Planting Fields Arboretum
🏆 Gold Coast Estate — 409-acre Gilded Age estate on Long Island’s Gold Coast — one of the finest arboretums
Old Erie Canal State Historic Park
🏆 Clinton’s Ditch — 36-mile trail along the ORIGINAL 1825 Erie Canal bed — walk in the actual towpath where
Oak Orchard State Marine Park
🏆 Lake Ontario Wildlife — Marine park at the mouth of Oak Orchard Creek on Lake Ontario — one of
Mohawk River State Park
🏆 Erie Canal Corridor — Park along the Mohawk River — the only water-level route through the Appalachian Mountains and
Miner Lake State Park
🏆 Adirondack Lake — Small lake in the southwestern Adirondacks — quiet camping and fishing in the 6-million-acre Adirondack Park
Lock 32 State Canal Park
🏆 Erie Canal Lock — Preserved canal lock on the Erie Canal — the engineering marvel that transformed New York
Jay Estate
🏆 Founding Father’s Home — 23-acre estate of John Jay — the FIRST Chief Justice of the United States Supreme
Hudson River Park
🏆 Manhattan’s Waterfront — 550-acre park stretching 5 miles along the Hudson River in Manhattan — one of the most
Honeoye Lake Boat Launch State Park
🏆 Smallest Finger Lake — Boat launch on Honeoye Lake — the shallowest and warmest of the Finger Lakes at
Genesee Valley Greenway
🏆 90-Mile Mega Trail — 90-mile multi-use trail from Rochester to Cuba — one of the LONGEST rail trails in
Galop Island State Park
🏆 War of 1812 Stronghold — Strategic island at the head of the St. Lawrence River — site of the
Frenchman Island State Park
🏆 Thousand Islands Gem — Undeveloped island in the St. Lawrence River — part of the 1,864-island archipelago at the
Deans Cove Boat Launch
🏆 Cayuga Launch — Boat launch on Cayuga Lake — the longest Finger Lake at 38.2 miles and one of
Croil Island State Park
🏆 St. Lawrence Island — Island park on the St. Lawrence River — part of the legendary Thousand Islands region,
Crab Island State Park
🏆 Revolutionary War Island — Island in Lake Champlain where American forces staged the FIRST naval battle of the Revolution
Conesus Lake Boat Launch
🏆 Western Finger Lake — Public boat launch on Conesus Lake — the westernmost of the Finger Lakes, known for
Catharine Valley Trail
🏆 Finger Lakes Wine Trail — 12-mile multi-use trail through the Catharine Valley — connecting Watkins Glen to Mark Twain
Canandaigua Lake State Marine Park
🏆 Finger Lakes Icon — Marine park on Canandaigua Lake — one of the most beautiful Finger Lakes, whose Seneca
Canadarago State Marine Park
🏆 Finger Lake Launch — State marine park on Canadarago Lake — access point to one of the lesser-known Finger
Bonavista State Park Golf Course
🏆 Adirondack Golf — 18-hole state park golf course in the Adirondack foothills — one of the most affordable public
Central Ferry Park
🏆 Snake River Gateway — 185-acre park on the Snake River in southeastern Washington — where the Palouse Hills meet
Cutts Island Marine State Park
🏆 Official Guide: Cutts Island Marine State Park — A water-access-only island in Washington’s South Puget Sound, known locally as
Fort Okanogan
🏆 First American Fort — Site of the FIRST American-built fort in the Pacific Northwest (1811) — where the Pacific
Fort Ward Park
🏆 Bainbridge Island Fort — Historic harbor defense fort on Bainbridge Island — guarding the entrance to Rich Passage in
Griffin Bay
🏆 San Juan Islands — Protected bay on San Juan Island — in the heart of Washington’s stunning San Juan
Jackson House State Park Heritage Site
🏆 First American Home in WA — The OLDEST American-built home in Washington state (1845) — built by John R.
Lake Isabella
🏆 Cascade Lake — Small mountain lake in the Cascade Range foothills — quiet fishing and camping in the Pacific
Loomis Lake
🏆 Pacific Coast Dunes — Coastal dune lake on the Long Beach Peninsula — the longest continuous sand beach in
Matia Island Marine State Park
🏆 San Juan Wilderness Island — 145-acre wilderness island in the San Juan archipelago — old-growth forest, bald eagles, and
Matilda N. Jackson State Park Heritage Site
🏆 Pioneer Woman — Heritage site honoring Matilda N. Jackson — the first American woman to settle permanently north of
McMicken Island Marine State Park
🏆 Puget Sound Gem — 11-acre island in southern Puget Sound — boat-access-only camping on a tiny forested island with
Mukilteo Lighthouse Park
🏆 Official Guide: Mukilteo Lighthouse Park — Home to the historic 1906 wood-frame Mukilteo Lighthouse and the site of the
Osoyoos Lake Veterans Memorial Park (Former Washington State Park)
📋 No longer a Washington state park — this is Osoyoos Lake Veteran’s Memorial Park, operated by the City of
Pacific Pines
🏆 Coastal Pines — Pacific coast pine forest on the Long Beach Peninsula — where old-growth Sitka spruce meets the
Patos Island Marine State Park
🏆 Northernmost San Juan — Remote 207-acre island near the Canadian border — the northernmost island in the San Juan
Posey Island State Park
🏆 Smallest Marine Park — Just 1 acre! — The SMALLEST state park in Washington, a tiny rock island in
Saddlebag Island Marine State Park
🏆 Padilla Bay Island — Small island in Padilla Bay near Anacortes — kayaker’s paradise with tidepools and seabird colonies
Skagit Island Marine State Park
🏆 Skagit Delta Island — Forested island at the mouth of the Skagit River — where the largest river in
Skull Island
🏆 San Juan Rock — Tiny rocky islet in the San Juan Islands — dramatic rock formation rising from the
Spring Creek Hatchery
🏆 Salmon Conservation — Historic fish hatchery on the Columbia River — one of the oldest hatcheries in the Pacific
Square Lake
🏆 Cascade Mountain Lake — Small mountain lake surrounded by old-growth forest in the Cascade Range foothills Square Lake State
Stuart Island Marine State Park
🏆 Turn Point Lighthouse — Remote 153-acre island with one of the most dramatic lighthouses in the Pacific Northwest —
Turn Island Marine State Park
🏆 Friday Harbor Island — 35-acre island just a 10-minute paddle from Friday Harbor — the most accessible island park
Upright Channel
🏆 San Juan Channel — Protected channel between Lopez and Shaw Islands — calm waters for kayaking through the heart
West Hylebos Wetlands Park
🏆 Urban Ancient Wetland — 120-acre ancient peat bog inside the city of Federal Way — a 10,000-year-old wetland surrounded
Willapa Hills
🏆 Rail Trail Pioneer — 56-mile rail trail through the forested hills of southwestern Washington — following the historic Northern
Bakers Lake State Natural Area
🏆 Coastal Plain Gem — Rare Carolina bay lake ecosystem — one of the mysterious elliptical depressions that dot the
Bay Tree State Natural Area
🏆 Pocosin Wilderness — Ancient pocosin bog ecosystem — the “swamp on a hill” that once covered 2.5 million acres
Bear Paw State Natural Area
🏆 Appalachian Rock Garden — High-elevation rock outcrop ecosystem in the Blue Ridge Mountains — rare plant community with species
Bobs Creek State Natural Area
🏆 Mountain Bog Headwaters — Southern Appalachian bog ecosystem at the headwaters of Bobs Creek — one of the rarest