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About This Quiz
No matter where you travel in the United States, you’re likely to encounter some pretty amazing sights. Head west and you’ll encounter the magnificent Rocky Mountains, the Missouri River (which starts in Montana before snaking east) and remarkable towns from the quirky Portland, Oregon, to the wide-open landscapes of Arizona and Utah. Travel east and you’ll enjoy the lush greenery of cities in places like Vermont, the mountain getaway towns in the Catskills and the Berkshires and a rolling expanse of Appalachian Mountains that pepper the coast from New York to Georgia.
The geography of this country is part of what makes it such a melting pot. From the highest mountain peak, Denali, in Alaska, to the Mississippi, where one drop of water endures a 90-day journey to travel its entire length, there is an adventure to be had in every corner — north, south, east and west.
How well do you know the rivers, ranges and random locations that make up our 50 states? Could you identify where you’d need to fly to climb the perfect peak, to laze down rolling rivers or to become a tourist in your own country? See if you can match these geographical features and city names to the states where they can be found, and stamp your virtual passport along the way!
Mississippi
Texas
That's right; don't mess with Texas! It is home to the Chinati Mountains in the high desert and the Rio Grande River, which makes up part of the border between Texas and Mexico. Austin is well-known as Texas' state capital.
Oklahoma
Alabama
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South Carolina
Wyoming
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Both Memphis and the Great Smoky Mountains in the "Volunteer State" draw thousands of visitors annually for food, fun and relaxation. While you're there, grab a whitewater rafting adventure on the Pigeon River, which is — in fact — named after the bird.
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Colorado
California
California is an expansive state, encompassing roughly 800 miles from the northern to the southern borders. Along the journey, you'll find images of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Klamath River. Fresno, home to roughly a half-million people, is situated pretty much squarely in the center.
Arizona
Oregon
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Alabama
Montana
Perhaps better known as Big Sky Country, Montana is home to a laundry (or is it grocery?) list of interesting places, including Tobacco Root Mountain, Milk River and the resort community of Whitefish.
Connecticut
Arizona
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Texas
Utah
Washington
Part of the Pacific Northwest, the state of Washington sits in the midst of the Cascade Mountains, which run from California to Canada. Washington's capital city, Olympia, is due north of the winding Columbia River.
California
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Georgia
Ohio
Virginia
"Virginia is for lovers" has long been a slogan attached to the United States' 10th state. Virginia, situated in the Allegheny Mountains, is home to Roanoke and the Potomac River.
Kentucky
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Montana
Maryland
Ohio
Michigan
Well-known for its mitten-like shape, Michigan is home to Ann Arbor and the St. Clair River, shown here, and the Huron Mountains in the state's upper peninsula, where they overlook another body of water – Lake Superior.
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Colorado
Utah
Logan, Logan, Logan! You can find all of these — the city of Logan, the Logan River and the Logan Peak — in Utah's northeast corner. One-time fur trapper Ephraim Logan is the namesake for all of these sites.
Arizona
California
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Missouri
North Carolina
North Carolina is as diverse as the three hints we gave you in the question. There are great expanses of mountains (Blue Ridge) and rivers (Pee Dee), but also sprawling cities (Charlotte). The "Tar Heel State" is nothing if not varied.
Arkansas
Alabama
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Georgia
Kentucky
Wisconsin
Idaho
The panhandle of Idaho is home to both the Bitterroot Mountains and the Kootenay River. It's a bit of a journey to the state's capital of Boise, though, home to the "potato drop." What's that, you ask? It's how Idaho rings in the New Year instead of using a disco ball.
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Tennessee
Arkansas
Little Rock is Arkansas' state capital and one of the "Natural State's" most-visited tourist destinations. Arkansas is also home to the Ozarks ("ark" is right there in the name) and the Ouachita River.
Alabama
Florida
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Ohio
Believe it or not, parts of Ohio are at home in the Appalachian Mountains, while other parts are notoriously flat. The Maumee River flows through the northwest part of the state, while the city of Dayton, along the Great Miami River, is in the state's southwest corner.
Michigan
Minnesota
Wyoming
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Nevada
Maine
Travel to one of the northernmost spots in the United States and you'll find both the Longfellow Mountains and the Saint John River near the tip-top of the state. Bangor, on the other hand, is located in the central part of the "Pine Tree State."
Minnesota
Wisconsin
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Oklahoma
The state of Oklahoma has been a member of the Union since 1907, but scientists have dated parts of it — specifically, the Arbuckle Mountains — back to the earliest parts of history. Tulsa, one of the state's most populous cities, sits alongside the Arkansas River.
Texas
North Dakota
Minnesota
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Utah
Nevada
Reno, Nevada, is known for its nightlife as the "The Biggest Little City in the World," but the state is also full of wide-open spaces, including the Delamar Mountains and the Colorado River.
New Jersey
Wyoming
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Texas
Alaska
Hawaii
The United States' 50th state is also one of its most beautiful, thanks to sights like the Ko'olau Mountains and Waihee River. Honolulu is Hawaii's capital and the island's largest city.
California
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South Carolina
South Carolina appears to have something for everyone, from beaches along the East Coast, nearby where you'll find the Waccamaw River, to mountainous regions like the Blue Ridge range. Its capital city, Columbia, is home to more than 130,000 residents.
Virginia
Pennsylvania
Arkansas
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Arizona
The state best known for its Grand Canyon scenery is no one-trick pony. Locals and visitors to Mesa enjoying floating down the Salt River. The Pinaleño Mountains dominate the skyline in southeast Arizona.
Nevada
Utah
North Dakota
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Kentucky
Rhode Island
Massachusetts
Home to Boston, the Red Sox and an infamous "tea party," Massachusetts is also the site of what the locals call "the Berkshires," part of the Green Mountain range, and the Merrimack River, which flows from New Hampshire through the "Bay State" before emptying in Maine. Cambridge is home to Harvard University.
New York
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Florida
Vermont
Vermont is known as the "Green Mountain State," for — you guessed it — the Green Mountains that are a part of its landscape. The Passumpsic River flows east of the state's most populated city, Burlington, with just over 42,000 residents recorded in 2017.
New Jersey
Georgia
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Iowa
Ohio
Indiana
Kentucky
It's not called the "Bluegrass State" because the U.K. Wildcats are in Lexington, but it might as well be! Officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, it is home to the Cumberland River and is one of many states that lies in the path of the Appalachian Mountains.
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Idaho
Oklahoma
South Dakota
Shaped like a rectangle, our "big three" here each dominate a different part of the state. The Black Hills dot the western part of the state, while the James River flows along the east side. The town of Onida, population less than 700, sits in the middle of the state.
Montana
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Arizona
North Carolina
Alabama
New Mexico
New Mexico is home to the mysterious Area 51, located in Roswell in the southeastern part of the state. The Pecos River is nearby, but you'll have to head west to check out the Capitan Mountains.
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New Jersey
Indiana
Illinois
New Hampshire
What do the White Mountains, the Merrimack River and Manchester have in common? Why, New Hampshire, of course! Hawthorne's tale, "The Great Carbuncle" is set in the White Mountains. Further south, you can find the picturesque Manchester sitting alongside the Merrimack River.
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Virginia
Ohio
West Virginia
Take us home, country roads! West Virginia is the only state to be situated entirely in the Appalachian Mountains. One of its larger cities, Huntington, sits alongside the 981-mile long Ohio River.
Tennessee
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Alaska
Explore America's "Last Frontier," the 49th state to become a part of the United States in 1959. It may take you a bit to get to the United States' six-largest city, but once you're there, you might as well head north to check out the Brooks Range, an extension of the Rocky Mountains. You'll likely have to cross the Yukon River to get there.
Montana
North Dakota
North Carolina
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Arkansas
Idaho
New Hampshire
New York
New York has a rich and varied landscape that includes the lush Adirondack Mountains, getaway for many from the state's busier cities. Complete your New York road trip with a visit to the Hudson River, which originates in the Adirondacks, or a trip to New York's capital, Albany.
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Texas
Mississippi
Alabama
You might not think of Alabama as being mountainous, but the Talladega Mountains are part of the Appalachian Mountain range. Alabama is also home to the Chattahoochee River, which borders Georgia, and historic Montgomery, where civil rights protests made headlines.
Florida
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Wyoming
Jackson Hole, on the banks of the Snake River, is a popular tourist destination for people visiting Wyoming. Further north, extending into southern Montana, you can find the Bighorn Mountains, a sister range for the nearby Rockies.
Idaho
Montana
South Dakota
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Idaho
Oregon
The "Beaver State," Oregon finds its home in the Pacific Northwest, among the Blue Mountains, from which the Grande Ronde River rises. These geographic landmarks are situated near the town of Pendleton, where the desert (yes, they have desert in Oregon!) town's "Round-Up" pays homage to its cowboy culture.
Washington
California
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South Dakota
Texas
Missouri
Missouri's Ozark Mountains are, indeed, the namesake for the popular web-based television show, "Ozark." The Platte River is a tributary of the appropriately named Missouri River, while Springfield is known as the "Queen City of the Ozarks."
Illinois
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Kansas
Vermont
Colorado
You won't travel far in Denver, Colorado, before getting a breathtaking view of the imposing Rocky Mountains. (Its highest point is Mount Elbert.) The Green River is a bit more hidden, however, snaking through just the state's northwest corner.
Iowa
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Massachusetts
Connecticut
It's true; ESPN's headquarters are in Bristol, Connecticut. But, that's not all the state is known for. The "Constitution State" boasts a home among the Berkshires and the Ten Mile River, which is actually 15 miles long.
New Jersey
Rhode Island
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South Carolina
Mississippi
Georgia
It may be the "Peach State," but Georgia knows a thing or two about the blues — the Blue Ridge Mountains and Blue Ridge, Georgia, to be exact. Nearby, the clear waters of the Toccoa River beckon trout fishermen or those just looking to relax.
Florida
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North Dakota
North Dakota is the producer of nearly half of the wheat used throughout the United States and is home to the James River (and nearby Fessenden), as well as the Turtle Mountains. Native Americans referred to the Turtle Mountains in the singular — Turtle Mountain.
Minnesota
Michigan
Wisconsin
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