Get a fresh breath of life and feel rejuvenated with a glimpse of the following top wilderness escapes of America.

From the spectacular 40 feet waterfalls of Calf Creek Canyon in Utah to the Frank Church highly protected wilderness area; these exotic locales are frequented by thousands of tourists every year.

With over 100 million acres of land protected under the Wilderness Act, the US has a number of national parks, wildlife refuges, national forests and remote pristine spots. All of these areas are well-connected offering the outdoorsy traveler a hassle-free way to connect with nature and beauty.

Yellowstone National Park
Established: 1872 Location: Wyoming extending into Montana and Idaho Established by the US Congress, the Yellowstone National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the world with its pristine ecosystems and geo-thermal features. The place has in numerous recreational opportunities like hiking, camping and boating and every year, nearly 2 million tourists visit to get a glimpse of the exotic flora and fauna found in the region. Reuters.
John Muir Trail
Established: 1938 Location: California, USA This scenic long-distance trail is named after famous naturalist John Muir and is primarily used by backpackers and day-hikers. The prime hiking season being from July through September, some of the best places for sightseeing are Yosemite Valley, Devils Postpile, Sierra Nevada. Mat Honan/wikicommons
Arctic national wildlife refuge
Established: 1960 Location: North Slope Borough and Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, USA The arctic national wildlife refuge was established to preserve unique wildlife, wilderness and recreational values. Consisting of 19,286,722 acres in the Alaska North Slope region, the place is the largest National Wildlife Refuge in the country. Supporting a variety of animal and plant ecosystems, the refuge is one of the most sought-after wilderness escapes in the US. In fact, every year around 1,500 people visit the location to break free from the regular hustle of city life and connect with nature in its truest form. Reuters.
Everglades National Park
Established: 1947 Location: Miami-Dade, Monroe, & Collier counties, Florida, USA This exotic sub-tropical wilderness area is visited on an average by one million people every year. A unique feature of the park is that, unlike other US National Parks, it was created to protect a fragile ecosystem instead of safeguarding a unique geographical eco-system. All throughout the year, front-country camping and recreational vehicle camping are available at these sites. However, jet skis, airboats and other motorized watercrafts are prohibited inside the park to protect manatees and other marine animals from harm. Wing-Chi Poon/wikicommons.
Escalante National Monument
Established: 1996 Location: Utah, USA This spectacular region is divided into three basic zones: the Grand Staircase, the Kaiparowits Plateau, and the Canyons of the Escalante. It was in 1996 that the area was declared as a US National Monument by then President Bill Clinton using his authority under the Antiquities Act. Scott Catron/wikicommons.
Mt. Zion National Park
Established: 1909 Location: Utah, USA This scenic park with its incredible canyons allures people from all over the world with around three million visitors every year. Designated as Utah’s oldest national park, there are endless hiking possibilities in the area apart from other recreational activities like golf and biking. Earlier, travel to the location was difficult owing to its remote location, lack of accommodations, and the absence of real roads in southern Utah. However, the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, established in the year 1932, addressed the issue facilitating easy transport to and from the area. John A. Taylor/wikicommons.
Glacier-National Park
Established: 1910 Location: Montana, USA Bordering the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, this scenic national park is popular for hiking and camping activities. Numerous day hiking options are available throughout the park. However, much of the region remains inaccessible to hikers until early June due to the accumulation of heavy snow and due to potential avalanche risk. Nevertheless, the campgrounds at St. Mary and at Apgar are open year round, but conditions are considered primitive in the off-season, as the restroom facilities are closed and there is no running water. stock.xchng
Monongahela National Forest
Established: 1920 Location: West Virginia,USA The Monongahela National Forest is regarded as a vast paradise of breathtaking vistas, gentle streams and country roads. Due to this, the region is a popular recreational destination and a major tourist attraction. mushroom observer/wikicommons.
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