Category: Destinations

The Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a ribbon of road that weaves through the region’s vibrant living traditions. From Cherokee life and agricultural history to Southern Appalachian crafts and music, the Parkway’s 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina offer many ways to explore rich traditions. Millions of visitors enjoy the Blue Ridge Parkway each year. Some think of it as just a motor road or a pleasant drive. But the Parkway is also a place of varied and significant natural resources. Spanning the southern and central Appalachians, the Blue Ridge…

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Petrified Forest National Park

A Place for Discovery Park Hours: 8am to 5pm, MST. Don’t forget that Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings. Petrified Forest is best known for its Triassic fossils. It’s like having two parks in one, an ecosystem over 200 million years old with plants and animals now represented in the surreal landscape of the Painted Desert. There is also a living park with its own denizens adapted to a demanding environment. Plan Your Visit Petrified Forest is a surprising place, offering far more than the world renowned petrified logs. You…

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Crater Lake National Park

Nestled in the Cascade Mountains of southern Oregon, Crater Lake offers abundant opportunities for a memorable road trip. Formed 7,700 years ago by a volcanic eruption, Crater Lake is the deepest and most pristine lake in the country. Because of its mountainous location, winter conditions play a big role in any visit. Due to an annual average of 44 feet of snow, many of the seasonal roads into and around the lake are closed each year from October to June. Plan your visit in the summer for the best chance at…

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Monument Valley

Monument Valley, a red-sand desert region on the Arizona-Utah border, is known for the towering sandstone buttes of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. The park, frequently a filming location for Western movies, is accessed by the looping, 17-mile Valley Drive. The famous, steeply sloped Mittens buttes can be viewed from the road or from overlooks such as John Ford’s Point. Monument Valley provides perhaps the most enduring and definitive images of the American West. The isolated red mesas and buttes surrounded by empty, sandy desert have been filmed and photographed countless…

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Colorado National Monument

The Heart of the World Colorado National Monument preserves one of the grand landscapes of the American West. But this treasure is much more than a monument. Towering monoliths exist within a vast plateau and canyon panorama. You can experience sheer-walled, red rock canyons along the twists and turns of Rim Rock Drive, where you may spy bighorn sheep and soaring eagles. Driving Directions Driving Westbound on Highway I-70 towards Grand Junction, Exit 31 (Horizon Drive). Follow signs through Grand Junction to the east entrance. The visitor center and campground…

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Big Bay State Park

Big Bay State Park is a state park of Wisconsin, United States, on Madeline Island, the largest of 22 Apostle Islands in Lake Superior. The 2,350-acre (951 ha) park has picturesque sandstone bluffs and caves and a 1.5-mile-long (2.4 km) sand beach. It encloses unique habitat types including lakeside dunes, sphagnum bogs, and old-growth forest. Bald eagles return annually to the park to nest and rear offspring. The park, established in 1963, has picnic areas with tables, grills, water and toilets; a campground with drinking water, showers and toilets; an indoor camp for nonprofit groups; an outdoor group camp; and more than 9 miles (14 km) of trails, including nature trails. The park…

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Dead Horse Point State Park

An immense desert landscape of canyons, high desert woodland, and miles of trails invite visitors to explore Dead Horse Point State Park. The park has wonderful campgrounds with modern amenities, beautiful views, and connections to nature that will create long-lasting memories. Sunrises and sunsets are especially memorable, with canyon walls bathed in golden light, creating a stunning scene reminiscent of vivid watercolor paintings. Dark Skies filled with thousands of stars encourage travelers to look up and enjoy a view unparalleled while they visit the park. So plan your trip and…

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Sterling State Park

Sterling State Park is the only Michigan state park on Lake Erie, located just a few miles from the Ohio border and approximately an hour from Detroit. The park is situated along 1 mile of sandy shoreline and is home to a modern campground, full-amenity cottages, a boating access site, trails and more. There are plenty of opportunities for shoreline and off-shore fishing. The park protects more than 500 acres of Great Lakes marsh and restored lakeplain prairie habitat and is well known for its access to walleye and perch…

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Cade’s Cove

Cades Cove is an isolated valley located in the Tennessee section of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The valley was home to numerous settlers before the formation of the national park. Cades Cove is a broad, verdant valley surrounded by mountains and is one of the most popular destinations in the Great Smokies. It offers some of the best opportunities for wildlife viewing in the park. Large numbers of white-tailed deer are frequently seen, and sightings of black bear, coyote, ground hog, turkey, raccoon, skunk, and other animals are…

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Havasu Falls

Havasu Falls is a waterfall of Havasu Creek, located in the Grand Canyon, Arizona, United States. It is within Havasupai tribal lands.  The magic of Havasu Falls may be hard to define—is it the turquoise pools or its remote location?—but it’s undeniable that people come from all over to witness their beauty. Getting there, though, is not as easy as booking a ticket To visit Havasu Falls “the right way” requires planning and plenty of physical preparation. Here’s our guide to make your trip to the falls a memorable one.…

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