Terlingua, Texas, doesn’t have a lot of people. The tiny settlement (population 100ish) is literally a ghost town, where a handful of homes and businesses mingle with a cemetery and the stone ruins of a late 1800s mining camp. It’s dusty, hot as hell, and about 240 miles to the nearest Whole Foods. And yet, I fell in love with Terlingua on my first visit. The locals were friendly, the beer was cold, the food was good, and the place is just eight miles from Big Bend National Park, which protects a million acres of desert, mountains, and the Rio Grande. Add in the mountain biking at Big Bend Ranch State Park and the incredibly dark, starry sky that blankets the whole area every night, and you have a fantastic gateway town.
Terlingua isn’t the only burg with an ideal mix of charm, culture, and adventure. Below I’ve picked my favorite gateway towns in the U.S. Some are well-known destinations, while others still qualify as sleepy, but they all sit next to world-class national parks.
Bryson City, North Carolina
More than 12 million people visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park every year, and most of them access it on the west side through Gatlinburg, Tennessee. But Bryson City (pop.: 1,500), on the eastern North Carolina side of the park, offers a mellow experience void of water parks and mega resorts, in a less-busy corner of GSMNP. The serene Lake Fontana and the trails that extend from its shoreline sit right out the small city’s back door.
Adventure Inside the Park: The majority of the north shore of Fontana Lake is inaccessible by car, making for a peaceful experience. The 33-mile point-to-point Lakeshore Trail traces the edge of the lake, delivering hikers to isolated backcountry campsites, waterfalls, and fly fishing on streams that rush to join the reservoir.
Adventure Outside the Park: The Nantahala River is 20 minutes south of town, offering a popular class III run loaded with wave trains and views of the narrow Nantahala Gorge. Rent duckies and rafts from Nantahala Outdoor Center (from $39). Mountain bikers, head to Tsali Recreation Area in Nantahala National Forest, with 40 miles of flowy singletrack and the occasional view of Lake Fontana.
Where to Eat: Bryson City’s food scene has blossomed in recent years. I like The Rice Wagon, which serves Hawaiian-inspired dishes outside the Mountain Layers brewery every day. Get the Kalua pork with rice and macaroni salad.
Where to Stay: There are a few inexpensive motels on the outskirts of town, but your best bet is to find a cabin tucked into the woods surrounding Bryson City.
Where to Get Gear: Bryson City Outdoors has hiking gear as well as a taproom with local beer. They also run shuttles for hikers exploring the North Carolina side of the park and Nantahala National Forest.
Jackson, Wyoming
It would be an egregious oversight to leave out Jackson, so I’m not going to fight it. The outpost receives plenty of attention, but consider the bonafides: This cute-rustic Wild West town sits at the base of the Tetons, with Grand Teton National Park so close that you can ride your bike to it via a 20-mile multi-use path. Yellowstone National Park is just 2.5 hours away, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is 20 minutes north, while the local fave, Snow King Resort, drops right into downtown.
Adventure Inside Grand Teton National Park: Wake up early and get after the 20-mile long Paintbrush to Cascade Canyon Loop, which traverses two canyons, passes two backcountry lakes (Lake Solitude and Holly Lake) and delivers views of Mount Moran, Mount Woodring, and Rockchuck Peak from the top of 10,700-foot Paintbrush Divide.
Adventure Outside Grand Teton National Park: Raft the Snake River Canyon, stacked with eight miles of Class I to III rapids and scenery that oscillates between sheer gray rock walls and gentler slopes peppered with stands of evergreens. Teton Whitewater runs half-day trips from $105 a person. Or ride the six-mile section of the Jackson Hole Multi-Use Pathway that runs through the National Elk Refuge, where elk, bison, and wolves roam through expansive grasslands.
Where to Eat: Creekside Market and Deli has fresh grab-and-go sandwiches and boozy slushies that hit the spot on a hot afternoon. If you’re looking for an upscale dinner, The Bistro has French-inspired dishes like cassoulet and mussels and fries.
Where to Stay: Rooms in Jackson can get pricey, but the Virginian Lodge is a refurbished motor lodge with tons of outdoor space, including a swimming pool, with large rooms from $271 a night.
Where to Get Gear: Hoback Sports has bike rentals (from $55), and Teton Mountaineering has hiking and climbing gear, if you’ve forgotten anything.
Grand Lake, Colorado
Estes Park soaks up most of the attention (and visitors), but the town of Grand Lake (pop.: 410) sits on the quieter western side of Rocky Mountain National Park, boasting Gold Rush charm with a fraction of the crowds. The Grand Lake Boardwalk, built in the early 1880s, connects shops and restaurants, while the 400-foot-deep Grand Lake borders town, with a public beach just a block from downtown.
Adventure Inside the Park: The backcountry lakes on the east side of the park are packed, but Lake Verna, a 34-acre pool at 10,200 feet in elevation, flies under the radar. Hike 6.6 miles on the East Inlet Trail, passing through aspens and pines while looking for moose and elk in East Meadow, a grassy field bisected by East Inlet Creek. The lake itself is known to be home to a healthy, and hungry, population of brook trout, if you want to bring a fly rod.
Adventure Outside the Park: Grab a paddleboard from Rocky Mountain SUP ($30 an hour) and paddle the canal that connects the windier Grand Lake to Shadow Mountain Reservoir, a 1,346-acre lake that’s more protected and user friendly for paddleboarders. The 10,000-foot Shadow Mountain dominates the east side of the lake.
Where to Eat: Casual steak houses and BBQ joints have long been the mainstay in Grand Lake, but One Love Rum Kitchen is spicing things up with Caribbean fare and classic, rum-based “boat drinks.” Get the coconut rum chicken and wash it down with the Painkiller cocktail.
Where to Stay: Grand Lake Lodge sits on the border of Rocky Mountain National Park, with a large deck overlooking Grand Lake and Shadow Mountain and Mount Craig. Snag one of their recently renovated cabins, the originals of which were ordered from the Sears and Roebuck catalog more than 100 years ago, back when you could buy DIY home kits from the department-store catalog (from $164 a night).
Where to Get Gear: Never Summer has everything from paddleboards to puffies (and SUP pumps if you forget yours), as well as rentals like bear canisters and kid carriers.
Bar Harbor, Maine
Can someone even separate Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park? The town of 5,000, which sits on the eastern edge of Mount Desert Island, is flanked by Frenchman Bay on one side and Acadia (New England’s only national park) on the other, with trails leaving directly from downtown. Yachts and lobster boats speckle the harbor on one side of town, while rolling mountains dominated by hardwoods rise on the other. In between is a vibrant downtown full of lobster shacks and boutique shops.
Adventure Inside the Park: You can’t visit Acadia without climbing the Precipice Trail, which rises more than 1,000 feet in just under a mile up the side of Champlain Mountain. It’s a full-contact adventure as you scramble over boulders and ascend a series of iron rungs and ladders up the granite face of Champlain. From the top, you can see all of Frenchman Bay below.
Adventure Outside the Park: Kayak the Porcupines, a chain of four islands in Frenchman Bay, for the beauty and a chance to see seals in the water and bald eagles nesting in the trees. Coastal Kayaking Tours runs half-day trips with beach-combing breaks on the islands (from $67 per person).
Where to Eat: Seafood is it. Lobster rolls are ubiquitous, but start with the one at Abel’s, which is served with mayo on a grilled brioche bun.
Where to Stay: Terramor Outdoor Resort blends high-end safari tents with an airy lodge complete with local taps and an onsite outfitter service. There’s plenty of lawn space for games and a pool, too (from $339 a night).
Where to Gear Up: Cadillac Mountain Sports, in the heart of Bar Harbor, has kayaking, hiking, and limbing gear if you need to pick up last-minute equipment.
Terlingua, Texas
There’s Texas, there’s West Texas, and then there’s Far West Texas, a region tucked between the Chisos Mountains and the Rio Grande that is so remote, it makes Montana feel like the suburbs. Terlingua (Pop.: 110ish), is the unofficial capital of Far West Texas, but don’t expect a lot of hustle and bustle. The roads are mostly dirt, and the town is as much historic mining ruins as active businesses. But you’ll find a bike shop, nice people, and a vibrant food scene, all sandwiched between Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park.
Adventure Inside the Park: Hike the Santa Elena Canyon Trail, which is short (just 1.6 miles round trip) but delivers you to the edge of the Rio Grande, where the canyon’s walls rise 1,500 feet above the water. After the hike, drive to the Hot Springs Historic District, where you can soak in a 105-degree pool, still right next to the Rio Grande.
Adventure Outside the Park: Big Bend Ranch State Park has more than 200 miles of singletrack and dirt road open for mountain biking. Pack plenty of water (remember: at least two liters per person), start out at dawn to avoid the heat of the day, and pedal the 57-mile IMBA Epic, which will take you through slopes of sparkling crystals to the edge of a real-life oasis, with a small waterfall dropping into a tight gorge with a pool big enough for plunging.
Where to Eat: A food-truck scene has popped up in recent years, so there are more options in Terlingua than ever before. Or head to Long Draw Pizza for the Terlingua Spur pie, which is part fajitas/part pizza. Get a six-pack of beer from the Terlingua Trading Company, and sit on its front porch mingling with locals and tourists alike. The Starlight has excellent food, live music, and history: for years this restaurant had no roof, hence the name.
Where to Stay: The last time I was in Terlingua, I pitched a tent near the historic cemetery among the mining ruins in the middle of town. These days you can rent a “Bubble” from Basecamp Terlingua, with see-through walls and its own hot tub (from $299 a night). They have nice campsites (from $45 a night) and tear-drop-shaped Lotus tents, too (from $129 a night).
Where to Get Gear: Desert Sports offers bikes, gear, and guided adventures all over the Big Bend region.
Port Angeles, Washington
Sandwiched between the Salish Sea and the million-acre Olympic National Park, Port Angeles (pop.: 20,000) is part harbor town and part mountain town, offering the best of both worlds. The Olympic Mountains rise to 5,000 feet from the edge of one side of town, while you can see Canada, less than 20 miles across the Strait of Juan de Fuca, on the other. The place has attracted boat builders, commercial fishermen, and mountain bikers and surfers alike. From downtown, you can catch a ferry to Canada, or hop on the 60-mile Olympic Discovery Trail and pedal or run a piece of it (or all of it) through Olympic National Park.
Adventure Inside the Park: Go deep into Olympic by backpacking a 37-mile out and back on the Hoh River Trail to Blue Glacier, through a rainforest thick with old growth that rises from a floor of moss and ferns. The hike culminates in a view of the 1.7-square-mile Blue Glacier, its crevasse-cut expanse dominating a valley between gray-rock peaks on the edge of the white-capped Mount Olympus.
Adventure Outside the Park: Kayaking the Strait of Juan de Fuca is a veritable safari, as you’re looking for bald eagles flying above and harbor seals in the calm water surrounding you. Kayakers often see river otters, as well as colorful starfish that cling to the rocky coast. Elevate Outdoors runs regular half-day trips (starting at $89 per person)
Where to Eat: Next Door Gastropub is a staple of the community. Get the fish and chips with Alaskan cod, or the poutine with a fried egg. Or both.
Where to Stay: The George Washington Inn is a replica of the first president’s home, Mount Vernon, built on a lavender farm overlooking the strait. Classic bed-and-breakfast hospitality meets one of the best views on the Olympic Peninsula (from $360 a night, breakfast included).
Where to Get Gear: Sound Bikes and Kayaks has everything from climbing gear to local guidebooks. And yes, bikes and kayaks, plus tubes, pumps, paddles, PFDs…and all the little things you might’ve forgotten from home.
Copper Harbor, Michigan
Isle Royale National Park is not easy to get to. The park is made up of more than 450 islands in the middle of Lake Superior, hours from the mainland. You can catch a three-hour ferry ride from Copper Harbor, located on the edge of Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula, but you might not want to leave Copper Harbor, as it has one of the most vibrant mountain-bike scenes in the Midwest, not to mention welcoming Upper Peninsula hospitality.
Adventure Inside the Park: Because of the three-hour ferry ride ($160 per adult, round trip), Isle Royale isn’t a “day trip” kind of place. Try to book a room at Rock Harbor Lodge (from $245 a night) and spend a couple of days exploring the island. You can rent canoes from Rock Harbor Marina (from $23 for a half day) and paddle some of the fjord-like inlets along the coast of the island. On land, hike the four-mile Stoll Trail, which forms a lollipop loop near Rock Harbor and is packed with epic views of Lake Superior and the rocky shoreline of the island.
Adventure Outside the Park: Don’t come to Copper Harbor without a mountain bike. More than 100 miles of purpose-built trail covers this nook of the Keweenaw Peninsula, offering a smorgasbord of backcountry bliss, tech features, and rhythmic undulations. The three-mile Flow delivers on the name’s promise.
Where to Eat: Harbor Haus offers German-inspired upscale fare with killer views of the lake. The whitefish is pulled fresh from the water you’re staring at from your table.
Where to Stay: Minnetonka Resort has motel rooms and cabins two blocks from Lake Superior (from $105 a night).
Where to Get Gear: Keweenaw Adventure Company has bikes (rentals from $40) and kayaks, tours, shuttles, and more.
Whitefish, Montana
Is Whitefish a ski town or a gateway town? Both. Sure, Whitefish Mountain Resort rises from the edge of downtown, but Glacier National Park is just 27 miles away. Hell, nestled up against the 3,300-acre body of water of the same name, Whitefish is also a lake town with its own community beach. Oh, and it’s a progressive trail town as the community works to complete the 55-mile Whitefish Trail, a multi-use singletrack path connecting Whitefish proper with area lakes, rivers, and recreation areas.
Best Adventure Inside the Park: Hike the Highline Trail, which might be the quintessential Glacier Experience. The 12-mile point-to-point trek traverses the western flank of Continental Divide, following cliffs with the aid of cables, passing through meadows where mountain goats and bighorn sheep may appear, and offering views deep into the park.
Best Adventure Outside the Park: Pedal the Whitefish Trail. When finished, the WT will form a 55-plus-mile loop around the community, but you don’t have to wait; there are 47 miles of singletrack on the ground now. Or head straight to Spencer Mountain, where 15 miles of singletrack are loaded with the wooden features made popular by bike parks on the North Shore of Vancouver.
Where to Eat: Bonsai Brewing Company has a knack for IPAs as well as hearty rice bowls. Get the Bowlin’ Out, with pickled veggies and hummus. On Thursdays, local DJs show up to spin their own collections of vinyl.
Where to Stay: The Whitefish Bike Retreat has lodge rooms, cabins, and campsites directly on the Whitefish Trail, also a wood-fired sauna, not to mention shuttles and rentals (from $50 a night).
Where to Get Gear: Whitefish Outfitters has gear for every adventure sport under the sun, as well as rentals and tours.
Fayetteville, West Virginia
This former mining town has been reborn as an adventure hub with quick access to world-class rock climbing and whitewater rafting inside the New River Gorge. The New River Gorge was named America’s 63rd national park in only 2020, proof that this area and its deep, rugged canyon are truly amazing. The town of 2,800 isn’t much bigger than the historic square where you’ll find the majority of shops and restaurants. But just past the edge of town, the earth drops 1,000 feet to the bottom of the river thanks to millions of years of erosion, turning Fayetteville’s backyard into a playground for hikers, climbers, and boaters.
Best Adventure Inside the Park: At just 70,000 acres, the New River Gorge National Park isn’t big, relatively speaking. But the adventure is stout. Raft the 12 miles of the Lower New to see the gorge in all its glory as you try to stay in the boat while navigating big water, class IV and V waves.
Best Adventure Outside of the Park: Just north of Fayetteville, Summersville Lake has 2,700 acres of aqua-blue water surrounded by sandstone cliffs, making it a hubbub of people paddling, swimming, and jumping from rocks into the water. ACE Adventure offers full-day paddleboard adventures on the lake that take in the most scenic cliffs and waterfalls (from $120 per person).
Where to Eat: Pies and Pints is a cornerstone of Fayetteville. The pizzas range from traditional to weird (the Brunch Pie has scrambled eggs), but they’re always good. The selection of beer is unrivaled in the area, too.
Where to Stay: Adventures on the Gorge has campsites, primitive cabins, and deluxe homes situated on the edge of the canyon on an expansive property with its own restaurants, pool, and trail system (campsites from $39 a night).
Where to Get Gear: Waterstone Outdoors has hiking and climbing gear, as well as the local beta you need to make the most of your time in the gorge.
Graham Averill is Outside magazine’s national parks columnist. He appreciates a good gateway town, but has never actually lived within shouting distance of a national park. If he had to choose one of the towns listed above to call home, it might be Port Angeles, Washington. Still his favorite is Terlingua.
For more by this author:
11 Remote Destinations That Are Definitely Worth the Effort to Visit