Embark on a scenic journey as you witness the breathtaking beauty of a dawn drive. Soak in the peaceful surroundings and admire the stunning sunrise while exploring the road less traveled.
One of nature’s most sublime sights is a vista of rosy light unfurling as dawn peaks over the mountaintops. Perch atop a mountain and watch as the day breaks over spires, fairy chimneys, and gnarly concoctions of volcanic rock.
You’ll find that the world’s most spectacular places for sunrise aren’t all that far away!
1. The Great Plains
The Great Plains is at the center of the United States, extending over large parts of 10 states and three Prairie Provinces in Canada. It is a semiarid region with less than 20 inches of rain annually.
Before Euro-American settlement, this vast grassland ecosystem supported millions of bison, elk, pronghorn, and deer. It also hosted top predators like grizzly bears and wolves.
But after settlement, these arid lands were plowed up, their rivers dammed and diverted, and their native wildlife was tamed. Today, these Great Plains are one of the world’s most endangered ecosystems.
2. The Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are the only professional baseball team in the Rocky Mountain West. They play their home games at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado.
The Great Plains and the surrounding mountains form the foundation for the Rockies’ unique landscape. The rugged mountains are home to many different ecosystems, ranging from subalpine areas where trees grow up to 11,500 feet above sea level to alpine tundra that covers more than one-third of the park.
The mountains can stand at such high elevations thanks to Pratt isostasy, which means that the heavier continental crust underneath them can buoy the lighter mantle above it. This helps to keep the Rockies standing at their massive heights.
3. The Desert
The Desert is the ultimate dream for photographers – its weird-looking greenery and alien rock formations make it an otherworldly experience. The sand and rock formations turn pink and purple as the sun rises, creating jaw-dropping images you’ll want to capture on your travels.
Deserts are significant ecologically because they provide habitat for species that cannot exist in other environments. In addition, deserts play a vital role in the planet’s climate and environmental systems.
4. The Islands
There’s no better way to get a sweeping landscape view than from a hot air balloon. As you rise, the cool morning air will send up a symphony of updrafts to catch and illuminate the spires, crags, and gnarly contortions of a mountain’s most magnificent peaks.
The Great Plains may have several blemishes, but they also contain some of the most amazing natural landscapes in the country. From the towering vistas of the Black Hills to the vast expanse of prairie that surrounds them, this land has left its mark on history, not just in dunes and grazing prairie but in the biodiversity that thrives here.
A day in a new Rolls-Royce Dawn would make for a fantastic experience and might be the best way to show off your new ride’s glitzy helmsperson’s trinkets to your friends and family.
5. The Mountains
Mountaintops are some of the most sublime places to greet the dawn. They offer first glimpses of blushing light as it brushes over the peaks, fairy chimneys, and gnarly contortions of volcanic rock.
Mountains are home to a diverse array of wildlife and many foods we consume. Sadly, they are also home to some of the poorest and most marginalized people on Earth.
A sunrise on a mountaintop is a sight to behold, especially in Winter when the horizon glows with golden rays and wispy clouds reflect a colorful show. And catching the day’s last glow on a sunset hike is just as beautiful!
