National What?

A herd of caribou in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which has 8 million acres of wilderness

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Public lands are our wide-open spaces. The mountains that we climb. The forests that we hike. The shores that we kayak. The rivers and lakes that we canoe.

In trying to figure out where to go and what to do, you're confronted with a thicket of designations, such as "national park," "national forest," or "state park." What are these terms? Are they some kind of grading system, with "national park" being the A-list and everything else falling somewhere below that?

No. Why a given area became a national park or national forest—or even county park—can be more the consequence of the chaotic slapstick of history than a comment on the area's beauty or ecological importance. So while our national parks are glorious, there are some wonderful places to explore that aren't national parks. And these places can be off the beaten track and closer to home.

However, finding your way through the welter of designations can be a daunting proposition. Designations can provide clues about what to expect when you visit. First step: figuring out who owns the land.

The federal government is by far the biggest provider of outdoor recreation. The bulk of federal land is divided among four agencies. The National Park Service is the grand repository of magnificent outdoor areas. But don't overlook the national forests, which provide more recreational opportunities than national parks. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) stewards the hidden lands, the places frequently not in the guidebooks, maybe even not on the map, but absolutely deserving to be. National wildlife refuges, which are managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service, are also frequently overlooked by adventurers looking for great places to explore. The federal wilderness system overlaps all of these holdings: Look here for some of our most pristine and cherished climes.

Designations disguise a simple fact: We live on one planet. The division of land into different categories constitutes a cutting apart. Don't let a bunch of silly names cut you out from experiencing some glorious natural areas.