Author name: America's State Parks Editorial Team

America's State Parks is an independent online guide to the state parks of the United States. Our editorial team compiles and reviews each park profile from official state park agency sources and other primary references, and follows a published editorial and review methodology (see /editorial-review-methodology/). We update profiles and correct errors on an ongoing basis.

Belmont Lake State Park (New York)

Belmont Lake State Park

Belmont Lake State Park is a public state park in New York near Babylon in Suffolk County. Spanning 463 acres and established in 1926, this park offers…

Chattahoochee Bend State Park Georgia

Chattahoochee Bend State Park

Chattahoochee Bend State Park is a public state park in Georgia near Newnan in 2011 County. Spanning 2,910 acres and established in 2011, this park…

Historic 19th-century buildings at Fayette Historic State Park

Fayette Historic State Park

Michigan’s Best-Preserved Ghost Town — 20+ original 1800s buildings, towering stone smelting furnaces, turquoise Snail Shell Harbor, and…

Cimarron Canyon State Park New Mexico

Cimarron Canyon State Park

Cimarron Canyon State Park is a public state park in New Mexico near Eagle Nest in Colfax County. Spanning 378 acres and established in 1979, this park…

North Point State Park (Maryland)

North Point State Park

North Point State Park is a public state park in Maryland near Edgemere in Lake County. Spanning 1,328 acres and established in 1987, this park offers…

Twin Harbors State Park (Washington)

Twin Harbors State Park

Twin Harbors State Park is a public state park in Washington near Westport in Grays Harbor County. Spanning 225 acres and established in 1937, this…

Brunet Island State Park (Wisconsin)

Brunet Island State Park

Brunet Island State Park is a public state park in Wisconsin near Cornell in Chippewa County. Spanning 1,225 acres and established in 1936, this park…

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park (Florida)

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

Key West’s Best Beach & Civil War Fort
Fort Zachary Taylor has Key West’s best public beach plus a well-preserved Civil War fort with massive…

Rock Creek State Park (Iowa)

Rock Creek State Park

Iowa’s Hidden Marina Lake
Rock Creek offers a full-service marina, beaches, and excellent fishing on 665-acre lake. Central Iowa’s recreation destination!

Sunset during Autumn at Union Grove State Park

Lake Manawa State Park

Expert Guide: Researched and vetted by outdoor enthusiasts. Last updated for the current season.

Savage Gulf State Natural Area (Tennessee)

Savage Gulf State Natural Area

Tennessee’s Grand Canyon
Savage Gulf offers spectacular gorge views, challenging hiking, and waterfalls in the Cumberland Plateau—Stone Door overlook…

sunset over the water at arrowhead state park in oklahoma

Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park

World Record Smallmouth Bass Lake
Dale Hollow produced the world record smallmouth bass (11 lbs 15 oz!)—crystal-clear water, full resort lodge, and…

Riverside State Park (Washington)

Riverside State Park

Spokane’s Urban Wilderness
Riverside is Washington’s second-largest state park at 14,000 acres—right at Spokane’s doorstep! Bowl and Pitcher rock…

Nelson Ledges State Park (Ohio)

Nelson Ledges State Park

Northeast Ohio’s Rock Formations
Nelson Ledges features dramatic Sharon Conglomerate rock formations—caves, tunnels, and boulder scrambling! Unique…

Lake Barkley State Resort Park (Kentucky)

Lake Barkley State Resort Park

Kentucky’s Lakeside Resort
Lake Barkley is a full-service state resort—lodge, golf course, marina, and 3,700 acres on the Land Between the Lakes region!

Camp Hero State Park (New York)

Camp Hero State Park

Montauk’s Secret Military Base
Camp Hero is a former WWII military base at the very tip of Long Island—surf fishing, hiking, and the mysterious…

Elk Neck State Park (Maryland)

Elk Neck State Park

Chesapeake Bay Peninsula
Elk Neck sits on a peninsula between two rivers flowing into Chesapeake Bay—Turkey Point Lighthouse, sandy beaches, and…

Valley of the Rogue State Park (Oregon)

Valley of the Rogue State Park

I-5 Oasis on the Rogue
Valley of the Rogue offers convenient camping right off I-5 with Rogue River access—fish for steelhead, watch eagles, and rest…

Thousand Springs State Park (Idaho)

Thousand Springs State Park

Snake River’s Spring-Fed Cascades
Thousand Springs features spectacular springs bursting from canyon walls—water from the Lost River emerges 100+…

Whitefish Dunes State Park (Wisconsin)

Whitefish Dunes State Park

Door County’s Tallest Dunes
Whitefish Dunes protects the tallest sand dunes in Wisconsin on the Lake Michigan shore—pristine beach, Old Baldy dune,…

Point Mugu State Park (California)

Point Mugu State Park

SoCal’s Santa Monica Mountains Coast
Point Mugu offers 15,000 acres of Santa Monica Mountains wilderness reaching the Pacific—beaches, canyons, and…

Palmetto Island State Park (Louisiana)

Palmetto Island State Park

Cajun Country Swamp Camping
Palmetto Island offers camping in authentic Louisiana swampland—Spanish moss, alligators, and Cajun culture near Abbeville!

Shore Acres State Park (Oregon)

Shore Acres State Park

Oregon’s Garden by the Sea
Shore Acres features stunning formal gardens on dramatic coastal cliffs—plus legendary wave-watching during winter storms!

Portola Redwoods State Park (California)

Portola Redwoods State Park

Peninsula’s Hidden Redwood Grove
Portola Redwoods offers old-growth redwoods just an hour from San Francisco—peaceful camping and hiking without the…

Fremont Indian State Park (Utah)

Fremont Indian State Park

Ancient Fremont Culture Site
Fremont Indian preserves the largest Fremont Culture site ever discovered—rock art, pit houses, and museum exhibits from…

Florence Marina State Park (Georgia)

Florence Marina State Park

Lake Walter F. George’s Fishing Hotspot
Florence Marina offers excellent bass fishing on Lake Walter F. George (45,000 acres!)—full marina, camping,…

Montana de Oro State Park (California)

Montana de Oro State Park

California’s “Mountain of Gold”
Montana de Oro is 8,000 acres of rugged coastline near San Luis Obispo—one of California’s most scenic coastal parks…

paynetown hero 1

Lieber State Recreation Area

Indiana’s Water Sports Lake
Lieber State Recreation Area centers on Cagles Mill Lake—1,400 acres of boating, water skiing, and family fun west of…

Red Fleet State Park (Utah)

Red Fleet State Park

Dinosaur Tracks & Red Rock Reservoir
Red Fleet offers actual dinosaur tracks along the shore plus boating, camping, and fishing in a stunning red…

Sugar Pine Point State Park (California)

Sugar Pine Point State Park

Lake Tahoe’s Historic Estate
Sugar Pine Point features the Hellman-Ehrman Mansion and 2,000 acres of forested lakeshore—lakefront camping on Tahoe’s…

sunset over the sea at belle island state park in virginia

Salisbury Beach State Reservation

Massachusetts’ Premier Beach Camping
Salisbury Beach offers 3.8 miles of sandy beach and camping right on the Atlantic Ocean—the North Shore’s best…

niagara falls hero 1

Four Mile Creek State Park

Lake Ontario Shoreline Camping
Four Mile Creek offers wooded camping on the Lake Ontario shoreline near Niagara Falls—perfect base for visiting the…

Saltwater State Park (Washington)

Saltwater State Park

Seattle Metro’s Only Saltwater Beach
Saltwater is the only state park in the Seattle metro area with saltwater beach access—scuba diving, tide pools,…

Medoc Mountain State Park (North Carolina)

Medoc Mountain State Park

Piedmont’s Granite Outcrop
Medoc Mountain is a rare granite outcrop in the NC Coastal Plain—not actually a mountain but geologically unique! Quiet…

Hamburg State Park (Georgia)

Hamburg State Park

Historic Georgia Gristmill
Hamburg State Park preserves an 1921 operating gristmill that still grinds corn for sale! Peaceful lake, camping, and step…

Shirley Chisholm State Park (New York)

Shirley Chisholm State Park

Brooklyn’s Urban State Park
Shirley Chisholm is New York’s newest state park (2019) on a restored landfill in Brooklyn—407 acres of hills, trails,…

Pacific Beach State Park (Washington)

Pacific Beach State Park

Olympic Peninsula Beach Camping
Pacific Beach offers direct beach access camping on Washington’s rugged coast—walk from your tent to the Pacific Ocean!

Natchez Trace State Park (Tennessee)

Natchez Trace State Park

Tennessee’s Largest State Park
Natchez Trace is Tennessee’s largest state park at 48,000 acres! Full-service resort with lodge, cabins, Pin Oak Lake,…

Lucky Peak State Park (Idaho)

Lucky Peak State Park

Boise’s Summer Playground
Lucky Peak is Boise’s closest water recreation—swimming, water skiing, and beach fun just 10 miles from downtown!

Bayou Segnette State Park Louisiana

Bayou Segnette State Park

New Orleans’ Closest State Park
Bayou Segnette is just 15 minutes from downtown New Orleans—a swampy escape with cabins, camping, and a wave pool!

Barren River Lake State Resort Park

Barren River Lake State Resort Park

South-Central Kentucky’s Lake Resort
Barren River is a full-service resort park on a 10,000-acre lake with lodge, marina, golf, and beach. Easy drive…

Fishing at Cayuga Lake

Cayuga Lake State Park

Finger Lakes’ Longest Lake
Cayuga Lake is the longest Finger Lake at 40 miles! This state park offers swimming, camping, and easy access to Cayuga Wine…

Humbug Mountain State Park (Oregon)

Humbug Mountain State Park

Oregon Coast’s Mountain Challenge
Humbug Mountain rises 1,761 feet directly from sea level—the highest coastal mountain in Oregon! Epic 5.5-mile hike…

Saint Edward State Park (Washington)

Saint Edward State Park

Lake Washington’s Forest & Seminary
Saint Edward is a 316-acre forest park on Lake Washington with a former Catholic seminary (now lodge), peaceful…

water flowing between the rocks at Rock Island State Park

Allegheny State Park

Discover Allegheny State Park in New York. Plan your visit with trail info, best times to go, camping tips, and everything you need for a great outdoor adventure.

Big Foot Beach State Park Wisconsin

Big Foot Beach State Park

Geneva Lake’s Public Beach
Big Foot Beach is one of the only public access points on exclusive Geneva Lake near Chicago. Swimming, wooded camping, and…

Mirror Lake State Park (Wisconsin)

Mirror Lake State Park

Wisconsin Dells’ Peaceful Retreat
Mirror Lake is a no-motor lake tucked away near Wisconsin Dells—perfect for kayaking, canoeing, and camping with…

Calvert Cliffs State Park Maryland

Calvert Cliffs State Park

Calvert Cliffs State Park: Hunting 15-Million-Year-Old Shark Teeth on the Chesapeake

Hopeville Pond State Park (Connecticut)

Hopeville Pond State Park

Eastern Connecticut’s Camping Haven
Hopeville Pond offers peaceful camping, swimming, and fishing in Connecticut’s Quiet Corner. A family-friendly…

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