.jpg&w=1440&q=75)
Travel
How many of these picturesque landscapes have you visited?
.jpg)
Zion National Park is among the country’s most beautiful landscapes.Photo: Douglas Rissing/Getty Images
From mist-covered mountain peaks and a mile-deep canyon to glowing blue glaciers and golden sand dunes, the most scenic national parks in the US showcase the country’s wildly diverse landscapes. You’ll find cacti-dotted desert terrain, lush wetlands, and pine-packed forests—and that’s all just in Zion. Each one of these national parks is worthy of a trip, which is why we’ve also included a recommendation on where to stay and, in some cases, how to pack in even more natural beauty by tacking on a visit to another nearby national park. And while we did the nearly impossible by whittling down the list to just seven, honorable mention goes to Badlands National Park in South Dakota, Mount Rainier National Park in Washington, and Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Below, the most beautiful national parks in the US.
Photo: Francesco Riccardo Iacomino/Getty Images
Yosemite National Park (California)
Yosemite’s top treasures include mesmerizing waterfalls, such as Sentinel, Bridalveil, and Yosemite Falls—the tallest waterfall in North America at 2,425 feet. The park is also beloved for its alpine meadows and the epic granite rock formations of Yosemite Valley, including El Capitan and Half Dome. Plus, minimal light pollution around the park makes Yosemite prime for stargazing. Pack in even more jaw-dropping scenery by adding Central California’s other two parks—Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park—to your itinerary.
Where to stay: Luxury glamping property Under Canvas Yosemite, which opened in April 2026, is California’s first DarkSky-certified resort. Book a Stargazer Tent, with a window over the king-size bed, and admire the cosmos before you drift off and dream of Half Dome.
.jpg)
Photo: Dean Fikar/Getty Images
Grand Canyon National Park (Arizona)
The rim of the Grand Canyon, with its multimillion-year history etched in colorful bands of rock and its mind-boggling size (roughly 277 miles long and 1 mile deep), is the gold standard for scenic overlooks. In addition to taking in the views, hiking, and cycling the trails in Grand Canyon National Park, visitors can explore Tusayan Pueblo, an archaeological site along the park’s South Rim that features stone foundations from an 800-year-old Ancestral Puebloan village.
Where to stay: The Trailborn Grand Canyon is a renovated Route 66 motel in Williams, Arizona, that’s been given a hip makeover. In addition to rooms stacked with Southwestern style, the hotel has free bike rentals, a pool, a hot tub, and an on-site steakhouse.
Photo: Putt Sakdhnagool/Getty Images
Zion National Park (Utah)
Backpacking through a riverbed with 2,000-foot sandstone walls on either side is par for the course in the extraordinary Zion National Park. The dramatic slot canyon trek is called the Narrows, one of the top experiences in this southwestern Utah park. Hiking Angels Landing and seeing the shimmering Emerald Pools, fed by seasonal waterfalls, are other unforgettable Zion adventures. To take in all of Utah’s sublime scenery, keep heading east and hit up the others among the Mighty Five parks: Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Arches National Park (home to Delicate Arch). The last two are both located outside of Moab and less than an hour apart.
Where to stay: Open Sky Zion is a safari-style stay only about 15 miles from the entrance of Zion National Park. Accommodations here are luxury camps featuring stargazing hammocks, private pools, hot tubs, and canvas-topped cabins with heated floors and indoor fireplaces.
Photo: Getty Images
Death Valley National Park (California)
Death Valley National Park, about halfway between Yosemite and Joshua Tree National Park, is a landscape of extremes. It’s home to both the Badwater Basin, which sits at 282 feet below sea level, and the snow-capped Telescope Peak, with an 11,000-foot summit. By day, visitors can hike golden sand dunes and marvel at the colorful hills of Artist’s Palette (what looks like paint splashed across the landscape is actually mineral deposits that create a rainbow effect). And at night, they can take in the largest dark sky in the country.
Where to stay: Since 1927, The Inn at Death Valley has hosted glamorous desert seekers—Marlon Brando, Carole Lombard, and Clark Gable have stayed here—and it recently underwent a $200 million renovation. Stay in a private casita, cruise around in your complimentary golf cart, and unwind with a desert sound bath.
Photo: Antony Moran/Getty Images
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (Alaska)
As the name suggests, spectacular tidewater glaciers—masses of glowing blue ice and snow that flow from the mountains into the ocean—are the showstoppers at this national park in southeast Alaska. Visitors to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve explore inlets and coves by boat and feast their eyes on snow-capped mountains, moss-draped temperate rainforests, and sometimes even wildlife like humpback whales, in addition to the glaciers and fjords.
Where to stay: Designed by Seattle-based architect John Morse and completed in 1966, the Glacier Bay Lodge is a masterpiece that melds 1960s modernism with rustic style. The lodge, with its massive stone fireplace in the lobby and wood-paneled rooms, sits directly on serene Bartlett Cove.
Photo: Todd Ryburn Photography/Getty Images
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina/Tennessee)
The Great Smoky Mountains, another of the most scenic national parks in the US, are famous for their forest-covered ancient peaks—some of the oldest in the world—as well as the celestial blue mist that hangs in the air and gave the range its name. Spring brings an explosion of wildflowers, thanks to plenty of rainfall and the area’s rich soil, and in the fall, the Smokies’ density of deciduous trees produces a kaleidoscope of foliage.
Where to stay: The Swag, a luxury property in Waynesville, North Carolina, with rooms as well as private cabins, has a private entrance to the national park just 25 feet from the main lodge. After a day of exploring the Smokies, unwind in your room’s private sauna or copper soaking tub on the balcony with mountain views.
Photo: Ronnie Wiggin/Getty Images
Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming/Montana/Idaho)
The country’s very first national park draws over four million visitors each year, thanks in large part to its unique geysers and hot springs. Old Faithful, with its predictable eruptions, is Yellowstone’s most famous geothermal attraction, but Grand Prismatic Spring—encircled in surreal shades of turquoise, green, yellow, and orange—is a don’t-miss sight too. For a bonus, keep cruising south to Grand Teton National Park, only 10 miles from Yellowstone’s South Entrance.
Where to stay: Directly next to its namesake natural attraction, the historic Old Faithful Inn is the largest log hotel in the world. That means you can stay at an architectural marvel while watching a geothermal marvel at the same time.
Amelia Mularz is a freelance journalist specializing in interior design, garden, and travel stories. She has previously contributed to Real Simple, HGTV Magazine, New York magazine's The Strategist, and Travel + Leisure, among other titles. She has also held long-term roles at Vogue and The Knot. In 2018, she received ... Read More