For those with several days in Yellowstone, exploring Yellowstone Lake is one of the top things to do in the park. The lake covers 136 square miles, and with 110 miles (180 km)
Established on March 1, 1872, Yellowstone National Park is the world’s very first National Park. While the US is now home to over 60 such parks, visiting Yellowstone remains a unique experience thanks to
As its name suggests, Grand Teton National Park is most known for its stunning 40-mile-long Teton Range. From all throughout the park, one can enjoy unobstructed views of the mountains, whether it’s from the
As its name suggests, the highlight of Grand Teton National Park is viewing the Teton mountain range from a variety of angles. But when it comes to hiking, the park either has numerous
Idaho’s Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve is an overlooked gem. But while the park does indeed contain many craters, it doesn’t quite resemble the moon. Instead of dust, the park
Southern Idaho is often overlooked in favor of neighboring states. But Twin Falls and its surroundings – particularly the stunning Shoshone Falls and Box Canyon – make for the perfect stopover when traveling
Utah has so many incredible locations – many of which remain relatively unknown – that it would probably take a lifetime to explore them all. With that said, this Utah Mighty 5 road
Utah is home to five incredible National Parks that are collectively known as the Mighty 5. But nobody can seem to agree on which is best. After ranking Utah’s Mighty 5 in my head,
The Great Salt Lake is among the saltiest bodies of water in the world, while it’s also among the largest lakes in the western USA. It’s such a big deal that they even
Most people will visit Canyonlands National Park’s Island in the Sky district via a smooth, paved road from central Moab. But if you have the right vehicle, driving up the many switchbacks of
Dead Horse Point State Park is situated atop the same mesa as Canyonlands National Park’s Island in the Sky district. As such, it offers similar views. But as it’s outside the National Park
Arches National Park, just outside of Moab, Utah, is home to over 2,000 natural arches. But while many of them are inaccessible, you can expect to see a few dozen of them while
While Zion’s Angels Landing and The Narrows are renowned for being some of the most unique hikes in the country, Arches National Park‘s Fiery Furnace should definitely be included in that conversation. While
The Needles is the southernmost of Canyonlands National Park’s three main districts. But there’s no way to drive there directly from the Island in the Sky, the park’s most popular area. As such,
Established as recently as December 2016, Utah’s Bears Ears National Monument consists of a staggering 1.36 million acres. While it does indeed include beautiful scenery, the land is largely being protected due to
Canyonlands National Park is the largest of Utah’s Mighty 5. It’s comprised of multiple different districts such as The Needles, the Maze and the Island in the Sky, the latter of which is
Located at the southern end of the San Rafael Swell, Goblin Valley State Park is known for its thousands of hoodoos which, with a bit of imagination, can make you feel as if you’re
Just east of Capitol Reef National Park – an underrated destination in its own right – are even more obscure geological landmarks that relatively few have heard of. Everyone driving along Utah State
Established in 1971, Capitol Reef National Park has a bit of all the things that Utah’s other parks are famous for – arches, hoodoos, canyons and stunning overlooks. But it’s easily the least
Cathedral Valley may be part of Capitol Reef, but it looks and feels like an entirely different park. The district is most known for two main sections: the Bentonite Hills and the Temples of
After dealing with stressful hike permit lotteries and timed entry systems at other Utah parks, visiting Capitol Reef National Park is a breath of fresh air. The park’s flagship hike – Navajo Knobs
The southern half of Utah is home to so many parks and unique landmarks that plenty of great destinations get lost in the shuffle. Kodachrome Basin State Park is one such overlooked site.
Hiking The Narrows is a one-of-a-kind experience that has you hiking through a gorge cut out by the North Fork of the Virgin River. In other words, the river is the trail! And
Zion National Park’s Angels Landing is one of America’s most thrilling hikes, as the final section can only be traversed by grabbing onto metal chains. But thanks to its uniqueness, the hike has
Death Valley National Park is one of America’s largest parks and also one of its most diverse. Infamous for its extreme summer temperatures, the park can also get surprisingly cold in the mountains
Given the massive size of the National Park and how distant its main landmarks are from nearby towns, planning a perfect Death Valley itinerary is extremely tricky. There are also plenty of other
Death Valley National Park is the United States’ largest park outside of Alaska. While many picture it as a lifeless desert, at over 3 million acres, few other parks offer as much variety
The Golden Canyon and Gower Gulch Loop Hike is arguably the quintessential Death Valley hike. Over the course of a few hours, it takes you through the harsh and lifeless – yet stunningly
While far from the type of excursion most people picture when they think of Death Valley, hiking Telescope Peak is one of the park’s most thrilling and rewarding adventures. The National Park may
Racetrack Playa and its sailing stones have mystified scientists and adventurous travelers alike for over a century. Situated in a remote and hard-to-reach part of Death Valley National Park, the playa is a
At half a mile wide and up to 777 ft deep, Ubehebe is Death Valley’s largest crater. While visitors have the option to simply overlook the colorful crater from the parking lot, more
The massive Mojave National Preserve, located between Joshua Tree and Death Valley, is one of California’s most overlooked outdoor destinations. The towering Kelso Dunes alone are worth the trip, while other parts of
Spreading out to nearly 800,000 acres, Joshua Tree National Park is the place where the Colorado and Mojave deserts converge. Millions of visitors flock to this harsh desert environment each year to admire its uniquely
While easily one of the most thrilling hikes in southern California, the Ladder Canyon and Painted Canyon Loop Trail often gets overlooked. It’s not a part of any major park system, nor is
At over 600,000 acres, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is California’s largest State Park. For reference, if it were a US National Park, it would rank among the top twenty largest. As such, you
Just north of San Diego is a gorgeous State Park that doesn’t quite get the attention it deserves. The Torrey Pines State Natural Preserve is home to the Torrey pine, one of the rarest
Right in the center of the Baja Peninsula is one of the largest coastal dune sheets of North America. But despite it often appearing on lists of ‘Top Places to Visit in Baja,’
With the native languages and traditions of Baja now largely extinct, the peninsula’s numerous cave paintings are all that remain of the ancient cultures that once lived here for millennia. In fact, sites
A small town of under 4,000 residents in the southern part of the Baja Peninsula, Mulegé is about as remote as it gets in Mexico. But while experiencing the town can be challenging in
For such a small town, Baja California Sur’s Loreto has a lot going for it: historical buildings, beaches, mountain views and an abundance of wildlife. In the following Loreto guide, we’ll be covering
La Paz, a city of 250,000 residents, is the capital and largest city of Baja California Sur, one of Mexico’s most sparsely populated states. While long overshadowed by the nearby resort city of
About 60 km north of Mazatlán is one of Mexico’s most obscure – and most unusual – archaeological sites. You won’t find a single pyramid or tomb at Las Labradas, but you will encounter
Located about 56 km south of the city of Zacatecas is one of Mexico’s most overlooked and mysterious archaeological sites. Was La Quemada merely an outpost of a mightier civilization further south, or was
The former mining town of Real de Catorce is one of Mexico’s most fascinating destinations. But being located in a remote part of the country at an elevation of over 2700 m, it’s
Those who happen to come across images of the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve, with its countless towering cacti as far as the eye can see, often wonder how to go about planning a visit.
It’s hard to believe that the rugged sandstone cliffs of Red Rock Canyon can be found just seventeen miles from the Las Vegas Strip. But while easy to reach, a day at Red
At over 3 million acres, Death Valley is the largest National Park in the United States outside of Alaska. Needless to say, you can’t expect to see it all in a single extended
Situated in the Mojave Desert just an hour east of Las Vegas, Valley of Fire State Park is home to so many beautiful formations that it even rivals some US National Parks. In
Outside the town of Panaca, Nevada lies a Southwest hidden gem. Despite having become a Nevada State Park as early as 1935, Cathedral Gorge gets relatively little attention, likely due to its remote
Bryce Canyon is the smallest of Utah’s Mighty 5 by far. At around 36,000 acres (or 72 km2), it’s less than half the size of Arches. And it’s nearly a tenth the size
Some describe visiting northern Arizona’s White Pocket as like walking across a giant glob of strawberry swirl ice cream. Others liken it to exploring an alien planet. Whatever it may remind you of,
The Grand Canyon has long been one of America’s most iconic and popular destinations. A large majority of people, however, visit what’s known as the South Rim. The North Rim, in contrast, sees
The small town of Kanab, Utah serves as a base for countless geological wonders, and it would probably take weeks to see them all. Below, however, we’ll be focusing on three remarkable sites
Even if you don’t recognize the name, you’ve surely seen photos of Antelope Canyon’s wavy sandstone walls at some point, be it a computer desktop background or digital ad campaign. Located just outside
While Page, Arizona’s top attraction is undoubtedly Antelope Canyon, there are still plenty of outdoor activities to experience within easy reach of the town center. The following list of the top things to
There are few towns with names as unusual as Mexican Hat, Utah – a town of a few dozen people about 25 miles north of Monument Valley. But there’s much more to Mexican
Monument Valley is arguably one of the most photogenic places on the planet. But a large portion of it is off-limits without a guide. So, to gain special access to the backcountry, you may
Monument Valley is arguably one of the most beautiful places in North America – if not the entire planet. But visitors are only allowed access to a small portion of it without a
Thanks to its appearance in numerous influential films over the years, Monument Valley has become synonymous with the American West. Officially known as Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, it’s not a US National Park,
Shortly after the collapse of sites like Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde, the unique Ancestral Puebloan city of Hovenweep arose in what’s now southeastern Utah. Hovenweep National Monument is mainly known for its