Awe-Inspiring Overlooks and Viewpoints in the National Parks
Besides unique plants and animals, cultural heritage and fantastic outdoor recreation opportunities, many people visit America’s national parks to see some of the country’s greatest landscapes.
While some views require several miles of hiking, there are also numerous iconic overlooks and viewpoints in the national parks, easily accessible by car.
20 Awe-Inspiring National Park Overlooks and Viewpoints
Below, you won’t find in-depth wildlife viewing guides or lengthy descriptions of day hikes in the parks. Instead, this post is intended to inspire you to go and see America’s magnificent landscapes, many of which are within a national park.
Check out the most spectacular overlooks and viewpoints in the national parks below. Enjoy!
The Point Overlook, Shenandoah National Park
One of my favorite sunset spots in Shenandoah National Park, The Point Overlook is one of more than 70 overlooks on scenic Skyline Drive. It is on Mile 55.5 of Skyline Drive and offers panoramic views of the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains.
This view is particularly beautiful in the fall when the forests below burst with color. In spring, on the other hand, you can often enjoy a misty mountainscapes, especially after a rain shower.
Chinook Pass, Mount Rainier National Park
Located on Route 410 above picturesque Tipsoo Lake, Chinook Pass provides one of the grandest views of Mount Rainier. There’s plenty of parking space along the road, indicating how popular this spot near the park’s east entrance is.
From Chinook Pass, you can admire a clear view of Mount Rainier behind Tipsoo Lake. This area is stunning all-year, but is arguably at its most beautiful in the fall, when the abundant huckleberry bushes turn red.
Early in the morning, this is also an excellent wildlife viewing location in Mount Rainier National Park, while it also provides pretty epic sunset views.
If you’re up for a Mount Rainier hike, you can do the easy loop around the lake or the more challenging 3.5-mile Naches Peak Loop.
Sunset Point, Bryce Canyon National Park
One of three popular viewpoints at Bryce Canyon National Park, Sunset Point is my personal favorite. It is between Sunrise Point and Inspiration Point and offers some of the most spectacular views of the canyon’s remarkable hoodoos.
Directly below Sunset Point is the Silent City, a dense collection of rock spires and fins, which includes iconic Thor’s Hammer.
The wonderful Navajo Loop Trail starts at the overlook, leading down into the heart of Bryce Canyon. As its name suggests, this Bryce Canyon National Park overlook is phenomenal at sunset.
Diablo Lake Overlook, North Cascades National Park
Technically located in the Ross Lake National Recreation Area, which is part of the North Cascades National Park Service Complex, the Diablo Lake Overlook is easily one of the best viewpoints in the national parks system.
Situated off Route 20, which runs through the heart of the North Cascades, a large parking lot accommodates the many visitors who want to enjoy this famous view.
The marvelous turquoise color of Lake Diablo’s water is the result of fine rock particles, called glacial flour, suspended in the water, which refract sunlight. The lake is at its most colorful on sunny days in July, August and September.
Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park
One of Death Valley National Park’s most famous viewpoints, Zabriskie Point is a short drive southeast of Furnace Creek.
Named after Christian Brevoort Zabriskie, the general manager of the early-1900s Pacific Coast Borax Company, the overlook offers spectacular panoramic views of the eroded landscape below.
Yellow-colored badlands stretch out before you in a sun-scorched maze of hills, canyons and gullies, while the towering Sierra Nevada mountains rise up in the far distance.
If you’d like to experience this epic landscape up-close, you can hike the Badlands Loop. For a longer option, the Badlands Loop connects to two other trails—Golden Canyon and Gower Gulch—to create a superb 8-mile circuit, one of the top hikes in Death Valley.
Watchman Peak, Crater Lake National Park
This viewpoint in Oregon‘s Crater Lake National Park is one of the rare overlooks in national parks in this list that actually requires a little bit of hike to get to.
Topped by the Watchman Observation Station, Watchman Peak is reached via a short but steep trail from the Watchman Overlook Parking Lot on the Rim Drive.
The Watchman Peak Trail is shorter than a mile and involves a series of switchbacks to the top.
From Watchman Peak, you can enjoy what is, in my opinion, the greatest panoramic view in Crater Lake National Park. It’s totally worth the hike up.
Additionally, if you’re up for a longer hike at Crater Lake, you can also start this hike anywhere along the Rim Trail, even as far the Crater Lake Lodge at Rim Village. (The latter is a 7.5-mile roundtrip hike.)
Keys View, Joshua Tree National Park
Arguably the greatest Joshua Tree National Park viewpoint, Keys View is at the end of a side road of Park Boulevard, which runs through the northern part of the park.
This stunning overlook faces west and offers a view of almost the entire Coachella Valley. You can see the Salton Sea to the southwest and a part of the San Andreas Fault as well. It’s a superb sunset viewing spot in Joshua Tree.
Oxbow Bend Turnout, Grand Teton National Park
One of the best locations in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, for both wildlife and sunrise viewing, the Oxbow Bend Turnout is easily one of the top viewpoints in the national parks.
Named for the huge curve in the Snake River, this viewpoint is nothing short of glorious in the morning.
The still water often reflects the Teton Mountains, particularly majestic Mount Moran, while the shrieks, tweets, chirps and songs of many waterfowl and other birds penetrate the silent morning air.
Moose are occasionally spotted foraging on riverbank willows. Muskrats, beavers and rivers live in and along the river.
See the names of the major Teton Range peaks here!
Green River Overlook, Canyonlands National Park
When it comes to photogenic viewpoints in national parks, it doesn’t get much better than the Green River Overlook.
From this overlook, the view takes in the canyons of the southern part of the Island in the Sky in Canyonlands National Park, stretching all the way to the Green River 1,300 feet below in the remote Maze District. You can also see a part of the White Rim Road from this location.
Facing southwest, the Green River Overlook is one of the best places in this part of Canyonlands to enjoy the sunset.
Cadillac Mountain Summit, Acadia National Park
The highest mountain on the East Coast, Cadillac Mountain is known for being the first place you can watch the sunrise in the United States. From October 7 to March 6, this is the first place in America hit by the day’s first sunrays.
You can drive up the summit, the tallest mountain in Acadia National Park, via the Cadillac Summit Road, which is off the Park Loop Road and has a large and very crowded parking lot, restrooms and even a souvenir shop.
Alternatively, the 3.5-mile South Ridge Trail offers you the opportunity to hike to the viewpoint, making it more of a reward.
Either way, the panoramic view from Cadillac Mountain is phenomenal, taking in the glacier-carved coastal and island landscape, including beautiful Frenchman Bay below.
Trailview Overlook, Grand Canyon National Park
It’s nearly impossible to pick the “best” overlooks in Grand Canyon National Park. They’re all breathtaking. Yet, I chose the Trailview Overlook for this list of national park viewpoints because it offers a unique view of one of the most popular hiking trails in the Grand Canyon.
Standing at Trailview Overlook, reached via a short walk down a set of stairs, you can see much of the Bright Angel Trail, from its trailhead to Indian Garden and beyond, until it disappears into the depths of the inner gorge.
Sliding Sands Trailhead, Haleakalā National Park
Although this isn’t technically an official overlook, it’s definitely a scenic spot. Also known as the Keonehe’ehe’e Trail, the Sliding Sands Trail is one of the best Haleakalā National Park hikes.
The trail starts at the parking lot of the Haleakalā Visitor Center and immediately offers jaw-dropping views of the Haleakalā Crater, one of the top attractions in Hawaii.
You can walk as far as you’d like, whether it’s just to enjoy the view or to explore this spectacular crater. (The Sliding Sands Trail snakes its way 3.9 miles and 2,500 feet down to the crater floor; be prepared, it’s a long and steep hike back!)
Artist Point, Yellowstone National Park
One of the most popular places in Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is awe-inspiring in its majesty.
You can admire the dramatic shapes and colors of Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon from the North and South Rims. Both rims have their own Rim Drive, hiking trails and overlooks, all offering (slightly) different vantage points.
On the South Rim, nothing compares to the panoramic view from Artist Point, arguably the most famous view of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
The vista from this iconic national park viewpoint resembles that of Thomas Moran’s iconic oil painting of the canyon, which he declared to be so beautiful it is “beyond the reach of human art.”
Garden of Eden, Arches National Park
One of my favorite sights in Arches National Park is the Garden of Eden Viewpoint. A short trail off the road toward The Windows leads to a breathtaking view of the cliffs, boulders, arches and pinnacles of that area.
This is all backed by the spectacular, snow-capped La Sal Mountains. One of the classic viewpoints in the national parks, it’s at its most beautiful early in the morning and late in the evening.
Sun Point View, Mesa Verde National Park
You’ll find many overlooks and viewpoints in Mesa Verde National Park, but one that you shouldn’t miss is Sun Point View.
Located on the scenic 6-mile Mesa Top Loop, it provides a wonderful view of Cliff Canyon with its myriad cliff dwellings, including the iconic Cliff Palace. The park’s most photographed place, Cliff Palace is also considered North America’s largest cliff dwelling, containing 150 rooms and many kivas.
Kachina Point, Petrified Forest National Park
Situated about two miles from the north entrance of Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park, Kachina Point overlooks a stunning area of the Painted Desert. It is one of the best places to see the Painted Desert’s famous red part.
The overlook is near the Painted Desert Inn, one of the most photogenic buildings in the national parks.
Additionally, this is also the starting point for hikes into the Painted Desert wilderness, including overnight backpacking trips.
Boicourt Overlook, Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Experience what Theodore Roosevelt meant when he called the Little Missouri Badlands “a land of vast, silent spaces…” at the amazing Boicourt Overlook.
About halfway on the Scenic Loop Drive in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s South Unit, this overlook offers a 360-degree view of this unique rolling landscape consisting of badlands and prairie.
The short Boicourt Overlook Trail starts at the overlook and is a nice little walk to a bluff. Grab your binoculars and search the plains for roaming bison and feral horses. Take your time here—it’s one of the greatest views in the park.
Observation Point, Zion National Park
As its name implies, Zion National Park’s Observation Point is a great place to enjoy the view. This is by far the most “difficult” place to get to on this list of national park viewpoints.
To get to Observation Point, it’s a 4-mile one-way hike with an elevation gain of over 2,100 feet. This is a
strenuous day hike at Zion by all definitions, but it’s also one of the absolute highlights of a visit to Zion National Park.
After hiking a couple of hours, the panoramic view of Zion Canyon below makes all the effort more than worth it.
From this epic viewpoint, you can see the Virgin River winding its way through the canyon, while there’s also a clear view of world-famous Angels Landing, about 600 feet below you.
East Tunnel Pullouts, Glacier National Park
While literally all overlooks and pullouts on Glacier’s Going-to-the-Sun Road are worth stopping at, I personally love those below the East Tunnel most.
This 408-feet-long tunnel was excavated entirely by hand, an impressive man-made feature in a landscape dominated by majestic peaks and deep valleys.
The pullouts are on the downhill side of the tunnel and offer a great view of Going-to-the-Sun Mountain, after which the road was named.
Looking up toward Logan Pass, in the heart of Glacier National Park, this unforgettable panoramic view takes in Mount Reynolds and Clements Mountain. In the morning, their peaks are beautifully lit up by the day’s first sun rays.
Additionally, this is also a great place to see some of the iconic wildlife in Glacier National Park, especially bighorn sheep and mountain goats.
Uēkahuna, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park
The western end of the scenic Crater Rim Drive in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, Uēkahuna offers amazing panoramic views of Kaluapele, the Kīlauea Caldera.
An important location for ritual and cultural practices of Native Hawaiians, this is the highest point on the rim of Kīlauea, the world’s most active volcano.
Looking directly in front of you, you can see the entire caldera, including the volatile Halemaʻumaʻu Crater, its lava lakes and billowing plumes of gas. It’s one of the most spectacular places in the park.
When you turn around, the view is dominated by mighty Mauna Loa, which is the largest volcano on Earth.
Additionally, Uēkahuna is also one of the trailheads of the Crater Rim Trail, one of the top hikes at Hawai‘i Volcanoes.
