This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Going to a U.S. national park this summer? You won't be alone. From Memorial Day until Labor Day, crowds fill every park lodge and campground, squeeze together at famous viewpoints and along hiking trails and jockey for parking spaces from the Rockies to the Appalachians.
Understandably so - stars of the National Park Service shine for a reason. But if you want more of a blissful taste of solitude in the great outdoors, less-famous national parks can be just as much of an adventure, and less stressful to plan a visit to besides.
Yosemite South
Ever since 19th-century conservationist John Muir penned accounts of the wonders of California's Yosemite Valley and the wildflower meadows of the Sierra Nevada high country, tourists have thronged there. But many of Yosemite National Park's (http://www.nps.gov/yose) best features - thunderous waterfalls, monumental granite domes and towering groves of giant sequoia trees - are shared by its southern neighbors, Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks (http://www.nps.gov/seki).
These lesser-known parks even have a few things that Yosemite doesn't, such as the canyon of the Kings River, technically the deepest in the country; Mount Whitney (14,505 feet), the highest peak in the contiguous U.S.; and underground marble caverns where ethereal formations are polished by flowing water.
Grand Canyon North
If you've always wanted to see the vertiginous vistas of the Grand Canyon (http://www.nps.gov/grca), which is more than 275 miles long and more than a mile deep, there is no escaping the crowds on the south rim. Near Flagstaff, Ariz., the south rim receives 90 percent of national park visitors. But the more rugged and remote north rim of the canyon stands isolated on the Arizona Strip.
Although it sees far fewer tourists than the south rim, it too offers condor's-eye viewpoints over this awesome natural wonder carved by the Colorado River and head-spinning hiking trails that descend into the canyon itself. Unlike on the south rim, 4WD roads along the north rim lead to singular viewpoints over the canyon, which you may be lucky enough to have all to yourself.
Unexplored southern Utah
In the desert badlands of southern Utah, the must-see destinations are Zion National Park (http://www.nps.gov/zion), where waterfalls tumble over canyon cliffs, and Arches National Park (http://www.nps.gov/arch), with its delicate eroded sandstone sculptures. Smaller national parks found along rural byways like Utah Highway 12 may be just as impressive, however, and see fewer crowds besides.
Bryce Canyon National Park (http://www.nps.gov/brca) and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (ut.blm.gov/monument) are part of the colorful geological staircase leading north from the Grand Canyon. Their epic scale amazes, whether you explore on foot, on horseback or in a 4WD vehicle. Capitol Reef National Park (http://www.nps.gov/care) is another geological showpiece along a wrinkle in the Earth's crust that also preserves a historic Western pioneer district with pastoral pick-your-own-fruit orchards.
Closer to Moab, the jigsaw puzzle of river-carved Canyonlands National Park (http://www.nps.gov/cany) will test your backpacking and 4WD skills, although easy scenic drives to places like Island in the Sky can be just as satisfying, especially for shutterbugs.
If you go
The great outdoors
* Summer is peak season at many national parks, especially in the U.S. West. Spring is the most popular time to visit the desert parks of the Southwest. Reserve all park accommodations, including lodge rooms and campsites, as far in advance as possible. The National Park Service Web site (http://www.nps.gov) puts helpful travel-planning tools at your fingertips.
* Park-entry fees vary, from nothing up to $25 for a seven-day admission ticket. An annual "America the Beautiful" pass ($80) allows free entry to all national parks and federal recreation lands for one year from the month of issue. Buy it at park-entrance stations or in advance at store.usgs.gov/pass.
* For complete planning info and on-the-ground coverage, pick up Lonely Planet's USA or top-selling guides to Grand Canyon National Park, Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks, and Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks.