The Other Great Places

Moab offers great views of canyon country, whether you're a biker or not

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Open up almost any outdoor adventure magazine: The same few places seem to get the lion's share of attention. Areas such as Wyoming's Yellowstone National Park and New Hampshire's White Mountain National Forest are the perennial favorites for big-banner outdoor recreation. Seems like lands with the monikers national park and national forest dominate the field of great places, like Bush family members around the White House punch bowl. But other public lands have their own special greatness. Yeah, they may have different designations tagged onto their names. But that doesn't make them any less wild or beautiful. And they may even be closer to home or more off the beaten track.

I'm here to testify that there is great wilderness and outdoor adventure beyond national parks and national forests. Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, California's Point Reyes, and New York's Adirondacks are among my favorite places on the planet. I've included them in my list of"the other great places"—50 public lands that aren't national parks or national forests, but are no less worthy of acclaim. These are public lands that should be on every outdoor adventurer's shortlist of places to go in this lifetime—the sooner the better.