There’s no doubt, national parks are the creme de la creme when it comes to U.S. landscapes. But they’re not the be-all-end-all of beauty. In fact, a colossal number of state parks, national forest areas, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) areas are equally as impressive as their older superiors (think Dead Horse Point State Park). You might even argue that much of the world’s natural beauty lies outside national or state park boundaries—but that’s a whole separate debate. 

Financially speaking, you’ll save money staying in national forest areas, state parks, and BLM areas. Camping in these areas generally costs less than $20/night. Wake up to lakes, streams, forest enclaves, plains—you name it. Plus, these places are often quieter, even in the summer. National parks sometimes have better facilities and, yes, the landscape features are typically more impressive. There’s no sugar-coating those facts. But state parks are still a great experience. In fact, you often get what national parks can’t offer: seclusion and the freedom to disconnect. At Zion National Park or Arches National Park, how often do you get a viewpoint to yourself? The short answer: almost never. But with state parks, it’s commonplace to have alpine woods, a crystalline lake, or an idyllic river to yourself. 

For me, an ideal destination has at least one national park. One park should have plenty of hikes and things to explore and photograph. After that, I look for state parks, lakes, national forests, and BLM areas. These places are great for camping and are usually still large in size. Once I have a bit of the above, I feel confident I’ll have enough to do, and not at the cost of hours (or days) of driving. If you focus on covering less distance, you’ll get more for your buck and maximize your time exploring outdoors. Destinations with shorter travel time between attractions are ideal, like Kanab, Utah, or Livingston, Montana. 

Cortez

Cortez is a small town in southwestern Colorado, 10 minutes away from Mesa Verde National Park. Not only that, it’s 40 minutes from Hovenweep National Monument, just over an hour from Shiprock Rock Formation, an hour from Chimney Rock National Monument, and 45 minutes from Aztec Ruins National Monument. Cortez is essentially loaded with places to visit that are within a reasonable driving distance. From camping in Colorado to sightseeing and general exploring, Cortez ticks boxes.

Moab

Another gem worth mentioning is Moab, Utah. It’s within thirty minutes of two of Utah’s ‘Mighty 5’ national parks: Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park and Zion National Park. Another notable attraction just 40 minutes from Moab is Dead Horse Point State Park (a should-be national park). Not only that, you’ve got the dunes just outside of Moab, and the Colorado river runs right through town. So, what are you waiting for?