Avoid Crowds At These Incredible U.S. Destinations
By ALYSA SALZBERG
Although about an hour's drive from San Francisco, there's a 5.5-mile hike to Wildcat Beach within the Phillip Burton Wilderness Area, meaning it lacks crowds.
Wildcat Beach
The beach is surrounded by majestic cliffs and close to numerous nature trails and lovely sights. The nearby Wildcat Campground overlooks the coast and also has beach access.
If you're looking for more to do, the spectacular Alamere Falls, waterfalls that flow directly onto the beach, are located at the southern end of Wildcat Beach.
This small island off the Georgia coast is only reachable by ferry, making it crowd-free. Stay the night, and you'll practically have the island to yourself.
Cumberland Island
Highlights of the island include sweeping natural coastline vistas, fresh air, forests, and a chance to spot wild horses and newly hatched loggerhead turtles.
History fans will also find things to love here, including the fascinating historic district and the Ice House Museum, a small site that spotlights Cumberland Island's history.
Founded in the 1880s and almost totally abandoned in the 1920s, the former mining town of St. Elmo, Colorado, is considered one of the U.S.'s best-preserved ghost towns.
St. Elmo
The site draws crowds in the summer and on weekends, but it may be almost completely empty on a weekday visit, especially in the winter months.
Nature lovers can also get their fix in and around St. Elmo. The surrounding area offers hiking, trail rides, white water rafting, local hot springs, and more.
This national park is located in Alaska and can only be accessed by plane or a long hike, making it one of the U.S.'s least-visited national parks.
Gates Of The Arctic
At the Gates of the Arctic, you'll be surrounded by 8,472,505 acres of completely undisturbed wilderness. If you plan to visit, you need to have outdoor survival skills.
Though it's strenuous to visit the park, you see majestic mountains, winding rivers, the beautiful taiga, and several archaeological sites that date back thousands of years.
Although it's just a short drive from Columbia, South Carolina, and has unique natural features, Congaree is one of the U.S.'s least visited national parks.
Congaree National Park
The park is home to the tallest bottomland hardwood trees in the U.S. and is located on a floodplain, so the water often rises high enough to kayak among these soaring trees.
Despite its allure, the park only gets a few hundred thousand visitors a year at most. You can camp at one of the park's two main campgrounds or in other, more isolated spots.