PUBLISHED - 28 September, 2011

Visit America's
Wild West

holidays abroad

America’s Wild West is one of the country’s most exciting regions. Its dramatic and hugely varied scenery has been the backdrop to many films and it continues to be a top tourist destination, catering to a wide variety of holiday expectations. Here’s our guide to some of the best spots to visit when exploring America’s west side.

Top tip: It’s possible to stay in accommodation within the park, but book ahead well in advance because it gets busier every year as more Americans discover the natural wonders within their own borders.

Yosemite National Park

When it comes to California’s national parks, Yosemite is top of the pile. It covers more than 1,000sq miles and includes spectacular waterfalls (although these are more spectacular in the spring), mountains and forests. Bring a pair of sturdy walking boots or shoes and explore by foot – it’s the best way to do it. Bikes can also be hired in the park. Highlights include the Glacier Point viewpoint, where your gaze can sweep over the Yosemite Valley; El Capitan, which towers up from the Yosemite Valley floor and is a favourite with rock climbers and Sentinel Rock, so named because it looks like a watchtower and indeed, may well have been used as such by native Americans.

Big Sur State Park

With the sparkling Pacific Ocean to one side and the rocky crags of the Santa Lucia Mountains on the other, driving through Big Sur is a breathtaking experience. Take the winding Californian State Route 1, also known as Pacific Coast Highway, and stop off to explore the park’s trails. There are well signposted self-guided trails and you’ll find waterfalls plunging into the sea, towering redwood trees and a wide variety of birdlife.

Take time to pull over as the views are particularly beautiful, especially at sunset as the sun disappears into the ocean and the sky turns pink over the water. Although quite close to the urban sprawl of Los Angeles, some areas along the route are so ruggedly remote you won’t even get any reception on your car radio. This remoteness, along with the determination of residents over the years has ensured the area has remained unspoilt and wild.

Grand Canyon

Peering over the edge of the Grand Canyon is an unnerving experience. Your heart will be in your throat as you gaze down into the steep-sided chasm that seems to go on forever. It was carved by the Colorado River over millions of years, and is 277 miles long. The most popular place from which to view the canyon is from Lipan Point on the South Rim.

If you’re feeling brave, head west and walk around the Grand Canyon Skywalk, a glass-floored, 20-metre-long structure that is suspended above the canyon. Or even better, take a helicopter ride that lands on the canyon floor for a picnic and then flies you back up again. This can be booked in advance before travelling with Attraction World via your local travel agent.

Antelope Canyon

This is a magical place where the sandstone has been carved over millennia into beautiful shapes that glow rose-red and orange under the shafts of light that stream in from above. Located in the Native American Navajo Nation, Arizona, Antelope Canyon is a very popular spot with photographers. It is only accessible as part of a guided tour, which take you through the narrow, twisting passages. There are two parts to the canyon, the upper canyon, known as The Crack and the lower canyon, which is also known as the Corkscrew. If you’re lucky, your guide will show you the best angles from which to take your photos so you get the best results.

Top tip: Stop for lunch at the 49’er Cafe at Furnace Creek Ranch. You’ll feel like you’ve walked into a western movie when you tuck into your biscuits and gravy, so don’t forget to wear your cowboy hat.

Death Valley National Park

It may not sound like much fun, but Death Valley is one of the most starkly beautiful areas in America’s Wild West. It is one of the largest parks, spanning the border between Nevada and California, and got its name when gold prospectors nearly lost their lives when looking for a short-cut to the gold fields of northern California. Make sure to see Badwater Basin, a salt pan, which is the lowest point below sea level in the United States, and the Devil’s Golf Course, an area formed from salt crystals, which is so rough that apparently only Lucifer himself could play golf here.

Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park

From the Nevada side, you can access the Marlette/Hobart Backcountry, which is a large forested area. No vehicles are allowed here, so you can really escape into an unspoiled, natural world on foot, bike or horseback. In winter, Lake Tahoe is a great place to ski and there are a number of resorts to choose from.

Arizona

Five hours’ spectacular drive south of Las Vegas and two hours north of Phoenix lies Sedona, best known for its red sandstone rocks. Sedona lies on the rim of the Oak Creek Canyon, a massive red canyon with a classical desert climate – mild in the winter, pretty hot in the summer. Like the Grand Canyon, the scale of the place is vast and you are almost always aware of the silence, although all around you are signs of wildlife – birds, javelina, jackrabbits, bobcats, antelope, mule deer and occasionally a glimpse of a rattlesnake.

Autumn, winter and spring are popular months for walkers and mountain bikers on numerous trails which criss-cross the scenery. Keen mountain bikers might want to take part in the charity Sedona Century Bicycle Tour each May, which takes you past river crossings, national monuments and prehistoric Indian ruins. There is also fishing at Oak Creek Canyon. But perhaps the most relaxing and peaceful way to see the deserts of northern Arizona is from a hot-air balloon in the stillness of the early morning, undoubtedly the most beautiful time of day in the desert, and the time you’ll see most wildlife.

Top tip: One of the best collections of native American art in the US can be found in Phoenix at the Heard Museum, a light airy space which also documents the history of the area’s indigenous Navajo population.

Further north the terrain is completely different, with huge swathes of pine forests and mountain ranges. The climate is cooler, with mild summers and cold winters and skiing in winter. Elsewhere, extreme cold temperatures are not unknown, cold air systems from the northern states and Canada occasionally push into the state, bringing temperatures below freezing.

The southern part of Arizona, nearer Phoenix, is more classically desert country, with smaller red sandstone hills, which make a good two-hour excursion with a guide. The city of Scottsdale has good hotels and golf courses; perhaps the most beautiful and secluded course is to be found at the Boulders, a luxurious resort in the Sonoran desert a short drive from Scottsdale. A visit to Taliesin West, the home of architect Frank Llloyd Wright is a must for anyone interested in architecture or design. Phoenix is a clean, modern, commercial city, although you’ll still see men walking around in cowboy hats, a reminder that you are well and truly in the Wild West.

Disneyland

After all the natural wonders this man-made spectacle is a different kind of must-see. The first of the Disney theme parks opened in 1955, and ever since, visiting Disneyland is the ultimate holiday experience for children (and most adults to be honest). In Disneyland Park, you can meet Mickey Mouse, dance along the Parade Route in the cartoon-themed street party, and explore the ‘lands’ within the park. These include Adventureland, which has the Indiana Jones Adventure ride, and Fantasyland with Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. There’s also the Disney District, which is where you’ll find a selection of restaurants, shops and entertainment options.

Conservation and protection

Over the centuries, wildlife in desert areas has had to adapt to survive in adverse conditions. Death Valley in Nevada alone has over 600 plant species, of which at least 55 are native to the park. Ever since Theodore Roosevelt visited Yellowstone and announced that its beauty and wonder should be protected from loggers, developers, and miners, it has been recognized that national parks provide a crucial understanding of biology, botany and geology, which it is essential to preserve and protect.