If the Grand Canyon is the first place that comes to mind when you think of national parks, you're not alone. But did you know that there are nearly 400 national parks in the U.S. you can visit?

The National Park Service not only oversees familiar parks, but also protected areas such as battlefields and hidden gems such as the Guadalupe Mountains in Texas. With 391 places to choose from, travelers who like to explore the great outdoors have lots of parks to visit this year! Here are just 10 of our favorites.

Location: West Texas
Details: The park houses the fossilized remains of the Captain Reef. Skeletons of plant life and animals formed the basis of El Capitan, a 1,000-foot cliff that overlooks the park. McKirrick Canyon is one of the few areas in west Texas that supports non-desert wildlife and it is home to the Grotto, a limestone area decorated with stalagmites and stalactites. Frijole Ranch shows what life was like in the arid Texan landscape, including artifacts from the first occupants and early ranchers in the area.
Fees: $5 fee for 16 and older

Location: 70 miles west of Key West, FL
Details: Discovered in the 1500s by Ponce de Leon, this cluster of islands can only be accessed by a two-hour ferry or 40-minute seaplane ride. Dry Tortugas is known for its white sandy beaches, excellent snorkeling, rare birds, and diverse sea life. On the island of Garden Key, you can tour of the historic Fort Jefferson -- the U.S. government began its construction for a fortress in 1846, but it was never completed; the fort was used as a military prison during the Civil War.
Fees: The park entrance fee is $5.

Location: 5 hours north of San Francisco
Details: The dominant attraction here is Lassen Peak, the world's largest plug-dome volcano which last erupted in 1922 -- you can hike up about 10,000 feet to the summit. The park boasts a dramatic landscape, with steaming hot springs, hissing fumaroles, and bubbling mud. There are also about 150 miles of hiking trails, forests, lakes, mountain streams, and impressive waterfalls. This little-known park receives less than 400,000 visitors each year.
Fees: $10 vehicle entrance fee (good for seven days)

Location: Southwest Alaska
Details: Katmai was preserved in 1918 to protect the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes -- a 40-square mile ash flow from the massive Novarupta Volcano eruption. It contains Naknek Lake, the largest lake within the National Park System, and Brooks River National Historic Landmark, which has the highest concentration of prehistoric human dwellings in North America. Visit Brooks Camp to view the abundant giant Alaska brown bears. There's no road to Katmai -- you have to sail or fly to get here.
Fees: Free entrance

Location: Near the Nevada - Utah border
Details: Great Basin stretches from the Sierra Nevada Range to the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. It's known for its stunningly diverse geography -- from thick sagebrush and ancient bristlecone pine groves at the base to a fresh alpine wilderness reaching more than 13,000 feet, intersected by icy streams and lakes. The main attraction is the Lehman Caves -- limestone caverns that you can explore through guided tours.
Fees: No entrance fee, but cave tours start at $8 for 60 minutes

Location: Northwest Montana
Details: The park is open all year but attracts most of its 2 million visitors between May and September. The historic area was once home to Blackfoot and Kootenai Indian tribes, and has more than 700 miles of hiking trails, about 200 waterfalls, and hundreds of crystal-clear lakes and tarns. But where there used to be 150 glaciers in the park, today there are about 26. Scientists are predicting that the glaciers will completely disappear by 2030.
Fees: Seven-day car permit is $15 / seven-day hiking or biking permit is $10

Location: Bayfield, WI
Details: "Jewels of Lake Superior" contains 21 islands and 12 miles of coastline. Former inhabitants include the Objiwe tribe and early French fur traders and missionaries. Many of the park islands have docks, campgrounds and hiking trails. Activities include guided tours of the many lighthouses (including the Sand Island Lighthouse, which accepts volunteer lighthouse keepers) and scuba diving to look at shipwrecks and unique rock formations.
Fees: $3 parking fee

Location: Sierra, Nevada
Details: During the summer, the forest transforms into a camp playground for visitors. Along with the traditional boating, camping, fishing and horseback riding activities, the forest also has some roads that are only accessible by off-highway vehicles, such as the difficult Dusy-Ershinroute, a multi-day expedition between the John Muir and Dinkey Wilderness areas. Don't miss Route 168, better known as the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway -- a 70-mile road that takes you through the heart of the forest.
Fees: $5 overnight fee

Location: Arkansas
Details: The river traverses 132 miles through Ozark Country and is one of few dam-free rivers in the U.S. It's also home to Arkansas' only wild elk herd. The Whitaker Point trail takes you through floral and arboreal wildlife towards Hawksbill Crag, an ideal bluff for picknicking. Los Valley trail offers caves and areas inhabited by Native Americans -- some of it is wheelchair accessible -- horseback riding and two camps are reserved for visitors and their horses.
Fees: Only camping fees

Location: 15 miles east of Montrose, CO
Details: Holding the title of the tallest vertical wall in the state of Colorado, the Painted Wall is located in the north part of the park and is popular for experienced climbers. Hiking through the interior of the canyon is also possible; however, due to the fact that these paths are not designated, they are meant for experienced hikers who love to explore unmapped territory. There are easier marked paths on the canyon rim that can be enjoyed by campers looking for a way to admire the canyon's beauty.
Fees: $7 per person or $15 per car

Find inspiration and get great getaway ideas and deals with AOL Travel.

The 'Hot 5 Deals & Discount Travel' scans the latest travel deals, helping you find the real deal by letting you compare and save. So what are you waiting for?