Popular Park Alternatives - Grandparents.com

If you prefer to experience Mother Nature away from the masses, here’s something to consider. According to the National Park Service, the top four most visited national parks are Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, and Great Smoky Mountains.

Last year, more than 20 million people lined up, sometimes literally, to take in their scenic wonders.

Naturally, summer is the busiest travel season; it’s when the grandchildren are off from school, for starters. So how can you see wild vistas, flora, and fauna while still maintaining some elbowroom?

The solution is to plan a trip to a lesser known national or state park. Here are some alternatives where you can find similar experiences without the crowding at the four most popular parks.

Yellowstone: Established in 1872 as the first National Park, Yellowstone attracts droves of tourists to gawk at animals and Old Faithful eruptions. The wildlife and geo-thermal activity are the attractions; the crowds are distractions.

Beyond Bison: At Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, “The bison come right up in to your campsite,” says Reene Patterson, an avid camper and Maine resident who hikes regularly with her young grandsons Matthew and Joe. “But it’s never crowded.” Besides bison, wildlife sightings include elk, wild horses, mule deer, whitetail deer, and some 180 species of birds.

Bears, oh my! McNeil River State Game Sanctuary, located south of Anchorage, Alaska, delivers gorgeous wilderness — not to mention ursus arctos, the brown bear — at its wildest. The bears are drawn to the plentiful grasses, berries, and sockeye salmon in the 200 square miles of protected wildlife habitat. You need a permit to visit, and arrive by floatplane, but the chance to see bears up-close-and-personal is thrilling.

Thar’ She Blows: Old Faithful isn’t the only geyser game in town. At Lassen Volcanic National Park in California, hydrothermal burbling is just one of the park’s attractions. About 180 miles west of Reno, Nev., Lassen is a literal hotbed of activity. Expect to see roaring fumaroles (steam and volcanic gas vents), thumping mud pots, boiling pools, and steaming ground in places like Bumpass Hell and Sulphur Works, and one the kids’ are going to love, Fart Gulch.

Yosemite: Located in central California, Yosemite National Park attracts hordes to its waterfalls, grand meadows, and ancient giant sequoias. It’s also a magnet for 3.5 million nature lovers, who can choke its main valley.

You’ll find room to breath in the nearly 300,000 acres of Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, which starts just 20 miles from downtown Portland, Ore. Following the Columbia River for 80 miles, the Gorge Scenic Area includes Bridal Veil Falls, a hidden treasure at the end of a short hike, and 620-feet tall Multnomah Falls, the second highest, year-round waterfall in the United States.

For towering ancient trees, it doesn’t get any better than Redwood National Park in northern California near the Oregon border. This stand of ancient sequoia sempervirens starts close to the road, visible after a short mile-long hike. Some of the oldest trees, around for two millennia, reach 200 feet in the air. Despite the proximity to the road, you’ll be amazed how quiet it is, with just the rustle of leaves and the drip drip of water permeating this fern-filled setting.

Gotta’ love a place called Yahoo Falls. That’s one of the highlights of the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area in Kentucky. Besides the highest waterfall in Kentucky, the 125,000 acres of this rugged, forested gorge are home to many streams flowing into the Cumberland River. All that moving water has carved the sandstone of the plateau into impressive cliffs, arches, and chimneys found throughout the park.

Grand Canyon: Truly a national park of monumental proportions, the only thing not to like about the Grand Canyon’s dizzying, Technicolor views is the crush of crowds that swarm the south rim.

Go North! Avoid the crowds by traveling to the Canyon’s North Rim. Not only will you get the best views of the South Rim, the drama of spots like the Toroweap (Tuweep) Overlook, 3000 feet above the Colorado River, will take your breath away. Noteworthy hikes include North Kaibab Trail through Roaring Springs Canyon and Bright Angel Point Trail, a short walk with spectacular views.

Although not as well known as its sister canyon in the South, Canyon de Chelly National Monument in northeastern Arizona offers a scenic and cultural experience all its own. Jointly operated by the Navajo Nation and the National Park Service, the canyons, cave drawings, and sculpted sandstone of Canyon de Chelly can only be explored in the company of a Navajo guide.

Two state parks, Leonard Harrison and Colton Point, straddle Pine Creek Gorge in north central Pennsylvania. Known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, the gorge is 1,450 feet deep at its maximum. Hike into its depth, and along the way, keep your eyes and ears open for everything from black bears to ruffed grouse, the state bird of Pennsylvania.

Great Smoky Mountains: Known for its network of mountain hiking trails, wildlife, and access to Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this grand park that spans Tennessee and North Carolina is also America’s most visited.

The Porcupine Mountains in Michigan’s western Upper Peninsula is a 60,000-acre recreational wonderland on Lake Superior. Known as the Porkies, this is true wild country — one of the few remaining large wilderness areas in the Midwest. Mountain views, camping, boating, hiking, and all far from the madding crowd — what’s not to like?

Acadia National Park in Maine is the address for Cadillac Mountain, which — at 1,530 feet — is the highest point on the U.S. Atlantic coast. But it’s also the place to drink in views of the rugged Maine coast and trek through the lush, forested hillsides.