I've been to all 63 major US national parks. These 9 feel like stepping onto another planet.

Follow Emily Hart

Every time Emily publishes a story, you’ll get an alert straight to your inbox!

By clicking “Sign up”, you agree to receive emails from Business Insider. In addition, you accept Insider’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Although Bryce Canyon is part of Utah's "Mighty Five" national parks, it feels completely unique.

The park is home to the world's largest concentration of hoodoos — tall, thin, multicolored rock spires — making hiking here feel like you're on another planet.

I recommend hiking around the rim to take in the vastness of the spires, then heading down into the hoodoos on the Queen's Garden/Navajo combination loop trail.

White Sands National Park in New Mexico is truly otherworldly. The gypsum sand dunes are bright white and sparkle in the sunlight, and look more like snow from afar than sand.

The dunes also change shape because of wind and weather, making each visit unique.

I recommend visiting at sunrise or sunset for surreal views, hiking around the dunes and the Alkali Flat Trail, and driving the scenic 8-mile Dunes Drive.

Located on the Big Island, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is home to two of the most active volcanoes on earth — Kīlauea and Mauna Loa.

With an incredibly diverse landscape, from lush rainforests and barren lava fields to desert-like plains, this park feels like stepping into another world.

While there, I recommend driving the scenic Chain of Craters Road to the coast and hiking Nāhuku (formerly known as Thurston Lava Tube).

Even after visiting all 50 states and all 63 US national parks, the drive into Great Sand Dunes National Park in Southern Colorado is still one of the most surreal and jaw-dropping sights I've ever witnessed.

Home to the two tallest sand dunes in North America, and perfectly situated in the shadows of the jagged Sangre de Cristo mountain range, visiting feels like entering an oasis or a mirage.

I recommend hiking the dunes (there are no set "trails," as the dunes move each day), and renting a sandboard (available at retailers outside the park) to slide down them.

Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona preserves one of the world's largest collections of mineralized fossil wood, dating back over 200 million years.

In addition to the petrified wood, the park has incredibly diverse landscapes and wildlife. It's a great place to enjoy views of the Painted Desert — colorful badlands tinted by mineral deposits that create purples, blues, greens, reds, and yellows.

I recommend driving the entire length of the park, hiking the Giant Logs Trail, and stopping at the Painted Desert Inn historic site.

Traveling to Badlands National Park in South Dakota feels like stepping onto Mars, in the best way.

The sharp, unique rock formations are incredible, with a backdrop of the largest protected mixed-grass prairie in the US.

The layers of rock showcase millions of years of history, from ancient seas and grasslands to fossil beds, making the whole place feel wild and otherworldly.

I recommend driving the scenic Badlands Loop Road and hiking the moderate-to-strenuous Notch Trail.

Haleakalā National Park in Maui is famous for its incredible sunrises and sunsets.

Here, visitors can drive up over 10,000 feet to the summit of Haleakalā, an active shield volcano. The change in landscape (and weather) is striking, and travelers can often drive through — and above — the clouds to witness a truly magical inversion.

I recommend getting up early (with a mandatory timed-entry reservation) to watch the sunrise from the summit. It's also beautiful at sunset, and although no reservations are needed at this time of day, I recommend arriving early, as space tends to fill up quickly.

Kobuk Valley in Alaska is one of the least-visited — and most remote — national parks in the country.

The park lies entirely north of the Arctic Circle, which brings unique landscapes of its own. But the truly surprising part is that it's home to the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes — the largest active dune field in the Arctic.

There are no roads in or out of the park, making the journey even more unique. I recommend taking a full- or half-day flightseeing tour that lands on the sand dunes for a surreal view.

Death Valley National Park in California is home to incredibly diverse landscapes that feel like they're from another planet.

From the Badwater Basin salt flats (the lowest point in North America) to Telescope Peak (which sits over 11,000 feet above sea level), there's no shortage of otherworldly landscapes here.

I recommend visiting the gorgeous Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, taking in the breathtaking views from Zabriskie Point, and driving the scenic Artist's Drive. Be sure to stop at Artist's Palette for a short hike into the pastel-colored hill formations.