A snow-capped mountain has timeless beauty, and such peaks have inspired artists, writers, photographers, and adventurers for millennia. The United States has its fair share of amazing snow-capped mountains, and most of them in this article are easy to see just from the road.
Denali, Alaska
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Denali is the highest peak in North America and, from base to summit, the tallest mountain in the world. This mountain in Denali National Park was formerly named Mount McKinley and has been renamed that by the current presidential administration, but most Alaskans prefer the traditional Denali and refer to it as such.
Mount St. Elias, Alaska
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The second-highest mountain in the U.S., St. Elias is in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, the largest in the country. It sits on the Alaska-Yukon border, and this massive mountain is best appreciated from the sea waters nearby.
Mount Sanford, Alaska
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Sanford is also in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and is also best seen from the water. It also holds the distinction of being the third-highest volcano in Alaska and its sixth-highest peak.
Mount Baker, Washington
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The northernmost of the U.S.’s Cascade volcanoes, Baker is visible from far away on clear days. For a closer look at this heavily glaciated dome-like volcano, drive the Mt. Baker Scenic Byway, which will also yield spectacular views of the next mountain here.
Mount Shuksan, Washington
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Shuksan isn’t a volcano, but its northern latitude, height, and heavy winter precipitation mean that it, too, has a lot of ice on it. It’s considered one of the most beautiful mountains in America, and the iconic view of it with Picture Lake in the foreground has graced countless calendars.
Mount Olympus, Washington
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The highpoint of Olympic National Park, Olympus isn’t a Cascade volcano and isn’t nearly as high as most of them, but it’s high enough that winter storms from the nearby Pacific Ocean have over the ages created large glaciers on the mountain. The best way to get a good look without a big hike is to see it from Hurricane Ridge, which you can drive up to.
Mount Rainier, Washington
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The highest and most massive of the Cascade volcanoes, Rainier belongs on any list of the world’s most spectacular mountains. It’s the most heavily glaciated peak in the Lower 48, and on clear days, it dominates the skyline from wherever it’s seen.
Mount Adams, Washington
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Another volcano, Adams is south of Rainier in a vast area of national forest lands. Like Washington’s other volcanoes, it has a lot of ice on it, and it commands attention whenever it’s visible because it towers above everything else around it.
Mount Hood, Oregon
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Oregon’s highest peak has more of a cone shape as opposed to its dome-shaped volcanic cousins in Washington. One of the best places to see it is from Trillium Lake in the nearby national forest. On calm days, the lake perfectly reflects Hood.
Mount Jefferson, Oregon
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Jefferson is also a Cascade volcano. Perhaps because it’s not in or adjacent to a national park or monument, it gets less attention than the other Cascade volcanoes do, but it’s a beautiful mountain nonetheless.
Mount Shasta, California
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When you were drawing a mountain in art class as a kid, your product probably resembled Mount Shasta. One of two Cascade volcanoes in California, Shasta has a classic conical shape. With its profile and the permanent snowfields on glaciers on it, it’s simply one of the most beautiful mountains you’ll ever see.
Telescope Peak, California
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Telescope Peak, the highpoint of Death Valley National Park, differs from other mountains on this list in that it’s typically snow-covered for half the year at most. However, when it is snowy, it offers a dramatic contrast when viewed from Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the Northern Hemisphere and the hottest place in the world. Adding to the grandeur is that Telescope Peak rises more than 11,000 vertical feet above Badwater.
Mount Moran, Wyoming
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One of the most recognizable mountains in the country, Moran is one of the icons of the world-famous Teton Range. Jackson Lake is one of the best places to see it from, as is the always-popular Oxbow Bend turnout along the Snake River.
Grand Teton, Wyoming
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The Grand, as many call it, is the pinnacle of the Tetons and the second-highest peak in Wyoming. It’s one of the most famous mountains in the world and is notable for its great vertical relief above the flats of Jackson Hole.
Maroon Bells, Colorado
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Among the most famous and most-photographed mountains in the world, the Bells are technical a single mountain because of the “unqualifying” vertical rise between them, but most people think of them as separate. They’re most amazing in winter, when snow usually covers them from head to toe, and in the fall when fresh snows contrast with the golden aspen trees framing them.
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