The United States has been blessed with a wide variety of climates and geography that provide a great opportunity to landscape photographers to portray their talent. While you can also click amazing photos in metropolitan areas of different cities in the USA, some places in the country can offer scenes that are impossible to get anywhere else.
In this article, we have mentioned the top 10 dream locations for landscape photographers within the USA, where you can go and have fun along with your camera.
1.Yosemite National Park
When talking about the top locations for landscape photography, Yosemite comes at first because of its breathtaking views. One can also click iconic photos from Ansel Adams. Yosemite National Park, located in northern California, can be accessed from both San Francisco and San Jose. Moreover, it is very close to another dream location, Death Valley.
The most common subjects for landscape photographers in Yosemite National Park are El Capitan (a 3,000-foot granite monolith), half dome (a 4,700-foot tall granite rock formation), and Yosemite Falls (the highest waterfall in the United States). One more location there that can provide you a scenic overlook is the tunnel view.
Although most photographers stay around in the vicinity of the main attractions and Yosemite village, opportunities for explorers exist throughout the park. Also, there are quite a lot of hiking trails that will allow you to leave the crowded areas and find some soothing, unique scenes to capture.
2.The Grand Canyon, Arizona
The Grand Canyon, located in Arizona, is a must-visit for all the landscape photographers looking for majestic views. You can capture the most popular spots, including the south rim vistas. On the other hand, there is the less-crowded north rim that also includes breathtaking views. But it is closed half of the year in the winter.
Although you can capture some excellent landscape shots from the rim of the canyon, you can spend some more time and hike down one of the trails to capture a unique perspective.
3.Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is the first-ever national park in the world. It is known for its mesmerizing beauty and iconic views. Most of the park lies in Wyoming, but it also extends into Montana and Idaho. This massive park covers a total area of 3,400+ square miles, which means a lot of opportunities for landscape photographers.
Although popular locations like Old Faithful provides the most astonishing views and draw a lot of crowds, there are still a lot of areas in the vicinity to get away and click unique photos. Moreover, Yellowstone is not just an excellent place for landscape photographers but wildlife photographers as well. There, you can capture gray wolves, grizzly bears, moose, elk, black bears, bison, sheep, bighorn, as well as more than 150 species of birds.
4.Monument Valley, Utah
Located in the state of Utah and Arizona, Monument Valley provides one of the most amazing views of the American West. If you have an eye for beauty, you will fall in love with the place from every angle. The sandstone buttes there reach up to 1,000 feet and are featured in several films as well. The park consists of a 17-mile dirt road, and some areas there are only accessible by guided tours.
5.Sedona, Arizona
Sedona, about a two-hour drive from The Grand Canyon’s south rim, provides stunning views and plenty of opportunities to landscape photographers. Wherever you look, you will find astonishing views to capture. Sedona town is fairly small, but there are several trails and forests that lead to stunning views. The forest roads require a 4×4 vehicle – if you have your own, great; if not, you can rent it or take a jeep tour.
However, with jeep tours, you won’t be able to stay in a place for much longer to click the perfect shot.
6.Death Valley National Park
Located in California and Nevada, Death Valley National Park lies between the Great Basin and the Mojave Desert. It is below sea level and is one of the hottest and driest national parks in the USA. However, it still provides stunning landscape views to capture. The most popular area for photographers is the Racetrack that lies below sea level.
Also, if you love capturing Milky Way and doing night photography, then you will find this spot the best!
7.Acadia National Park
Unlike other places mentioned above (that are in the west), Acadia National Park is in the east. Located in Maine, this is an ideal place for photographing the coast. The most popular location to capture in this area is Bass Harbor.
Moreover, Acadia includes parks and lakes that add to the beauty of the location and provide numerous opportunities to photographers. If you want the views of the coast, mountain, and forest, then the best time to visit this national park is from mid-April through November. This is because, during this time, the 27-mile Park Loop Road is open.
8.Zion National Park, Utah
Located in Utah and about a 1.5-hour drive from Bryce Canyon, Zion National Park is a relatively small park that has phenomenal scenery and will make you feel like you have stepped into another world. Although Zion is small in comparison to the national parks we have mentioned above, it has a lot to offer to landscape photographers.
The most popular areas of the location are in the main Zion Canyon. Also, there are plenty of trails that will get you away from all the tourists and crowds. If you love hiking and photographing, then you can walk through the Virgin River in The Narrows.
9.Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Encompassing more than six million acres of land, Denali National Park and Preserve is another amazing location to visit to capture nature’s beauty. However, most of the land there is extremely difficult or even impossible to get to.
The park consists of Denali (also known as Mount McKinley), the highest mountain in North America. Both wildlife and snowy mountains within the park make this destination one of the dream locations to visit for photographers.
10.Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Situated in Tennessee and North Carolina, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is another favorite spot for most photographers. Interestingly, it is also America’s most visited national park. The two main entrances to the national park are from the town of Cherokee, North Carolina and Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
The park looks wonderful in all the seasons, but it is autumn when the real beauty of Great Smoky Mountains National Park at its peak. To see and capture the waterfalls, you might need to hike. Moreover, to reach the highest point in the park, you have to get to Clingman’s Dome, which is over 6,000 feet and can be reached by car and a short walk.
Final Words
We hope that you like the list of these dream locations for landscape photography. If you want the best and unique views, pack your camera and other essentials and start your photography journey without thinking much. You will, undoubtedly, love these destinations!