18 natural wonders of the US [PICS]

By On May 31, 2010 · 30 Comments
As an American who likes to travel, I sometimes have to be reminded just how damn gorgeous my home country is.

Death Valley, CA

A section of the Mojave Desert, Death Valley is the lowest, driest, hottest place in North America.Photo: H Dragon

Kīlauea, HI

Kīlauea, on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, sends streams of lava steaming into the Pacific Ocean.Photo: Tumanc

Monument Valley, UT

The sandstone buttes of Monument Valley stand like towers in the Four Corners region of the Western U.S.Photo: Wolfgang Staudt

Niagara Falls, NY

The tourist vessel "Maid of the Mist IV" does a float-by of the American Falls.Photo: Diego_3336

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

Grand Canyon, AZ

A mile down from the canyon's rim, the Colorado River is still cutting.Photo: goingslo

Mammoth Cave, KY

Mammoth Cave National Park protects a portion of the longest known cave system in the world.Photo: Peter Rivera

Florida Everglades

The Everglades are a 60-mile-wide, super-slow-moving subtropical river covering the tip of Florida.Photo: vladeb

Hubbard Glacier, AK

Where Hubbard Glacier meets the sea, its 6-mile-wide face calves huge blocks of ice.Photo: Alan Vernon.

Black Hills, SD

Harney Peak, within the Black Hills National Forest, is the highest east of the Rockies.Photo: blucolt

The Mississippi

This monster river system drains 31 U.S. states and is the fourth longest in the world.Photo: Jon Haynes Photography

Bryce Canyon, UT

Bryce can be more accurately described as an immense eroded amphitheater, populated with hoodoos.Photo: Chris Isherwood back soon

Mt. Desert Island, ME

The island is protected by Acadia National Park and is all rocky shoreline and crumbly mountain woodland.Photo: indywriter

Crater Lake, OR

Collapsed volcano, now a deep blue lake in southern Oregon.Photo: Michael Whyte

Arches, UT

The national park preserves land that's home to over 2,000 of these weathered sandstone arches.Photo: tibchris

Yosemite Valley, CA

Looking down Yosemite Valley, you can see Bridalveil Falls and the granite cliff of Half Dome in the distance.Photo: *~Dawn~*

Carlsbad Caverns, NM

The caverns' "Big Room" is the third largest cave chamber in North America.Photo: Justin Wright

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

Parks + Wilderness
Niagara Falls, United States • Kilauea, United States • Alaska (region), United States • Arizona (region), United States • California (region), United States • Florida (region), United States • Kentucky (region), United States • Maine (region), United States • Mississippi (region), United States • New Mexico (region), United States • Oregon (region), United States • South Dakota (region), United States • Utah (region), United States
 

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About The Author

Hal Amen

Freelance writer Hal Amen edits Matador Trips. His personal travel blog is at WayWorded.

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  • http://alainarose.wordpress.com Alaina O’Brien

    Beautiful. I’m often the same way, forgetting that I have so much of the United States left to explore!

  • http://www.holisticwithhumor.com Christine Garvin

    Utah is so ridiculously beautiful. The West has certainly got it like that.

  • http://joelrunyon.com/two3 Joel | Blog Of Impossible Things

    I need to make it out west soon. Like Christine said, it looks ridiculously beautiful.

    Kilauea is awesome as well. If you get the chance, go do it. It’s worth it =)

  • Matt

    Incredible pics. Loved it

  • http://www.blogaforeva.wordpress.com ade truna

    i wish i were there

  • Kathy

    Not only how beautiful, but how varied! Wonderful pix!

    And I totally agree with Joel, everybody should see Kilauea. It’s like visiting another planet without even needing a passport!

  • http://www.kaleidoscopicwandering.com JoAnna

    I love, love, love Death Valley! And just about anywhere in Utah is fabulous!

  • Paul Sullivan

    Amazing. I did a road trip around the SW USA (Bryce, Grand Canyon, Arches etc) and was blown away by some of these places. I had previously thought of America as a nation of cities. Since then I always think of it in terms of the jaw-dropping beauty that often exists between those cities. Great photo essay.

  • http://www.spiritualmind.com Alex Andrei

    That monument valley shot is crazy.

  • http://onceatraveler.com Turner

    Great pictures!

  • Johnny

    God is creator of all these things!!! Grace to Him!

  • http://www.saltlake-utah-weddingphotography.com/about.htm Amanda, utah

    So glad to see Utah making repeated spots on the list. ;)

  • katie

    I love the black hills. absolutely gorgeous if you stand on the top of a peak!

  • http://hannahinmotion.wordpress.com Hannah In Motion

    I’m originally from Maine and was psyched to see Mt. Desert Island on your list. After lots of international traveling I’m ready to venture into the belly of the US; thanks for the added inspiration, Hal!

  • Jacob Van Baalen

    I feel so good that I’ve been to almost all of these! These pictures are awesome, but no media can do these features justice.

    Oh, it’s also really cool that there is no other half to half-dome in Yosemite. And, in California, the Coastal Redwoods are the tallest, and the Sequoias by the Sierra-Nevadas are the biggest by mass.

  • Sandy

    You can only get on the Maid of the Mist in Canada.

  • Rick

    Just like to point out that the picture of “The Mittens” above is in northeastern Arizona, not Utah. Utah has Bryce Canyon, which is part of the same region and has similar landscapes, but Arizona has Monument Valley.

  • http://www.xn--usa-sdwesten-hlb.de USA Suedwesten

    I totally love the picture of the Death Valley. It just looks so alien. I really enjoyed this photo series and will link it on my website!

  • http://www.ieatmypigeon.wordpress.com Eva

    Now ain’t this all the damn truth. Ain’t it the damn truth.

  • Gabe

    Four selections from California, three selections from Utah….couldn’t have spread it around a bit more? Typical United States slideshow – the only Pacific Coast state apparently worth mentioning is California. Nearly every state surrounding Colorado is covered, but Colorado is somehow left out, even though it has more beautiful mountainous terrain and “Fourteeners” than any other state in the country, by a landslide. Guess that’s not beautiful enough for Mr. Amen. The only mountain shot is just an opportunity to show yet ANOTHER location in California. Pretty pictures, but giant FAIL in pic selection.

  • http://matadortrips.com/ Hal Amen

    Ouch. I’ll admit to missing CO (please share links to pics if you’ve got them), but I thought I did well at spreading it around. ME, NY, KY, FL, SD, NM, OR (also a Pacific Coast state)…

  • michelle

    as if not include the aurora borealis in alaska!

  • steve

    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. : )

  • http://www.oregoncanadian.com/ Softwood Timber Suppliers

    It’s amazing how diverse America’s climate is, you really can see everything!

  • http://jennifertice.com Jennifer Tice

    We really do have the better side of Niagara Falls! One for Canada :)

  • erak

    Never been to that place in Hawaii, but the Waimea Canyon on Kauai was beautiful to the point of absurdity. To the right: the Pacific with Ni’ihau in the distance, to the right, a huge two-tiered waterfall. In front of you, a massive green and orange canyon with a full-arch rainbow seemingly close enough to touch.

  • http://www.drawchange.org Jennie Lobato

    Beautiful photography. And what a great thing to do..remind of the beauty that’s in our own backyard. Thanks YOU!

  • Deb G

    That’s how I felt about Yellowstone.

  • Brett Troeger

    The Monument Valley photograph is breathtaking. Brilliant article — this is the precise inspiration I need right now. THANKS.

  • Motor72

    i want to know about the wonders of the united states

 

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