open valleys
Broad lowland passages
Open valleys are wide valleys with gentle slopes and broad floors, as opposed to narrow gorges or steep canyons.
The term appears in geographic descriptions and travel writing: The trail descended into open valleys where cattle grazed.
Open suggests expansiveness and visibility—you can see across the landscape rather than being hemmed in by cliff walls.
- ravineDeep, narrow valley
- daleBroad open valley
- glenNarrow wooded valley
- gorgeDeep, narrow valley
- chasmDeep, steep-sided gap
canyon · scenic · scenic overlook · terrain · basin · grassland · green pastures · plain · prairie · topography · expansive · pastoral · hollow · meadow · riverbed · rolling hills · hiking · backcountry trail