Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas

Guadalupe Mountains National Park houses Texas's highest point at 8,751 feet and protects a 265-million-year-old Permian fossil reef, one of only three such reefs visible above ground globally. Its El Capitan formation rises 8,000 feet, standing 15% taller than the average reef in the park system, while annual visitation of 200,000 is 45% lower than #1 Congaree's 250,000. The park's 80 miles of trails traverse a fossilized ocean floor teeming with 500+ species of ancient marine life, offering a geological record 200 million years older than typical North American parks.