The United States has some of the most diverse landscapes in the world. With so many places to travel, the US offers amazing opportunities to experience the great outdoors in a plethora of different ways. From rugged mountain views and snowcapped peaks to sun-kissed white sand beaches and coral reefs, you’ll be amazed at the natural wonders hiding all over the country. Check out these 5 best places to travel to experience the great outdoors at its finest.
Wyoming
The great state of Wyoming is an oft forgotten land that sometimes resembles Middle Earth. This is one of the best places to travel if you’re looking to escape to the great outdoors. The state is one of the least populous in the country, which leaves plenty of space for you to find your own little slice of heaven. While the eastern part of the state is mostly antelope and coyote filled prairie lands, western Wyoming is a hikers’ paradise, with great natural treasures like Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, the Bridger-Teton Wilderness, and the Wind River Range to name a few.
Towns are few and far between, but many offer quaint lodging and are fairly affordable. The exception is Jackson Hole, which is often called a “billionaire’s playground.” Its proximity to Grand Teton National Park and the Jackson Hole Ski Resort make it one of the most expensive places to live or stay in the country.
Camping, on the other hand, is plentiful and often free in Wyoming, giving you an opportunity to truly experience the great outdoors in a way that staying in a hotel just doesn’t. Use sites like freecampsites.net and The Dyrt to find great camping all over the state of Wyoming. With so much public land and national forest, you stand a chance of landing one of the best campsites of your life.
Fly fishing is also a popular past time in Wyoming, which offers world class options for anyone from beginner to expert. Float the Snake River through Jackson Hole and on south to Hoback Junction, wade the Green River in the Wind River Range, or check out the Buffalo Fork above Moran Junction. Or simply explore on your own and find your own secret fishing spot in the splendor of the Wyoming great outdoors.
Utah
Utah is a well-known destination for any outdoor adventurer. The great outdoors is never far away from your doorstep, making this one of the best places to travel for some outdoor adventure. While Utah’s eastern neighbor is better known for its skiing, Utah’s ski slopes nonetheless give the Colorado runs some real competition. With Deer Valley and Sundance located not far from Salt Lake City, these primo ski resorts are easily accessible from anywhere. In the summer, the same mountains offer amazing hiking and fly fishing opportunities as well.
Once you’ve gotten your fill of the mountains, head south to the desert to visit Utah’s big five national parks: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef. These five parks protect truly amazing landscapes filled with sandstone arches, buttes, and hoodoos. Visiting Utah’s desert landscapes is often likened to visiting Mars, and there’s no lack of evidence as to why. Hike into the Devil’s Garden or to the world-famous Delicate Arch in Arches, then hit Dead Horse Point and Canyonlands just down the road. Visit Moab and take on the great outdoors in a plethora of awesome adventure opportunities, from desert off-roading to skydiving over the sandstone buttes. Then head west to the majestic hoodoo filled Bryce Canyon or take on Angel’s Landing in Zion.
Ready to spend a night camping in the Great American West? Utah has thousands of acres of public lands managed by the BLM and Army Corps of Engineers that are easily accessible and perfect for spending a little time boondocking.
WNC
East Coasters know that solitude and peace in nature are coveted amenities in this part of the country. But WNC offers a chance to escape from the normal hustle-and-bustle and be transported to simpler time. With three national forests, countless protected wildernesses, and a national park, WNC is certainly one of the best places to travel when seeking the great outdoors.
Start in Asheville, NC and enjoy a taste of the Southern renaissance, with amazing dining and music in downtown and some of the best craft beer in the country. Visit some of the legends of the WNC craft beer scene like Highland Brewing, the first brewery in Asheville, or hit up one of the big players like New Belgium or Sierra Nevada, which both have locations in or near Asheville. Or better yet, seek out some of the lesser known breweries, like these three.
Leave Asheville in any direction and find yourself immersed in the giant Pisgah National Forest, and farther west you’ll find the Nantahala and Cherokee National Forests. All three offer great opportunities for hiking, backpacking, and car camping. The Nantahala River, the namesake of the forest, offers world-class fly fishing opportunities and guide services are plentiful. Don’t miss Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the country. With over 500,000 acres of protected forests within its boundaries, GSMNP is one of the best places to travel on the East Coast for a good dose of nature. Hike the Alum Cave Trail or trek overnight to Mt. LeConte. And make sure to visit Clingman’s Dome, the highest point in the park, for spectacular views of great swaths of southern Appalachia.
Sierra Nevada Mountains
The jagged peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains guard the border between Nevada and California. Climbing to some of the highest altitudes in the US, the Sierras are known as an adventurer’s paradise. If you’re looking for adventure in the great outdoors, these mountains are definitely among the best places to travel.
Hiking and camping options are plentiful in the Sierras, with plenty of protected public land. However, with fire hazards and conditions staying dry, this is likely not the best place to travel if you’re planning on having a campfire: they’re mostly prohibited here.
Between Yosemite, Sequoia, and King’s Canyon National Parks, there’s no lack of options for protected and developed hiking options through some very unique landscapes and natural wonders. See the giant Sequoias, the largest trees known to man, in all three parks. You’ll see the biggest one, General Sherman, in Sequoia however.
In the winter, hit Tahoe and Truckee for amazing Sierra Nevada skiing adventures or head down the mountain to the Central Valley and enjoy the agricultural fruits of huge irrigation development. The Sierras offer something for everyone, from the adventurous to the not-so-adventurous.
Florida Keys
The final destination on the list of best places to travel to experience the great outdoors is the beautiful Florida Keys. Different from the rest of the destinations, the Keys offer amazing opportunities for diving on coral reefs and fishing in the warm, shallow waters that surround the islands. With an inshore reef running up and down the Keys and little known National Park hiding offshore, there’s no shortage of spectacular adventures to embark on.
Starting in Islamorada, visit John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park for your first snorkeling excursion. This park exists mostly offshore and offers snorkeling trips launched from the small contingent of land protected by the park lines. See the underwater statues that have been added to help the reef continue to grow (the structures give coral a place to root and encourage reef fish species to inhabit the area) and get your first taste of snorkeling.
Head down the keys to Marathon and book a charter trip to go deep sea fishing in the Gulf Stream, which wiggles along from 10 to 30 miles offshore of the island. Then check out Bahia Honda State Park for a fun afternoon at the beach. You can also book charters here to snorkel at Looe Key Reef, less than a mile offshore.
Finally, you’ll reach Key West. This city situated at the end of US-1 is the southernmost point in the United States and has a distinctly Caribbean vibe. The Johnny Cash energy is strong here and Margaritaville is played like an anthem all over the island. Key West also has several beaches, like Smathers Beach or Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, and offers ferry and seaplane options for reaching Dry Tortugas National Park, a little over 65 miles away in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico.
The United States has so many amazing places to travel as you seek out the great outdoors. From adventures in the great mountains of the American West to deep sea adventures in the Straits of Florida, there’s certainly no lack of adventures to be had in the great outdoors.
Parker Outside 