domestic_engineer Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 As I dream of a vacation and warmer weather, I was wondering if there are any hidden gems of state parks or nature preserves that don't get the recognition/attention they deserve. Bonus points if they have lodging available on site to make it a destination vacation. We stumbled across one on vacation in the Orlando area (no lodging): Tibet-Butler Nature Preserve. (no lodging, just nice nature) And we stayed here for a couple of days: Kentucky Dam State Park We didn't use any of their facilities, but the cabin we stayed at was dated but clean. Care to share your hidden gems? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 while there are state parks in washington where you can rent a cabin we really like san juan county park for camping. it over looks haro straight and vancouver island. you can watch the whales go past every day. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 Village Creek state Park in AR is nice, and has cabins. Actually, AR state parks in general usually have nice cabins, and are often not at all busy-the only real exceptions are the ones in Hot Springs that are more of a tourist destinations. The Ozarks are beautiful. TN has a lot of good ones, too, most with cabins or lodges. As you get into East TN, there are a lot that are similar to the Great Smokies, but tend to be a little less heavily trafficked. Lots of waterfalls, etc. They can be relatively difficult to hike. They're great for amphibians, especially salamanders. Reelfoot Lake is awesome for reptiles, especially turtles and birds. It houses a field station belonging to the University of Tennessee system, so is used a lot for biological fieldwork. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 We didn't stay in cabins there, but the Natural Bridge park in Kentucky is nice-and home to the Kentucky Reptile Zoo, one of the most diverse collections of venomous reptiles you'll find anywhere-it's predominantly a venom farm and research station for biomedical uses. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted November 15, 2018 Share Posted November 15, 2018 Pipestem State Park and Stonewall Resort State Park in West Virginia. Both have nice cabins, a lodge (with restaurants) and lots to do. DuPont State Forest in NC. No lodging on site, but lots of waterfalls and hiking trails. It's where part of The Hunger Games was filmed. Gorges State Park in NC. Again no lodging on site, but lots of waterfalls and hiking trails. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City Mouse Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 (edited) Not exactly hidden but Balmorhea state park in Texas come to mind. It has a warm, spring fed pool year round that has a section that is deep enough for scuba diving, and it has a motel/lodge on site. More in Texas: Indian Lodge in the Davis Mountains there used to be a state park in Texas that opporated a small historical Inn with small rooms and bathroom down the hall kind of thing. I am searching now to see if I can find the name. --Yea! I found it. It is Landmark Inn State Hostorical site. there are several other state parks in Texas that have unfurnished cabins that can be rented (has furniture but not sheets, towels, dishes, and stuff like that) Edited November 16, 2018 by City Mouse 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 Likely popular but we stayed at a cabin at Cumberland Falls State park in KY. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori D. Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 Corona Del Mar State Beach in southern CA. Lovely little beach with tide pools. No lodging, but it makes for a wonderful short trip for a "recovery day" in between days of doing all the southern CA theme parks. (:D Fort Stevens State park in NW Oregon, located at the Pacific Ocean and mouth of the Columbia River. So many attractions: historic Fort Stevens military installation; a 100+ year-old shipwreck of a barge on the beach; wetlands / dunes / forest; hiking/biking trails; etc. Cabins, yurts, camping. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 Goblin Valley in Utah Patrick’s Point in California Pretty much anything on the Oregon Coast 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 Gulf State Park in Alabama Skidaway Island State Park in Georgia James Island Park in Charleston, SC (a county park, but with lots to do on site plus convenient to the historic district) We've been in our RV at all of those, but they all have cabins. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalmia Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 (edited) Mt. Blue State Park in Weld, ME (camping, swim and canoe in Webb Lake, scenic picnic at Center Hill, climb Tumbledown and swim at the top of a mountain) Not a "hidden gem" exactly as very well known in the northeast: Baxter State Park in Piscataquis County, ME, home of Mt. Katahdin. Camping and lean to camping Popham Beach and Fort Popham State Parks Phippsburg, ME gorgeous natural beach, walk on sandbar to Fox island, explore tide pools and historic fort at Fort Popham location. Possible to rent houses in the nearby town or get a camping spot at a private beach campground if you do it in January. Monongahela National Forest and Blackwater Falls State Park (lodge!) in West Virginia. Monongahela is filled with wildflowers in early spring and sunny geology all year round. Edited November 16, 2018 by Kalmia 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 If you like hiking Natural Bridge, Cumberland Falls, Pine Mountain, and Carter Caves State parks in Kentucky are great. They all have lodges and Cumberland Falls has cabins (Pine Mountain might too). They can be busy depending on the time of year. I’ve done Carter Caves in October midweek and just about had the place to myself. We camped but did eat one meal at the lodge. Near Mammoth Cave National Park is Nolin Lake State Park, there aren’t cabins but they have camping. I like that the tent camping is in a separate area from the RVs. They don’t have canoe rentals on sight but a local place dropped them off and picked them up at our campsite. My kids love the sandy beach. They have good mountain biking trails and hiking. Stonewall Jackson Resort Park in WV is my favorite, we were there last April for a work event. It’s a big park and I imagine it gets quite busy in the summer but it wasn’t bad at all when we were there. There is so much to do and it’s quite family friendly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zinnias Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 Roan MOuntain state park on the TN side of the TN/NC border. Absolutely beautiful up there. Vogel State Park and Black Rock Mountain state park in Georgia. There is also a state park in GA near FDR's Little White House. In the summer, it has a giant (so giant!) liberty bell shaped pool that was built by the CCC. It's so cool. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 Some PA state parks have cabins or "unique houses" to rent. The cabins are fully furnished and have appliances, but you have to bring everything as if you were camping (bedding, towels, pots, pans, plates, silverware...) We've stayed in a few, and wish we had started visiting them earlier, when our kids were younger and we had more freedom to travel. For two years we had "Thanksgiving in the Woods" in state park cabins. Unfortunately this year work obligations have made that impossible. I loved Caledonia State Park the best (south, near Gettysburg). They had the neatest house. We went during spring break one year and it seemed like it would be a great place for hiking, but there were 8 inches of snow on the ground when we were there. The Appalachian Trail goes through there and one area looked as if it would be magnificent when the rhododendrons lining the trail were in bloom. Haven't made it back yet.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 Cunningham Falls in MD is nice. Waterfall to hike to, cabins if you want them, lakeside beach with a lifeguard in summer, good camping spots. All the MD state parks are really well managed in my experience. Oh, and Calvert Cliffs in MD is great. Epic recycled tire playground by the parking lot. Perfect hike for younger kids - all flat, long enough to be a challenge for most 4-8 yos, but not so long that you regret that you did it (and still long enough to feel like you did something for adults, tweens and teens) - goes from forest to marsh to beach. The beach is on the Chesapeake Bay and you can hunt for fossils. Some really big stuff has been found there - though what you're looking for is most ray plates and sharks' teeth. No camping at that one. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted November 16, 2018 Share Posted November 16, 2018 13 hours ago, City Mouse said: Not exactly hidden but Balmorhea state park in Texas come to mind. It has a warm, spring fed pool year round that has a section that is deep enough for scuba diving, and it has a motel/lodge on site. More in Texas: Indian Lodge in the Davis Mountains there used to be a state park in Texas that opporated a small historical Inn with small rooms and bathroom down the hall kind of thing. I am searching now to see if I can find the name. --Yea! I found it. It is Landmark Inn State Hostorical site. there are several other state parks in Texas that have unfurnished cabins that can be rented (has furniture but not sheets, towels, dishes, and stuff like that) Vast majority of the state parks in Texas are hidden gems. In fact, I was asking my husband why the park closest to us was so crappy. My question was, "Is it run by the city or something?" The answer was "No, it is a national park." My personal favorite is Dinosaur Valley State Park. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.