# The national parks and nature resorts of North America



## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

We have been thinking about planning a trip to North America for a long time. Covid cancelled one trip we had already agreed upon.

My question to you is: what national parks and nature resorts would you recommend? It will be a 2 weeks trip. There is a lot to see so I am kind of overwhelmed at the possibilities.

So far I have only been to New York and once to Canada, which was a splendid trip of Toronto - Ottawa - Montreal - Quebec. Niagara Falls and Montmorency falls were magnificent, and I loved the St. Lawrence river.

An insight view from someone who has experienced these places would be most appreciated and welcome.

Eventually it will be a trip of both magnificent cities and national parks / nature resorts.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

I haven't been to all of these, but here is what I hear secondhand or know first-hand.

Mount Rushmore is dull and boring. And there's nothing else around it for miles.
The Grand Canyon will change your life. Literally.
Yellowstone is huge, and every corner of it is a mind-blowing experience.
Zion is devastatingly beautiful, but isolated and stark. Not everyone's taste.
Glacier and Denali require a whole trip to themselves. You can't shoehorn them into cross-country trek.
Mt. St. Helens is awe-inspiring, but not in a good way.
And two weeks isn't enough time.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Two weeks is plenty of time to do one heck of a trip - but out west. And they're all in a more or less straight line south to north. Starting in Flagstaff, AZ, you go to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon which is a must-see park. Even if you don't hike in, there's a full day of sightseeing. Then the next day drive up to Kanab, Utah which is the starting point for several of the most amazing scenic parks anywhere: Bryce Canyon and Zion NP just astonishing. Canyonlands isn't bad, either. Now if you're really into western lore, you could also leave the Grand Canyon and head over to the Navajo reservation and see Monument Valley, then over to Kanab. Add a day.

You could spend 3-4 days in Utah. Then go over to Wyoming and head to Jackson Hole which is the starting point for Grand Teton NP. There's plenty of nice day hikes, or simple trails to walk. You do not want to do this in winter! Some fine fishing in the area, too. Then the granddaddy of them all: Yellowstone. To fully see and appreciate this spectacular place takes 3 days. Personally, I gave people tours of the Yellowstone for 20 years and have a good idea of what's worth stopping at and what's not. It's a huge park with long distances, traffic congestion and bear jams. 

Leaving Yellowstone head up to Bozeman, Montana. Wonderful in summer, miserable in winter. But head up to Glacier NP on the Canadian border. One of the least visited parks and one of the most beautiful. Stunning mountain views. Flathead lake has great fishing. 

There are many, many side trips and little places worth a few hours, if you have the time. I've spent a huge amount of time in that part of the world since 1980 especially in summers going to the many music festivals. It refreshes me, renews my mind and spirit.


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

mbhaub said:


> Two weeks is plenty of time to do one heck of a trip - but out west. And they're all in a more or less straight line south to north. Starting in Flagstaff, AZ, you go to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon which is a must-see park. Even if you don't hike in, there's a full day of sightseeing. Then the next day drive up to Kanab, Utah which is the starting point for several of the most amazing scenic parks anywhere: Bryce Canyon and Zion NP just astonishing. Canyonlands isn't bad, either. Now if you're really into western lore, you could also leave the Grand Canyon and head over to the Navajo reservation and see Monument Valley, then over to Kanab. Add a day.
> 
> You could spend 3-4 days in Utah. Then go over to Wyoming and head to Jackson Hole which is the starting point for Grand Teton NP. There's plenty of nice day hikes, or simple trails to walk. You do not want to do this in winter! Some fine fishing in the area, too. Then the granddaddy of them all: Yellowstone. To fully see and appreciate this spectacular place takes 3 days. Personally, I gave people tours of the Yellowstone for 20 years and have a good idea of what's worth stopping at and what's not. It's a huge park with long distances, traffic congestion and bear jams.
> 
> ...


Thank you so very much indeed, @mbhaub! I can read between the lines that you know what you are talking about here. I will come back to this post often to check things.



NoCoPilot said:


> I haven't been to all of these, but here is what I hear secondhand or know first-hand.
> 
> Mount Rushmore is dull and boring. And there's nothing else around it for miles.
> The Grand Canyon will change your life. Literally.
> ...


Thanks, NoCoPilot! I will check this list as well for many times.

There are so many movies in which 'the American road trip' is a significant part. You must know what I mean. Long scenery roads and small towns with their dineries. In 1996 I had two long wonderful road trips in Australia but that place is so much smaller when it comes to the population and diversity, of course. And there is the huge red desert in the middle!


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

Waehnen said:


> There are so many movies in which 'the American road trip' is a significant part. You must know what I mean. Long scenery roads and small towns with their dineries.


Listen to mbhaub, he obviously has a lot more experience at it than me. But I can tell you the drive from Seattle to Minnesota is two days of nothin' to see.

Route 66 might have diners (broken down & closed mostly, these days), and the NE has lots of gorgeous little towns to drive through. But National Parks? Yeah, mbhaub's agenda.

And? I would studiously avoid anything below the Mason-Dixon Line these days. Nuff said.


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## Nate Miller (Oct 24, 2016)

I've been all over the US. I've had to elude a bear in Denali up in Alaska You aren't allowed guns in the park, and the bear was between me and the only road, so it was tricky. But if you have never actually had something hunting you to eat you, its pretty cool. As long as you can manage yourself in the wilderness, that is.

My sister used to live in Arizona, so yes, the grand canyon is cool(ish). I rode one of those mules for a day one trip, that was pretty fun.

Yosemite is really pretty...BUT the traffic in the park is the reason that cars are not allowed in Denali. Tourists can over run the place, so if you stay in your car and drive the park, you would probably be in bumper to bumper traffic, which for me defeats the whole purpose. Also, there are some restrictions this year so check that out if you put yosemite on your list.

Albuquerque New Mexico is a very beautiful area. Its not a park, but every time I drove to California, I always made sure I went through there in daylight just to take it all in. The desert is a very beautiful place. I had an artist friend who used to go there to paint, it inspired him so much.

The cities in my country can actually be dangerous places right now, but the best food is in New Orleans, San Francisco, Seattle and NYC. 

There's also the wine region of northern California. Again, the Sierras are lovely and the wine region there is a great destination, too. Maybe after tromping through the redwood forest, you make a stop in the Napa valley

But to really see the wild North America, you don't necessarily need to go to a national park. There are campground sites all over the country. The woods in West Virginia and Pennsylvania are gorgeous in the month of October when the fall colors are peaking

If you go into the woods, or any wild open places, always know what the local dangers are. What I mean is, are there snakes, scorpions, cayotes, bears, wolves, poisonous plants, that sort of thing. Personally, I never go into the woods without a gun, but there's black bears, cayotes and poisonous snakes in the woods where I live


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Mbhaub's advice is excellent. One could spend months out west and still just scratch the surface, but every place he mentions is wonderful. 

I suppose the big flood in Yellowstone and the resulting travel problems (missing roads) have been solved? Guess that question's for mbhaub.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

EdwardBast said:


> Mbhaub's advice is excellent. One could spend months out west and still just scratch the surface, but every place he mentions is wonderful.
> 
> I suppose the big flood in Yellowstone and the resulting travel problems (missing roads) have been solved? Guess that question's for mbhaub.


From what I've heard from friends in Livingston, MT, the roads are pretty much back to normal in Yellowstone, which means a mess - as always. Yellowstone has bitter cold, harsh, snowy winters and that takes a toll on the roads in best of times. Every summer there's major road repair going on there. This year was exceptional. Plus there are always work arounds that will add miles and time, but many of those detours take you through some spectacular places. And Yellowstone is closed for several months to driving because of snow.


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## Nate Miller (Oct 24, 2016)

NoCoPilot said:


> I would studiously avoid anything below the Mason-Dixon Line these days. Nuff said.


People in the south are actually very nice and hospitable. 

The Appalachian mountains in Virginia are a destination for people to see the fall leaves. Virginia is even pretty blue now if politics matter

the outer banks in North Carolina is a favorite seashore destination for folks on the east coast. It is a barrier island that stretches over 100 miles down the Carolina coast. Even on a holiday weekend, you will find miles of empty beaches. One of the best surf breaks on the east coast is there just to the left of the famous lighthouse, too. 

and if you want to party, look no further than South Beach Miami. Florida is pretty awesome. Lots of great fishing both in the ocean and in the hundreds of lakes in Florida. 

I always liked camping in the Sonoran desert in West Texas. that's where they shot that James Dean film "The Giant". Sometimes you can even see the "Martha Lights" which is some kind of atmospheric phenomenon that creates a glow out in the desert. 

but I've had a lifetime to travel my country, and playing music gave me alot of opportunity to do that when I was young. The American west, though, is some of the most strikingly beautiful landscapes I've ever seen. I've never been to Africa, but America does pretty well for itself

I wouldn't avoid the south because of terrible racists rubes, that's not the reality, just the prejudice. If I only had 2 weeks, though, I would avoid the eastern US entirely and head west to the Rocky Mountains and the Pacific coast.


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

mbhaub said:


> Two weeks is plenty of time to do one heck of a trip - but out west. And they're all in a more or less straight line south to north. Starting in Flagstaff, AZ, you go to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon which is a must-see park. Even if you don't hike in, there's a full day of sightseeing. Then the next day drive up to Kanab, Utah which is the starting point for several of the most amazing scenic parks anywhere: Bryce Canyon and Zion NP just astonishing. Canyonlands isn't bad, either. Now if you're really into western lore, you could also leave the Grand Canyon and head over to the Navajo reservation and see Monument Valley, then over to Kanab. Add a day.
> 
> You could spend 3-4 days in Utah. Then go over to Wyoming and head to Jackson Hole which is the starting point for Grand Teton NP. There's plenty of nice day hikes, or simple trails to walk. You do not want to do this in winter! Some fine fishing in the area, too. Then the granddaddy of them all: Yellowstone. To fully see and appreciate this spectacular place takes 3 days. Personally, I gave people tours of the Yellowstone for 20 years and have a good idea of what's worth stopping at and what's not. It's a huge park with long distances, traffic congestion and bear jams.
> 
> ...


And on the Navajo Nation is the 4 corners monument. The only place in the US one can be in 4 states at the same time. Where Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico converge.


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## Nate Miller (Oct 24, 2016)

progmatist said:


> And on the Navajo Nation is the 4 corners monument. The only place in the US one can be in 4 states at the same time. Where Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico converge.


I was there once, that was pretty neat. I liked that national forest in the Arizonan desert, too.

and if you golf, Arizona is an awesome destination. I remember Scottsdale in particular having some great courses

I even got to see a real wild road runner out there


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Off road driving is another possibility if one is up for adventure — but don't tell the rental company . My wife and I drove the White Rim Trail in Canyonlands, an unpaved track 125 miles around the Island in the Sky, an enormous mesa with 1,000 foot cliffs on one side and a 1,000 foot drop on the other. We camped halfway through with likely not another human within 50 miles. The adventure included having to reconstruct parts of the driving surface by hand and having one of us stand outside to direct the other so the vehicle didn't fall off the cliffs. Fantastic scenery the whole way. Saw no one but my wife for the whole two day trip.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

Nate Miller said:


> I even got to see a real wild road runner out there


Beep-beep! 

Nate Miller also mentioned the Pacific Coast. If you've never seen it, yes you should. Northern Cal, Southern Oregon offer the best beaches (Washington's generally too rocky). And your chance of having the beach to yourself is enhanced if you get off the beaten path. There are HUNDREDS of gorgeous isolated beaches, and the sea always revitalizes me.


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

You are in Finland, right? Plenty of pine trees and if you want mountains and fjords, Norway is not far. Why not prioritize the Southwest then maybe head to FL for the Everglades, the Keys and into GA to the Okefenokie swamp? Could even be a good winter trip to get out of the what, 6 hours of daylight you have up there?


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

I can confirm that the Grand Canyon is definitely a worthwhile destination, even just walking along the rim of it for a while. Flagstaff, AZ, is a beautiful place to visit, and it's not too far from Winslow (if you are an Eagles fan and want to stand where they sang about in "Take It Easy").

It's unnatural, but the city of Las Vegas is a sight worth seeing if you are in the vicinity.

One other idea is the Sequoia National Forest in California.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

Everglades, Florida Keys, Okeefenokee Swamp? Alligators, mosquitos and poisonous snakes. If that’s your thing.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

bharbeke said:


> One other idea is the Sequoia National Forest in California.


How damaged has the SNF been by recent wildfires?


“bharbeke said:


> It's unnatural, but the city of Las Vegas is a sight worth seeing if you are in the vicinity.


I found LV garish and disgusting, but if you want to see it, better hurry. In a year or two it’ll be a ghost town, unless they can find a new source of water.


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

NoCoPilot said:


> Everglades, Florida Keys, Okeefenokee Swamp? Alligators, mosquitos and poisonous snakes. If that’s your thing.


Gators are cool, rattlesnakes and coral snakes are ubiquitous in most of the national parks, which just leaves water moccasins, which along with gators aren’t much of a threat outside of water. The mosquitos and biting flies can be just as bad in Northern boreal forests.

went through Okeefenokee by boat in the middle of the afternoon in the summer, was not overly hot and did not get a single insect bite, dusk or dawn, of course, would be different


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

“Gators are cool”? Man, they’re cold blooded!


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Nate Miller said:


> I was there once, that was pretty neat. I liked that national forest in the Arizonan desert, too.
> 
> and if you golf, Arizona is an awesome destination. I remember Scottsdale in particular having some great courses
> 
> I even got to see a real wild road runner out there


I golf, but frankly it's no fun from May to September. Daytime temps are just too high in the Phoenx area. I live in a suburb. And we have roadrunners in the neighborhood all the time. They do a great job of removing lizards and scorpions. Watching them kill a snake is something you have to see to believe. Beep Beep!


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

Oh, I love this thread! Even reseaching for the planning of a trip is wonderful.

On the map Yosemite is not that far from the Grand Canyon. Aren´t there the huge coastal redwoods in California as well? If we started from Arizona and Grand Canyon, went to see Las Vegas, then to California and got to see Yosemite and the redwood forests, ending up in San Francisco. We would see a lot, right? 

Sorry, there´s some Finnish in the picture.









There would not be as much nature resorts as in the mbhaub´s grand tour, which I have a feeling you cannot really surpass if you want to see some nature.  But there would be the cities, too.

(Then another trip later on to the Pacific Northwest and one more trip to the old cities of the East Coast.)


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## Chilham (Jun 18, 2020)

Waehnen said:


> Oh, I love this thread! Even reseaching for the planning of a trip is wonderful.
> 
> On the map Yosemite is not that far from the Grand Canyon. Aren´t there the huge coastal redwoods in California as well? If we started from Arizona and Grand Canyon, went to see Las Vegas, then to California and got to see Yosemite and the redwood forests, ending up in San Francisco. We would see a lot, right?
> 
> ...


If that's your route, I'd add Death Valley National Park and the Sequoia National Park to the list between Las Vegas San Jose. Few places like it on Earth.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

I live in the PNW. I like big trees (I have a t-shirt that says "The trees ARE the view"). Rock formations can be pretty, but I dunno, I don't feel very welcomed by them. Rocks don't take in carbon dioxide and outgas oxygen. There's nothing better than hiking the Hoh rainforest or the North Cascades. We have deer in our front yard, not lizards and road runners.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

San Francisco is my second-favorite city I have visited. It's wonderful.

If you go to Las Vegas, don't go off the strip. One block off the strip you'll find tar-paper shacks and neighborhoods without running water. It looks like the poorer cities in Central America. That's where the casino workers live.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Oh, c'mon! Las Vegas isn't some third-world crap hole. Yes, it has some parts that are older and shabby, but what city doesn't? Most of LV is quite new; the growth up there has been tremendous and there are many extremely nice neighborhoods. I have a relative working there as a family doctor and we've been to some great restaurants, the Las Philharmonic, numerous shows. The city is never lacking for something to do.

On the other hand...when was the last time anyone was in San Francisco? It is a crap hole - literally - thanks to policies of the leaders. The homeless situation is out of hand. In many areas downtown people use the sidewalks as a toilet. There's even a phone app to alert you where human exrement is so you can avoid it. Crime is rampant and unpunished: Walgreen's has closed several stores because of looting that the police won't do anything about. I was in SF most recently a year ago and was shocked and saddened by how much the place had deteriorated since my previous visit. To think that a great orchestra plays in a place surrounded by such filth is stunning. And as bad as SF is, Los Angeles is even worse. California has a lot of cleaning up to do, but given the current "leaders" I'm not confident much will change.


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## progmatist (Apr 3, 2021)

mbhaub said:


> I golf, but frankly it's no fun from May to September. Daytime temps are just too high in the Phoenx area. I live in a suburb. And we have roadrunners in the neighborhood all the time. They do a great job of removing lizards and scorpions. Watching them kill a snake is something you have to see to believe. Beep Beep!


A few years ago I was at the Walmart on Greenfield just south of the US-60. 2 parking spaces away was a roadrunner just standing there looking at me. Clearly used to being around humans.

I can remember in the late 70s, early 80s there would be old men on the golf course when it was 115 outside. Everyone here knows better now. We finally gained enough common sense to close mountain hiking trails when it gets too hot.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

You obviously weren't carrying a big stick of TNT.


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

I would do the leg from Vegas to LA, a whole lotta nothing in western Nevada (outside of Reno, which is not on the route)and the CA Central Valley. You could hit Death Valley, LA then head up the PCH to the Bay Area


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

Bwv 1080 said:


> I would do the leg from Vegas to LA


Is Los Angeles worth visiting these days? I kinda suspect not.


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

NoCoPilot said:


> Is Los Angeles worth visiting these days? I kinda suspect not.


Same in all left coast cities, no?


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

Bwv 1080 said:


> Same in all left coast cities, no?


Homelessness seems to be endemic these days. We can't discuss why without getting into politics... but I don't think that should prevent anyone from visiting one of our beautiful cities.


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

NoCoPilot said:


> Homelessness seems to be endemic these days. We can't discuss why without getting into politics... but I don't think that should prevent anyone from visiting one of our beautiful cities.


So, as in all things, SoCal > NoCal


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## Josquin13 (Nov 7, 2017)

First, I should emphasize that America is a very big country. It's not like a European country. You won't be able to cover multiple national parks in the American West together with various places on the east coast by car, bus or train; because if you do, you'll be spending most of your vacation on the road (& you might even miss your return flight home). So, if you wish to visit multiple places across the country, you'll need to do some flying in order to cut down on travel time between your primary destinations.

The various landscape terrain that you'll find in the national parks across the American West & Southwest is unique & incredibly beautiful. For instance, when viewing the Badlands from the hills of northwest Santa Fe, New Mexico, you half expect to see dinosaurs roaming about. It's that unusual. Santa Fe is an old Spanish colonial town, & wild west outpost (where the outlaw Billy the Kid was once jailed). I especially like the Lensic Theater there, which is a small, intimate concert venue that gets world class musicians in recital, etc.. There's also the Santa Fe Opera, which is set in the stunningly beautiful northwest hills with views of the Sangre de Christo Mountains, & the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival (which was founded by Pinchas Zukerman); however, I believe those events are mostly held in the summertime. The closest national park is White Sands, I believe, which is comprised of expansive white sand dunes. There's also the popular Ten Thousand Waves Spa, 10 minutes from Santa Fe, which everyone there recommended to me, but I never got the time to go,





__





Ten Thousand Waves Spa, Food and Lodging


Ten Thousand Waves is inspired by the great Japanese mountain hot spring resorts. Our resort includes our legendary spa, restaurant Izanami and lodging from Houses of the Moon. Ten minutes from downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico but only minutes from the National Forest, there is nothing quite like...




tenthousandwaves.com





& the nearest major airport is in the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, which is about a 45 minute drive to Santa Fe.

My favorite restaurant in Santa Fe used to be Cafe Pasqual's, but I've not been there in many years, so things have likely changed,



https://pasquals.com



New Mexico would make a good launching point to rent a car and drive to a number of the major national parks in neighboring states; though you'll need to look into the driving times between places in order to make sure that your travel itinerary will work out within your time frame. (If not, then you might start out in Arizona instead, which is closer to the Grand Canyon. I'd suggest starting out in Sedona, Arizona, alternatively, which you might want to put onto your travel itinerary anyway. )

Sedona's red rocks park:








I'd most recommend the following national parks out west:

--The Grand Canyon, Arizona/Utah--it's truly immense, & I mean beyond imagination, and incredibly beautiful. But don't walk too close to the edge on the rim. I couldn't believe there weren't guard rails. Not surprisingly, people have tried to get away with murdering their spouses there (it's just a simple push), but they don't get away with it, since it's so obviously not an accident. But of course most couples don't try to kill each other there: rather, it's a romantic place.

--Bryce Canyon, Utah--it's smaller, but this is an 'other worldly' place. It inspired Olivier Messiaen's _Des canyons aux étoiles, after he visited Bryce in 1972:_






Utah then honored the composer by naming a mountain after him--Mount Messiaen, near Parowan, Utah. How cool is that!,









the plaque - Picture of Mount Messiaen, Parowan - Tripadvisor


Mount Messiaen, Parowan Picture: the plaque - Check out Tripadvisor members' 6 candid photos and videos of Mount Messiaen




www.tripadvisor.com





--Grand Teton National Park, or the Grand Tetons (translated "big breasts", thanks to the early French explorers), near Teton Villiage & Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Again, the Teton Mountains are incredibly beautiful. But be warned, Jackson Hole can be expensive. The locals like to say that 'the billionaires have kicked out the millionaires.' By the way, there's also Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, where the movie, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" was filmed.

I liked Zion National Park in Utah, too, but agree it may not be for everyone. (The "Virgin Narrows" is cool though.)

I've never been to Yellowstone Park in Wyoming or Yosemite in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains, but I'm sure they're spectacular too, judging from the landscape paintings by Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran.






Plus, Yellowstone is only 31 miles from the Grand Teton National Park. In addition, there's an Amtrak "Zephyr" train with a glass enclosed roof top viewing car that goes from Denver, Colorado to San Francisco, through the most beautiful parts of the Sierra Nevadas that can't be reached by car. Train buffs often call it the most beautiful train ride in the U.S. (& I agree). However, Amtrak is almost always very late out west, so you'll need to allow for lots of extra time (maybe even a whole day).

--I'd also recommend The Garden of the Gods, outside the city of Colorado Springs (between Santa Fe & Denver):






Two smaller places to visit along the way--if you happen to be driving by en route to one of the canyons--are Kanab, Utah, with its orange dunes, and Moab, Utah. In Moab, you can get incredible views of the Milky Way galaxy at night!! in nearby Arches National Park (but definitely bring a flashlight or two, as you don't want to slip on the climb up or down). It's a popular place with nature photographers, & Moab also has a small classical music festival in the summer,









Moab's Amazing Night Skies


The public lands surrounding Moab have some of the darkest skies remaining in the contiguous 48 United States. As few as one in ten Americans lives in an area where they can see the estimated 2,500 stars that should be visible under normal conditions.




www.discovermoab.com





The landscape around the (man made) Lake Powell region in Arizona is also like nothing on earth--such as outside of Page, Arizona (which isn't the nicest place). But there's no park that I can remember. Plus, I did hear that the water levels in the lake have dropped significantly since I was there, due to a serious water drought in the region.

Finally, I should mention that, with the exception of Santa Fe, I don't know what any of these places looks like in the autumn, or how cold they get (or even snowy?). I was there in the summer, with all the tourists...

If that trip itinerary doesn't work for you, here's another interesting one (& I suppose you could possibly do some combination of the two, if you were keen to get on airplanes to save time:

In late September and early October, the flaming red, orange & yellow colored fall foliage in New England is spectacularly beautiful & popular (autumn has become my favorite season as I've gotten older). The White Mountains in New Hamphire are a good place to see these brilliant colors, such as in Franconia Notch if you're up for some hiking, or around Lake Winnipesaukee in the Lakes region; as well in Bar Harbor & Acadia National Park in Maine (where the leaves turn color earlier in September); along with Lenox & Tanglewood in the Berkshire Mountains in western Massachusetts, or Vermont. (By the way, Acadia is one of the most visited parks in the U.S..) I don't think of Europe as having anything comparable to New England in the fall, but I'm not certain of that. When I lived in the U.K., for instance, the autumns were exactly as Shakespeare describes them, "yellow".

Here's another warning--despite the lovely, temperate 'Indian summers' in New England in the fall, if you hike or climb to higher altitudes it might get very cold, & there could even be snow.

But, if you decide on New England, I'm sure that you can get better advice about where to go to see the fall foliage from a travel guide or book, than from me,



https://travel.usnews.com/features/6-tips-for-planning-the-perfect-new-england-fall-getaway



Yet, with all that said, the most spectacular U.S. National Parks are probably not on the mainland:

There are also the Hawaiian islands in the Pacific Ocean, such as Kauai, Maui, & Molokai, which are incredibly picturesque & beautiful (an understatement). Among these places, I'd probably most recommend Kauai.

& there is also my own favorite U.S. National Park down in the Carribean: an underwater U.S. National Reef Park, which surrounds an uninhabited island, called Buck Island, just off of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands (you can get there via connecting flights out of Miami or Fort Lauderdale in Florida). It's an amazing underwater reef, with a network of marked & labeled snorkeling trails. Visually, it's an unforgettable experience. Just don't wear anything shiny or flashy that could make the barracudas feel threatened, & definitely look down into the water before you jump in, so you don't land directly on a barracuda (as they can cause serious damage, but are docile if they are not provoked). Plus, there is Little Turtle Beach on Buck Island, which is one of the nicest beaches in the Carribean. In the early fall, you may even see turtle hatchlings, which is a very memorable experience. The one snag is that you'll have to charter a boat to get there from St. Croix for either a full day or half a day (we chartered our boat with 2 or 3 other people, which made it less expensive). It was a once in a lifetime experience for me, so I'd recommend the full day, if you can swing it.

However, I visited there decades ago, and I don't know if the reef has changed much--considering how poorly we treat our oceans and choral reefs, & the sheer volume of tourists that visit Buck Island every year. I suppose it could be a dead reef by now; in which case, the underwater colors won't be quite as spectacular as when I was there. Nevertheless, there will be lots of colorful fish to see, I expect.

Of the three U.S. Virgin Islands, St. John is probably the most beautiful, being 60% a National Park. So, you might want to spend some time on St. John, too,










But be warned, even in St. John there is crime. So, don't leave your parked car unlocked, & don't get conspicuously drunk in town late at night, & don't hike somewhere alone, because it will only make you an easier target for criminals. The other potential negative I should mention is that the fall is the tail end of the hurricane season in the Carribean, and you DON'T want to be there for a category 3-5 hurricane, trust me. I've been through an unusually long category 3-4 hurricane & I never want to go through that again. But you probably won't--it would be bad luck. By the way, the British Virgin Islands are close by, too, & can be visited (such as Virgin Gorda).



https://www.fueledbywanderlust.com/best-things-st-john-usvi/



Finally, the nice thing about our national parks is that you don't need to go for more than a day or two to enjoy them & have an unforgettable experience. Though I suppose some people might want to spend more time, if they were looking to take a longer hiking tour, or to go camping, or relax on the beach.

If not, it might be possible to do some combination of Buck Island/St. Croix & St. John, together with the Grand Canyon & Bryce & Arches Canyons, or the Grand Tetons & Yellowstone, or New England in the fall--with maybe a couple of days in Boston (for music & museums), which you could conveniently fly out of, all in two weeks. But that might also be too much, or too costly, I'm not sure...

Hope I've helped.


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

Josquin13 said:


> First, I should emphasize that America is a very big country. It's not like a European country. You won't be able to cover multiple national parks in the American West together with various places on the east coast by car, bus or train; because if you do, you'll be spending most of your vacation on the road (& you might even miss your return flight home). So, if you wish to visit multiple places across the country, you'll need to do some flying in order to cut down on travel time between your primary destinations.
> 
> The various landscape terrain that you'll find in the national parks across the American West & Southwest is unique & incredibly beautiful. For instance, when viewing the Badlands from the hills of northwest Santa Fe, New Mexico, you half expect to see dinosaurs roaming about. It's that unusual. Santa Fe is an old Spanish colonial town, & wild west outpost (where the outlaw Billy the Kid was once jailed). I especially like the Lensic Theater there, which is a small, intimate concert venue that gets world class musicians in recital, etc.. There's also the Santa Fe Opera, which is set in the stunningly beautiful northwest hills with views of the Sangre de Christo Mountains, & the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival (which was founded by Pinchas Zukerman); however, I believe those events are mostly held in the summertime. The closest national park is White Sands, I believe, which is comprised of expansive white sand dunes. There's also the popular Ten Thousand Waves Spa, 10 minutes from Santa Fe, which everyone there recommended to me, but I never got the time to go,
> 
> ...



Wow, thanks @Josquin13! There is a lot to check and consider.

It is obvious one cannot see everything with just one trip so choices have to be made. At this moment I think that the greatest priorities would be things that you do not have anywhere in Europe: things like the Grand Canyon and Californian Redwoods and Yellowstone. That Sedone Red Rocks park of which you had a picture there looks also quite amazing -- something you do not have in Europe. But I would be too afraid to go the Death Valley. Also I do not want to meet the alligators nor the grizzly bears. Hah. 

I also love that the plants and wildlife differ: you have a different eagle owl (we have the Eurasian one), different sea eagle (the balded), your own bears, you do not have the Eurasian lynx but the bobcat, even your spruce trees are different to the Eurasian Spruce. These differences I think could be best observed at Yellowstone.

I would love to see some American rivers as well. The Mississippi is just huge, and the Colorado river seems fascinating. I mean, have a look at that!










My comments are at this time very random but I allow myself that. I will keep an open mind atm. The trip will probably take place in May 2023 so there is still time to think... To read your suggestions and think about these venues is very inspiring!


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

Well Yellowstone is full of grizzlies, thats why the buddy system is important when venturing into bear country - that way you just have to outrun your buddy, not the bear 

Seriously, grizzlies are shy in most places, Yellowstone is probably the worst risk as people feed the bears and they sometimes lose that shyness. you are at greater risk of being charged by a moose or buffalo than attacked by a bear


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## Bwv 1080 (Dec 31, 2018)

Also old faithful is overrated and that part of the park can have horrible traffic - there are thermal features throughout the park and the best feature IMO is the the lake and the falls (and the huckleberry ice cream in the gift shops)

the tetons are amazing but Jackson Hole is a douchy place like Aspen. Cody is a cool low key place with some history


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

Josquin13 said:


> First, I should emphasize that America is a very big country. It's not like a European country. You won't be able to cover multiple national parks in the American West





NoCoPilot said:


> Two weeks is not enough.


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## SearsPoncho (Sep 23, 2020)

Several years ago we went to Wyoming, rented a car, and visited Grand Teton National Park and the mountains in Jackson Hole and then drove about 1 hour(??) north to Yellowstone National Park. Tons of wild animals, beautiful vistas, thermal springs and geysers, etc. It was incredible.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

Europeans are generally not prepared for the SCALE of the United States. Going from the Grand Canyon to Redding California (853 miles, 1373 km) is about the same as going from Copenhagen to Burgundy (838 miles, 1349 km).


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

We really really need to consider the distances so it is a good point. We don´t want to be driving all the time. We will start planning together, probably tomorrow night.

Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal-Quebec was a trip with perfect distances. So that will be a reference point in a way.


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## Floeddie (8 mo ago)

If you can, you should go north to Utah after the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is not a day trip. To enjoy that park, you need to either hike or go down into the canyon on horseback or burro. You should be spending at least 3-4 days there. For great day trip stuff, go to Zion, Cedar Breaks, and Bryce Canyon in SE Utah. You are wise to go in the off season.

I'd bypass the Grand Canyon all together, and go to Las Vegas from Death Vally, then Southern Utah, St George, Panguitch. I've been there and done that 6 -7 times. Las Vegas is not my cup of tea but the surrounding areas are great!


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## Floeddie (8 mo ago)

Waehnen said:


> We really really need to consider the distances so it is a good point. We don´t want to be driving all the time. We will start planning together, probably tomorrow night.
> 
> Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal-Quebec was a trip with perfect distances. So that will be a reference point in a way.


see above... you are visiting my family's stomping grounds.


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## Chilham (Jun 18, 2020)

NoCoPilot said:


> Europeans are generally not prepared for the SCALE of the United States. Going from the Grand Canyon to Redding California (853 miles, 1373 km) is about the same as going from Copenhagen to Burgundy (838 miles, 1349 km).


Europeans think 500 miles is a long way in the same way that Americans think 500 years is a long time.


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