Everything is bigger in Texas, but the state's two national parks are true giants. Big Bend National Park in West Texas covers a staggering 1252 square miles of the Chisos Mountain range and the Rio Grande basin. Meanwhile, the state’s highest peaks and colorful fall foliage lure hikers to 135-sq-mile Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
While Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains are Texas's only national parks, Texas also enjoys other National Park Service sites and state parks. Palo Duro Canyon State Park ranks among the state’s most beautiful parks, and Ray Roberts Lake State Park is one its most popular. These state-recognized spots differ from National Park Service sites, which include national parks, seashores, monuments and recreation areas.
Here's our pick of Texas's top 11 natural areas.
Best for stargazing Brewster County
See what makes this destination one of the best national parks for spring break. Rising like a rock-walled fortress from the Chihuahuan Desert, the jagged Chisos Mountains anchor Big Bend National Park, which sprawls across 1252 sq miles (3242 sq km). Hiking trails twist across the forested slopes of the Chisos. The aptly named Window View Trail unveils a mountain-framed view of the sunset from the Chisos Basin. Beyond the mountains, the desert reveals its secrets via roadside pull-offs and hiking trails. There, you can examine historic frontier ruins, dinosaur fossils and desert flora up close. The recommended Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive ends with a view of the sheer limestone walls of Santa Elena Canyon. See it all for an entry fee of $30 per vehicle.
What sets Big Bend apart from other national parks? Its vast dark skies, where stars, planets, galaxies and comets strut their celestial stuff. Thanks to its remote location and the lack of intrusive artificial light from cities and highways, the park earned a gold-tier International Dark Sky certification in 2012. If you can, spend a night in the park or at nearby Big Bend Ranch State Park and attend one of its evening stargazing events.
Beyond stargazing, popular activities include hiking, cycling and paddling on the Rio Grande, which separates the park from Mexico. The upper 69 miles of the 196-mile-long Rio Grande Wild & Scenic River runs alongside the national park and Amistad National Recreation Area, a hotspot for boating and watersports that is 230 miles east of Big Bend by car.
Planning tip: Due to high temperatures in summer and chilly mountain conditions in winter, the best seasons to visit are spring and fall.
Best for fall foliage Dell City
How do people find this secluded national park? Most likely by accident, while driving between El Paso and Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico. The
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The best time to visit Alaska will hardly be a surprise—it’s when you can get good weather and a lot of sunlight to see and explore everything that the largest state in the United States has to offer. Alaska is one of the Best Places to Go in 2025, as many of the area's signature sites and events like the Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve and the 1000-mile-long Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race celebrate their 100th birthdays this year. But beyond these milestones, Alaska is still an exciting destination in any year. It’s the matter of what time of year to visit that can help turn your trip from a good one into a fabulous one.
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The British Pullman, A Belmond Train, has long been hailed as one of the UK’s most sophisticated travel experiences. Since the ’80s, the steam locomotive has played host to elegant travelers hopping onboard for a day spent puffing through the English countryside. The pinnacle of British glamour, guests are treated like royalty as they are whisked past rolling fields, historic castles, and storybook villages.