A thousand years ago, the Four Corners region of the United States was the epicenter of a complex and incredible civilization that flourished for centuries. The Ancestoral Puebloans built complex and elaborate dwellings into the cliffs at places such as Mesa Verde, Chaco Canyon, and Canyon de Chelly. In this Mesa Verde National Park guide, I am going to provide you with a blueprint of how to explore this incredible park.
In many ways, Great Basin National Park is a park of extremes. The difference between the park’s highest point and lowest point is a staggering 6,235 feet (1,900 meters). While the lower valley is mostly a desert landscape, the mountainous areas of the park are home to some of the oldest trees on the planet. Some of these amazing bristlecone pine trees are over 4,000 years old. It’s just another reason why the Great Basin National Park is so incredible.
Southern Utah boasts striking landscapes, sweeping vistas, unforgettable national parks, and otherworldly views. Aside from natural wonders, Southern Utah’s appeal lies in towns such as Springdale, Colorado City, and Kanab serving up unforgettable meals paired with local adventures and cozy lodging.
If you have been searching for a Southwest United States travel itinerary that hits all the top spots, you are in luck. I have spent the last 20-plus years exploring the Southern Utah and Northern Arizona areas. Without a doubt, these are some of my favorite areas in the United States. With a countless number of stunning canyons, incredible rock formations, and amazing slot canyons to explore, it is an outdoor adventure wonderland.
However, there are so many incredible things to see that it can be a bit overwhelming to plan a trip. That is where this Southwest United States travel itinerary will come in handy. Not only does it hit all of the top spots to see, but it does it in the most logical way possible. That’s right, this itinerary minimizes your driving so that you have more time to explore.
There are many incredible state parklands in the United States, but Dead Horse Point State Park in Southern Utah might just be the most renowned. The park, which gets its name from a legend that cowboys used the peninsula of rock surrounded by sheer sandstone cliffs to corral wild mustangs.
According to the legend, horses were once left corralled on the waterless point where they died of thirst. If you believe the legend, these dead horses still haunt the park to this day.
While most people who visit Glen Canyon come to spend time on the water or on one of the area’s many beaches, its prettiest viewpoint is located far away from any beach. Nestled on a cape that extends south into Lake Powell from Padre Bay and Warm Creek Bay is where you will find the iconic Alstrom Point viewpoint.
From Alstrom Point, you can see straight across Lake Powell. Looking down on a cross-section of the lake, you have a perfect viewpoint to appreciate all of the lake’s finger-like canyons. As you gaze across the horizon, your eyes will feast on the beauty of the hoodoo rock formations climbing out to rise above the water. And at sunset, you will marvel as the entire landscape seems to glow with the setting sun.
In my opinion, there are few areas in the continental United States that are as jam-packed with incredible landscapes and adventure opportunities than the American Southwest. The area is chalk-full of incredible slot canyons, mesa-filled valleys, amazing rock formations, and some of the most beautiful vistas your eyes will ever see. One of my favorite spots in the Southwest United States is the breathtaking Valley of the Gods in Southern Utah. With this Valley of the Gods guide in hand, you can be certain your trip to this enchanting place will be one you will never forget.
There are a lot of incredible and challenging hikes in North America, but few compare to the exhilarating experience of climbing to the top of one of the tallest mountains in the United States. In American mountaineering circles, the name for mountain peaks with an elevation of over 14,000 feet (or 4,267 meters) is a “fourteener”. For many hiking and climbing enthusiasts, getting to the top of these incredible peaks has a magnetic-like allure. Not only is it a personal challenge to conquer these difficult alpine trails, but the views and the experiences along the way are things you will never forget. However, as beautiful and amazing as it is to tackle a fourteener, these trails are not for the faint of heart. Each year, hikers pay the ultimate price in their conquest to tackle one of these mountains. Many times, it is because they were unprepared for the challenges they would face on the trail. To put you in the best possible position to succeed in your quest to conquer one of America’s 96 fourteeners, I have created this fourteener hiking gear list to help you make sure you are prepared.
While Southern Utah’s five incredible national parks may get most of the attention from visiting travelers, you would be remiss to discount the region’s many incredible state parks. One of the most popular and most beautiful of these state parks is the amazing Goblin Valley State Park. Renowned for its valley filled with stunning rock formations, Goblin Valley State Park rivals Bryce Canyon National Park in terms of beautiful rock formations. In addition to the beauty of the park, there are also several incredible things for visitors to do within the park as well. In this Goblin Valley State Park guide, I will spotlight the many spectacular viewpoints, trails, and activities that are available to travelers who visit the park.
Boasting its breathtaking collection of forests, mountain ranges, valleys, and deserts, the US is adorned with a wealth of stunning national parks that are ripe for exploration. As the handful of dazzling options makes choosing which spots to hit such a complicated decision, we thought that creating a shortlist of the best national parks to visit might help make it easier for you to plan your next trip. Whether you simply want to get back in touch with nature or have been itching to enjoy the gorgeous landscapes and geographical wonders that the great outdoors has to offer, here are some of the best national parks in America that you would want to stop at the next time you hit the road.
