The US is endowed with so many awe-inspiring forest areas many of which are bigger than some countries around the world. While many simply treat them like mere tourist attractions, it is worth noting that these forests are extremely important to the lives of humans and animals. Without them, there would be no healthy ecosystem where living things would thrive. This alone is a good reason to visit a forest. But there are many other reasons, including the fact that forests are good for the health of humans and also simply because they are just beautiful. For those seeking to spend some time wandering through some gorgeous forests, here are the most beautiful forests in the country to start from.

10 Superior National Forest, Minnesota

The natural endowments of Superior National Forest are too numerous to count. The forest has an abundance of scenic lakes, dense forest areas that change scenery with the season, unique rock formations, and numerous trails that offer opportunities for hiking and biking. The forest covers an area of 3.9 million acres, and within that area, one can also find plenty of streams and a wide variety of trees, plants, and animals such as - black bears, wolves, white-tailed deer, and moose. The forest’s numerous water bodies are also home to a wide variety of fish species, from rainbow trout to northern pike, walleye, and many others.

9 Tongass National Forest, Alaska

In the world of national forests, Tongass National Forest is king because of its size. With an area of 16.7 million acres, this forest is the largest national forest in the United States. Its size makes it more than twice the size of Israel, which only covers an area of 5.1 million acres. Tongass National Forest is endowed with temperate rainforests, fjords, glaciers, streams, lakes, waterfalls, towering peaks, and a huge variety of plants and wildlife species. The activities one can do in such a massive forest are abundant, and some include hiking, kayaking, camping, bird watching, wildlife watching, and fishing.

8 Big Horn National Forest, Wyoming

Wyoming is endowed with plenty of incredible natural attractions, and Big Horn National Forest is one of the most appealing. This forest which covers an area of 1.7 million acres, features an abundance of towering peaks, unique rock formations, dense forest areas, impressive waterfalls, and scenic lakes, streams, and rivers. Within this forest are also more than a thousand miles of trails, several campgrounds, and scenic byways where one can drive through and see the incredible scenery of the forest.

Related: Uncovering Wyoming's Best-Kept Secrets: 10 Gems You Didn't Know

7 Sierra National Forest, California

Sierra National Forests covers 1.3 million acres of land, and it protects dense forest areas, towering peaks, and scenic lakes and rivers. To give people a chance to see all those natural endowments, this forest features campgrounds, scenic highways, and plenty of trails where one can enjoy biking and hiking. The forest also has towering waterfalls and plenty of wildflowers that blossom beautifully in late summer. The forest’s numerous water bodies also provide opportunities for fishing and boating.

Related: Sierra Nevada Ranges: The Home Of Innumerable Natural Wonders

6 Cherokee National Forest, Tennessee

Cherokee National Forest welcomes visitors to its 655,598 acres natural area, which is home to rivers, forests, and towering mountains. Like many other forest areas in Tennessee, the scenery at Cherokee National Forest changes according to the seasons, and fall is, without a doubt, the most beautiful time to be here. Winter, summer, and spring also come with their incredible scenery anyway, and this is just a way to say that the forest is great to visit all year round. Cherokee National Forest has hiking and biking trails, campgrounds, whitewater rivers, and other water bodies that are great for fishing and a wide variety of water sports.

5 Kootenai National Forest, Montana, and Idaho

Covering an area of 2.2 million acres, this forest covering a large part of Montana and a small part of Idaho is richly endowed with plenty of wilderness areas and towering mountains. One stunning attribute of this forest is the striking greenery that its forest graces the eye with. The backdrop of mountains and the views of scenic lakes and rivers even combines to make the views here more gorgeous. Kootenai National Forest has a rich wildlife variety, and there are plenty of bird species to be seen here. Wildflowers such as violets, phlox, and columbine can also be seen here.

Activities that can be enjoyed in this forest include fishing, hiking, and swimming, and there are plenty of campgrounds within the forest where adventurers can spend the night in nature.

4 Green Mountain National Forest, Vermont

Acres upon acres of gorgeous forest areas is what one will be met with at Green Mountain National Forest. It is one of the best places to enjoy the natural scenery. During fall, all the trees and plants transform into mesmerizing orange and yellow colors, while everything turns green during spring. While the tree scenery of this 399,151 acres forest is its most appealing feature, it is also endowed with other things such as mountains, wildlife, lakes, waterfalls, swimming holes, plenty of trails, and lots of campsites.

All these endowments open up opportunities for activities such as hiking, biking, camping, fishing, paddling, skiing, and snowshoeing.

3 Redwood National And State Parks, California

No list of forests will be complete without mention of Redwood National and State Parks. Whether the list talk about beautiful or richly endowed forests, this forest fits into everything forest-related. The forest covers an area of 138,99 acres, and it has lakes, rivers, and mountains, but what makes it particularly impressive are the unique tree species that can be found in the forest. The most popular is the old-growth redwoods which at the height of over 300 feet, are the tallest tree species in the world. The old-growth redwood also lives up to 2000 years, and this makes it worthy of being called one of the oldest trees in the world.

Redwood National Forest also hosts plenty of other tree species, such as oaks and western hemlocks. Besides the trees, Redwood National and State park also has a rich wildlife, and it has several trails, scenic highways, and campgrounds that offer visitors the opportunity to enjoy all the natural endowments of the area.

2 Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington State

Visiting Gifford Pinchot National Forest is one of the best things to do in Washington State. Here, one will find incredible natural scenery and plenty of opportunities for outdoor adventures. Covering an area of 1.3 million acres, this forest is filled with old-growth trees, wildlife, lakes, rivers, and plenty of waterfalls. It is also home to several mountains, such as Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, which is one of the most active volcanoes in the country.

Outdoor adventure lovers will particularly love this forest as it has plenty of trails that go through stunning natural attractions and several campsites that have impressive views of the area’s natural scenery.

1 Fishlake National Forest, Utah

Utah is not all about parks with unique rock formations. It is also home to forest areas such as Fishlake National Forest, which covers an area of 1.5 million acres and is endowed with gorgeous forest areas, mountains, scenic rivers and lakes, and a wide variety of wildlife. It is one of the best places in the world to fish and watch birds. Fish species that can be found here range from various species of trout to splake and large mackinaw. For bird lovers, this forest is home to the great blue heron, eagles, woodpeckers, and hummingbirds. Fishlake National Forest is also home to several other wildlife, such as mountain goats, black bears, bighorn sheep, and cougars.

Pando, a clone aspen forest, also known as the trembling giant and also one of the oldest living organisms in the world, is located here. This tree is colossal, and its numerous clone aspen trees and their beautiful colors are some of the reasons the forest is so gorgeous. Fishlake National Forest has trails, campgrounds, and several scenic roads that will bring adventurers close to all the natural endowments the forest has to offer.