Top Five Places to Photograph in Each State (N

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 N – P, links to the other pages are below:

Nebraska

Scotts Bluff National Monument
800-foot bluff in western Nebraska with trails that lead to overlooks.

Photo by Paul Hermans / CC BY-SA 3.0

Courthouse Rock and Jail Rock
400-foot rock formations with easy access from Highway 88.

Photo by James St. John / CC BY 2.0

Chimney Rock
300-foot rock formation with a thin spire at the top.

Photo by Larry Jacobsen / CC BY 2.0

Toadstool Geologic Park
Badlands area with unique rock formations.

Photo by Kevin Saff / CC BY-SA 2.0

The Sandhills
Region in north central Nebraska with grass-covered sand dunes.

Photo by Ammodramus / Public Domain

See more places to photograph in Nebraska.

Nevada

Valley of Fire State Park
Amazing rock formations that can be seen and photographed for a scenic road in this park about an hour away from Las Vegas.

Photo by esudroff / CC0

Red Rock Canyon
Just west of Las Vegas, this popular recreation area features a beautiful canyon and a scenic drive.

Photo by esudroff / CC0

Black Rock Desert
In northwestern Nevada this remote area features lava fields and playa.

Photo by Trevor Bexon / CC BY 2.0

Lake Tahoe
On the border of Nevada and California, with great photo opportunities at Sand Harbor and Bonsai Rock.

Photo by Nick Fisher / CC BY-ND 2.0

Lamoille Canyon
12-mile canyon with scenic road that provides great views.

Photo by Susan Elliot / CC BY 2.0

See more places to photograph in Nevada.

New Hampshire

Crawford Notch
Steep gorge near Mount Washington with plenty of great views and home to Crawford Notch State Park.

Photo Ron Reiring / CC 2.0

Franconia Notch State Park
Home to the Franconia Ridge Trail, Falling Waters Trail, and Flume Gorge.

Photo by Tim Sackton / CC BY-SA 2.0

Echo Lake State Park
Home to a picturesque lake with 700-foot Cathedral Ledge towering above the lake.

Photo by Anthony Quintano / CC BY 2.0

Diana’s Baths
A series of several small waterfalls, located not far from Echo Lake State Park.

Photo by Dan Connolly / CC BY 2.0

Garwin Falls
Picturesque 40-foot waterfall in southeastern New Hampshire.

Photo by LeonardVanHirtum / CC0

See more places to photograph in New Hampshire.

New Jersey

Delaware Water Gap
This area along the Delaware River features waterfalls, mountains, and scenic river views.

Photo by Nicholas A. Tonelli / CC BY 2.0

High Point State Park
Highest point in the state with views that extend into New York and Pennsylvania.

Photo by Jason Jenkins / CC BY-SA 2.0

Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park
70-foot waterfall in historic location.

Photo by Merle Allen / CC BY-SA 3.0

The Palisades
Steep, high cliffs on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River, can be photographed from New York.

Photo by Waywuwei / CC BY-ND 2.0

Hacklebarney State Park
Home to the Black River and two brooks, plus woods.

Photo by Steven Reynolds / CC BY 2.0

See more places to photograph in New Jersey.

New Mexico

White Sands National Monument
275 square miles of white gypsum sand dunes with access via Dune Drive.

Photo by Marshal Hedin / CC BY-SA 2.0

Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness
Amazing badlands here and in the nearby Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness Study Area.

Photo by John Fowler / CC BY 2.0

City of Rocks State Park
Home to 40-foot rock formations and a dark night sky.

Photo by John Fowler / CC BY 2.0

Shiprock
Rock formation rises 1,500 feet above the desert.

Photo by U.S. Geological Survey / CC BY 2.0

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
Grasslands and wetlands home to many birds, with a loop road for easy viewing.

Photo by John Fowler / CC BY 2.0

See more places to photograph in New Mexico.

New York

Niagara Falls
Iconic falls along the border of the U.S. and Canada. Niagara Falls State Park provides access to the American Falls.

Photo by tpsdave / CC0

Letchworth State Park
Home to 3 significant waterfalls and a beautiful, deep canyon.

Photo by Chris Waits / CC BY 2.0

Watkins Glen State Park
Hike through a deep gorge for views of 19 beautiful waterfalls.

Photo by Brian Adler / Public Domain

Taughannock Falls State Park
Picturesque 200-foot waterfall, just a short distance from Watkins Glen State Park.

Photo by Michael Hall / Public Domain

Indian Head
Great mountain view of Lower Ausable Lake, and other views along the hike.

Photo by Sammetsfan / CC0

See more places to photograph in New York.

North Carolina

Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Mountain park in NC and TN that is beautiful in all four seasons.

Photo by Miguel Vieira / CC BY 2.0

Blue Ridge Parkway
400-mile scenic mountain drive in VA and NC with plenty of overlooks.

Photo by Brian Leon / CC BY-ND 2.0

Crabtree Falls
70-foot waterfall that can be reached with a 3-mile hike from the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Photo by ForestWander.com

Cape Hatteras
Island in the outer banks with scenic seashore and lighthouse.

Photo by betancourt / CC BY 2.0

Linville Gorge
2,000-foot deep gorge in western North Carolina with challenging trails.

Photo by Ken Thomas / Public Domain

See more places to photograph in North Carolina.

North Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Rugged badlands in 3 separate park units in western North Dakota.

Photo by Justin Meissen / CC BY-SA 2.0

Maah Daah Hey Trail
Leads through the badlands and connects the north and south units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Photo by Roderick Eime / CC BY 2.0

Killdeer Mountain Four Bears Scenic Byway
64-mile scenic drive in western North Dakota.

Photo by NDDOT / Public Domain

Lake Metigoshe State Park
Lake in the mountains near the Canadian border.

Photo by Roderick Eime / CC BY 2.0

Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Lake, grasslands, and wetlands – a great place to see the American White Pelican.

Photo by USFWS / CC BY 2.0

See more places to photograph in North Dakota.

Ohio

Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Ravines, waterfalls, and farmlands near Cleveland and Akron.

Photo by Erik Drost / CC BY 2.0

Hocking Hills State Park
Rock formations, a gorge, and several waterfalls in 5 separate park units.

Photo by J. Todd Poling / CC BY 2.0

Clifton Gorge
Beautiful gorge with waterfalls and overlooks.

Photo by ForestWander.com / CC BY-SA 2.0

Fallsville Wildlife Area
Meadows, woodlands, a creek, and small waterfall, not far from Clifton Gorge.

Photo by ForestWanter.com / CC BY-SA 2.0

Amish Country
Farms and rural photo opportunities in Holmes County.

Photo by Kristin Klein / CC BY 2.0

See more places to photograph in Ohio.

Oklahoma

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge
Rugged landscape is home to bison, elk, and Texas longhorns.

Photo by Larry Smith / CC BY 2.0

Rock Garden on the Lower Mountain Fork River
Rocky area on the river near Broken Bow, just north of U.S. Highway 70.

Photo by Thomas and Dianne Jones / CC BY 2.0

Beavers Bend State Park
Forests, water views and rock formations near Broken Bow.

Photo by Lane Pearman / CC BY 2.0

Gloss Mountain State Park
Features cathedral mountain and the surrounding rugged landscape.

Photo by Rachel McBee / CC BY-ND 2.0

Natural Falls State Park
77-foot waterfall that can be seen from an observation platform.

Photo by Doug Wertman / CC BY 2.0

See more places to photograph in Oklahoma.

Oregon

Columbia River Gorge
Scenic river gorge filled with countless waterfalls, including Multnomah Falls.

Photo by Paul VanDerWerf / CC BY 2.0

Cannon Beach
Home of Haystack Rock. Cannon Beach and nearby Ecola State Park are great places to photograph the coast.

Photo by Tiger635 / CC BY 3.0

Crater Lake National Park
Picturesque lake with beautiful blue water and a scenic rim drive.

Photo by Don White / CC0

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument
Broken into 3 separate units. The Painted Hills is a great place to photograph a colorful, unusual landscape.

Photo by John Fowler / CC BY 2.0