The American Mountains Where You Can See Five States From The Top
From some of the highest peaks in the nation, you can see not only horizons, rivers, and landscapes, but also nearby states. In fact, there are a handful of mountains sprinkled around the country that give you a bird's-eye view of five or more states at the same time. Mount Washington in New Hampshire gifts you glimpses of a few neighboring northeastern states, while Lookout Mountain in Tennessee offers a southern perspective with farmlands, rivers, and even cities. Check out these five mountains for multi-state views and get the scoop on when to visit and which trails deliver the goods.
Pikes Peak
One of the most famous summits in the country, this location offers views that reach as far as New Mexico. Pikes Peak is located right outside of Colorado Springs and sits at an elevation of 14,115 ft (4,302 m). You can reach the summit by car, the Pikes Peak Cog Railway, or on foot. If you want to try the trek, take the scenic, roughly 25-mile Barr Trail up to the summit to see the best of the Rocky Mountains. From the top, you can see Kansas to the east, Oklahoma in the south, and Wyoming.
Mount Washington
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire is a 6,288 ft (1,916 m) mountain with views for days. If you hike Mount Washington via the Tuckerman Ravine Trail, an 8.4-mile (13.5 km) roundtrip trail, you'll be rewarded with views of New Hampshire's rugged peaks. Plus, you'll get a glimpse of Massachusetts, Maine, and even the lower parts of Canada on a clear day. The best time to visit Mount Washington and see all five states is late summer to early fall when the rain and the haze from the early summer have passed, and skies are clear and inviting.
Mount Greylock
In the northwest corner of Massachusetts is a 3,491-foot (1,064 m) peak with views all the way to Connecticut. Mount Greylock's heavily forested landscape offers stunning views of nearby states like Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, and Connecticut. The mountain has a 93-foot-tall granite Veterans War Memorial Tower with an extra-good view. You can find your way there by hiking up the approximately 6.5-mile (10 km) out-and-back Cheshire Harbor Trail or drive to the top on the Mount Greylock Scenic Byway. For the best views, visit Mount Greylock in late May through September for clear sights of all five states.
Big Walker Mountain
The northeast and its close-knit states aren't the only places to see a few state lines from a mountaintop. Big Walker Mountain is in southwestern Virginia and has stunning views of the American Southeast. It sits at an elevation of 3,405 ft (1,037 m) and has a 100-foot-tall observation tower right on top that offers panoramic views of rolling farmlands of Virginia and neighboring mountain peaks of West Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Like other mountains on this list, clear skies are essential for the best views. Pay a visit to Big Walker Mountain in mid-to-late October when the fall colors start to glitter in the mountains, and the weather is driest.
Lookout Mountain
Why settle for five U.S. states when you can head to Lookout Mountain in Georgia and be rewarded with views of seven states? The mountain stands at 1,850 ft (560 m), but that's enough to catch sight of Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Virginia, and Kentucky. From the top, you can see downtown Chattanooga, the Tennessee River carving through the land, and the edges of Kentucky and Virginia on a clear day. There are several trails that make it up Lookout Mountain, but a short and sweet option is the 45-min Guild Trail that runs past Ruby Falls. The best time to catch the views is late September through November for clear skies and dry conditions.
It's not every day that you can see five or more states at the same time, but these five mountains offer some of the best views in the country. Mount Washington offers treetop views from New Hampshire to Canada, while Pikes Peak gives you multi-state views of the Rocky Mountains. Big Walker Mountain delivers views of the farmlands of Virginia and the Blue Ridge Mountains, and Lookout Mountain gives you views of downtown Chattanooga. Visiting these mountains is wonderful in late summer to early fall for the best conditions. Don't miss your chance to get the nicest bird's-eye views in the nation.
