The 1,450-mile-long 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 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.

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Now discover our ranking of America's most beautiful lakes

America's most stunning rivers, ranked