32 Underrated National Parks Perfect for Avoiding Summer Crowds

28. Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas: The Quiet Side of the Rio Grande

Often eclipsed by its national park neighbor, Big Bend Ranch State Park delivers a raw, untamed version of West Texas. With more than 300,000 acres of rugged desert, volcanic cliffs, and Rio Grande riverfront, it’s a haven for solitude-seekers. Hike remote canyons, ride singletrack trails, or paddle along the river—all without jostling crowds. The starry skies are legendary, and the silence is near-total. It’s the kind of place that strips life back to the essentials: sky, rock, water, wind. Wild, vast, and often empty, this park invites you to go off-grid and get reacquainted with stillness.