The Non-Park NPS Sites You Shouldn't Miss

There are so many more options to the US National Park Service than just the "National Parks."

Just to name a few, there are National Historic Sites, National Seashores and Lakeshores, National Monuments, National Battlefields, National Historic Trails, and Wild and Scenic Rivers. Again, that is not a full list, just a sampling of some of the other NPS serviced sites. There are also many sites worthy of NPS service, but they are instead under the cousin organization the Bureau of Land Management (or BLM). Some of our favorite stops have been at the other NPS and BLM locations. We are going to share a few you should check out. Please tell us if you have other favorite sites by sending an email to gutheartsoul@gmail.com!

Western US

El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Arizona & Utah

Dinosaur National Monument, Utah & Colorado

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Montana

Montezuma Castle and Well National Monument, Arizona

Petroglyph National Monument, New Mexico

Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona & Utah

Midwestern US

Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Iowa

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Eastern US

Appalachian National Scenic Trail (Often called simply the Appalachian Trail)

Assateague Island National Seashore, Virginia & Maryland

Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, Tennessee & Kentucky Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina & Virginia

Booker T Washington National Monument, Virginia

Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina

Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina

Colonial National Historical Park, Virginia

Fort Monroe National Monument, Virginia

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, North Carolina

Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, South Carolina

Gauley River National Recreation Area, West Virginia

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, North Carolina

Obed Wild & Scenic River, Tennessee

Statue of Liberty National Monument, New York

Wright Brothers National Memorial, North Carolina

Montezuma Well is such a beautiful stop. It is a few miles away from Montezuma Castle, but worth the extra time!