Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum
🏆 Maryland — 560-acre archaeological preserve on the Patuxent River — over 70 identified archaeological sites spanning 9,000 years! The
Love Point State Park
🏆 Maryland — Northern tip of Kent Island where the Chesapeake Bay Bridge touches down — site of the former
Savage Highlands State Park
🏆 Maryland — Western Maryland’s newest park in the Allegheny Highlands — rugged terrain with access to the Big Savage
Franklin Point State Park
🏆 Maryland — Hidden gem on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay — 600+ acres of forests, meadows, and
Hart-Miller Island State Park
🏆 Maryland — Man-made island in the Chesapeake Bay — built from Baltimore Harbor dredge material! Hart and Miller were
Sand Island State Recreation Area
🏆 Hawaii — Urban beach park on a man-made island in Honolulu Harbor — one of the few places to
Kukaniloko Birthstones State Monument
🏆 Hawaii — The most sacred site on Oahu — Hawaiian royal women gave birth here on special birthing stones
Kaiwi State Scenic Shoreline
🏆 Hawaii — Dramatic volcanic coastline on Oahu’s southeast shore — the Makapu’u Lighthouse Trail winds along 700-foot sea cliffs
San Rafael State Natural Area
🏆 Official Guide: San Rafael State Natural Area — A closed-to-public preserve protecting one of Arizona’s last pristine native grassland
Poison Springs Battleground State Park
🏆 Arkansas — Site of the April 18, 1864 battle where Confederates ambushed a Union foraging expedition — the engagement
Marks’ Mills Battleground State Park
🏆 Arkansas — Site of the April 25, 1864 Confederate ambush that captured an entire Union wagon train of 240
Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area
🏆 Wisconsin — 3,763-acre landscape sculpted by the last Ice Age — the Chippewa Lobe of the glacier left behind
Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail
🏆 Kentucky — Kentucky’s longest hiking trail — 120 miles along the Pine Mountain ridge from Breaks Interstate Park to
Old Mission State Park
🏆 Idaho — The oldest building still standing in Idaho — the Cataldo Mission (1850-1853) was built by Coeur d’Alene
Lake Louise Recreation Area
🏆 South Dakota — Scenic 50-acre lake nestled in the James River valley — named after Louise Firesteel, this spring-fed
Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park
🏝️ The Island Where Aaron Burr Plotted to Build an Empire — A Palladian Mansion, Sternwheeler Rides, and America’s Most
Blackwater Falls State Park
🏆 West-virginia — Iconic 57-foot waterfall where amber-colored water plunges over sandstone — the water is stained dark by tannic
Wah-Sha-She Park (Former Oklahoma State Park)
📋 No longer an Oklahoma state park — the state closed Wah-Sha-She in 2011. The land belongs to the U.S.
Claude D. Kelley State Park
🏆 Alabama — 25-acre spring-fed lake in the pine forests of southern Alabama — named for Claude D. Kelley, an
Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park
🏆 New-mexico — The first state-funded Vietnam Veterans memorial in the nation — dedicated in 1971 at Angel Fire, NM
South Fork State Recreation Area
🏆 Ruby Mountains Gateway — Recreation area on the South Fork Humboldt River in the shadow of the Ruby Mountains
Wild Horse State Recreation Area
🏆 Official Guide: Wild Horse State Recreation Area — A high-desert reservoir oasis at 6,200 feet in northeastern Nevada, offering
Webster State Park
🏆 Smoky Hills Reservoir — 3,780-acre Webster Reservoir on the South Fork Solomon River — one of the best walleye
Prairie Dog State Park
🏆 Prairie Dog Town — Named for the massive black-tailed prairie dog colonies! This park surrounds 9,000-acre Norton Reservoir (Sebelius
Fort Delaware State Park
🏆 Island Fortress — Civil War-era island fortress in the Delaware River — Fort Delaware held up to 12,500 Confederate
Rough Rider State Park
🏆 Badlands Horseback — Rough Rider State Park (renamed from Sully Creek State Park in October 2024) is one of
Vandalia Statehouse State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — Illinois’ oldest surviving capitol building (1836) — where young Abraham Lincoln served his first terms as
Ulysses S. Grant Home State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — The Italianate home given to Civil War hero Ulysses S. Grant by grateful citizens of Galena
Postville Courthouse State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — Replica of the original Lincoln County courthouse (1840) — young Abraham Lincoln tried cases here as
Pierre Menard Home State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — 1802 French Colonial mansion of Pierre Menard — first Lieutenant Governor of Illinois! The finest example
Old State Capitol State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — Where Abraham Lincoln delivered his “House Divided” speech on June 16, 1858 — “A house divided
Mount Pulaski Courthouse State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — The other surviving courthouse of Lincoln’s 8th Judicial Circuit — built in 1848, this Greek Revival
Metamora Courthouse State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — One of only two remaining courthouses where Abraham Lincoln practiced law on the 8th Judicial Circuit
Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — Where Abraham Lincoln practiced law with partner William Herndon from 1843-1852 — the only surviving building
Lincoln’s Tomb State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — The final resting place of Abraham Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln, and three of their four sons
Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — The last home of Thomas and Sarah Bush Lincoln — Abraham Lincoln’s father and stepmother! The
Lewis and Clark State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — Where the Lewis and Clark Expedition began! Camp Dubois (Camp Wood) was built here in December
Fort de Chartres State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — The most imposing French colonial fortress in North America — built 1753 with 18-foot-thick stone walls!
Douglas Tomb State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — 96-foot marble monument over the tomb of Senator Stephen A. Douglas — Lincoln’s great debate rival!
David Davis Mansion State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — 1872 Victorian mansion of Supreme Court Justice David Davis — Lincoln’s campaign manager who masterminded the
Dana-Thomas House State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — Frank Lloyd Wright’s best-preserved Prairie-style home (1902-1904) — 35 rooms, 12,000 square feet with 250 art
Carl Sandburg State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — Birthplace of poet Carl Sandburg (January 6, 1878) — the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “Chicago Poems”
Bryant Cottage State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — The house where Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas agreed to their famous 1858 Lincoln-Douglas Debates —
Black Hawk State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — Site of the 1832 Black Hawk War along the Rock River — where Sauk leader Black
Bishop Hill State Historic Site
🏆 Illinois History — Preserved 1846 Swedish utopian commune — 1,500 Swedish immigrants led by Erik Jansson built this communal
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
🏆 Illinois History — The most-visited presidential library in America — 200,000+ artifacts chronicling Lincoln’s life from log cabin to
Union Covered Bridge State Historic Site
🏆 Missouri History — The only surviving Burr arch truss covered bridge in Missouri — built in 1871, spanning 120
Scott Joplin House State Historic Site
🏆 Missouri History — Home of the “King of Ragtime” — Scott Joplin lived in this St. Louis flat from
Sappington Cemetery State Historic Site
🏆 Missouri History — Historic cemetery near Arrow Rock — burial site of the Sappington family, including Dr. John Sappington
Sandy Creek Covered Bridge State Historic Site
🏆 Missouri History — One of only four remaining covered bridges in Missouri — built in 1872 using the Howe