Sometimes the road less traveled leads to the best experiences. The rounded contours of the geologic phenomena called the Alabamas create an otherworldly landscape. California’s Alabama Hills Recreation Area is great for hiking, biking and climbing. Photo courtesy of Brian Stowell. 

Sunrise over Crater Lake National Park is one of the most stunning sights in Oregon. Photo by Curtis Smith (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

Sunrise over Crater Lake National Park is one of the most stunning sights in Oregon. Photo by Curtis Smith (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

There’s nothing like a 5 am sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean with the pink rocks of Maine’s rugged coastline illuminated by the golden light. Experience this amazing sight and others with free entrance to all national parks on Friday, August 25. We hope you get out there and #FindYourPark.

Photo from Acadia National Park by Lorianne Simon (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

The short Alaska summer pulls back a blanket of snow and offers visitors epic views of mind-boggling landscapes. Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve is our country’s largest national park and home to wide river valleys, towering mountain ranges and a glacier larger than the state of Rhode Island. Add in amazing wildlife and volcanoes, and this park is an adventurer’s dream. Photo by Jacob W. Frank, National Park Service.

There are some moments in nature that leave you breathless. Take an early morning walk in Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia. Follow the trails past calm wetlands. Listen to night noises begin to quiet. Look up over a misty field to see the golden sun rise above a stand of trees. Find your perfect nature moment. Photo by Kris Orr (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

The 101-foot tall Rainbow Falls is just one of the many natural wonders found at Devils Postpile National Monument in California. Nestled in pristine mountain scenery, the Devils Postpile formation is a rare geologic spectacle of hundreds of symmetrical basalt columns. Lucky glimpses of black bears and pine martens amaze hikers. Wildflower blooms bring vivid color to the landscape. Don’t you want to see it all now? Photo by Cat Connor (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

Happy birthday to the Appalachian Trail! Completed on August 14, 1937, the A.T. is a 2,180-mile long footpath that traverses the Appalachian Mountains from Georgia to Maine. Conceived in 1921 and built by private citizens over the next 15 years, the entire Appalachian Trail has been conquered by over 17,500 thru-hikers. Most challengers start off in Georgia in March and April and take 5-6 months to complete the journey. Along the way, hikers push their limits, make friends and enjoy spectacular scenery. It’s a great place to #FindYourWay. Photo from the AT in Shenandoah National Park by Kah-Wai Lin (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).

One of the most strenuous trails in North Cascades National Park reaps stunning rewards for those willing and able to make the grueling trek. The historic lookout on the summit of Washington’s Sourdough Mountain can be approached via Diablo or Pierce Mountain sides. Both trails are steep, and both pass through forest and meadow communities before arriving at the rocky lookout site with views of lakes, peaks and glaciers in every direction. Pictured here is the view never the top of Sourdough Mountain with Diablo Lake visible down below. Photo by Chris Holm, National Park Service.

You never know what you’ll see at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Emerging from cover after a storm, Ron Hazeloop chased a rainbow to Spruce Lake and just happened to catch a large bull moose standing in the water. Snapping the photo, he called it “a magical moment.” Photo by Ron Hazeloop (http://ift.tt/18oFfjl).