Nationally-Owned, if Not Always Nationally-Known

And for anybody who's seen a Western movie, the rugged terrain itself can instantly stoke images of stolen horses and banditos hidden in caves. This is especially true from a raft on the river. Hire a private guide for a half-day, five-mile trip that will usually include lunch as well as time for kids to dig in their paddles (without too many scary rapids).

Unlike many national parks, Big Bend offers 180 miles of road for back-country four-wheeling where visitors -- under skies speckled with eagles and falcons -- bounce along in their SUV's between former mining camps and U.S. cavalry outposts.

And kids who don't mind hoofing it may like trails like Window View and Hot Springs, both under a mile, and with detailed brochures that explain what they're seeing.

"You're not going to run out of things to do here if you like the outdoors," says David Elkowitz, Big Bend's chief of interpretation.

In case you don't feel like crashing in the outdoors, however, Big Bend does provide creature comforts, like the unobtrusive Chisos Mountains Lodge, where $83 a night will get your family a room with two double beds. (Rangers recommend that you reserve well in advance. And, the adjacent dining room, open to all, serves three hot meals a day in case the diet of beef jerky and apples gets a little old.

Zion National Park

With 2.6 million visitors a year, Zion National Park isn't exactly an off-the-beaten-path secret. But it does such a good job of crowd control, it can feel that way.

In 2000, the park, located in Utah's southwestern corner, became fed up with the 4,000 cars and RV's jockeying for 400 parking spots, so it closed the road beyond Canyon Junction and set up an efficient system of shuttle buses. The buses also tote mountain bikes, in case, your son gets a little winded on the Pa'rus trail.

Impressive public transportation is hardly the only reason to come to Zion, where just $20 buys your car a seven-day parking pass.

Colossal rock faces shimmer in different hues of iridescent red depending on the angle of the sun and form the walls of deep, sheltering canyons. Globe mallow and paintbrush provides hints of yellow and pink under baby-blue skies.

Though the religious nomenclature may be a bit much, Zion can inspire spiritual thoughts. For instance, the less-visited Kolob Canyons has a separate car entrance and offer a flat half-mile path to the Timber Creek Overlook, which pays tribute to the park with a vista which might be described as majestic.

Though other national parks offer Boy Scout-like programs, where mastering basic skills can earn kids badges, Zion goes a step further, offering a coveted patch after a two-and-a-half hour class.

Kids may also flock to Zion's nature center, which reopens this summer after a rehab. So too does the Watchman Campground Amphitheater, where rangers will hold nightly slide shows about the ecology of the park. Zion even has a program where children aged 6-12 can become Junior Rangers. 

Springdale, the laid-back town that nuzzles up against Zion's main entrance, offers many accommodations that would be considered family-friendly, like the Best Western, where a room for four in summer starts at $130.

And if spending the summer in the desert sounds stifling, consider that July temperatures at night in Zion average 68 degrees, making for a solid night's sleep after hours in the sun.