REMOTE BUT BEAUTIFUL: 10 OF THE MOST REMOTE NATIONAL PARKS IN AMERICA

The United States has some 63 national parks in the country (plus a number of national monuments, national preserves, and other Federally protected places). The most popular national park in the US is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. But while the Smokies benefit by being within a drivable distance of major population centers, other national parks are incredibly remote.

Some of the least visited national parks are utterly stunning but are also incredibly isolated and difficult to reach. Here are ten of the most remote national parks in the USA.

National Park Of American Samoa: The Park In The South Pacific

Located on the far-flung and forgotten American territory of American Samoa is the National Park of American Samoa. It only reserves around 28,000 visitors annually, and it is spread over the islands of Tutuila, Olosega, Ta'u, and Ofu.

The park protects tropical rainforests and tropical coral reefs, as well as the Samoan culture.

Gates Of The Arctic: The Massive Frozen National Park

At the other extreme of the United States is the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, located in northern Alaska. It is the northernmost national park in the US and is fully north of the Arctic Circle.

Plus, not only is it the remotest national park in the US, but it is also the least visited due to its isolation and lack of road access.

Isle Royale National Park: A Unique Park Of Wolves & Moose

Isle Royale National Park is the seventh least visited national park in the US and is an isolated island park on Lake Superior in Michigan.

Visitors need to take a boat to reach this park (which is also the largest natural island in Lake Superior). It is part of a UNESCO International Biosphere Reserve and is famous for its unique wolf and moose populations.

Related: This Lake Superior Island Is Unique For Its Wolf And Moose Population

Kobuk Valley National Park: A National Park North Of The Arctic Circle

The Kokuk Valley National Park is also one of the most remote national parks in the United States, found in Alaska just north of the Arctic Circle.

It protects the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes and the landscapes home to caribou migration routes. It also lacks road access, so visitors need to be fully prepared to stay in the wilderness after they arrive there by air taxi.

Katmai National Park And Preserve: A Wilderness Ruled By Grizzles

The Katmai National Park is famous for its grizzlies (or brown bears) and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. It is one of a handful of national parks in the country to lack road access.

Most of the park is wilderness and is located on the Alaska Peninsula close to Kodiak Island (known for its large brown bears).

Related: America Once Connected To Asia? Tour The Bering Land Bridge

Theodore Roosevelt National Park: The Badlands Of North Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is one of the only national parks in the Lower 48 with road access to make this list. It is set in western North Dakota, far away from the major population centers of the nation and the country's main tourist regions.

Even so, these badlands in North Dakota manage to attract around 850,000 visitors every year. Visitors can also see American bison in the park.

Voyageurs National Park: The Wilderness Of Northern Minnesota

Voyageurs National Park is in far northern Minnesota, right by the border with Canada. It commemorates the French-Canadian fur traders who arrived in the region as the first European settlers in the area.

The park is popular for kayaking, fishing, and other boaters, while in the winter, it is popular for skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. A comparatively few people visit this national park (only around 240,000 in 2018).

Related: Bon Voyage! Why Voyageurs National Park Is So Amazing

Lake Clark National Park & Preserve: See Brown Bears Feeding On Salmon

The Lake Clark National Park may be dramatic and stunning, but it is also rarely visited. Despite being one of the most beautiful national parks in the US, only around 15,000 people visit it every year to marvel at its dramatic volcanoes (Mount Redoubt and Mount Iliamna), its glaciers, its alpine tundra, and its stunning coastlines.

The park is home to major salmon-bearing rivers that attract plenty of brown bears. One of the top activities in the park is bear watching.

Dry Tortugas National Park: The Massive Fort Off The Florida Keys

Dry Tortugas National Park is one of the most unusual national parks in the United States. It is reachable by ferry, and it preserves the massive and historic Fort Jefferson as well as the corals and marine environment of several Dry Tortugas islands.

Visitors can camp at Dry Tortugas National Park, but they must bring all the supplies with them and take all their trash with them as they leave. Only around 63,000 people visit annually.

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve: See Dramatic Glaciers Of Alaska

Not to be confused with Glacier National Park in Montana (which has a fascinating history), Glacier Bay is located in Southeast Alaska to the west of the state capital of Juneau.

The landscapes here are dramatic and stunning and still manage to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year despite the lack of roads in the area.

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