The Prettiest Lake In Every State

White motorboat anchored on calm lake surrounded by forested mountains at sunset

Summary:

  • America’s extraordinary lakes offer mesmerizing beauty and unforgettable experiences beyond your own state. Pack your bags and prepare to explore.

  • Lake Tahoe, Crater Lake, and Hanging Lake showcase the stunning landscapes and unique features of America’s diverse water bodies.

  • From the crystal-clear waters of Jocassee in South Carolina to the glacier-fed Avalanche Lake in Montana, each lake is a natural wonder.

America is home to extraordinary lakes, hidden behind mountains, deserts, and forests. These unique bodies of water feature striking colors and unusual shapes that are mesmerizing. Pack your bag, grab your camera, and prepare to admire the beauty of states beyond your own. Each visit offers unforgettable experiences and showcases the stunning landscapes of this great nation.

The Crown Jewel

Clear turquoise lake with rocky shoreline and pine trees, snow-capped mountains under a partly cloudy sky.

Lake Tahoe is a clear alpine lake that occupies an area of over 100,000 acres in California, which is 6,225 feet above sea level. The most photographed yet is the largest alpine lake in North America, having more than three million Instagram posts.

The Volcano Lake

Crater Lake surrounded by snow-covered cliffs and forest under a clear blue sky.

Crater Lake is a lake in Oregon that was created as a result of the eruption of the mountain Mazama 7,700 years ago. It is the deepest lake in America, at 1,943 feet, and boasts deep blue water, as well as the cone-shaped Wizard Island located in the center of the lake.

The Colorado Stunner

Clear turquoise lake with multiple waterfalls surrounded by lush green forest under a blue sky

ADVERTISEMENT

The Hanging Lake, which is near the city of Glenwood Springs, is suspended at nearly a vertical precipice of a Gorge. It was considered to be a National Natural Landmark because of its turquoise water and falls. Please beware, do not run in the water, but only look at it.

The Glacier Special

Four people standing on a log in a lake surrounded by snow-capped mountains and green forests under a blue sky

The Avalanche Lake in Glacier Park is characterized by the magnificent glacier water, bounded by the great Rocky Mountains. Out of the 3,000 lakes within Montana, it easily stands out as being beautiful.

The Wyoming Winner

Snow-capped Teton Mountain Range reflected in Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming.

Jenny Lake, silent even to adults, is at the end of the Grand Teton range, on top of Cascade Canyon, and down the road, Hidden Falls. Either boat or hike, thou hast grown weary.

The Alaska Wildcard

Lake Clark with islands and snow-capped Alaska Range mountains reflected in the water under a partly cloudy sky

ADVERTISEMENT

The national preserve of Lake Clark is a turquoise 50-mile lake with waterfalls, rivers, and glaciers. The state of Alaska has an estimated three million lakes, such that it is hard to imagine that there is dry land. This is a special one.

The Southern Surprise

Lake with floating barrier and dock structure, surrounded by forested hills under a partly cloudy sky

The South Carolina lake, Jocassee, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, has crystal-blue water, which in photographs can only be digitally enhanced. Reader’s Digest claims it to be one of the least known lakes in America and has been their long-held secret for decades.

The Midwest Gem

Sunset over a forested river valley with autumn foliage and dramatic clouds.

The Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Michigan encircles Lake of the Clouds, which is located on old basalt cliffs and a several-hundred-year-old forest. It empties into Lake Superior and provides beautiful views of fall foliage in the Midwest.

The New England Beauty

Frozen lake with a heart shape etched in the ice, surrounded by snow-covered trees and a mountain at sunset.

The lake of Sebago, in Maine, is made up of crystal-clean ice in winter, and of crystal-clean water in summer. It is included in the list of the most beautiful lakes with glacial origin in New England by Reader’s Digest. People kayak, swim, and hike on its shores, as most parts of America are oblivious.

The Desert Stunner

Rocky sandy beach with small waves on a blue lake surrounded by desert mountains under a clear sky

The blue oasis in the desert of Sonoran, Arizona, is Lake Havasu, and the historic London Bridge, which had been shipped to England and reassembled in 1968, is a curious British point of the Arizona desert.

More headlines