The pandemic has led to an increase in outdoor recreation activities, resulting in overcrowding in some of the most popular national parks in the U.S. For photographers, this increased visitation can be a challenge. Crowds create logistical problems and get in the way of a landscape or wildlife photography session. They ruin the solitude, sense of calm and meditative experience that most seek when photographing in nature.
Having spent more than a quarter century photographing each of the 63 U.S. national parks, I particularly cherished my visits to the parks that are less traveled. My book Treasured Lands aimed to illustrate and describe in detail not only the better-known parks but also the hidden gems.
This article features a supremely diverse mix of 10 less-visited national parks all around the country. Presented in decreasing order of visitation, they all offer fantastic photography potential and are almost sure to provide you with a quiet experience.
Capitol Reef National Park, Utah (1,230,000 visits in 2022)
Among the cornucopia of natural environments found on the American continent, maybe the most unusual are those of the Colorado Plateau where a convergence of geology and climate has created landscapes without equal anywhere else. Capitol Reef National Park is less known than its neighbors in the region, yet it offers a variety of rock formations that rival any other national park of the Colorado Plateau. Sheer monoliths, domes, canyons and arches highlight the Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile-long wrinkle on the earth’s crust. The opportunity for solitude, in addition to the variety of landscapes, makes Capitol Reef one of my favorite national parks.
Most visitors stay on Utah State Route 24 (UT 24) and the scenic drive. They cover only a tiny portion of the park but still offer great diversity and a relatively uncrowded experience. Venture on the extensive network of dirt roads south or north of UT 24, and you’ll fully appreciate what the park has to offer. You’ll make fantastic discoveries, as both the southern and northern sections of the park would have been deserving of national park status by themselves. You’ll see only a few souls during the whole day. To access locations
