6 of the Most Stunning Natural Landmarks in the United States

In fact, any of these could easily find their way onto a list for the most amazing visual experiences offered anywhere on the planet:

1. Antelope Canyon (Page, Arizona)

The way the light travels through the various cracks and crags of this slot canyon are almost too ridiculous to believe until you see them up close and personal for yourself. There are two main sections of the canyon to see, commonly called “The Crack” and the “The Corkscrew”. Guided tours are the only way to visit here and the spectacular light show is only visible for approximately a half hour every day.

2. Mendenhall Glacier Caves (Juneau, Alaska

The views from inside this epic 12-mile long glacier are truly something that only the best CGI tech could recreate. But why would they when they can take a film crew here to capture the real thing? The light show inside is just amazing. Truly nature’s beauty at its best. Though I must admit it looks a bit like what you might expect from the opening scene to the next Alien’s film.

3. Oneonta Gorge (Oneonta, Oregon)

This amazing gorge falls in line with the Columbia River in Oregon and it’s quite a surreal site to behold. Early fall really sets the green ferns and moss that align her wall off perfectly. This fairytale location would have been a great place to film some of the scenes from The Hobbit. This slice of heaven is a place you’ll go to again and again to recharge and just stand in wonder of what billions of gallons of water can do over a millennium or two.

4. Watkins Glen State Park (Watkins Glen, New York)

Another natural beauty filled with craggy rocks, lush North American greenery with tons of clean, fresh, flowing water running through the Seneca Valley into the equally picturesque Seneca Lake. The Rainbow Bridge (pictured) is one of my favorite things to see here. Though not natural, this aged bridge stretches over the falls underneath and it just looks like something that belongs on the set of a Peter Jackson movie. There’s plenty of places in the gorge to cool off, including swimming holes and little mini showers jetting water out of the rock at random locations.

5. The Grand Prismatic Springs (Yellowstone National Park, Montana)

Everyone runs to Yellowstone to see Old Faithful, but that’s almost a park cliche at this point. The Grand Prismatic Springs are way cooler (not speaking literally of course). This hot spring is another visually-stunning scene to behold right here in the great US of A. Perhaps something that you might expect to see in a post-apocalyptic movie of some sort. The rainbow-like colors form in and around the hot spring to make for one of the most beautiful sites on the planet. If you plan to snap photos of this landmark, plan to do some hiking up one of the steep hills around the pool.

6. Thor’s Well (Lincoln, Oregon)

Located on the coast of Cape Perpetua, this is one of the most ridiculous places I’ve never yet had the pleasure to see. Yes, like Oneonta, it’s also in Oregon, but I couldn’t resist adding another from (in my opinion) the most beautiful of all the Appalachian states. They call it a “saltwater fountain” but to me it just looks like certain death for probably millions of ocean creatures every year! I jest, but this landmark is like something out of a sci-fi flick — like something you’d expect to see on the Red Planet back when it (apparently) had water. Best times to see the maximum amount of ocean tide being swallowed up into the earth is an hour pre-tide to an hour post tide.

Do you have a favorite?

Perhaps I missed it in this list? There are so many other amazing spots to see in the USA. Share your favorite in the comments.

Main Image Credit: Bill Young/Flickr