I came across this the other night and found it interesting. Best State Parks to Visit in all 50 States. Not all of the parks have campgrounds, but I found it interesting anyway. Unfortunately, after reading through, (and comparing to a Nat Geo Guide to State Parks), I have now added Itasca State Park in Minnesota to my destination wish list. Yet one more vacation to try to squeeze in at some point. Doh! ;)

It's an interesting post but I have to wonder if people voted on just seeing the park's description or actually visited and/or camped there. Bahia Honda probably should be at the top of the Florida list for example not John Pennecamp. And altho I live 30 minutes away from Paynes Prairie I have to wonder why it made the list at all. One of the major springs parks would make a lot more sense. Unless you are a bird watcher there during one of the migration periods there really isn't that much to do at Paynes. The trails are sugar sand and not much fun to hike and that doesn't account for the ticks.I'm sure people from other states will find problems with their lists. I've stayed/visited 2 of the 3 Georgia parks and think that Cloud Canyon certainly belongs on the list. Providence Canyon which is a patch of very eroded farmland is less obvious. Amicalola Falls SP is more impressive and is the start of the Appalachian Trail.BK

I wonder too who in the heck named Waterloo Recreation Area in Michigan one of the best in Michigan? It's so far from one of the best in the state! Middle of the pack of over a hundred at the very best!What a joke!

travelnutz wrote:I wonder too who in the heck named Waterloo Recreation Area in Michigan one of the best in Michigan? It's so far from one of the best in the state! Middle of the pack of over a hundred at the very best!What a joke!I thought about that too. With all of the state parks on the Great Lakes, this one in the middle of the state makes the list? Eh. Makes for a good read anyway. It's all just personal opinion I guess.

I noticed that around half of them just redirect to the state park website. Texas for example. And from that I assume that they didn't get enough responses when they ran the survey. Probably just threw darts at a list of that states parks.BK

agesilaus wrote:It's an interesting post but I have to wonder if people voted on just seeing the park's description or actually visited and/or camped there. Bahia Honda probably should be at the top of the Florida list for example not John Pennecamp. And altho I live 30 minutes away from Paynes Prairie I have to wonder why it made the list at all. One of the major springs parks would make a lot more sense. Unless you are a bird watcher there during one of the migration periods there really isn't that much to do at Paynes. The trails are sugar sand and not much fun to hike and that doesn't account for the ticks.I'm sure people from other states will find problems with their lists. I've stayed/visited 2 of the 3 Georgia parks and think that Cloud Canyon certainly belongs on the list. Providence Canyon which is a patch of very eroded farmland is less obvious. Amicalola Falls SP is more impressive and is the start of the Appalachian Trail.BKLooking at the National Geographic book I have about state parks (and who know who writes any of this stuff or if they've even been there) the Florida must see state parks are: John Pennekamp, Myakka river, Wekiwa Springs, Payne Prairie and St. Joseph Peninsula. I have heard grand things about Bahia Honda and added it to my wish list, but it's not mentioned on either one of these. I wonder why.

Best state parks | Good Sam Community

agesilaus
Explorer III
Feb 01, 2014
I noticed that around half of them just redirect to the state park website. Texas for example. And from that I assume that they didn't get enough responses when they ran the survey. Probably just threw darts at a list of that states parks.

BK
michigansandzil
Explorer
Feb 01, 2014
travelnutz wrote:
I wonder too who in the heck named Waterloo Recreation Area in Michigan one of the best in Michigan? It's so far from one of the best in the state! Middle of the pack of over a hundred at the very best!

What a joke!

I thought about that too. With all of the state parks on the Great Lakes, this one in the middle of the state makes the list? Eh.

Makes for a good read anyway. It's all just personal opinion I guess.
travelnutz
Explorer II
Jan 31, 2014
I wonder too who in the heck named Waterloo Recreation Area in Michigan one of the best in Michigan? It's so far from one of the best in the state! Middle of the pack of over a hundred at the very best!

What a joke!
agesilaus
Explorer III
Jan 31, 2014
It's an interesting post but I have to wonder if people voted on just seeing the park's description or actually visited and/or camped there. Bahia Honda probably should be at the top of the Florida list for example not John Pennecamp. And altho I live 30 minutes away from Paynes Prairie I have to wonder why it made the list at all. One of the major springs parks would make a lot more sense. Unless you are a bird watcher there during one of the migration periods there really isn't that much to do at Paynes. The trails are sugar sand and not much fun to hike and that doesn't account for the ticks.

I'm sure people from other states will find problems with their lists. I've stayed/visited 2 of the 3 Georgia parks and think that Cloud Canyon certainly belongs on the list. Providence Canyon which is a patch of very eroded farmland is less obvious. Amicalola Falls SP is more impressive and is the start of the Appalachian Trail.

BK

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