We’re four days from one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime, and by now, we’re all probably feeling a little fatigued. So many important issues are on the line, even at a local level. Our collective blood pressure is nearing an all-time high, and so are the political emails in our inbox. If you’re feeling the itch to pack the car and head to an area far from political billboards, lobbyists, polling numbers, and, if possible, cell reception, you’re not alone.

These five places fit the bill for hikers who just need a minute (or a couple of days) to recover. But we have to make a pact here: Only after you’ve turned in your ballot can you slink away into the depths of forests and valleys. Do your civic duty, then do your personal duty and catch your breath away from a whirlwind election cycle. 

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

The southeast corner of Yellowstone is particularly remote, with wildlife nearly completely replacing people and trees replacing roads. It’s also home to the most far-from-a-road location in the Lower 48: the Thorofare Ranger Station. The nearest park road is over 31 miles away from this lone station. It’s the least-visited area in Yellowstone because it’s only accessible via foot or horseback, so you could have miles and miles of trail all to yourself. Spend a day or two hiking there next week in backcountry bliss as the rest of the country white-knuckles it through an election watch party.

Hundred Mile Wilderness, Appalachian Trail, Maine

There’s a sign as you enter the wilderness area that reads: “Caution: It is 100 miles south to the nearest town at Monson. There are no places to obtain supplies or help until Monson. Do not attempt this section unless you have a minimum of 10 days supplies and are fully equipped. This is the longest wilderness section of the entire AT and its difficulty should not be underestimated.” Just spend five minutes watching the news, and this cautionary message will sound more like an oasis. As the rest of the world watches counties turn blue and red, watch as orange, blue, tan and bright red mushrooms sprout on the forest floor beside the trail. 

Big Bend National Park, Texas

You can’t get to a more remote spot than this in the Lone Star State. Five hours from the nearest city of El Paso, this International Dark Sky Park has hundreds of miles of mountains, canyons, and rivers to explore. 

Big Bend hugs the U.S.-Mexico border, so it’s hard to completely avoid the area’s fraught political backdrop. However, several areas in this park have pictographs and petroglyphs from Native civilizations that lived in the area up to 10,000 years ago. It’s relatively easy to access the well-preserved art on the southernmost spire of the Chimneys. Doing so grounds you within this point of time. Each generation of humanity has faced its own challenges and risen above, so we can make it through the next week—and the next four years.

Gila National Forest, New Mexico

Spend several hours decompressing from the world in the most remote and least developed national forests in the entire southwest. Want complete isolation within nature? About a quarter of the national forest is designated wilderness, so there are 792,584 acres of completely undeveloped land. 

Collectively, the three wilderness areas on the Gila comprise the Black, Mogollon, Diablo, and Blue mountain ranges. Seek solace high and low on the meadowy mountaintops, in the depths of rock-walled canyons, or within dense forests of ponderosa pines or aspen glades. In these wilderness areas, time seems to stand still. Connect with the land, as it has stood for thousands of years, and let your mind finally slow down. 

Hoh Rainforest, Olympic National Park, Washington

Just a few hours drive from Seattle is a soundscape conservation project called the “one square inch of silence” that is completely void of all human-made sounds. You might have never experienced true silence in your entire life: Data suggest that 97 percent of the U.S. population is regularly exposed to noise from planes and cars, which can negatively affect your health over time. Take some time to separate yourself from all noise, political and otherwise.

Rainfall is very common in the Hoh—there’s a yearly average of 140 inches of precipitation each year—which, with time, has helped feed a thick blanket of moss that grows everywhere, including on the forest’s coniferous and deciduous trees. This moss also helps absorb the natural sounds of wind and wildlife, too, so a hike in this emerald rainforest might just be the most relaxing forest bathing on the planet.