U.S. residents are surrounded by some of the most majestic places on Earth. Here are some lesser-known locations of great scenic beauty.
Congaree National Park, South Carolina
Congaree, the largest old-growth floodplain forest in America, is a treasure trove of wildlife, including everything from river otters to marbled salamanders.
Crater Lake, Oregon
More than 7,000 years ago, Oregon’s Mount Mazama erupted in one of the most violent explosions known to man. The resulting implosion of the mountain created this 6-mile wide, half-mile deep lake.
Isle Royale, Michigan
Located 55 miles north of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and accessible only by boat or plane, Isle Royal creates an incredibly unique ecosystem with some of the most untouched wildlife in the world.
Guadalupe Mountains, Texas
Although the Guadalupe Mountains are located in a desert, one of the biggest attractions is a well-preserved, 250-million-year-old fossilized Coral Reef.
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller, Vermont
Showcasing Vermont’s rolling hills and captivating forests, this park is named after four well-known conservationists.
Conkles Hollow, Ohio
Conkles Hollow is a hiker’s dream. The cooler climate, a holdover from the last ice age, allowed trees such as the Canada yew, Eastern hemlock, and yellow birch to grow farther south than they are normally found.
Great Basin, Nevada
The varying elevation allows a wide variety of life to flourish, and at night stargazers get a chance to see an astounding array of stars, including spectacular views of the Milky Way.
Redwood National Park, California
Visitors are astounded by the sheer magnitude of the Redwoods towering up to 325 feet overhead -- the tallest trees on Earth.
Glacier Bay, Alaska
Glacier Bay offers unique insight into these icy giants which shaped the natural landscape of North America.
Nantahala, North Carolina
The Cherokee, who are native to this national forest, call it Nantahala, meaning the “Land of the Noonday Sun.” High noon is the only time the sun is not blocked by the western North Carolina Appalachians.
Waimoku Falls, Hawaii
Waimoku Falls is a 400-foot waterfall that drops over a sheer lava wall into a pool of boulders. It is one of Hawaii’s “Seven Sacred Pools.”
Black Canyon, Colorado
Narrow walls and stunning, sheer vertical drops of well over 2,000 feet render Black Canyon a sight to behold.
Mammoth Cave, Kentucky
At roughly 367 miles long, Mammoth Cave is the longest cave system in the world. It is more than 200 miles longer than the runner-up, South Dakota’s Jewel Cave.
North Cascades, Washington
This National Park Service Complex, which also includes Lake Chelan and Ross Lake, is a true gem. The relatively small number of visitors lead to a serene, tranquil landscape with privacy harder to come by at other, more well-traveled parks.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
This park has a wide variety of northern grassland plants and animals, including a healthier bison population, and a spectacular night sky, occasionally featuring the northern lights.
Glacier National Park, Montana
A million-plus acres of untouched wilderness, teaming with a thousand types of wildflowers and wildlife ranging from bighorn sheep to the Canada lynx.