Big Bend Ranch State Park, nestled in Terlingua, encompasses 311,000 acres of land within West Texas’ Chihuahuan Desert. The state park, which doubles as the largest in Texas, ranked No. 8 among the must-visit parks in the nation. Key highlights include more than 250 miles of multi-use trails, as well as river rapids available for kayaking and canoeing.
“Big Bend Ranch is Texas’ largest state park and has been designated an International Dark Sky Park for unparalleled stargazing,” the ranking read in part. “The park’s dramatic landscape features deep canyons, ancient volcanic formations, and the winding Rio Grande, offering glimpses of javelinas, roadrunners, and over 300 species of birds.”
Coming in at No. 6, Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Canyon isn’t only among the best state parks in the United States: It’s also home to one of the largest canyons in the country, second only to the Grand Canyon. The park features more than 30 miles’ worth of hiking, biking and equestrian trails, as well as 120 miles of rock layers that “tell a 250-million-year geological story.”
“Wildlife viewers might spot roadrunners, mule deer, wild turkeys, and the Texas horned lizard,” USA Today’s analysis wrote. “Summer evenings since 1966 feature the ‘TEXAS’ outdoor musical performed in the canyon’s natural amphitheater.”
Interested in curating your own summer road trip this year? These are the Top 10 best state parks nationally: