12 Unbelievably Beautiful Sunset Spots in US National Parks That Will Take Your Breath Away
There’s something special about ending your day in a national park by watching the sunset. The crowds thin out, the temperatures drop, and the whole landscape starts to shift as the light changes.
Whether you’re sitting quietly on a canyon rim or watching shadows stretch across a desert valley, sunset always seems to bring a little extra magic to the experience.
Some of these spots are well-known, while others feel more off-the-radar—but they all offer incredible views and peaceful vibes to close out your day. A good sunset moment has a way of sticking with you, and in these parks, it might just be the highlight of your trip.
These are some phenomenal spots across the US where sunset makes an already beautiful national park feel even more memorable.
12 Unbelievably Beautiful Sunset Spots in US National Parks
1. Panorama Point in Mount Rainier National Park
The Skyline Trail is one of the most popular hikes in Mount Rainier National Park, leading you through meadows of technicolor wildflowers up to viewpoints of the massive Nisqually Glacier and the Tatoosh Mountain Range.
One of the most popular spots along the trail is Panorama Point, a jaw-dropping viewpoint that provides 360-degree views of the seemingly endless layers of the Cascade Mountains and, directly behind you, Rainier itself.
The fading golden glow of sunset casts spectacular colors on the rugged Tatoosh Mountains and, in the distance, you’ll get a glimpse of some of the most famous mountain peaks in the area, including Mounts Adam, Hood, and Saint Helens.
Just remember to bring along a headlamp to make your way back to the trailhead—it’s a little over a two mile hike from Panorama Point to the parking lot.
2. Desert Discovery Trail in Saguaro National Park
Saguaro National Park is a stunning park near Tucson, Arizona, home to thousands of the magnificent saguaro cacti that fill the Tucson and Rincon Mountain ranges.
The Desert Discovery Loop offers a short, easy walk on a paved trail through a beautiful, rugged landscape filled with these saguaro and other desert flora.
This trail has placards to learn about the desert ecosystem, and there are a few benches along the path, making it a nice place to relax.
This is easily the best sunset spot in the park for sunset, as you can admire the silhouetted saguaros in the foreground while still seeing the sun sink behind the mountain peaks in the distance.
3. Boca Chita Key in Biscayne National Park
If you’ve never experienced a Florida sunset, Boca Chita Key in Biscayne National Park is the perfect place to start. Just 9 miles off the coast of Miami, this little island transports you to the tropics—complete with swaying palms, crystal-clear water, and a historic lighthouse offering some of the best views around.
Reaching Boca Chita Key is part of the adventure—it’s only accessible by boat, whether you hop on a Biscayne National Park Institute Boat Tour or bring your own. Once docked, you’ll find a short hiking trail around the island, a quiet beach, and plenty of space to unwind as the sun goes down.
As the sun dips toward the horizon, the sky transforms into a breathtaking blend of pink, orange, and gold, reflecting beautifully over Florida Bay.
4. Volcano Rim in Haleakalā Nat’l Park
Watching the sunset in Haleakalā National Park is one of the most popular activities on the Hawaiian island of Maui. This park crowns the extinct volcano that birthed the island, and amazing views are plentiful. But, one of the easiest and best spots to watch the sunset is simply at the vistor center.
Crowds gather by the visitor center as the sun starts to ebb toward the horizon. Bring a camp chair and get there early to get the best spots near the summit crater. Be aware, though, this is a mountain and it’s chilly at high elevation so dress for the weather.
After the flaming orb settles into the mountainside, I’d recommend staying a little longer for traffic to clear and to see the dark sky sprinkled with stars. If your timing is right, an amazing moon rise caps off the evening.
The road down the volcano is quite steep and winding, so make sure you are comfortable driving in those conditions, especially after dark. If not, there are also tours you can book. that will make the drive up and back for you.
5. Hay Butte Overlook in Badlands National Park
Badlands National Park in South Dakota is known for its striated hills and dramatically eroded buttes and pinnacles. The colorful landscapes draw the eye along ever-shifting lines to the horizon.
There are a ton of great viewpoints in the park that overlook the striped, layered hills, but Hay Butte Overlook is one of the best for sunset, thanks to being surrounded by beautiful badland hills and an unobstructed western-facing view.
It’s also a bit of a hidden gem sunset viewpoint, with far fewer crowds than more well-known spots like Pinnacles Overlook or Panorama Point.
The area around the official viewpoint has plenty of space to spread out, so it’s easy to find your own quiet spot to take it all in. We actually walked a little ways out on one of the ridges to be right in the middle of the landscape.
This is a great spot—not only could you watch the sun dip behind the hills in the distance, but the glow from the setting sun lit up the ridges behind us in the most beautiful way. Honestly, I think I liked that part even more.
6. Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park
Mesa Arch is a short but very popular trail in Canyonlands National Park—and for good reason. The arch itself is perched dramatically right on the edge of the mesa, with a sheer drop straight down into the Colorado River Basin below. Through the arch, you can see distant mountains, jagged spires, and towering rock formations stretching across the landscape.
Most people flock here at sunrise, when the sun rises directly through the arch. But honestly, I think sunset is just as magical. The light washes over the canyon in soft golds and oranges, casting a warm glow across the entire landscape as the sun is setting.
My favorite moment? Just after the sun dipped below the horizon, when the canyon was flooded with a soft pink-purple light and the distant mountains glow.
7. Geological Museum in Grand Canyon National Park
Sunset in the Grand Canyon is magical. Watching the sun dip behind the layered ridges and mesas on the western horizon is incredible—and the way the orange cliffs to the east catch that last bit of light is beautiful.
Several viewpoints along the rim are directly west-facing and are great for watching the sunset, including Mojave, Powell, and Hopi Points. Butthe area around the Geology Museum is also great, which is where we ended up going.
We started at the museum and walked east along the Rim Trail until we found a quiet spot to hang out—there are tons of great little viewpoints in that stretch.
One of the best parts of watching the sunset at the Grand Canyon is how the soft evening light brings out the ridges and texture of the landscape—it really helps you grasp just how massive and intricate the canyon truly is.
8. Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska
Located in Alaska, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve is more than just a national park, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spanning 3.3 million acres, it features mountains, rainforests, and stunning icefields, including the iconic Margerie Glacier. Once fully glaciated, the bay emerged as ice retreated and is now a popular cruise destination.
Only two large vessels can visit daily; the rights are through a lottery. Spending the day in the park allows for magnificent views of coastal areas, wildlife, valley and tidewater glaciers. At the day’s end, you may be lucky to watch a gorgeous sunset.
Whether you watch from an upper deck or lower Promenade deck, twilight offers a chance to see humpback whales, sea otters, and other marine mammals. Watching the sunset from a ship creates stunning Instagram-worthy photos, with vibrant colors reflecting beautifully on the water. It’s a unique experience that few get to enjoy.
9. White Sands National Park
The White Sands National Park in New Mexico is one of the best places to see the sunset in the USA. The beautiful white sand dunes look like they are out of this world – and especially during sunset times they get a magical glow in the evening light.
You can pretty much see the sunset anywhere in the park, just park at one of the trailheads in White Sands and walk a couple of steps into the dunes.
However, I have found that the best place to see the sunset is along the Alkali Flat Trail, because it is the quietest trail in the park. Also, the dunes there are not usually full of plants, so it is just an endless view of white sandy hills.
In the background, you’ll have the beautiful Organ Mountains on one side, and the Sacramento Mountains on the other. It makes for great pictures on either side. Make sure to bring a blanket to sit on, as there are no benches in the area.
10. Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park is the only national park in the Northeast, and Cadillac Mountain is its highest mountain, in fact, the highest point on the entire eastern seaboard. As such, it affords amazing coastal views that you can’t find anywhere else.
The spot is known for sunrise, since for most of the year, it’s the first spot in the US to see the new day’s sun. But sunset is just as highly anticipated! Hike or drive to the top, and you’ll be greeted with panoramic views of the ocean.
The mountain is bare rock in most places, leaving views of small islands off the shore and beautiful inland lakes that light up with the sun’s rays at sunset. It’s a popular spot, and reservations are required to reach the top by car – you’ll need to know all the Cadillac Mountain reservation tips to ensure you snag a spot for sunset!
11. Cloudcap Overlook in Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake National Park is one of the parks with never ending beautiful views to enjoy. And the best part, most are accessible from your car, which makes this a super accessible park for everyone.
Although there are so many great things to do in Crater Lake National Park, the best time of day is when the sky turns to gold and the reflection off the lake is perfect, during sunset.
While visiting Crater Lake, you’re sure to make your way along Rim Drive, a 33 mile road filled with lake views and a whopping 30 overlooks to stop at. Along this road is Cloudcap Overlook, the best spot in the park for sunset! This overlook faces west, and is right off the road, so no hiking is necessary.
Cloudcap Overlook is the highest lookout spot in the park accessible by car. From this spot you not only can watch the sunset over the water, but can also spot Wizard Island, the large island in the middle of the lake, and Mount Scott, the highest peak in the park.
12. Balanced Rock in Big Bend National Park
The Balanced Rock Trail offers one of the most dynamic places to watch the sunset in Big Bend National Park in Texas.
This quirky natural feature, which consists of an enormous boulder that appears to be resting on two other volcanic rock formations, overlooks the surrounding rugged rock formations and the nearby Nugent Mountain.
During golden hour, Balanced Rock overlooks a valley of craggy rock spires that are bathed in golden glow and, after the sun sinks below the horizon, the desert sky will be filled with punchy colors.
If you’re looking for a real show, though, consider hanging out even longer—Big Bend is an International Dark Sky Park and is renowned as one of the best places in the United States to stargaze. If you’re an astrophotography enthusiast, there’s nothing quite like getting a photo of the Milky Way directly above Balanced Rock.
Balanced Rock is a little under a mile from the parking lot along a fairly easy trail. The tough part about watching sunset here will actually be the drive back—the last mile or so to the parking lot is along an unmaintained and extremely potholed road, so making this drive is only advisable if you have a high clearance, 4WD vehicle.
The Wrap Up
Sunsets are magical – that transition from a day of activities to the quiet night heralded by a vibrant palette of colors. And pairing that with the incredible natural vistas of the national parks? Perfection.
