From wildflower meadows at Paradise and alpine vistas at Sunrise to the thunder of Narada and Myrtle Falls, the 14,410-foot volcano commands every switchback with glaciers, subalpine firs, and sky-polished light. Trace the Wonderland Trail for panoramic views, wander old-growth corridors perfumed with cedar and rain, and linger for alpenglow and stargazing as lenticular clouds fade—an adventure that rewards hikers, photographers, and families seeking awe, quiet, and Pacific Northwest magic.

Here, ancient sandstone walls guard a jade river that hums with Class III–V rapids, while the iconic New River Gorge Bridge arcs across misty morning light. Hike the Endless Wall and Long Point trails for panoramic rim-to-river views, photograph Sandstone Falls at golden hour, or join a guided whitewater run amid rhododendron-fringed banks—moments that blend adrenaline, Appalachian quiet, and wide-open sky.

Stand beneath the General Grant Tree’s cinnamon bark, then trace the Kings River into Cedar Grove, where hawks wheel over Zumwalt Meadow and sunset warms sheer granite walls. Waterfalls thunder in spring, trails to Mist Falls and Road’s End reveal glacial polish and wildflowers, and clear night skies over the high country hint at the Rae Lakes loop—an inspiring blend of roadside vistas, quiet forest shade, and big-mountain drama.

Stand above vast chaparral mesas, breathing sun-warmed juniper and sage, then descend into sandstone alcoves where Cliff Palace and Balcony House reveal hand-plastered walls, kivas, and the echoes of Ancestral Puebloan life etched into silent canyon stone. Time a ranger-led tour or the Mesa Top Loop for golden hour, when stone glows copper and ravens wheel overhead, then linger for dark-sky stargazing that turns quiet canyon rims into an unforgettable constellation theater.

Here, steam hisses from Bumpass Hell’s hydrothermal basin, wildflower meadows unfurl beneath the summit trail to Lassen Peak, and glassy Manzanita Lake mirrors lava domes and dark evergreens. Wander boardwalks past boiling mud pots, climb cinder-cone ash to see the Painted Dunes glow at sunset, and linger for Milky Way stargazing—an elemental landscape of fumaroles, alpine lakes, and fresh pine air that rewards photographers, families, and daydreamers.

From the wind-sculpted Great Kobuk Sand Dunes to the jade sweep of the Kobuk River across boreal forest and tundra, this Arctic expanse stuns with caribou tracks in clean sand and honeyed evening light over rippling crests. Fly in by bush plane, wander dunes barefoot, or paddle quiet sloughs where swans lift off; visit storied Onion Portage and linger for the midnight sun—or return in fall for aurora shimmering above frost-crisp silence.

Step from sunlit hardwood forest into the world’s longest cave system, where the Historic Entrance exhales cool air and lantern-lit passages thread past echoing chambers, gypsum flowers, and the Frozen Niagara flowstone. Above ground, follow karst-country trails to Green River bluffs, paddle peaceful bends, and cap a ranger-led day with stargazing; from Fat Man’s Misery to river ferries and wildlife-rich cedar glades, this Kentucky labyrinth rewards curiosity with wonder, perspective, and unforgettable adventure.

Here, turquoise waters cradle quiet coves and salmon-laced rivers below steaming volcanoes Redoubt and Iliamna, while brown bears roam tidal flats at Chinitna Bay and hikers climb to Tanalian Falls for spray-cooled views over Port Alsworth. Fly in by bush plane to a world of glassy lakes, wild coastline, and glacier-carved valleys where packrafts skim turquoise inlets and evening alpenglow paints the peaks—an untamed canvas for photographers, paddlers, and solitude seekers chasing once-in-a-lifetime wilderness.

From the blue sweep of the Harding Icefield to the creaking face of Aialik’s tidewater glacier, this coastal wilderness surrounds you with spray, salt, and the hiss of brash ice against the hull. Follow the Exit Glacier trail to windswept moraines, kayak beneath cliffy fjords where puffins wheel and sea otters raft, or join a wildlife cruise across Resurrection Bay for orcas, humpbacks, and calving thunder—moments that turn rugged Alaska into a once-in-a-lifetime memory.