America's Wild Adventures: Top National Forests

When you are tired of the crowds and cheesy tourist attractions that are scattered across the United States, and want to experience and one-of-a-kind adventure, visiting a national forest is the best way to go. The number of people who visit America's national parks is staggering—the sites hosted record-breaking 307.2 million visits in 2015. With 155 protected national forests to choose from, you can plan a trip across the country just visiting these hidden treasures. Hiking is not the only thing to do in the wild terrain of these forests though. Here are some of the most adventurous and unique national forests and experiences found throughout America's wildest terrain. 

1. Bunk in a fire lookout tower.

Get a birds' eye view of wild landscapes by camping in a historic fire tower at the top of a mountain. You may need to hike farther and pack extra but you will have a unique experience indeed. Peak-top cabins offer comfortable living space, 360-degree windows and observation decks. There are dozens across the country, including in California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Wyoming. Because of its popularity, you may need to reserve one well ahead of time. 

2. Ride down a Wild and Scenic River. 

As an alternative to trails, traverse through the trees by coasting downstream in a kayak, raft or canoe. Wild and Scenic Rivers are streams protected due to their stunning beauty and priceless adventure, like New York's Delaware River and Wyoming's Yellowstone River. Forests are often where you can access these relaxing streams - and perhaps even catch a fish.

3. Tongass National Forest

The Tongass National Forest is without question the paragon of America's 155 national forests. Nearly the size of Maine, it is by far the largest forest, and shelters a vast swath of virgin temperate rain forest dominated by old-growth spruce and hemlock. Imposing fjords serve as gateways into a labyrinth of ice-blue water veins that penetrate deep into the forest's remote and rugged interior. Sea kayaking is the way to explore the Tongass. Paddle your way past knife-blue glaciers that occasionally calve into the sea. Gently stroke through a maze of floating icebergs that harbor lazy Steller sea lions and seals at play. And keep a keen eye out for killer whales that prowl the cold waters for unsuspecting sea otters.

4. Nantahala National Forest

No other forest in the southern half of the Appalachian ridge system can match the Nantahala National Forest's stark contrast between white-water madness and backwoods solitude. Equal parts intensity and serenity, this lush forest is hidden away in the Blue Ridge and Nantahala Mountains and simply has no peer in the Southeast.

The Nantahala River (or Nanty, as locals call it) is a monster that rips through gorges that can barely control this raging serpent of white water. The river lures paddlers from all over the world, boasting explosive Class II and III rapids. And as if that weren't enough, the forest offers easy access to kick-butt paddling on gnarly rivers like the Nolichucky, Chattanooga (where the movie Deliverance was shot), French Broad, and Ocoee (site of the 1996 Olympic canoeing and kayaking events). 
Mountain bikers can pedal the 6.6-mile Blue Valley Waterfalls trail, which skirts a series of creeks as well as an impressive ensemble of waterfalls. Rock climbers can ascend the south face of Whiteside Mountain, which boasts sheer vertigo-inducing cliffs with heights ranging from 400 to 750 feet.

5.  Black Hills National Forest

The Black Hills National Forest is by far the greatest of the Great Plains forests due to its intense concentration of canyons, caves, buttes, granite crags, and volcanic geologic oddities. In the vocabulary of outdoor adventure, that translates to out-of-this-world opportunities for the intrepid hiker, climber, and spelunker.
Black Hills is a timbered mountain oasis that rises above the plains, peaking at the craggy 7,242-foot summit of Harney Peak. The peak is the highest point in the United States east of the Rockies. The Lakota Sioux called these rocky volcanic formations Paha Sapa, or "the hills that are black," and gathered here to settle disputes with the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Kiowa. In this way, the Black Hills served as a sort of United Nations for tribal nations at war. It is also home to the famed Mount Rushmore.

6. Sierra National Forest

The Sierra National Forest is a sleeping giant in the Pacific Southwest. The forest, situated on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, shelters a primeval grove of giant sequoias. And it does so quietly without the throngs of tree lovers that gather round poor old "General Sherman" in nearby Sequoia National Park. And if size does matter to you, the Sierra is home to "Bull Buck"—the second-largest tree in the world.
The forest is distinguished by a sheer abundance of rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs, and that's great news for paddlers. The wild and scenic Merced River is one of the fiercest white-water serpents in the region. A 28-mile stretch of this turbulent torrent, from Red Bud to Bagby, boasts nine harrowing rapids ranging from Class III to V. Notorious rapids such as Ned's Gulch and Stark Reality have been known to flip 16-foot rafts. If it's quieter waters that you seek, it's hard to beat Mammoth Pool—2,000-foot mountains sequester the five-mile-long reservoir.