The main power in the world is the third most visited country for its attractive cities, innovative animated attractions, amusement parks and natural parks. And we will focus on the latter in this article, on the best 25 natural attractions in the United States.
1. Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska
In the Mendenhall Valley, Alaska, one of the tourist attractions of the United States awaits you: the Mendenhall Glacier, an impressive 19-kilometer glacier with impressive caves inside, where melting ice has carved surprising shapes.
Thousands of tourists come to the glacier to admire it from the outside and see the icebergs floating in the lake.
The ice walls are colored a beautiful turquoise blue and thanks to the sunlight you can see shapes designed by the melting through the passage of time.
It is best to visit it during the summer because the temperatures are a little higher and its tolerance is greater.
2. Giant Prismatic Spring, “Great Prismatic Spring”. Yellowstone Park, Wyoming
It is the largest hot spring in the United States and the third largest in the world.
Its abundance of colors (red, ocher, yellow, green, blue or orange) is due to the pigmented bacteria and multiple minerals found in its waters.
Although it is not allowed to submerge, you can walk along its banks and take pictures.
3. Horsetail Fall, “Waterfall of Fire”. Yosemite National Park, California
Yosemite National Park, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, has innumerable natural attractions such as granite cliffs, caves, crystal clear rivers, giant sequoia forests and a great biodiversity.
Millions of people are attracted by the “Waterfall of Fire”, a natural attraction of the United States located in Yosemite National Park, which can be seen during February.
It is a natural phenomenon that occurs when the sun’s rays hit the water that slides down the Cola de Caballo waterfall, in the last two weeks of February. It seems that the water turns into fire due to the yellow and orange tones that the sunlight gives it.
4. Mono Lake, Calif.
Mono Lake is a shallow but large concentration of water formed 760,000 years ago. As it has no access to the sea, it has a high concentration of salts and minerals, which makes the water quite alkaline and with high percentages of arsenic.
The lake is surrounded by snow-capped mountains with limestone columns formed by the accumulation of salts and minerals.
If you go to Las Vegas for a walk, do not forget to visit Mono Lake. It will be an unforgettable experience.
5. Fly Geyser
The Fly Geyser emerged after drilling in a farm to find water sources. What was found was a spring with a temperature of almost 100 degrees Celsius.
A few years later, the expulsion of large jets of water at a very high pressure spontaneously began and thus a geyser was born, now converted into a great tourist attraction due to its beautiful yellow, gold, ochre, green and red colors, which give the landscape of the area a nice view.
The place belongs to a private non-profit association that organizes free walks that, for safety reasons, do not reach the geyser. All observations are from a platform equipped to admire the natural phenomenon.
6. The Wave, “The Wave”, Arizona
This natural attraction in the United States (Arizona) is a sandstone rock formation that originated during the Jurassic period, making it 190 million years old.
During that time the wind eroded the Navajo sandstone in the Paria-Vermilion Canyon. Thus, a landscape of undulating forms was created, like waves of orange and reddish colors, which were originally dunes and that, over time, became solid rocks.
Permission to visit The Wave is granted through an online lottery system.
7. Glass Beach, Calif.
What began as a garbage dump area was transformed by the action of man and erosion, into one of the natural attractions of the United States.
The area that today comprises “Playa Cristal” was a dump for all kinds of garbage that the authorities decided to rescue, leaving only the pieces and containers of glass and ceramics.
Erosion caused by sand and water rounded off the pieces of glass and pottery and the beach is now suitable for visitors and bathers.
The amount of glass has been reduced because people take it away or because the sea does it. There is a crystal collection campaign to replace the lost one.
8. Northern Lights in Alaska
To see the Northern Lights you don’t necessarily have to go to Finland or Sweden. In the cities of Fairbanks or Anchorage in Alaska, this meteorological phenomenon occurs from September to April 20.
Brilliant colors in the form of yellow, green, red or purple curtains illuminate the skies of Fairbanks and the best time to witness them in that area is from the beginning of the night until the early hours of the morning.
9. Sequoia National Park in California
Sequoias National Park is near Kings Canyon National Park, in the mountains that form the Sierra Nevada in southern California.
It is well known for its gigantic sequoia trees, including the General Sherman tree, the largest and bulkiest in the world at 84 meters high, 11 meters in diameter and weighing 1.9 million kilograms.
This mythical tree is believed to be 2,500 years old, making it the largest living tree in the world.
The park was founded in 1890, being the third created in the United States. It extends for 1,789 square kilometers.
Inside is Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the United States (4418 meters), apart from those found in Alaska.
10. Thor’s Well, Oregon
The crater called “Thor’s Well” is a huge hole in the plateau at Cape Perpetua, where the water forms a magical and potentially dangerous effect for anyone who gets too close.
The force of the waters and seeing the huge hole swallowing them is a unique spectacle but also somewhat violent, because at that point the three currents of the Pacific come together and the clash between them generates an immense force.
11. Oneonta Gorge, Oregon
This natural attraction in the United States is formed by the space between two mountains that form a kind of pass or gorge, in the Columbia River Gorge area, Oregon.
The high walls that form the gorge are covered with moss and it seems that it was one of the magical lands of gnomes, goblins and fairies.
It is a botanical area designated by the Forest Service of the country for both aquatic and forest plants that grow in the area.
12. Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
Leaving the fun you can find in Key West and traveling 100 kilometers west by boat, you’ll find Dry Tortugas National Park and there, Fort Jefferson, an unfinished US Navy building that began construction in 1847.
It is a place totally removed from the rest of the world that can only be reached by boat or seaplane.
13. Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah
This site is perhaps the flattest place on earth, reason enough to be considered one of the natural attractions of the United States.
The Bonneville Salt Flats are formed by the remains of a prehistoric lake that existed in the area 14,500 years ago.
In August competitions are held to break the speed record on flat land. In summer temperatures can exceed 48 degrees Celsius.
After it rains, the place is transformed into a giant “mirror”.
14. Antelope Canyon, Arizona
Magical place near Page in Arizona. It is a gorge-shaped rock formation made up of two parts known as “El Crack” and “El Sacacorchos”.
Its attractive colors such as gold, yellow, orange and purple make it a unique and unforgettable place.
15. Skagit Valley Tulip Fields, Washington
Colorful place in the state of Washington considered one of the most beautiful natural attractions in the United States.
Thousands of tourists tour the tulip fields to see and enjoy all the colors of these beautiful flowers, from the beginning to the end of April.
16. Zion National Park, Utah
6,000-square-foot park near the city of Springdale, Utah.
Among its outstanding areas is the Zion Canyon, 24,000 meters long and 8,000 meters deep.
17. Haiku Stairs of Oahu, Hawaii
The Stairs to Heaven, as this area is known in Oahu, Hawaii, are considered a natural attraction in the United States despite the fact that climbing them is prohibited.
There you will enjoy a wonderful, unique and unrepeatable natural landscape.
18. Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
Fabulous underground park with more than 119 caves whose composition is limestone and sulfuric acid. To visit them you can go down on foot through the natural entrance or take the elevator and descend 228 meters underground.
19. Hamilton Pool, Texas
Natural pool on the outskirts of the city of Austin, Texas.
The Hamilton Pool exists due to the collapse of the dome of an underground river due to erosion thousands of years ago.
20. Horseshoe Bend, Arizona
This fabulous meander is shaped like a horseshoe, hence its name. It is just outside of Page, Arizona and from there you can have a unique and wonderful view of the Colorado River.
21. Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada
On the border between California and Nevada is Lake Tahoe, one of the natural attractions of the United States.
This wonderful and peaceful lake surrounded by pine trees and vegetation is so far the largest freshwater lake in North America.
22. Niagara Falls, New York
These popular falls are along the border that separates the United States and Canada. A site that receives millions of people a year who go to enjoy a unique landscape, which in winter is frozen.
Some boats offer rides on the lake formed by the water that falls from the top of the falls.
23. Badlands National Park, South Dakota
The area that today houses this park was hunting territory for Native American Indians more than 11,000 years ago.
The mountains are made up of orange and red colored rocks that attract thousands of visitors annually, people eager to get to know this natural attraction of the United States.
24. Savannah, Ga.
It is the oldest city in the state of Georgia. It is popular for the wide variety of Spanish moss trees, its peaceful atmosphere and fairytale charm.
25. Palouse Falls, Washington
Enchanting and beautiful waterfall in the state of Washington that was about to disappear in 1984, due to the possibility of building a dam in the area to generate hydroelectric power.
Taxpayers opposed the approach and the falls remain just as beautiful for all visitors to enjoy.
The United States is much more than buildings, modernity and luxuries. It is also an award-winning land with endless natural attractions that enrich the experience of visiting them.
We invite you to share this article with your friends on social networks so that they also know the 25 best natural attractions in the United States.
See also:
- Meet the 40 tourist places in Colorado, Denver that you should know
- Read about the 14 best parks in California that you must visit
- We leave you our guide on the 25 best free things to do in Los Angeles
