Repost This ArticleAs an American who likes to travel, I sometimes have to be reminded just how damn gorgeous my home country is.
1
Death Valley, CA
A section of the Mojave Desert, Death Valley is the lowest, driest, hottest place in North America.Photo: H Dragon
2
KÄ«lauea, HI
Kīlauea, on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, sends streams of lava steaming into the Pacific Ocean.Photo: Tumanc
3
Monument Valley, UT
The sandstone buttes of Monument Valley stand like towers in the Four Corners region of the Western U.S.Photo: Wolfgang StaudtIntermission
4
Niagara Falls, NY
The tourist vessel "Maid of the Mist IV" does a float-by of the American Falls.Photo: Diego_3336
5
Redwoods, CA
The tallest trees on the planet hide out in a few remaining tracts of northern California's old-growth coastal forests.Photo: Rhett Sutphin
6
Grand Canyon, AZ
A mile down from the canyon's rim, the Colorado River is still cutting.Photo: goingslo
7
Mammoth Cave, KY
Mammoth Cave National Park protects a portion of the longest known cave system in the world.Photo: Peter Rivera
8
Florida Everglades
The Everglades are a 60-mile-wide, super-slow-moving subtropical river covering the tip of Florida.Photo: vladeb
9
Hubbard Glacier, AK
Where Hubbard Glacier meets the sea, its 6-mile-wide face calves huge blocks of ice.Photo: Alan Vernon.Intermission
10
Black Hills, SD
Harney Peak, within the Black Hills National Forest, is the highest east of the Rockies.Photo: blucolt
11
The Mississippi
This monster river system drains 31 U.S. states and is the fourth longest in the world.Photo: Jon Haynes Photography
12
Bryce Canyon, UT
Bryce can be more accurately described as an immense eroded amphitheater, populated with hoodoos.Photo: Chris Isherwood back soon
13
Mt. Desert Island, ME
The island is protected by Acadia National Park and is all rocky shoreline and crumbly mountain woodland.Photo: indywriter
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15
Arches, UT
The national park preserves land that's home to over 2,000 of these weathered sandstone arches.Photo: tibchrisIntermission
16
Yosemite Valley, CA
Looking down Yosemite Valley, you can see Bridalveil Falls and the granite cliff of Half Dome in the distance.Photo: *~Dawn~*
17
Carlsbad Caverns, NM
The caverns' "Big Room" is the third largest cave chamber in North America.Photo: Justin Wright
18
Old Faithful, MT
This geyser in Yellowstone National Park erupts a 140-foot spout of water at regular 45- to 120-minute intervals.Photo: WeiterWinkel
Hal Amen
Hal Amen is managing editor at Matador. His personal travel blog is WayWorded.
as if not include the aurora borealis in alaska!
I feel really spoiled living in Utah and only living a few hours away from each of these places on the list. Sometimes going on vacations I don’t have to even leave the state! If you live in the west or are visiting try to at least check out one of those National Parks listed in Utah you’ll be amazed how beautiful the desert can be. : )
It’s amazing how diverse America’s climate is, you really can see everything!
Beautiful photography. And what a great thing to do..remind of the beauty that’s in our own backyard. Thanks YOU!
The Monument Valley photograph is breathtaking. Brilliant article — this is the precise inspiration I need right now. THANKS.
i want to know about the wonders of the united states
I run a tour of Monument Valley. I see the formations every day and I never get tired of the beauty of the land around me. The iconic buttes are just one of the many sights and the valley has some amazing and massive sandstone formations that are truly a sight to behold. I can only hope to see the rest of these places, I’m working on it!
Bryce Canyon is one of the most beautiful things I have seen in the world.
the antelope canyon should be in this list and yellow stone park, definitely.
Yosemite, Redwoods…. Hawaii… so much things to see…