Memorize these and you could recognize 27.6% of all U.S. Geography clues.
| # | Answer | Appearances | Sample Clue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 23 | The largest Coast Guard air station & one of largest Pacific fishing fleets are found in this state |
| 2 | Florida | 18 | This state with a large Jewish community is the leading grower of temple oranges |
| 3 | Louisiana | 15 | City named for Capt. Henry Shreve, who broke Fulton's steamboat monopoly, is in this state |
| 4 | Hawaii | 15 | The 2 points farthest apart in the 50 states are in Florida & this state |
| 5 | Maine | 13 | This northeast state is the only state whose name is a homophone of a common word |
| 6 | California | 13 | In 1985, scientists spent $60,000 & 25 days chasing Humphrey the Humpback Whale out of a river in this state |
| 7 | North Carolina | 12 | The waters off Cape Hatteras in this state have been called "the graveyard of the Atlantic" |
| 8 | Minnesota | 11 | At about 440 square miles, Red Lake is the largest of this state's "10,000 Lakes" |
| 9 | the Colorado | 11 | The Grand Canyon is one of many canyons carved by this river |
| 10 | Texas | 10 | Funk & Wagnalls says the farthest east you'll find U.S desert land is in this state east of the Rockies |
| 11 | Oahu | 10 | There's a salt lake on this island, Hawaii's 3rd largest |
| 12 | New Mexico | 10 | Dunes of white gypsum rise in White Sands National Monument in this state |
| 13 | Georgia | 10 | Most of the eastern boundary of this state is formed by the Savannah River |
| 14 | Nevada | 10 | If you want to cross this California range, the best way is to use the Donner Pass over 7,000 feet up |
| 15 | the Mississippi | 10 | Between Minnesota & Wisconsin, this river widens a bit, forming Lake Pepin |
| 16 | Vermont | 9 | It's the only New England state that does not border the Atlantic Ocean |
| 17 | New Hampshire | 9 | Mountains in this neighboring state can be seen on a clear day from Boston's Hancock Tower |
| 18 | Death Valley | 9 | This valley is the driest spot in the U.S. |
| 19 | the Chesapeake Bay | 9 | Major rivers emptying into this bay include the James, York & Potomac |
| 20 | the Cascades | 8 | Mount Saint Helens, the well-known volcano, is in this mountain range |
| 21 | Oklahoma | 8 | Both the Army's Field Artillery Center & Geronimo's grave are at Fort Sill in this state |
| 22 | Michigan | 8 | Saginaw Bay, an arm of Lake Huron, is located on the coast of this state |
| 23 | Chicago | 8 | Water Tower Place, a 74-story hotel, office & shopping center boasts a great view of this Midwest city |
| 24 | Cape Cod | 8 | The Pilgrims landed at the site of Provincetown on this Mass. cape before founding Plymouth |
| 25 | Arizona | 8 | This state with the 3rd most Native Americans has Navajo, Cochise & Apache Counties |
| 26 | Wyoming | 7 | Rocky Mountain state named for a valley in Pennsylvania |
| 27 | Montana | 7 | Glacier National Park & the Custer Battlefield are among this "Treasure State"'s treasures |
| 28 | Lake Tahoe | 7 | This 193-square-mile lake on the California-Nevade border is over 1600 feet deep |
| 29 | Indiana | 7 | This state's Dunes National Lakeshore is on the southern shore of Lake Michigan |
| 30 | Idaho | 7 | State in which you can find both Sun Valley & Craters of the Moon National Monument |
| 31 | Connecticut | 7 | Mystics & non-mystics can find Mystic Seaport, the largest maritime museum in the U.S. in this state |
| 32 | West Virginia | 6 | Only city to span entire width of a state is Weirton, in 1 of this state's 2 panhandles |
| 33 | the Great Salt Lake | 6 | This largest Utah lake is a remnant of the ancient freshwater Lake Bonneville |
| 34 | the Adirondacks | 6 | New York's largest mountain region, it includes Mt. Marcy & Algonquin Peak |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | 6 | Fleeing the British, the Continental Congress met for 1 day at Lancaster in this state |
| 36 | New Orleans | 6 | At 5 feet below sea level, this city is the lowest point in Louisiana |
| 37 | Kentucky | 6 | About 65 miles from Louisville, Ft. Harrod was this state's first permanent settlement |
| 38 | the Potomac | 6 | This river forms parts of Maryland's borders with Virginia & West Virginia |
| 39 | the Appalachians | 5 | The Catskills & Poconos are part of this mountain system |
| 40 | Puget Sound | 5 | Port Townsend, one of Washington's oldest cities, is at the entrance to this inlet |
| 41 | Padre Island | 5 | This 100-mile-long Texas island was named for Spanish priest Nicolas Balli |
| 42 | New York | 5 | City that's home to the largest cathedral, St. John the Divine, & synagogue, Temple Emmanu-El |
| 43 | New Jersey | 5 | The most expensive farmland per acre in the U.S. is in this "Garden" state |
| 44 | Maui | 5 | This second-largest Hawaiian island's main seaport is in Kahului Bay |
| 45 | Massachusetts | 5 | This state's least populous county is Nantucket |
| 46 | Martha's Vineyard | 5 | Massachusetts' largest island, it lies just off Cape Cod |
| 47 | Lake Champlain | 5 | This 107 mile long lake helps separate New England from New York |
| 48 | Honolulu | 5 | Punchbowl, an extinct volcano in this capital city, contains a national cemetery |
| 49 | Atlanta | 5 | City in which you'd find the hotel claimed to be America's tallest, the 72-story Peachtree Plaza |
| 50 | Tennessee | 5 | It's the river flowing past Chattanooga & it shares its name with the state |