Midwest Beauty: The 5 Most Stunning Places In America’s Heartland

It’s vital to define the Midwest before we proceed. It’s one of four census-designated regions in the US, and if you want to be technical (why not?), it encompasses the northern and central portions of the nation. 

The states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin are specifically included in the federal government’s definition of it, which encompasses a large area of stunning terrain.

Now, now that we’ve cleared things up, let’s talk about this stunning and abundant region.

The Midwest is home to a variety of landscapes, including plains, shimmering lakes, dense woods, and breathtaking seashores and mountains.

We enjoy a good challenge, even though it can be difficult to choose the most beautiful locations (there are simply too many alternatives).

The Midwest’s top 13 scenic locations are listed below.

Badlands National Park, first (south Dakota)

The area now protected by South Dakota’s Badlands National Park was previously home to extinct rhinos and horses.

Currently, this vast 244,000-acre area, which is home to bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets, attracts millions of tourists from near and far who come to view the untamed grandeur of grasslands, spectacular layered rock formations, and deep canyons.

Don’t leave the park without looking at some of the intriguing fossils that were found there.

Second, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (michigan)

One of the most picturesque locations in the entire Wolverine State is Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, which located in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

It is perfect for all types of outdoor activities, from hiking and cycling to kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, thanks to its sandy beaches, lush forests, and clear lakes.

It is also really soothing.

We surely wouldn’t criticize you for setting up camp next to the soaring, wind-whipped dunes and taking in the breathtaking beauty of it all.

Parc Voyageurs National (minnesota)

Any Midwesterner worth their salt has great memories of traveling to Minnesota’s Voyageurs National Park.

It’s long past due for you to visit this vast 218,055-acre playground for outdoor fun, which is open all year long.

Voyageurs National Park more than lives up to its billing as “a park of water, island, and horizons” because to its almost limitless variety of rocky outcrops, spectacular cliffs, marshes, hardwood forests, streams, and lakes.

The National Park of Cuyahoga Valley (ohio)

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, which is located halfway between Cleveland and Akron, is truly a sight to behold.

Or perhaps we should remark that it will make you want to vomit?

In either case, these overused phrases perfectly describe this breathtaking location that is teeming with local flora and fauna.

The greatest ways to explore the confounding forests, undulating hills, and waterfalls are on foot or by bicycle.

We suggest?

Travel the towpath trail along the Ohio and Erie Canal.

Take a ride on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad if you have the time.

Shawnee National Forest (illinois)

Chicago undoubtedly comes to mind first when you think of Illinois.

The southern region of the state, between the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, offers an abundance of scenic splendor as far as the eye can see, far beyond the metropolitan allure of the Windy City.

Well, without a doubt, we’re referring to the Shawnee National Forest, home to numerous breathtaking vistas including Jackson Falls, Garden of the Gods, and the 403-mile multi-use Rim Rock Recreational Trail.