Best National Park Location for Sunrise/Sunset (2016)

Within Voyageurs National Park, campers on the shores of Kabetogama Lake enjoy stunning sunrises and sunsets. Ranger-led twilight tours bring the history of the park to life.
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Travelers who want to be among the first to see the sun rise over the United States can head to the top of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park to do so. While sunrise is the most popular time of day on the summit, the sunset here is also spectacular.
Photo courtesy of NPS / Kristi Rugg

The Blue Ridge Parkway has no shortage of turnoffs and overlooks, perfect for watching the sun rise or set, but one of the most popular is the Cowee Mountains Overlook in North Carolina, where the sunset is well worth a stop.
Photo courtesy of Justin Askew Photography / Flickr

The dense concentration of Cholla Cacti within the Cholla Cactus Garden area of Joshua Tree National Park provide a picture perfect foreground for either sunrise or sunset.
Photo courtesy of NPS/Brad Sutton

There's not really a bad place to watch sunrise or sunset over the Grand Canyon. While Hopi point is the most popular (and often quite congested), Mather Point on the South Rim offers memorable views at both dawn and dusk.
Photo courtesy of NPS photo by Michael Quinn

Beaver Marsh, located along the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail within Cuyahoga Valley National Park, is a popular birdwatching location, particularly at sunrise, when it's often shrouded in morning mist.
Photo courtesy of Tom Jones / NPS Photo

Gettysburg National Military Park, the site of one of the most important battles in American military history, is also a somber and stunning setting for watching the sun rise or set. Confederate Avenue is particularly scenic in the early morning hours, while Little Round Top is ideal for sunset.
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The badlands of South Dakota are at their most beautiful come sunrise or sunset, and Pinnacles Overlook off Badlands Loop Road provides a perfect viewing point.
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With 360-degree views, both sunrise and sunset are magical moments at the summit area of Hawaii's Haleakala National Park. The peak is high enough up that in the morning, the sun often rises above a sea of clouds.
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Mormon Row in Grand Teton National Park in interesting in that if you're there for sunrise, you're probably not actually watching the sun rise. Instead, you're watching as the first light of day illuminates the historic homesteads and peaks of the Teton Range in an orange glow.
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