5 Natural Wonders to Visit in the U.S.

If you're thinking about embarking on a road trip or taking any kind of vacation, you might want to consider planning it around one of America's greatest natural wonders. There are an endless number of options for those just itching to head out in their RV, perhaps purchased from one of the RV dealers in PA, but no matter what your mode of transportation, these ideas are sure to get you inspired.

Monument Valley, Utah/Arizona

One of the most enduring images of the American West, Monument Valley straddles the border of Arizona and Utah and is filled with massive red sandstone monoliths that were carved by the elements, sculpted like works of art from rain and wind into various shapes dotted across the landscape. May rise hundreds of feet above the desert floor, a scene that's remained untouched for centuries. While you've probably seen it onscreen and in photographs, there's nothing like witnessing the vivid colors and shapes in person, that are just as vibrant, if not more so.

Crater Lake, Oregon

Crater Lake was formed about 7,600 years ago when a massive eruption was said to cause the collapse of Mount Mazama. It's the deepest lake in the entire country, with its depth at the deepest point nearly 2,000 feet, as Geology.com notes. Its fed entirely by rain and snowmelt and is considered one of the world's least polluted bodies of water although it's best-known for its intense shade of blue that makes it especially mesmerizing. It's also a great place to dive, with crystal-clear shows that include interesting lava formations.

Niagara Falls, New York

Niagara Falls is one of the world's most famous waterfalls, located along the U.S. and Canada border. American Falls is on the New York side, while Horseshoe Falls is in Ontario. They're separated by an island, with both made up of over 750,000 gallons of water, plunging every second for 167 feet.

Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

The world's most famous geyser, Old Faithful erupts on average about once every 90 minutes, shooting water some 135 feet into the sky although it's occasionally skyrocketed as high as 190 feet. Can you imagine what the members of the Washburn Expedition thought when they discovered it in 1870? It's just as incredible today, with the water starting to gurgle as pressure builds, with one splash more forceful than the others, and then seconds later the columns of water erupt for anywhere from a minute-and-a-half to five minutes. It sits in Yellowstone National Park's Upper Geyser Basin, which contains around 150 geysers in a one-square-mile area.

The Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park, California

Tucked within California's Sierra Nevada Mountains in Sequoia National Park, the Giant Forest is a three-mile square area filled with colossal sequoias. It includes the single largest living tree in the world, the General Sherman Tree, with a total of five of the planet's 10 largest living trees here. On average, they're as tall as 26-story buildings, with base diameters that are wider than most city streets. Maybe even more impressive is that they range in age from 1,800- to 2,700-years-old. They can be viewed by hiking the two-mile Congress Trail.