America’s Most Beautiful Spots for Photography Enthusiasts
The perfect day in the outdoors has two halves: the exhilaration of a challenging trail and the deep, earned satisfaction of soaking those miles away in a hot spring, steam room, or massage table.
Increasingly, some of America’s most spectacular hiking destinations are also home to world-class spa experiences, and the combination is nothing short of extraordinary. These are the best places in the country to hike hard and recover beautifully.
The Utah Mighty Five
Utah’s five national parks—Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches—form one of the most photographically rich corridors on the planet.
Mesa Arch at sunrise, the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon glowing pink in early light, The Narrows in slot-canyon shadow: every hour of every day produces scenes of staggering visual drama. Plan sunrise and sunset shoots specifically; the light in canyon country is transformative.
Olympic National Park, Washington
Olympic National Park encompasses three completely distinct ecosystems: temperate rainforest, alpine meadow, and wild Pacific coastline. Each offers radically different photographic opportunities.
The emerald light filtering through the Hoh Rain Forest, the impossibly dramatic sea stacks of Ruby Beach at dawn, and the wildflower explosions on Hurricane Ridge combine to make this one of the most versatile photography destinations in the country.
The Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee & North Carolina
The Smokies earn their name through the blue-gray mist that hangs perpetually in the ancient mountain valleys. This phenomenon creates photographic conditions unlike anywhere else in the Eastern United States.
Early morning at Clingmans Dome, Cades Cove in autumn fog, and the rhododendron tunnels of the Alum Cave Trail all reward photographers who get there before the crowds and stay in the soft edge-of-day light.
Death Valley National Park, California
Death Valley is a landscape of extremes that rewards photographers who understand light. The salt flats of Badwater Basin, the painted hills of Artist’s Palette, the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at dawn, and the cracked earth of Devil’s Golf Course all photograph differently at every hour, but the low golden light of early morning and late afternoon turns this already extraordinary landscape into something almost otherworldly.