Three Lesser-Known But Fabulous National Parks
By Sacha Cohen
Pinnacles National Park, CA
Location: Pinnacles, 125 miles south of San Francisco, has magnificent sheer wall canyons and uniquely shaped rock formations. It’s best to visit in the winter; in the summer, temps can soar.
Where to Stay: The lovely Inn at the Pinnacles (innatthepinnacles.com) is a B&B on a vineyard, just minutes from the park.
Voyageurs National Park, MN
Location: Often described as a watery wonderland, Voyageurs spans 218,054 acres, including 84,000 acres of water, and is located about 275 miles north of Minneapolis, along the Canadian border.
Where to Stay: The stylish Cantilever Distillery + Hotel (cantileverdistillery.com) is about 10 minutes from the park.
North Cascades National Park, WA
Location: The park, pictured here, has 300 glaciers, 300 lakes and abundant wildlife, including moose, black bears, otters and more. There are 400 miles of trails—for hikers at all levels. Don’t miss Diablo Lake Vista Point. Magnificent!
Where to Stay: With just 15 floating cabins and a marina, Ross Lake Resort (rosslakeresort.com) books up far in advance, so be sure to make reservations early.
This article originally appeared in the Relax & Radiate Crate's mini magazine, The Girlfriend From AARP (Volume 2; Summer 2022).
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Photo Credit: Alamy