• Introduction
• 1. Baxter State Park
• 2. Channel Islands National Park
• 3. Denali National Park and Preserve
• 4. Everglades National Park
• 5. Isle Royale National Park
• 6. National Bison Range
• 7. Safari West
• 8. San Juan Islands
• 9. Tucson’s Sonoran Desert
• 10. Yellowstone National Park

Baxter State Park

Best for: black bears, moose, white-tailed deer, otter, and beavers

Maine’s Baxter State Park, spanning some 200,000 acres, is a bona fide wilderness wonderland – don’t expect crowded picnic areas, RV hook-ups, or, even, paved roads here. Instead you’ll find ruggedly spectacular country speckled with lakes, mountains, and thick clusters of forests, all anchored by Mount Katahdin, Maine’s highest peak. A scenic stretch of the Appalachian Trail winds through the park towards Katahdin and there are some 200 miles of hiking trails, as well as remote campsites, including several lakeside spots that are only accessible by canoe. www.baxterstateparkauthority.com

Smart Splurge Hotel: Outside the park, on the shores of Lake Millinocket, you can rent your own log cabin, complete with a full kitchen, bathroom, shared outdoor grill, and views of Mount Katahdin. The Twin Pines Camps’ new Coveside Guest Houses, due for completion by fall 2009, offer luxurious LEED-certified dwellings with heated floors, decks, sunrooms, gas fireplaces, and flat-screen TVs. www.neoc.com

Great Value Hotel: The nine guestrooms and two cabins of the Katahdin Lodge sit on 40 acres in the North Maine Woods, near Baxter Park. The lodge is no-frills rustic with simple rooms, but offers guests fun outdoor extras like a campfire ring, hiking and ATV trails, and access to Hale Pond for canoeing and fishing. www.katahdinlodge.com

When to Go: Summer is prime time for wildlife spotting: See moose gathered around marshy ponds; white-tailed deer along the Park Tote Road that encircles the park; and come August, black bears munching raspberry patches on Center Mountain or blueberries on Traveler Mountain.

See Maine Travel Guide | See Montana Travel GuideSee Sonoma Travel Guide