Our fifty states offer so much to see and do that we often forget to step off the beaten path. In reality, there’s some astonishing scenery, towns, and attractions that you’re surely missing. At Yahoo Travel we firmly believe you can see it all—the big amazing attractions, as well as the cool stuff hidden just around the bend —so we went in search of the places you may not know about.
Alabama
Frank Jackson State Park has a 1,000-acre lake for picnicking and camping. There’s a cool boardwalk over to an island and miles of hiking trails.
Alaska
Lake George is a National Natural Landmark, best known for its beautiful icebergs that break off the Knick Glacier. You can even touch one where they come to shore.
Arizona
Like some hidden gems, Emerald Cave is not easy to access; it involves a 3-hour kayak tour down the Colorado River. Once you arrive, fatigued muscles fade into the background as the cool green waters envelope you.
Arkansas
Mirror Lake is a tiny fishing lake with waterfalls fed by Blanchard Springs Caverns. It’s hidden away in northern Arkansas with camping and hiking facilities available nearby.
California
Mono Lake has freakish spires of minerals called “tufa towers.” The lake is popular with photographers, birding enthusiasts, and kayakers.
Colorado
It was had to choose from the huge number of hidden gems in this state, but we loveHanging Lake for its beauty and its proximity to the cool town of Glenwood Springs, where you can soak away you after-hiking soreness in the world’s largest mineral hot springs swimming pool.
Connecticut
Castle Craig is a stone observation tower in the 1,800 acre Hubbard Park in Meriden. On a clear day, you may even glimpse Long Island Sound.
Delaware
Mount Cuba Center “takes gardening to a new level.” We think they take scenic beauty to a new level.
Florida
Bok Tower may be one of the coolest things in the state that most people don’t know about. It stands 205 feet tall, has a 60-bell carillon, and artwork in its massive tile grills that incorporate images sea life and other Florida nature scenes. Just, wow!
Georgia
Tallulah Gorge State Park has camping, picnicking, hiking, and a spectacular suspension footbridge 80-feet above the gorge.
Hawaii
Waipi’o Valley on the Big Island is best known for its stunning 2,000 foot-cliffs rising straight out of the Pacific. There is a paved one-mile, one-lane road, but four-wheel drive vehicles are strongly recommended. At the bottom, there’s a black sand beach and a glimpse of one of the tallest waterfalls in Hawaii — Hi’ilawe Falls, deep within the valley on private property.
Idaho
Beaches and mountain scenery greet you at Payette Lake in McCall. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Illinois
Tunnel Hill State Trail extends 45 miles from Harrisburg to Karnak across wooden trestles and across the Trail of Tears.
Indiana
Turkey Run State Park is Indiana as you never imagined it: lush forests, sandstone gorges carved by the river, topped off with an Olympic-size swimming pool.
Iowa
The Fenelon Place Elevator is a scenic railway 296 feet in length, but with a vertical rise of 189 feet. Now that’s steep! You can see three states and the Mississippi River from the top on Fenelon Place in the Dubuque business district.
Kansas
Geary County State Park includes the beauty of Geary Falls. There are picnic tables, fireplace grills, and campsites.
Kentucky
Buckhorn Lake State Park is a resort park featuring a 36-room lodge plus two and three-bedroom cottages to help you enjoy the beauty of the 1,200-acre lake.
Louisiana
Hodges Garden State Park is 700 acres of gardens, some cultivated by man, others by nature. There are hidden cabins tucked in the gardens for rent, or bring your own gear and camp.
Maine
Biddeford Pool is a tide pool jutting into the ocean from a delightful stretch of beach. Bring your chairs and enjoy the serenity or explore the shallows by kayak.
Maryland
C&O Canal Lockhouse 28 lets you step back in time by renting the most remote canal keeper’s quarters on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which was built to carry industrial products and agricultural goods between communities along the Potomac.
Massachusetts
The 244-acre peninsula known as Worlds End, is part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. Its meandering paths and gardens were designed by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead, making it both a retreat from the city and a historical adventure.
Michigan
South Manitou Island is one of the islands that extend into the Straits of Mackinac. It has a lighthouse to explore, a shipwreck you can see from shore, and miles of hiking trails.
Minnesota
Boundary Waters Canoe Area encompasses over a million acres of Lake Superior shoreline, with more than a thousand miles of canoe routes, plus hiking trails, and campsites.
Mississippi
Tanglefoot Trail is the state’s longest Rails to Trails conversion, covering 43 miles through the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
Missouri
Crooked Creek Falls is a small, and often overlooked sampling of the beauty of the Ozarks.
Montana
How about sleeping in a cabin perched on a lookout tower on a mountain with a 7,700-foot elevation? Gird Point Lookoutis just that. Hiking, sunset watching, and relaxing are the top activities here.
Nebraska
The little town of Hebron is a hidden gem in the southern part of the state, and they have the World’s Largest Porch Swing here, which is the perfect place for a group photo stop.
Nevada
Great Basin National Park is one of the least visited national parks in the continental U.S., and it’s one of the darkest, making it perfect for stargazing.
New Hampshire
Thompson Falls is a rarely visited scenic spot in the White Mountain National Forest. The trail is a mere half-mile long, and the pool at the bottom of the falls safe enough for a swim.
New Jersey
Sea Girt Lighthouse is one of only eleven lighthouses on the Jersey Shore open to the public. It was the last live-in lighthouse built in the Atlantic Coast.
New Mexico
Jemez Springs lies west of the Rockies, far from the crowds of Santa Fe. The tiny community offers hot mineral baths for the weary, secluded camping opportunities, and some of the state’s best fishing.
New York
Dutchess County Rail Trail is tucked away in the Hudson Valley, from Poughkeepsie to Hopewell Junction. The 13-mile trail passes through lush forest, old rail tunnels, and across wooden trestles.
North Carolina
Lake Lure is a lovely 720-acre lake set in the mountains in the western portion of the state. Nearby Chimney Rock Parkoffers waterfalls, hiking, and a stunning view of the lake.
North Dakota
The Fairview Lift Bridge allows hikers to cross the Yellowstone River and pass through the only rail tunnel in the state—the Cartwright Tunnel.
Ohio
Great Circle Earthworks features one of several mounds in the region that make up the Hopewell Culture National Historical Park. The mounds were built more than 2,000 years ago as gathering places of the ancient people.
Oklahoma
Alabaster Caverns features the largest natural gypsum cavern in the world. Guided tours take place in the newly-lighted cave daily.
Oregon
Cape Perpetua Scenic Area offers tide pools, astonishing overlooks, and the mesmerizing Thors Well, where the ocean churns up through the rocks like a giant whirlpool tub, before sucking back to the sea.
Pennsylvania
Delaware Water Gap National Recreational Area has more than 100 miles of hiking trails, 100 miles of scenic roads, and encompasses 27 miles of the Appalachian Trail. The trails take you past streams, falls, and river valleys.
Rhode Island
St. Ann Arts and Cultural Center in Woonsocket, houses the largest collection of Fresco Paintings in North America. Afternoon tours are available on Sundays throughout the summer.
South Carolina
Reedy Branch Falls is only 30 feet high, but its close proximity to U.S. Highway 76—just 300 yards from the road, make it a readily accessible hidden treasure.
South Dakota
Historic Prairie Village has something for everyone. We especially love the chapel rail car that traveled throughout the western states, stopping at frontier towns for church services on the rails.
Tennessee
Tuckaleechee Caverns is hidden away at the foot of the Smokey Mountains. The beautiful cave system is privately operated, with tours available daily March to November.
Texas
Operated by the University of Texas, the McDonald Observatory is well off the beaten path, perched above the quaint town of Fort Davis. In addition to nightly star-watching programs, self-guided tours of the 362-inch Hobby-Eberly Telescope are available daily.
Utah
The Wedge is fondly called “Little Grand Canyon.” The 1,200-foot drop to the San Rafael River has the same palette of colors as its larger namesake. There’s an overlook, but even that is a well-hidden gem. The Utah State Geological Surveyoffers detailed directions.
Vermont
Osmore Pond is one of the hidden gems developed by the CCC in the 1930’s. The picnic and camping areas feature charming stone fireplaces, log shelters, and picnic tables. Hiking trails surround the lake.
Virginia
Often the most amazing things hide in plain sight, as is the case with Huntley Meadows Park. Located just outside the Beltway, its healthy wetlands offer some of the best wildlife viewing in the D.C. metro area.
Washington
Wallace Falls State Park has a 265-foot waterfall, streams, rivers, miles of trails, and adorable cabins you can rent.
West Virginia
Our list would not be complete without a covered bridge. We love Dents Run Covered Bridge, built in 1889. It is well hidden, but worth the effort to find. We found detailed directions to this and several other bridges on the Tour Morgantown website.
Wisconsin
Iron County has multiple campgrounds, several waterfalls, and an extensive ATV trail system. Fun for all!
Wyoming
We wrap up our list with a journey back in time. When you step through the doors of the Occidental Hotel in Buffalo, you can almost hear the jingle of spurs. The list of previous guests includes Butch Cassidy, Teddy Roosevelt, and Calamity Jane.
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