been to a lot of them but not all of them by any means. also some of those parks might be hours and hours of driving distance away depending on which state you’re talking about.
There are also National and State forests and recreational areas that fall into neither of the National nor State Park systems, as well as State Game Lands, which are designated usually for hunting, fishing, and trapping only. It can be very confusing.
Your description of cabin, hot tub, scenic, near water sounds like options at a lot of Indiana state parks and areas near the Smoky Mountains like Gatlinburg TN
I understand being afraid of footbridges. Wobbly surfaces under your feet are downright unnerving. Driving across an old wooden suspension bridge is even more nerve-racking!
the difference between state and national parks is who the governing body is. national parks are regulated by the federal government and looked after by federal park rangers. state parks are usually much smaller scale in size and looked after by each state wildlife & natural reserve department etc.
You're right, and Central Park is neither a state park nor is it a national park. It's something called a national historic landscape. 🤓
There are also city and regional parks. Golden Gate Park is a city park in San Francisco. There's also the East Bay Regional Parks District, which has 73 parks in two counties across the bay from San Francisco.
The smallest property in the national park system is Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial in Philadelphia. It takes up only 871 square feet/81 square meters.
I'll add that national parks usually preserve some natural or historical feature that is so distinct it's considered important to the whole country to preserve it and make it available to people. State parks are sometimes that, but they can also be a way for the state to carve out simple green space to enjoy. Kyle chose Adirondack Park for New York, but NY also boasts another good choice: America's First State Park, at Niagara Falls. Central Park may be a Historic Landscape, but at its core I believe it's a regular city park, like any of the parks in London (ignoring the cases where the park is technically some royal hunting preserve or something).
There as a womdery history podcast that went thru the history of the National park system. Worth a listen
I'm from Michigan and we were ripped off. We have many amazing, gorgeous state parks. This guy shows one that nobody visits because it's not amazing. You can see some plain old shore line and woods just about anywhere in Michigan. We have falls, dunes, islands, caves, scenic rock outcroppings and mountains but Mr. Boring didn't show any of that.
I find that a lot of people aren’t as wowed by the flat desert-type landscapes since they’re not “conventionally beautiful” like the green and lush places with waterfalls but I must say, there’s something uniquely beautiful about being able to see untouched wilderness for miles and miles all the way to the horizon. This kind of landscape also makes for AMAZING sunrises/sunsets that you just can’t get anywhere else. Don’t sleep on states like Arizona, New Mexico or pretty much anywhere that has these kinds of landscapes!
there's nothing cooler than our most beautiful desert landscapes and there is certainly nothing more unique, especially for visitors from nations without deserts.
I've lived all over the US and I have to say that northern New Mexico, near the Colorado border, is some of the most diverse and beautiful country I've ever seen. I saw some of the most amazing sunsets and sunrises, even saw Haley's Comet down there. I lived in Durango, CO for a number of years when I was a kid and I'll always remember heading south on Route 550 and what an amazing quick change of scenery (from mountains to desert), when you enter New Mexico. It's one of those rare places where you *literally* feel like you've entered another state.
When I was eight, our family moved from rural Pennsylvania to Salt Lake City, Utah😳😳 I spent *years* complaining about the lack of green there, how much I missed rainstorms, etc. Mom took us to every National Park and National Monument in Utah, plus many of its State Parks and State Forests. We also visited many National/State Parks in Colorado and northern New Mexico.
Years later, after living in Wisconsin for several years, I realized at some point that I really missed the desert. My mom and I went camping at Arches National Park. It was late fall, so more overcast than is otherwise typical for Southern Utah, and the overall color palette was quite muted. It was amazing to me how much it warmed my heart to discern nuances in the subtle shades of green visible in that environment.
Ever since then, I’ve realized that I love many landscapes:
- Lake George or Adirondack State Park (NY) for forests and older mountains
- Kodachrome State Park (UT) or (as Kyle said) literally any of Utah’s truly stunning National Parks (Arches and Zion are my favorites) for desert and younger mountains
- Haystack Hill State Park (OR) or any other public beach along the Oregon Coast (as Kyle also said) for ocean/beach
And on, and on…
@@goosebump801 I feel you. When we're that young, we often don't appreciate all that's set before us simply because it's 'boring' or different than we're used to. Over the years, I've learned that there's a lot of beauty in unexpected places - if you give it a chance.
Came here to say this. Fell in love with the desert (west Texas) when I needed to get out of the city during the height of the pandemic. Basically, get away from civilization and any cell reception. I also went in the middle summer, so probably not the best time. lol But still fell in love with the landscape, and the night sky...unbelievable.
Central Park in New York City is a city park. There are city parks (municipal parks), county parks, state parks, and national parks. It's not size but jurisdiction that defines what category a park is. And every unit or protected area in the national park system isn't a national park. There are more than 400 units in the national park system, but only about 64 are actual national parks. The others can be National Seashores, National Lakeshores, National Recreation Areas, National Wilderness Areas, National Historical Parks, National Monuments, National Memorials, National Battlefields, National Trails, National Preserves, National Historic Sites. There are also National Wildlife Refuges and National Forests, which are not part of the national park system. It's a lot!
Basically, any land no one wants to own. (Or am I just being too snide.) You have to admit most of the lands designated as National land is unlivable.
@@marigeobrien You are being a bit snide. :) National parks protect beautiful landscapes and prevent them from destruction. They protect plant and animal species. They protect historical heritage. They serve many purposes, and not all of the park lands are desolate desert and tundra. They are the places worthy of preservation for generations that come after us to enjoy.
lol he was like it's probably 10 times as big. In reality it is 7100 times as large
I live in the Adirondack Park in New York state, like the video said it's the largest park in the contiguous United States. It covers 6.1 million acres, it contains 102 towns and villages but no cities, it contains over 10,000 lakes and ponds and has over 30,000 miles of rivers and streams and the motto of the park is Forever Wild.
Michigan was hosed. The guy basically told people to visit Alpena. Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park is a gem. Lovely scenery, and not too big to take in over a weekend of hiking.
Farragut State Park sits at the southern tip of lake Pend Oreille. It's a big lake at 168 square miles and over a thousand feet deep. There are at least 6 towns and numerous settlements. Sandpoint has over 8000 people.
If you come to California you have to see Big Trees or Redwoods, your concept of tree sizes will be changed forever. It is just plain amazing seeing the incredibly massive trees.
The trick with the Oregon coast is that there are so many, and they are all along the same road - plus there are dozens of cabin rentals, and RV camping places.
State parks often have a lodge and also cabins that can be rented so you have plenty of options to stay overnight. But you usually need to book them well in advance of your trip.
The whole cabin thing that you two were discussing (around ~9:00) is definitely a thing.
It might take some internet searching, but yes, in a lot of these areas, they have vacations cabins and or "resorts" (which can mean the same thing).
Central Park is the largest municipal park, but second is Eagle Creek Park in Indianapolis, IN. You might like it. It is quite beautiful, peaceful, and you can swim or canoe from side to side.
Is Millie kidding when she says she's afraid of so many things? Planes, boats, bodies of water, docks, bridges, roads without railings, birds (chickens and turkeys), ghost towns, etc.
Planes is definitely a natural one boats is eh maybe they could sink. Also bridges that depends a bridge can break if it's old and how does someone react to that.
I like that this narrator is displaying lessor used parks. In Michigan there are state parks and state forests from the most northern part of the Upper Peninsula to most southern border of the Lower Peninsula and 100s of lakes and swamps. Michigan is bordered by 4 of the Great Lakes. I live in the country, most of Michigan is rural, about 35 miles north of Lansing. there are several state parks within an hour of my home in every direction.. I live a mile from a state forest and near 4 rivers and several creeks, most less than 2 miles from my house. I really enjoyed this narrator's low key style of presentation and no hype, just great facts.
There's National Parks, State Parks, City Parks (Central Park is a city park), County Parks, Township Parks, etc...Their determination is based on how the park is funded and maintained. Same goes for National Forests, State Forests, National Wildlife Refuge areas, and many many other types of "protected" lands. Some of my favorite areas are in the National Forests and Refuges, which aren't considered "parks", but again it's simply based on what part of the government maintains and funds the land maintenance. BTW, the Oregon and Washington coasts are AMAZING.
Don't sweat it Millie! Our sweet Cavalier King Charles Spaniel refuses to walk over any type of bridge. We have to carry him every time, lol 😆
My Shiba Inu Ryka is the same way!
Just remember that the time of year will be your biggest influence to where you’re going to want to travel if you plan on doing outdoor activities in the US.
New York Central Park is a municipal park much like any local city park within a neighborhood. In other words it was created by and managed by the city (although in partnership with a private non-profit called the Central Park Conservancy.)
A state park is public property owned and managed by the state it is in. A national park is federal land managed by the National Park Service.
I can agree with Custer State Park in South Dakota, that is an incredibly beautiful park and is next to Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Spearfish Canyon, and the Badlands. You could easily spend two weeks there alone.
I just returned from a wedding overlooking the ocean on the Oregon Coast. Really spectacular.
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is 16,377 square miles... In those 16,000 square miles there are only 300,000 people. That makes the Upper Peninsular of Michigan pretty much a huge area for exploring. If you are looking for a State Park, McLean's State Park Would be my choice. RIght on the shore of Lake Superior, and several small towns to stop in and see. There are also several historic areas to visit, trails to explore, and beautiful water falls to see. There is mountains, low lands, and just undisturbed forest. :)
I recommend Assateauge on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. There's trails, the beach...and wild ponies!
Assategue Island in Virginia has wild horses with the beaches and camping.
So for Michigan I get why he did Negwegon State Park in trying to highlight the Lake Huron state parks/forests. And totally recommend them if you are looking for solitude (although you can find solitude in plenty of parks in the UP and even some Lake Michigan parks). But yeah in terms of best state parks in MI, I would think that Tahquamenon Falls, Porcupine Mountains State Park, Ludington State Park, Mackinac Island State Park, Silver Lake State Park, and Hartwick Pines are all up there.
Yep, I couldn't agree more! 'Good choices!
We went to Custer State Park at the end of April and it is absolutely stunning!! The reason Kyle said that you may drive around the Bison is because that road is an optional driving trail in the park. There are parts of the park that don't have any bison.
Custer State Park is one of the best. I grew up in KS and now live in MO, but South Dakota is full of fabulous places
Central Park is a city park of NYC
Been there too and it's pretty cool. Did a Buffalo jeep ride that was great.
Central Park is designated as an Urban Park and in 1963 was also deemed a National Historic Landscape. Meaning it's just as protected if not more than a state park.
State park,state funds, national park congress pays
State Parks are definitely underrated. There’s a handful of state parks all about 1.5 hours from me, I love a bit of hiking whenever I can get to one. And usually about $5 per day to get into.
My friends and I camped annually at Sylvan Lake State Park in Colorado. The water is so clean you could see the bottom of the lake even at the deeper section.
The islands just off the coast of Washington state in the Puget Sound is my favorite place in the US in the summer months, you just can't beat it for natural beauty and the bonus is that you can take a ferry over to Canada as well. Oregon is also spectacular. The most unique state and national parks are in Utah.
My hometown of St Marys, PA (no apostrophe.. it's Marys, not Mary's) is surrounded by five state forests, the Allegheny, Susquehannock, Moshannon, Ekl, and Sproul. It's in Elk County and yep, there are elk there... some HUGE ones actually spend a lot of time hanging out at the visitor's center. There are also state game lands around there too. Little wonder why that area is called "The Pennsylvania Wilds". Gotta love an area that has annual bigfoot hunts! There's also the Kinzua Skywalk not too far away, definitely worth a visit.
Looked it up, the Adirondack park is 1/5th the size on England. Try to go every year, was just there a month ago to check out the leaves in fall/autum.
I live near Gorges in NC. He showed a little waterfall. Not sure which one he showed but it also has one of the biggest waterfalls - Whitewater. So big it has two parts - Upper and Lower.
What you saw was real! I'm 50 years old and I live in the US. But it wasn't until the mid-2010's that I was able to explore what beauty this country has. It is just mind boggling! To go from seeing pictures and video is nothing compared to actually being there in person... It's non-comparable!
Yes, the designation is based entirely on who owns and operates the park, not on the size. National designation is the US federal government, state parks are the state government. There are also different designations of management in both state and federal properties - parks, memorials, historic sites, forests, wildlife and/or fish & wildlife areas, etc. And municipalities often have large parks they own and manage - like Central Park (I believe this is owned and managed by New York City), and not a state or federal site.
I'm from Maine and my grandmother lived about 5 minutes from mount Katahdin. You could see the mountain from her house.
I live on the Oregon Coast and can confirm: We have a beautiful coastline!
And as a Californian, I can confirm it looks a lot like ours as was suggested. In fact, the entire west coast is gorgeous and mostly it's undeveloped unlike the east and Gulf coasts. No rows of condos blocking off any of the beaches of the 3 states.
The park you were asking about cabin rentals is about 20 minutes from me. That particular park doesn't have cabins, just campspots. But Lots of even nicer places nearby have cabin rentals
Mount Washington in NH is great! And if you don’t want to climb, you can take the Cog, a cool train, up to the top.
I wasn’t sure so I checked… California has 279 state parks and 9 National parks… and yes I am sure that all are worth a visit. Some you will find are historical and we’re created to save and show off a part of history, good and bad, but with that many it would take some time to try and visit them all.
Many states have a lot of state parks for various reasons, and I am sure this is part of the reason that Americans usually don’t need passports as there are so many local places to visit.
Well, I know that my wife and I would like to visit so many more places than we have so far, and many of them are around the world. I also know that it is more likely we will be seeing more inside the country than outside.
Best wishes and I hope you do get the opportunity to visit some of these most amazing places. I know I am greatfull for all the places that I have seen in my life so far.
Enjoyed seeing your reaction… and Millie… these bridges and walkways are the safe ones.. there are many out there that I would not go on, but these are safe and comfortable to walk on.
As a Floridian I would say Rainbow Springs as a state park. No one really speaks about Florida springs as a destination since Disney eats up most the tourism but they do get travelers. Give it a look its amazing. Also most state and national parks are very "drivable" and you can get to most viewpoints via car unless its clearly stated as a walking view only don't let that deter any future visits. I have been to a lot of state and national parks with my horrible back pain lol.
There are a lot of beautiful parks in Florida. Like the Caverns State Park near Tallahassee.
@@JohnRodriguesPhotographer been there its nice
I’ve been dying to visit this one…
We went to a spring in Florida and it was so nice. It was near Alabama, but I can’t recall the name. We even saw a blue (!) lizard. It was cool.
@@KittCrescendo me too, but won't get to
As someone from Illinois I can't believe he picked the Mississippi Palisades over Starve Rock or Matthiessen state parks which are know for miles of trails and numerous water falls.
YES!!!! Those two are much better choices! Or like Giant City State Park in the Shawnee forest in Southern Illinois!
I live about two hours' drive south of the Adirondack State Park in New York. It is massive, larger than Wales, for example. However, it is important to note the State of New York owns about half the land in the park. The rest is privately owned by residents and businesses within the park's boundaries, in finding ski areas, logging companies, etc.
I’m 79 and lived most of my life in Arizona, home of the Grand Canyon. If you get that far west it’s well worth a side trip to Grand Canyon National Park. To get a feel for the size of the Canyon a short walk down the Bright Angel or the Kaibab trail let’s you experience how truly enormous the Canyon is. Many years ago my wife and I, along with our two boys, rafted the Colorado River with a company that offered float trips on the river through the canyon. In all that distance (about 250 miles) there are only two commonly used trails out of the canyon, requiring a vertical climb of 4.000 feet to the south rim and over 5,000 feet to the north rim.
You could go to a theme park in North and South Carolina...right on the state line and a literal line runs down the middle. Called Carowinds. Lots of big rollercoasters and a swim park.
For my home state of Tennessee, I love Fall Creek Falls State Park. They have cabins that go out into the lake’s edge and beautiful hiking trails that take you to a stunning waterfall that you can even walk behind, if you’re not afraid of getting a bit wet. 💁🏻♀️
Had to laugh at "not walking the whole thing" for the Adirondacks in NY. Central Park is about 1.3 miles². The Adirondacks is closer to 18700 miles². I suppose you could hike the whole thing, but it'll take a while. It's an easy 2 hour drive to get through the park.
It's definitely a thing, James. Lots of cabins,with hot tubs, kayeks, etc.in every state everywhere!
As for Missouri, I like the Branson area is beautiful and is part of the Ozark mountains. Lots of things to see and do there. As for Arkansas, there are a lot of great parks there - Petit Jean state park, the Ozark mountains, Cameron Bluffs, Hot Springs, Mena, and Eureka Springs areas are beautiful.
I love in Kentucky and Mammoth Cave National Park is a must.. Mammoth Cave is the longest cave system in the world. And, they're still finding more passage ways and have tours.
Those photos of Kansas reminded me of Shropshire (my one and only visit to England). Beautiful.
15:30 As someone who has lived in Upstate, NY (Albany Area) most of their life and recently bought a 2nd home in Tupper Lake the Adirondacks are my favorite park. I have been hiking, backpacking, camping, kayaking, and snowboarding there my whole life. I am actually a 46R which is a designation given to people who have summitted all 46 of the high peaks (all mountains over 4,000ft) and I am working on my Winter 46R status. It's funny you mentioned National Parks because The Adirondack State Park is actually larger than Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Park COMBINED.
Oh, and the reason it is a state park despite being so massive is because it was designated a park before the National Park System was much of a thing. It is also written in to the New York State Constitution that the park is to "remain forever wild" so it is VERY HARD for any development to happen there. Typically, housing is only available on land where there are already homes, industrial development is severely limited and has stricter guidelines, and in a good majority of the park (especially in The Keene Valley) it is hard to even get cell service. If I drive 10 minutes east or west of my house on Tupper Lake my cellphone goes dead for the next 20 minutes.
I live in New Jersey. To me -- in my limited experience -- the best state park in New Jersey is Island Beach State Park. It's located near the southern tip of the state and is, of course, a beach. What makes it so great is that, unlike most other New Jersey beaches, it never gets too crowded. That's because it only allows a certain number of cars in for the day, according to the number of parking spots it has. So even on the best beach day of the year you can go there and not worry about it becoming too crowded. The only down side is you have to get there early. They usually fill up by 9:30 in the morning, if not earlier. The best way is to go the day before and stay at a nearby motel.
And the facilities are top-notch. Each parking area (they are spread out along the beach) funnels visitors through a kiosk that offers a changing room, a shower (for later), bathrooms and a food kiosk. Maybe other states have these amenities at all their beaches but they can only be found at this beach in New Jersey. I love it. Also, because it's in the southern region, the water is warmer and clearer than anywhere else along the New Jersey shoreline. When I think beach, I think IBSP. Sorry if this sounds like an advertisement. But it is that great.
BTW, he fails to mention that Brendan Byrne State Park is right in the middle of the Pinelands, an area in New Jersey that is creepy, at best. It's somewhat swampy, making it inhospitable to live there so you have to travel for miles to the nearest towns. Also, there's a local legend about a beast that lives there known as the New Jersey Devil.
The Adirondacks are beautiful! I used to go camping up there every summer when I was a kid. And yes it is huge. And I think they are the youngest or one of the youngest mountain ranges in the states.
6:03 Just as a reference. The UK normally is greener than most of the US. There will be exceptions. Even the desert gets extremely green after heavy rain. But a simple photo filter can be used to make the sky more blue & the grass greener. 8:56 A log cabin there would be perfect . . . Unless surrounded by narrow bridges with chains. LOL!! National Park owned by the federal govt. State Park owned by state. City Park (Like Central Park) owned by the city. 20:00 The trees in the river/swamp are bald cypress (I'm pretty sure)
On the topic of bridges, you must turn off the anxiety and just go for it. In. Some places it's possible to find a simple rope bridge. If you can get accustomed to that, you can handle anything.
The little town I was born in, Chico, California, only has 101,000 people, but it has Bidwell Park, one of the largest city-owned parks in the country. Bidwell Park is 1490 hectares and some 18 km long.
I am from Connecticut and I would have chosen Gillette's Castle State Park for its uniqueness. There is picnicking at a pond, tour of the "castle" and trails to walk. One trail brings you through Mr, Gillette's train tunnel. In Autumn there is a stunning view of the Connecticut River from the castle with so much color. At Christmas it is decorated beautifully. If you take the Chester River Ferry you get a nice view of the castle on the hill. Check out the website for some photos.
A few pieces of advice on visiting various places if you're going to be getting off the US beaten path. 1. The most underrated part of the US I've visited would have to be the Ozark mountains in Northwestern Arkansas around the Fayetteville area. A lot of pretty smaller cities and amazing mountain scenery. 2. The Olympic peninsula in Washington is like something from middle earth. The Elwha River where some dams were removed in recent years is pretty impressive since you're seeing a whole ecosystem restoration taking place in real time. 3. If you're visiting the Oregon Coast, it is incredible but time your visit with utmost care in terms of driving during daylight only. In many stretches it is absolutely pitch dark as if you were in a cave with no street lighting of any kind and sheer cliffs on one side. It's a terrifying experience I have no plans to repeat. 4. The South Central Texas area including Austin and San Antonio. Be sure to spend some time viewing the evening bat flight from the Congress street bridge in Austin. 5. Central Arizona including the Sedona area is one of the most photogenic places on Earth let alone in the US. 6. If you're up for a fairly hard challenge and are physically fit, I recommend Mt. Si in Washington state. It is 3500 feet up approximately and the views on a warmer day are just magnificent. 7. The Teddy Roosevelt National Park area as mentioned in the video gets fairly few visitors and is absolutely worth going through. Just beautiful, tranquil and uncrowded.
If you like the change of Nebraska's Chadron State Park, just get outside of the park. You will see very limited trees on the plains in the sandhills. Mostly rolling hills. Prime cattle ranching country. The trees are the anomaly for the area.
I love parks with geological features. I have been to Custer State Park in South Dakota and it is beautiful. Since I live in Wisconsin; there's plenty of state parks to go to. Devil's Lake really cool, Point Beach is really nice. The one that is in my hometown is Rib Mountain State Park. It's not technically a mountain but it's amazing in autumn/fall with leaves turning color. But anything with geology I am going to go to those locations.
Rib Mountain is beautiful. I feel Kyle kind of screwed Wisconsin’s entry up, as he went with a state forest and not a park. Facilities and management are quite different. It may seem cliché, but I would have gone with Devil’s Lake, or maybe some along the Mississippi or St. Croix that are legitimate state parks.
Devils lake is the best. I hate how busy it gets tho
@@aust25 I understand that it can get really busy at Devil's Lake since it is a very popular destination. When I went there last year; I went as early as I can get.
I live in NJ and as another commenter said, Island Beach State Park is amazing! Actually, NJ has everything but most people don't realize how amazing NJ is. You can go skiing in North Jersey and surfing in South Jersey, Cape May, the very tip of NJ is beautiful, the sunsets are incredible due to the way the winds blow, standing at the edge of Sunset Beach you can see Delaware. It's full of old Victorian homes and is also one of the most haunted places in the USA.
Obviously I love my state of NJ 💖
14:58 I wanna go to Pine Barens in New Jersey to I can re-live my favorite Sopranos episode
Parklands here in the United States are administered at the city/town, county, state and national levels. Central Park is owned by New York City and maintained by the NYC Parks Department. On the other hand, Roberto Clemente State Park in the Bronx and Marsha Johnson State Park in Brooklyn are operated by the State of New York, while Liberty Island and Ellis Island are run by the US Government's National Park Service.
This ^^^
I live in Georgia but 2 hrs or so away from Cloudland State Park and have made the trip to go hiking there. It’s an absolutely beautiful place and so many hiking trails. If you wanna skip the hiking you can drive to the viewing area parking and just a short walk to where you can take some amazing pictures.
Millie, you need to see the walk bridge in Gatlinburg, TN that has the glass walkway. I'm sure you would absolutely hate it! lol It sways and is very high. I have to say that I was a tad nervous crossing it for the first time. It's very well built, but your instinct certainly tells you it's dangerous.
The Adirondack State Park in NY is roughly 6 million acres (2428113.853 hectares) in size, and contains some of the most unique and remote wilderness in the northeast. It's creation is actually a part of the New York State constitution.
Parks can be managed at the National, State, County, or City level.
Parks also aren’t the only protected places where you can enjoy the outdoors, here. There’s national forests, state forests, wilderness areas, National Monuments (for example, there’s Mt. St. Helens National Monument), nature preserves, etc…
As an Illinoisan, I'd recommend Starved Rock as the best State Park. It has a series of canyons and waterfalls carved out from a glacier.
Absolutely! I was looking for this comment! Or even one of the state parks down in Southern Illinois like Giant City!
In West Virginia my dad and I crossed a bridge across a river and it was about 100 feet across and it was a swinging bridge and we get in the middle and start making it swing side to side....lots of fun...
When I was in highschool this park Chugach was 3 miles up the road from my house. My friends and I used to camp there 3 or 4 weekends each summer. Mostly to drink beer and roll big rocks down the very steep valley walls to see how far they would go or to find out how many times we could hit a big bush. No trees up there above about 800 feet above sea level. Lots o fun
We live in Georgia. We are trying to visit all the National Parks. There are 62. I habe to say after two 5000 to 6000 mile trips. There is such a vast difference in every state. You will love any of them as a well as state and city parks.
63
Black Mesa state park in oklahoma holds yearly "star parties" on top of the flat Mesa where they set up telescopes and you get amazing views of the sky because there's zero light pollution in the area. It's amazing
Taughannock Falls State Park in Trumansburg, NY gets my vote. Absolutely gorgeous.
Custer State Park in SD is beautiful, too. And yes, there are cabins you can stay in and that trail along the lake is great scenery.
Devils Lake, Wisconsin is awesome. But some parks up in Superior are just spectacular
That suspension bridge at Tishomingo State Park in Mississippi isn't that bad. It does move a bit when you walk, but not that much. It's an absolutely beautiful place to visit and only costs $2.00 per person to visit for a day. There's tons of trails, creeks, ancient rock formations, and a lake. I live about 30 mins. from it and love to visit it especially during the week in the morning when no one else is around. It's so peaceful.
Happy you have a new flat. All of the states are different and have different types of parks. Lake Placid in New York is a majestic area where the Olympics were scheduled. Not near NYC but mountainous
As a Mississippian, I was surprised and pleased to see he picked Tishomingo State Park which is less than a half hour from my house. Very serene and beautiful, but often overshadowed by the more popular/touristy parks 🙂
PA Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, also referred to as the Pine Creek Gorge, stretches for over 45 miles with depths of nearly 1500 feet.
Central Park is a City of New York park - Adirondack State Park in upstate New York
is massive and very unique.
As a resident of Chadron, Nebraska, I have to say this area of the state is beautiful and unique. We have Toadstool Geological park(Nebraska badlands) nearby as well Fort Robinson, a former POW camp during WWII and the location where Crazy Horse was killed. Chadron State Park is also Nebraska’s first state park.
Plus, the pictures he showed of Chadron State Park don’t do it justice at all. It’s much prettier than that.
Omaha resident here. My father is originally from Crawford and I have spent a lot of time out there over the years. Fort Robinson is definitely special. I cannot recommend it enough!
If you ever visit Michigan do not miss Mackinac Island. A step back in time no cars allowed just horse drawn vehicles and bicycles, non motorized.
LOL..I feel your pain Millie. I'm terrified of bridges too!
Central Park is run by the city of New York. Adirondack Park is a large area of upstate NY which is a combination of public and private land. MOST of the land is protected but there are towns. Building is strictly regulated.
It's not often my home town gets any recognition. Grand Isle, La is a really awesome place!
As he mentioned in this video, Utah has some very diverse and stunning State and National Parks. If you're into nature and what variety from red rock formations, to mountains and lakes, to Islands with Bison, definitely check out Utah.
Lucky to live so close to them here.
I went to Utah reluctantly a few years ago. I had no interest. It was, hands down, one of the best state visits I’ve made. It’s like nowhere else I’ve visited and so pretty. I can’t wait to go back.
Come to Missouri. We can go float a river in a tube and take some coolers with drinks. Most states have something in them to go see. It just depends on what you like.
I've been to two new York state parks in my life. My vote would be for the finger lakes region and Watkins Glen state park. There is a reason one of the best golf courses on earth is located in the area. It's gorgeous.
Almost every decently-sized state has awesome state parks.i live near Dillon State Park in Ohio. The fishing and boating is incredible.
I grew up in that area. If you ever get back there again, you have to visit Taughannock Falls State Park. It's gorgeous.
Waimea Canyon is sometimes referred to as the The Grand Canyon of the Pacific. One of the best way to see it is by a helicopter ride offered as an excursion trip from the cruse lines.
Millie and beau - I have lived in Pacific NW 60 yrs and if you are interested in Idaho, Washington or Oregon, there are tons, TONS of rental cabins along a lake or river with hot tub, etc. If you want specific recommendations, let me know. I know you have visited NY, but a unique American way of life is in the rural areas, if that’s what you want to experience.
Sounds like you are a little confused about park designations, which is easy to understand; these are some categories: National Monument, National Park, National Wilderness, National Forests, Bureau of Land Management, State Park, State Forests, County Parks, City Parks, etc.
Eastern Yellowstone via Gardiner, Montana is a MUST see, beyond that, state parks are least crowded. Plan carefully and make reservations. You can find first come-first serve availability during the week, but not weekends. You are not alone, even people that live here, don’t get to experience all they want to.
Good Luck! 🍀
If you ever go to check out some of the oregon coastline I'd recommend staying in or around fort Stephens. Not only is the coastline amazing (if the weather is decent) but there's also a really cool historic naval fort and its not too far from Astoria and Tillamook which have some additional cool stuff to check out
You have to check out Minnesota. Truly the land of ten thousand lakes. Almost every lake is beautiful secluded and peaceful.
I live in Oregon and it does look like that
I live right next to Farragut state park. The little town of Bayview right up the road has a lot of floating houses on Lake Pend Oreille, one of my favorite places to visit.
The National Park Service not only runs maintains major National Parks like Yellowstone, but also runs and maintains national historical sites national monuments NYC has several NPS sites, the most famous of which is Statue of Liberty
In Delaware, the best state park is Cape Henlopen. You go one direction, you're at the ocean, the other, you're in a forest. There are fishing peers, free bikes to explore around 40 miles of paths, a nature museum, beaches, historic museum (Fort Miles), surf fishing, camping, . it's the best state park, I love this place! Trapp pond is ok, but nothing like Cape Henlopen. If you ever come to Delaware, you are invited and welcome to stay at my home.
Each state.
Has city parks,
State parks.
And national parks 😂.
Grayson Highlands is phenomenal! My family would go camping there every summer when I was in middle school. They have gorgeous swimming holes and hiking trails. You can also go on an bike ride down the mountain and/or a go kayaking/canoeing down a massive river. I preferred the kayaking because you can take your time and really enjoy everything around you.
One thing to remember about visiting all of the parks is this is a giant country and there are a lot of those parks. My state of Colorado has 42 state parks with 41 open to the public and we have four national parks within our state border. When you consider the size of all these parks it does amount to a lot for sure. I’ve been to a lot of them but not all of them by any means. also some of those parks might be hours and hours of driving distance away depending on which state you’re talking about.
There are also National and State forests and recreational areas that fall into neither of the National nor State Park systems, as well as State Game Lands, which are designated usually for hunting, fishing, and trapping only. It can be very confusing.
Your description of cabin, hot tub, scenic, near water sounds like options at a lot of Indiana state parks and areas near the Smoky Mountains like Gatlinburg TN
You should look at some state maps. Lots of states have multiple state parks to choose from.
But not every state has a National park
I understand being afraid of footbridges. Wobbly surfaces under your feet are downright unnerving. Driving across an old wooden suspension bridge is even more nerve-racking!