Walking out of the visitor center at Capitol Reef National Park will be one of the most surreal experiences of your life, as you pass through a portal not only into a red-rock cathedral but also back into the past. The park is a pure slice of heaven in the desert, seemingly waiting for Irma to open up a pie stand.

Rooted in the "River of Grass' that once was the dominant landmark in south Florida, Everglades National Park is in a state of flux due to environmental pressures.

Though not one of the most remote national parks in Alaska, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve isn't at a loss for rugged and spectacular terrain. Across its 4-million-plus acres you can find plenty of places to achieve solitude.

For years, summer trips to Cape Cod were an annual ritual for my family. My parents had retired to the Cape, and our boys loved romping in the surf and building castles in the sand. Lobster feasts, game-fishing, and whale watching were added benefits, as were exploring the seashore’s lighthouses, roaming its dunes, and looking for sea creatures in its mudflats.