Best River Valley

Encompassing the largest untouched river basin in the United States, the Noatak National Preserve Tundra in Alaska was protected in 1978 to safeguard its Arctic ecosystems.

The Onon Steppe is the grassland valley of the Onon River in Mongolia and Russia, notable for upper Onon traditions linked to Genghis Khan.

The Katun Steppe is a distinct grassland region located in the Altai Mountains of Russia, notable for its unique alpine flora and diverse wildlife.

Spanning the area between the Don River and the Sea of Azov in Russia, the Don-Azov Steppe is a historically significant grassland noted for its strategic role in regional Cossack history.

Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park in Alberta, established in 1970, preserves a diverse landscape of badlands, mixed-grass prairie, and an important historical buffalo jump.

Cross Ranch State Park Prairie is a 589-acre nature area in North Dakota, notable for preserving undisturbed mixed-grass prairie along the Missouri River.

This mixed-grass prairie in Montana encompasses the floodplains and rugged breaks along the Upper Missouri River, serving as a vital corridor for regional wildlife.

Stretching across Montana, this prairie ecosystem borders the undammed Yellowstone River, supporting significant agricultural activity and diverse riparian habitats.

Nuestra Soledad San Luis del Río is a single-village mezcal crafted in the San Luis del Río region of Oaxaca, Mexico, using primarily espadín agave and traditionally produced with stone-heated ovens and hand-rolled burros.

Located in northern Montana, this mixed-grass prairie ecosystem borders the Milk River and provides essential breeding grounds for migratory birds and native ungulates.

The Kherlen River Steppe follows eastern Mongolia's Kherlen River, notable because the 1,254 km river is among Mongolia's longest.

The Selenge Steppe is a northern Mongolian grassland of the Selenge-Orkhon basin, notable as part of a 227,660 sq km forest-steppe ecoregion.

This mixed-grass prairie in north-central Montana surrounds the Marias River, characterized by glaciated plains and historically significant as a traditional Blackfeet territory.

Kankakee River Prairie is a notable natural area within Illinois's Kankakee River State Park, recognized for its diverse floodplain ecosystems and restored grasslands.

Lac qui Parle Wildlife Management Area Prairie in Minnesota spans thousands of acres, serving as a vital upland habitat for nesting waterfowl and grassland birds.

The Selenge Steppe in Mongolia is a crucial agricultural and pasture region, notable for surrounding the Selenge River, the primary tributary feeding into Russia's massive Lake Baikal.

The Selenga Steppe is a grassland zone in Buryatia, Russia, along the Selenga River, notable as part of the basin feeding Lake Baikal.

Named for a US Senator, the Karl E. Mundt National Wildlife Refuge Prairie in South Dakota was established in 1974 to protect critical bald eagle wintering habitats.

The Murghab Steppe is an arid river basin in Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, historically notable for housing the ancient Silk Road oasis of Merv, a major UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Dzhida Steppe in Buryatia, Russia, is a distinct forest-steppe region notable for its fertile valleys along the Dzhida River and its historical Evenk settlements.