Hiking the great outdoors can be rejuvenating, and a new ranking reveals there may be many more options to explore right in your backyard.
With thousands of state parks available across the United States, there are endless options to get outdoors close to home. But some are more popular for hiking than others, according to a new ranking from Google Maps.
Wisconsin’s Devil’s Lake State Park took the top spot as the most popular state park for hiking. That was thanks to its nearly 30 miles of hiking trails, beaches, and more, along with dramatic 500-foot quartzite bluffs and a stunning 360-acre lake. The park is located about an hour away from the state capital of Madison.
Devil’s Lake State Park is also the top-ranked state park for the state of Wisconsin, according to AllTrails, with more than 10,000 positive reviews. Several trails beckon outdoor enthusiasts, including the 4.8-mile West Bluff Trail as well as the more challenging 2-mile Devil’s Doorway Loop where hikers can take in views of “impressive rock formations.”
Following Devil’s Lake, Illinois’ Starved Rock State Park came in second, followed by the Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Canyon, Texas, in the northern part of the state. New York’s Watkins Glen State Park in the popular Finger Lakes region was fourth, while Nevada’s Valley of Fire State Park (home to sandstone dating all the way back to the Jurassic period) rounded out the top five.
To compile its list, Google Maps analyzed reviews of parks across the country and shared the rankings with Travel + Leisure. “Not everyone can make it to a national park, but that doesn’t have to stop you from touching grass before summer ends,” a Google Maps spokesperson said in a statement shared with T+L.
When it comes to overall popularity, Watkins Glen State Park came out on top as the most visited state park in the country. And it’s no wonder when you consider the park boasts 19 different waterfalls spread across just two miles.
Beyond state parks, there are also plenty of national parks across the U.S. that welcome adventurous travelers. Yellowstone National Park, Alaska’s Kenai Fjords National Park, Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park, California’s Yosemite National Park, and Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park are all favorites of T+L readers.
