Top 10 Natural Landmarks and National Parks In the United States
America may be known for its man made landmarks, but there are a handful of natural landmarks that are really cool and underrated. In all honesty, I would really recommend going to visit these places if you have not. These are bucket list places and there’s more that are worth a trip as well.
The Grand Canyon in Arizona is a natural formation distinguished by layered bands of red rock, revealing millions of years of geological history in cross-section. Vast in scale, the canyon averages 10 miles across and a mile deep along its 277-mile length. Much of the area is a national park, with Colorado River white-water rapids and sweeping vistas. Located north of Phoenix in Arizona the Grand Canyon is a sight to behold, this great chasm measures one mile deep, 18 miles wide, and stretches for approximately 277 river miles. In all, the Grand Canyon National Park covers 1,218,375 acres. It’s one of the most iconic landmarks not only in the US but in the entire world. There’s multiple ways to see the Grand Canyon including the Skywalk, which is an extended see-through walkway built and maintained by the Hualapai Nation, a native group living in this region. Grand Canyon West and the Skywalk are not a part of the Grand Canyon National Park, but nevertheless, provide a stunning view of the area. The National Park itself contains the North and South Rim and offers hiking paths. On average about 5 million people visit per year
I went here in June 2015 when I was on vacation in the Western US. Such a beautiful place.
Beautiful place, I had the pleasure of hiking down it a few years ago
Located where the waters of Lake Erie drain into Lake Ontario. Niagara Falls sits in northern New York along the US border with Canada, Niagara Falls is actually shared between the two countries. On the U.S. side, you'll find Niagara Falls State Park, which is the oldest state park in the United States. It was established by Frederick Law Olmstead, who was also responsible for the design of New York City's Central Park. There are 3 main Falls Horseshoe Falls, American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls you can hike around the falls or take a boat tour. Niagara Falls has seen countless honeymoon trips and daredevils over the years and on average about 20 million people come every year on both the US and Canadian side
Love this place because both Americans and Canadians can treasure it
It’s really beautiful I have seen both sides but I think the Canada side is a lot better
Arches National Park lies north of Moab in the state of Utah. Bordered by the Colorado River in the southeast, it’s known as the site of more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches, such as the massive, red-hued Delicate Arch in the east. Long, thin Landscape Arch stands in Devils Garden to the north. Other geological formations include Balanced Rock, towering over the desert landscape in the middle of the park. Home to more than 2,000 natural stone arches, Arches National Park is located right next to the Colorado River in eastern Utah, you can enjoy it by driving or cycling along the scenic 18-mile road that winds its way through the park. There are also a number of hiking trails that range from 15 minutes to 5 hours, and ranger-led tours are offered during the spring, summer, and fall. You can even go rock climbing on certain routes
Located in Wyoming and parts of Montana and Idaho. Yellowstone National Park is something special. As the first established national park in the world, Yellowstone contains spectacular mountains and canyons, the Yellowstone and Snake Rivers, forests, and is filled with wildlife. Yellowstone is also home to the largest collection of hot springs/ geysers in the world. The most famous of these is Old Faithful. It’s not the biggest in the park (that is the Steamboat Geyser) but it’s the most consistent of the geysers going off every hour to two hours.
One of the most evocative landscapes in the American Southwest is Monument Valley, consisting of sandstone buttes, mesas, and spire rock structures in the Colorado Plateau. Something unique is that this area stretches between the states of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico and includes the Four Corners area where these four states meet. The area is actually managed by the Navajo Nation because the park is located on Navajo land. The Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park includes hiking trails, camping areas, and a 17-mile scenic route for driving around the park. Some of the best-known rock formations in Monument Valley include the East and West Mittens, which indeed look like mittens; the Three Sisters, which appear to be a nun facing two pupils; Elephant Butte; Camel Butte; the Totem Pole; and John Ford Point. The best time to visit Monument Valley is during
monsoon season which lasts from July to September because the ever-changing clouds are exciting to watch and make for ...more
Denali National Park and Preserve encompasses 6 million acres of Alaska’s interior wilderness. Its centerpiece is 20,310-ft.-high Denali (fka Mount McKinley), North America’s tallest peak. With terrain of tundra, spruce forest and glaciers, the park is home to wildlife including grizzly bears, wolves, moose, caribou and Dall sheep. Popular activities in summer include biking, backpacking, hiking and mountaineering. Standing at a height of 20,320 feet (6,194 meters), Denali is the highest peak in the United States and the highest peak in North America. It’s located in its own National Park which is comprised of six million acres of Alaskan wilderness. Although it is remote and is known for its bitterly cold weather it’s a huge attraction for climbers and those who seek an adrenaline rush. It was formerly Mt McKinley but it was renamed to Denali in 2015 under the Obama administration
Crater Lake National Park is located in Oregon and the lake itself has a very dark blue tone to it. The cliffs surrounding the lake are a towering 2,000 ft tall. The lake was formed when the volcano, Mount Mazama, erupted in about 5700 B.C. leaving the crater to fill gradually with water. The lake, the deepest in the United States, measures 1,900 deep. It is closed in the winter due to the weather but when it’s opened you can hike and enjoy the scenery around the quiet tranquil lake
Yosemite National Park is in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains. It’s famed for its giant, ancient sequoia trees, and for Tunnel View, the iconic vista of towering Bridalveil Fall and the granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome. In Yosemite Village are shops, restaurants, lodging, the Yosemite Museum and the Ansel Adams Gallery, with prints of the photographer’s renowned black-and-white landscapes of the area. Yosemite National Park is one of the oldest National Parks in the US. It’s an amazing place that attracts so many people per year. It is internationally recognized for its granite cliffs, biological diversity, ancient trees, and enormous waterfalls. The Half Dome in particular is a granite cliff that has become one of the defining features of Yosemite. The highest waterfall in North America is also located here,Yosemite Falls is 2,425 feet and another visitor favorite
Everglades National park, an International Biosphere Reserve, is a place to see wildlife unique to the swampy habitat of southern Florida. An iconic thing to do is to tour by airboat where you'll get a sense of this dense swamp and encounter rare species such manatees, American crocodiles, a variety of birds, Florida panthers, and alligators.
Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, is an amazing system of limestone caverns and something you wouldn’t expect to find in Kentucky of all places There are more than 365 miles of a five-layered
cave system mapped and more are being discovered. As the world’s longest cave system, this park has much to offer its visitors including limestone formations 200-300 ft below ground
