Summary
- Parque Los Glaciares in Argentina and Quttinirpaaq National Park in Canada are among the most remote national parks in the world, requiring advanced planning and backcountry skills.
- These secluded national parks offer unique beauty, attractions, and activities, from the glaciers in Parque Los Glaciares to the polar desert terrain of Quttinirpaaq.
- Explore remote national parks like Pulu Keeling in Australia and Dry Tortugas in Florida for a truly isolated and untouched experience of nature.
Explore some of the most remote national parks around the world, from Patagonia to the Canadian Arctic. Venturing into parks like Parque Los Glaciares in Argentina and Quttinirpaaq National Park in Nunavut, Canada, requires advanced planning and backcountry skills, as facilities are limited or non-existent in truly isolated wilderness areas. Leaf peeping in US national parks is a popular activity in the fall when the leaves change color and create a beautiful display.
Whatever the destination, these secluded national parks worldwide offer their own unique beauty, attractions, and activities. Learn about the natural wonders, pioneer journeys needed, and fees required to access destinations as far-flung as Pulu Keeling National Park in Australia’s remote Cocos Islands and Dry Tortugas National Park, 70 miles from shore in the Gulf of Mexico. These are some of the remotest national parks in the world to visit.
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Parque Los Glaciares, Argentina
Onelli Bay, Los Glaciares national park
Located in Patagonia in southern Argentina, Parque Los Glaciares National Park is among the most remote national parks in the world; it’s a truly rugged and remote destination. It spans over 1,101,843 acres and is home to over 300 glaciers, including the well-known Perito Moreno Glacier.
Covering such a vast area of the Andes mountain range and Patagonian steppe makes for many untamed, isolated regions within the park.
- Park entry fee is $100 Argentine pesos (around $1 USD) per person.
- Camping fees are $200 Argentine pesos (around $2 USD) per person per night.
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Gates To The Arctic, United States
A glacial stream flowing through a remote mountain valley in Gates To The Arctic, USA
Covering over 7 million acres in northern Alaska, Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is one of the most remote areas in the United States. With few roads and no facilities for visitors, penetrating deep into this park requires advanced trip planning and backcountry skills.
The nearest towns of Kotzebue and Kobuk are each over 100 winding roads miles away from any point within the park.
- No entry or camping fees
- Backcountry permits are required for overnight trips, which are free of charge.
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Quttinirpaaq National Park, Canada
Tanquary Fiord Camp of Parks Canada, Quttinirpaaq National Park
Situated on northern Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, Canada, Quttinirpaaq National Park, also known as Ellesmere Island National Park Reserve, is among the most northerly places on earth that can be visited.
With polar desert terrain, Quttinirpaaq sees less than 150 visitors annually. The Torrington Coast and surrounding mountains are steeped in Arctic isolation.
- No entry or camping fees
- Backcountry permits are required and available through Parks Canada for free.
Alert is the northernmost permanently inhabited place in Canada, over 500 miles to the south.
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Torres Del Paine, Chile
Beautiful Patagonia landscape of Andes mountain range, winding road and lake at Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
Spanning mountains, Patagonian steppe, and glacial lakes, Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia draws visitors with its scenic grandeur.
Torres Del Paine National Park should be on every traveler’s bucket list, yet it remains an expedition for anyone wishing to explore its remotest corners. The small city of Puerto Natales is over 37 miles away via rough dirt roads.
- Park entry fee is $40 for foreigners.
- Camping fees range from free to $13 per person per night, depending on location and facilities.
Boats or a full-day hike are needed to access corners like Grey Glacier.
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Pulu Keeling National Park, Australia
People walking on Pulu Keeling park
A tiny pocket of forest and coral reef in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Pulu Keeling National Park is one of Australia’s most remote paradises. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands are over 1,300 miles southwest of Perth on the west coast of Australia, making Pulu Keeling an ultimate castaway destination accessible only by air.
With few visitors and facilities limited to basic eco-accommodation, exploring here truly feels like discovering a deserted corner of the planet, earning it a place among the most isolated national parks in the world.
- $5 entry fee per person
- Camping and hut fees range from $15-40 per person per night
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Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Fort Jefferson in Dry Tortugas National Park
Despite being located within U.S. boundaries, Dry Tortugas National Park ranks among the USA’s farthest-flung protected areas. Situated some 70 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico, Dry Tortugas is a remote string of small islands and reefs accessible only by boat or seaplane.
Dry Tortugas National Park is worth the trip for its pristine beauty, rich history, and abundant wildlife. Besides a handful of historic forts, the isolated coral islands and teeming marine life are untouched.
- $10 USD per person entry fee
- Camping is permitted only at designated sites for $3 USD per person per night.
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Congaree National Park, South Carolina
Boardwalk through Congaree National Park
Nestled alongside muddy waters of the Congaree and Wateree rivers near Columbia in South Carolina lies Congaree National Park, featuring old-growth floodplain forest unlike almost anywhere else in the United States.
Despite the crowding of nearby cities, Congaree’s 22,000 acres remain relatively shielded from development – accessible only via a few roads twisting deep into the forest interior or via guided kayak/canoe trips down the Congaree River. When planning a trip to Congaree National Park, it’s important to keep in mind that there are no restaurants or stores inside the park.
- $3 USD entry fee per person
- $5 USD per campsite per night.
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Isle Royale National Park, Michigan
Lake Superior Shore At Isle Royale National Park In Michigan, USA
A remote island archipelago in Lake Superior, getting to Isle Royale National Park, one of the most remote national parks in the US, requires significant effort. The park’s namesake largest island and its hundreds of smaller islands are over 15 miles from the northern Minnesota shore, accessible only by seaplane or ferry.
Few ranger stations or amenities exist across Isle Royale’s pristine wilderness of forests and shores, with adventures like hiking and paddling multi-day routes along the island-dotted coastline.
- No entry fees
- $6 USD per campsite per night.
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Katmai National Park, Alaska
Brooks Falls At Katmai National Park And Preserve In Alaska, USA
Best known as prime brown bear viewing grounds, Katmai National Park sprawls across mountains and coastline on the Alaska Peninsula, with the nearest town from park borders. Its valleys and streams see up to 2,000 brown bears gather annually to feed on runs of salmon.
Reaching this wildlife spectacle demands significant backcountry skills and tolerance for harsh weather across Katmai’s rugged, roadless expanses.
- No entry fees
- $10 USD per campsite per night.
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Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA at dawn
Home to iconic towering stone “hoodoo” rock formations, stunning Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah lies near the northeast corner of Utah amid the remote high-desert plateaus of the Colorado Plateau province.
Within Bryce Canyon itself, the extreme elevation of over 8,000 feet and isolation from services requires preparation as trails traverse exposed ridges with panoramic vistas alongside deep, silent amphitheaters of orange and red rock spires.
- $35 per vehicle entry fee valid for 7 days.
- Campgrounds available from $30 per night. No backcountry camping allowed.
