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From the wonders of California's dry deserts to the
majestic mountains of Colorado, travelers seeking
adventure, simple relaxation or nature at its finest
can find it in the American Southwest. The area's
national parks offer the outdoor enthusiast a variety
of entertaining and challenging activities, while
the region's breathtaking scenery and tranquil atmosphere
provide the perfect oasis for those seeking rejuvenation.
The following road trip is divided into two, three-day
itineraries, though you may also choose to experience
the entire outing in just about a week. With the scenery
along the drive nearly as spectacular as the parks
themselves, remember that part of the enjoyment is
in the journeys themselves, and not just the destinations.
Whatever you decide, be sure to turn off the cell
phone, roll down the windows, turn up the tunes and
enjoy your drive to and through some of our country's
most enchanting natural spaces.
Stop 1: Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
- Take a morning flight into either Durango or Cortez,
Colorado-about 90 minutes by plane from Denver.
The entrance to the park is one hour from Durango
and 30 minutes from Cortez.
- Spend the day enjoying America's first national
park set aside to preserve and protect the works
of man. Named one of the "50 must-see places
to visit in a lifetime" by National Geographic
Traveler, Mesa Verde celebrates its 100th birthday
this year. The special centennial celebration
offers visitors a variety of activities throughout
2006 to help commemorate this milestone.
- The official four-day "Centennial Celebration"
takes place Thursday, June 29 through Sunday,
July 2. This event-filled festival will include
a wide range of activities, such as an art and
crafts fair, Native American dances, a quilt contest
and gallery, famous entertainers, demonstrations
and story-telling. For more information, visit
www.visitmesaverde.com.
Where to Stay:
- Cortez's Best
Western Turquoise Inn & Suites is located
just 10 miles from the entrance to the national
park. This pet-friendly property is also just
two blocks from the city park. The complimentary
continental breakfast can be taken outside in
the courtyard or on the patio near the water fountain.
- The Best
Western Rio Grande Inn is located in historic
downtown Durango. The Durango & Silverton
Narrow Gauge Railroad runs daily and is only two
blocks from the hotel. Evening cocktails and continental
breakfast are complimentary.
Stop 2: Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Awake early from your slumbers in Southwest Colorado,
since it will take much of the day (roughly five hours
nonstop) to reach the Grand Canyon.
Considered by many to be one of the Seven Natural Wonders
of the World, the 277-mile-long Grand Canyon was one
of America's first official national parks. As the
Colorado Plateaus have uplifted, nearly two billion
years of the earth's history has been exposed, with
the Colorado River and its tributaries cutting through
layer after layer of sediment.
For well over 100 years, the Grand Canyon has offered
once-in-a-lifetime mule tour adventures along the
Colorado River and back up through the South Rim.
These one-day, 7-hour tours or overnight trips are
a time-honored tradition of canyon transportation.
Single-day tour prices start at $142.21 per person
and overnight trips including accommodations, breakfast,
lunch and a steak dinner start at $369.54 per person.
For more information visit www.grandcanyonlodges.com.
Where to Stay:
- Get a good night's sleep at the Best
Western Grand Canyon Squire Inn, the only
resort-style property in the Grand Canyon, Arizona
area. Relax from your day of sightseeing with
a range of on-site amenities that includes a family
fun center with billiards and bowling, a salon,
two restaurants and two lounges.
- Before departing in the morning, take off-literally-by
seeing the park from the air via helicopter or
airplane. Hotel packages including accommodations,
breakfast and tickets are available.
Stop 3: Zion National Park, Utah
- Enjoy a breathtaking drive north until you reach
Springdale, Utah-the closest town to Zion National
Park's southern entrance (roughly 4 hours from
the Best Western Grand Canyon Squire Inn).
- Spread across 229 square miles, "Zion"
(an ancient Hebrew word meaning "a place
of refuge or sanctuary") National Park is
home to a wide variety of unusual plant and animal
life, due to its unique geography and the variety
of life zones within the park.
- A total of 289 bird species, 75 mammals (including
mountain lions, mule deer and golden eagles, reintroduced
California condors, bighorn sheep and 19 species
of bat), 32 reptiles and numerous plant species
inhabit the park's four life zones, which range
from deserts to coniferous forests.
Where to Stay:
- The Best
Western Zion Park Inn in Springdale is the
largest lodging facility in the area. It offers
a heated outdoor pool, hot tub and kiddie wading
pool, in addition to a putting green, badminton
court and horseshoe pits. Complimentary shuttle
service is provided to the city center and to
the entrance of the park.
- If you choose to depart by plane for home, the nearby
towns of Cedar City and St. George offer connecting
commercial service through Salt Lake City or Los Angeles.
Alternatively, you may begin your three-day road trip
itinerary here at Zion National Park and either backtrack
through the Grand Canyon and Mesa Verde OR continue
west and follow this itinerary.
Stop 4: Death Valley National Park, California
- The drive from the Springdale area to California's
Death Valley National Park will take you through
Las Vegas, where you can choose to spend the night
(and catch a show or try your luck at the slot
machines) or make your way directly to the park.
- As the hottest and driest national park in America
(not to mention one of the hottest and driest
places on Earth), Death Valley is a land of extremes-but
also a land of subtle beauties. The second lowest
point in the Western Hemisphere is located here-282
feet below sea level. Approximately 95 percent
of the park is designated as wilderness.
- There are hiking trails of varying lengths and
difficulties, but most backcountry areas are accessible
only by cross-country hiking.
Where to Stay:
- The Best
Western Frontier Motel in Lone Pine is on
the Western side of the park. If you decide to
head south, consider staying overnight at the
Best
Western China Lake Inn in Ridgecrest. The
town is a mixture of old west and gold mining
history, combined with the contemporary high technology
of the Navy's top-rated research and development
facility, China Lake. You've heard the phrase,
"it ain't rocket science?" Ridgecrest
is the home of rocket science, along with fantastic
weather. Three hundred and fifty days a year of
sunshine provide the perfect climate for dozens
of outdoor activities: hunting, fishing, boating,
skiing (snow and water), back packing, mountain
climbing, rock hounding, horseback riding, off-road
vehicle fun and land yachting.
Stop 5: Joshua Tree National Park, California
The final stop on this national parks tour takes
you to Joshua Tree, where a pair of deserts-two
large ecosystems whose characteristics are determined
primarily by elevation-come together. Declared
a national park in 1994, Joshua Tree includes
some 1,234 square miles of land. Roads, hiking
trails and campgrounds in the park are few, mostly
without a supply of water, so most visitors are
required either to day-trip or stay at a hotel
in a nearby town.
The dominant geologic features of this landscape
are hills of bare rock, usually broken up into
loose boulders. The topography is a bonanza for
rock climbing and scrambling enthusiasts.
Where to Stay:
- After exploring the park's rich cultural history
and surreal geologic features-including the famous
trees after which it is named, check into the
Best
Western Las Brisas Hotel in Palm Springs.
Designed with an award-winning Mediterranean flair
and located just steps from the famed Palm Canyon
Drive, the Best Western Las Brisas is less than
an hour from the park. Some of the area's finest
shops, restaurants and theaters are within four
blocks of the hotel.
- Conclude your national parks road trip by flying
out of Palm Springs International Airport, or
out of Ontario,Calif--just 45 minutes away.
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