The 1,450-mile-long (2,330km) Colorado River runs from Colorado’s Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of California, and is our pick for America's most beautiful river. Its watershed spans a whopping seven states: Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona and California.

No wonder it’s often referred to as the Lifeline of the Southwest. One of its most photogenic spots is Horseshoe Bend, a 1,000-foot-deep (305m) horseshoe-shaped meander in Glen Canyon. This formation was created around five million years ago, when the Colorado Plateau uplifted and the winding river gradually cut through the raised rock.

Now discover our ranking of America's most beautiful lakes

America’s most beautiful rivers