Celebrate National Park Week at These Underrated Protected Lands

2021 National Park Week kicks off Saturday, April 17 with International Park Prescription (ParkRx) Day or fee-free day and continues through Sunday, April 25. The annual week-long event is recognized by a presidential proclamation and aims to celebrate America's national parks by encouraging travelers to get out and experience them to learn about their natural, historical and cultural significance. National parks continue to be one of the best ways to experience new places while remaining socially distant outdoors amid the COVID-19 pandemic. If you're planning on getting out to celebrate National Park Week in 2021, consider one of these lesser-known protected lands.

Located in western Colorado about five hours southwest of the more famous Rocky Mountain National Park, Black Canyon of the Gunnison is a jaw-dropping natural wonder that's unparalleled in its depth, steepness and narrowness. The national park features the deepest and most dramatic section of the canyon that visitors can explore in a variety of different ways, including hiking, climbing and scenic drives. The wildlife watching and stargazing offered here are also some of the best in the country.

Located between Utah's more iconic national parks in Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands and Zion, this hidden gem offers some of the very best of red rock country and a one-of-a-kind natural attraction in the Waterpocket Fold, a nearly 100-mile long warp in the Earth's crust that formed between 50 and 70 million years ago. The monocline or step-like fold in the rock layers has been eroding for millions of years, resulting in the formation of colorful cliffs, massive domes and eye-popping arches.

Northern California's Lassen Volcanic National Park can be found hours away from the state's more popular parks such as Yosemite and Joshua Tree. Located east of Redding and a few hours northwest of Lake Tahoe, Lassen Volcanic is perhaps most celebrated for its hydrothermal areas, which include fumaroles or steam and volcanic-gas vents, bubbling mud pots and boiling pools. The park's most easily accessed hydrothermal area is Sulphur Works but visitors will have to wait until summer to experience the wonder of Bumpass Hell.

Central South Carolina's Congaree National Park is easy to overlook as most visitors to this region of the Southeast are targeting America's most visited national park in the Great Smoky Mountains or the Carolinas' fabulous beaches. Nonetheless, it won't take visitors long to realize that this protected land is one of the most biodiverse in the nation and home to the largest intact expanse of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the entire southeastern U.S. If your idea of a day in the park is to enjoy scenic hikes and peaceful kayak or canoe excursions this underrated national park can't be beaten.

You'd be forgiven for not knowing or forgetting about Virgin Islands National Park as it's located way out in the Caribbean. Still, this paradise is managed by the National Park Service and while Americans traveling from the mainland will require a negative COVID-19 test to visit they won't need a passport. This sun-kissed national park features plenty of beautiful white-sand beaches, sure, but it also boasts mesmerizing coral reefs bustling with marine life, ancient petroglyphs and historic sites that will educate visitors on how this U.S. territory came to be.

This exceptional national park can be found in Lake Superior just south of the U.S.-Canada border and is the perfect park for travelers seeking seclusion. Opportunities for adventure present themselves in a number of ways, including challenging yet rewarding hikes, relaxing kayak and canoe rides and authentic camping experiences. The rugged island is even a hit with curious divers.

Between Las Vegas and Salt Lake City sits Great Basin National Park, a protected land spanning more than 77,000 acres offering a diversity of attractions, including an entire subterranean world in Lehman Caves, ancient bristlecone pines that will have you thinking you've been transported to a different planet and some of the country's best dark skies for nighttime stargazing.

A popular destination for enthusiastic hikers and campers, Texas' massive Big Bend National Park comprises varying landscapes and habitats and thus is able to sustain more than 1,200 species of plants, approximately 3,600 species of insects, over 400 bird species and dozens of other animal species. The fauna and wildlife found inside Big Bend are only enhanced by the park's wide-ranging landscapes, which include mountains, desert and river (Rio Grande).

While not quite as famous as Washington's Olympic National Park, North Cascades, which is located just a few hours to the northeast of Olympia and Seattle, boasts epic mountains, forests and glaciers that draw visitors from all over to enjoy scenic hikes and bike rides, boating adventures, fishing trips, overnight camping and some of the best wildlife viewing in the country as the park is home to more than 200 different species of birds.

Southern New Mexico's Carlsbad Caverns features approximately 119 caves that were formed when sulfuric acid dissolved limestone. Visitors will need to make a reservation to enjoy a self-guided tour through the caverns but can also explore this magnificent park on a scenic desert drive or surface hike. The Big Room is the top draw beneath the surface as it's the largest single cave chamber by volume in North America.