In the USA, all 4th grade students are given free access to the nation’s parks to support the Social Studies curriculum and get more kids into the great outdoors. Use this incentive to book a western road trip or concentrated trip to Utah’s Mighty Five. Kids all ages and stages will love the National parks, especially the ones out west, with enormous mountains, alpine lakes and animals you won’t find anywhere else. It is a privilege to visit the lands where pioneers and gold rushers all flocked for their chance of the American dream and these views aren’t to be beat.
Colorado
The Myers family moved to Denver, Colorado about five years ago and have done lots of exploring in our new state of residence. Check out my blogs at Wanderlust with Laura and especially my two posts on Denver, the Mile High City and Winter in Denver for specific tips and places to visit in Colorado. Colorado is a place that takes experiences in the great outdoors to a whole new level, during any season. Denver is the easiest airport to fly into, since it is one of the west’s hub airports, but there are other options to fly into Colorado Springs, Vail and Telluride if you’re planning a ski trip. When staying in Denver, I suggest visiting some of these attractions:
- Rocky Mountain Arsenal Animal Refuge
- Elitch Gardens Theme & Water Park
- Children’s Museum
- Denver Zoo
- Denver Aquarium
- Butterfly Pavilion
- Denver Museum of Nature & Science
- Denver Art Museum
- Colorado Railroad Museum
- Wings of the Rockies Air & Space Museum
- HideeGold Mine
- The National Western Stock Show
Many of these attractions are part of the Denver CityPass, which can save you some money by bundling attractions. Denver is far from Colorado’s best attraction and you need to get out into at least the Foothills (mountains for us that didn’t grow up in the West or the Alps) and a visit to RMNP is a must see and less than a 2 hour drive from Denver.
Estes Park & Rocky Mountain National Park are bucket list locations for sure, read my full blog for activities, restaurants and lodging recommendations before you plan a trip. Estes Park is the town that sits just outside of RMNP and has lots of activities including boating, horseback riding, the Aerial Tramway and Trail Ridge Road in the summer or sledding, skating and visiting the Stanley Hotel in the winter. My biggest tip for visiting RMNP is to bring layers and drink lots of water. Altitude and wind can be a wicked combination, it can even get cold in the summer, so bring layers of shirts, base layer, sweatshirt, coat and other outerwear or buy them on the way if you live in a warm region with limited access to winter sales.
South of Denver is the Pikes Peak Region and Colorado Springs and has been the home of the Olympic committee since 1978. The Air Force Academy is just north of Colorado Springs and has a great visitors center with a short video on its history. Garden of the Gods and Cave of the Winds in Manitou Springs are both in this area as well and not to be missed. Kids love the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, rated 5th best zoo in the United States and a trip to the North Pole, Home of Santa’s Workshop, during the Holiday season is a must (tickets sell out months in advance every year). A bit farther south is the Royal Gorge with a gondola or bridge crossing and Cripple Creek with the Narrow Gauge Railroad. Even further south, you will find the mystic San Luis Valley Region, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve and the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge.
When people think of Colorado, they are typically picturing ski resorts on the I70 Corridor. Be sure that your car (or rental car) is prepared for winter weather. I70 puts a chain/4×4 law into effect during winter storms, but there are always some tourists stuck on the side of the road for 3 days because they didn’t listen to the weather or regulations. In my option, the best ski towns are Breckenridge and Vail, especially if you are planning a proper family ski holiday or have some family that ski and others that would prefer a spa or to sip cocktails by a fireplace. Eleven of the resorts offer half day and full day ski school for kids and most offer private and group ski and snowboard lessons for adults either wanting to learn or need a refresher. Other winter activities that are not actually skiing or snowboarding include snow tubing, snowshoeing, sledding, ice skating or a snow machine tour. All great ways to experience winter sports without having to travel to the top of the mountain or fear breaking a leg. A little further west on I70 is the health and wellness refuge of Glenwood Springs. The Glenwood Hot Springs Pool (huge pool and summer water park) is the best for kids and families, while the Iron Mountain Hot Springs is fantastic for couples and adults. There is a large pool and hot tub, but they also have numerous smaller pools at different temperatures and with additional cultural amenities with the most beautiful view. Most of the hot springs forbid alcohol, but this place has amazing food and drinks that you can order anytime. A word of warning, drinking in warm water does have a more intense effect…I didn’t believe it either, but it’s true!
Southwest Colorado, also known as the western slope, includes more rustic and traditional Colorado vibes, especially in Telluride and Ouray. Ouray is called the Switzerland of the West because of its beautiful Alpine mountains, lakes and wildflowers. Ouray is known for its relaxing Hot Springs and the Million Dollar Highway, a fear-inducing ride that has some of the best views in Colorado. Telluride is a former Victorian mining town and is set in a box canyon surrounded by forest. The town’s historic district has both performing-arts venues and the Telluride Historical Museum, located in a converted hospital from 1896. Silverton is known for their Dark Sky designation and is the perfect place to break out the telescope for a night of watching the stars. Durango is near the New Mexico border and features 19th-century narrow gauge railroad steam trains to pass through the mountains and canyons. Check out the Railroad Museum in the city center to see displays of restored locomotives, aircraft and baggage car converted into a theater. Mesa Verde National Park is located in SW Colorado too and is known for its well-preserved Ancestral Puebloan Cliff Dwellings and the Chapo Mesa Archeological Museum has exhibits to learn more about the ancient Native American culture. Mesa Top Loop Road winds past archaeological sites and overlooks stunning views.
There is a distinct change from Colonial and Civil War history to Gold Rush and Western Expansion history as you travel Westward across the country. Throughout The West there are lots of animals to see, American Bison (not buffalo), bighorn sheep, pronghorns, prairie dogs and eagles if you’re really lucky. There are lots of similar kids activities across Colorado, panning for gold, exploring abandoned mines & ghost towns, train rides & railroad museums, dinosaurs and ‘castles’ in Colorado are all top contenders. Check out some of the best in each category across the state:
- Forney Museum of Transportation in Denver
- Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden
- Durango & Silverton Narrow gauge railroad & Museum
- Dinosaur Ridge in Morrison
- Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center in Woodland Park
- Dinosaur National Monument
- Glen Eyrie (Colorado Springs) & Cherokee Castle & Ranch (Sedalia) both with tea service.
- Marmot Castle Museum in Manitou Springs
- Bishop Castle in Colorado City
South Dakota
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a massive sculpture of four of our presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln carved into the Black Hills region. The sculpture is about 60 feet tall with a hiking trail surrounding the memorial and interactive museum. In 1948, the Crazy Horse Memorial, a tribute to the Lakota leader began, but is still being carved today. The Indian Museum of North America and Native American Educational & Cultural Center provide on-site education. Choose a tour that includes both sites or drive to both independently. Custer State Park is a great place for a picnic and surrounding yourself in nature. Another great way to see the Black Hills is by hot air balloon, a popular way to spend a half day tour from a bird’s eye view. Badlands National Park is a landscape created by layered rock formations, steep canyons and tall spires. The Badlands Loop Road takes you past scenic spots, before reaching the Ben Reifel Visitor Center with a fossil exhibit from the park.
The popular TV show Deadwood is set in a mining town, post Civil War, which was literally lawless. People were drawn out west after the gold strikes started and land was stolen from the Sioux. Some of its famous inhabitants were Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane and Seth Bullock. Stop in the Visitors Center for a detailed replica of the town and history of Deadwood, and plan your tours, reenactments and casino visits early. Visit the city of Sturgis, known for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame as well as its long-running Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, vintage motorbikes and memorabilia. The landscape of the Black Hills gives a great backdrop for the motorcycle cruises.
Wyoming
Cheyenne, Wyoming is the capital city and a nice small city to walk the western streets, see the history of Wyoming and its Railroad and take pictures with as many cowboy boot statues as possible. Check out the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum for the history of rodeo or the Cheyenne Botanical Gardens for its impressive labyrinth of foliage. There are dinosaur fossils to check out at the Wyoming State Museum, the 1904 Historic Governors Mansion and 19th century Wyoming State Capitol Building will round out a one day tour of Cheyenne.
Driving further north to Casper, Wyoming where The National Historic Trails Interpretive Center is found, an 11,000 square-foot interpretive center to teach about several of the National Historic Trails. Experience the legendary history of the west with hands-on exhibits that capture the real-life struggles over 400,000 pioneers experienced. Visit historical Fort Casper, a reconstructed 1865 military post and a 1901 sheep wagon or spend the day chasing waterfalls or skiing down the slopes in winter. Casper is known as “The Oil City” due to its proximity to the biggest oil field in the state. In the most Northwestern part of the state is Devils Tower, located close to Deadwood, SD. To the Northern Plains Indian Tribes, Devils Tower is a sacred place and appears in multiple oral histories and known by many ancient names.
Cody is the town that is most synonymous with Buffalo Bill and the Buffalo Bill Center of the West has 5 museums to display the life of Buffalo Bill and the history and wildlife of this area of Wyoming. Both Cody, WY and Golden, CO claim that Buffalo Bill is buried in their town. Old Trail Town is a re-created frontier town with 1800’s log cabins and a saloon. Stay next door at the Cody Cowboy Village for rustic, but more updated cabins and a great location to enter Yellowstone National Park.
Yellowstone National Park is nearly 3,500 square miles of wilderness recreation on top of a volcanic hot spot. The park takes up space in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho and has 3 entrances: Cody on the east, West Yellowstone and a Northern entrance via Montana. Yellowstone has canyons, alpine rivers, lush forests, hot springs and geysers. Old Faithful is the most famous geyser for its predictability, but there are tons of others throughout the park and time schedules that is right some of the time. The Old Faithful Inn is located next to the geysers and a perfect spot for a night or two, in a rustic looking building that is almost reminiscent of a viking lodge from the exterior. Spend a day or two timing the geysers and looking for animals like bison, elk and antelope as well as identify birds around the lakes and forest. Be sure to check out the park conditions before and during your trip on the National Park Service Website. The weather and road conditions change rapidly, when we visited a few years ago, floods had caused the Northern entrance to be closed for weeks at a time. West Yellowstone is technically still Wyoming, but quickly turns into Idaho and is a great place to rent a cabin with close access to Yellowstone’s entrance.
Just about 3 hours drive south is Jackson Hole & Grand Teton National Park. The Grand Tetons are the most amazing mountains that just seem to come out of nowhere to the east, as you drive south from Yellowstone. Sickness took out our whole family on our Western Road trip, so instead of heading to Utah we went back home through Grand Teton and Jackson Hole. Despite the flu, we all realized how amazing this part of Wyoming is and we look forward to returning in the future to enjoy it more than we did last time. I have friends that have been in Jackson Hole this past week and just loved being outside looking at the beauty and seclusion in this part of the country. Jackson Hole is a popular destination in the summer for mountaineering, hiking, camping, and fishing as well as its proximity to Yellowstone National Park. In the fall the rut begins and male elk are bugling for attention, not surprising, the National Elk Refuge is in Jackson Hole. When the snow starts mounting, skiing and winter sports take over.
Montana
Billings is the capital of Montana and the closest city to the Little Bighorn Battlefields. They call Little Bighorn a place of reflection and there is no better way to see this area than taking a drive through the numbered sites on the map, including the cemetery. This battlefield memorializes the US Army’s 7th Cavalry battle with American Indians in a last ditch effort to preserve their way of life. 263 soldiers died, including Lt. Col. George A. Custer who died fighting several thousand Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho warriors. Visit the site of Custer’s Last Stand, which we joke about as almost being Laura’s Last Stand, since this is where I was at the height of my flu sickness. I still shiver at the memories!
White Fish, Montana is in the far Northeast corner of the state and some of the most beautiful and uninhabited parts of the West. Glacier National Park is located within a 30 minute drive and is a display of melting glaciers, alpine meadows, deep valleys and beautiful lakes. There are over 700 miles of traits, adventure seeking activities and history in this park, with historic chalets and lodges as well as the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road. Check the National Parks website for current conditions and the status of Going-to-the-Sun Road. About 2.5 hours south is the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, a route across the United States commemorating the Lewis & Clark Expedition of 1804-1806 and a wealth of history.
Livingston is a city in Southwestern Montana, near Yellowstone National Park. We went a little out of our way to have dinner in Livingston to trace my husband’s late father’s path, since he had once lived in Livingston and told stories of the area. It feels like an industrial area as you enter and is known for their mining, quarrying, oil & gas extraction, agriculture, forestry and fishing & hunting industries. The Rib and Chophouse on the main street was a great meal for us, I didn’t realize it was a chain throughout the Northwestern States. Livingston is known for its professional bull riders, as well as what all of Montana is synonymous with, such as biking, hiking, horseback riding, water sports, hot springs, fishing and rock climbing. Kids will keep seeing similar themes in Montana as well as many western states , such as Dinosaur museums and 14 locations on the Montana Dinosaur Trail and Ghost Towns that attracted people for gold, saloons and vigilantes as well as stories of the Wild West and pioneer hardships for the chance of a new life out West.
Utah
When I used to think of Utah I thought of two places, Salt Lake City = Mormons and Park City = skiing. But now that I live in Colorado I think of the Mighty 5 National Parks and want to spend a lot more time exploring in the future. The Big Five National Parks with impressive mountain ranges, hoodoos, arches and canyons along the way. Outdoor enthusiasts love the ample opportunities for hiking, biking, water-sports and skiing while taking in the breathtaking scenery. Moab might just be the park that attracts the most visitors per year, but is actually not part of the Mighty 5. Moab is a gateway between Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. The cool waters of the Colorado River allow for water-sports and river rafting to explore the landscape.
Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce and Zion National Parks are all part of the Mighty Five and worth a visit for their own distinct beauty and personalities. Arches National Park lies North of Moab and is known for more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches. Canyonlands National Park is south of Moab and is known for the Island in the Sky, a flat-topped mesa with panoramic overlooks. Whitewater rapids and rafters flow through Cataract Canyon and don’t miss out on the remote canyons of the Maze and Native rock painting in Horseshoe Canyon. Capitol Reef is located in the middle of all the parks in a town called Torrey, which makes a great central location if you just want to take day trips. Capitol Reef National Park surrounds the Waterpocket Fold to create sights such as the Chimney Rock pillar, the Hickman Bridge arch and the white sandstone domes that give Capitol Reef its name. Bryce Canyon is southwest and has some of the darkest skies in the country, so check out a tour or take a telescope out yourself for a night of stargazing. The most iconic section of the park is the Bryce Amphitheater, home to the largest grouping of hoodoos. Finally, visit Zion, Utah’s first National Park. Zion’s unique assortment of plants and animals, sandstone cliffs and red rocks against the blue sky is breathtaking.
Arizona
The Grand Canyon is a popular attraction out west, for its sheer size and natural beauty. Arizona houses most of the immense Grand Canyon, but can be accessed by day trip from Las Vegas, NV too. The Grand Canyon is considered one of the finest examples of arid-land erosion in the world, created by the powerful Colorado River. The canyon averages 4,000 feet in depth, 6,000 feet at its deepest point and 18 miles at its widest. Tourists can focus on seeing the south rim or north rim, with visitors centers, visitors theater and activities for kids through the junior ranger program. Hermit Road, formerly known as the west rim, is closed to cars in the summer, but open to them in the winter months. It is open to foot traffic and bikes all year round.
The land of wide open spaces is portrayed in countless movies, books and songs. The area is the least populated in the States, where the greatest population sticks to the coasts. You could spend months traveling to all the amazing places in the Western region with epic adventures exploring mountains, parks and the rich history of the American West. Road trip families will love the parks and seclusion the west offers. There is something for everyone out west, from the most budget accommodations and picnics in nature to 5 star resorts, restaurants and spas.
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