The most breathtaking natural wonder in every state Part 4

By Melia Robinson From Business Insider

The United States is a nation of spectacular natural, geological, and cultural diversity.

The third largest country by size in the world, the US contains landscapes as varied as the vast white sand dunes of New Mexico and the watery wilderness formed by trees and marshland in Florida.

Picking 50 wonders wasn’t easy, but here are the most beautiful natural attractions in each state.

Melissa Stanger and Sophie-Claire Hoeller contributed reporting to a previous version of this post.

NEW MEXICO: The White Sands National Monument is the world’s largest gypsum sand dune field, encompassing 275 square miles of glistening white sands.
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Source: National Park Service

NEW YORK: Niagara Falls flushes 3,160 tons of water over its falls every second and produces over four million kilowatts of electricity, which is shared by the US and Canada.
iStock /igorsch
Source: Niagara Falls State Park

NORTH CAROLINA: Along the Blue Ridge Parkway through the Appalachian Highlands is one of the most ecologically diverse areas in the world: home to 100 varieties of trees, 1,600 plant species, 54 mammals, and 159 species of birds.
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Source: National Park Service

NORTH DAKOTA: The Little Missouri National Grasslands feature colorful and unspoiled badlands, rugged terrain eroded by wind and water, and both long and short prairie grasses.
Wikipedia
Source: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Forest Service

OHIO: Follow the hemlock-lined trails of Hocking Hills State Park and you’ll find cascading waterfalls, deep-recessed caves, and cliff views that will steal your breath away.
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Source: Hocking Hills State Park

OKLAHOMA: Seawater flooded the Sooner State millions of years ago. When the water eventually evaporated, thick salt deposits remained and formed the Great Salt Plains.
YouTube/Smithsonian Channel
Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

OREGON: Thor’s Well is a huge saltwater fountain powered by the Pacific Ocean. When the surf is up, water shoots upward from the bowl and then drains back into the opening.
Wikipedia
Source: Travel Oregon

PENNSYLVANIA: Ricketts Glen harbors 22 named waterfalls, each cascading through rock-strewn clefts in the hillside. The highest, Ganoga Falls, drops 94 feet.
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Source: Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

RHODE ISLAND: Often compared to the cliffs of Ireland, the 200-foot-tall Mohegan Bluffs offer panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean. Visitors must climb down 140 steps and over yards of boulders in order to reach the beach, but it’s worth the trip.
Wikimedia
Source: Rhode Island Travel Handbook

SOUTH CAROLINA: The lush marshes on Hunting Island provide the best sunset views. The Vietnam War scenes in “Forrest Gump” were filmed along Marsh Boardwalk.
Wikipedia

For more on this story go to: http://www.businessinsider.com/beautiful-attractions-in-every-state-2017-6/#south-carolina-the-lush-marshes-on-hunting-island-provide-the-best-sunset-views-the-vietnam-war-scenes-in-forrest-gump-were-filmed-along-marsh-boardwalk-40