15 DAyS - STA Travel

72
NATIoNAl PARkS
ARChES NATIoNAl PARk
'Arches' as the name implies, is a wonderland
of more than 2,000 natural red sandstone
arches, including the iconic Delicate Arch. They
frame this area's amazing beauty and stand as
monuments to geologic history a million years in
the making. A 29km paved loop road introduces
visitors to a brilliantly coloured landscape filled
with pinnacles, outcrops, faults and fossils. many
trails take hikers through eroded canyons, under
soaring arches and around windows of stone.
bRyCE CANyoN NATIoNAl PARk
Bryce's original inhabitants, the paiutes, believed
that the rock figures were people turned to stone
by angry gods. rose coloured spires, fins and
mazes will haunt your imagination and beckon
you to explore them more closely. Hiking and
horseback trails wind through the park, both
along the rim and down among the towering rock
formations called 'hoodoos'. A shuttle system,
from late may until mid-September, connects
all major amphitheatres along the western rim.
private vehicles are also allowed.
CANyoNlANDS NATIoNAl PARk
This sprawling national park is comprised of
countless canyons, mesas and buttes seperated
into three districts - island in the Sky, the
Needles District and the maze. island in the
Sky has many hiking trails and amazing scenice
viewpoints, with grand view point offering
a 360 degree panoramic view of the deep
canyons below. The Needles District offers a
very different beauty with remote loop hikes to
spectacular red rock gardens. Off-road vehicles
and bikes are permitted on the 161km White rim
Trail. The remote maze District is Canyonlands'
most jumbled stone playground, requiring
backcountry use permits year-round.
ZIoN NATIoNAl PARk
Zion National park is a spectacular sanctuary
of towering mountains, sandstone cliffs, narrow
slot canyons, soaring arches and waterfalls
that create a setting of unparalleled beauty.
it's without question a photographer's dream.
Trails for hikers of all abilities allow exploration
of the main canyon, with its emerald pools and
wooded valley, and into the park's upper reaches
of sandstone and open desert. A multi-passenger
shuttle is the only motorised transportation
allowed in the main canyon from April until the
end of November.
MoNuMENT VAllEy NAVAjo TRIbAl PARk
perhaps the most photographed landscape in
America, this valley of monoliths and buttes has
been a favourite Hollywood backdrop for 80
years. Still a traditional Navajo Tribe homeland,
the valley is now accessible by private vehicle
and guided tours on entry-limited road. While
no backcountry hiking or biking is allowed,
horseback tours are available.
GRAND CANyoN NATIoNAl PARk
Designated as a World Heritage Site, the grand
Canyon is a powerful and inspiring landscape. it
is one of the most studied geological landscapes
in the world and you will be overwhelmed by its
immense size; 450kms long, up to 30kms wide
and 1.6km deep - encompassing a mammoth
1,218,375 acres. The South rim is open all year
and is the most visited area. The visitor Centre is
located here and a free shuttle bus connects this
with many, but not all, other areas of the South
rim. experience the ever-changing canyon by taking
a peaceful walk along the rim Trail. The North rim
is more remote with less development - because of
its higher elevation (2400m) its facilities are only
open from mid-may to mid-October. The West rim
does not fall within the National park, but a number
of tours visit here as it is the closest scencic grand
Canyon rim to Las vegas.
yEllowSToNE
established in 1872, Yellowstone National
park is America's first national park. Located
in Wyoming, montana and idaho, it is home
to a large variety of wildlife including grizzly
bears, wolves, bison, and elk. preserved within
Yellowstone National park are Old Faithful and
a collection of the world's most extraordinary
geysers and hot springs, plus the grand Canyon
of the Yellowstone. Yellowstone is open every
day of the year. most entrances (except the
North and North east entrances) close in
November while roads are being prepared for the
winter season and again in late march and early
April to clear the roads for the summer season.
interior park roads are only open to over-snow
vehicles during the winter season.
NATIoNAl PARkS PASS
The National parks pass is a great option if
you're planning to visit a few different parks
throughout your trip. You can purchase the pass
online or when you first enter a park. it allows
you and up to three friends access to all national
parks for one year.
EXPloRE ThE PARkS
However you decide to travel you can explore the
national parks with ease.
Hop-on and hop-off at your leisure with the
Bundu Bus: See page 70
Hire a campervan with Cruise America:
See page 20
Take a short tour or day trip from Las vegas:
See page 68
Jump in a car and self-drive: See page 54
get all the inside knowledge of the national parks
on an adventure tour: See pages 22-52