{"id":2037,"date":"2016-02-20T01:34:42","date_gmt":"2016-02-20T09:34:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/?p=2037"},"modified":"2016-05-14T17:41:44","modified_gmt":"2016-05-15T00:41:44","slug":"a-guide-to-your-state-parks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/featured\/a-guide-to-your-state-parks\/","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to Your State Parks"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_2050\" style=\"width: 560px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2050\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2050\" src=\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/KodaChromeBasin-Utah550.jpg\" alt=\"Kodachrome Basin State Park Utah\" width=\"550\" height=\"175\" srcset=\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/KodaChromeBasin-Utah550.jpg 550w, https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/KodaChromeBasin-Utah550-300x95.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-2050\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Kodachrome Basin State Park Utah<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<p>There are a lot of state parks in the U.S. and every one of them offers some great excuses to get out and explore. \u00a0If you are new to an area it can sometimes be difficult to find nearby state parks and what they offer. \u00a0If your goal is to explore the U.S. the many state parks can add a whole new layer to your adventure. \u00a0To make it easy for you, \u00a0we have searched far and wide to find guides to state parks that can help you get outdoors.<\/p>\n<h1>Information Sources<\/h1>\n<p>All of the states have websites packed with park information.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2042\" style=\"width: 235px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2042\" class=\"wp-image-2042 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Alaska.jpg\" alt=\"Alaska\" width=\"225\" height=\"152\" srcset=\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Alaska.jpg 225w, https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Alaska-140x94.jpg 140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-2042\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Denali State Park Alaska<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Twenty-six of the states now have an official app developed by Pocket Ranger to provide you with the information you need without requiring you to carry a guide book. \u00a0Pocket Ranger also has unofficial guides to a few more states. \u00a0The easiest way to get these apps is to go to your phone&#8217;s app store and search for the name of your state followed by &#8220;park guide.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>A few states still have paper magazines that provide information about their parks.<\/p>\n<h1>Links to State Park Information<\/h1>\n<p>In our list below, \u00a0the state name is linked to the state park website. \u00a0The links to the Pocket Ranger Apps take you to the Pocket Ranger website where you can get a link to download the app. \u00a0Other links lead you to other ways to learn about your state parks.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li id=\"col1\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alapark.com\/parks\" target=\"_blank\">Alabama<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0 offers a nice home page with photos linked to each of their parks. \u00a0Once\u00a0you get to a park page, you will find\u00a0a map. There is also an interactive map. \u00a0With this map you need to uncheck all the layers except &#8220;State Parks&#8221; then click on the park of interest. \u00a0It will then provide a link to the park page on their website. \u00a0They also offer the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/alabama\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dnr.alaska.gov\/parks\/aspbro\/\" target=\"_blank\">Alaska<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0offers <a href=\"https:\/\/dnr.alaska.gov\/parks\/aspbro\/\" target=\"_blank\">a map<\/a>. \u00a0Click on it to zoom into smaller part of the state, then click on a star\u00a0to get more information about particular attractions.<\/li>\n<li><strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/azstateparks.com\/find\/greenguide.html\" target=\"_blank\">Arizona<\/a><\/strong><\/strong>\n<div id=\"attachment_2043\" style=\"width: 235px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/azstateparks.com\/find\/greenguide.html\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2043\" class=\"wp-image-2043 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/SlideRockStateParkAZ.jpg\" alt=\"Slide Rock State Park Arizona\" width=\"225\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/SlideRockStateParkAZ.jpg 225w, https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/SlideRockStateParkAZ-140x94.jpg 140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-2043\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Slide Rock State Park Arizona<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<p>offers a lot of information on their website, but you&#8217;ll have to pick up a paper copy of their information magazine after you get there. \u00a0They won&#8217;t mail you one due to their limited budget.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.arkansas.com\/travel-tools\/vacation-kit\/\" target=\"_blank\">Arkansas<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0will mail you a paper guide or you can <a href=\"https:\/\/issuu.com\/arkansas\/docs\/2016_arkansas_tour_guide\" target=\"_blank\">flip though it online<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.parks.ca.gov\" target=\"_blank\">California<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0has an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.parks.ca.gov\/parkindex\/\" target=\"_blank\">online index to their parks<\/a> to help you find one near you. \u00a0They also offer a magazine\u00a0you can<a href=\"https:\/\/www.parks.ca.gov\/pages\/23071\/files\/2012_ca_state_parks_map_digital_version.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"> download in PDF format<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/cpw.state.co.us\" target=\"_blank\">Colorado<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0offers <a href=\"https:\/\/cpw.state.co.us\/placestogo\/parks\/Pages\/ParkMap.aspx\" target=\"_blank\">a &#8220;park finder&#8221; on their website<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ct.gov\/deep\/cwp\/view.asp?a=2716&amp;q=325086&amp;deepNav_GID=1650\" target=\"_blank\">Connecticut<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0offers ways to find parks by name, on a map (didn&#8217;t work for us)\u00a0and by activity. \u00a0They also offer the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/connecticut\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.destateparks.com\" target=\"_blank\">Delaware<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0offers an index to their parks, an online reservation system and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.destateparks.com\/mailing-list\/index.asp\" target=\"_blank\">a monthly e-newsletter<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0They also offer the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/delaware\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.floridastateparks.org\" target=\"_blank\">Florida<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0allows you to search for a park by name, or bring up regional maps from which you can choose a park. \u00a0They also offer various e-newsletters and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/florida\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/gastateparks.org\" target=\"_blank\">Georgia<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0has a state map showing the locations of their parks. \u00a0However, if you click on a park location you only get the park&#8217;s name and address and not a direct link to a page about the park. \u00a0Once you get the park name, you can scan down the list to the right and in a couple of clicks get to the park page. \u00a0The have an online reservation system and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/georgia\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dlnr.hawaii.gov\/dsp\/\" target=\"_blank\">Hawai&#8217;i<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0lets you choose your island then offers either a map or a list of parks that you can click to get to\u00a0the park page. \u00a0They also have <a href=\"https:\/\/dlnr.hawaii.gov\/dsp\/brochures\/\" target=\"_blank\">a list of brochures<\/a> that you can download.<\/li>\n<li>\n<div id=\"attachment_2045\" style=\"width: 235px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2045\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2045\" src=\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/HarrimanStateParkIdaho.jpg\" alt=\"Harriman State Park Idaho\" width=\"225\" height=\"191\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-2045\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Harriman State Park Idaho<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/parksandrecreation.idaho.gov\" target=\"_blank\">Idaho<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0offers <a href=\"https:\/\/parksandrecreation.idaho.gov\/find-a-park-by-map\" target=\"_blank\">a map and list<\/a>, either of which you can click to get to the web page of a specific park. \u00a0It&#8217;s not as fancy as some of the other states, but it works!<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dnr.illinois.gov\/recreation\/\" target=\"_blank\">Illinois<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0has a map and list to get you to a park of interest. \u00a0Beware, clicking on the map opens a larger version in a new window. \u00a0You need to find the park name on the map, then click in the list on the right to get to the park information. \u00a0Each park page has photos, a video and a site map you can download.<\/li>\n<li id=\"col2\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.in.gov\/dnr\/parklake\/2392.htm\" target=\"_blank\">Indiana<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0has a directory list of parks and <a href=\"https:\/\/dnrmaps.dnr.in.gov\/apps\/sites_spr.htm\" target=\"_blank\">an interactive map<\/a>. \u00a0Clicking a park on the map pops up information about the park with a link to the park&#8217;s web page.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iowadnr.gov\/Places-to-Go\/State-Parks-Rec-Areas\/Iowas-State-Parks\" target=\"_blank\">Iowa<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0provides a list of parks that links to park pages, but no state map to give you an idea where each park is located. \u00a0Each park has a downloadable brochure and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/iowa\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a> is available.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ksoutdoors.com\/State-Parks\" target=\"_blank\">Kansas<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0has \u00a0a state map and a list of parks, both take you to individual park pages.\u00a0They also offer a lot of <a href=\"https:\/\/ksoutdoors.com\/Services\/Publications\" target=\"_blank\">brochures and other publications<\/a>\u00a0you can download as well as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/kansas\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/parks.ky.gov\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Kentucky<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0lets you look for a park on a list, search based upon certain criteria or select from an interactive map.They also have downloadable maps and brochures, a reservation system and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/kentucky\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a>. This is one of the best state park websites.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.crt.state.la.us\/louisiana-state-parks\/maps\/index\" target=\"_blank\">Louisiana<\/a><\/strong> has a map linked to park web pages, an online reservation system and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/louisiana\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a>. \u00a0Each park page also has a &#8220;Nearby Attractions&#8221; list that can help you plan an extended adventure.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.maine.gov\/cgi-bin\/online\/doc\/parksearch\/index.pl\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Maine<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0offers several ways to find a park to visit including a list, via distance from a town you can select from a list or by region, activity or type of facility. \u00a0Further, you can combine all these searches to get to\u00a0specific parks that meet your needs. \u00a0The search provides a list of parks with links to their park web pages.\u00a0\u00a0They also have the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/maine\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dnr2.maryland.gov\/Publiclands\/Pages\/parkmap.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-2041\" src=\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/MarylandBook.jpg\" alt=\"Maryland Natural Resources Magazine\" width=\"225\" height=\"290\" \/>Maryland<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>has a simple, clickable, map that takes you directly to information about the park of your choice. \u00a0The state also offers a variety of trail guides, maps and other information that can be purchased at<a href=\"https:\/\/shopdnr.com\" target=\"_blank\"> their official Outdoor Store.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mass.gov\/eea\/agencies\/dcr\/massparks\/\" target=\"_blank\">Massachusetts<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0lets you search out parks with an activity search engine or using their regional list of parks. \u00a0Unfortunately, there is no map depicting where the regions are located, but their names (Boston, North, South, Central and West) help. They also offer the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/Massachusetts\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigandnr.com\/parksandtrails\/\" target=\"_blank\">Michigan<\/a><\/strong><\/strong>\u00a0offers a nice search system with either site lists or a map, but once you get to the web page about a particular park, there is almost no information. The\u00a0Michigan Economic Development Corporation has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.org\/nature-parks-listings\/\" target=\"_blank\">a different parks website<\/a> with that can help you narrow a list of parks, although not geographically. \u00a0It has photos of the parks, but, again, not much information.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dnr.state.mn.us\/state_parks\/\" target=\"_blank\">Minnesota<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>has a clickable map that pops up a link that takes you to the park&#8217;s web page. \u00a0They also offer an online reservation system. \u00a0The park pages also link to a &#8220;things to do at the park&#8221; or &#8220;tell me more&#8221; page with more detailed information for your visit.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdwfp.com\/parks-destinations\/ms-state-parks.aspx\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Mississippi&#8217;s<\/strong><\/a> park website opens with a clean map to click that takes you directly to the individual park page. \u00a0Besides all the details about the specific park, \u00a0there is also a list of area attractions, with links, so you can learn more.<\/li>\n<li>\n<div id=\"attachment_2047\" style=\"width: 235px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2047\" class=\"wp-image-2047 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/SwansonReservoirStateRA-Nebraska.jpg\" alt=\"Swanson Reservoir State Recreation Area Nebraska\" width=\"225\" height=\"149\" srcset=\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/SwansonReservoirStateRA-Nebraska.jpg 225w, https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/SwansonReservoirStateRA-Nebraska-207x136.jpg 207w, https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/SwansonReservoirStateRA-Nebraska-140x94.jpg 140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-2047\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Swanson Reservoir<\/strong><br \/><strong>State Recreation Area<\/strong><br \/><strong> Nebraska<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/mostateparks.com\" target=\"_blank\">Missouri<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0has an interesting search system that lets you narrow the parks that meet your criteria. \u00a0They are listed in the right column and you can click on the links to get to the individual park pages. \u00a0One of the sort criteria is &#8220;region&#8221; and there is a little map that shows the regions, without naming them. \u00a0Clicking on a region of the map looks like it should activate that particular region, but it doesn&#8217;t seem to do anything. \u00a0Once you get to the individual park page, it looks like there isn&#8217;t much information, but there are several links that take you to everything you need to know. \u00a0They also offer the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/missouri\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stateparks.mt.gov\" target=\"_blank\">Montana<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0has a clickable map on its home page that takes you right to the park of your choice. \u00a0The information on each park is exhaustive and helpful and there is an online reservation system. \u00a0The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/montana\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a> is also available.<\/li>\n<li id=\"col3\"><span style=\"color: #0000ee;\"><b><u>Nebraska&#8217;s<\/u><\/b><\/span>\u00a0home page might suggest they only have eight parks, but a click on the park finder will bring up a map showing many more. \u00a0Click an icon on the map to open a pop-up with a link to the park information page. \u00a0They offer information, lots of photos, the opportunity to make an online reservation and get the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/nebraska\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/parks.nv.gov\/parks\/parks-by-name\/\" target=\"_blank\">Nevada<\/a><\/strong> offers a list, a list by region \u00a0and a clickable map showing the parks. \u00a0The individual park pages have lots of photos and all the information you need.<\/li>\n<li>\n<div id=\"attachment_2048\" style=\"width: 235px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2048\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2048\" src=\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/FilemoreGlenStateParkNewYork.jpg\" alt=\"Filemore Glen State Park New York\" width=\"225\" height=\"151\" srcset=\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/FilemoreGlenStateParkNewYork.jpg 225w, https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/FilemoreGlenStateParkNewYork-140x94.jpg 140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-2048\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Fillmore Glen State Park<\/strong><br \/><strong>New York<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhstateparks.org\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>New Hampshire&#8217;s<\/strong><\/a> park finder lets you search by amenity or activity, but you need to scroll down the home page to find a link to a clickable map that will also get you to the individual park pages.\u00a0They have a lot of photos and information as well as downloadable brochures and maps. They also have the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/new-hampshire\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.state.nj.us\/dep\/parksandforests\/parks\/parkindex.html\" target=\"_blank\">New Jersey<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0helps you find parks from a list, by activity and by regional location maps. \u00a0The maps aren&#8217;t clickable, but they have index letters that associate with a list of links so you can easily get to the detailed information about a park of your choice. \u00a0The information seems limited, but they do offer the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/new-jersey\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.emnrd.state.nm.us\/SPD\/\" target=\"_blank\">New Mexico<\/a><\/strong> has a clickable map that takes you right to the park information you need although it is not very detailed \u00a0You can also make campsite reservations online.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/parks.ny.gov\" target=\"_blank\">New York<\/a><\/strong> offers an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nxtbook.com\/nxtbooks\/nysparks\/ny_stateparks1516\/\" target=\"_blank\">online park book<\/a>. \u00a0To get individual park information, you choose a region then select a park from the clickable map. \u00a0The park description pages have links to more information including downloadable maps. They also have an online reservation system.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncparks.gov\" target=\"_blank\">North Carolina<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0lets you find a park from a map or list. \u00a0Each description page has links to all the details you need including downloadable fact sheets and maps. \u00a0The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/north-carolina\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a> is also available.<\/li>\n<li>\n<div id=\"attachment_2049\" style=\"width: 235px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2049\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2049\" src=\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/FtRockStateNaturalArea-Oregon.jpg\" alt=\"Ft Rock State Natural Area - Oregon\" width=\"225\" height=\"128\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-2049\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Fort Rock<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>State Natural Area<\/strong><br \/><strong>Oregon<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.parkrec.nd.gov\" target=\"_blank\">North Dakota<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0has what looks like a\u00a0clickable map on it&#8217;s home page, but it isn&#8217;t. \u00a0Find the State Parks menu and there you&#8217;ll find a\u00a0clickable map that pop-ups some information and a link to the individual park pages. \u00a0Each page has links to more information including maps, events and a photo album.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/parks.ohiodnr.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\">Ohio<\/a>&#8216;s<\/strong>\u00a0website was broken when we visited. That leaves the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/ohio\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a>, for now.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.travelok.com\/state_parks\" target=\"_blank\">Oklahoma<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0has a query system that helps you select parks to visit. \u00a0You can choose from activities, lodging type, amenities, and, uniquely, particular highways. \u00a0For each park they offer detailed information including downloadable maps.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/oregonstateparks.org\" target=\"_blank\">Oregon<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0offers a park guide that you can <a href=\"https:\/\/oregonstateparks.org\/ckFiles\/files\/2015%20Parks%20Guide%20(lowres).pdf\" target=\"_blank\">download in PDF format<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/oregonstateparks.org\/index.cfm?do=v.page&amp;id=50\" target=\"_blank\">have a paper version mailed to you<\/a>. Their &#8220;find a park&#8221; system lets you choose from activities or facilities or click on a map.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dcnr.state.pa.us\/stateparks\/\" target=\"_blank\">Pennsylvania<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0lets you choose a park from a list or map. \u00a0Each park has downloadable maps and other materials plus, they offer the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/pennsylvania\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li id=\"col4\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.riparks.com\" target=\"_blank\">Rhode Island<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0has only 13 state parks so they are provided in a list on the website. \u00a0Each park page offers the typical information. \u00a0The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/rhode-island\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger app<\/a> is available.<\/li>\n<li>\n<div id=\"attachment_2051\" style=\"width: 235px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2051\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2051\" src=\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/aztalanSP-Wisc.jpg\" alt=\"Aztalan State Park Wisconsin\" width=\"225\" height=\"126\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-2051\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Aztalan State Park Wisconsin<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.southcarolinaparks.com\" target=\"_blank\">South Carolina<\/a><\/strong> has a park finder that lets you choose from a list or a map. \u00a0A downloadable <a href=\"https:\/\/www.southcarolinaparks.com\/files\/State%20Parks%20Files\/Z%20-Other\/2014_tear_off_sheet.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">State Park reference guide<\/a> is available and each park has a downloadable map and brochure. \u00a0Some of the parks have short explanatory videos.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/gfp.sd.gov\/state-parks\/\" target=\"_blank\">South Dakota<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0lets you pick a park from a map. \u00a0Each park page offers the typical information plus downloadable maps and guides. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/south-dakota\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a> is also available.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tnstateparks.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Tennessee<\/strong><\/a> offers <a href=\"https:\/\/tnstateparks.com\/assets\/pdf\/TSP-Brochure_web.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">a brochure that discusses all their parks<\/a>. \u00a0 Their park finder includes\u00a0both an interactive map and a list to help you find a particular park. Each park has a downloadable map and brochure and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/tennessee\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger app<\/a> is available.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/tpwd.texas.gov\/state-parks\/\" target=\"_blank\">Texas<\/a><\/strong> lets you find a park, by name, activity or nearby city as well as on a map. \u00a0Many of the parks have downloadable maps and some let you download KMZ files for use with Google Earth.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stateparks.utah.gov\" target=\"_blank\">Utah<\/a><\/strong> provides a list of parks. \u00a0To get a map you need to select an activity, like camping, and you will get a map showing parks that allow camping. \u00a0Then you can click on the map to get further information. \u00a0You can reserve camp sites online and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/utah\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger App<\/a> is available.<\/li>\n<li>\n<div id=\"attachment_2054\" style=\"width: 235px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2054\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2054\" src=\"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/CamelsHumpStateParkVermont.jpg\" alt=\"Camels Hump State Park Vermont\" width=\"225\" height=\"169\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-2054\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Camel&#8217;s Hump State Park Vermont<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vtstateparks.com\" target=\"_blank\">Vermont<\/a><\/strong> lets you choose a park from a list, from a map or by amenities that are available. \u00a0Some parks have downloadable maps and brochures and they have their own app called &#8220;Oh, Ranger! VT State Parks&#8221; that is available from <a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/oh-ranger!-parkfinder-vermont\/id509618668?mt=8%3E\" target=\"_blank\">iTunes<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.ohranger.parkfinder.vt.android\" target=\"_blank\">Google Play<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dcr.virginia.gov\/state-parks\/\" target=\"_blank\">Virginia<\/a><\/strong> lets you find a park from a list or map. \u00a0The parks have downloadable maps and brochures and reservations can be made online. \u00a0They offer the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/virginia\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger app<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/parks.state.wa.us\" target=\"_blank\">Washington<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0has a list of parks by region. \u00a0There is a clickable map associated with each region that will get you to a park of interest. \u00a0They offer the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/washington\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger app<\/a>.\u00a0Unlike any other state, Washington sells advertising on its website.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wvstateparks.com\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>West Virginia<\/strong><\/a> offers an interactive map that gets you to parks of interest. \u00a0Each park has an independent website so they all look different and have different levels of quality. \u00a0The main website has videos of some of the parks, although they are not formats normally associated with internet use. \u00a0Downloadable brochures are also available.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dnr.wi.gov\/topic\/parks\/\" target=\"_blank\">Wisconsin<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0lets you easily find parks of interest. \u00a0Some parks have downloadable audio tour guides and videos. \u00a0The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/wisconsin\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger app<\/a> is also available.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/wyoparks.state.wy.us\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>Wyoming<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0lets you find a park by name, by amenity, by activity, by the nearest city by body of water and on a map. \u00a0Unfortunately the map is not interactive so it;s necessary to find a park on the map then choose it for a list to get the details. \u00a0The parks have downloadable maps and brochures. \u00a0Some have videos and webcams. \u00a0They also offer the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pocketranger.com\/apps\/wyoming\" target=\"_blank\">Pocket Ranger app<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h1>Using the Information<\/h1>\n<p>If you happen to be touring the United States by train, bus or automobile, you can first layout your general route, identify the states you will be crossing then use the websites listed above to find great state parks along your route. \u00a0Many even offer online reservations if you&#8217;d like to plan that tightly. \u00a0There are many parks to choose from, but don&#8217;t be too concerned in your selections, any park you choose to visit will offer a unique glimpse into the country and the people of the U.S. \u00a0It helps to know as much as you can about the parks you visit so, as you narrow down your adventure, be sure\u00a0to get whatever maps and brochures might be available.<\/p>\n<h1>Credits<\/h1>\n<p>The photos are courtesy of the states noted.<\/p>\n<h1>Please Share<\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are a lot of state parks in the U.S. and every one of them offers some great excuses to get out and explore. \u00a0If you are new to an area it can sometimes be difficult to find nearby state parks and what they offer. \u00a0If your goal is to explore the U.S. the many [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2053,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,29,15,2,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2037","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-activities","category-apps","category-factoids","category-featured","category-places-and-events"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2037","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2037"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2037\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2062,"href":"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2037\/revisions\/2062"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2053"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2037"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2037"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explore.globalcreations.com\/theblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2037"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}