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![skull rock is relatively less traveled destination in joshua tree national park skull rock on a sunny day](https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarpe/en/home/travel/destinations/info-2024/national-parks-hidden-gems/_jcr_content/root/container_main/container_body_main/container_body1/container_body_cf/container_image/articlecontentfragment/cfimage.coreimg.50.932.jpeg/content/dam/aarp/home-and-family/experience-counts/2024/june-6-issue/1140-skull-rock-experience-counts-6-6-2024.jpg)
With more than 325 million people visiting U.S. national parks last year, it can be hard to find a way to enjoy the spectacular views and natural habitat without the distraction of massive crowds.
While people will always flock to the best spots to capture the Half Dome in Yosemite and Angels Window in the Grand Canyon, there are plenty of less frequented sites that are worth venturing off the beaten path.
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Here are six hidden gems in some of the most popular national parks:
1. Skull and Heart Rocks - Joshua Tree, California
![heart rock in joshua tree is among the less viewed attractions heart rock in skull and bones rocks in joshua tree](https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarpe/en/home/travel/destinations/info-2024/national-parks-hidden-gems/_jcr_content/root/container_main/container_body_main/container_body1/container_body_cf/body_one_cf_one/par4/articlecontentfragme/cfimage.coreimg.50.932.jpeg/content/dam/aarp/home-and-family/experience-counts/2024/june-6-issue/national-parks-hidden-gems/1140-heart-rock-experience-counts-6-6-2024.jpg)
Whether you’re looking for love or feeling like death, there’s a rock for you in Joshua Tree. Skull Rock, a granite boulder, which has two eroded indentations that resemble eye sockets, is the more popular of these two formations because it’s close to the road.
If you’re seeking more adventure than just a quick pitstop, there’s a 1.7-mile loop trail you could take to see Skull Rock.
Heart Rock, which is 10 feet tall, can be found by taking a short detour on the famous Arch Rock Trail. It’s not marked on any map so you will need to keep your eyes open.
2. Superior Bathhouse Brewery - Hot Springs, Arkansas
![superior bathhouse brewery superior bathhouse brewery in hot springs arkansas](https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarpe/en/home/travel/destinations/info-2024/national-parks-hidden-gems/_jcr_content/root/container_main/container_body_main/container_body1/container_body_cf/body_one_cf_one/par8/articlecontentfragme/cfimage.coreimg.50.932.jpeg/content/dam/aarp/home-and-family/experience-counts/2024/june-6-issue/national-parks-hidden-gems/1140-superior-bathhouse-6-6-2024-experience-counts.jpg)
Not only does Superior claim to be the only brewery in a national park, but the pub also says it has the only beer in the world that’s brewed from thermal spring water.
From 1916 to 1983, the facility functioned as a bathhouse. Then the building was vacant for three decades before the current owner signed a lease with the Department of the Interior and began building the brewery in 2013.
Now it has 18 beers on tap and a full menu featuring burgers and hot dogs. And don’t worry, Superior says the thermal water from the 47 springs it uses to brew the beers has been tested for safety.
3. Schooner Head Overlook in Acadia – Bar Harbor, Maine
![schooner head overlook schooner head overlook in acadia national park](https://cdn.aarp.net/content/dam/aarpe/en/home/travel/destinations/info-2024/national-parks-hidden-gems/_jcr_content/root/container_main/container_body_main/container_body1/container_body_cf/body_one_cf_one/par12/articlecontentfragme/cfimage.coreimg.50.932.jpeg/content/dam/aarp/home-and-family/experience-counts/2024/june-6-issue/national-parks-hidden-gems/1140-schooner-head-6-6-1140.jpg)
Acadia has the first sight of sunrise in the United States and if you want to avoid the crowds of Cadillac Mountain, Schooner Head Overlook on the east side of Mount Desert Island offers spectacular views right from the parking area.
The Egg Rock Lighthouse can also be seen from this spot, and there’s a trail that winds down the cliff in case you want to venture out a bit.
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