Dismals Canyon – located in Northwest Alabama – is an 85 acre Nature Conservatory privately owned and operated. It is not a State Park or National Park. However, it was designated a “National Natural Landmark” in 1975 by the National Natural Landmarks Program. Dismals Canyon is located at 901 Highway 8, Phil in Campbell, Alabama. For more information, click here.

Take a couple of hours to hike the canyon floor and experience this beautiful sunken forest. Explore the strange and beautiful labyrinth of caverns and grottos. The canyon is currently closed, but there are plans to reopen very soon. You can check their website for schedule updates here.

A 1.5 mile hiking trail on the canyon floor follows Dismals Branch through sky-reaching boulders, past thundering waterfalls, into a secret world of mossy-green and pearl-gray filled with ferns and giant trees.

Photo Credit to Amanda Morrison

Located in northwest Alabama, Dismals Canyon was originally occupied nearly 10,000 years ago by Paleoamericans.  This is truly a hidden gem you need to see to believe.

Photo Credit to Russell Brown

Explore the strange and beautiful labyrinth of caverns, grottos and small slot canyons formed by massive house-size boulders broken off the towering bluffs and strewn about by geological events going back to the Paleozoic era – 300 million years ago.

Photo Credit to Shannon Williams

This natural wonder contains one of the oldest primeval forests east of the Mississippi River untouched by ax or fire that is open to the public. Ticket prices range from $8.75 to $20.00, and are worth every penny.

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Jacob’s Cave is Lake of the Ozark’s largest and most scenic cave. Jacob’s Cave is located at 23114 Hwy TT, in Versailles Missouri. For more information or to schedule a tour, click here.

This is one of Missouri’s and the lake area’s top tourist attractions with visitors coming from all over the world. During the summer months the cave is a great escape from the summer heat, and a nice break from the cold winter winds.

They offer family fun that caters to all ages with a fully lit and paved walkway that is completely handicap accessible with no steps… Perfect for baby strollers and electric wheelchairs. Gather the family and come explore this fascinating underground world.

Your guided tour will consist of beautiful rooms ranging in all sizes and color of active cave formations. A one-hour stroll through an underground world of wonder!

The cave is open daily from 9-5 during the summer months, and 9-4 during the winter. Tours last about 1 hour, and provide interesting history of the cave, as well as beautiful natural formations.

As of the date of this publishing: Ticket prices are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors, $15 for children,and those 4 and under are free. For more tour information, click here.

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The granite peaks and rolling plains are calling. The clear mountain waters are inviting and the open ranges are waiting to be discovered. Bring your family to Custer State Park and let yourself run wild. Custer State Park is located in Custer County South Dakota. For more information, click here.

Encompassing 71,000 acres in the Black Hills, Custer State Park is home to abundant wildlife and adventure; camping, hiking, biking, swimming, fishing, or relaxing, there’s something here for everyone.

The new Custer State Park Visitor Center is open year-round is a great start to your adventure.  Throughout the park you will find miles of hiking/biking and horse trails with various terrains and views.

Within the 71,000-acre wildlife preserve, four private historic lodges offer restaurants, guided wildlife activities, and modernized cabins or hotel rooms as part of Custer State Park Resort.

Custer State Park offers 9 campgrounds all with a variety of scenic sites.  Custer State Park is excited to offer a variety of educational programs for all ages through the summer months.

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Newaygo State Park sits atop 20-foot embankments overlooking the Hardy Dam Pond – a 6-mile flooding of the Muskegon River.  Newaygo State Park is located at 2793 Beech Street in Newaygo Michigan. For more information, click here.

Photo credit to Brandon Johnson and Lindi LaDrig

Newaygo State Park features two rustic campgrounds, an 18-hole disc golf course and a boating access site. There are also two fantastic hiking trails within the park.  Michigan’s famed Dragon Trail and the Newaygo Poplar Trail. So there are plenty of options for family fun!

Newaygo State Park borders the Manistee National Forest, offering easy access to trails, hunting and other outdoor recreation. Please be aware that endangered blue Karner butterfly habitat is located on the west side of the powerline and be mindful of where you are walking.

Photo Credit to Greg Viau

A 2-mile stretch of the Dragon Trail  – jointly managed by the Newaygo and Mecosta county park commissions – traverses the embankment and provides overviews of the Hardy Dam Pond. The park’s best access point is the boating access site parking lot. In addition, the Fred Meijer White Pine Trail State Park is just 7 miles east of the park providing hiking and biking opportunities. There is a trailhead staging area in Morley.

Photo Credit to Greg Viau

For more of the best adventures in the United States, click here. For the best nearby parks and amazing locations, click here. For the best Hotels, Resorts, and Vacation Homes, click here.

Photo credit to Brandon Johnson and Lindi LaDrig