The United States is full of many beautiful mountain ranges that provide memorable experiences for anyone. The breathtaking views from the top of mountain bluffs and long, beachfront cliffs will cause anyone to stand in amazement.
Whether you enjoy views of the wilderness, wildlife, waterfalls, beaches, or rivers, the US has many terrific destinations with beautiful cliffs. The gorgeous arena of a rocky cliff is the perfect backdrop for some of life’s most special occasions.
Family photos, proposals, and wedding ceremonies have taken place at the edges of many magnificent cliffs, and the US is full of them. You may be familiar with many on this list, while others we hope will pique your curiosity. Without further ado, here are the top 30 cliffs in the United States.
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1. Kalaupapa Cliffs
The Kalaupapa Cliffs in Hawaii, though unbelievably beautiful, are quite steep and rough. Located in a very remote area, this mountain’s cliffs cannot be reached by car but only by climbing a three-mile mountainous trail. It can also be viewed by helicopter or small aircraft – if you have the means.
The Kalaupapa National Historical Park was founded in December of 1980. Unfortunately, the park only allows one-hundred visitors a day, and each of them is required to have a sponsor.
2. The Mohegan Bluffs
This beautiful mountain cliff, located on Block Island, an Island just off the coast of Rhode Island, is about one-hundred-fifty miles high. Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, these cliffs have some impressive views where one can look out and see nothing but the calm of the ocean for miles.
This mountainous location also has a beautiful staircase that gives beachgoers below the opportunity to climb and see the area from a different view.
3. Mount Rushmore
Located in Pennington County, South Dakota, Mt. Rushmore is a fascinating mountain range with some imposing cliffs. Famous for having the heads of Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Theodore Roosevelt sculpted into it, Mt. Rushmore is well worth the trip.
However, over two million tourists a year flood the Black Hills area in South Dakota to also enjoy the view of the beautiful mountain cliffs of Mount Rushmore, so prepare to share your visit with the crowds.
4. The Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountain range is the most extensive system of mountains in the United States and is home to some of the most fantastic cliffs you’ll ever see.
Thirty of its highest peaks are located in Colorado. The highest peak or summit is in Elbert, Colorado, in the Sawatch Range, with an impressive height of 14,440 feet. This mountain is famous for hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, and climbing. Elbert is a beautiful place to visit and be in awe of the area’s outstanding cliff faces.
5. Mount Massive
The second highest mountain and cliff in the Rocky Mountains, Mount Massive, stands at 14,428 feet and is also located in the state of Colorado. This mountain was first surveyed and climbed in the late 1800s and has been a place of adventure, awe, and amazement ever since. Many fans of this mountain range climb it and build large heaps of stones at the top to increase its height.
Looking out from the amazing cliffs off this range, you will see glacial lakes and the wilderness of lodgepole pine forests.
6. Longs Peak
Easily seen from Longmont, Colorado, this high eye-catching peak is located in the northernmost section of the Rockies and has heights of over 14,000 feet.
Its beautiful cliffs overlook the Rocky Mountain National Park, known for alpine lakes, forests, mountain tundra, skiing, and wildlife.
While there, enjoy the most exquisite views from the cliffs along the side of the Trail Ridge Road overlooking Grand Lake. This road is the highest paved road in the US, with an elevation of over 12,000 feet.
7. Mount Meeker
This mountain is in a neighboring mountain range to Longs Peak, and the two together are often referred to as the Twin Peaks.
Mount Meeker stands at a remarkable 13,911 feet and is the second-largest mountain range in Rocky Mountain National Park.
This peak is home to some of the most impressive cliffs in the US, though they can be slabby. Its location, southeast of Longs Peak, is easily visible, however, the peak itself is considered challenging to climb and requires extensive technical skills.
8. Pikes Peak
Standing at an impressive 14,115 feet, Pike National Forest is home to some unbelievable cliffs. The ranges overlook the town of Manitou Springs, which lies at the mountain base. In addition, it sits on natural mineral springs.
Pikes Peak has been certified as a National Historic Landmark, known for its gorgeous composition of pink granite. From its cliffs, you can see incredible views of forests, sandy stretches, and glacial lakes.
9. Gannett Peak
The highest mountain peak in Wyoming, Gannett Peak, stands at 13,804 feet and lies in the Wind River Range in the Bridger Wilderness part of the Bridger-Teton National Forrest.
Gannett Peak is in the center of a secluded and rugged wilderness. As a result of its elevation and intense weather, mountain climbers often consider it to be one of the most difficult in the area to scale.
Still, the view from its cliffs on the way up offers views of nature’s most beautiful handiwork.
10. Bald Mountain
Overlooking the Dillon Reservoir, Bald Mountain is home to some of the US’s most amazing cliffs. Bald Mountain’s peak is located in the Arapaho National Forest and stands at a towering 13,690 feet.
These cliffs give an awe-inspiring view of beautiful forestry, pretty wildflowers, and a fantastic amount of wildlife. The Arapaho National Forest is home to a wildlife refuge, protecting all kinds of birds and mammals, making it all the more likely that you’ll catch sight of some pretty incredibly critters.
11. Wheeler Peak
As the highest natural point in New Mexico, USA, Wheeler Peak lies two miles southeast of the ski slopes in the Taos Ski Valley.
This beautiful mountainous area lies in the Sangre de Cristi Mountain part of the Rocky Mountains. and its peak height is just over 13,100 feet.
Wheeler Peak has many beautiful cliffs with fascinating views of magnificent trees and landscapes that will leave you truly speechless.
12. Granite Peak
At an elevation of 12,800 feet, this mountain range in the state of Montana has the tenth highest peak in the US. This impressive mountain region lies near the borders of Stillwater County and Carbon County in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness.
Granite Peak is considered by avid climbers as the second most difficult high point to climb in the US due to the technical difficulty of the climb and unpredictable weather conditions. Its most popular route, the Southwest Couloir route, usually takes climbers two days to complete but offers some views of the most beautiful wilderness landscapes from its cliffs.
13. Denali
Denali, also known as Mount McKinley, is the highest mountain peak in the US and all of North America at 20,310 feet.
Located in Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska, Denali is the focal point of this fascinating mountainous area. It has magnificent, cloud-shrouded cliffs that are a wonder to see. The sheer size of Denali means that it also creates its own localized weather systems, making it tricky to climb if you have no experience.
Because of these systems, the Japanese built a meteorological station on one of its cliffs to track the weather patterns. Later, the station was donated to the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska. This station has since been upgraded to track the weather and produce real-time weather updates for its community.
14. Santa Fe Baldy
Located twenty-five miles northeast of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe Baldy is an eye-catching summit in the Sangre de Cristi Mountains. In fact, as you travel further south, you’ll find that there aren’t any mountains higher than Santa Fe Baldy in New Mexico.
Its cliffs can easily be seen in Los Alamos and other communities along the Rio Grande in northern New Mexico.
Along the mountain’s flanks is an area rich with aspen trees that are amazing to view from its mountain cliffs. These trees are yellow-orange and have often been the subject of local photography majors.
15. Beartooth Peak
This beautiful mountainous region has its highest point of elevation at Beartooth Pass in Montana, with a height of 10,947 feet. It gets its name from its rough, stony peak that resembles a bear’s tooth.
As part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, this phenomenal region has the cleanest and purest waters in the Rocky Mountains system. It is also the site of some spectacular cliffs that offer breathtaking views of the surrounding areas.
16. El Capitan
This extraordinary piece of granite rock, found in California, sits approximately three thousand feet high above the valley of Yosemite National Park.
You don’t have to be a mountain extremist to enjoy the phenomenal sites from the cliffs of this unique mountain, so feel free to traverse out and experience the beauty of this remarkable area.
The valley below is also home to the gorgeous Bridalveil Falls waterfalls, which means you’ll have a nice variety of natural wonders to enjoy.
17. Big Sur Cliffs
Big Sur Cliffs, California, is part of the Santa Lucia Mountains, with a peak of over 5100 feet above sea level. This extraordinary cliff is known worldwide for its natural beauty and remarkable scenery – considered among the top thirty-five tourism locations in the world.
In addition, Big Sur’s coast is the longest scenic stretch of undeveloped coastline in the (contiguous) United States.
18. Notch Peak
Located in the Sawtooth Mountains, west of Delta, Utah, Notch Peak is a popular tourist area. It has one of the highest peaks in the House Range, just shy of 10,000 feet. Notch Peak has massive cliffs on its northwest face and ridges of around 2,200 vertical feet – second in the country only to El Capitan.
One of the most popular features of this cliff is its “notch,” which draws in many tourists and hikers who travel across the country to see it.
19. Shawangunk Mountains
Located in the Hudson Valley area, ninety miles from New York City, the Shawangunk Mountains are home to some fascinating cliffs. This mountain is home to the Mohonk Mountain House, a castle of Victorian beauty and elegance – and a popular vacation destination for the elite.
Its amazingly gorgeous and awe-inspiring cliffs overlook Mohonk Lake and are surrounded by thousands of acres of wildlife and nature.
Guests like actors, government officials, CEOs, and even US presidents have traveled here to this mountain to enjoy all that this magnificent area has to offer.
20. Golden Gate National Recreation Area
This beautiful area spans over 80,000 acres and has some of the more gorgeous cliffs and landscapes you’ll find in the San Francisco Bay Area.
With more than fifteen million visitors a year, one of the area’s most popular attractions is the Cliff House, just north of Orange Beach, California. Exquisite restaurants and bars that overlook the Pacific Ocean are just one of the few things that draw visitors to this stunning area.
21. Point Dume
Located in Malibu, California, Point Dume is home to some of the most beautiful cliffs in the United States – and to several famous rock-climbing routes.
Westward Beach in Point Dume is also a preferred film location for beach scenes in TV shows, movies, and commercials due to its proximity to Hollywood.
22. North Shore of Oahu
Located in Hawaii, the island of Oahu’s North Shore is an excellent destination if you’re on the hunt for some beautiful cliffs.
The island’s mountainous shoreline means you’ll have miles of cliffs from which to enjoy the views of the crashing waves or some of Hawaii’s famous sunsets.
23. Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
Located in San Diego, California, the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is just a short drive from the downtown area. Although it’s within the city limits of San Diego, it’s a wild stretch of land, with 2000 acres in the La Jolla community. Part of the coastal state park has an area full of wildlife, from bobcats to coyotes.
The southern part of the area has an enormous rock called Flat Rock that extends out into the ocean, and its cliffs are breathtaking. From these cliffs, it is even possible to view several species of whale if you can catch them during their migratory seasons.
24. Runyon Canyon Park
Located in the center of Hollywood, California, Runyon Canyon Park spans 160 acres at the eastern section of the Santa Monica Mountains. It has an elevation of 3,111 feet and is a great hiking and recreational area with cliffs that offer panoramic views of the city.
Its adjacency to The Hollywood Hills area makes this a popular location for celebrities, many being spotted here regularly enjoying these incredible cliffs.
25. Bee Cliff
Located in the Siam community of Carter County, Tennessee, this tremendous cliff has high caves that overlook the Watauga River.
This northeastern Tennessee gem has an elevation of close to two thousand feet. It is approximately 15 minutes downstream from the Tennessee Valley Authority Wilbur and Watauga Dams in the Watauga River.
A big of an underrated gem, a visit to these cliffs promises inspiring beauty, and (most likely) fewer crowds.
26. Blue Bluff
This beautiful cliff, found in Union County, Georgia, has an elevation of over 4,100 feet. Located mid-way across the Locust Log Ridge Mountains, this mountain ridge has remarkable cliffs that overlook the beautiful Arkaquah Trail.
The whole ridge is located in the Brasstown Wilderness in the Chattahoochee National Forest, offering phenomenal views that are sure to wow you.
27. The Grotto
The Grotto is a Catholic outdoor enshrinement sanctuary located in Portland, Oregon, on top of a 110-foot cliff. The Grotto’s clifftop cross is so prominent that can be seen from several miles away.
The Grotto cliffs area has many trails, one called the Stations of the Cross trail, which takes its visitors through some stunning botanical gardens.
If you’re looking for a peaceful and unique cliffside area to enjoy, the Grotto is it.
28. Red Bluff
Located in Marion County, Mississippi, the Red Bluff is considered Mississippi’s Little Grand Canyon. A combination of red clay, soil, sand, and other sediments give this beautiful bluff an elevation of almost four hundred feet.
The area around this gorgeous cliff is privately owned, so hiking here is prohibited. However, it can be viewed from parking areas alongside Mississippi Highway 587.
29. Artist Point
Artist Point is located in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, on the southern part of the Grand Canyon.
This beautiful area has an elevation of over 7,500 feet and, looking across the canyon, one will see miles of rugged and steep canyon walls displaying many bright colors.
If you’re on a trip to the Yellowstone area anytime soon, be sure to drop by these incredible cliffs for sights you’ll likely never forget.
30. Havasu Falls
Located in Grand Canyon, Arizona, Havasu Falls is widely known for being its incredible view due to its exquisite turquoise waters. Formed by high concentrations of calcium carbonate, these incredible cliffs fall within the Havasupai tribal lands, so it is important to be respectful when hiking in this area.
Thousands of hikers walk up to the falls, but most don’t climb to the very top. Instead, they dive off one of its many ledges into the refreshing waters below.
