2. Lake Clark
State: Alaska
Area: 16,300 sq km
Created: 1980
Best for… classic scenery, remote lodges, rafting
Why go? Though just 160km from Anchorage, fewer than 12,000 visitors made it to Lake Clark in 2013. Indeed, plan an adventure in this expanse of glaciers, rugged mountains, salmon-heaving rivers, bear-foraged tundra and active volcanoes, and you won’t see many other souls.
Longer hikes – such as the 80km Telaquana Trail – are best suited to experienced backpackers; shorter tramps, using the trail system from Port Alsworth, are less daunting. Paddle trips are possible too: both lake kayaking or rafting the Grade lll-IV rapids can be arranged with local operators in Anchorage. Or fly in to one of the park’s remote (and expensive) lodges by floatplane, for a more comfortable wilderness experience.
When to go: Open year-round. Most people visit June-September for the best weather.
Plan your trip: Lake Clark is a one- to two-hour flight from Anchorage, Kenai or Homer; charter boats on the Kenai Peninsula run tours to parts of the park. Incorporate Lake Clark into a southern Alaska itinerary that also includes bear-watching in Katmai National Park or even a sail along the Aleutian chain.
3. Black Canyon of the Gunnison
State: Colorado
Area: 124 sq km
Created: 1999
Best for… Jawdropping lookouts, rim rambles
Why go? It doesn’t have quite the scale of the Grand Canyon, but the sheer, 600m-high walls (some of the oldest exposed rock on the planet) flanking a 19km stretch of the Gunnison River are arguably more dramatic – at points, the gorge is only 12m wide. Indeed, the ‘Black’ of its name alludes to the lightlessness of its narrow depths.
This does make it tricky to access, but fabulous to look at. Kayaking, climbing and hikes down to the riverbed are the preserve of experts here. But two roads provide awesome overviews: the more developed South Rim Road has 12 viewpoints, some accessed by short hikes; the North Rim Road is wilder and offers the best perspectives.
When to go: Open year-round. In winter, North Rim Road and some of South Rim Road are closed; cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are possible on South Rim.
Plan your trip: The park is around 400km southwest of Denver. Make a loop of Colorado’s wild places, linking Rocky Mountain NP, Black Canyon, Mesa Verde, the San Juan Mountains and Great Sand Dunes NP.
