USA Road Trip - 8 best things to take a walk on North America’s wild west side

Red canoes! Majestic moose! Rocky peaks! Western Canada is a natural place to start for any outdoors enthusiast. The people are friendly, the wilderness is vast, and the mountain scenery is a wonder to behold. Or you can head due south and a whole new frontier of adventure opens up in the American West with its grand canyons, granite monoliths, and towering sequoias. Can you pass out from too much fresh air? Who knows! For now, all you need to do is mentally lace up your comfiest hiking boots as we explore eight incredible ways to connect with nature.

1: Express yourself in the Canadian Rockies

Are you ready to say ‘wow’ at every turn in your path? It’s easy when you’re gazing at turquoise waters ringed by soaring snow-capped peaks in iconic hamlets like Lake Louise. Whether you’re hiking to a lakeside teahouse or hovering above in a gondola in Banff, you can ‘ooh and ah’ as you scan your surroundings for Canada’s famed furry denizens like moose, wolves, and bears.

See more : A 7-day Canadian Rockies road trip itinerary in 2022

2: Coast from camping to zodiacs and canoes

After kicking off by ferry, revel in the lush smell of old growth forests and coastal landscapes of Vancouver Island. Camp out under the stars, watch surfers brave the waves, and zip around Clayoquot Sound by zodiac boat looking for killer whales, sea lions, and seals. Back on the mainland, you’ll head deep into BC’s interior and swap to a canoe for a paddle in Wells Gray Provincial Park. It’s a waterfall-filled adventureland including Helmcken Falls that’s three times taller than Niagara.

3: Float through the natural history of Jasper

What if you could learn about the history of a UNESCO World Heritage site all while lazily floating down a tranquil river? You can on a Natural History Wildlife Float along the historic Athabasca River used by fur traders in the 1800s. Your guides row and narrate while you take in the beauty of Jasper National Park and keep an eye out for eagles, bears, elk, mountain sheep, and wolves. Wild!

4: Walk at a glacial pace on the Columbia Icefields

Start with a breathtaking scenic drive along the Columbia Icefields Parkway, as it winds past jagged mountain peaks and glaciers feeding into bright blue lakes. At the Athabasca Glacier, an expert guide leads you and your own two feet onto one of the Rockies’ largest and most accessible active glaciers.

5: Say hello (from a safe distance) to woolly bison

Spectacular peaks and abundant wildlife await in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. You’ll shuttle boat across Jenny Lake, hike Cascade Canyon and head to Hidden Falls before reaching Inspiration Point. Later in Yellowstone, one of America’s largest National Parks, you’ll witness active geyser fields, grand canyons, and magnificent beasts like roaming bison.

6: Ponder Capitol Reef’s arches and petroglyphs

Discover the cliffs, canyons, and columns that make up this stunning and surreal National Park in Utah. In amongst the spires of sandstone, you’ll find etchings dating back to 1300 C.E. when native people of the Fremont Culture lived at Capitol Reef. At night, just look straight up and find yourself entranced by a designated gold-tier Dark Sky Park.

7: Slip through rainbow-coloured slot canyons

Wake to a gorgeous sunrise in Bryce Canyon and then make your way to Page, Arizona — the gateway to iconic Antelope Canyon. There, a local Navajo guide leads you through a natural sandstone cathedral created by flash flooding, wind, and rain. Admire the blue sky high above as beams of light create a dazzling spectacle of the smooth multi-coloured walls.

8: Stand next to stone and wood giants in Yosemite

Did you know there are 16 types of granite in this renowned National Park? It’s true and you can get up close and personal with massive granite monoliths like El Capitan and Half Dome. Not to be outdone by its rock cousins, the park is rife with giant Sequoias reaching for the stars. You’ll spend days amongst them chasing mighty waterfalls, spotting wildlife, and hiking famed trails.

Source : azfamily blog

gralion torile August 13, 2022 at 10:10 am

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graliontorile June 27, 2022 at 12:48 am

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1: Express yourself in the Canadian Rockies

2: Coast from camping to zodiacs and canoes

Other related USA posts may be useful for you…

3: Float through the natural history of Jasper

4: Walk at a glacial pace on the Columbia Icefields

5: Say hello (from a safe distance) to woolly bison

6: Ponder Capitol Reef’s arches and petroglyphs

7: Slip through rainbow-coloured slot canyons

8: Stand next to stone and wood giants in Yosemite

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