7 state parks with national park-worthy wonders to explore during the government shutdown

From Acadia's rocky shores to Zion's slot canyons, U.S. national parks are the crown jewels of national conservation. But they are also getting more crowded. In 2024, the National Park Service set a record with nearly 332 million recreational visitors, up 6.3 million from the previous year.

Those crowds could be even harder to navigate this fall during the federal government shutdown.

NPS says open-air sites will remain "as accessible as possible during the federal government shutdown," according to its website. However, "some services may be limited or unavailable."

Here’s what else you need to know about visiting U.S. national parks:

• According to the NPS' contingency plan, "park roads, lookouts, trails, and open-air memorials will generally remain accessible to visitors."
• A majority of the NPS workforce will be furloughed except for those who perform "excepted activities" like law enforcement, emergency response, border protection, fire suppression and public health and safety.
• Some parks will maintain basic visitor services, including restrooms, trash collection and campground operations.
• Visitors' centers and other buildings that require staffing, like the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, will be closed.
• Park websites will not be updated during the shutdown. Visit the U.S. Department of the Interior website for more information.

National parks also remained open during the 35-day 2019 government shutdown. During that time, vandals destroyed several of Joshua Tree National Park's famous trees and illegally drove off-road through the fragile ecosystem.

It's hard to predict the total impact of a shutdown on your national park vacation. But if you're concerned about visiting a national park during this period or wish to avoid the crowds, you can discover some of the same natural wonders at some of America's nearly 10,000 state parks.

Here are seven particularly postcard-worthy state parks where you can marvel at similarly stunning vistas and find hiking, biking, rafting and wildlife viewing to rival the most popular national parks.

Giant sequoias: Calaveras Big Trees State Park, California

Dupe for Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks

Stand in the shadow of some of the largest trees on earth at Calaveras Big Trees State Park, a 6,500-acre preserve that opened to the public in 1852, almost 40 years before Yosemite became the nation's second national park. Just two hours north of Yosemite, this park is home to two groves of giant sequoias, which can grow up to 279 feet.

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While not quite as tall as their cousins, the coast redwoods, these towering conifers can achieve even more impressive widths, up to 26 feet across or 100 feet around — and now is the time to see them. Native only to California and red-listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as an endangered species, they are under increasing threat from climate change-related wildfires, with an estimated 20% lost in the past 10 years.

Most visitors start in the North Grove, where a 1 1/2-mile trail meanders among the trees. You'll find the South Grove even more tranquil thanks to the moderate 1 1/2-mile climb required to reach it. An additional 3-mile hike loops you through the trees and back; don't miss the side spur to the Agassiz Tree, the largest in the park. While no tree in Calaveras Big Trees State Park is quite as big as the world-record-holding General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park, you'll still find some massive specimens, such as the South Grove's Palace Hotel Tree (which survived a fire and now has a scar big enough to enter like a cave).

TPG tip: You'll find a good selection of hotels in the scrappy gold rush-era town of Angel's Camp, 20 minutes from the park. Made famous by Mark Twain's tall tale "The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," Angel's Camp offers dozens of dining options, a golf course and a museum housed in a clapboard church with an impressive collection of carriages and wagons. The Travelodge by Wyndham Angels Camp features large rooms with balconies, free parking and a warm welcome for pets. Rates start at $98 or 15,000 Wyndham Rewards points per night.

Sky-high granite peaks: Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area, Colorado

Dupe for Grand Teton National Park

Stretching along 152 miles of the wild and turbulent Arkansas River in Colorado, Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area has some of the best whitewater rafting in the U.S. It also provides an ideal entry point to the Sawatch Range, known for its dense constellation of 14-ers (as peaks over 14,000 feet are known to mountaineers).

Hikers and mountaineers come to try their mettle on Mount Elbert, the highest peak in the Rockies, as well as the Collegiate Peaks, which include Princeton, Harvard, Yale and Oxford. Drive the 57-mile Collegiate Peaks Scenic Byway for a full appreciation — and wherever you are, keep a lookout for pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, elk and moose.

Popular mountain and gravel biking trails include the Methodist Mountain Loop, which circles the flanks of this 11,700-foot peak, and the more ambitious Rainbow Trail loop, which gains and loses 2,800 feet in elevation across 22 miles.

End your day with a float and soak at the Salida Hot Springs Aquatic Center. It features a 25-meter lap pool, a smaller hot pool and private tubs, all fed by natural mineral water.

Although Arkansas Headwaters is co-managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Bureau of Land Management, its visitor services are state-run. Campsites and the visitor center are state-run and operate regularly; vehicle passes, day passes and fishing licenses are also booked through the state park system.

TPG tip: Once an important railroad hub, Salida became a sleepy backwater before being discovered in the 1970s and 1980s by artists and mountain biking enthusiasts. Now, Colorado's largest national historic district benefits from being off a major motorway; it has streets lined with coffee shops, boutiques, galleries and outdoor outfitters housed in colorful clapboard and brick buildings. An indoor pool, free hot breakfast and a wide selection of spacious family- and pet-friendly rooms make the Hampton Inn & Suites Salida a good choice for those on the go. Rates start from $115 or 37,000 Hilton Honors points per night.

Fall foliage and scenic drives: Grandfather Mountain State Park, North Carolina

Dupe for Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Topping out at 6,000 feet and capped by a knobby outcropping of the Blue Ridge escarpment, Grandfather Mountain State Park showcases one of the most dramatic stretches of the southern Appalachians just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Adventure-seekers come for challenging ascents like the about 2-mile Grandfather Trail and the 6-mile, out-and-back Daniel Boone Scout Trail. Both feature ladders and cables to aid the climb up Calloway Peak — the park's highest point. For a gentler traverse that still delivers big views, take the about 1-mile Nuwati Trail to Storyteller’s Rock.

Come for peak fall foliage in October, when clusters of red, yellow and orange leaves pop against dark evergreens.

Don't miss the chance to gasp your way across the 228-foot Mile High Swinging Bridge: It's the highest suspension footbridge in the country, and it's in a privately owned reserve adjoining the park. Further south on the Blue Ridge Parkway, three-tiered Linville Falls drops 90 feet into steep-walled Linville Gorge. The Erwins View Trail takes you past four viewpoints overlooking the falls.

TPG tip: In Boone, the closest town to the park, Rhodes Motor Lodge opened in 2024 to offer a midcentury modern take on a mountain lodge, with rooms starting at $149 per night. An hour south of the park, Asheville makes the liveliest base of operations for exploring the southern Appalachians. Loyalty program options abound, but the Aloft Asheville Downtown is a top choice for its cartoon-bright colors and playful attitude. Rates start from $191 or 54,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

After a necessary hiatus to rebuild following Hurricane Helene, Asheville has begun welcoming visitors back this spring. Your visit will give the artsy enclave a much-appreciated economic boost.

Giant sand dunes: Coral Pink Dunes State Park, Utah

Dupe for Great Sand Dunes National Park

Taking its name from the distinctive rosy color of its sand — which has been sifted from the surrounding Navajo sandstone over the past 10,000 years — Coral Pink Dunes State Park in southern Utah is a compact version of its national park counterpart in Colorado. And it has similarly also become another popular destination for sandboarding enthusiasts.

To partake in the increasingly popular sport, rent one of the sit-down sand sleds available from the park visitor's center, or bring your own stand-up sandboard and helmet for a rowdier ride. Riding an all-terrain vehicle offers another way to traverse the dunes, 90% of which are open for riding.

Start your visit at the overlook to get a sense of the landscape, then follow the guided nature path that circles the dunes to learn about the creatures, plants and habitat unique to the park — particularly the endemic coral pink tiger beetle, found only within park bounds.

TPG tip: Base your stay in Kanab, where you can check out the Maynard Dixon Living History Museum and fuel up at the Rocking V Cafe. The cafe serves bison tenderloin, cowboy chicken, rangeland ribeye and other dishes reflecting Kanab's Wild West roots. Kanab's La Quinta & Suites by Wyndham gets high marks for its airy rooms, generous breakfast bar and pet-friendly welcome. Rates start from $104 or 15,000 Wyndham Rewards points per night.

Saguaro cacti: Catalina State Park, Arizona

Dupe for Saguaro National Park

More than 5,000 of Arizona's iconic saguaros make their home in Catalina State Park, which stretches from just a few miles north of Tucson up to 3,000 feet in the Coronado National Forest. Named for its location tucked against the Santa Catalina Mountains, the park is beloved by birdwatchers, who come to track the more than 150 native and migrating species found here. Coyotes, jackrabbits and javelinas also frequent the park.

The park's 11 trails range from easy strolls to gritty climbs. The nearly 1-mile Romero Ruins Interpretive Trail brings you to the remains of an ancient Hohokam village. Meanwhile, the Sutherland Trail, the park's most ambitious route, gains 6,000 feet in elevation as it climbs 10 miles into the Catalina Mountains. Another great way to see the park is on horseback by joining one of the trail rides organized by park concessionaire Rancho de los Cerros.

TPG tip: Continue your desert immersion at the hacienda-style Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort and Spa at the northernmost end of Tucson. It's just 10 minutes from the park. Transformed from a former hacienda into an 80-acre desert playground, the resort features three pools, tennis courts and acres of manicured desert landscaping criss-crossed by walking paths. Rates start at $230 or 30,000 Wyndham Rewards points per night.

Plunging waterfalls: Silver Falls State Park, Oregon

Dupe for Yellowstone and Yosemite national parks

Silver Falls State Park — Oregon's largest state park — is spread across 9,000 acres and is just a 30-minute drive east of Salem. You can walk the Trail of Ten Falls, an about 7-mile loop that winds by, you guessed it, 10 waterfalls; on this trail, you'll see South Falls, a 177-foot wall of water the trail passes behind. There are also shorter routes that reach some of the falls more directly. The 1-mile North Rim Trail, which opened in 2023, provides easy walking access on a broad, flat surface.

While the majority of visitors come for the waterfalls, the park also offers more than 35 miles of backcountry trail that bears and cougars frequently visit the area.

TPG tip: Many visitors take advantage of the park's massive campground, which has more than 100 sites for tents and RVs. But you can also choose from a cluster of points-friendly hotels at the southeast end of Salem. The Hampton Suites by Hilton is a top choice with its indoor pool and pet-friendly policy. Rooms start from $149 or 42,000 Hilton Honors points per night.

Related: Mountains, desert and waterfalls: A points-fueled autumn road trip through Oregon's natural wonders

Red rock canyons: Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada

Dupe for Zion and Arches national parks

Look around Valley of Fire State Park at the birthday cake layers of white and red sandstone and you might forget you're not in Zion, Arches or another of Utah's famed red rock canyon national parks. Lookalike formations abound, most with self-identifying names like White Domes, Rainbow Vista and Arch Rock. You'll also find a bonus prize: a sheer-walled slot canyon on the White Domes Trail that gives a taste of its more famous cousins like Arizona's Antelope Canyon and Utah's Little Wild Horse Canyon in San Rafael Swell.

TPG tip: Thanks to Valley of Fire's location just north of Lake Mead, houseboat rentals are a popular option (available for two nights or longer, from $1,191). Valley of Fire is also an easy day trip from Las Vegas — just an hour away — which has many lodging options.

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