A busy day in the hub of Yellowstone or the Grand Canyon resembles urban living more than a wilderness experience. Six million acres is a lot of room to get lost in, and with the mountain being the magnet, you needn't wander far from its base to be alone. With minimal imagination, you can plot a course unlikely to be seconded in the same season. Even in a city, a waterfront creates an isolating buffer. That partly explains why both Voyageurs and Isle Royale were highly rated for solitude.
Water also makes access difficult, paring the numbers who arrive.
The smaller audiences who do arrive, though, will find the loneliness of the North Woods very companionable. Click here to find out how. Copyright Rodale, Inc. 2001.