Courtesy of National Geographic.
National Geographic Magazine announced its choices of the Top 10 beaches located within United States national parks:
1. Assateague Island National Seashore along the Atlantic Coast in the states of Maryland and Virginia: nearly 60 km of white sand coastline with consistent surf throughout the year and fairly warm water in summer due to the Gulf Stream
2. Cape Cod National Seashore with Duck Harbor, Nauset, and Marconi Beach: 64 km of sandy rolling dunes with 15 different beaches
3. Virgin Islands National Park: Hawksnest Bay, Trunk Bay, and Cinnamon Bay: turquoise water, talcum-powder-fine white sand, palm trees, coral gardens
4. Cape Lookout National Seashore: remote barrier island beaches on the Shackleford Banks
5. Fire Island National Seashore: Watch Hill and Sailors Haven are two ferry-accessed beaches
6. Golden Gate National Recreation Area: Baker, Muir, and Rodeo Beaches and Crissy Field, a wide variety of coastlines and conditions
7. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: Lake Michigan Shore surrounded by industrial architecture
8. Olympic National Park: Kalaloch, Rialto, and Ozette Beaches with soaring cliffs, sea stacks, sandy beaches, rocky shores, tide pools and rocky offshore islands
9. Padre Island National Seashore: North Padre Barrier Island, a wilderness unchanged over 500 years
10. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Twelvemile and Sand Point Beaches with sandstone cliffs and wildly scenic beaches [see photo above]
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