Nature in the US From TikTok: Canyons, Waterfalls and Ridge Trails
Thirteen places, spread from Alaska to Hawaii. The West dominates: Oregon has a waterfall park and a coastal trail, California has Yosemite and Sequoia, and the desert Southwest supplies Angels Landing in Zion, Antelope Canyon, Forrest Gump Point and White Sands. Hawaii adds the Nāpali Coast on Kauai and a ridge trail on Maui. Pennsylvania's Michaux State Forest is the one eastern entry, filmed for fall color.
Several of these need planning before you go. Angels Landing works by permit lottery, Antelope Canyon only by guided tour, the Nāpali Coast by advance reservation, and Knik Glacier is usually reached on a jet boat or monster truck tour. The free trails sit at the other end: Silver Falls, the Waiheʻe Ridge Trail and the roadside view at Forrest Gump Point cost nothing. Most posts are short clips with one-line captions, so the records fill in the practical detail.
Written from public posts on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Updated Oct 2026.
Where creators go
- Silver Falls State Park
Oregon's largest state park, near Stayton, with the most posts in this set (two). The Trail of Ten Falls loop passes South Falls at 177 feet and Double Falls at 178, and several paths lead behind the water. One creator titled it 'The Oregon green room', which matches the misty forest in the videos. Entry is free, with 35-plus miles of backcountry trails.
- Angels Landing
The narrow sandstone ridge in Zion, with anchored chains and sheer drops 1,488 feet above the canyon floor. It is strenuous and exposed, and a permit through the recreation.gov lottery is required. Water and restrooms are available at Scout Lookout. Only for hikers comfortable with heights.
- Antelope Canyon
A slot canyon on Navajo land near Page, Arizona, with Upper Antelope (The Crack) and Lower Antelope (The Corkscrew). Entry is by guided tour only, and the price level is expensive. The post that features it describes rippling rock lit by golden beams and calls it one of the most photographed places on Earth. Plan the tour before you plan the photos.
- Forrest Gump Point
The spot on US-163 near Mexican Hat, Utah, where Forrest Gump ends his run, with Monument Valley's buttes lined up behind the road. It is free and right off the highway. The creator's warning matters: this is an active road, so use the pullouts and never stand in the travel lanes for the photo.
- Knik Glacier
A 25-mile glacier in Alaska's Chugach Mountains, about an hour from Anchorage according to the creator, filmed from Grasshopper Ridge in Palmer. Most visitors reach the ice face on guided jet boat or monster truck tours, which puts it at the expensive end. Access is seasonal, typically May to September.
- Waiheʻe Ridge Trail
A steep trail up the windward side of the West Maui Mountains, through meadow and rainforest to ridge views over Waiheʻe Valley and distant Makamakaʻole Falls. The climb gains about 1,500 feet and gets muddy, so sturdy shoes are a must. Access is free, and the post filmed here drew 39K likes.
- Yosemite National Park
California's granite park, close to 1,200 square miles of cliffs, sequoia groves and waterfalls such as Vernal and Nevada Falls. The video is a scenic drive through the valley between tall pines and rock walls, a reminder that much of Yosemite can be seen from the car. The price level is moderate.
- White Sands National Park
The world's largest gypsum dunefield, 275 square miles of white sand in New Mexico. The record lists sledding on the dunes, 9 miles of hiking trails, animal tracks in the sand, a driving loop and backcountry camping. None of the posts describe a visit in detail, so the record is the guide here. The price level is moderate.
More nature and viewpoints in United States
Permits, tours and reservations
Four of these places cannot be done on a whim. For Angels Landing, you must win a permit in the recreation.gov lottery. Antelope Canyon is tour only because it sits on Navajo Nation land. The Nāpali Coast State Wilderness Park on Kauai, with its 11-mile Kalalau Trail and 4,000-foot sea cliffs, requires advance reservations through Hāʻena State Park and camping permits for longer hikes. Knik Glacier is reached mostly on guided tours between May and September.
Forests and trails without the crowds of a big park
A few entries are quieter. These come with less detail in the posts, but the records give the basics.
- Neahkahnie Mountain Trail in Oswald West State Park, Oregon: about three miles with Pacific and Tillamook Bay views, exposed roots and two trailheads.
- Michaux State Forest in Pennsylvania: 85,500 acres with 37 miles of the Appalachian Trail, filmed for autumn color.
- Sequoia National Park in California: the General Sherman Tree, Moro Rock and Tokopah Falls, and trees the post says are over 2,000 years old.
Good to know
Silver Falls State Park in Oregon has the most posts in this set, with two. The others each have one, including Angels Landing in Zion, Antelope Canyon in Arizona, Forrest Gump Point in Utah, Knik Glacier in Alaska, Waiheʻe Ridge Trail on Maui, Yosemite and White Sands.
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