A fairly simple question: from what single point could you see the most US states? It seems like it should be a popular tourist attraction.
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75The International Space Station? But it is still very expensive as a tourist attraction.– mouvicielCommented Jan 5, 2015 at 10:48
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6I assume this means at ground level, not from a plane or from space :)– Mark MayoCommented Jan 5, 2015 at 11:07
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3510,000km orbit, point halfway between Hawaii and LA. All 50 states and possessions like Puerto Rico in view. Guam just visible on the western horizon. If you skip Guam, 10,000km over Phoenix gives a good view of the whole works, plus Canada and Mexico. No gift shop.– PaulCommented Jan 5, 2015 at 11:31
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5For a cheaper option that doesn't require astronaut training, flying at a high altitude somewhere between about NYC and New Haven, CT should cover about 13 states. High altitude flight over East Tennessee should cover 9 or so.– reirabCommented Jan 5, 2015 at 17:12
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4You don't have to go to the ISS, just watch its new video stream.– JohnCommented Jan 6, 2015 at 20:07
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9 Answers
Mt Greylock, the highest point of Massachusetts provides a view of at least 5 states.
- Vermont
- New Hampshire
- New York
- Massachusetts
- Connecticut
Hiking to the top gives one a sense of real accomplishment and the 360 degree vistas are your well earned rewards. North into Vermont/New Hampshire, south into lower Mass./northern Connecticut, east towards Boston, west into the Adirondacks of New York State.
Information comes from berkshirehiking.com
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13Same from Mt. Washington somewhat to the northeast, with Maine taking the place of Connecticut. And you can also see Quebec from there.– PlutorCommented Jan 5, 2015 at 15:42
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2I've never been to the USA, so I'll take your word for that. Commented Jan 5, 2015 at 15:48
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7That beats the Four Corners, but I think it's less well known than the Four Corners (perhaps because it involves hiking?).– phyrfoxCommented Jan 5, 2015 at 16:58
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2@Plutor That depends very much on the weather. Much of the time you won't be able to see the bottom of the mountain, let alone Maine! Commented Jan 6, 2015 at 22:14
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1@phyrfox The fame of the four corners has less to do with being able to see four states (as other answers note, that's surprisingly common), as it does to do with being able to stand in four states. Commented Jan 8, 2015 at 6:46
Rock City, Lookout Mountain, GA. There were signs all over the Midwest (and probably South, and East, etc) for decades that claimed you could see seven states from Lookout Mountain, GA.
I honestly doubt this was ever the case, but the jury may still be out.
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I'm not sure about 7, but you can definitely see at least 4 from there and probably 5 (definitely TN, GA, AL, and NC, probably also SC.) The other two claimed are KY and VA, but the claim is being able to see peaks located in those states, so that might actually also be true. The article is off on its distances. NC is about 58 miles from the sign and SC is about 115. You can almost certainly see 58 miles. 115 might be a stretch. The VA/KY/TN point of intersection is about 146 miles. Seeing the surface there is unlikely, but seeing a peak is plausible if the view is unobstructed.– reirabCommented Jan 5, 2015 at 17:02
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2@reirab Seeing peaks at 115 miles in extremely clear weather is certainly possible. I've been in northern Iceland (Akureyri) where the air is very pure and on a clear day I could easily see the glaciers of the Vatnajökul massive and the mountains along its southern edge beyond that. Those mountains lay in a wide arc at almost exactly 115 miles from Akureyri. The view from Reykjavik (Perlan hill) over the water to Snaefellsjökull is 70 miles. Seeing the ground from ground-level is not possible due to curvature of the earth. But a little elevation (< 1/4 mile on both sides) is enough.– TonnyCommented Jan 5, 2015 at 20:20
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1@Tonny Oh, yes, I've certainly seen peaks much farther than 115 miles away before (I've seen peaks over 200 miles away from the ground in the Western U.S.) I was just saying I wasn't sure if it's possible from this particular peak, since it's only about 2,300 ft. and there are other mountains and plateaus in between that could potentially block the view.– reirabCommented Jan 5, 2015 at 21:05
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The four corners area would be one spot where you would be guaranteed to see four states (New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado). It already is a tourist attraction.
Perhaps there may be a spot in the Appalachian Mountains in southern part of New Hampshire or Vermont, where on a really clear day you might be able to see five states. But this is just a guess based on topography.
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I'm Brazilian and this place came to my knowledge recently thanks to a Breaking Bad episode Commented Jan 6, 2015 at 19:05
While Four Corners would be the only one where 4 states visibility is guaranteed, on a clear day you can see 4 states from the Skydeck of Willis (Sears) Tower in Chicago:
On a clear day, you can see four states – Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan. Visibility from the Skydeck is approximately 40-50 miles (65 – 80 kilometers).
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1Isn't Wisconsin more than 50 miles from downtown Chicago? It takes more than an hour on I-94 to get to the border.– ChuuCommented Jan 6, 2015 at 18:53
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2@Chuu Consider straight line for visibility vs. the interstate. Bristol Renaissance Faire is 53 miles from Downtown Chicago.– KarlsonCommented Jan 6, 2015 at 18:56
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1Indeed. I-94 takes a long detour west when it becomes a tollway.– JoeCommented Jan 8, 2015 at 16:52
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On the observation deck, at 412 m above ground level, the horizon is between 45 and 50 miles away from the base of the tower. Depending on the local topography, that comment about Wisconsin being 50 miles away IS relevant!– jvriesemCommented May 21, 2015 at 7:35
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@jvriesem In what context? The topography of the area is basically completely flat.– KarlsonCommented May 21, 2015 at 12:32
The Four Corners Monument...
The Navajo Nation cordially welcomes you to one of our most unique landmarks - The Four Corners. This is the only place in the United States where four states intersect at one point: Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. This location is very remote as you will experience when visiting.
The original marker erected in 1912 was a simple cement pad, but has since been redone in granite and brass. The Visitor Center is open year round, and features a Demonstration Center with Navajo artisans. Navajo vendors sell handmade jewelry, crafts and traditional Navajo foods nearby.
Source: http://www.navajonationparks.org/htm/fourcorners.htm
Also see the Wiki article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Corners_Monument
answered Jan 5, 2015 at 10:48
If you consider a man-made tower there was Wonder Tower in Genoa, Colorado (now closed) in Eastern Colorado that you could see 6 States - Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, New Mexico and South Dakota:
http://ourjourney.info/MyJourneyDestinations/WonderTower.asp
From the top of Mt Rogers (highest point VA) in ideal viewing conditions, one can see 5 states; VA, WV, KY, TN & NC
The furthest is KY about 70 miles away.
Mt rogers is a very popular spot for hikers (on the Appalachian trail) and horse riders, but no road access.
From the International Space Station you can see all 50 states at once. It is a tourist destination but ticket prices are... astronomical.
Related question on Space.SE:
How could I travel to space as an ordinary citizen?
There is a point in Western Oklahoma, near Boise City that is within 30 miles of five different states. If you were about 500 feet above the ground there, you'd be able to see Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado.
A quick glance at Google Street View shows no skyscrapers, but small hills, probably less than 500 feet tall.
