Mojave National Preserve, California
Much less famous than its neighbor to the south, Joshua Tree National Park, the Mojave National Preserve is a gem in its own right.
Day: December 28, 2021
Channel Islands National Park, California
“Close to the California mainland, yet worlds apart.” This Channel Islands National Park motto says a lot about the five islands that make up one of the country’s least-visited national parks.
Yuma, Arizona
If you’re looking for sun, heat or lettuce, look no further! Yuma is the sunniest city in the U.S., boasting sunny days roughly 90% of the year. It’s also the hottest – seeing about 175 days annually above 90 degrees. In the summer months, temps are in the 100s almost daily. The hottest day on record there in 124 degrees, set in July 1995.
Tombstone, Arizona
The Wild West lives in Tombstone. Its legendary characters and famous folklore past comes alive daily in this dusty Arizona town 34 road miles from the Mexican border. It’s as close to 1880s America as you can get in the 21st century.
Kaibab National Forest, Arizona
Flanking two sides of Grand Canyon National Park is Kaibab National Forest. Despite being located next to one of our most visited national parks, Kaibab is grossly undervalued (like all our national forest lands).
Jerome, Arizona
When I first set eyes on Jerome, glittering on a distant hillside, a vision flashed through me and I knew I would live there one day. Three months later I was.
Utqiagvik, Alaska
Where in the West Should I Go? • 52 Places to Visit in 2022 The Whale Bone Arch is found on the beach near the Cape Smythe Whaling and Trading Station in Utqiagvik, which is home to one of the largest Inupiaq settlements in Alaska. The town of Utqiagvik (formerly called Barrow) is the northernmost …
Mount Ballyhoo, Alaska
Mount Ballyhoo is a place for adventurers with its spectacular views, beautiful lightly-trafficked hiking trails and rich history. It’s impressively one of the tallest peaks in the region of Unalaska Island at an elevation of 1,634 feet. Mount Ballyhoo offers a moderately difficult three-mile hiking experience with two separate trailheads that are easily accessible. Each year the Ballyhoo Mountain Run takes place, where participants race up and down the mountain. The winner is recognized as “king of the hill.”
Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska
Kenai Fjords National Park boasts views of about 40 glaciers cascading from the Harding Icefield, one of the largest ice fields in the United States. It has an average snowfall of 60 feet per year and the ancient, jagged ice takes over more than half of Kenai Fjords.
Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks, Alaska’s third largest city, is a hotspot for artwork that travels back through ancestral history to over 2,000 years ago. From ivory carvings created by Alaska Natives from the Iñupiaq culture to Aleut and Alutiiq headdresses, the city is packed with Alaska Native art history.