- Part 1: Alabama – Florida
- Part 2: Georgia – Kentucky
- Part 3: Louisiana – Montana
- Part 4: Nebraska – Pennsylvania
- Part 5: Rhode Island – Wyoming
Rhode Island
Mohegan Bluffs
150-foot cliffs on the shore of Block Island.
Photo by Waz8 / CC0
Beavertail State Park
Home to a rocky shoreline and lighthouse.
Photo by Leonardo Dasilva / CC BY 2.0
Fort Wetherill State Park
Granite cliffs nearby to Beavertail State Park.
Photo by Gary Brownell / CC BY-SA 2.0
Black Point
Rocky shoreline that can be reach with a hike from Narragansett.
Photo by Dan Connolly / CC BY 2.0
Castle Hill Lighthouse
Picturesque lighthouse and shoreline on the Narragansett Bay.
Photo by Alex Sergeev / CC BY-SA 3.0
South Carolina
Congaree National Park
Old-growth forest and swampy floodplain with a 2.5 mile boardwalk for viewing.
Photo by joeyglockner / CC BY-SA 3.0
Caesars Head State Park
Great mountain views and several waterfalls.
Photo by Scott Oves / CC BY 2.0
Jones Gap State Park
Home to many waterfalls. Adjacent to Caesars Head State Park.
Photo by Scott Oves / CC BY 2.0
Hunting Beach State Park
Beautiful beaches and marshes, south of Myrtle Beach.
Photo by Fran Trudeau / CC BY-SA 2.0
Brasstown Falls
Picturesque waterfall with several drops, can be reached with a short hike.
Photo by Kyle Kress / CC BY 2.0
South Dakota
Badlands National Park
Beautifully rugged landscape. Badlands Loop Road provides plenty of great views.
Photo by werner22brigitte / CC0
Custer State Park
Beautiful landscape and wildlife including bison, elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and more.
Photo by Epsota24 / CC BY-SA 3.0
Needles Highway
A Scenic 14-mile drive that passes through Custer State Park and features granite peaks.
Photo by Eric Deluca / CC0
Spearfish Canyon
19-mile long canyon with rock formations, waterfalls, and a scenic drive.
Photo by Jordan Wilms / CC BY-ND 2.0
Bear Butte
Large rock formation with a herd of buffalo.
Photo by Bl0ndeeo2 / CC BY-ND 2.0
Tennessee
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Located in both TN and NC, the highlights in Tennessee include Cade’s Cove, Cligmans Dome, Mount LeConte, and the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.
Photo by Aviator31 / Public Domain
Roan Mountain State Park
Each June this park is home to a Rhododendron Festival, a great time to photograph flowers.
Photo by Dallas Krentzel / CC BY 2.0
Fall Creek Falls State Park
Home to picturesque waterfalls, including the 250-foot Fall Creek Falls.
Photo by Michael Hicks / CC BY-ND 2.0
Burgess Falls State Park
Home to a beautiful 130-foot waterfall.
Photo by Mountain Vacation Resorts / CC BY-SA 3.0
South Cumberland State Park
Beautiful waterfalls and mountain vistas.
Photo by Michael Hicks / CC BY-ND 2.0
Texas
Big Bend National Park
Remote, rugged park at the Mexican border, along the Rio Grande.
Photo by Alison I. / CC BY-ND 2.0
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Gypsum sand dunes and the highest point in Texas.
Photo by Miguel Vieira / CC BY 2.0
Big Thicket National Preserve
Forests, bayou, and river with a boardwalk loop for easy views.
Photo by Larry Rana / CC BY 2.0
Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Massive canyon with interesting rock formations and hoodoos.
Photo by Meniscus / CC BY-SA 3.0
Caddo Lake
Bayou and cypress swamp on the border of Texas and Louisiana.
Photo by stokes rx / CC BY-ND 2.0
Utah
Zion National Park
Home to canyons, sandstone cliffs and the Virgin River.
Photo by Diliff / CC BY-SA 3.0
Bryce Canyon National Park
Beautiful, colorful hoodoos make this park unique.
Photo by Ed Coyle / CC BY-ND 2.0
Arches National Park
Famous for natural arches and rock formations.
Photo by Skeeze / CC0
Canyonlands National Park
Beautiful landscape in 4 different park districts. Island in the Sky is a highlight.
Photo by Chao Yen / CC BY-ND 2.0
Monument Valley
Iconic scene of the American southwest, located along the Arizona state line.
Photo by Chao Yen / CC BY-ND 2.0
Vermont
Hogback Mountain
Great mountain views from Route 9.
Photo by chensiyuan / CC BY-SA 4.0
Mount Abraham
You can hike to the summit (3 miles) for a great view of the Green Mountains.
Photo by petersent / Public Domain
Camel’s Hump State Park
Provides trails to explore Camel’s Hump in the Green Mountains.
Photo by bcpnyc / CC BY-SA 2.0
Smuggler’s Notch
Popular skiing area also features beautiful scenery.
Photo by Bre LaRow / CC BY 2.0
Ascutney State Park
Summit Road takes you most of the way up Mount Ascutney, with a trail available for the last .8 mile.
Photo by Doug Kerr / CC BY-SA 2.0
Virginia
Shenandoah National Park
Beautiful Mountain Park with Skyline Drive providing plenty of outstanding overlooks.
Photo by Beau Considine / CC BY-SA 2.0
Great Falls Park
Scenic waterfalls on the Potomac River, just outside of Washington, DC.
Photo by Mehul Antani / CC BY 2.0
Grayson Highlands State Park
Beautiful mountain views and herd of ponies that roam the park.
Photo by Virginia State Parks / CC BY 2.0
Cascade Falls
Scenic waterfall that requires a 4 mile round trip hike to view.
Photo by ForestWander.com / CC BY-SA 3.0
Crabtree Falls
Cascading falls with many drops that total 1,000 feet.
Photo by John Watson / CC BY 2.0
Washington
Olympic National Park
Rain forests, coastline, mountains, lakes, and waterfalls can be found at this amazing park.
Photo by Ralph Arvesen / CC BY 2.0
Mount Rainier National Park
Mount Rainier, old-growth forest, and meadows of wildflowers.
Photo by Ralph Arvesen / CC BY 2.0
Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Hundreds of mountain lakes that are perfect for photography.
Photo by Jeff P / CC BY 2.0
Snoqualmie Falls
270-foot waterfall with an easy-to-access observation deck.
Photo by Meher Anand Kasam / CC BY-SA 3.0
West Virgina
New River Gorge
Amazing views of the river and gorge, as well as some waterfalls.
Photo by skeeze / CC0
Cathedral Falls
Picturesque 60-foot waterfall near the New River Gorge.
Photo by ForestWander.com / CC BY-SA 3.0
Babcock State Park
Also near the New River Gorge, this park is home to Glade Creek Grist Mill.
Photo by Randy Lemoine / CC BY 2.0
Blackwater Falls State Park
Several beautiful waterfalls and a few great overlooks, especially Lindy Point.
Photo by Nicolas Raymond / CC BY-SA 3.0
Dolly Sods Wilderness
Near Blackwater Falls, home to Bear Rocks, wildflowers, and amazing autumn colors.
Photo by Nicolas Raymond / CC BY-SA 3.0
Wisconsin
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
21 islands on Lake Superior with beautiful coastlines featuring sea caves and cliffs.
Photo by Royalbroil / CC BY-SA 3.0
Cave Point
Cliffs and amazing shoreline on Lake Michigan.
Photo by James Jordan / CC BY-ND 2.0
Peninsula State Park
Green Bay shoreline with sand beaches, cliffs, a lighthouse, and beautiful trees.
Photo by James Jordan / CC BY-ND 2.0
Interstate Park
Along the scenic St. Croix River and the Minnesota state line.
Photo by Urdangaray / Public Domain
Willow River State Park
Popular park that features the river, gorge, and waterfalls.
Photo by Andrew E. Larsen / CC BY-ND 2.0
Wyoming
Yellowstone National Park
Iconic destination due to its unique geothermal features, landscape, and wildlife.
Photo by Allan Harris / CC BY-ND 2.0
Grand Teton National Park
Just south of Yellowstone, great place for amazing mountain photography.
Photo by Brian Holsclaw / CC BY-ND 2.0
Devils Tower National Monument
Impressive 800-foot rock butte that rises dramatically above the landscape.
Photo by Guido Da Rozze / CC BY-ND 2.0
Adobe Town Wilderness Study Area
Wilderness badlands with a rugged and colorful landscape.
Photo by BLM / CC BY 2.0
Bridger Wilderness
Amazing mountains and glaciers await those who are willing to do some hiking.
Photo by Peter Pham / CC BY 2.0
- Part 1: Alabama – Florida
- Part 2: Georgia – Kentucky
- Part 3: Louisiana – Montana
- Part 4: Nebraska – Pennsylvania
- Part 5: Rhode Island – Wyoming