8 Best Sights in USA

The park's main attraction is this dormant shield volcano's crater, an erosional valley created by water pouring down from the summit. The views from the summit are spectacular, but entering the crater—with its cinder cones, lava flows, and loud silence—is like landing on a different planet. Indeed, in the early 1960s, NASA even brought moon-suited astronauts here to practice what it would be like to "walk on the moon." 

Segments of the Keoneheehee (Sliding Sands) Trail take you out and back from the Haleakala Visitor Center to overlooks at the summit and down into the crater. If you're in good physical condition, you can even make a full day of it, continuing along this trail across the crater floor, finishing at the trailhead for the Halemauu Trail on the other side.

Summer is the best time to enter the crater, as conditions are generally more predictable. Wear layered clothing and bring drinking water, as potable water is available only at the visitor centers. Also, if you plan to head to the park summit before 7 am, remember to make sunrise reservations (up to 60 days in advance) at  recreation.gov.

For Native Hawaiians, Halemaumau Crater is the sacred home of Pele, the fire goddess; for scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, this mighty pit crater within the massive Kilauea Caldera is an ever-changing force to be reckoned with. Prior to Kilauea's 2018 eruption, Halemaumau’s visible lava lake awed visitors for 10 consecutive years. Then Puu Oo Vent, which had been erupting farther away in the East Rift Zone for 35 years, collapsed in April 2018. As lava from the vent drained, so did the lava lake at Halemaumau Crater. A relentless series of seismic events at the summit followed, doubling the diameter of Halemaumau Crater and deepening it by 1,300 feet, after which a lake of water began forming, eventually growing to 160 feet deep. On December 20, 2020, an eruption within the crater instantly vaporized the water lake, sending molten lava cascading into the crater from vents within the walls and commencing the return of an active lava lake to Halemaumau, which has erupted intermittently in the years that followed through 2023 and likely beyond. There are many places in the park to view the magnificent crater, including at the Steaming Bluff Overlook and at Volcano House hotel. To get a glimpse of the lava lake during an eruption phase, there is a lookout area between the Steam Vents and the former Jaggar Museum area; another lookout point is on the crater's other side near the Devastation Trail parking lot. For the best lava-viewing experience of Halemaumau Crater during an eruption phase, visit the park after 10 pm when crowds are smaller.

The crown jewel of the 2½-million-acre Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Mt. Shasta, a 14,179-foot-high dormant volcano, is a mecca for day hikers. It's especially enticing in spring, when fragrant Shasta lilies and other flowers adorn the rocky slopes. A paved road, the Everitt Memorial Highway, reaches only as far as the timberline; the final 6,000 feet are a strenuous climb of rubble, ice, and snow (the summit is perpetually ice-packed). Hiking enthusiasts include this trek with those to the peaks of Kilimanjaro and Mt. Fuji in lists of iconic must-do mountain hikes. Always check weather predictions; sudden storms—with snow and freezing temperatures—have trapped climbers.

The peak of this 10,016-foot stratovolcano, which is in the southeast corner of the park, is home to 10 glaciers. Although not active, it is expected to erupt at some time in the future. It's noted as being the 25th most prominent peak in North America.

This active volcano, located north of Tuxedni Bay on the eastern side of the park, can be seen from many different vantage points in Southcentral Alaska, but from within Lake Clark National Park, it is a truly impressive sight. Its sister, Mt. Iliamna, has blown plumes of ash and smoke but has had no recorded erruptions, unlike Redoubt, which has errupted 30 times in the past 10,000 years, including four times just in the last century.

The last time hot lava flowed from Newberry Volcano was about 13 centuries ago. The north end of the monument has several large basalt flows, as well as the 500-foot Lava Butte cinder cone—a coal-black and scorched-red, symmetrical mound thrust from the depths 7,000 years ago. The cone is now home to the Lava Lands Visitor Center, which features interpretive exhibits that explain the volcanic and early human history of the area. Lava River Cave, a 1-mile-long lava tube, takes about 90 minutes to explore on your own with a lantern (available for rent, $5). Reservations are required to visit the cave and can be booked through the Forest Service in advance. Half of the slots are available up to 30 days in advance; the other half open up 24 hours in advance.

On the south end of the monument, an unpaved road leads to beautiful views from Paulina Peak. Along the shores of Paulina Lake and East Lake, you can hike, fish, camp, or stay at the rustic resorts. You can also hike a trail to Paulina Falls, an 80-foot double waterfall. The monument offers 100 miles of summer trails, and may be accessible during winter months, depending on snowmelt, for snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and skiing.

A short walk from the Kilauea Visitor Center leads to the pungent yet fascinating Sulphur Banks, where gases composed of hydrogen sulfide produce a smell akin to rotten eggs. Most of the rocks surrounding the vents are chemically stained with a yellow hue due to constant gas exposure. Throughout the surrounding landscape, dozens of active steam vents emit white, billowing vapors that originate from groundwater heated by volcanic rocks. Located on the caldera's edge, Steaming Bluff is a short walk from a nearby parking area. The best steam vents are across the road from the main steam vent parking area; they vary in size and are scattered alongside the dirt trails.

At 500 feet deep and ½ mile across, this crater resulted from underground steam and gas explosions, some as recently as 300 years ago. Volcanic ash spreads out over most of the area, and the cinders lie as deep as 150 feet near the crater's rim. Trek down to the crater's floor or walk around the 2-mile rim counterclockwise to avoid the steep uphill climb. Either way, you need about an hour and will be treated to fantastic views. The hike from the floor can be strenuous, especially because of loose terrain.