At 3.8 million square miles, the United States is a massive country with varying landscapes and geography. Whether you want to lay on beautiful beaches, go hiking on impressive mountains, walk through beautiful forests, or swim in beautiful bodies of water, the United States has you covered. Here are the 11 most impressive natural wonders of the United States that you should go out of your way to see.


Top 11 Natural Wonders in the U.S.


1. Maroon Bells, Colorado

The most photographed mountains of Colorado find themselves about 12 miles southwest of beautiful Aspen. The Maroon Bells are two beautiful peaks (Maroon Peak & North Maroon Peak) in the Elk Mountains separated by less than a mile. The Maroon Bells are increasingly popular and over 300,000 people visit the site every year. The best time to visit the peaks is from mid-June to the beginning of October.


2. Acadia National Park, Maine

The oldest national park to the east of the Mississippi River is comprised of Mount Desert Island and islands off of the Atlantic Coast. The beautiful park contains mountains, an ocean shoreline, lakes, and woods. In total the national park is more than 47,000 acres big and a highlight is Cadillac Mountain. The best time to visit Acadia National Park is September through October.


3. Grand Canyon, Arizona

One of the most famous natural landmarks of the United States, the Grand Canyon is a sight to behold. The Canyon is 277 miles long and approximately 18 miles wide. Geologically, it is a very important landmark as its thick sequence of ancient rocks are well preserved. The best times to visit the Grand Canyon are March through May and September through November.


4. Yosemite Valley, California

Located in Yosemite National Park, Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in the western Sierra Nevada Mountains of Northern California. The valley is about 8 miles long and is surrounded by summits like Half Dome and El Capitan and is characterized by its plethora of pines. Also, in the valley is the Yosemite Falls which is the highest waterfall in North America. The best time to visit Yosemite Valley is between March and May.


5. Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Centered on Denali (highest mountain in North America), is a beautiful national park that encompasses more than 6 million acres. Denali’s landscape is a mix of forests at its lowest elevations, tundra at its middle elevations, and rock and snow at its highest elevations. Today, 400,000 people visit the park annually and the best time to visit is between May and September.


6. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Located primarily in Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park was established by U.S. Congress and signed into law in 1872. Yellowstone, the first national park in the United States is known for its wildlife and many geothermal features like Old Faithful Geyser. The best times to visit Yellowstone are from March to May and September to November.


7. Niagara Falls, New York

On the border of Ontario, Canada and New York State, the Niagara Falls are a collection of three beautiful waterfalls. The three waterfalls are Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. The best time to visit the Falls is from June to August.


8. Death Valley, California

Death Valley is a desert valley located in Eastern California and it is the driest and hottest area of North America. Located near the border of California and Nevada, Death Valley is mostly comprised of Death Valley National Park and is the principal feature of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts Biosphere Reserve. The best time visit Death Valley is between March and May.


9. Redwood National Parks, California

There are 30 parks in the 132,000 acre Redwood National Park and are characterized by trees that tower higher than 300 feet. The parks consist of grasslands, oak forests, rivers, and coastline. The best time to visit the Redwood National Parks is from May to September.


10. Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

Located in central Kentucky, Mammoth Cave National Park houses Mammoth Cave which is the longest cave system in the world. The park was established as a national park in 1941 and declared a World Heritage Site in 1981. The best time to visit Mammoth Cave National Park is between the months of March and May.


11. Adirondack Park, New York

The Adirondack Park in upstate New York is 6.1 million acres and includes more than 10,000 lakes, 30,000 miles of river and streams and a variety of wetlands and forests. The park’s boundary corresponds with the impressive Adirondack Mountains.



This article was written by Walter Godinez.