Destinations

Top Five Places to Photograph in Each State

There are great places for landscape photography all over the United States, and here you’ll find a list of the top 5 locations in each state, plus you’ll see a link to where you find even more great locations in each state. The list is broken into a few different pages because of size. Below you’ll find the states starting with A – F, links to the other pages are below:

Alabama

Little River Canyon
Amazing views from a scenic drive around the canyon rim.

Photo by Alby Headrick / CC BY 2.0

Desoto State Park
100-foot waterfall in beautiful mountain setting.

Photo by Jody Claborn / Public Domain

Sipsey Wilderness
Hiking trails with streams, limestone bluffs, and waterfalls.

Photo by Michael Hicks / CC BY-ND 2.0

 

Ruffner Mountain Nature Center
Privately-owned nature preserve with 14 miles of hiking trails.

Photo by Rain0975 / CC BY-ND 2.0

Cheaha State Park
The highest point in Alabama with scenic views of the surrounding area.

Photo by Amann09 / Public Domain

Alaska

Denali National Park
Popular national park with the highest peak in North America.

Photo by skeeze / CC0

Kenai National Park
Glaciers and wildlife in this park that is mostly accessed by boat.

Photo by Meg Doolittle / CC BY-SA 2.0

Katmai National Park
This remote park is a great place to photograph brown bears from a viewing area.

Photo by Christoph Strässler / CC BY-SA 2.0

Wrangell – St. Elias National Park
Beautiful, rugged Alaskan mountain landscape.

Photo by Bryan Petrtyl / CC BY-SA 2.0

Chugach State Park
Mountains, lake, and waterfalls near Anchorage.

Photo by Ian Collins / CC BY-ND 2.0

Arizona

The Grand Canyon
Iconic destination that is a must-visit for every landscape photographer.

Photo by Marc Andre

Sedona
Stunning red rock formations with plenty of hiking trails and amazing views.

Photo by Adam Baker / CC BY 2.0

Horseshoe Bend
Beautiful view of the Colorado River, north of the Grand Canyon.

Photo by Massimo Tava / CC BY 3.0

Antelope Canyon
Iconic canyon photos not far from Horseshoe Bend.

Photo by Moyan Brenn / CC BY 2.0

Canyon de Chelly
Beautiful canyon and 750-foot sandstone spire can be photographed from scenic drive.

Photo by tsaiproject / CC BY 2.0

Arkansas

Petit Jean State Park
Beautiful overlooks and the 100-foot Cedar Falls.

Photo by James Tatum / CC BY 2.0

Buffalo National River
Scenic river with beautiful bluffs and many waterfalls in the area.

Photo by Buffalo Outdoor Center / CC BY-ND 2.0

Hawksbill Crag
Also known as Whitaker Point, this rock formation with a view is a favorite of many photographers.

Photo by Noel Pennington / CC BY 2.0

Collins Creek
Hiking trail with scenic views of the creek.

Photo by Noel Pennington / CC BY 2.0

Garvan Woodland Gardens
Botanical garden in Hot Springs.

Photo by Kimberly Vardeman / CC BY-ND 2.0

California

Yosemite National Park
This iconic destination for landscape photographers is a must-visit.

Photo by Yang Song / CC0

 

Death Valley National Park
Photo desert, sand dunes, salt flats, canyons, and mountains, but avoid the extremely hot summer months.

Photo by skeeze / CC0

Joshua Tree National Park
Southern California park that features desert and the unique, and beautiful, Joshua trees.

Photo by Christopher Michel / CC BY 2.0

John Muir Wilderness
Snowcapped mountains and picturesque lake make this wilderness area worth the effort. Two major trails lead through it.

Photo by Jeff P / CC BY 2.0

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Beautiful coastal views with a waterfall that falls on the beach.

Photo by Michael Bundscherer / CC BY 2.0

Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park
Close to Denver and Boulder, this park offers amazing mountain views that you would expect from Colorado.

Photo by Bryce Bradford / CC BY-ND 2.0

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Stunning, deep canyons make this park unique. The dark shadows of the canyon can be a challenge to photograph.

Photo by David Fulmer / CC BY 2.0

Garden of the Gods
Amazing rock formations and a view of Pike’s Peak.

Photo by Mark Byzewski / CC BY 2.0

 

Last Dollar Road
Unpaved road with some of the best mountain views in the state.

Photo by Larry Lamsa / CC BY 2.0

McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area
Beautiful sandstone canyons, natural arches, and spires.

Photo by BLM / CC BY 2.0

Connecticut

Wadsworth Falls State Park
Picturesque 30-foot waterfall just a short distance outside of Hartford.

Photo by Justin G. Coleman / CC BY-SA 3.0

Sleeping Giant State Park
Rugged mountain landscape outside of Hartford.

Photo by Bob P.B. / CC BY 2.0

Devil’s Hopyard State Park
Beautiful 60-foot waterfalls easily accessible from a trail.

Photo by David Smith / CC BY 2.0

Kent Falls State Park
A series of cascading waterfalls that total a 250-foot drop.

Photo by Jaine / CC BY-ND 2.0

Dean’s Ravine
Scenic hiking trails along the ravine and waterfalls.

Photo by Doug Kerr / CC BY-SA 2.0

Delaware

Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge
Marshes, streams, and rivers, plus many migratory birds to photograph.

Photo by Tim Williams / CC BY 2.0

Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge
These swamps and grasslands are also filled with migratory birds at certain times of the year.

Photo by Mike Carlo / CC BY 2.0

Assawoman Bay State Wildlife Area
Marshy swamp lands with plenty of birds.

Photo by Lee Cannon / CC BY-SA 2.0

Cape Henlopen National Park
Great beach and views of the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

Photo by Rob Pongsajapan / CC BY 2.0

Trapp Pond State Park
Extensive patch of bald cypress trees.

Photo by Kej605 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Florida

Everglades National Park
South Florida wetlands, mangroves, and forests with abundant wildlife.

Photo by S. Cotrell / Public Domain

Big Cypress National Preserve
A 27-mile loop road allows you to see this South Florida landscape.

Photo by Fredlyfish4 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Biscayne National Park
This park is best seen by boat with only a small part accessible by car.

Photo by NPCA Photos / CC BY-ND 2.0

J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge
Mangroves and migratory birds abound at this refuge on Sanibel Island.

Photo by Harold Wagle / CC BY 2.0

Key West
Popular tourist destination in the Florida Keys with amazing beaches.

Photo by DayronV / CC0

Loaded Landscapes

The content on this page is a collaboration from our staff of editors and contributions/suggestions from our community of users.

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