Americans love visiting national parks across the United States. The ailing economy and rising gas prices urges Americans to check out the national park system especially on fee-free occasions.
In 2009 alone, more than 285 million people visited the US national park system. That up by 3.9 percent compared to year 2008. While the Great Smoky Mountains and the Grand Canyon are the usual favorites, there are many lesser known national parks in the US that is certainly worth visiting.
According to CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg, though there are 58 national parks in the country, but there's actually a grand total of 392 units in the national park system. Here are some of the lesser known national parks you should certainly visit in the near future:
Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado
Nearly 2 billion years old, Black Canyon is often described as the mini-Grand Canyon. It is a steep, deep and narrow spectacle featuring some of the oldest exposed rock on Earth.
Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
Great Sand Dunes has one of the most unique views you'll find in America: huge, rolling sand dunes and the snow-capped Sangre de Cristo Mountains in full sight.
Lassen Volcanic, California
Though only about about 4.5 hours north of San Francisco and 3 hours from Sacramento, going to Lassen is like stepping into another world. It features bubbling pools, mud pots and fumeroles co-exist alongside the more traditional national park elements like nature trails and water falls.
Dry Tortugas, Florida
The seventh least-visited national park, Dry Tortugas is best-known for its birding colonies and rich marine life. A cluster of seven islands located about 70 miles west of the Florida Keys, it's one of the best day trips out of the Florida Keys you can find.
Guadalupe Mountains, Texas
The Guadalupe Mountains is the highest point in Texas (nearly 9,000 feet) is one of the best places in the state to experience the changing of the seasons. It features spring wildflowers, blazing fall foliage and desert flora that defines the outdoor beauty of this remote park.
Read more about the lesser known national parks as suggested by CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg.
