Top 10 Most Beautiful States in America

When thinking about the most beautiful states in the country, we all likely have personal preferences.

As someone who grew up in New England, I’m partial to the coastal scenery and historic charm of Massachusetts and Maine. Though having now spent two decades in California, I would argue that the Golden State, with its old-growth redwood forests and dramatic, rugged coastline, also tops the list of most beautiful states in America.

America is nothing if not diverse, home to volcanoes, glacier-carved peaks, thundering waterfalls, and more. But which states truly deliver the most natural beauty? 

To answer that question, the research team at Holafly, a company that provides eSIM cards for travelers, recently ranked all 50 states across six metrics: mountain elevation, river and waterway coverage, forest cover, national parks, volcanoes, and waterfalls. Using these criteria, states were given a “Natural Beauty Score,” with 100 being the best possible score any state could earn.

The state that came out on top, earning 90.83 out of 100, was New Hampshire, taking the crown as the state with the most natural beauty. One of the smaller states in the country, 83% of New Hampshire’s land is forested (the White Mountains cover about a quarter of the state).

The Granite State is also home to the 6,288-foot Mount Washington peak, along with 353 waterfalls (a higher rate per square mile than most other states in the country). Given all of these natural attributes, it’s no wonder New Hampshire fared so well.

Read on to learn more about the remaining states that make up the top 10.

Dolly Sods, West Virginia (Photo Credit: Courtesy AdobeStock)

Most beautiful U.S. states ranked

2. West Virginia: 78.23/100

West Virginia has the most well-rounded natural landscape in America, according to HolaFly. It’s the only Top 10-state to score strongly across every metric, featuring 78% forest cover, 6,647 miles of rivers, six national parks, 174 waterfalls, and a mountain landscape anchored by Spruce Knob at 4,863 feet.

3. Virginia: 74.50/100

Virginia has 25 national parks and five volcanoes, giving it one of the widest varieties of protected natural landscapes in the ranking. The Blue Ridge Parkway cuts through a state that’s 63.5% forested, with over 11,000 miles of rivers.

4. Connecticut: 74.48/100

Connecticut nearly ties Virginia for third. One of the smallest states in the country, its score is almost entirely density-driven: 26.82 mountain elevation points per kilometer, 21.78 river miles per kilometer and 1.54 waterfalls per kilometer. 

At 58.3% forested with four national parks packed into a tight geography, it makes the case that natural beauty doesn’t require vast open space.

Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head, Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/tomas del amo)

5. Hawaii: 72.78/100

Hawaii is home to 25 active or dormant volcanoes and 543 waterfalls. Mauna Kea, at 13,803 feet, is the second-tallest mountain point of the top-10 states. 

Where Hawaii loses ground is forest cover (35.8%) and river mileage, both modest relative to its size. For sheer geological spectacle, however, nothing else on this list compares.

6. New Jersey: 71.43/100


Visitors to New Jersey will find a state where 42.3% of the land is forested. There are also 10 national parks (among them Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Morristown National Historic Park and Paterson Great Falls National Park). There are also 67 waterfalls to explore across the state.

6. Washington: 71.43/100

Home to the 14,411-foot Mount Rainier peak, Washington state is full of Pacific Northwest beauty. The state also has more waterfalls than any other at 3,057. In addition to all of that, you’ll find 15 national parks.

Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/David Sichi)

7. North Carolina: 71.10/100


The stats on North Carolina include being home to a 6,684-foot mountain peak, 60.5% forested land, and 12 national parks, along with 3 volcanoes and 816 waterfalls.

8. Vermont: 70.77/100


Vermont is the location of an impressive 356 waterfalls, and 76.5% of the state is forested land, which is equally noteworthy. One of the smaller states in the country, there are just 3 national parks here (Appalachian National Scenic Trail; Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park, and North Country National Scenic Trail). The highest peak in Vermont is 4,395 feet tall.

9. Massachusetts: 65.32/100


Circling back to where we started, one of my favorite states in the country, Massachusetts is home to 17 national parks. It also boasts 60.7% forest cover and 107 waterfalls.

10. Maine: 64.62/100


Rounding out the top 10, Maine features an impressive 89.1% forested land. There are also 457 waterfalls in the New England state and 6 national parks (among them the stunning coastal Acadia National Park). The highest peak in Maine is Katahdin, which translates to "Greatest Mountain," and sits at 5,268 feet.

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