The Essentials

Where to Find the Last Natural Quiet Zones in America

The Noise Pollution Clearinghouse website has a map showcasing the last remaining natural quiet spaces in the U.S.

Just by first glance, you’ll find most of them in the northern U.S. Starting in Montana on the Northern Great Plains with three million acres of private and public land called the American Prairie Reserve, which is more rugged than your average national park.

If you’re up for a 12-mile round trip hike over difficult terrain, you’ll reach the northeastern part of Glacier National Park, where it’s suggested to be the most serene. Moving east to Minnesota, the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area is only accessible by canoe or foot.

And if you make it, you’ll find rugged cliffs and towering rocks left behind by melted glaciers, with more than 1,200 miles of canoe routes and 12 hiking trails.