In two previous articles, we’ve looked at several national monuments as alternatives to the bigger, busier national parks. Here, we’re doing a final round (at least for now) of recommending the best of these places that have incredible scenic and historical value while tending to attract far less visitation.
Mount St. Helens Volcanic, Washington
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In 1980, Mount St. Helens famously blew its top, capturing the world’s attention for weeks. The decision was to let the land regenerate on its own, and today you can see remaining rock, ash, and debris from the explosion as well as transitions to a new landscape.
Muir Woods, California
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Muir Woods is famous for its groves of redwood trees, the world’s tallest trees. Because it’s quite close to San Francisco, this is one national monument that does get really busy, but that proximity also makes for one of the easiest ways to see these stately trees.
Natural Bridges, Utah
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Utah’s five awesome national parks get most of the attention in the region, but don’t overlook smaller sites such as this one. A moderately strenuous loop trail takes you to and under three beautiful sandstone natural bridges here. Atop the canyon where the natural bridges are, there are sweeping views of the surrounding desert.
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks, New Mexico
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The Organs are a rugged range of granite peaks near Las Cruces. This is a true hikers’ and adventurers’ park. For the most part, trails into these spectacular peaks are long and rugged.
Organ Pipe Cactus, Arizona
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Organ pipe cactuses are common south of the border in Mexico, but this location along the border is the only U.S. place where they grow natively. Roads and trails get you up close to these large cactuses named for the shape of their “arms.” Don’t miss out on the mountainous eastern section of the monument.
Petroglyph, New Mexico
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On the outskirts of Albuquerque is one of the best spots in the world for viewing Native American petroglyph panels. Trails take you up close to many panels, which you should take care not to touch or vandalize. There are also numerous archeological sites within the monument.
Pompeys Pillar, Montana
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This sandstone pinnacle rises above the Missouri River, punctuating a landscape that’s otherwise mostly flat. There are many ancient petroglyphs here, and you can also see the “autograph” William Clark left here when the Lewis and Clark Expedition visited here. Clark named the pillar in honor of their guide Sacagawea’s infant son.
Prehistoric Trackways, New Mexico
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Interested in seeing fossilized footprints from millions of years ago? The fossilized tracks of Paleozoic insects, reptiles, and amphibians here are 280 million years old. There’s also an abundance of ancient petrified wood.
Rainbow Bridge, Utah
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Rainbow Bridge is one of the largest, highest, and longest natural bridges in the world. A long trail across the desert will get you there, but most people opt for a boat ride across Lake Powell, making the hike to the bridge a very short one.
San Juan Islands, Washington
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Being off the coast, this national monument requires a little extra effort to get to, but it’s worth it. From the islands and outcrops of this archipelago and from its waters, you can admire eagles, orcas, seals and more. Bring or rent a sea kayak to get the full experience.
Sand to Snow, California
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There are only a relatively few places in the world where you can stand in a warm, sandy desert and look up to snowy mountain peaks. Sand to Snow National Monument in California’s Mojave and Sonoran Deserts is one of them.
Sunset Crater Volcano, Arizona
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Sunset Crater is one of several cinder cones in the San Francisco Volcanic Field near Flagstaff. You can’t hike to the rim of Sunset Crater, but you can hike to the rim of another cone. Also, you can walk on ancient lava flows and sink your feet into surreal black sands, also courtesy of long-ago eruptions.
Upper Missouri River Breaks, Montana
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In central Montana, where the landscape is generally gentle except for the occasional small mountain range, the Missouri River carves its way through rugged, colorful badlands known as “breaks.” There are some ways to access this area by road, but the best way to enjoy this wilderness is via a float trip.
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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