From waterfalls and craggy bluffs to sprawling forests and majestic mountains, the US is blessed with some of the most diverse landscapes anywhere in the world. With an incredible 423 national park sites in the National Park System alone, there are jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring attractions aplenty. Join us as we journey through the country and take a look at the most beautiful natural wonder in every state. Note that some attractions may be closed due to COVID-19 – always check for updates on individual spots and see state advisories before travelling.
A kind of a 2-for-1 of natural wonders, the stunning Cheaha Mountain offers unparalleled views over the surrounding Talladega National Forest, which is a lush green until it bursts into hues of rust and blonde once autumn settles in. Many visitors favour sunset or sunrise hikes on the trails that wiggle through the forested park, which is punctured by waterfalls and scenic lookout points. There's also a handful of campgrounds and cabins for longer stays.
Definitely one of Alaska's most impressive icy landforms, the gargantuan Hubbard Glacier is six miles (9.6km) wide and reaches a height of 400 feet (122m) at its tallest point. Located in the eastern part of the state, off the coast of Yakutat, the glacier is famous for being 'active'. Unlike the world's others, it's not retreating but slowly advancing through the gulf, making it one of the top sights so see on an Alaskan cruise.
One of the most famous natural wonders of the whole country, Grand Canyon's beauty is undeniable. Opening up into an 18-mile (29km) wide gorge though which the Colorado River carves its way, the canyon's rust-red landscape is incredibly atmospheric. Open year round, the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is the most popular place to explore – pictured is the iconic view from the Mather Point, one of the most famous overlooks.
The highest point in the Natural State, Mount Magazine sits at 2,753 feet (839m), offering panoramic views across its namesake state park. One of the best ways to enjoy this forest-clad landscape is taking the Signal Hill Trail. The trail takes hikers straight to the top of Signal Hill, one of the two summits atop Mount Magazine. It's an enjoyable 1.5-mile (2.4km) loop around the north and east parts of Signal Hill with lush vegetation and plenty of stunning views.
Famed for its beautiful vistas, cliffs and lush forests, Yosemite National Park is full of big-hitter attractions. There's nothing quite like the Yosemite Valley though – head to the Tunnel View viewpoint and be amazed by the jaw-dropping landscape in all its splendour in any season. With El Capitan, Half Dome and Bridalveil Fall all in one frame, it's hard to imagine such a picture-perfect view came together naturally.
The Elk Mountains in Colorado are littered with scenic viewpoints and gorgeous landscapes, yet nothing beats Maroon Bells – two of the highest peaks in the Elk Mountains – reflecting in Crater Lake. As the trail leading to Crater Lake experiences heavy footfall, especially in summer, be mindful of your impact on the environment if you're visiting this incredible natural landmark.
Lesser-known than some of the other natural wonders on this list, Kent Falls charms with a gorgeous cascade of multiple smaller waterfalls. Only a short walk from the parking lot and a scenic picnic area, the falls are also near an attractive covered bridge. Look out for the trail climbing up alongside the Kent Falls Brook – it reveals more cascades and waterfalls along the way with a small but stunning two-tier plunge right at the top of the trail.
Bright blue water and yellow sand dunes provide an idyllic scenery not typical in this northeastern region. The Walking Dunes Trail is a 2.6-mile (4.2km) long loop that everyone can enjoy, going through wetlands and forests. The trail ends with a wonderful sight of the ocean from a massive 80-foot (24m) sand hill that has been given the name the Great Dune and the remnants of Fort Miles Gun Turrets. You're also allowed to camp at this stunning beachfront location.
Best known for modern attractions like theme parks, race tracks and rocket launches, Florida also has its fair share of natural beauty. Everglades, a vast area of protected wetland in southern Florida, is perhaps one of the most famous. The namesake national park is home to hundreds of plant and animal species, including the endangered Florida panther and the American alligator. One of the best ways to take in this gorgeous wilderness is on a boat tour or climb up the Shark Valley Observation Tower for incredible views across the park.
Tallulah Gorge and the state park that it sits in is one of the USA's finest fall destinations beyond New England – come the golden season, the 1,000-foot (305m) ravine is ablaze with ochre, russet and crimson. The park has plenty to offer the rest of the year too, with its suspension bridge granting views of the rushing river from a height of 80 feet (24m). You'll get the best views of this stunning gorge from overlooks along North and South Rim Trails.
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The gorgeous forest-covered cliffs of the Nā Pali Coast State Wilderness Park on Kauai Island are an exquisite sight to see. Like something straight out of a different era (the area was actually the backdrop for 1997's The Lost World: Jurassic Park), some of the rugged red and green rocks of the coast look more suited to a different planet than Earth. Nā Pali means high cliffs in Hawaiian – a very fitting name when the tallest mountains here soar to 4,000 feet (1,219m).
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Found on the Snake River in southern Idaho, Shoshone Falls are often called the Niagara of the West. A must-see attraction in Twin Falls, the waterfall is 212 feet (64.6m) high and flows over a rim nearly 1,000 feet (305m) wide. Although the falls are stunning throughout the year, they're best viewed in spring or early summer when the water flow is high due to snowmelt. If paddling or kayaking underneath the waterfall sounds a bit too adventurous for you, there's also a viewing platform to soak up the scenery.
Spanning 289,000 acres, the Shawnee National Forest can be found nestled between the Mississippi and Ohio rivers in southern Illinois. With its rolling hills, sparkling lakes, rugged bluffs and open land alongside its lush forests, it is a dreamy sight. The plant life is particularly diverse, ranging from dense dark foliage to sun-loving woodland. The crown jewel of Shawnee is the Garden of Gods, a stunning landscape of rugged rocks and cliffs laced with trails providing spectacular views across the forest.
One of the USA's newest national parks, Indiana Dunes was designated in 2019. The park spreads over 15,000 acres encompassing, as its name suggests, endless dunes, some rising more than 100 feet (30m). See the most impressive aspects of this national park by taking on the Three Dune Challenge, also known as Trail 8, that takes in the three tallest dunes in the park – Mount Tom, Mount Holden and Mount Jackson.
Maquoketa Caves State Park is one of Iowa's most fascinating natural attractions. Dancehall Cave is the park's largest and most famous, once thought to have been a space for gatherings. A short, but wonderful hike that really immerses visitors into this fascinating landscape, Maquoketa Caves Loop is a manageable 1.6-mile (2.7km) walk that offers plenty of adventure. There's an array of spectacular vantage points along the trail and opportunities to peek into grottoes, including Dancehall Cave.
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It's a little hard to believe this rock formation really exists in Kansas and what better way to explore it than up close from a stunning hiking trail. Good for all skill levels, the 1.5-mile-long (2.4km) trail takes in the Castle Rock Badlands rising out of the prairie near Quinter. The otherworldly limestone formations rise as tall as 70 feet (21m) from what was once an ancient seabed. The most impressive formation, Castle Rock, is made of chalk that's full of pre-historic sea fossils such as giant clams.
Called mammoth for a reason, this labyrinthine network of caves within Mammoth Cave National Park has more than 405 miles (652km) of mapped passages, making it the longest system in the world. You can explore 10 miles (16km) of tunnels by guided hike and the formations are staggering – admire Frozen Niagara which looks just like a waterfall sculpted out of rock. The caves are also home to albino shrimps, cave fish and several endangered bat species.
Although a significant portion of the stunning Caddo Lake lies in Texas, the swampy tarn is too incredible to leave off this list. It oozes Southern beauty and ambiance from its moss-draped branches to its gloopy bayous, where fat-trunked cypress trees emerge from the soupy water. The maze of waterways is home to alligators, which can be occasionally seen basking on logs. The best way explore this unique landscape is aboard a boat tour.
The highest point along the North Atlantic seaboard, Cadillac Mountain rises 1,530 feet (466m) above sea level. Within easy reach from the charming coastal resort Bar Harbor, the summit is the first place in the US that sees sunrise from 7 October through 6 March every year. The pink granite mountain slopes are clad with pine and spruce forests with the scenic Summit Road carving its way along the northern and eastern side of the mountain until it reaches the top.
The longest hiking-only trail in the world, the 2,200-mile-long (3,540km) Appalachian Trail might not be very doable for most, but there's a stretch of it in Maryland where hikers can complete and take in stunning scenery along the way. A five-mile (8km) there-and-back trail leads to Annapolis Rock, offering sweeping views of northwest Maryland, and then to the second scenic outlook at Black Rock Cliff. The area is also popular with campers.
The highest waterfall in the state, Bash Bish Falls is made up of several cascades, totalling almost 200 feet (61m). The chain of falls end with an impressive 80-foot (24m) drop that plunges into an emerald pool surrounded by rocks and boulders. There are two trailheads leading to the waterfall and climbing to the top of the falls also rewards visitors with incredible views over the surrounding landscape.
A small geological formation, Turnip Rock leaves a big impression. Located in shallow waters close to Lake Huron's shore, this peculiar rock took shape due to strong waves crashing against the bottom, causing for some of the lower sections to erode rather significantly. The shallow waters surrounding the rock and the nearby coast are popular kayaking destinations.
Beautiful in any season, Minnesota's Gooseberry Falls are nestled along the North Shore of Lake Superior. In spring, the water comes tumbling down with a roar due to the melting snow and ice, in autumn the surrounding vegetation blazes in shades of ochre, tan and burnt orange, while in winter, when a thick layer of snow covers the ground, it looks like something straight out of a fairy tale. The falls can be explored on an easy three-mile (5km) loop to Fifth Falls.
The Magnolia State is famous for its enchanting cypress swamps which bustle with birdlife and drip in Spanish moss. And the Greenville Cypress Preserve protects a beautiful area of swampland in the west of Mississippi. The park spreads over 16 acres in the Mississippi delta, with boardwalk trails looping past the wooded wetlands and wildflower meadows. It's a home for species from great egrets and the northern mockingbird to tree frogs and salamanders too.
Deep in the belly of Onondaga Cave State Park sits its namesake cave, a subterranean world of spectacular stalactites and lofty stalagmites. The hollow system includes the Lily Pad room, so-named for its lily-like calcite deposits, resting gently on a crystal clear pool. There are guided tours visitors can join to explore these underground formations.
Located in northern Montana, the 1,583-square-mile (4100sq km) Glacier National Park encompasses a well preserved ecosystem along the Rocky Mountains. And while the whole park deserves recognition for its jaw-dropping landscapes, it's the Grinnell Glacier in particular that will leave any visitor in awe. Surrounded by incredible alpine scenery, the vibrant blue-green lake at the base of the glacier looks especially otherworldly. An epic 10-mile (16km) trail offers incredible viewpoints of the glacier as well as the surrounding lakes and the Continental Divide.
A mighty crag in the American Midwest, Scotts Bluff towers some 800 feet (244m) above the plains of western Nebraska, and holds great significance. Though little evidence remains, it’s thought that early indigenous tribes once camped in the wake of the bluff, while westward emigrants following the Oregon, California and Mormon Trails in the 19th century would have gazed up at its great expanse. The Scotts Bluff National Monument Visitor Center breathes life into these historic journeys, while the 1.6-mile (2.6km) Summit Road winds right to the top of the peak.
The kaleidoscopic Fly Geyser in Black Rock Desert is a totally unique sight as it was actually formed due to a human error. In the 1960s, a geothermal energy company drilled on the site in the hope of striking a usable power source. The water they hit wasn't warm enough but they failed to properly seal the opening they made. Today, the geyser still spews water and steam, and the brilliant colours are formed by the algae it's covered in.
At 6,288 feet (1,917m), Mount Washington is New Hampshire's highest peak, dominating a verdant valley that bursts with colour in every season. However, if you're not keen on a hike, you're in luck. The mountain is home to the world’s first mountain-climbing cog railway, in operation since 1869. Brightly coloured trains chug along the 3.5-mile (5.6km) track, at a 37% gradient at certain points. At the summit, you'll have an hour to take in the views that, on a clear day, include five states, Canada and the Atlantic.
A pretty spectacular sight to take in, the Delaware Water Gap offers plenty of picture-perfect spots. A geological feature where a river cuts through a mountain ridge, the Delaware River Water Gap slices through the Pocono Mountains on the Pennsylvania state border. There are plenty of hiking and biking trails, plus kayaking and canoeing on the water itself. If you'd rather experience it from the comfort of your car, the Delaware River Scenic Byway takes in 33-miles (53km) of stunning views.
This 275-square-mile (712sq km) desert in New Mexico's Tularosa Basin is an unusual natural phenomenon. The dunes are formed by gypsum sand – a rare mineral found only in a few places on the planet. Since it dissolves in water, it's almost a miracle such large quantities of it exist in one place but thanks to New Mexico's dry climate, the sand thrives here. The Interdune Boardwalk is a short 400-foot (122m) path that takes in the park's most famous sights.
Niagara Falls may not be the biggest or the tallest waterfall in the world, but it's definitely one of the most famous. With a distinctive green colour due to a mix of rock flour and salts, the three waterfalls pour across the border of the US and Canada. If you're ready to brave the spray, board the Maid of the Mist for a boat tour that takes you straight to the bottom of the falls or you could trek to one of the many observation decks and watch from above.
The highest peak of the Appalachian Mountains, Mount Mitchell rises 6,684 feet (2,037m) above sea level, overlooking its namesake state park and the Pisgah National Forest. A visit to the peak can easily be combined with a drive along the incredibly scenic Blue Ridge Parkway and on a clear day it's possible to see as far as 85 miles (137km) from the top. Visitors can also park their car at the state park office and hike all way to the top. A strenuous climb – 2.2 miles (3.5km) long each way – it's also incredibly rewarding.
South Dakota might have Badlands National Park but you may be surprised to find spectacular badlands in North Dakota too. The scenic Painted Canyon in Theodore Roosevelt National Park is shaped by erosion which has exposed layers of rock in myriad earthy colours, resulting in a landscape that doesn't look Earth-like at all. Hikers of all skill levels can enjoy a gorgeous one-mile loop (1.6km) that drops down into the canyon and winds through juniper and wildflowers.
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One of Ohio's shining stars, Hocking Hills State Park is a wonderland of grottoes, waterfalls and woodland. Its most attractive and spellbinding feature is the Upper Falls – a small waterfall that plunges into an emerald pool, surrounded by layers of eroded rock. Visitors should also stop by Ash Cave, a recess cavity with its own little waterfall and plunge pool, and hike the Old Man's Cave trail, which reveals yet more caverns and cascades. There's the chance for camping, canoeing and wildlife watching too: the park is home to deer, birdlife and elusive bobcats.
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This stark terrain might look like it belongs in Bolivia rather than Oklahoma state – but the landscape is one of the USA's best kept secrets. Great Salt Plains State Park is made up from salt left behind by a prehistoric ocean and includes its namesake lake within its limits. Outdoor activities abound here, from swimming in or kayaking on the lake to biking around and enjoying the views.
It's hard to believe that this towering waterfall is just a 30-minute drive from Portland. Crashing over more than 600 feet (182m) of craggy bluffs, the two-tiered waterfalls collect in a deep blue pool at the base. It's equally stunning when viewed from the base or from Benson Bridge. Built in 1914 and refurbished after a damaging fire, you're close enough to feel the spray from the waterfall.
Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains, the sleepy Allegheny River zigzags through Pennsylvania’s only national forest in the northwestern corner of the state. The forest’s best-known attraction is the Allegheny Reservoir, formed by the Kinzua Dam in the 1960s. Traversing the border between Pennsylvania and New York, its peaceful tree-fringed waters are considered one of the most scenic lakes in the country.
These impressive clay cliffs tower as high as 150 feet (46m) on the southern shore of Block Island. Stunning at both sunrise and sunset, the cliffs can be experienced both from the top, where expansive views of the Atlantic Ocean open up, or from sea level. Due to extreme weather, the bluffs are constantly under the threat of erosion. In 1993, the Block Island Southeast Lighthouse had to be moved back about 360 feet (110m) to keep it from tumbling into the ocean.
This reservoir was created in 1973 and is fed by cool, clear water flowing from Appalachian Mountain rivers, which is why its surface looks so pristine. Its shores are largely undeveloped, with tucked-away coves, rocky outcrops and swimming spots by waterfalls, which is all part of its charm. Hiking trails via Devils Fork State Park lead to the lakeshore, where people often launch canoes or kayaks to paddle in the gin-clear waters, surrounded by steep, slate-coloured gorges and mountain views.
Stretching over 244,000 acres, Badlands National Park is a world of peaks and prairie, where bighorn sheep and bison roam free and hiking trails show off a curious rocky landscape that contains one of the world's richest fossil beds. The park's most awe-inspiring spot is Burns Basin where the multicoloured rock layers are the most visible. Visitors should head to Burns Basin Overlook for the best views.
How can Mother Nature make a sheer, 145-foot (44m) high waterfall even more dramatic? Send it plummeting into a cave. This underground waterfall plunges through a vertical shaft inside Lookout Mountain, fed by a subterranean stream. Part of the Lookout Mountain Caverns complex in Chattanooga, the waterfall was discovered accidentally in 1928 by Leo Lambert, who named it after his wife, Ruby. The rock walls and the waterfall are all illuminated by LED lights for extra drama.
A popular spot for a swim among Austin locals in summer, this natural swimming hole is just 20 miles (32km) west of the Texas state capital. The bright green pool was once entirely underground until the sheltering limestone roof above it collapsed. A 50-foot (15m) waterfall feeds the pool and if you fancy a swim here, you'll need a reservation to access it.
The tall rock spires, also known as hoodoos, are the most distinctive characteristic of this canyon in Utah. Creating a surreal landscape, the hoodoos shine in shades of yellow, orange and red. The best way to take in the incredible scenery is to follow hiking trails that lead through the strange rock formations, the forest and around the series of natural amphitheatres.
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It's no secret that Stowe in Vermont is perhaps America's most famous autumn destination but if you're willing to hike, Vermont's highest peak, Mount Mansfield, supplies incredible vistas of the enchanting landscape in any season. There's also an option to zigzag your way up the mountain along the historic Auto Toll Road, originally completed for horse-drawn carriages to reach the hotel at the top, and the Gondola SkyRide. On a clear day, the scenery is simply incredible.
Often considered one of the prettiest beaches in the country, Ruby Beach is the crown jewel of the Olympic National Park in Washington state. Famous for its dramatic scenery of weathered driftwood, large islands known as sea stacks and the Jurassic Park-like forest that surrounds it, the beach is named after the ruby-esque crystals in the beach sand. It's an incredibly atmospheric destination perfect for restorative and relaxing walks.
Elakala resides in a park named for a different waterfall, Blackwater. While both are lovely (and Blackwater Falls is actually taller), the staggered, gunmetal-grey steps of Elakala Falls are more unusual, with an almost sculptural beauty. The water that flows through both has a distinctive amber hue, tinted by tannic acid from hemlock and red spruce needles.
The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore protects a swathe of the Bayfield Peninsula's coast and 21 wild islands. The park contains plenty of beautiful sights – dramatic cliff formations, beaches, a bounty of birdlife – but the seasonal ice caves remain the most stunning wonder of all. When the temperature drops, icy stalactites and columns form over the sandstone cliffs of the mainland, creating dazzling temporary ice caves.
Yellowstone's most famous hot spring, the Grand Prismatic's vivid blue centre is surrounded by bands of rusty orange, yellow and green, making it look otherworldly. A half-mile boardwalk loops around the hot spring as well as the other pools in the Midway Geyser Basin. However, Grand Prismatic is so large, it'll be hard to make out its shape. After you've seen it up close, head to the nearby Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook for a breathtaking view from further away.