The Mountain States– Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico– have some of the wildest and most rugged landscapes in the United States. Because they’re so big, it can take a lot of time to visit them, so it helps to be able to plan for some specific destinations.
Following are our choices for the top two must-see outdoor locations in each of these seven states.
Idaho– Sawtooth National Recreation Area
Image Credit: Danita Delimont/Shutterstock.
There are three different mountain ranges here, but the showpiece is the Sawtooth Range, aptly named for its jagged granite spires that glow pink at dawn. You’ll find excellent hiking, boating, fishing, camping, and climbing in this region.
Idaho– Salmon River
Image Credit: Jim Black/Shutterstock.
Central Idaho is famed for its wild and beautiful rivers, and the king of them all is the Salmon. The best way to experience it is to be on it, and outfitters are available to lead you safely down some of the best whitewater rafting runs in the country.
Montana– Glacier National Park
Image Credit:Whitney Schwab/Shutterstock.
A lot of people visiting Glacier for the first time think they’ve never before seen a place so incredibly beautiful. The epicenters of recreational activity are Logan Pass, where the Hidden Lake and Highline Trails start, and Many Glacier Valley, where there are trails to alpine lakes, glaciers, and high mountain passes.
Montana– Missouri Breaks
Image Credit: Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock.
While the name of the state conjures images of mountains everywhere, most of the state is actually in the Great Plains and largely flat. An exception out in the central part of the state is the Missouri Breaks, where the Missouri River has carved its way through miles and miles of rugged, colorful badlands.
Wyoming– Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks
Image Credit: Oomka/Shutterstock.
These connected parks in the northwest corner of the state have some of the most iconic mountains and some of the best wildlife viewing in the country. Yellowstone also has the largest concentration of geothermal features– geysers, hot springs, etc.– in the world.
Wyoming– Snake River Canyon
Image Credit:CSNafzger/Shutterstock.
Just south of Jackson, this stretch of the Snake River runs from Hoback Junction to the town of Alpine. It’s considered one of the best whitewater runs in the world. Some people paddle it themselves, but most sign up for a half- or full-day outing with trained river guides. You won’t forget the Big Kahuna, the biggest and most exciting rapid on the river.
Utah– Zion National Park
Image Credit:Eric Poulin/Shutterstock.
Zion, with its narrow canyons and sheer, towering sandstone cliffs and peaks, is one of the most spectacular landscapes you’ll ever behold. It’s also home to two of the National Park Service’s most legendary hikes– Angels Landing and the Virgin River Narrows. The former finished along a ridge so narrow and exposed that the Park Service has installed cables for people to hold onto. The latter is entirely through the Virgin River in a narrow canyon enclosed by sheer walls.
Utah– Arches National Park
Image Credit:Ondrej Bucek/Shutterstock.
At the eastern end of Utah’s spectacular “Color Country” is Arches. Like Zion, it has huge sandstone formations that dominate the skyline, but the real attraction is all the natural sandstone arches carved from the land by water and wind. It’s the world’s largest concentration of natural arches.
Colorado– Maroon Bells
Image Credit: Pedro Carrilho/Shutterstock.
You’ve probably seen the Maroon Bells even if you haven’t been there; they’ve been in countless calendars and ads. But they’re even more impressive in person, especially with a glistening mountain lake and golden aspen trees helping frame them.
Colorado– San Juan Skyway
Image Credit:Teri Virbickis/Shutterstock.
In the southwestern part of the state, a series of roads connects Ouray, Durango, and Cortez in a system called the San Juan Skyway, named for the mountains it winds and climbs through. The roads provide access to high passes, lakes, old mining towns and ruins, and so much more.
Arizona– Grand Canyon National Park
Image Credit:Bob Pool/Shutterstock.
It’s usually crowded, and that can take away from it, but everyone should see the Grand Canyon at least once to appreciate the sheer vastness and scale of this site counted among the Seven Wonders of the Natural World. If you can snag a spot on a rafting trip through the canyon, you’ll experience what many consider to be the adventure of a lifetime.
Arizona– Petrified Forest National Park
Image Credit: Andrea Chiozzi/Shutterstock.
Right off Interstate 40 a few hours east of Flagstaff is this otherworldly landscape. Here, you’ll find petrified shards and entire logs from ancient trees, and you can find petroglyphs etched by ancient Native Americans, too. Note– removing petrified wood is illegal and punishable by a fine and/or jail time.
New Mexico– White Sands National Park
Image Credit:Zack Frank/Shutterstock.
America has many sites with sand dunes, but White Sands is one of the few where the dunes, which look like snow until you’re close to them, are made of gypsum. It’s illegal to remove the sand, but you can legally collect it just outside the park or buy it in souvenir capsules at the gift shop.
New Mexico– Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
Image Credit: Zack Frank/Shutterstock.
Located in a remote area in the southwestern part of the state, the Gila Cliff Dwellings are a fantastic example of ancient Native American architecture built into cliffs overlooking the Gila River. You can even go inside some of the structures, but be careful not to touch the features within them.
15 Must-Dos on Your Next Trip to Lake Tahoe
Image Credit: Igor Lushchay/Shutterstock.
Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border makes a lot of lists of the most beautiful places in America. There’s also a lot to do there, with a wide range of outdoor recreation, great dining, resorts, nightlife, and more. If it’s your first time going or if you’re going back, consider adding some of the following places to your itinerary.
15 Must-Dos on Your Next Trip to Lake Tahoe
The World’s 5 Friendliest and 5 Unfriendliest Cities
Image Credit: Motortion Films/Shutterstock.
Some cities welcome visitors and want them to be there. Other cities are rude to visitors and would just as soon see you leave. It can be jarring to be in an unfriendly city, though some of the world’s most enticing cities rank high on the rudeness scale. When you visit a friendly city, it’s much easier to soak in the culture and meet the locals. Rough Guides readers voted on the cities for their level of friendliness. According to Rough Guides, these are the world’s friendliest and unfriendliest cities.
Leave a Reply