The most natural scenic states or provinces in North America

[WingedSpirit]

Canada Provinces: Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Yukon
U.S. states: Vermont, Maine, Tennessee, Montana, Oregon
Actually, I’ve never been to those places, but I’ve been dreaming to go there. I get my conclusion totally from my geography knowledge and corresponding imagines. Hi, 2 Americans here, any comments about my choices? U can find that most those places are in the high altitudes and should are very cold in winter. Although I was born and am living in a warm area, I love snow, I love snowboarding (but never experience it), I love sereneness, I love vastness and wildness, and hence I love the north. But I’m still wondering if I really could bear the coldness if I were living in those places. Any guys here from those states or provinces? Could u tell me how clod the winter is and how long it lasts in your place? What’s the best season and best scenic parts in your place? As for the season, I know the answer mostly is autumn except Oregon and Tennessee, but sometimes I prefer winter, especially when concerning Vermont, I don’t know why, it’s just my instinct. Do you think my instinct is reasonable?
I’m a natural born traveler, but I have few chances to hit on the road, so maybe I’m only a travel-dreamer. I’m addicted to my wanderer lust and daydreaming of traveling through the world. I prefer to travel in the wild but peaceful lands full of natural wonders. I wish someday I could pack my stuff, and then set out and never look back. I wish I would die on the journey to the unknown.

[amuse]

utah is god awful beautiful. its canyons - bryce and zion - are less meaty than arizona's Grand, but you can absorb them better: do yourself a favor and go in midsummer.

photo galleries:
bryce: http://www.nps.gov/brca/photo_gallery.html
zion: http://www.suwa.org/ppages/parunarrows1.html http://www.zionnationalpark.com/zioninfo/photos/photos.htm

i'm also really partial to pennsylvania in the fall. the beauty of the california wine country is noteworthy too, and largely to blame for my dad leaving massachusets for good.

http://www.pbase.com/cokids/pennsylvania Pennsylvania is gorgeous this time of year. i moved here on september 30, and fell in love instantly. a drive down the turnpike is heaven.

these are just stock photos of the wine country, but it's really hard to ruin rolling hills and great lighting, mixed with perfectly symmetrical rows of multi-colored vineyards passing by.
oops! here's the link http://www.enlightphoto.com/webpages/canapaval/canapa1.htm

[den]

I agree with you that the eastern-most provinces of Canada are most scenic and under-rated. The west coast of Canada gets much more `airtime' on tourism issues.

New Brunswick, Nova Scotia are especially scenic along the Atlantic coast. Labrador is also beautiful, you get into the tundra, and various other types of topography you don't see anywhere else. Alaska too is beautiful but you have to take into account these places where in winter they get very little daylight, it can make you mad ;)

I *like* cold weather, you get strong definition between the seasons here, (eastern Canada) unlike Vancouver for instance where their winter is three months of rain. Winter here can start in Oct. and last until March usually sometimes later.

Driving through New England states of eastern U.S is great, they also have a different `speed' of life, (slower) very friendly people, beautiful mountain towns.

It depends on what your lifestyle is like. Are you a sunworshipper? Do you like sand and beaches? or do you more prefer snow: skiing, snowboarding, etc.? But there are many places in North America where you get all seasons, you can ski in the winter and swim in the ocean in summer.

I always wonder what it's like to live somewhere tropical where it hardly ever gets `cold' like it does here. But I know I wouldn't want to live there, just like to visit.

[WingedSpirit]

Hi, Amuse, thanks for your response. I've been to south Utah in a summer. It was very hot, all colors are "red", the rock is "red", the dirt is "red", and sunshine is “red”, and there was no trees, no “green”, I just couldn’t stand it. I also know California wine country is noteworthy; actually I think the whole north California should be amazing, but as a state, I think California is a bit over-populated and not very natural, especially in the coast area, that’s why I removed it from my list. Pennsylvania looks very beautiful from your pictures, the sceneries are very similar to New England, I won’t miss it if I get chance.

Hi, Den, my lifestyle is close to you. Although I like tropical oceans because sand and huts are also very desirable, but I more prefer serene lakes and snow-mountains. Maybe “cold” is part of my personality. I wish I could live in a perfect place, where the summer is cool and lush green, leaves’ color changes a bit by bit and the sky is very high in the fall, the land is snow-covered and deadly silent in the winter (only can hear birds singing or wolves howling) and the spring is colorful, wild flowers are everywhere. Thanks for ur mentioning New Brunswick, Labrador and Alaska, maybe the whole northern Canada and Alaska should be included, where I can take a “light” summer, but I don’t know if I can stand the “night” winter.

[amuse]

the coast isn't overpopulated in northern california . :) most of the 35 million residents live down south. meandering hwy 1 is worth the drive. especially if you aren't the one behind the wheel! (in other words, don't look down.) often, the road is probably no more than 4-5 feet from the cliffs.
and the redwoods are a must-see, as well. the chandelier tree is fun to drive through no matter how many times you've been.
here are more nice pics of the coast and redwoods.
http://www.outbackphoto.com/portfoliowork/pw_09/essay.html
http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.redwood.all.html

[Jester]

Montana is one of the most beautiful areas that I've ever seen, (I am very well traveled but out of the whole world I've say Nepal, Tanzania or Egypt, the desert really can be quite a landscape and very very peaceful, thought invoking, its pretty undescribably sometimes.)

[mono]

I can make claims of Oregon being beautiful; I have lived here, in Portland, all of my life, and have seen the whole state, and I remain not sick of it. Even Portland, green itself, seems near everything: the ocean, rivers, forests, mountains, historical sites. Central and Eastern Oregon sound like what you would enjoy - lots of stunning flourishing of nature and wildlife, especially around Crater Lake. Good luck.

[kushi]

well, North Carolina is pretty nice. I'm not really from here..just going to college, but if you like the whole green thing, then its a great place to be in. Some of the cities, like Raleigh, are ok.. but if you go to like Chapil Hill, its more hip..more things to do. But yeah, in general, there's lots of greenery in North Carolina.. The Rocky's are here too yeah? :confused:

[Jester]

no the rockies are in colorado and up west... I;m not sure where they end but its not that far south and east.

[amuse]

Maybe you mean the Appalachians, kushi? They're older and softer than the Rockies.
Teehee, they're the mountains' mountain men. :D
okay that was silly.

great avatar. :)

[rocksea]

so.. so.. if am going to north america and i want to get into the lifestyle of the common people, mixed with the scenic beauty in the back ground, where should i go? are there tribals in those regions? what abt the forests??

http://in.geocities.com/roxymathew

[kushi]

Montana is one of the most beautiful areas that I've ever seen, (I am very well traveled but out of the whole world I've say Nepal, Tanzania or Egypt, the desert really can be quite a landscape and very very peaceful, thought invoking, its pretty undescribably sometimes.)
I couldn't agree with you more. Even bangladesh being a 'uhh' place..its got its beautiful ... landscapes.. Too bad some of the people don't know more about the landscapes of south and eastern asia :( hehe

[kushi]

hehe. ok it IS the Appalachians.. can you tell I'm not really from here? :p

[imthefoolonthehill]

Idaho... is not the best place... no one come here... there are no beautiful sawtooth mountains... no beauty anywhere around here... nope... in fact, go back to CALIFORNIA YOU DIRTY &%!#(^Y%&!#&(%@%&!%&!%

[mono]

I agree, imthefoolonthehill, a road trip through Idaho and Eastern Washington created a very satisfying nap time; I feel the same with parts of Nevada. Some of the only dry flatlands I fell in love with are found in Utah's Great Salt Desert.

[Admin]

The whole pacific northwest in the US is nice. Washington State, Oregon, and Northern California. Rainy though.

[Jester]

OOOOOOHHH im in souther Idaho now, northern idaho that little strip up there is pretty neat to pass through... but southern idaho we used the terms earie, desolate and devoid of all living things except thsi big ugly free way *that was actually in easter oregon when we drove through late july last summer and it was jsut yellow hill after yellow hill with a dry river bed in betweeen and there was absolutly no one else on the road it was really really desolate, lonely and depressing, sorry Oregonians I hear eastern oregon is real nice though...

[WingedSpirit]

I'm too interested in Idaho. It should be funny to hike in the canyon of Snake River, and take a break in some small towns like Sun Valley and Wallace. Wyoming should be another cool place, I'm curious of a film related to Wyoming for a long time, but still don't get chance to watch it. The film is green grass of Wyoming, any guys have watched it?

[simon]

The whole pacific northwest in the US is nice. Washington State, Oregon, and Northern California. Rainy though.

Conccured happily, after the Redwoods California gets grity and populated. Vancouver Island, BC is one of my favorite places, beach on all sides, cool salty breeze, a midnight swim if you've got the balls, or sometimes lack thereof makes it easier.

[Stanislaw]

One of the most beutifle places that I have viseted /aside from hawaii/ is the rocky mountains, they are always nice, I love camping there. Some other nice places in Alberta, include; Athabasca, this is a very nice town bordering a river(athabasca river go figure), calling lake is also very scenic, it is a small logging town about 1hr out of athabasca. These re\arely get picked up by the tourists, but their is a lot of history there. In calling lake there are abandoned cabins dating back to the pioners, there is even an old abandoned cemetery hidden in a dense par of the forest, its a job to find it! Its a good place to getaway from the fastfood culture as the only two sources of food are athabasca and moosehorn market, a smll general store with moosehorns mounted on the outer most wall.

Athabasca is also a very nice place to stay, its very hilly, and is surrounded by many great hiking paths and campgrounds.

I lived in both of these places for a good part of my life, and really like them. They are some of the most nicest places in Canada, and the bonus is that there is not alot of other tourists swarming around the place, keeping it pretty musch isolated from the flashy tourist trade.

[mono]

The whole pacific northwest in the US is nice. Washington State, Oregon, and Northern California. Rainy though.

Living in Portland, Oregon for most of my life, I think I remember seeing that the Portland metropolitan area ranks as the 2nd most rainiest city of the US, Seattle, Washington ranks first.
I guess living here for so long, I have gotten used to it, and, actually, enjoy it.

[amuse]

northern calif is really only rainy in parts of late fall, winter and early spring. and we're vulnerable to drought. summers can be pretty dry and hot. which is really comfy compared to the humid east. i've never noticed a huge populace around the redwoods, to be honest. maybe during the weekend when people camp.

[Émilie]

I would have to say British Columbia without a doubt
It is called Beautiful BC after all

[Eric, son of Chuck]

I give you Lake Louise (http://www.iit.edu/~johnson/morain1.jpg) in Banff, Alberta. The BC/Alberta Rockies are gorgeous. Not to knock the US version of the Rockies, I'm sure they're very nice. ;-)

If you want a less touristy place, the Bella Coola Valley is remarkable. http://www.bellacoola.ca/ Wonderful place, and it afforded a certain young man the opportunity to write for the Coast Mountain News for a summer.

[WingedSpirit]

Hi, Eric, How can I apply to the writing postion? I don't think it is applicable to foreigners, right? :-)
I know Canadian Rockies are stuning, I'll absolutly go there one day.

[Eric, son of Chuck]

Well, that particular paper is quite dinky, and I have an 'in' because my girlfriend is from that particular town and has grown up with the editor. Wish I could be of more help.

[simon]

Banff is undoubtably one of the most beautiful and scenic areas I have ever graced with my mortal shattering presence.

[Sancho]

You made me laugh.

[Kiwi Shelf]

I have to go with the original people's views on the East Coast of Canada being some of the nicest, I live there, and I still think that it is breath-taking.

To be honest, the far western provinces of BC and Alberta are nice too, but it's the Atlantic Provinces for me. :)

[Stanislaw]

Well, I would have to say that Canada is really big, and with the vast territory comes even greater beuty... I am not biased in the least...

[Kiwi Shelf]

No, me either. :)

[Stanislaw]

Everyone knows of the natural beuty of Canada

[Kiwi Shelf]

Stanislaw: You live out west?

[Stanislaw]

yes indeed

[Kiwi Shelf]

Ah, very nice.

[Stanislaw]

Do you live on the east coast?