From backpacking trips into the rugged Painted Desert to seeing the remains of Old Route 66, hiking in multi-colored badlands and among enormous collections of petrified wood, Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park may be small, but it has a lot to offer.
With their mesmerizing natural beauty and abundant wildlife, America’s national parks aren’t exactly the dream destinations of architecture lovers. At least, that’s what they think. The truth is that you can find gorgeous and photogenic buildings in national parks all over the U.S.
As devastating as floods and forest fires can be, most of those pale in comparison with the potential threat posed by volcanoes. This makes visiting a volcano a more than averagely exciting thing to do. In the United States alone, there are no fewer than ten national parks with volcanoes you can visit.
Wiping the sweat off your forehead, you try to catch your breath as you gaze across a landscape dominated by red rocks and sandstone hills. Towering rock pillars and enormous domes fill the view, interspersed by wide valleys and, here and there, a hardy desert bush. Your chest still heaving up and down after a short but steep climb to the overlook, you sit down and take a well-deserved sip from your water bottle.
Although often underrated and overlooked, birds are actually the most visible animals around. In national parks, too, they’re the easiest animals to spot. This is why I recommend making bird watching in national parks a priority. It’s not only about bears, moose and whales. Birds are fascinating to watch as well.
One of my favorite ever camping experiences was in the Painted Desert in Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park. It was neither a particularly difficult hike nor was it extremely remote, yet the amazing solitude and absolutely beautiful landscape took things to the next level.
More than 80% of Americans currently live in an urban area. Whether it’s a small town or huge metropolis, people gravitate more and more toward population clusters. This, combined with the increasing popularity of nature getaways and outdoor activities, makes the creation and upkeep of urban national parks even more important.
Although there are some truly incredible waterfalls in many places in America, it’s once again the national parks that steal the show. From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Sierra Nevada, from the Pacific Northwest to the Grand Canyon, you’ll find epic waterfalls in national parks all over the country.
In terms of places to watch the sunset in Shenandoah National Park, there are myriad options. There are numerous awesome Skyline Drive overlooks for sunset, while a couple of short hiking trails lead to gorgeous views atop a mountain.
I might kick in an open door with this, but California is much more than sandy beaches, the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, and tech start-ups. The third-largest state in America, after Alaska and Texas, California is incredibly, exceptionally diverse.
Once you’ve been there, it’s hard to imagine a coastline that could be more beautiful than the Oregon Coast. Few coasts in America, if not the world, are as downright spectacular and accessible as the Oregon Coast. And it’s that very combination that sets it apart.
Start your day with a cup of fair-trade coffee at a hip coffee bar before picking one of the many nature day trips from Portland. Afterward, you can chill out and relive your adventures at one of the 50+ craft breweries in Portland.
No visit to “The Last Frontier” is complete without a wildlife watching tour of some kind. The epic, world-class wildlife watching in Alaska is what makes the state such a great and popular destination. Seeing iconic animals such as bears, moose, whales, bald eagles and sea lions in their natural habitat will be a huge highlight of your trip.
December’s well on its way and winter’s right around the corner. As temperatures drop across America and the days grow ever shorter, nature’s most challenging season draws out winter sports enthusiasts, who relish the opportunity to once again hit the slopes, trails and lakes.