America’s national parks comprise some of our country’s most breathtaking landscapes, attracting millions of visitors each year for their scenic overlooks and sense of adventure. These protected areas are natural beauty at its finest, featuring towering mountains, sprawling deserts, rugged cliffs, and pristine coastlines. It’s no surprise that filmmakers have turned to these locations to bring their stories to life. On the big screen, these remote parks filled with wildlife help set the mood, subtext, and emotion of a film.
Here, we take a closer look at eight movies that depict the beauty of America’s national parks in the most unforgettable and powerful ways. Some use footage of the park’s awe-inspiring scenery as a grand backdrop for a story, while others use their vast landscapes as central components of the plot. Others simply lean on their stunning features to create atmosphere and visual impact. Each film shows what makes these areas unique, whether it’s the burnt red cliffs of Zion or the barren terrain of Death Valley. Together, these movies prove that nature can elevate storytelling and even become somewhat of a character itself.
North by Northwest (1959)
- Location: Mount Rushmore National Memorial, South Dakota
- Director: Alfred Hitchcock
- Stars: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason
Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller North by Northwest follows a man mistaken for a spy and ends in a dramatic finale at Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The last scene of the film gives us close-up shots of the massive stone faces as a chase sequence ensues. While filming directly on the sculpture was limited, the setting is central to the story’s climax. The location adds scale, tension, and a uniquely American backdrop to a wonderful final sequence of the movie.
Shutter Island (2010)
- Location: Acadia National Park, Maine
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Max von Sydow and Michelle Williams
Shutter Island tells the story of a U.S. Marshal investigating a disappearance at a remote psychiatric facility, with scenes filmed in and around Maine’s Acadia National Park. The park’s rugged coastline, crashing waves, and eerie fog help create an unsettling atmosphere and reflect the disturbing psychological issues at the heart of the story. Acadia’s dramatic scenery also adds to the film’s sense of mystery.
Into the Wild (2007)
- Location: Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska
- Director: Sean Penn
- Stars: Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt, Jena Malone, and Catherine Keener
Set against the sprawling wilderness of Denali National Park and Preserve in Alaska, Into the Wild follows Christopher McCandless as he leaves modern life to search for meaning in nature. The film is deeply tied to its landscapes, with grand shots of Alaska’s mountains, rivers, and rough open terrain affecting both the tone and the story itself. Beautiful and unforgiving, Denali is more than a backdrop; it represents freedom, isolation, and the ultimate challenge facing McCandless. Many of the movie’s most powerful moments take place in the park’s remote environment.
Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope (1977)
- Location: Death Valley National Park, California
- Director: George Lucas
- Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, and Alec Guinness
In A New Hope, the desert world of Tatooine was brought to life using the stark otherworldly landscapes of Death Valley National Park. The film follows Luke Skywalker as he starts a journey into a galactic conflict. Death Valley’s barren, lifeless-looking terrain appears in several early scenes, helping establish the harsh surroundings of Luke’s home. The park’s unique geography helps define the strangeness of Skywalker’s challenges throughout the movie.
The Shining (1980)
- Location: Glacier National Park, Montana
- Director: Stanley Kubrick
- Stars: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd, and Scatman Crothers
While most of The Shining takes place inside the creepy yet beautiful Overlook Hotel, its haunting opening sequence features aerial footage of Glacier National Park. The sweeping shots of endless, winding roads and towering mountains set a strong tone of isolation from the very beginning. The vast, silent landscape instills a sense of doom that becomes central to the film’s psychological impact. Without this establishing footage, the audience would be missing a sense of remoteness essential to the story.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
- Location: Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Stars: Richard Dreyfuss, Melinda Dillon, Teri Garr, Bob Balaban, Cary Guffey, and François Truffaut
This science fiction classic saves most of its national park shots for the end, as the main character faces a climactic encounter at Devils Tower National Monument. The towering rock formation is at the center of the film, which follows regular people who are drawn to the area by a vision. Devils Tower appears repeatedly throughout the film as the mystery unfolds. Its distinctive shape makes it the perfect natural structure for the film’s strange finale.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
- Location: Zion National Park, Utah
- Director: George Roy Hill
- Stars: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross, Strother Martin, and Jeff Corey
This notable Western follows two outlaws on the run, with major scenes filmed in Zion National Park. The park’s massive red rock cliffs and deep canyons provide the perfect backdrop for an iconic Western film featuring horseback chases and moments of quiet reflection. Zion’s rugged and dangerous rock faces enhance the sense of adventure and lawlessness that is felt throughout the film. The scenery plays a primary role in making viewers feel they are deep in the Old West.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock.com.