Mountaintop views are some of the most spectacular sights you can ever behold. Not everyone has the experience or risk tolerance to actually climb a mountain, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck only with mountains with roads to the top.
There are many great peaks in this country whose views you can “earn” by hiking up them, and some of the best are on this list.
Lassen Peak, California
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This Cascade volcano last erupted about a century ago, and you can still see the devastation it left in its wake. A hike up this highest peak in Lassen Volcanic National Park yields stunning views that include epic Mt. Shasta to the north.
Mt. Whitney, California
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Located in Sequoia National Park, this Sierra Nevada peak is the highest in the Lower 48. The trail up it is long– 12 miles each way– and gains about 6,000’ of elevation, the effort is worth it because the views along the Sierra crest and out of the desert mountains to the east are amazing.
Telescope Peak, California
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The highpoint of Death Valley National Park is not a light undertaking at 7 miles each way and 3,000’ of elevation gain. Still it has extraordinary views that include Mt. Whitney and other Sierra Nevada peaks as well as the vast salt pan of Death Valley more than 11,000 vertical feet below you.
Wheeler Peak, Nevada
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Great Basin National Park contains an alpine island in a sea of desert near the Utah border. Wheeler Peak is the highest mountain there, and the hike up it rewards you with views of both snowy peaks and parched desert.
Swiftcurrent Mountain, Montana
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Swiftcurrent Mountain is the highest trail-accessible point in Glacier National Park. The panoramic views from the summit take in much of the park’s backcountry, including several glaciers. The shortest but steepest path to it begins at the Loop on Going-to-the-Sun Road. Stop for lunch, shade, and rest at historic Granite Park Chalet on the way to or from the summit.
Medicine Bow Peak, Wyoming
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Southeastern Wyoming boasts the Snowy Range, a small but beautiful group of mountains named for the sparkling quartzite they’re composed of. Three different trailheads make approach points for ascending the peak, where you can admire neighboring peaks, deep-blue alpine lakes, and the peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park well to the south in Colorado.
Flattop Mountain, Colorado
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From Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park, a strenuous trail departs for the summit of this aptly named peak on the Continental Divide. You can do twofer on this outing by continuing along an unofficial trail to neighboring Hallett Peak, which is higher and has even better views.
Mt. Audubon, Colorado
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Just south of Rocky Mountain National Park are the Indian Peaks, and Mt. Audubon is the only one there with a maintained trail up it. The summit view includes an aspect of Longs Peak, the highest in RMNP, that a lot of people never see.
Mt. Timpanogos, Utah
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“Timp” truly has it all. It’s a beautiful mountain with beautiful views and the second-highest in the Wasatch Range. There are multiple lakes, including a true alpine gem at the base of the highest summit of the mountain, a permanent snowfield people refer to as a glacier, waterfalls, wildflower meadows, and a resident herd of mountain goats.
Mt. Humphreys, Arizona
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Humphreys in the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon is the highest peak in Arizona, and its summit can hold snow well into the summer. It’s also one of the four sacred peaks of the Navajo people and the easiest to get to and ascend.
Guadalupe Peak, Texas
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This mountain in Guadalupe Mountains National Park is the highest in Texas. The trail up it is very steep in places, but you’ll love the summit view of spectacular El Capitan and the desert sprawling beyond it.
Emory Peak, Texas
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Emory is the second-highest peak in Texas and the highest in Big Bend National Park. The moderately strenuous journey to its top yields great views of mountains, canyons, and desert.
Mt. LeConte, Tennessee
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One of the highest mountains in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and all the East, LeConte has, in addition to great views, a guest lodge where you can spend the night if you’re lucky enough to snag a reservation. The shortest hiking approach to the lodge is 5 miles.
Old Rag, Virginia
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Old Rag Mountain is Shenandoah National Park is a rare Blue Ridge peak that has an open summit, and its position east of the main Blue Ridge crest means it has excellent views of it. The most exciting way up it is the Ridge Trail, which requires some scrambling, but you can also just hike up it via the Saddle Trail.
Baxter Peak, Maine
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Baxter Peak is the highest of Mt. Katahdin’s multiple summits in Baxter State Park. It’s also the northern terminus of the famed Appalachian Trail and one of a number of New England peaks that surpass the timberline and have alpine tundra among their heights.
The 30 Most Beautiful Places in the World That Everyone Must See
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There’s no way you could ever come up with a definitive list of the world’s most beautiful places. However, if you ask around, some places come up a lot more frequently than others do.
The following are some of the places that people mention over and over again, not in any particular order.
30 Breathtaking Places You Must See Before You Die
The Two Best Scenic Wonders in Each of the Mountain States
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The Mountain States– Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico– have some of the wildest and most rugged landscapes in the United States. Because they’re so big, it can take a lot of time to visit them, so it helps to be able to plan for some specific destinations.
Following are our choices for the top two must-see outdoor locations in each of these seven states.
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