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The United States has many unique UNESCO World Heritage Sites that have significant values and interesting pasts. It is fun to explore them and learn about their stories. In this article, we will discuss the World Heritage sites by UNESCO in the United States and learn some interesting facts about them.

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    What Is UNESCO World Heritage Site?

    UNESCO stands for The United Nations Educational, Scientific, And Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It was founded in 1945 as an educational, scientific, and cultural organization of the United Nation.  It means having an understanding of ancient cultural significant locations and maintaining peace around the world.

     

    In 1960, the ancient temple of Abu Simbel in Egypt was about to sink. An international rescue made an action to save the monument from destruction and reconstructed it into a hire grounds.

     

    This raises awareness of how important the ancient places are and how they can add significant value to mankind. Therefore, it is important to save them from destruction as a result of conflict, economic pressure, natural disasters, and climate change. Therefore, the project world heritage was created to preserve natural and ancient monuments and places.

    List Of The Best UNESCO World Heritage Sites In The United States:

    List Of The Top UNESCO World Heritage Sites In The United States:
    Photo by Gert Boers on Unsplash List Of The Best UNESCO World Heritage Sites In The United States:

    1. Mesa Verde National Park:

    The Mesa Verde National Park is built between the 6th the 12th century. It is the home of the ancestral and ancient Pueblo Indian people. It has its own significance and is classified as one of the best UNESCO world heritage sites in the united states. Due to its significance, many people from all over the world come to visit the Mesa Verde National Park.

     

    Interesting fact: the Mesa Verde Plateau is located in the southeast of Colorado. There are villages built on the top of Mesa Mountain. They are situated 2600 meters above the ground.

    Photo taken by Óscar Contreras: Mesa Verde National Park:

    Things To Do In Mesa Verde National Park:

    There are many activities that you can do in Mesa Verde National Park. It could take you the whole day to enjoy the things to do there. Therefore plan your day accordingly.

     

    For started, your should visit Ancestral Puebloan Cliff Dwelling to have an amazing view of the villages. I can assure you the view from above can take your breath away. Thus, prepare your camera to capture this amazing world heritage site by UNESCO.

     

    You can also visit the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum to learn more about Puebloan history. Afterward, you can walk the Petroglyph Point Trail near the museum. It is about 2.4 miles. 

     

    Not to forget the villages you can visit and roam around to have the best tour experience there. You can see how the Puebloans live.

    List Of Tours In And Near Mesa Verde National Park

    2. Yellowstone National Park:

    The Yellow stone National park contains natural forests and many ecological ancient sites. It is why the place is considered as one of the best world heritage sites by UNESCO and one of the seven wonders of the world.

     

    Interesting Fact: In the park, Fauna and flora are extravagant in their numbers and verities, such as grizzly bears, bison, wapitis, and wolves . It covers nearly 9,000 km square.

    brown sand near green trees under blue sky during daytime
    Photo by Jeromey Balderrama on Unsplash Yellowstone National Park

    Things To Do Yellow Stone National Park:

    Yellow Stone National Park contains geothermal features that can steer your sense of wonder and make your heart palpitate. A good example would be 500 known steamboat geysers scattered around the national park.

     

    The most common place is the hot springtime in Wyoming. You can swim in one of the soaking pools available in Hot Spring State Park, such as Wyoming State Bathhouse and Hellie”s TePee Pools.

    List Of Tours In And Near Yellowstone National Park:

    3. Grand Canyon National Park:

    The Grand Canyon National Park becomes a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1979. It is one of the most beautiful gorges in the world. This guide can help you to enjoy some mesmerizing views along the canyons and discover its hidden gems. 

     

    Interesting fact: the Grand Canyon National Park is about 500,000 hectares. That means it is about 277 miles in length and 8 miles in width. It is also can reach an altitude of 2,000 feet to 8,000 feet.

    brown rocky mountain under white clouds during daytime
    Photo by Omer Nezih Gerek on Unsplash Grand Canyon National Park

    Things To Do In The Grand Canyon National Park:

    As already mentioned the Grand Canyon National Park is vast and wide with plenty of things to do. For a starter, you should visit the Trail Of Time to enjoy a beautiful view and learn more facts about the Canyon. It is a geology timeline exhibit that passes through the Yavapai geology museum and Grand Canyon Museum.

     

     It does not end there, the grand canyon is ample with activities for you to enjoy. In fact, it is my favorite thing to do in Arizona, such as road trips around the desert to enjoy breathtaking scenic drives, hike the Canyon Rim trail, visit the horseshoe bend, and swim and enjoy water activities at the Colorado River.

    List Of Tours In And Near The Grand Canyon National Park:

    4. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park:

    The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is another amazing world heritage site assigned by UNESCO. Get ready to be amazed by one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world located between Carolina and Tennesee.

     

    Interesting Facts: The Great Smokey Mountain National Park is about 200,000 hectares and had more than 3,500 species of plants. It also contains many species of animals, such as white-tailed deer, squirrels, bats, and chipmunks.

    aerial photography of mountain under blue and white sky
    Photo by Wes Hicks on Unsplash The Great Smoky Mountains National Park:

    Things To Do In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park:

    Many people visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to practice solitude and enjoy nature. You can find some glamping spots or camping spots near Nashville. It is where you can also hike around the national park to see some captivating waterfalls, such as Grotto falls and Mouse Greek Falls.

     

    You can also hike the Clingmans Dome to enjoy an amazing view of the smoky mountain’s national park. Not to forget, enjoying some water activities and Fontana Lake and capturing some amazing photos at the Newfound Gap.

    List of Tours In Or Near The Great Smoky Mountains National Park:

    5. Yosemite National Park:

    The beauty and diversity of Yosemite National Park have an important value in science and culture. Therefore, it becomes a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1984. The national park is located in the heart of California, United States, and is a perfect vacation getaway for those who adore nature.

     

    Interesting fact: the granite rocks in Yosemite National Park glows like fire at sunset. You may want to look for them and snap a picture.

    green pine trees near gray cliff during daytime
    Photo by Drahomír Posteby-Mach on Unsplash Yosemite National Park

    Things To Do In The Yosemite National Park:

    The Yosemite National Park is rich in animals and plants. You can hike the trails and enjoy watching animals hanging around. You may want to look for waterfalls, such as Yosemite Falls and Vernal falls. You can also enjoy some water activities at the lake, such as lake Tenaya.

     

    People from all over the world visit Yosemite National Park for camping and Glamping. It is a great place to unwind and enjoy nature with family and friends. Not to forget the Half Dome, it is climbing and hiking hot spot. The Mirror lake trail is the best hiking spot where you can look at the half dome and take a picture.

    List of Tours In Or Near The Yosemite National Park:

    The End:

    There is nothing better than unwinding and enjoying nature. The UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the United States (USA) have it all. They are great place to spend some family time and escape the hustle and bustle of a busy life. I hope this post add value to your life, and I hope you an amazing trips to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the US.

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    18 responses to “The Most Famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites In The USA”

    1. noel Avatar

      I still have yet to visit the Great Smokey Mountains but hopefully plan on visiting Mesa Verde this fall which has been on my bucket list for a long time. All of these important Unesco sites are also national parks so they really do have significance in the natural environment and national park systems here in the USA.

      1. Ossama Alnuwaiser Avatar
        Ossama Alnuwaiser

        For sure, they are, indeed. I hope you have an amazing journey.

    2. Paula Avatar

      This was very interesting. I did not know that so many of our national parks are also listed on Unesco Heritage list. I have been to Grand Canyon and Yosemite many times but have never known this. Ha, this just shows how great travel blogs are. You always learn something!

      1. Ossama Alnuwaiser Avatar
        Ossama Alnuwaiser

        I am glad you find it informative, and yes, they all are due to the significate value that they provide to our ecosystem.

    3. Jennifer Prince Avatar
      Jennifer Prince

      I love visiting UNESCO sites. I recently went to Canyonlands and truly loved it. It was so beautiful and definitely deserves recognition. I need to visit some of the others you’ve listed!

      1. Ossama Alnuwaiser Avatar
        Ossama Alnuwaiser

        It is my first time hearing about it. I have never seen it when doing research about this article, which makes me think that it does need some recognition. Thanks for pointing it out.

    4. Umiko Avatar
      Umiko

      I’ve been to all but the Yosemite. I know Grand Canyon is a UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but don’t realize others are, too. I’ve been to Mesa Verde twice and enjoyed touring the houses. Been to Yellowstone and Grand Canyon twice, too, and looking forward for more visits, as well as to the Smokey’s.

      1. Ossama Alnuwaiser Avatar
        Ossama Alnuwaiser

        Lucky you, you have seen them all, and hopefully, you will visit Yosemite very soon. I did camping with a large group in Yosemite. It was an amazing experience. You should definitely pay it a visit.

    5. Jackie Avatar

      When I plan my travels, I’m sorry to say how many times I’ve overlooked amazing places like these UNESCO sites in the US! Thank you for getting them on my radar. I would especially love to visit the Ancestral Puebloan Cliff Dwelling and learn about this culture. I’ve long been fascinated by the petroglyphs! My daughter, who lives on the west coast, extols the beauty of Yellowstone and Yosemite. She and I are planning a future mother-daughter trip, so your article is perfect to help us plan.

      1. Ossama Alnuwaiser Avatar
        Ossama Alnuwaiser

        I am glad you find the article helpful. I hope it will help you learn more about the UNESCO travel sites. I hope have an amazing mother-daughter trip. I am sure you will enjoy it.

    6. Linda (LD Holland) Avatar

      Sadly we have only been to 3 of the UNESCO sites. We definitely have both Mesa Verde and the Great Smokey Mountains on our travel wish list. I love how different the various sties are in how they look and how much there is to do in each. It means we are happy to go back over and over again to any of these UNESCO sites.

      1. Ossama Alnuwaiser Avatar
        Ossama Alnuwaiser

        I am sure they are. You will never get enough of nature, especially the feeling you feel when you are there. I am sure it was a hard goodbye when leaving.

    7. Maria Veloso Avatar

      It’s breathtakingly lovely to look at this list of the top American UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These kinds of places usually fascinate me and pique my curiosity since they make me feel content and joyful. I wish for continued protection and preservation of these wild and historic locations. In the near future, I’m incredibly excited to visit all of these places!

      1. Ossama Alnuwaiser Avatar
        Ossama Alnuwaiser

        I totally hope so, too. It is what UNESCO is all about to preserve and protect those kinds of places. I love the idea that they will preserve them and protect them from even war in the country.

    8. Clarice Avatar

      We plan to visit as many UNESCO heritage sites so this list is helpful. So far, we are able to visit 3 already in your list. We look forward to visiting Yosemite National Park soon. Thank you for sharing this.

      1. Ossama Alnuwaiser Avatar
        Ossama Alnuwaiser

        I am glad you find the list of the best Unesco heritage sites helpful to your journeys. I hope you have an amazing trip to Yosemite National Park

    9. nicole Avatar

      Wow i have never heard of Mesa Verde National Park or it’s historical settlement before. I would love to see it and how it differs from viking and european settlements from the same era. I would love to visit yellowstone and yosemite and more of America’s national parks. I’m so happy they are UNESCO heritage sites and will be looked after for generations to come.

    10. Ossama Alnuwaiser Avatar
      Ossama Alnuwaiser

      I guess, it is time to plan a journey to Mesa Verde National Park. I could tell from your text that you enjoy visiting national parks. I hope you add this to your list.

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