It’s a head-to-head battle between beaches, forests, mountains, prairies, and deserts, but only one state can emerge victorious.
“ America the beautiful ” certainly live up to the idiom . From the snowy peak ofDenalito the deep depths ofMammoth Cave , America ’s enormity means it ’s home to a ridiculous wealth of innate beauty . Few other places on Earth have the same geographic range as these 50 United States , where you may observe everything fromred - John Rock desertstothousand - twelvemonth - old redwoods , unending tundras , andbone - white beaches . Truly , being a continent - sized rural area has its benefit .
Still , at the endangerment of stirring the melting plenty , it has to be articulate : When you ’re wait at the big picture from ocean to shining sea , the see-through majesty ( and gigantic size ) of thosepurple mountainscan overshadow the amber waving of grain and fruited plain stitch . While every land has its share of beauty , it ’s fairly light that Mother Nature loves some more than others .
To determine which state pack the most innate beauty into its borders , we assembled a crew of writer who , combine , have visit every state . Then , in true American spirit , we debated to the item of exhaustion . It was deserts vs. flock . Lakesvs . woods . table salt flat tire vs. Great Plains . Seashores vs. glacier . Gorges vs.canyons . You get the picture .
MariuszBlach/iStock/Getty Images
There was no right answer … until we decide there was . Here is every country , outrank by its born beauty .
50. Iowa
Perched on Iowa ’s northeast recess , you ’ll find a gash ofWisconsin ’s Driftless regionthat true showcases some very pretty cliffs . As for the rest of the state , it does declare oneself some breathless sunsets when the twinkle go down — there ’s love affair in being able to see that far — but that ’s only because it ’s flat as hell and , well , kinda boring . Apologies .
49. Kansas
Kansans are a resilient lot , able-bodied to find happiness in life ’s simple pleasures andquirkiest roadside magnet . And their landscape — which emphasize the latter half of the term Great Plains — encourage this enviable character . If Kansans can love their land , no one else has any excuse not to love the bejesus outta theirs .
48. Indiana
At its northmost border , Indiana Dunes National Parkoffers a crackling little resort area and aspect of Lake Michigan . Near its southerly edge , Indiana ’s hilly contours give towns likeBloomingtonan effortlessly heartwarming border . In between , though ? There ’s not a good deal to advocate , aside from summertime drives , and discovering the soothing , almost hypnotizing allure of watch over clavus flash past your windowpane at 60 mph.orn flash past your window at 60 miles per hour .
47. Illinois
This for the most part featureless Midwestern state compensates in the most effective direction potential : plugging stacks of beautiful skyscrapers along Lake Michigan . Yet outsideChicago , you may still find dramatic vistas in Illinois — the knobby sandstone formation of theGarden of the Godsin the state ’s southerly tail , for one . And do scope those beautiful Mississippi River views along that long meandering western border .
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46. Missouri
It ’s tough for Missouri — which borders five states already appearing in the bowels of this leaning — to distinguish itself . Its sprawling center is a less agriculturally worn-out passage between Illinois and Kansas . But that southerly third or so is a delight . The ruddy hills of the Lake of the Ozarks surface area ( universe : Branson ) are terrific for meander drives and trout - sportfishing trips . Further eastern United States , Missourians enjoy their timberland and rivers as resort area . The funny jumpy rock outcrop around theJohnson Shut - Ins State Parkswimming holes and the slothful metro - floats on the Current River are good example . They ’re almost eerily bedding - free , evidence that Missourians appreciate what they have .
45. Nebraska
Sleep on Nebraska ’s subtle looker if you want , but its vainglorious sky and rolling mound have a thoroughly pleasant and passive charm . As impressive asToadstool Geologic Park(Nebraska ’s Badlands ! ) and Chimney Rock are , the Cornhusker State does n’t have the outstanding view of its neighbors to the west . What it does have is opened spaces , the Platte River , and a complex and authoritative ecosystem where literally millions of Bronx cheer — including 80 % of the Earth ’s sandhill cranes — confab every spring .
44. Delaware
Want to storm someone ? Send them a post card from Delaware . " I never know Delaware was that pretty , " they ’ll say , looking at a silhouette of sand dune grasses frame by an sea sunset . Actually , no one does , because Delaware ’s not big enough to hold more than three car at a time . But if you ’re lucky enough to be in one of those three cars , you , too , can take in the rolling rural countryside and the not - half - spoilt beach perspective .
43. Connecticut
PoorConnecticut(not literally , of form ) . Not only will most New Englanders disavow it for its close linkup to New York—“half the state is Yankees country!"—but it also come out as the half-pint among the region ’s hill - and - valley pastorale . Most of the res publica is categorical , and although it ’s got some quaint town along the seacoast ( we ’re attend at you , Mystic ) , and comely watercourse further inland towards the Berkshires , nondescript suburbs and urbanised areas are the average — save , of track , New Canaan ’s astonishingly incisive architectural art . Alas , at this point in its march towards the sea , even the mighty Connecticut River has lost some steam ( not to mention piece up flotsam in Hartford and Springfield ) .
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42. Mississippi
Right now hundreds of Mississippians are read this and saying , " Holy moo-cow ! There ’s a commonwealth ranking where we ’re NOT in the bottom five ! " Thank your favorable stars for that funky , frolicsomeGulf Coastof yours , Mississippi . Your adorable magnolias and charming southerly leaf notwithstanding , you ’re just 21 miles of gunpowder - soft beachfront , onepicturesque little townmade famous by a home reno show , and some pristine swamp off from being the Indiana of the South .
41. New Jersey
Look , even if New Jersey had n’t gone and cover the volume of the State Department with rest stay and suburban sprawl , it still would n’t be a stunner . That say , if you’re able to superintend to escape the strip malls , many portion of the Garden State are lovely , complete with revolve mound and polar lakes , nice beaches , and theDelaware Water Gap National Recreation Area — a truly beautiful and underappreciated stretch of earth that NJ share with Pennsylvania . Also , do n’t forget thePalisades .
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40. Ohio
High in the centre and cycle on the remnant , Ohio has an aboveboard just reputation as both matte and forgettable . But the hilly southerly part of the state is pretty than people realize ; it does border Kentucky and West Virginia , after all . And while no one would mistake thesouthern shoring of Lake Eriefor Big Sur , Ohio ’s nearly 300 mile of Great Lake coastline offer outstanding opened - H2O vistas best catch from the top ofroller coasters .
39. Rhode Island
For such a tiny state , Rhode Island does comparatively well for itself . plenty of folks will joke that half of its area is made up of beaches , and they ’re honestly not too far off — Block Islandhas some lovely one , and ocean cliffs / four flush there and inNewportadd to the state ’s maritime charm . But it ’s got the pack of cards stacked against it : There just is n’t enough room in Rhode Island for anythingtrulygrand , the Breakers aside . It ’s just a pity that nature did n’t work up them .
38. Louisiana
ThoughNew Orleans(deservedly ! ) have most of the love , there ’s plenty to do in Louisiana outside of its cities : The fishing ’s great , the duck’s egg hunting is world - class , and the airboat rides amid alligator - overrun cypress tree trees are not to be miss . But its position at the bottom of the Mississippi River does n’t do its beaches or wetlands any favour , and when the highest raw point in the state is only double as high as theSuperdome , you ’re go to be stuck with a set of scene that ducks are in the best placement to appreciate .
37. North Dakota
North Dakota has become so synonymous with fracking , glacial flatlands , and anoffbeat film and goggle box empirethat does n’t actually take position there that Fargo ’s visitant center sport a “ Best for Last ” photo backdrop for masses begrudgingly visiting in club to claim they finally travel to all 50 states ( it sit down next to a certain iconic woodchipper ) . Still , it ’s not all plains and you - betchas — NoDak is also base toTheodore Roosevelt National Park , a breathtaking mix of prairies , mesas , and mountain view dotted with buffalo . Kind of like the young child forever being compare to their former sibling , North Dakota does n’t get proper credit when compared to its beautiful sister state to the Dixie .
36. Kentucky
Culturally , this state ( and its accents ) can never decide whether it ’s part of the Midwest , South , or Appalachia . Geographically , it does n’t care , because it shake the highlights of all those regions : the pocky hollers and mountain opinion in the east,400 - naut mi - long Mammoth Cave , and an abundance of rolled , grassy mound . you may still find family tobacco farm on the back route , but the most distinct part of the landscape painting is that symbiosis between horse and luminous pasture . People here assert they can see the grass glint blue ( hence — you guessed it — bluegrass ) . Whatever colour , it all makes you need to finish and marvel .
35. Alabama
Though most Gulf Coast states are flat , unripe surface area of humidity and pine Tree , Alabama actually has some pretty elevation in the central part of the state of matter around Birmingham . add together this to thewhite sand beaches of the Redneck Rivieraand you ’ve got a res publica that rarely gets its due .
34. Pennsylvania
It ’s got hills , Amish buggy , and pleasant forests that in the descent molt into spectacular amber and yellowness and oranges . But for Pennsylvania ’s size , it lacks that " wow " factor . It ’s a densely populated eastern state minus the redeeming coastline . It ’s receive a nice piece of the Appalachians , but not so impressive a piece as its neighbors . And , yes , you could ski the Poconosif you really do n’t experience up to kick the bucket somewhere better . But like so many of the features here , you ’d trade up , given the choice .
33. Oklahoma
Oklahoma does bring its fair ploughshare of variety . That panhandle dilute out and osculate New Mexico on the cheek , the southerly border is staring for read Larry McMurtry novels , and the eastern sharpness running along the Arkansas delimitation volunteer a surprisingly various premix of electric - light-green hills and jungly forests . Suffice it to say that Oklahoma is probably pretty than you expect — but then again , your expectation were depressed for a cause .
32. Maryland
It ’s hard to say anything necessarily bad about Maryland since it ’s got all the vista of scene you look for in a state . The craggy west is almost an extension of West Virginia , with its dramatic unripe hills and blooming downslope colour . Along theAtlantic beachesand the feeder of Chesapeake Bay , the State Department has 600 land mile of coastline — almost double what Texas has on the Gulf of Mexico — while the arcadian cultivated land and vineyards along theEastern Shore in Talbot Countyrounds out the idyllic bliss .
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31. South Carolina
Arguably , the most picturesque part of South Carolina is also the most pop : Charleston . But since this is a ranking of natural beauty , not wizard colonial architecture , the highlight of the state is theMountain Bridge Wilderness Area , home to the 420 - foot - high Raven Cliff Falls inCaesars Head State Parkand some of the best scenic overlook in the South . The coastal beaches are pleasant and calming as well , and you’re able to not beata sun - dapple drive through the low countryunder a canopy of moss - draped hot oak .
30. Georgia
If you live in Florida , the most beautiful stack you ’ll ever see is when you bilk the country telephone circuit into Georgia and see petrol price drop a buck a gallon . Past that ? Aside from the quaint Southernness of trees draped in Spanish moss and ungroomed beaches in the southern part of the land , the scenic highlight is the " mountains " north ofAtlanta . Which seem downright towering when you ’ve been force through Florida , but still do n’t measure up to the Smokies or the Appalachians a few hr down the route .
29. Arkansas
There are benefits to being a hermit kingdom . The southeasterly half of the state is n’t much to behold unless you ’re into swamps , ley , rice fields , and the same fungible pine woodland you ’ll find in Mississippi and Georgia . Heading northward , however , you find mound that concealcaves , creeks , and gullies , andhot springs . The Buffalo River , the first designated National river in the country , remains one of the rarefied undammed American river of any event . And the Ouachita Mountains in the southwestern United States amble incessantly , pit with natural splendor and town just prominent enough to support a accelerator station where you’re able to fit yourself for a few days of float or tenting .
28. Florida
It ’s a tough call with Florida , where people dredged the savourless swampland that once defined the country , built C of miles of unreal beaches , then delineate those beach with ugly condominium , liberal name hotels , and the Florida Men ( and bound breakers ) that come with both . Still , gators be damned , we ’d be remiss to ignore the obvious beauty dealt out by sites like the underwater paradise that isBiscayne National Park , thepalm tree and lily-white sand - lined watersof the Keys , and even the pretty squeamish swamp inBig Cypress National Preserveand theEverglades . neat up your deed a little , Florida , and you may rank higher next time around .
27. South Dakota
Most people associate South Dakota with the same plains and ice - coated dullery its cousin-german to the compass north , which is partially rightful . So how the heck did SoDak go up so high ? clear , you ’ve never made it to the America ’s well - kept hush-hush ( unless you ’re a biker of a elephantine presidential sculpture aficionado , in which eccentric you definitely have ) . The entire western Black Hills region — where you canhike to Harney Peak(the gamey item between the Rockies and the Pyrenees ) in the first light and spend the afternoonhiking Spearfish Canyon — is an right-down banger . lead a little further east into theBadlands , that inaptly appoint Martian rockscape , with more vegetation and a greater variety of colors . Even the flatter easterly part of the state has place likePalisades State Parkoutside Sioux Falls , where Split Rock Creek meanders through 50 - foot quartzite cliffs . A trip here might have you wondering why it ’s not ranked higher .
26. Massachusetts
Topographically , Massachusetts is the crossroads of New England . Its neighbors to the south are comparatively characterless , and its neighbors to the N are far more rugged ( both in geography and the boot - leather reference of their citizens ) . Still , Massachusetts has its draw — theCape Cod National Seashorehas long draw artists for the quality of its sunsets , and the rolling hill of theBerkshireshighlands and Pioneer Valley show window some ofthe nation ’s best fall foliage . Massachusetts also has Middlesex County , which , contrary to its name , is actually pretty low in sexiness .
25. Nevada
Most people have sex Nevada asLas Vegasplus the let’s - floor - it luck of aroad trip to California . And , yes , the bulk of this state is so dusty and routine that the military used to test nukes here without anyone really noticing . But the highlight wander from staggering to hide . Red Rock Canyon , a simple Uber ride from theVegas Strip , is a jaw - dropping oasis of striated limestone and sandstone . The Ruby Valley is a foxy slight plot of land of mountains that ’ll break up any misstep across I-80 . Theswirling cream - and - ruby rock formations of Valley of Fire State Parklook like Dr. Seuss drew them . And of class , there’sLake TahoeandDeath Valley National Park , both of which are mostly in California , but , hey , you made it !
24. Texas
Texas is so bloody big it ca n’t aid but have some standout sights along the way : Big Bend National Park , extraordinary night skies , and the sweeping desert ravisher ofWest Texas , Hill Countryin springtime , Gulf waves lapping againstthe curving shoreline . What it does n’t have is anything that is , in fact , the best in its category . There ’s right Western scenery as you go farther west , better forests anywhere east , good beach in any counseling ' cept straight magnetic north . But give Texas its due . Anything you ’d want to take in ( relieve coke - capped quite a little ) really is all here , and if you break free of the cities , the clear roadstead feel as free as anywhere .
23. Tennessee
show the state left to rightfulness , and it just keeps mother better , from the top of the Delta in the west , across the hills and pastures of the central third , to the crescendo of mountain vistas that annunciate your arriver in theSmoky Mountains . Since this landlocked easterly state packs this much form , you’re able to pretty much blame any highway , turn off the first time you see a State Park sign , and feel like you ’ve dispatch the scenery jackpot .
22. Minnesota
In a Graeco-Roman Midwestern undersell , the Land of 10,000 Lakes actually boasts close to 12,000 , so Minnesota ’s got muckle to ooh and aaw about in between slap mosquitoes . But it ’s theNorth Shorethat rightfully drops jaw : You ’ll find rugged lakeshore cliffs lined with lighthouse and deep forest that conceal stellar hiking track and waterfalls ; amount in the summertime , when theBoundary Watersoffers some of the most sought - after fishing and canoeing in the upper prairie . The sheer , rugged Lake Superior shoreline gives another glimpse of raw North America , and the pocky glacial pickle aroundInterstate State Parkwill prompt you how far northerly you really are .
21. Wisconsin
More than prairie and dairies . You could stray 800 miles along the shores of Lakes Superior and Michigan , not include the 15,000 - unpaired lake scattered around the rest of the state . ( Yes , that ’s more than Minnesota . ) The land lack a single grand , signature instinctive lineament that you just got ta go see , thoughthe Apostle Islands are one - of - a - kindand you ’ll behard - pressed to find state more pleasant than Door County . But to truly appreciate Wisconsin ’s full regalia of cliffs , forests , water , and the episodic lifelike stone bridge , take the 1,200 - mi - longIce Age Trailthat roll through the state like a tapeworm . Glaciers left these lakes and boulders for you to love , so you might as well use ‘em .
20. West Virginia
You may not mean to ride to it , but you ’ll never forget drive through it . A favorite of base jumper for its gorgeous gorge and outdoorsy type come to ogleAmerica ’s newest interior car park , West Virginia ’s scene is full of kept , roll old Hill and rivers talk down limestone . TheMonongahela National Forestexemplifies the forested , bouldered terrain that kids from Maine to Missouri grew up clambering through . One of the most overlook niche of the country evokes the just parts of the eastern half of the continent .
19. Virginia
Though its beaches here might not be showing up in any Corona advertising , the single in the Hampton Roads are some of the nicest and broad on the Eastern Seaboard , and probably the least - appreciate scenery in the Commonwealth . The rolling hills and wine-colored country of Central Virginia are a big part of why they say “ Virginia Is for Lovers . ” And a trip down Skyline Drive inShenandoah National Parkmight be thebest leaf - peep campaign in America .
18. Idaho
Quick : What states contain a piece ofYellowstone ? Most mass will name Wyoming and Montana , but Idaho also claims a slice of the national park pie . Surprises like that layall across Idaho , which is arguably America ’s most under - comprehended country for scene . The Sawtooth Mountains have some of the best stack biking in America , while the C - cap vizor seeable from Coeur d’Alene make it a humankind - family skiing name and address . And all the state ’s smasher is best take on in with a head trip down the Snake River , wind through mountains and scenic meadows .
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17. New Hampshire
If we ’re being honest , New Hampshire lost its most glorious sight a few ten back when theOld Man of the Mountain collapsed . ( No , we ’re still not over it . ) Yet its visibility stay on relatively strong : It ’s home to theWhite Mountains ' grand Presidential Range , dramatically chip at gulch defile , notches , braggy lakes like Winnipesaukee , and sprawling valleys of farming area near the Canadian border . It ’s just a ignominy that the southern part of the state looks so much like suburban Connecticut , but with few package ( a.k.a . liquor ) entrepot .
16. North Carolina
The most beautiful nation on the East Coast ? heavily to argue with North Carolina , the rare easterly land where you may see a progression of scenery as you drive through from the East Coast beaches to theBlue Ridge Mountainsin the west . The Outer Banks are some of the good coastal retreat in the nation , and a tripper through the plush greenery of the center of the state in the end bring you to the preeminent post for slew scene , Great Smoky Mountains National Park . Throw inAsheville ’s artsy vibration , and what more could you ask for ?
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15. New York
New York State is too often defined byNew York City . Too speculative , ‘cause the wilder reach of the state rivals the diversity of almost any other . deal : New York has three coasts ( Lake Erie , Lake Ontario , and the Atlantic ) and two distinct slew ranges ( theCatskillsand theAdirondacks ) . It claim a slice of Lake Champlain and all of theFinger Lakes . Plus the prettier one-half of Niagara Falls — there ’s a reason the best views come when you stand on the Canadian side with your back to the Ripley ’s Believe It or Not ! Museum . Conservation is an ongoing struggle in New York , but the land has done an admirable job of secure natural space for wildlife and hazardous people to relish . The Empire State has more publicly owned land by percentage than any DoS east of the Mississippi and is number one in the country for percentage of land possess by the Department of State itself . ( Thanks , New York City tax root word ! )
14. New Mexico
The fine cinematographers fromBreaking Badmade this land a stunning backdrop for make lechatelierite methamphetamine hydrochloride . But even without the dilapidated trailers in the foreground , the desert scenery here is absolutely breathtaking . The red rock drop-off and sprawl mesas make aroad trip through New Mexicofeel a lot short than the 375 mi that I-40 really span across the state . Northern New Mexico brag the deal of Taos , giving that part of the state a tone more Colorado than Arizona ; head south , and you ’ll hit the dramatic Organ Mountains before arriving atWhite Sands National Park , one of the most sensational bit of earth in the Lower 48 .
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13. Vermont
This famously sparsely populated state of matter iscovered in rolling fleeceable hills , all of which seem to have absolved pile streams , lake , and midget villages huddled around them . ( God foreclose you visit during the summit of fall , when the red and gold foliage make The Northeast Kingdom almost painfully beautiful . ) From the sundown shores of Lake Champlain to the brumous river of St. Johnsbury , you ’d be intemperately press out to find a place in Vermontthat did n’t look like it popped out of a calendar . Of course , it is the only country in New England without any ocean coastline , and even Bernie Sanders and Ben & Jerry ’s can only make up so much for that .
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12. Michigan
assume on their own , the Upper or Lower Peninsulas could have rank in the upper tiers of this inclination . Combine them , and you ’ve basically got two knockout states for the price of one — even if the Yoopers up N do n’t require you to know . The most beautiful DoS Orient of the Mississippi is home to a staggering 3,288 miles of virgin Michigan coast . Thanks to some thread prehistoric glaciers , this landlocked treasure is environ by inland seas , and the Great Lakes combine to offer up some of thebest beaches in the integral continental US . From theunspoiled forests of the UPto thesandy beach of Lake Michiganto the craggy sea-coast of Lake Huron , and the more than11,000 inland lakes between , you could expend years exploring Michigan , and never touch the end of those full water .
11. Wyoming
Here marks the best - of - the - best serving of this list . Everyone in the top twenty percent has some singular , gallant aspect that can make a casing for being the good in the land . Equality State is so ample with mantrap that even the Grand Tetons — home toquite maybe the individual most dramatic vista points in the land — somehow get overshadowed by Yellowstone National Park justly next door . But if all you ’ve ever seen of Wyoming is Jackson Hole and I-80 , you ’re missing out on the otherworldly in high spirits plain outside of Laramie and Cheyenne , the ghostly rock of Vedauwoo , the lot of the Front Range ( the very same mountains you saw on your trip-up to Denver ) , the Wind River Range , the Bighorns , and the brightest milklike Way views in the Lower 48 . That ’s not to observe Red Canyon , the Red Desert , Devils Tower , or the wildlife , admit elk , Alces alces , bison , and pronghorn population that bit in the hundreds of thousands . Few the great unwashed venture into Wyoming to see just how the light shimmer off gilt Aspen trees on a limitless mountain prairie — and folks in the Cowboy State like that just fine .
10. Maine
Maine resident sleep together they ’ve got some of the best natural scenery in the Northeast and are totally content with you just sticking to thePortlandarea to deplete lobstah so there ’s more elbow room up northward for them . In addition to possess some of the most breathtaking coastline in America ( with thousands of notched island offshore play the total mileage of pebbly beach to over 3,000 ) , Maine ’s stupefy the gorgeousAcadia National Park , Mount Katahdin ( the backsheesh of the Appalachian Trail ) , andcountless demesne of dim wilderness and furrowed seashorefor the L.L. Bean eccentric ( it ’s fundamentally , like , their uniform up there ) .
9. Montana
A brunch - fare rendering of Alaska , Montana offers big Rockies , expectant lakes , decided seasons , andtwo of the most awe - inspiring national common anywhere in the world : a section ofYellowstoneat the south perimeter , and thebroad shoulders of Glacierat the top . To be honest , the sky is n’t any bigger here than elsewhere ; if anything , the hilly shape at the edges give definition to the surroundings . But what you do get is broad open space , and lot of ‘em . This , America ’s third - largest province , is base to just 1 million the great unwashed compared to 38 million in California and 27 million in Texas . Splendor abounds in Montana , and chances are you’re able to have a immense slab of it ( hopefully a hot outpouring ) to yourself .
8. Arizona
Arizona ’s baseline is a riot of desert oranges and fuchsias that only build up to perhaps the most - ogle feature on the continent : theGrand Canyon , the climax of a millionAmerican road trips . Monument Valley has been scientifically proven to be where cowboy ' soul go when they die . Elsewhere , Arizona ’s group B - side — the Superstition Mountains , the Petrified Forest , Saguaro , Lake Powell , the areas aroundFlagstaffandSedona — would alone make it a top 20 state . And do n’t sleep on one of the most dramatic terrestrial features anywhere : the 560 - foot - deep meteor volcanic crater that , befitting so much of Arizona ’s feeling , literally come from elsewhere in the solar arrangement .
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7. Oregon
Oregon ’s west side is allrugged coastlineand sprawling rainforests . Inland , you ’ll find dense Douglas fir tree woods and snow - capped mountains ; gamy desert and sprawl volcanic fields ; and hill that look like they were painted by ancient immortal who were doing plein - air prowess before it was coolheaded in Portland . This is a commonwealth whose most famous main road , theColumbia River GorgeHighway , cuts a belt between Oregon and Washington that ’s overflowing with sweeping vistas and roar waterfalls . The coastline is pocked with giant rocks like Haystack and rude oddness like the surrealThor ’s Well . add together inCrater Lake National Park , the snowy peak of Mounts Hood and Bachelor , theWillamette Valley wine country , and the ripple Painted Hills in the empty , open east , and you ’ve got a state that holds its own as a coastal precious stone or a desert standout .
6. Washington
All that stuff and nonsense we say about Oregon ? You ’ll obtain most of that up north , yet somehow everything seems more epic , from the mountainous coastline to the thick forests that wrap up most of the state like a snug face cloth . Mt. Rainier holds its own against the rocky of Rocky Mountains , while St. Helen ’s flat - top offers a ( somewhat ) easily climbable way of life to get up nigh and personal with a ( also somewhat ) late exploded vent . The state is home to not one but two towering mountain ranges ( the spectacular Cascades , the rainforested Olympics ) as well as the winding Columbia River Gorge . TheSan Juan Islandsare the closest thing you ’ll get to cruising through Alaska without induce to go north of the forty-ninth parallel . The body politic ’s two interior parks — Olympic andNorth cascade — bring off the duality of being among the country ’s bestandthe country ’s most apart . Even parts of Eastern and Central Washington — peculiarly up north in the Okanagan — have some spectacular desert scene .
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5. Utah
To rank this high with on the button zero Admiralty mile of coastline , you ’ve got ta have some greatest sights , andUtah brings it like no other landlocked commonwealth in the nation . It ’s one of the few states where someone can look at a picture and say , “ Oh , yeah , that ’s Utah , ” whether it ’s the famoussandstone arches and the canyon at Moaborthe bizarre geological formation in Goblin Valley . And that ’s just the southern one-half . TheBonneville Salt Flatsare one of the neat geologic sights in America , and further N , Utah is domicile topowder - covered mint as good as any in the west . If outdoor diversion is your top holiday priority , you might not find a better place .
4. Colorado
To make it into the top 10 % of scenic State , you ’ve got ta have a certain je ne sais quoi . That ’s no job for Colorado , since anybody who ’s ever set understructure here has beenwowed by the sheer uprightness … including extraterrestrials . Colorado has more than 50 — that ’s five - zero — peaks standing eminent than 14,000 animal foot , more than triple the relaxation of the Lower 48 aggregate . Harder to reach , but no less awing , are the state ’s abundantmountain lake — places that make the journeying up those peaks deserving the trek and provide some of the most underrated beachfront on the planet . The only drawback to Colorado is that the eastern third or so feels like Nebraska got a director ’s excision . To get the most out of this land , take a drive fromDenverto Telluride and prepare to be blown away .
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3. Hawaii
Pound - for - Ezra Pound , acre - for - acre , this archipelago is the most stunningly various and variously spectacular station you’re able to get to without a passport — and maybe even with one . The Hawaiian island — seven larger island , plus 130 small , uninhabited islet — contain such an array of landscapes because of their immense age col : for object lesson , afforest , canyoned Kauai is 6 million years aged than thebroad , dark-skinned , in the altogether Big Island , which is still grow , fed by the glowing volcanic vent that have the lot . Between them : Oahu , with centre - stopping beachesand hobo camp and drop-off under constant violation by rainbows ; Maui , a sheaf of holiday postcards that unionized and formed an island ; tourer - igniter Molokai , where some of the world ’s steepest cliff plunge into rich blue ocean ; and Lanai , which looks like the lovechild of Ireland and a Caribbean islet . You do n’t think it can be true until you get there , but Hawaii is one of the few destinations that , if anything , manages to exceed its thoroughgoing 10 reputation .
2. Alaska
No state will leave you in complete awe of nature like Alaska . Whether it ’s Kenai fjord and the glacier of the inside passage , Denali ’s Brobdingnagian expanse of C. P. Snow - capped peaks , or the sprawling tundra that makes up the inside , the state boasts the sort of rugged wilderness that just does n’t exist in the rest of America . ( For trial impression , see no further than its eight monolithic internal parks , includingGates of the Arctic , the largest of all 63 . )
Part of the fun is that much of Alaska is n’t accessible by road , so the only way to get around is via scenic boat trips , helicopter tour , orNorthern Lights train rides — all of which hail with sizable opportunity to spot heavyweight , bears , ocean lions , and other animals you typically never see outside of menagerie . And although the land mess here are the biggest scenic attraction , Alaska has some pretty respectable beach towns to boot .
The Gateway to Alaska Is a Nexus for Glaciers, Sea Life, and Flightseeing
From wilderness tours to unbeatable stargazing, this one-time whistle stop town lives up to its motto, “Alaska Starts Here.”
1. California
count , we did n’t really require it to be California . Californian do n’t really need more reasons to say “ I tell you so . ” But if we ’re being truly fair , it could n’t really be another state contain it down at the top of the list . Yes , it has yield . Lots of ‘ em . But how many beautiful thing do n’t ? For a moment , get ’s drop the public lecture of climate change and dealings and Kardashians andIn - N - Outand talk for a instant about how California has EVERY individual variety OF peach you could possibly want . Start in the south with the expansive , innate beaches set against hulk cliffs . Then move inland to the moonshine - corresponding desertscapes in the Mojave . There ’s thedrive along the PCH and Big Sur , direct in the wine-colored country of the Central Coast and up intoSan Francisco , a city that owes its esthetic to cliffside views and roll of fog .
Oh , and lest we forgetYosemite National Park . OrRedwood National Park . OrDeath Valley National Park . Or any of themany underrated national Rosa Parks . Or the stinking desert landscape painting featuring everything fromJoshua Tree’sbizarro rock-and-roll formations to theAntelope Valley’skaleidoscopic poppy bloom . Or thewine res publica that stretch from Napa Valley in the northto Temecula in the south . face , the Golden State is n’t for everybody , but as far as unmixed multifariousness of innate beauty is concerned , nothing else amount closemouthed . you may see why , once upon a fourth dimension , people crossed expansive grassland and exorbitant mountains and punishing deserts only to come in California and say to themselves , the trip was worth it after all .
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