52 Best Sights in USA

As the Phoenix metro area gives way to cactus- and creosote-dotted desert, the massive escarpment of the Superstition Mountains heaves into view and slides by to the north. The Superstitions are supposedly where the legendary Lost Dutchman Mine is, the location—not to mention the existence—of which has been hotly debated since pioneer days.

Mabry Mill, north of Meadows of Dan and the Blue Ridge Parkway's junction with U.S. 58 at milepost 176, 55 miles south of Roanoke, is one of the parkway's most popular stops for photographers. There is also a restaurant and gift shop on site.

This 3,514-foot-tall mountain sits just south of the Thornton Gap Entrance on Skyline Drive. View-seekers can hike one of two routes along the Appalachian Trail to reach the summit of the park's eighth highest peak.

For great views with minimal effort, hike Monument Mountain, famous as a spot for literary inspiration. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville trekked it on August 5, 1850, seeking shelter in a cave during a thunderstorm. There they discussed ideas that would become part of a novel called Moby-Dick. While poet William Cullen Bryant stayed in the area, he penned a lyrical poem, "Monument Mountain," about a lovesick Mohican maiden who jumped to her death from the cliffs. Most hikers find the 2½-mile loop an easy stroll.

A park sits atop this humble summit of 692 feet, one of the highest points along the Atlantic seaboard. That may not seem like much, but if you choose to hike to the top, you will be rewarded with incredible views all the way to the White Mountains in New Hampshire. If you don't want to hoof it (though it's not very steep), there is parking at the top. If you bring your pup, make sure to keep them leashed.

Accessible primarily by steamship, Kineo House was a thriving upscale summer resort below its hulking namesake: 700-foot cliffs on an islandlike 1,150-acre peninsula jutting into Moosehead Lake. The last of three successive hotels with this name was built here in 1884 and became America's largest inland waterfront hotel. It was torn down in 1938, but Kineo remains an outstanding day trip. Now part of Mount Kineo State Park, summit trails lead to a fire tower that rewards with a 360-degree sweep of Maine's largest lake and rugged mountains near and far. Hikers scramble on the challenging Indian Trail (about a mile), but it has amazing views, and you can descend on the easy 1.1-mile Bridle Trail through the woods. All hikes begin on the 2.2-mile Carriage Trail, a flat, shore-hugging remnant of the halcyon hotel days and part of the 6.1-mile trail network. There's no road access, but from Rockwood Town Landing you can hop 9-hole Mount Kineo Golf Course's boat shuttle (fee), which has the same operating season as the course (closed mid-Oct.–late May). One of New England's oldest courses (not part of the park), it’s surrounded by historic summer "cottages." The small clubhouse has a snack bar and welcomes hikers.

Part of the Santa Catalina range, Mount Lemmon—named for Sara Lemmon, the first woman to reach the peak of this mountain, in 1881—is the southernmost ski slope in the continental United States, but you don't have to be a skier to enjoy the area: in summer, it's a popular place for picnicking, and there are 150 miles of marked and well-maintained trails for hiking. The mountain's 9,157-foot elevation brings relief from summer heat (temperatures are typically 25 degrees lower than in Tucson).

Mount Lemmon Highway twists for 28 miles up the mountainside; driving time from midtown is about an hour. Every 1,000-foot climb in elevation is equivalent, in terms of climate, to traveling 300 miles north: you'll move from typical Sonoran Desert plants in the foothills to vegetation similar to that found in southern Canada at the top. Rock formations along the way look as though they were carefully balanced against each other by sculptors from another planet.

Even if you don't make it to the top of the mountain, you'll find stunning views of Tucson at Windy Point, about halfway up. Look for a road on your left between the Windy Point and San Pedro lookouts; it leads to Rose Canyon lake, a lovely reservoir.

Just before you reach the ski area, you'll pass through the tiny alpine-style village of Summerhaven, which has a lodge and some casual restaurants, most notably a branch of Beyond Bread, where you can dine in or take your sandwich to a choice picnic spot. Marshall Gulch, a popular hiking trail, is just a little further down the road.

There are no gas stations on Mount Lemmon Highway, so gas up before you leave town and check the road conditions in winter.

To reach the highway, take Tanque Verde Road to Catalina Highway, which becomes Mount Lemmon Highway.

La Jolla's highest spot can be reached by taking Nautilus Street to La Jolla Scenic Drive South, and then turning left. Proceed a few blocks to the park, where parking is plentiful and the views are astounding, unless the day is hazy. Marking the iconic coastal peak are granite plaques and a cross commemorating veterans since 1954. The top of the mountain is an excellent vantage point from which to get a sense of San Diego's geography: looking down from here you can see the coast from the county's northern border to the south far beyond Downtown.

The massive, snowcapped peak watching over Leadville is Mt. Elbert. At 14,433 feet it's the highest mountain in Colorado and the tallest peak in the entire Rocky Mountain Range, second in height in the contiguous 48 states only to California's 14,495-foot Mt. Whitney.

The centerpiece of this 10,327-acre reservation south of Williamstown is Mt. Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts at 3,491 feet, and the fictional location of Pottermore's North American school of magic, Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The reservation has facilities for cycling, fishing, horseback riding, camping, and snowmobiling. Many treks—including a portion of the Appalachian Trail—start from the parking lot at the summit in Adams, an 8-mile drive from the mountain's base.

The 5,721-foot Mt. Pisgah is one of the most easily recognized peaks around Asheville due to the television tower installed here in the 1950s. It has walking trails, a picnic area, and an amphitheater where nature programs are offered most evenings from June through October. There is an inn, a restaurant, and a small grocery a short distance away. Nearby Graveyard Fields is popular for blueberry picking in midsummer.

The white-iced spire of Mt. St. Elias, in the range of the same name, reaches more than 18,000 feet. It's the fourth-highest peak on the North American continent and the crown of the planet's highest coastal range. It also has the world's longest ski descent.

Looming 11,301 feet above Grants to the northeast, Mt. Taylor is the highest peak in northwestern New Mexico. Its stark presence on the horizon gives a sense of why the mountain is considered sacred not just to the Acoma, but to the Zuni, Laguna, and Navajo as well. You can drive fairly far up the mountain for fine views and hop out to hike on marked trails. On the main road to the peak, about 10 mi northeast of Grants off NM 547 (Exit 85 from Interstate 40), Coal Mine (small fee) and Lobo Canyon (free) campgrounds, both at 7,400 feet elevation, offer first-come, first-served campsites (and restrooms, but no drinking water) amidst ponderosa pines. The campgrounds are closed September 30 through May 15; call the Cibola National Forest/Mt. Taylor Ranger District station (505/346–3900www.fs.fed.us) for information.

Straddling the border of Sequoia National Park and Inyo National Forest–John Muir Wilderness, Mt. Whitney (14,496 feet) is the highest mountain in the contiguous United States. A favorite game for travelers passing through Lone Pine is trying to guess which peak is Mt. Whitney. Almost no one gets it right, because Mt. Whitney is hidden behind other mountains. No roads ascend the peak, but you can glimpse the mountain by following curvy Whitney Portal Road west from Lone Pine into the mountains. The pavement ends at the trailhead to the top of the mountain, which is also the start of the 211-mile John Muir Trail from Mt. Whitney to Yosemite National Park.

Day and overnight permits are required to ascend Mt. Whitney. The highly competitive permit lottery opens on February 1. At the portal, a restaurant (known for its pancakes) and a small store cater to hikers and campers staying at Whitney Portal Campground. You can see a waterfall from the parking lot and go fishing in a small trout pond. The portal area is closed from mid-October to early May; the road closes when snow conditions require.

Generations of visitors have ridden the 120-passenger tramway up the 2.1-mile ascent to Ober Mountain, a ski resort in winter and amusement park in summer. Attractions include indoor ice skating, bumper cars, and a small zoo featuring black bears, bobcats, and otters. In warm weather there are waterslides, a roller coaster, and daily live bluegrass music. Even when the crowds are heaviest, there's plenty to do at the restaurants and shops "up top."   The attraction changed hands in 2022, rebranding to Ober Mountain, and upgrades to the attractions are underway.

Although its true name is Nounou, this landmark mountain ridge is more commonly known as the Sleeping Giant because of its resemblance to a very large man sleeping on his back. Legends differ on whether the giant is Puni, who was accidentally killed by rocks launched at invading canoes by the Menehune, or Nunui, a gentle creature who has not yet awakened from the nap he took centuries ago after building a massive temple and enjoying a big feast. The ridge can be experienced up close via one of several trails that traverse the giant's body from the east and west ( see Hiking).

You don't have to walk the 1.2-mile round-trip trail to the summit of Waterrock Knob for a view—the vistas from the visitor center are also wonderful—but a trip to the top for sunrise or sunset can be stunning. Heading northeast from Cherokee on the Parkway, this is the first trail and notable summit. 

Though only the fifth-highest in the region, Whiteface Mountain is one of the best-known mountains in the Adirondacks. Veterans Memorial Highway twists and climbs 8 mi to the top of the mountain. Close to the peak is a parking lot; from here you can ride an elevator or hike the rest of the way up. Scenic gondola rides are available in the summer.

Near Highlands and Cashiers, Whiteside Mountain is one of the highest continuous cliffs in the East. The sheer cliffs of white granite rise up to 750 feet, overlooking the Chattooga River in the Nantahala National Forest. A 2-mile loop (moderate) takes you to the top of the cliffs, including a long section following the striking ridgeline. The cliffs are also popular with rock climbers. Peregrine falcons nest here, and the cliffs are closed to climbers during falcon mating season.

Covering a 100-by-70-mile area, the Wrangells tower over the 2,500-foot-high Copper River Plateau, with the peaks of mounts Jarvis, Drum, Blackburn, Sanford, and Wrangell rising from 15,000 feet to 16,000 feet above sea level.