Nature Lovers Dream Destinations

If you are a travel nurse, chances are you love adventure.

If your idea of adventure means an affection for nature and the outdoors, then maybe you can put the 424 National Parks throughout the United States that span across more than 84 million acres on your bucket list.

Want even more? There are 600+ National Natural Landmark sites designated in “recognition of specific biological communities, geological landforms or processes, or paleontological resources.” Many of the gorgeous areas are open to the public, click here to search by state.

There are also 2,474 official state parks in the United States. If you visited one state park per day, it would take you close to seven years to see them all! Ready to get started?

Check off an amazing place on your next assignment. Get out and enjoy the view at these must-see places:

Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Known for its cliffs, prairies, and ancient fossil terrain the park spans nearly 250,000 acres. The Badlands formations have a lifespan of approximately one million years—they erode at about one inch a year. In addition to the peaks and rocks with a plethora of different colors, Badlands also has plenty of wildlife, such as bison, wild sheep, prairie dogs, and antelopes. Learn more here!

Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada

Explore 40,000 acres of bright red Aztec sandstone outcrops nestled in gray and tan limestone with ancient, petrified trees and petroglyphs dating back more than 2,000 years. Learn more here!

Arizona

What’s not to love about the breathtaking views in Arizona? It boasts 29 state parks, 8 National Forests, 7 National Wildlife Refuges, and 3 National Parks. More than 3.2 million visitors come to an Arizona park each year and many enjoy more than 160 miles of hiking trails. It also provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in the nation, with more than 900 animal species and 50 million public acres of natural land to explore. Learn more here! 

Deschutes National Forest, Oregon

There are 1.5 million acres of exceptional beauty to be appreciated in this forest. Including massive volcanic mountains and lava caves across this extremely diverse landscape of waterfalls, lakes, rivers, forests, and more. Learn more here! 

Arches National Park, Utah

A true wonderland of colors, land forms, and textures unlike any other landscape. The park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive rock fins, and giant balanced rocks. Learn more here!

Ash Cave, Ohio

Located in Hocking Hills State Park, the cave is named because early settlers found huge piles of ash left behind by the Native Americans. The horseshoe shaped recess cave is 700 feet long, 100 feet deep, and 90 feet high and features a waterfall that flows in springtime. Learn more here!

Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

This is one of our country’s most impressive natural landmarks. Spread across more than 600,000 acres, this arctic landscape features native wildlife, fascinating archeological sites and endless scenery that truly takes your breath away. Orcas, otters, puffins, bear, moose and mountain goats make their home at this intersection of mountains, ice and ocean. Learn more here!

Grand Canyon National Park

The Grand Canyon touches four states: Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. The most accessible and popular state to see the Grand Canyon is Arizona (South Rim) and Nevada (West Rim). By car, the trip from rim to rim is 220 miles with areas a mile deep, up to 18 miles wide and totaling more than 275 miles long. This gorge of the Colorado River is considered one of the Wonders of the World and features a National Park which covers 1,217,262 acres. Plan your visit. Learn more here!

Everglades National Park, Florida

Roughly one million visitors stop by this swampland just outside Miami. The park encompasses 1.5 million acres of tropical and subtropical habitat with one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems. More than 300 species of birds make their home here, making it a premier location for birdwatching. But that’s not all, alligators, manatee, and dolphins, oh my! With so much to see and do, like slough slogging, you’ll want to plan ahead. Learn more here!

California Beaches

There is much beauty to behold in California, but perhaps none as spectacular the picturesque beaches of the Pacific coastline. Stunning sunsets are just on one trademark reason to visit. Find a favorite close to your next assignment. Learn more here!

Ready, set, GO!

Get packing for your next assignment. Let Go Healthcare Staffing help today. Visit our jobs board to find your next travel adventure.