Despite the deforestation that takes place around the world, there are still plenty of incredible forests to enjoy. From Canada to Poland, some of the best sights to check out are the local trees. It doesn’t matter whether the forest is large or small. Amazing beauty can be contained in just a few special trees. Take a look at the list of most beautiful forests in the world.
1. Crooked Forest, Poland
Poland has a very interesting forest made up entirely of crooked pine trees. While a few trees growing in an odd fashion might have a reasonable explanation, all of the pine trees in the Crooked Forest are crooked in the same way. The entire forest is made up of only 400 or so trees, but it has been around since the 1930’s. Theories abound as to what caused the odd bends, but one suggests that tanks rolled over the trees during the war.
2. Amazon Rainforest, South America
No one can hear the word ‘rainforest’ without thinking of the Amazon. The jungle is so massive that it spreads over nine different countries and covers a total of 5,500,000 square kilometers. Despite deforestation problems throughout its history, the Amazon rainforest still makes up more than half of the world’s rainforests.
3. Juizhaigou Valley, China
Jiuzhaigou Valley is known as the valley of nine villages and is a popular destination thanks to its brightly colored lakes and amazing waterfalls. The land around the unique lakes and falls is covered in thick forest. The trees grow over a wide range of altitudes, from around 2,000 meters above sea level to about 4,500 meters above sea level. The area was declared a World Heritage Site in 1992, which will help preserve the forest in the future.
4. Coconino National Forest, the United States
Located in Arizona, the Coconino National Forest is a high elevation forest, with trees growing along mountains at up to 12,000 feet. The majority of the trees are either aspen or Ponderosa pines, making a beautiful mix of foliage. The Coconino is so named because it runs over the Mogollon and Coconino plateaus. For anyone who enjoys hiking, there are plenty of interesting trails to explore in the area.
5. The Great Bear Rainforest, Canada and the United States
When you think of rainforests, you probably think south of the border, rather than north. The Great Bear Rainforest is one of the largest intact temperate rainforests remaining anywhere and it stretches from British Columbia to Alaska. The forest is home to many species, including grizzly bears, black bears, cougars, salmon and wolves. Flora includes a 1,000 year old Western Red Cedar and a Sitka Spruce that has grown to 90 meters in height.
6. The Black Forest, Germany
You’ve probably eaten Black Forest cake before, but did you know it’s an actual forest in southwest Germany? Also known as Schwarzwald, the Black Forest was named by Romans who found the trees were so thick that they blocked out all but the most stubborn rays of sunlight. The Rhine Valley runs along the west and the south edges of Schwarzwald, marking the borders rather definitely.
7. Tongass National Forest, the United States
Alaska is home to more than one of the beautiful woods on this list. The Tongasscovers 17 million acres, rendering it the largest national forest in the United States. More than one Native Alaskan tribe lives in the trees that form the Tongass. In fact, more than 75,000 people depend on it to make a living.
8. The Inland Rainforest, Canada
The vast majority of this rainforest, located in central British Columbia, is made up of Western Red Cedar. It is one of the rare inland rainforests. The nearest coastal rainforest is almost 1,000 km to the west. Large sections of trees have never been touched and several trees are well over 1,000 years of age.
9. Sherwood Forest, England
Best known for hiding Robin Hood and his Merry Men, Sherwood is a very popular tourist attraction. Thanks to the folk tale of Robin Hood, half a million people show up to see the trees in person every year. It’s a relatively small forest, covering just over 1.5 square miles. At one point, there were more trees, back when the forest was used as a hunting ground for royals.
10. Sagano Bamboo Forest, Japan
Bamboo is such a beautiful plant; it has entire gardens dedicated to it. In the Arashiyama district of Japan, an entire bamboo forest has been planted. More than a dozen varieties of bamboo thrive in this unique forest found west of Kyoto. Don’t think this is a little grove, however. Some of the bamboo plants tower over visitors by up to 100 feet.
People have traveled to see forests for decades. While leaves changing colors might fascinate some, others will find that bamboo and rainforests attract their attention. There is so much beauty in the world and much of it is found beneath the shaded boughs of a tree. Have you ever been to one of these breathtakingly beautiful forests?
It took twenty-four million years for Nature to create the red sandstone and minerals that make up the Zhangye Danxia hills. The spectacular strata emerged over time as one layer after another was formed. The colorful patterns will take your breath away. It is a region that brings inspiration and awe.
Wisteria vines are native to the United States but also to Japan. In Kitakyushu there is a botanical garden – the Kawachi Fuji Garden – and in it there is a tunnel absolutely covered by different species of Wisteria. Walking beneath such a dazzling array of flowers is one of those experiences you don’t want to end – it is completely enchanting. The plants are known to rise over sixty feet!
The Merry Cemetery is in Sapanta, Romania. The people creating the tombstones believe that death is not an end but the beginning of a new life. The designs and paintings and sayings written on each headstone are entirely original and are meant to celebrate the immortal nature of the soul. Some of the paintings are drawn from the actual lives and occupations of those who have passed on. It is a tourist destination that leaves the spirit more joyful than sad.
The remarkable Giant’s Causeway is on the coast of Northern Ireland. It is the result of a volcanic eruption an eon ago – well, sixty million years, at least. The over forty thousand columns of stone are made of basalt, which essentially is cooled lava. The distinctive feature is that the majority of the columns have a hexagonal shape and smooth tops. This allows you to walk on them! They progress down from a cliff and the formation continues into and beneath the sea.
This white clay region in Naukluft Park in Namibia is more like a Salvador Dali painting than a real-life setting, but real it is, all the same. Its name means “a dead marsh” and it was created when flood waters withdrew, leaving a drought-filled plateau. The camel thorn trees that had thrived when there was water eventually succumbed to the heat. The few that have remained (for hundreds of years) are burned dry from the sun and appear like sentinels on the landscape.
Arizona has many extraordinary places of natural scenery, but The Wave is an experience like no other. It is a Navajo Sandstone formation shaped along the Coyote Buttes in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. Believe it or not, you can hike on it and obviously it is a great draw for photographers, as well. There are no tracks to follow to get there – you just walk wherever you want. The effect of the wave patterns when you are in the middle of them can sometimes feel like being at sea!
This city of Petra was carved out of the rose stone that has made it one of the wonders of the world. Some have suggested it is the origin of Mount Hor in the Land of Ebon, referenced in the Book of Numbers. It is situated in the desert with the Dead Sea to the west and the Red Sea to the south. The sandstone foundations are becoming more fragile, but the city still reveals religious and political structures and artifacts. It also has a fascinating system of reservoirs and strategic pools that were once used to supply much needed irrigation and water. Encountering Petra is like entering another dimension of perception, one that stays with you long after you leave the site. If at all possible, it is not to be missed.
