7 U.S. Forests That Look Straight Out of a Fairy Tale

When light filters through moss-hung branches and the air smells like rain and cedar, it’s hard not to believe in magic. Across the country, certain forests feel touched by myth—places where fog clings to the ground, waterfalls hum behind curtains of green, and every footstep sounds like part of an old story. From the Pacific Northwest’s primeval rainforests to the Caribbean’s tropical canopies, these are seven of America’s most enchanting woodlands, ranked in descending order.

1. Fern Canyon | California
2. White Mountain National Forest | New Hampshire and Maine
3. El Yunque National Forest | Puerto Rico
4. Great Smoky Mountains National Park | Tennessee and North Carolina
5. Redwood National and State Parks | California
6. Tongass National Forest | Alaska
7. Hoh Rain Forest | Washington

Fern Canyon | California

Tucked inside Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Fern Canyon feels like a hidden world carved from green light. The walls soar high and drip with seven kinds of ferns, while a shallow stream winds through the rocky floor below. Reaching it means venturing down an unpaved road near Orick—but the reward is a gorge so lush it feels otherworldly. Fallen logs, moss, and filtered sunlight turn the canyon into a living fairy tale, one of Northern California’s most magical natural wonders.

White Mountain National Forest | New Hampshire and Maine

The forests of the White Mountains hold more than just beauty—they’re alive with stories whispered through the pines. Ghost towns like Thornton Gore linger beneath moss and stone walls, and hikers still speak of strange sights at the Lakes of the Clouds hut on Mount Washington.

The ruins of a WWII bomber rest deep in the woods near Woodstock, and a small marker near the Cog Railway recalls Lizzie Bourne, lost to a storm just shy of the summit. Even the Wallace Horse Cemetery in Littleton carries a quiet eeriness. Beneath the autumn leaves and snow-covered peaks, the White Mountains remain as haunting as they are timeless.

El Yunque National Forest | Puerto Rico

El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System and one of Puerto Rico’s most sacred natural treasures. Named for the Taíno word Yuke—meaning “white earth”—this lush sanctuary of waterfalls, orchids, and coquí frogs feels alive in every sense.

Visitors can begin at the El Portal Visitor Center before hiking to natural pools, climbing to scenic lookouts like Yokahú Tower, or ziplining through the canopy. With its misty peaks, vibrant wildlife, and echoes of Taíno legend, El Yunque offers an experience that’s equal parts adventure and reverence.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park | Tennessee and North Carolina

The Great Smoky Mountains feel like a living fairy tale—mist curling through the trees, streams whispering over stone, and sunlight breaking through the fog like magic. One of the park’s most enchanting hikes, the Alum Cave Trail, winds along a brook before climbing stairways of stone into a cavern that feels carved for kings.

Rustic bridges arch over rushing water, gnarled roots twist across the path, and panoramic views from Inspiration Point make the forest below seem endless. By the time you reach Alum Cave Bluff, shaded beneath its towering rock face, it’s clear this isn’t just a hike—it’s an adventure straight out of legend.

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Redwood National and State Parks | California

Home to the tallest trees on Earth, Redwood National and State Parks protect nearly half of the planet’s remaining old-growth redwoods—some soaring more than 370 feet high. This vast World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve spans forests, rivers, and coastline shared by Jedediah Smith, Del Norte Coast, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Parks. Visitors can hike, bike, camp, or ride horseback along 200 miles of trails surrounded by elk, wildflowers, and ocean mist. Among these ancient giants, every path feels like a walk through living history.

Tongass National Forest | Alaska

Stretching across nearly 17 million acres, the Tongass is the largest national forest in the United States—and the world’s biggest old-growth forest. Near Ketchikan, the Carlanna Lake Trail winds through this lush wilderness, crossing wooden bridges and climbing flat stone steps beneath trees that have stood for over eight centuries. Waterfalls glimmer through the greenery, and quiet paths reveal peekaboo views of the lake and mountains beyond.

With its misty air, towering giants, and deep sense of stillness, the Tongass feels like a fairy tale brought to life at the edge of the Last Frontier.

Hoh Rain Forest | Washington

On the west side of Olympic National Park, the Hoh Rain Forest receives up to 170 inches of rain each year, creating a world blanketed in moss, ferns, and mist. Often described as a real-life fairy tale, it’s one of the finest remaining temperate rainforests in the United States.

Visitors can start at the Hoh Rain Forest Visitor Center and wander the Hall of Mosses or Spruce Nature Trail, where every trunk drips with green and every branch feels alive. For the more adventurous, the 17-mile Hoh River Trail climbs toward Glacier Meadows and the shoulder of Mount Olympus—proof that wonder still thrives deep in the Pacific Northwest.

Whether you crave mist, moss, or myth, these forests prove that fairy tales aren’t confined to books—they’re quietly thriving beneath our own canopy.