11 Most Beautiful National Parks in the US

3. Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park stuns with sheer scale—277 miles long and over a mile deep, the canyon’s layered reds, oranges, and purples collide as the sun rises and sets each day. The South Rim is the most accessible, offering iconic lookouts like Mather Point and Grand Canyon Village, while the quieter North Rim delivers peaceful perspectives (open seasonally). Hiking the Rim Trail or simply pausing for a sunrise view, you witness a geological record stretching millions of years. River trips and backcountry routes promise adventure, but even staunch sightseers find magic in the changing light. Grand Canyon’s grandeur is unforgettable; many visitors report their first glimpse as a life-highlight, drawing them back again and again.