Special Report

The Single Most Secluded Spot in Every US State

24/7 Wall St. Staff

Published: January 16, 2024 11:32 am

It may seem like everyone wants to live in a large city, with places like NYC that have a population of over 8.8 million in Manhattan alone. Some wish for something less crowded, a getaway, the kind of place where you can move around with little to no traffic. However, with a population that increases every year, getting away from it all is becoming harder and harder in the United States. This is the country built on the rugged individualism of frontier folks such as legendary backwoodsman Daniel Boone, who went west in the early days of the republic seeking more “elbow room.” But even cities out west have ever-increasing populations. So where can Americans go now to find elbow room?

24/7 Wall St. reviewed A global map of travel time to cities to assess inequalities in accessibility in 2015 published on Jan. 10, 2018, in the scientific publication Nature to find the most secluded spot in every state. For each state, we identified the location with the longest estimated travel time to the nearest city. Travel times take into account all forms of travel as well as the quality of transportation infrastructure.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the United States has a population of around 335 million, making it the third-most populous country on Earth. The population density of the U.S. today is more than 20 times what it was in 1790 when the first census was taken. In high-income nations such as the United States, 90% of the population lives within one hour of a city. While living near urban centers tends to come with social and economic benefits to residents, adventurous souls can still find some corners of America that remain remote. (Also see the best city to live in each state.)

Among the most secluded spots in every state, there are five where it takes less than two hours to be in the middle of nowhere. Finding the most remote area is hardest in the eastern United States. Three of the smallest states — Connecticut, New Jersey, and Rhode Island — have the shortest travel time to their most remote area from the nearest city. Connecticut’s travel duration — measured by foot, boat, car, or plane — is the shortest at 52 minutes. The farthest? That would be Amatignak Island, Aleutian Islands, in Alaska at 84 hours, 37 minutes. (And here are America’s fastest-growing big cities.)

Here are the most secluded spots in every US state

1. Alabama

Source: Adkasai / iStock via Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: Terminus of Carmichael Creek
• Distance from nearest city: 2 hours, 48 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 32°06’15″N, 88°23’45″W

2. Alaska

Amatignak coast (CC BY-SA 2.0) by D. Sikes from Fairbanks, USA

• Middle of nowhere: Amatignak Island, Aleutian Islands
• Distance from nearest city: 84 hours, 37 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 51°13’15″N, 179°07’15″W

3. Arizona

Waiting for the stagecoach (CC BY 2.0) by Mark Gunn

• Middle of nowhere: Navajo Nation, near Utah border
• Distance from nearest city: 11 hours, 32 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 36°59’15″N, 111°04’45″W

4. Arkansas

Angelina National Forest, Angelina County, Texas, USA (CC BY-SA 4.0) by William L. Farr

• Middle of nowhere: Southeast corner of state
• Distance from nearest city: 3 hours, 29 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 33°02’15″N, 91°08’45″W

5. California

Source: blmcalifornia / Flickr

• Middle of nowhere: 1.5 miles northeast of Keynot Peak
• Distance from nearest city: 10 hours, 42 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 36°43’45″N, 117°56’45″W

6. Colorado

Source: JeffGoulden / Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: Willow Creek, San Juan National Forest
• Distance from nearest city: 9 hours, 56 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 37°31’45″N, 107°24’45″W

7. Connecticut

Source: Jennifer Yakey-Ault / iStock via Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: Between McDuffee and Burton brooks
• Distance from nearest city: 0 hours, 52 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 41°59’15″N, 73°28’45″W

8. Delaware

Source: Robert Kirk / iStock via Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: Bennett Point, Assawoman Wildlife Area
• Distance from nearest city: 1 hour, 56 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 38°28’45″N, 75°04’15″W

9. Florida

Source: SimonSkafar / iStock via Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: East of Miccosukee Reservation, The Everglades
• Distance from nearest city: 7 hours, 39 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 25°58’45″N, 80°42’15″W

10. Georgia

Source: lauradyoung / iStock via Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: Center of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
• Distance from nearest city: 5 hours, 23 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 30°42’45″N, 82°17’45″W

11. Hawaii

Laysan Island (CC BY 2.0) by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters

• Middle of nowhere: Laysan Island
• Distance from nearest city: 80 hours, 50 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 25°45’15″N, 171°43’45″W

12. Idaho

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Middle of nowhere: Near Cottonwood Butte, Payette National Forest
• Distance from nearest city: 16 hours, 11 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 45°18’15″N, 114°49’15″W

13. Illinois

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Middle of nowhere: North of Mound City, on the Ohio River
• Distance from nearest city: 2 hours, 45 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 37°06’20.0″N 89°07’57.3″W

14. Indiana

Source: Alisha Bube / iStock via Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: Patoka Lake, Hoosier National Forest
• Distance from nearest city: 1 hour, 39 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 38°25’45″N, 86°40’15″W

15. Iowa

Kossuth County IA Courthouse (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Scott Romine

• Middle of nowhere: 3 miles west of Titonka
• Distance from nearest city: 2 hours, 43 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 43°13’15″N, 94°05’45″W

16. Kansas

Elkader, Iowa (CC BY 2.0) by Carl Wycoff

• Middle of nowhere: 7 miles south of Elkader
• Distance from nearest city: 5 hours, 3 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 38°44’45″N, 100°43’45″W

17. Kentucky

Raven Run (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Schwaltz

• Middle of nowhere: 2 miles southwest of Route 1112
• Distance from nearest city: 2 hours, 59 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 37°41’45″N, 82°27’15″W

18. Louisiana

Louisiana National Guard (CC BY 2.0) by The National Guard

• Middle of nowhere: Avoca Island Cutoff
• Distance from nearest city: 6 hours, 51 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 29°29’15″N, 91°04’15″W

19. Maine

DoverFoxcroftME WoolenMill 2 (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Magicpiano

• Middle of nowhere: Shoreline of Munsungan Lake
• Distance from nearest city: 6 hours, 56 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 46°22’15″N, 68°59’15″W

20. Maryland

Source: N8tureGrl / iStock via Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: Shoreline of Smith Island
• Distance from nearest city: 2 hours, 56 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 38°01’45″N, 76°00’45″W

21. Massachusetts

Great Point Light (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Denimadept

• Middle of nowhere: Forked Pond Valley, Nantucket
• Distance from nearest city: 3 hours, 5 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 41°14’15″N, 70°01’15″W

22. Michigan

Source: photosbysixfive / iStock via Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: West of Newt Lake, Isle Royale
• Distance from nearest city: 11 hours, 41 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 48°03’45″N, 88°37’15″W

23. Minnesota

Border crossing sign to Canada (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Lorie Shaull

• Middle of nowhere: Coleman Island, Canadian border
• Distance from nearest city: 10 hours, 40 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 48°18’45″N, 92°01’15″W

24. Mississippi

Mississippi: Panther Swamp sig... (CC BY 2.0) by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region

• Middle of nowhere: Panther Swamp Wildlife Refuge
• Distance from nearest city: 4 hours, 2 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 32°49’15″N, 90°33’15″W

25. Missouri

Oregon County MO Courthouse (CC BY 4.0) by Kbh3rd

• Middle of nowhere: 3 miles South of Wilderness
• Distance from nearest city: 3 hours, 36 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 36°44’45″N, 91°10’45″W

26. Montana

Mount Gordon from Iceline Trail (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Philippe Cabot

• Middle of nowhere: 3.5 miles West of Gordon Mountain
• Distance from nearest city: 16 hours, 7 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 47°25’15″N, 113°15’15″W

27. Nebraska

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Middle of nowhere: West of Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest
• Distance from nearest city: 7 hours, 49 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 42°35’15″N, 101°29’15″W

28. Nevada

Black Rock (CC BY 2.0) by BLM Nevada

• Middle of nowhere: Black Rock Desert Wilderness
• Distance from nearest city: 10 hours, 21 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 41°15’45″N, 118°45’15″W

29. New Hampshire

FranconiaRidgeTrail (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Mike Hansen

• Middle of nowhere: 5 miles Northwest of Mount Cabot
• Distance from nearest city: 3 hours, 10 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 44°32’15″N, 71°26’45″W

30. New Jersey

Source: Courtesy of NJ Division of Fish & Wildlife

• Middle of nowhere: Eastern shoreline of Egg Island Fish and Wildlife
• Distance from nearest city: 1 hour, 22 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 39°11’44.0″N 75°07’41.7″W

31. New Mexico

Source: aspidoscelis / Flickr

• Middle of nowhere: About 1 mile southwest of Milligan Mountain
• Distance from nearest city: 6 hours, 58 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 33°40’15″N, 108°39’45″W

32. New York

Lake Placid New York - Mirror... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Onasill ~ Bill - 114 Million View

• Middle of nowhere: Five Ponds Wilderness, Adirondack Mountains
• Distance from nearest city: 4 hours, 58 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 43°59’15″N, 74°56’15″W

33. North Carolina

Ocracoke Ferry docks (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Gerry Dincher

• Middle of nowhere: Ocracoke
• Distance from nearest city: 3 hours, 12 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 35°05’45″N, 75°58’15″W

34. North Dakota

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Middle of nowhere: Less than 1 mile south of Devil’s Pass
• Distance from nearest city: 6 hours, 53 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 47°17’15″N, 103°31’45″W

35. Ohio

Source: Courtesy of U.S. Forest Service - Wayne National Forest via Facebook

• Middle of nowhere: North of Paddle Creek Horse Camp, Wayne National Forest
• Distance from nearest city: 2 hours, 7 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 38°38’15″N, 82°35’15″W

36. Oklahoma

Source: GracedByTheLight / iStock via Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: South of Kansas-Oklahoma border, by Cimarron River
• Distance from nearest city: 3 hours, 47 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 36°59’15″N, 99°51’15″W

37. Oregon

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Middle of nowhere: About 4 miles east of Big Craggies, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest
• Distance from nearest city: 8 hours, 51 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 42°21’45″N, 123°58’45″W

38. Pennsylvania

Hammersly Wild Area Opinion (CC BY 2.0) by {{{1}}}

• Middle of nowhere: About 1 mile south of Hailstone Hollow, Hammersley Wild Area
• Distance from nearest city: 2 hours, 47 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 41°31’45″N, 77°52’15″W

39. Rhode Island

HiRes BlockIsland Aerial (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Timothy J. Quill

• Middle of nowhere: Schooner Point, Block Island
• Distance from nearest city: 1 hour, 35 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 41°09’15″N, 71°36’45″W

40. South Carolina

Source: Lisa-Blue / iStock via Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: Cane Island, Santee Coastal Reserve
• Distance from nearest city: 2 hours, 47 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 33°09’45″N, 79°15’45″W

41. South Dakota

Source: Brent_1 / iStock via Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: Unnamed road, about 3 miles south of Bradley Bauer Ranch
• Distance from nearest city: 8 hours, 11 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 44°42’15″N, 102°55’15″W

42. Tennessee

Source: Courtesy of LaVerne A. via Yelp

• Middle of nowhere: Clark Creek terminus, Rocky Fork State Park
• Distance from nearest city: 3 hours, 8 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 36°05’15″N, 82°35’15″W

43. Texas

Source: Rex_Wholster / iStock via Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: Southeastern-most edge of Big Bend National Park, on border of U.S. and Mexico
• Distance from nearest city: 8 hours, 1 minute
• GPS coordinates: 28°59’05.1″N 103°07’01.5″W

44. Utah

Source: grandriver / iStock via Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: Great Salt Lake Desert, Northwest Utah
• Distance from nearest city: 12 hours, 41 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 40°23’15″N, 113°35’45″W

45. Vermont

Source: Courtesy of Best Western Plus Waterbury - Stowe via Facebook

• Middle of nowhere: Hunger Mountain, CC Putnam State Forest
• Distance from nearest city: 3 hours, 29 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 44°26’15″N, 72°36’15″W

46. Virginia

Source: ntn / iStock via Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: Red Creek terminus
• Distance from nearest city: 2 hours, 58 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 36°55’45″N, 81°53’15″W

47. Washington

Source: Samson1976 / iStock via Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: Liberty Cap, Mt Rainier National Park
• Distance from nearest city: 15 hours, 52 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 46°52’15″N, 121°46’15″W

48. West Virginia

Source: krblokhin / iStock via Getty Images

• Middle of nowhere: ½ mile south of East Fork and Mc Cloud
• Distance from nearest city: 3 hours, 10 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 37°56’15″N, 82°12’15″W

49. Wisconsin

Outer Island Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Royalbroil

• Middle of nowhere: Outer Island, Lake Superior
• Distance from nearest city: 7 hours, 36 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 47°03’15″N, 90°25’15″W

50. Wyoming

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Middle of nowhere: Hardluck Mountain, Shoshone National Forest
• Distance from nearest city: 14 hours, 44 minutes
• GPS coordinates: 43°59’45″N, 109°40’15″W