Top Ten Natural Wonders of America

Grand Canyon (Arizona): 277 miles long with two rims, North and South, separated by eighteen miles at some points and walls that are one vertical mile. Rock layers date two billion years old. www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm

Ozark National Forest (Arkansas): one million acre forest with six rivers, lakes, natural bridges, waterfalls, caverns, and the highest peak in Arkansas, Magazine Mountain. www.fs.usda.gov/osfnf

White Sands National Monument (New Mexico): 230-square-mile monument that can be enjoyed by hikers and campers, even sand surfing! www.nps.gov/whsa/index.htm

Badlands (South Dakota): named by Sioux Indians because of the harsh conditions created during storms made it “bad land to travel.” The Badlands National Park is close to 244,000 acres, including White River and Badlands Wall. www.nps.gov/badl/index.htm

Devils Tower and Old Faithful (Wyoming): Rock climbers were permitted to climb the face of the tower in 1937. Since that time, more than 5,000 climbers a year tackle Devils Tower, which is a six-hour ascent. There are 120 routes to the summit that climbers can choose from, but they must register with the park service before attempting any of them. The 1,347-acre monument rewards visitors with lots of wildlife and scenery. Another great wonder can be found in Wyoming, Old Faithful. The geyser is in Yellowstone National Park and faithfully erupts twenty times a day! Visitors can get a schedule of eruptions from the Old Faithful Visitor Center. Many visitors choose to stay at the Old Faithful Inn. Built in 1903, it is the largest log structure in the world complete with a seven-story lobby and three tiers of balconies. www.wyomingtourism.org

Mammoth Cave (Kentucky): This is the world’s most extensive cave system. It is popular with spelunkers, especially Ganter Cave. Hikers, campers, and horseback riders keep Dennison Ferry Campground full much of the year.  www.nps.gov/maca/index.htm

Niagara Falls (New York): The Niagara River splits into two falls. Horseshoe Falls is on the Canadian side of the border while American Falls is on the U.S. side. Dubbed the honeymoon capital of the world, the falls continue to attract thousands of newlyweds every year, as well as curious tourists. www.niagarafallsstatepark.com

Death Valley (California): Average summer temperature is 120°F and is the driest place in the U.S., averaging about 1.5″ of rain a year. www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm

Hells Canyon (Idaho): This remote place can be found at the Oregon-Idaho border. This canyon is the deepest gorge in North America. The Snake River flows through it, a popular rafting river. Beyond being remote and incredibly deep, it is dangerous since rattlesnakes and black widow spiders call it home. www.stateparks.com/hells_canyon.html

Glacier Bay (Alaska): A “must see” for cruise ships, Glacier Bay offers spectacular landscape and wildlife, such as humpback whales, black bears, and puffins. www.nps.gov/glba/index.htm