10 of the most stunning natural landscapes in America

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. Image credit: Instagram.com/danni_adventures

I wondered what the spirit of the mountain was thinking… In the whole eastern dark wall of the divide this night there was silence and the whisper of the wind, except in the ravine where we roared.

So wrote iconic American author Jack Kerouac in the novel that inspired a million journeys, On The Road. It’s a book that lies close to the American heart, speaking to a love of adventure and the pursuit of happiness. To this day in Kerouac’s spiritual home of San Francisco, book vendors keep copies of On The Road behind the counter due to the frequency with which it is shoplifted by financially challenged travellers chasing the writer’s hedonistic dream. On the Road gave birth to the great American road trip. Long stretches of picturesque highway. Windows down and the stereo up. Historic Route 66.

And what a country for a road trip. The sheer size of North America gave Mother Nature a large playground to work her magic. With over six million square kilometres of terrain the United States is spoiled for varied and spectacular scenery, with everything from snow-dusted mountain ranges to deserts with sculpture-like geology and the volcanic wonders of Yellowstone.

Havasu Creek, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. Image credit: Instagram.com/emallengee

In America you can hike under soaring redwood trees in California, then drive to the Grand Canyon and swim in clear streams at the bottom of ravines. Go skiing in Lake Tahoe, then hit the road and make your way down to El Capitan, the famed vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park. It’s a country full of breath-taking natural wonders that have been protected by the national park system – which was born in the US (Yellowstone was the first national park in the world, established in 1872).

Here, Vogue Living lists ten of the most beautiful landscapes across the North American continent – bump these natural landmarks to the top of your USA bucket list.

1. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah.

Image credit: Instagram.com/nationalparkgeek

2. Catskill Mountains, Upstate New York

Image credit: Instagram.com/barnadrift

3. Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

Image credit: Instagram.com/stargazing_atnoon

4. Grand Canyon, Arizona

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Image credit: Instagram.com/christinhealey

5. Ko’olau Range, Hawaii

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6. Lake Tahoe, Nevada

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7. Monument Valley, Arizona

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8. Redwood National and State Parks, California

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9. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

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10. Yosemite National Park, California

Image credit: Instagram.com/yosemitenps