Interesting places to see?

[TrainChaser]

Is there a thread somewhere here about interesting places that people have seen?

 

[rvwandering]

I haven't noticed a thread like that. Are you interested in a specific area or are you just curious about stuff everywhere?
If it's a specific place start a thread and give everyone an idea of your interests so that they can recommend things.
Hopefully, you'll get a lot of ideas for places that you never even considered!

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

A number of members here have blogs that document their travels; usually consisting of interesting places they are traveling through.  Others have blogs that deal with specific locals (like Southern Utah) or interests (like places great for photography).

So much depends on what your interests are.  Places you can drive to?  Short walk from a highway?  Dayhiking?  Backpacking trip?  Technical climbing, canoeing, kayaking, whitewater rafting?  How far do you want to drive to get there?

The list of places I have found interesting in 50+ years of camping, backpacking, mountaineering, canoeing, and general traveling would fill a book.  I think you have to be a little more specific.

 -- Spiff

 

[TrainChaser]

Okay!

* In the West
* Can drive to (too old to do much hiking)
* Scenic
* Old ruins and petroglyphs and other interesting stuff.
* Historical that doesn't involve wars
* Cheap camping nearby or within reach

That should be enough for starters.

 

[Gary68]

up north,devils tower,yellowstone,colorado rockies and the grand tetons are must see's

 

[lenny flank]

Petroglyph Cave, near Billings MT, is very nice.

There is also Petroglyph Monument near Albuquerque.

 

[waldenbound]

TrainChaser, in our neck of the woods, there's lots of Lewis and Clark markers along the Columbia Gorge. I want to take WA14 out of town, there's signs marking where they camped, along with state parks on the Washington and Oregon side.

 

[squatting dog]

Valley of fire in Overton Nv. (a short ride from Lake Meade) is well worth the trip. there are places to park and check out the Indian drawings that aren't too far from the road.

 

[mpruet]

Southern Utah -

Arches NP
Canyon Lands NP
Dead Horse State Park
Bryce Canyon NP
Capital Reef NP
Lake Powell
Natural Bridges National Monument
Mexican Hat

Northern Arizona

Monument Valley
Painted Desert
Petrified Forest
Grand Canyon
Oatman

Colorado

The entire western part of the state
Miillion Dollar Highway - Silverton

 

[MrNoodly]

It depends on what interests YOU.

 

[rvwandering]

US 395 in California - beautiful scenic drive with many places to boondock or camp cheaply. 

 Just a little sample of things along the route:

 Alabama Hills - free BLM camping among huge rocks. This is a favorite campsite of forum members.

 Lone Pine Film Museum - all about the movies and TV shows that were filmed in the area

 Manzanar National Historic Site - site of Japenese internment camp. Very good museum.

 Laws Railroad Museum - nice collection of old buildings and miscellaneous artifacts.

 These places are all located along a 60 mile stretch of the road. There's a lot more to see north and south. Check out this trip report.

 Seeing everything in the west will keep you busy for decades!

 

[CautionToTheWind]

Commenting so I don't miss this stuff

 

[TrainChaser]

Thank you! Keep it coming!

 

[waldenbound]

The Oregon Outback. Eastern Washington is great for apples, fruit, hops, and world class wine grapes, (thank you Mt St Helens), but I look at Google in eastern Oregon and they have so many geological oddities. Cinder cones, little gulches, obsidian, all kinds of neat stuff I"m dying to see.

 

[vic_in_a_van]

Bucket list: Lake Powell. Yes, paying to stay on water to fish. Inflatable Hobie i11s peddle kayak. Could not pass up the experience. 100 degrees in the shade but, water if that is your thing.
I have wanted to visit this place for over 20 years.

One month as full time van dweller. Oregon to Florida and back to Arizona. I have found home. If you like water, desert and nature carved rocks you can't beat this area.

 

[highdesertranger]

waldenbound, don't forget the Sunstones, Jasper, Agates, Thunder Eggs and of course Gold. highdesertranger

 

[bullfrog]

Lake Powell 110 degrees in the shade today but after a shopping trip to Grand Junction Colorado happy to be back and hot. There are several ways to stay here with out paying to be here but supplies are 225 miles away so bring what you need. PM me if your in the north part of the lake.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

I am more into backpacking than ruins and historical stuff but here is an abbreviated list of my MUST SEE with comments:

Yellowstone National Park
 - do the Chief Joseph highway (WY 296) and 212 to Billings, MT
 - lots of NF campgrounds that will be way cheaper than NP campgrounds.
 - boondocking doable, but hard to find.
 - it is prime grizzly country.

Grand Canyon NP
 - boondocking available in Kaibab National Forest on the North Rim.
 - South rim is more developed.  don't know about boondocking.

Banff, Jasper, Yoho, Kootenay National Parks, Canada
 - Banff: too touristy for my taste but spectacular views.
 - Jasper: Hwy 93 is worth the trip, then on to Robson.  You won't regret driving back down 93!
 - Yoho: my favorite, but mostly for backpacking.  Lots of elk in Kicking Horse campground.
 - Kootenay: mostly backpacking.

Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia
 - spectacular mountain.  West of Jasper.

Yosemite
 - if you can, go in the off season (is there an off season?)
 - way to crowded for me.  I was there in the early '70s.

Denali National Park
 - long ways away, but spectacular.
 - worth taking a plane tour from Talkeetna.

Rocky Mountain National Park
 - my experience here is mostly backpacking and climbing.

Zion National Park
 - if you can spend time in Southern Utah go to all the National Parks and Monuments (I think there are 9).

That's a start.  I'll think of more right after I post   :blush:

 -- Spiff

 

[waldenbound]

waldenbound,  don't forget the Sunstones,  Jasper,  Agates,  Thunder Eggs and of course Gold.    highdesertranger

Ah yes, I love geology. I need to add a rock hammer to my hobbies bin.

 

[chop480]

Tuweep (Toroweap) on the north rim of the Grand Canyon. 3,000 ft drop down to the Colorado River from the top. 

You have to really want to go there to be there. Very remote and 70 miles of dirt road to the entrance to the park, then requires a high clearance vehicle for the last couple of miles. They do charge a fee to camp now. Don't even try during monsoon season. Generally has few people there since it's so remote. 

It's the most spectacular spot I've ever been. I had to crawl up to the edge the first time I got to the rim.