10 Most Stunning Mountain Ranges in The United States

There are a large number of mountain ranges in the United States. The tallest mountains in the United States are in Alaska. But the lower 48 states also have some stunning mountain ranges. Serious mountain climbers who want to tackle the massive mountains in Alaska get their start on the mountain ranges in the United States that are in the contiguous portion of the country first. Only expert climbers have the skills to successfully climb some of the treacherous mountains in Alaska.

10 Most Stunning Mountain Ranges In The United States

The mountain ranges in the United States have a wide variety of climates from snow-capped to lush forests to the red desert peaks in California and Utah. Some of the most stunning mountain ranges in the United States aren’t actually the tallest. The most beautiful mountain ranges in the Unites States are:

The Rocky Mountains

Located in: Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico

Height: 14,439 feet

Highest Peak: Mount Elbert

Known For: The Rocky Mountains are the largest mountain chain in the United States. They stretch for a whopping 3,000 miles across six states in the southwestern part of the United States. Geologists estimate that the Rocky Mountains are between 80 million and 55 million years old.

 The Rocky Mountains are known for being the home of bighorn sheep, who thrive in the mountain terrain. Another fun fact about the Rocky Mountains is that the Continental Divide of the United States falls in this mountain range. Some of the prettiest hikes that hikers can do in the Rocky Mountains include the Sprague Lake Loop, Hike To The Pool Trail, and the Hike To Chasm Lake.

The Great Smoky Mountains

Located in: North Carolina, Tennessee

Height: 6,643 feet

Highest Peak: Clingman’s Dome

Known For: The Great Smoky Mountains stretch through North Carolina and Tennessee. A large part of the famous Appalachian Trail winds through the Great Smoky Mountains. Great Smoky National Park is the most visited national park in the country as people flock to these stunning mountains every year for some amazing hiking and camping.

The temperate climate in North Carolina and Tennessee means that hiking in the mountains is comfortable most of the year. Only in the depths of winter is it extremely cold or snowy in the mountains. The Smoky Mountains are estimated to be between 200 and 300 million years old. That makes them some of the oldest mountains on Earth!

The Smokies are also known as the Salamander Capital of The World because this area has more than 30 different types of salamanders. One type, the Hellbender Salamander, can grow to be almost 30 inches long.

Some of the best hikes to try in the Great Smokey Mountains are the Appalachian Trail, Clingman’s Dome, and the Cades Cove Loop Trail.

Alaska Range Mountains

Located in: Alaska

Height: 20,310 feet

Highest Peak: Mount Denali

Known For:  The Alaska Range is the tallest mountain range in the United States, but it’s not located in the contiguous United States. It’s in Alaska. These mountains are tall but relatively narrow, and only extend for about 400 miles across Alaska. The Alaska Mountains are some of the tallest mountains in the world. The only places that have mountains that are taller are Asia and South America. Many of the mountains in this range are glaciers, which means that hikers attempting to scale these mountains need to have experience hiking and climbing on ice in order to be successful. Visually the Alaska Mountains are some of the most stunning and dramatic in the world. Their snow-capped glacial peaks rising over the Alaskan wilderness are instantly recognizable.

A few of the most beautiful hikes in the Alaskan Range mountains are the O’Malley Peak Trail, the Ptargmian Pass Trail, Wolverine Peak Trail, and Mount Baldy.

Sierra Nevada Mountains

Located in: California, Oregon

Height: 14,000 feet

Highest Peak: Mount Whitney

Known For: The Sierra Nevada mountains are about 400 miles long and run through California and Oregon. A large chunk of the Sierra Nevada mountains sit in Yosemite National Park, which is a very popular national park where people go to camp and hike. The Sierra Nevadas were named for the snow-capped peaks that people flock to during warm California summers. Sierra Nevada in Spanish means “snowy mountain”.

These mountains are home to a huge range of wildlife including some animals that can only be found here like the Sierra Nevada Red Fox. There are a large number of black bears and grizzly bears in the Sierra Nevada mountains. So, hikers who plan on hiking in these mountains should learn how avoid bear interactions and how to protect themselves in the event of a bear attack.

The Sierra Nevada mountains are also the home of one of the most famous trees in the country. General Grant is a tree in Grant Grove that is estimated to be around 3,500 years old. It’s also the world’s third largest tree.

The most recommended hikes in the Sierra Nevada mountains are the Yosemite Falls Trail, the Mount Whitney Trail, and the Redwood Mountain Loop.

Cascade Mountains

Located in: Washington, Oregon, California

Height: 14,000 feet

Highest Point: Mount Rainier

Known For: One of the most interesting things about the Cascade Mountains is that most of the mountains in this range are extinct volcanoes, and some are active volcanoes. They are part of a chain of mountain ranges called the Pacific Ring of Fire. T

The Cascade Mountains are also known for being extremely wet. Because they border the Pacific Ocean they get a lot of rain at lower elevations and snow at the higher elevations. Hikers who attempt to hike these mountains need to be very comfortable hiking in bad weather. And they should know how to hike in the snow and on ice.

With an average height of around 14,000 feet, the Cascade Mountains are one of the taller mountain ranges in the United States. These mountains are also packed with glaciers. More than 300 glaciers can be found in the Cascade Mountains, nearly one-third of all the glaciers in the United States.

The most beautiful hikes in the Cascade Mountains are the Trail of the Cedars Nature Walk, Mount Rainier, Thornton Lake, and the Thunder Knob Trail.

Uinta Mountains

Located in: Utah

Height: 13,000 feet

Highest Point: King’s Mountain

Known For: The Uinta Mountains are a subrange of the Rocky Mountains. These mountains cross Utah and extend slightly into Wyoming. This mountain range is the tallest mountain range in the United States that runs east to west. And most of the range lies within the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. If you love forests and mountain lakes the Uinta Mountains are the best place for you to hike. There are nearly 2,000 small mountain lakes and ponds in these mountains and there are more than 400 miles of rivers and streams. The Uinta mountains are a paradise for anyone that loves to hike, fish, kayak, and camp.

Some of the best hikes in the Uinta Mountains are the Lofty Lake Loop, North Erickson Lake, and the Shingle Creek Trail.

Blue Ridge Mountains

Located in: Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia.

Height: 6,684 feet

Highest Peak: Mount Mitchell

Known For: The Blue Ridge Mountains are famous for their beautiful views and variety of landscapes. These mountains really have it all from snow-capped peaks to lush spruce fir forests and beautiful mountain meadows. The Blue Ridge Mountains are also more accessible for a wide variety of people than other mountain ranges in the United States.

 Thanks to the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway many of mountains in this range are accessible by car. There are also lots of paved overlooks and lookout points where people can park and take in some stunning views or take a short loop trail that leads them to a vantage point to see the best views. The Blue Ridge Parkway extends for almost 700 miles through the Blue Ridge Mountains. This mountain chain runs through seven states and contains a large portion of the Appalachian Trail.

Some of the most stunning hikes to do in the Blue Ridge Mountains are the Mount Pisgah Hiking Trail, the Crabtree Falls Hiking Trail, Linville Falls, and the Graveyard Fields Hiking Trail.

Olympic Mountains

Located in: Washington

Height: 7,962 feet

Highest Peak: Mount Olympus

Known For: The Olympic Mountains in Washington are almost as iconic as the Alaska Mountain Range when it comes to their snow-capped peaks. These mountains though are known for their large narrow peaks and for the ring shape of the range. Like the Cascade Mountains, these mountains in Washington get a lot of snow and rain which can make hiking difficult. But, the stunning views of glacial lakes and mountain meadows filled with wildflowers are worth the trouble. The Olympic Mountains are also known for their gorgeous waterfalls. The Alpine lakes and meadows of the Olympic Mountains will make you feel like you’re on the set of The Sound of Music.

Some of the most impressive hikes in the Olympic Mountains include the High Divide Trail, the Spruce Railroad Trail, Hurricane Hills, and Marymere Falls.

California Coast Mountains

Located in: California

Height: 8,000 feet

Highest Peak: Black Butte

Known For: The California Coast mountains are what most people think of when they think of California. The craggy cliffs next to the Pacific Ocean, which are featured prominently in many TV shows and movies, are the California Coast Mountains. But there’s more to the California Coast mountain range than just picturesque cliffs. They extend for more than 400 miles and have lots of forests which include some of the oldest trees in the country and mountain plains where you will find a huge variety of wildlife.

When you’re hiking in the California Coast mountain range you may run into beavers, muskrats, rabbits, and bobcats. And you may also catch a sighting of Bigfoot. While there’s never been any documented proof that this cryptid exists many hikers who frequent the California Coast range have reported Bigfoot sightings. It seems like the sightings are very frequent in the thick forests of these mountains.

Some of the best hikes to try if you want to see wildlife or enjoy some stunning views of the Pacific are Damnation Creek, Kortum Trail, Alamere Falls, and the Bluff Trail.

Adirondack Mountains

Located in: New York

Height: 5,344 feet

Highest Peak: Mount Marcy

Known For: The Adirondack Mountains in New York are one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the United States. These mountains take up more than 6 million acres of land and it’s all filled with thick forests, snow, stunning lakes and waterfalls, and mountain meadows where wildlife thrive. Estimates are that the Adirondacks are more than five million years old. The Adirondack Mountains are also the source point for the Hudson River.

 The name of this mountain range is the English version of a word used by the Mohawks and the Algonquin tribe of Native Americans. The two tribes lived in the mountains and used them as a natural boundary between each tribe’s territory.

Trails that hikers should not miss when visiting the Adirondacks include the Cascade Mountain Trail,  Chimney Mountain, Mount Arab, and Roaring Brook Falls.

Summary of the10 Most Stunning Mountain Ranges in the United States

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