To see the country's most incredible wildlife, you don't have to head to a national park. Black bears, buffalo, alligators, and other cool creatures take up residence in the protected habitats of 556 national wildlife refuges across America. Lace up your hiking boots. This stateside safari takes you to 10 of the best refuges for spotting wildlife, from Florida's alligator swamps to Alaska's Arctic tundra, with stops to see migrating butterflies, moose-trodden wetlands, and more.

Before venturing out, download the refuge system's new mobile app, MyRefuge, with GPS-enabled maps and attraction information.