The Southwest always seems to me like a bit of a fever dream. The country’s deepest canyons, wildest buttes, and broadest deserts spread here from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean, offering a landscape so unlike any other in the country, you might think you’ve left earth altogether. It is a hot, inhospitable territory that demands respect, but it is also outrageously beautiful, with rock outcroppings that seem painted in shades of red and white, blooming cacti, and shifting dunes that undulate like waves onto the horizon.

The easiest and most efficient way to explore the Southwest is by car, bouncing from one breathtaking adventure to the next, so I’ve created seven different road-trip itineraries, one in each state of this stunning slice of our nation. I’ve driven the majority of these routes, while the remaining few are on my list of dream adventures. And each of these has something for everyone—beaches, sand dunes, cliffs, rivers, hikes, bike rides, fishing holes, and more.

Set your playlist, and pack the sunscreen. Here are the seven best road trips in the Southwest.

1. Nevada

Las Vegas to the Valley of Fire

Distance: 175 Miles
Duration: 3 days

The obvious, and most common, road trip from Vegas would be to beeline straight for the Grand Canyon, but you do not want to overlook the suite of public lands that rings Sin City. The fun begins just 20 miles west of downtown Las Vegas at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, a 195,000-acre park that is internationally known for its multi-pitch rock climbing, though my epic adventures here have been of other types.

My favorite way to explore Red Rock is by road bike, pedaling the 13-mile Scenic Drive through the heart of the park. The road has one-way traffic and a big shoulder, so there’s plenty of room, and you’ll have both long-range and up-close views of the surrounding red sandstone cliffs and canyons. has bike rentals (from $40 a day). If you show up in the summer, do your adventures early in the morning before the heat gets unbearable.

Next skirt around the south side of Las Vegas for 70 miles to Lake Mead National Recreation Area, home to the massive Hoover Dam. I like Lake Mohave, a shallow, narrow reservoir below Hoover that follows the original path of the Colorado River through a series of canyons. If you’re looking for a full-day (or multi-day) adventure, paddle a piece of the 30-mile Black Canyon National Water Trail, which begins at the base of the dam and ends in Arizona, passing beaches, hot springs, and side canyons.

Only boaters with commercial licenses can launch below the dam, so hook up with , which offers DIY rentals and shuttles or guided trips throughout the water trail. Or for a quicker adventure, drive directly to Willow Beach, and paddle two miles upstream to Emerald Cave, a narrow side canyon with clear, shallow water below 75-foot sandstone walls (tours from $139 per person; rentals from $80 per boat).

has tent sites and RV sites in the hills above the sandy beach from $45 a night.

Driving north, you can stop at Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada’s largest state park at 46,000 acres, where red and pink sandstone cliffs and canyons fill the valley, the walls popping out of the tan, scrubby dirt. Catch the area at sunset and you could think the whole valley is on fire. The park is full of short, scenic trails for hikers. The 3.3-mile loop takes in iconic features, from a narrow slot canyon to the sinuous Fire Wave, where the striped sandstone seems to flow like water.

Snag a campsite at one of the two from $10.

2. Utah

Bryce Canyon National Park to Capitol Reef National Park

Distance: 125 miles
Duration: 3 days

It’s tempting to try to hit all of Utah’s national parks in a single trip, but you’d have to cover more than 1,000 miles and spend more time in your vehicle than on the trails. Instead, focus on this slice of Utah by driving the 122-mile Scenic Byway 12, which connects Bryce Canyon National Park with Capitol Reef National Park, hitting Grand Escalante National Monument in the middle. I drove this route last fall and was in constant awe of its beauty and diversity, as we cruised through sandstone tunnels at one point, then climbed to an aspen forest at another.

Pick up Highway 12 in the small town of Panguitch, about 50 miles east from Interstate 12, and keep driving east to Bryce Canyon National Park. Bryce, known for its hoodoos (sandstone spires that rise from the valley floor) is one of the country’s smallest national parks at just 35,835 acres, which means you can see a lot in a short amount of time. Combine Queen’s Garden Trail with Navajo Loop Trail for a that begins on the rim of the canyon, then drops into the belly, passing hoodoos, arches, and tall cliffs.

Heading north, Highway 12 moves through the heart of the massive Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, a 1.9-million-acre park with expanses of slick rock and sandstone canyons stretching all the way to the horizon. I was lucky enough to spend a couple of days in the monument, scrambling down slot canyons and bushwhacking through the heart of a broad canyon before reaching the lush Escalante River. It’s beautiful but unforgiving terrain that delivers plenty of solitude. Drive the unimproved dirt Hole-in-the-Rock Road (high-clearance two-wheel drive vehicles are usually OK) 33 miles south to the Dry Fork Slots to hike a through Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons, where the passage narrows to about a foot wide at certain points, and scrambling is mandatory. Too adventurous? Try hiking to , a 6.5-mile loop through a smooth canyon that ends at a 124-foot waterfall.

There’s plenty of camping and lodging around the town of Escalante. , inside the monument, offers seven primitive sites ($10 a night) with no frills. Or go upscale and snag a cabin or Airstream at , a camping-and-cabin resort with a drive-in movie theater, pool, and food truck (cabins from $175 a night).

Driving 65 miles further north on Highway 12, you’ll climb Boulder Mountain through Dixie National Forest before hitting the town of Torrey and Capitol Reef National Park. Here, you’ll find historic fruit orchards, sandstone domes, and more canyons than you could ever hope to explore. Start your journey with , a 3.4-mile out-and-back that crosses broad sections of slickrock before ending at a 125-foot-wide natural arch. Or hook up with and go canyoneering, dropping into the belly of narrow canyons deep inside the park ($300 for the first person).

For a longer adventure, check out our sister publication’s “.”

3. Colorado

Colorado National Monument to Rocky Mountain National Park

Distance: 310 miles
Duration: 3-5 days

Colorado offers a ton of incredible scenery, and this particular road trip takes you from the desert canyons of Colorado National Monument to the high alpine terrain of Rocky Mountain National Park. The diversity of adventure is off the charts, too, with opportunities for sandstone-heavy hikes, big mountain-bike descents, and whitewater rafting.

Start near the western border of the state, at Colorado National Monument, a 20,000-acre park with sheer cliffs and vertigo-inducing sandstone towers. Just driving the 23-mile Rim Rock Drive is worth the price of admission, with near-constant views of the canyon below, including of the massive Independence Monument, a 450-foot tall sandstone pillar.

But you’ll definitely want to get out of your car and explore this monument by foot. The Devil’s Kitchen is an easy, 1.2-mile out-and-back that gives you the chance to scramble over boulders and explore narrow sandstone channels. Get up close to Independence Monument on the , a 5.2-mile point-to-point that meanders past some of the monument’s most recognizable rock formations, including the set of rounded pillars dubbed the Coke Ovens and a tower known as the Kissing Couple, because it looks like two people entwined.

After exploring the monument, head east for 25 miles to the town of Palisade, where you can tackle a piece of the , a 32-mile mostly downhill piece of singletrack that drops 6,000 feet off the rim of the Grand Mesa into the edge of downtown. The trail has multiple access points, so you don’t have to bite off the entire distance. has shuttles and rentals starting in March (check then for prices).

Head 75 miles northeast to Glenwood Springs to spend the night at , which has van-life sites on the Colorado River (from $112 a night) as well as glamping tents and cabins (from $179 a night). You can book a half-day on the Colorado, which includes the 1.5-mile-long class III Shoshone Rapids (from $75 per person), or just soak in one of the 17 different pools at , where each tub is tailored to a different temperature (from $44 per person).

When you’re refreshed, or worn out, drive northeast for 125 miles through to Rocky Mountain National Park, one of the most popular national parks in the country (4.1 million visitors in 2023). Don’t worry, most of those visitors enter through the Estes Park side, while you’ll access the park on the much-less crowded Grand Lake entrance. I remember, on a trip with my kids, seeing a moose in the valley near Grand Lake and marveling that we were the only people on the trail at the time.

Head to the for a choose-your-own-adventure sort of hike. For a short jaunt that packs a big punch, hike the three-mile out-and-back Green Mountain Trail up to Big Meadow, which in the summer is full of wildflowers and hosts the occasional moose. Or if you really want to get after it, combine the Green Mountain Trail, Tonahutu Creek Trail, and Hayach Lakes Trail for a 17-mile out-and-back that culminates at Hayach Lake, a natural pool that sits at 11,000 feet in elevation in the shadow of the craggy Nakai Peak. Turn it into an overnight if you like, choosing among multiple backcountry campsites along the way ($36 fee for a ).

For a longer adventure, check out our sister publication’s “.”

4. Texas

San Antonio to the Gulf

Distance: 250 miles
Duration: 3-5 days

Texas is big, so you need to narrow your focus for a road trip here, because getting from point A to point B can sometimes take you all day. This particular route starts with some urban exploration in San Antonio and ends on one of the longest undeveloped beaches in the country. In between are quiet swamps, beach campsites, and plenty of paddle trails.

San Antonio might not seem like the perfect place to start an adventure trip, but the city’s 15-mile River Walk, expanded in the late 1990s, has served as an inspiration for other similar projects ever since and it’s still one of the coolest urban bike rides you can do. Five miles of the path cruise through downtown, but the best biking is just south of town in the , an eight-mile linear park that connects historic missions, grasslands, and wildflower meadows, all protected as the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park.

After spinning around San Antonio, drive east towards the Gulf of Mexico, making a pitstop at Palmetto State Park—a small stretch just 25 miles east of San Antonio, that’s home to the sort of tropical jungle you’re more likely to find in Florida—complete with dwarf palmettos blanketing the forest floor. If you bring your own boat or paddleboard, you can slide along the languid San Marcos River, or explore Palmetto’s small Oxbow Lake. Hiking trails lead through swampy marshes with light-green water filling the forest floor. If you’re not in a hurry, pitch a tent in the park’s ($12 a night) before heading to the beach.

Head south on Highway 183 to Mustang Island State Park, which separates Corpus Christi Bay from the Gulf of Mexico. The park protects five miles of Gulf-facing coastline, and has 50 drive-up where you can pitch a tent on the beach ($13 a night, first-come, first-served).

The beach is the obvious draw here. The Gulf is typically calm and warm, although some people are known to surf during hurricane swells. But the park also has more than 20 miles of marked paddling trails that traverse the western edge of the island, weave through islands in Corpus Christi Bay, and offer shallow water for fishing for redfish and speckled trout. runs daily guided trips (from $90 for two people) and rentals (from $50).

If you need more beach (and who doesn’t?) scoot 15 miles down the coast to Padre Island National Seashore. If you have a 4WD vehicle, you can down-island for up to 60 miles until you leave the crowds behind. The national seashore is a hot spot for birding, with 380 different species reported, thanks to the island’s location on a major migration route. Look for the endangered piping plover or the super colorful painted bunting.

5. New Mexico

Taos to the Bisti Badlands

Distance: 275 miles
Duration: 3-5 days

I haven’t spent enough time in New Mexico. Or seen enough of it. The last time I was there, on a fly-fishing trip, I couldn’t bring myself to leave the Taos area. So many fish, so many green chili dishes. But I regret my solitary focus, because the state has much to offer. This particular road trip delivers a variety of adventure and landscapes that I’m convinced only New Mexico has.

The trip begins with a bang by rafting a tumultuous section of the Rio Grande, just 30 miles southwest of Taos. Different run options offer a variety of adventure, but the classic is a 17-mile portion through the Rio Grande Gorge, also dubbed the Taos Box because it is walled by black basalt cliffs. The trip brings a full day of whitewater action, with a six-mile section of non-stop class II and III rapids known as The Racecourse. If the weather is warm enough, you can swim in a few pools along the way, and good guides will point out petroglyphs on the rock walls. Book your trip with and you’ll get hot fajitas for a riverside lunch (from $110 per person).

Spend the night at the wellness retreat of Ojo Caliente Mineral Springs Resort and Spa, where the natural springs feature arsenic, Lithia, soda, and iron, all minerals thought to have healing properties (from $239 a night).

Keep heading southwest to , a super volcano that erupted 1.2 million years ago, creating a 14-mile-wide circular depression that has evolved into a lush basin full of creeks and meadows. Think of Valles Caldera as a mini Yellowstone, complete with hot springs, wildlife-viewing opportunities, and broad grasslands. A large elk population calls the caldera home (look for them in the meadows during early morning and evening), and keep an eye out as well for prairie dogs and coyotes. The Valle Grande Exploration Trail is a short, .8-mile walk through a prairie to a manmade pond that served as a watering hole when the area was a private cattle ranch. The South Mountain Trail is a bit more involved, taking you four miles up a narrow valley and to the top of South Mountain, where you’ll enjoy a view of the entire basin.

You’ll only be 20 miles west of Bandelier National Monument, which protects 33,000 acres of canyons and mesa that were the Ancestral Puebloans’ home until 1550. They used blocks of soft volcanic rock to build homes at the bases of cliffs, carving additional rooms into the walls themselves. Hike the 1.4-mile Pueblo Loop Trail to see some of these archeological sites first hand. You’ll even get to climb ladders into some of the rooms carved into the side of cliffs. Grab a campsite at the monument’s ($20 a night, reserve up to six months in advance).

It’ll add some mileage, but you need to cap this road trip off with a walk on the moon, or at least, as close as most of us will ever come to walking on the moon. The , in northwestern New Mexico, are loaded with some of the strangest rock formations you will ever see, with cap stones and some massive cliffs actually in the shapes of manta rays, all rising from rolling taupe shale hills. The Bisti Badlands are part of the BLM’s 60-square-mile Bisti/De-Na-Zen Wilderness Area, which has no formal trails or paved roads. The De-Na-Zin parking area, off county road 7500, will give you access to the dry Bisti Wash, which you can hike into the heart of the badlands to see all of the weirdness for yourself.

6. Arizona

Grand Canyon to Monument Valley

Distance: 250
Duration: 3-5 days

I spent most of my youth believing Arizona was a desert wasteland, but in recent years I’ve had the chance to turn that around with some of the state’s wonderful signature adventures. Yes, much of Arizona is desert, but it is no wasteland. It’s a vibrant landscape full of life and adventure. I’ve driven ATVs across the desert, biked lonely gravel roads near the border of Mexico, and ridden a mountain bike into a cactus on the outskirts of Scottsdale. In short, I love Arizona, and as much fun as I’ve had in that state, I still have so much to discover. The following road trip meanders through Northern Arizona, beginning in Grand Canyon and connecting a few waypoints that I still need to tick off my bucket list.

You could argue that all adventure trips in Arizona need to feature Grand Canyon National Park, and I wouldn’t disagree, so we’re hitting that 6,000-foot-deep ditch first. Also, Grand Canyon Village is just 1.5 hours from Flagstaff, so it’s a logical first stop. Is the Grand Canyon crowded? Yes. But the vast majority of visitors stick to a few scenic overlooks. The last time I was at the South Rim, I lost the crowds after hiking about a mile on the . But you’re going to do a lot of hiking on this road trip, so consider biking The Hermit Road, which hugs the south rim of the canyon for seven miles from the village, offering copious views along the way. The best part? It’s closed to private vehicles from March through November. rents cruisers (from $30).

Try to get a room at , an iconic national park lodge if there ever was one (from $391 starting in March). Or snag a coveted site at , which is first-come, first- served.

Heading north for 130 miles, you’ll hit the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, a 280,000-acre geological wonder of buttes, canyons, and cliffs that tends to get overshadowed by its grand neighbor. Still, you may have seen photos of the swirling pink and tan sandstone layers of rock in the Coyote Buttes known as The Wave. It’s a stunning scenic reward that requires a tough hike through the desert. Accessing the Coyote Buttes requires a ($6). Grab one four months in advance, or try your luck with the daily lottery.

If you can’t score a permit, try hiking the 1.2-mile out-and-back through White Pocket. There are no marked or maintained trails in the monument, but cairns will guide you through more wavy sandstone features. Wherever you hike, look towards the sky for the endangered California Condor, which are hatched and released in the monument each year. And bring (or rent) a 4WD vehicle, as there are no paved roads inside the monument. Grab a site at the BLM’s , which views a cluster of sand-white buttes ($12 per site, first come/first serve).

Roughly 100 miles east, near the border of Utah, sits the 91,696-acre , a broad valley where 1,000-foot-tall sandstone towers rise abruptly from the earth. You can see some of the most iconic features, the Mitten Buttes and Merrick Butte, from the visitor center, but you’ll want to hike the Wildcat Trail, a four-mile loop that wraps around the West and East Mitten Buttes. It’s the only self-guided trail open within the park, so to explore any more requires hiring a local Navajo guide with . A number of operators run auto tours of the 17-mile scenic loop road within the park, but consider booking a stargazing tour, also with Monument Valley Tribal Tours, that focuses on nighttime photography, framing the buttes within the context of the Milky Way and surrounding stars (from $95).

7. California

So Cal Coast to Mojave Desert

Distance: 300 miles
Duration: 4-5 days

Because this is a collection of road trips through the Southwest, I’m focusing on Southern California, as the terrain in the area is more complementary to the Southwest vibe than, say, that of California’s Redwood National Park or Yosemite Valley.

This trip starts on the coast and ends with the dunes in the Mojave Desert, so there’s plenty of sand along the way, as well as big rocks, desert camping, and hiking. Keep the L.A. fires in mind when you’re traveling to Southern California. Hopefully the worst of that fire will be in the rearview by the time you make this trip, and while this route steers clear of the burn areas, the disaster has impacted residents throughout the region. Be considerate.

California’s coast is loaded with state parks, but San Onofre State Beach has a rugged character that’s hard to match, with cliffs rising directly from the beach and whales and dolphins often spotted in the water. If you fancy yourself a worthy surfer, you can paddle into the lineup at the world-famous Trestles break on the north end of the park, which has been ground zero for Southern California’s surfing culture since the 1940s. The park offers beginner breaks, too. In fact, San Onofre has one of the more gentle waves in Southern California. offers beginner lessons at the San Onofre Bluffs Beach, which is flanked by 100-foot cliffs (from $100 per person).

Try to score a site at the (reserve up to six months in advance, starting at $45 a night) or San Mateo Camp, a couple of miles inland.

Leave the beach and head east, making a pit stop at the sleeper destination Anza-Borrego Desert State Wilderness, an often overlooked member of California’s crowded public-lands portfolio. The park is packed with palm oases, slot canyons, and after a wet winter, fields of wildflowers. Stretch your legs on the , a three-mile out and back that begins near the park’s visitor center and climbs up a canyon, ending at an overlook of a palm oasis (currently recovering from a previous wildfire) with a seasonal waterfall.

Continuing east for 60 miles, and you’ll wrap around the Salton Sea to hit Joshua Tree National Park’s southern entrance (if you’re tired or showing up late, look for free campsites on BLM land between I-10 and the park’s entrance). Spring is a great time to visit the park, as the temperatures are manageable, and the local cacti and Joshua Trees for which the park is named could still be sprouting flowers. Lace up your hiking boots and hit the trails. The easy 1.4-mile is a no-brainer loop that delivers you to a natural arch, with plenty of opportunity to scramble on sandstone boulders along the way. For a bird’s-eye view of the park, climb the 5,456-foot Ryan Mountain via its and for a vista stretching clear to the 11,000-foot San Gorgonio Mountain. I tried running to the top of Ryan Mountain the last time I was in the park, but the 1,000-foot elevation gain got the better of me.

Aside from the BLM land near the south entrance, the park has six with sites you can reserve up to six months in advance. They’re all good.

Still want more desert? Great, because you’re heading 70 miles north of Joshua Tree into the heart of the Mojave National Preserve, 1.6 million acres of dunes, cliffs, and cactus that somehow only gets half a million visitors a year. You have to hike the , a 45-square-mile expanse that will have you thinking you’re in the Sahara. The popular three-mile Kelso Dunes Trail will take you to the top of the tallest mound, which rises 650 feet.

Also, the easy, mile-long Lava Tube Trail provides access to an actual lava tube, where the sun pours in through a “sky light” in the stone. Wherever you explore, keep an eye out for the desert tortoise, a threatened species that lives in the Mojave’s valleys and moves slowly through the heat. The preserve has three developed campgrounds. Try to reserve a spot at , which has potable water ($25 per night).

Graham Averill is şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř magazine’s national-parks columnist. He’s been in love with road trips since he read Jack Kerouac’s On the Road at age 17. His longest road trip to date was a month-long romp through the Southwest with his wife and twin then four-year-olds. Recently, he wrote about bucket-list golf courses, the best hikes in Joshua Tree National Park, and the nine national parks that will need timed-entry reservations this year. One of the weirdest places he’s ever slept for a story was a renovated lookout tower in the middle of the ocean.

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Planning spring break is high pressure. You only get a one-week respite from school or work, and the timing, late March or early April, makes it tough to find a location with consistently good weather. Those months could offer spring ski conditions or prime surf weather—or not.

More than a few times, I’ve had to pivot at the last minute, having thought it would be warm enough for family surfing on the Outer Banks for spring break and then found temperatures in the low 50s. We moved our vacation further south.

Yes, south is the operative word. So relax, because I’ve found seven national-park units in the Southeast and Southwest that offer gorgeous landscapes, many days’ worth of adventures, and just-about-guaranteed warm weather for the perfect spring break trip.

1. Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia

Best for: Swimming, Camping, and Contemplating History

Average Temperatures in March and April: Highs from mid 70s to mid 80s

Cumberland Island is wild. The largest barrier island off the coast of Georgia, Cumberland is a 17-mile-long, 36,000-acre swath of pristine beaches, tall dunes, maritime forests, fresh lakes, and marshy canals. Even though the Carnegie family once owned the island, and descendants still have some private property, Cumberland protects almost 10,000 acres of federally designated wilderness. The only way to reach the island is by a 45-minute ($20 one way) or private boat, and once you’re there the only way to get around is by foot or bike on hiking trails and 50 miles of sandy roads.

The island has no stores, so bring everything you’ll need, and be prepared to pack it all back out. You’ll see some ruins from a Victorian-era mansion built in 1884 as a winter home for Thomas Carnegie, as well as the remnants of a freedmen’s community of former slaves. You may spot members of the colony of feral horses that still roam the island, which are likely descendants of the horses brought over by the British during the War of 1812.

As for beaches, Cumberland offers 15 miles of undeveloped sand and dunes facing the Atlantic. For solitude, keep heading north away from the docks until you reach a patch of sand that’s too far for day-trippers to claim. It’s tough to find this much raw beach on the East Coast, so soak it in. The Atlantic is rough, but fine for swimming. Stay out of the marshes on the west side of the island, as they’re popular hangouts for alligators.

Where to Stay: is an all-inclusive hotel operating in one of the Carnegies’ former vacation homes (from $895 a night), but most visitors . Sea Camp has bathrooms and showers and allows fires (from $22 a night). Stafford Beach is more remote, requiring a three-mile hike from the docks, and it, too, has bathrooms with showers (from $12 a night). Book your spot early, up to six months in advance.

2. Big Bend National Park, Texas

Best for: Hiking, Biking, Climbing, Canoeing, Stargazing

Average Temperatures in March and April: Low to high 70s

The 800,000-acre Big Bend National Park has been a spring-break destination for decades. My mother-in-law still talks fondly about spending college spring breaks camping there during the 1960s.

Late March and early April are the busiest times to visit the park. But “crowded” is a relative term; I hit the place a few years ago at the end of March and never felt overwhelmed or discouraged by other visitors, mainly because the park and its neighboring Big Bend Ranch State Park are so large. I hiked, rode my bike, camped, and enjoyed the “Far West Texas” vibe of it all.

The Big Bend landscape is straight out of a Western, with its vistas of canyons, the towering Chisos Mountains, and big stretches of rocky desert. It’s a great place to explore by boot, bike, or boat, an ideal multi-sport national-park trip.

Hikers should tackle the 5.5-mile out and back Window Trail, which descends 1,000 feet from the Chisos Trailhead, at 5,400 feet elevation, through Oak Creek Canyon to a sheer drop-off framed by towering cliffs. Be prepared (and take water) for the steady climb back to the trailhead. Depending on recent storms, there could be a small stream in the center of the canyon, but the trail is still navigable. Subject to changes in the water level, you can paddle a 20-mile section of the Rio Grande through Santa Elena Canyon, which narrows to 100 feet wide, with limestone cliffs blotting out the sun. The area has been in a drought for the last couple of years, so spring trips aren’t guaranteed, but check with for water levels and trip options (from $160 per person).

Rio Grande Angell Expeditions video by Taylor Reilly

Just outside the national park is , with its bounty of mountain biking, where you can pedal to a backcountry oasis and through a slope filled with sparkling gemstones. Regardless of what you do, at the end of the day you must soak in the historic hot springs that are carved out of the Rio Grande.

Where to Stay: Chisos Mountain Lodge inside the park has 72 rooms, a restaurant, and a general store (from $170 a night). has 60 sites up almost a mile high in elevation; make reservations up to six months in advance ($16 a night).

3. Death Valley National Park, California

Best for Cycling, Hiking, Stargazing

Average Temps in March and April: Highs from 65 to 75

It would be borderline crazy to visit Death Valley National Park in the summertime, but in early spring, the temperatures are chef’s-kiss perfect. Visitors in spring may also have the huge bonus of seeing the wildflowers pop off, particularly in the lower elevations, in fields of desert gold, poppies, and verbena. If you’re really into hitting the park during peak flower power, watch the rangers’ on which wildflowers are blooming throughout spring and summer.

Also cool: the park is home to one of the world’s rarest fish, the Devils Hole pupfish, an endangered species found only in a water cavern in Devils Hole here. The pupfish are visible during the annual spring migration as they move within the hole seeking warmth from direct sunlight. Scientists counted 191 of them last April, the highest count in 25 years.

You don’t need to be a cyclist to enjoy Death Valley—there are plenty of hiking trails—but two wheels is a hell of a way to explore this landscape, with 785 miles of roads open to bikes. Cruise through otherworldly terrain like salt flats, expansive sand dunes, and red-rock formations, before climbing into mountains of up to 11,000 feet.

Artist’s Drive, a paved nine-mile one-way loop, is the park’s signature ride. It climbs from below sea level to 880 feet above it, offering views of the surrounding moon-like white sands and mountains on the horizon. At the crest, you’ll be surrounded by pink and tan hills, which narrow to canyon-like proportions on the fun downhill to finish the loop. To give you a sense of the terrain, parts of the Star Wars franchise were filmed off this road.

Where to Stay: If you’re looking for nice digs, will put you in the heart of the action, and with a pool (from $507 a night). is the best developed campground in the park, with 136 sites on the valley floor and mountain views. Book up to six months in advance (from $30 a night).

4. White Sands National Park, New Mexico

Best for Hiking and Sand Sledding

Average Temperatures in March and April: 70 to 80

One of the newest national parks (established in 2019), White Sands isn’t huge, just 175,000 acres, but it protects half of the world’s largest gypsum-crystal field. The dunes roll through the Tularosa Basin like bright white waves, creating a landscape unlike anything else on this planet. You can see the San Andres Mountains on the horizon beyond the park, but it’s the sloping dunes that will mesmerize you.

The eight-mile Dunes Drive scenic road delivers you into the center of the dunes from the comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle, and the road also accesses the park’s five different hiking trails. The Dune Life Nature Trail is an easy one-mile loop that serves as a good intro to the landscape. But if you really want to dig into the dunes, hike the five-mile , which traces the edge of an ancient lake that has been replaced by the waves of dunes. You’ll climb and descend 60-foot sandy mounds throughout.

If you can time it right, hit the park on a , when White Sands is open into the night, and ranger-led programs include guided hikes. And definitely bring a sled (or buy one in the park gift shop). The dunes at the are open to sledding, and the gypsum hills behave exactly like snow slopes.

Where to Stay: There is currently no camping inside the park: its backcountry campsites are closed for rehabilitation, with no timeline as to when they will be in service. The town of Alamogordo, 15 miles east of the park, has a variety of chain hotels.

5. Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida and Mississippi

Best for Island Hopping, Swimming, Surfing, Fishing, Birdwatching

Average Temperatures in March and April: Low to mid 70s

A lot of people have discovered the Gulf Islands National Seashore. In 2023, visitation jumped 40 percent, from 5.7 million to 8.2 million people, making this unit the fifth-most-visited in the park service. People are showing up for the white-sand beaches on the mainland and for barrier islands that you can only reach by boat. The national seashore is made up of a series of parks, beaches, and islands, split between Florida and Mississippi, and all surrounded by clear, aqua-blue waters that are home to gopher tortoises, bottlenose dolphins, starfish, crabs…and the 300 species of birds that migrate through the area.

The easiest island to reach is Ship, 12 miles off the coast and accessible by regular from Gulfport and Biloxi ($44 per person, round trip). Once you’re on the island, you can explore the historic fort, lounge on the beaches, or swim in the Gulf. The recreation area is fully developed with concessions and restrooms, so it’s a convenient getaway.

If you’re looking for something wilder, consider venturing to , an eight-mile-long barrier island protected as a federally designated Wilderness area, so there are no commercial ferries to the island and no facilities on the ground. But if you have your own boat or want to hire a charter (from $675 at ), you’ll find an island ringed with sugar-white sand beaches and grassy dunes, while pine trees and lagoons pack the interior. Mind the occasional alligator.

Where to Stay: The campground, on the mainland near the town of Ocean Springs, sits inside a maritime forest, with marshes and fishing docks ($25 a night, book six months in advance). You’re also allowed to on the beach on a few of the barrier islands (Petit Bois, West Petit Bois, and Horn Island) inside the park, but stay off the dunes and any vegetation, don’t bring any mechanical devices (ie, no coolers with wheels), and be prepared for a true wilderness experience, as there are no facilities.

6. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah and Arizona

Best for Boating, Swimming, Hiking

Average Temperatures in March and April: Highs from 60 to 69

Glen Canyon protects the incredible 1.25 million acres of land and water where the Colorado River pours into Lake Powell. The blue water of the lake contrasts sharply with the red and pink sandstone walls that rise directly from the edge, and the lake has countless fingers and canyons to explore by boat.

The water levels of Powell are constantly shifting, and have generally been in decline the last 20 years. Check the park site’s to make sure the boat ramp or launch you have in mind is operational. The lake was low when I visited a few years ago on a biking and paddle trip, and we had to contend with some mud on the banks, but the place was no less stunning.

The Antelope Point ramp typically has the least boat traffic, so it’s conducive to use of kayaks or canoes. From there, you can head south on the lake for a mile and paddle into Antelope Canyon, a narrow slot canyon that’s also a no-wake (no motorboating) zone. Under normal water levels, you can follow the creek upstream for about a mile. offers rental kayaks (from $75 a day). You can also launch directly from the beaches at Lone Rock Beach and Stanton Creek and explore the lake surrounding those alcoves.

Off the water, an easy 1.25-mile hike leads to one of the overlooks at , where the Colorado River takes a drastic turn around a massive sandstone escarpment.

Where to Stay: All inside the recreation area are first-come, first-served. Lees Ferry Campground has 54 sites, potable water, and restrooms ($26 a night). Lone Rock Beach has primitive sites on a sandy beach right next to the water ($14 per night).

7. Grand Canyon Parashant National Monument, Arizona

Best for Overlanding, Hiking, and Seeking Solitude

Average Temperatures in March and April: High 50s to mid 60s

The Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument is primitive. This Northern Arizona park has no facilities, no campgrounds, and no paved roads. Instead, visitors are treated to the sights of 1 million acres of expansive plateaus, rugged canyons, and Mojave Desert, all traversed by a series of unimproved dirt roads and hiking trails. In other words, this monument is ideal for self-contained overlanding. I spent three days cruising Grand Canyon-Parashant in a side-by-side with a rooftop tent, while hiking and biking at various spots throughout, and was as mesmerized by the solitude as the grandeur of the landscape.

If you have a high-clearance 4WD vehicle, the monument is yours to explore. The park service details an 80-mile adventure to that cruises through a variety of terrain, from cattle fields to ponderosa forests, and ends on the north rim of the Grand Canyon. If you choose this route, you’ll also have the chance to get out and stretch your legs on the Burnt Canyon Trail, an easy three-mile out-and-back on a grassy road bed that leads to a big view of the western edge of the Grand Canyon. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Mount Charleston, just outside of Las Vegas.

I took a roundabout, multi-day route to reach , with its long view into the Canyon, and an optional side hike down to the water. The last seven miles to Whitmore Point drop 1,500 feet over rocky, rutted terrain that was super fun to bomb on a mountain bike. The fastest way to this perch is a 50-mile traverse from Mount Trumbull Schoolhouse.

Where to Stay: Primitive camping is allowed throughout the monument, but if you’re looking for a bit of refinement in the midst of all this rugged adventure, the has hotel rooms and covered wagons on an inholding close to the northern rim of the Grand Canyon. It’s only accessible by a 70-mile dirt-road drive through the national monument or an airplane (the place has its own landing strip), but once you’re there, you’ll be able to refuel your vehicle and have a damn fine dinner (starting at $172 a night).

Graham Averill is şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř magazine’s national-parks columnist. Every year, he agonizes over how to maximize his kids’ spring break, dragging them to campsites in Florida, beaches in South Carolina, and lakes all over the Southeast. He recently wrote about hiking in Joshua Tree National Park and his absolute favorite mountain town on the East Coast. His latest article is all about visiting national parks for free.

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If there’s one travel thing I splurge on each year, it’s amazing hotel stays. I’ve no regrets, because they so often make for a next-level vacation.

This year şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř sent me and some of our other travel writers and editors to check out new, recently revamped, or iconic properties that have been on our radar. Talk about unique adventuring in gorgeous locations—one is in a deep red-rock canyon, another in a secluded dark-sky area, and still another has its own private entrance to a national park.

These are the places that blew us away. We’d return to any of them again.

Enchantment Resort

Sedona, Arizona

Price: From $400

Set amid the stupefying red-rock wonder that is Boynton Canyon, one of four major vortex sites in Sedona, my fall stay at Enchantment was emotional but also grounding. I hiked with one of the resort’s vortex experts, whose sage ceremony at a viewpoint overlooking the high-desert landscape made me feel lighter than I had in months. And my chakra-balancing treatment and sound bath at the guests-only Mii Amo spa were as fantastically spiritual and woo-woo as I hoped they’d be.

You could easily spend four days hiking or mountain-biking around Sedona. The property’s on-site Trail House is home to equipment and guides for both, and staff can organize far-flung excursions to the Grand Canyon in a helicopter and Prescott for climbing adventures, if your time and budget allow.

The resort’s Southwestern adobe architecture is designed to blend into the surrounding scenery, the indoor-outdoor restaurants are upscale but not stuffy, and the range of outdoor activities and classes is impressive: pop between its four pools, play tennis or pickleball, or sign up for yoga or . Staff are incredibly friendly, which is to be expected at destination resorts, but one thing that really stood out for me.

Of all the trips I took in 2024, my memories of this property have stayed with me most. And since my review came out, I’ve received feedback from other guests who shared similarly moving experiences at Enchantment. It’s that powerful a place.

What I’d do differently if I returned: I wanted to head to one of the pools late at night and float around staring up at the stars, since Sedona is a Dark Sky Community. But the hiking and spa treatments had me fairly worn out by day’s end—and sleeping soundly through the night.

Clear Sky Resorts Bryce Canyon

Cannonville, Utah

Price: From $525

When Alison Osius visited this new Clear Sky Resort in August, she was ready to spend hours admiring the starry skies—the main draw for guests who look forward to gazing up at the firmament from their own geodesic dome. Unfortunately, it rained during her short stay.

But Osius didn’t let bad weather dampen her exploration of Bryce Canyon National Park, just a 20-minute drive from the property. She motored around the park with a fourth-generation guide, hitting highlights like Natural Arch and the Bryce Amphitheater, both beautifully shrouded in mist, and got a hoot out of hearing about local escapades of legendary outlaw Butch Cassidy. Eventually, the clouds did clear and she was able to hike the 1.8-mile .

Clear Sky has some unique amenities, including a robot concierge who offers outdoor-recreation beta, a café with a gleaming boomerang-shaped bar, fire pits and cornhole, and stargazing tours. The domes themselves are fun, futuristic, and encourage group visits. Osius was surprised to learn that one has a dance floor, disco ball, and flashing lights.

Off-site, she was won over by the barbecue in a joint called in the town of Tropic, and loved the live cowboy music at in Bryce Canyon City. Her vacation gave her different viewpoints of the West and an appreciation of this area’s otherworldly landcapes, which include the greatest concentration of hoodoos in the world.

What Osius would do differently if she returned: A second visit would ideally happen when the stars were out and shining, said Osius, though she did think it was cool to watch rivulets of rain run down her dome. And the next time, she’d stay longer and hike way more in Bryce Canyon.

Lodge at Marconi

Marshall, California

Price: From $299

I’ve visited several outdoor-adjacent properties in the Bay Area over the years, but none within a state park. The experience felt like a sophisticated, laid-back,Ěý improved version of summer camp. Lodge at Marconi is a newly remodeled, 45-acre property that spans from the water’s edge of eastern Tomales Bay—an hour’s drive north of San Francisco on Highway 1—to bluffs with incredible views westward to Point Reyes National Seashore and north to the Pacific Ocean.

The weekend I was in town, the property was hosting an indoor-outdoor wedding as well as young couples there with their toddlers and dogs, day-trippers picnicking beneath shady oaks, and friends using it as a base camp for a local foodie tour. Come dusk, everyone gathered around the massive communal fire pit and hung out for hours, occasionally popping into the on-site store for a bottle of regional wine.

This is a fantastic place to do some wildlife- and bird-watching. Wild turkeys were running around while I was there, and I spent 15 minutes one morning looking down at a huge school of fish feasting on bugs in the bay. Tule elk wander Point Reyes and elephant seals laze on its beaches. Bring your best binoculars.

One of the best things about Marconi, though, is its quick access to fantastic eating in these parts. The waterfront Marshall Store is just a mile away, the must-visit Hog Island Oyster Company a mile farther (take the tour and then have lunch), and, after that, Nick’s Cove, where I love to have a casual seafood dinner and drink. This trip I also wandered around the town of Point Reyes Station, eight miles south, where I discovered buffalo-milk soft serve and a sandwich shop with 18 gooey melts. Delicious, both.

What I’d do differently if I returned: The next time, I’m bringing my girlfriends, renting out Marconi’s spacious A-frame cabin, and enjoying an evening at its cute new little cocktail bar and restaurant, Mable’s, which I missed because it opened two weeks after my visit.

Phantom Ranch

The Grand Canyon, Arizona

Price: From $213.50 for two people

It’s really hard to get a reservation to Phantom Ranch, a group of historic cabins and dorms at the floor of the Grand Canyon, and you have to try for one 15 months in advance. But Stephanie Vermillion lucked out and snagged a last-minute winter opening. Her review of the property offers tips to scoring a stay there, too.

If you are able to book Phantom Ranch, you also have to be prepared to get there. Vermillion chose the easier route down, from the South Rim: a seven-mile (one-way) zigzagging descent via the South Kaibab Trail that you have to then ascend after check-out. Pack light—no need to bring food, because you can pay for hot meals at the ranch—and take your trekking poles. It’s about a vertical mile of elevation gain each way.

Worth it, said Vermillion, to stay in the stone cabins designed by renowned architect Mary Jane Colter. And to amble along the mightly Colorado River; if you have more than one night at the property, Vermillion suggests hiking the to Phantom Overlook. It’s nine miles round-trip but you’ll see parts of the canyon seldom explored by visitors.

What Vermillion would do differently if she returned: I’d go lighter on the camera gear I brought—the weight of two cameras and a bulky tripod made the tough uphill return trip even more challenging.

Dunton Hot Springs

Dolores, Colorado

Price: From $1,165 for two people

We’re recommending this ghost-town hot-springs resort, because it’s a secluded slice of the Wild West where you can not only soak to your heart’s content but also fish for trout, hike and bike the Rockies, and dine at a saloon. Writer Emily Pennington said it was the best wellness retreat she’d ever been to.

Dunton is located in southwestern Colorado, about 30 miles from beautiful Telluride. In the late 1800s it was a mining settlement, and Butch Cassidy actually scratched his name into the bar, which you can pony up to while you’re visiting. The 15 log cabins are cozy and encircle the wooden bathhouse home to a pool with rich mineral waters and decorated with a hammock and a small fireplace. When Pennington visited in March, the snow was coming down and the hot springs were just the respite she was looking for.

As anyone who lives in Colorado can tell you, March does not mark the end of winter. Pennington took a cat-ski ride up to Dunton Meadows and spent a few hours snowshoeing (the resort loans out gear). The next morning she took a yoga class. She made use of her room’s clawfoot tub. And she and the other five guests there at the time ate incredible meals, including blue-corn johnnycakes and house-cured bacon for breakfast, a hearty Mexican posole and tostadas for lunch, and a multi-course dinner that featured bison one evening. The whole experience was something she’d looked forward to for months—and it did not disappoint.

What Pennington would do differently if she returned: As an avid hiker, Pennington loves the idea of exploring the stunning San Juan Mountains in the summer months. And that steamy, historic hot-spring building would look even more tantalizing after a thigh-busting trek, she said.

The Nami Project

Ucluelet, British Columbia

Price: From $343

Western Vancouver Island is a known storm-watching destination, and şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř travel columnist Jen Murphy had to experience it firsthand herself. So we sent her to Nami Project, a collection of suites that overlook the ocean, to watch the winter swells roll in from her room’s floor-to-ceiling windows.

But the views were too stunning for staying holed up inside. Murphy donned rain gear and set out to explore neighboring , hiking amid the tall Sitka spruce on a trail that hugs the coast. During the wildest storms, you can watch 20-foot-high waves crash into the coast. After braving the elements, Nami Project’s cedar hot tubs, sauna, and heated floors felt pretty great.

Tide-pooling, surfing, and hiking through the rainforest are popular activities year-round, and in the warmer months, you can rent a bike and pedal the 15 miles up to Tofino. Murphy, who is a foodie, also raved about the area fare, especially the hyperlocal tasting menu at the restaurant .

What Murphy would do differently if she returned: Witness the world’s largest gray-whale migration while soaking from her room’s hot tub. As many as 20,000 whales can be spotted swimming offshore beginning in February.

The Swag

Waynesville, North Carolina

Price: From $875, all-inclusive

Graham Averill and his wife spent a few glorious days holing up at The Swag and hiking from its 250-acre premises directly into Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a perk that offers your own private entrance to a lesser visited corner of America’s most visited national park.

The couple, who visited in late summer, spent an afternoon trekking through rhododendron tunnels and past a waterfall, topping out at a knob with valley views. Averill also did some trail running along a 5,500-foot ridge with spectacular panoramas to the distant Black Mountains. There were lawn games and a pool, and Averill’s room had a fireplace and an outdoor shower. Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton were in regular rotation on the house playlist.

Needless to say, you can work up an appetite here, and the reward is getting to indulge in home cooking. Averill couldn’t get enough of the grilled pigeon. And the iced tea. And the smoked Old Fashioneds. And the chocolate-chip pie served with ice cream. “Every course set in front of me was the best thing I’d ever had, until the next course came out and it became the best thing I’d ever had,” he wrote.

The experience—the scenery, the proximity to the park, the opening drive from parking to the property in an electric Volvo XC90—was top-notch from start to finish. “Imagine if your grandmother had generational wealth, exceptional taste, and lived to spoil you—that’s what a stay at The Swag feels like,” he said.

What Averill would do differently if he returned: The Swag’s super complex wooden jigsaw puzzle baffled Averill on his last visit, and he’d like to spend more time sipping cocktails in front of the fireplace while trying to put it together.

TashaĚýZemke is şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř magazine’s managing editor and a member of the şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online travel team. She still has yet to satiate her wanderlust, and next year she’s most looking forward to attending Mountainfilm, in what her colleague called Colorado’s most beautiful town; hiking with friends in Ireland; and kayaking off Baja Sur, Mexico.

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If you want to set a fastest known time on the 817-mile Arizona Trail, you have to start fast. At least, that’s what both Nick Fowler and Georgia Porter proved this fall.

On October 28, they independently set out from the Utah-Arizona border and started their trek south with the goal of setting a record. While Fowler was traveling in a self-supported style and Porter enlisted a crew, the two shared numerous commonalities beyond the same start date, chosen to capitalize on the ideal fall weather.

Each exceeded record-setting pace over the first few days on the . Both ended up sleep deprived, with immense foot pain, and practically hobbling to the finish line at the U.S.-Mexico border. And both completed their attempt with a record: Fowler with a self-supported Arizona Trail FKT of 12 days, 17 hours, and 33 minutes—the overall record on the trail. And Porter with a women’s supported Arizona Trail FKT of 16 days, 22 hours, and 6 minutes.

But dig into their approaches, and it’s clear that even with similar goals in mind, no two FKT setters think alike.

A Rough Start

Fowler didn’t run or sleep much in the lead-up to his FKT attempt. Since setting the self-supported FKT on the Pacific Crest Trail last summer, Fowler had his sights set on Arizona. He had already done the AZT in 30 days in the spring of 2023, prior to his PCT attempt. He knew he wanted to shoot for the record in the fall, and started working out what he’d have to do to achieve it. But in early September, less than two months before Fowler’s attempt, a new priority came into his life: Canyon, his new son.

“My training program was calf raises in the kitchen while holding my son,” Fowler says. “And then when I go in the living room, holding my son, I would do single leg squats.”

With a new baby in tow, Fowler didn’t get in quite as many pre-trail miles as he’d hoped. A couple weeks before starting the AZT, he headed out to Arkansas for an attempt at a 70-mile day on the Ozark Highlands Trail, but “it absolutely kicked my butt 43 miles in.” Nonetheless, he showed up to the Utah-Arizona border and set out feeling confident that his training from the summer, which included an FKT on the 425-mile Oregon Coast Trail, would carry him through.

“By day two, I was puking my guts out crossing the Grand Canyon, curled up in the fetal position, being passed by hikers in flip-flops, and I slowed down to two-hour miles,” Fowler says. “And I quit.”

About 100 miles in, on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Fowler turned off his tracker. He caught a hitch to Flagstaff, feeling defeated. But after a night of rest, he realized all was not lost.

“I was like, maybe I can still do this,” Fowler says. “Everything’s already in place. I’m already here. And if I’m spending time away from Canyon, it’s gotta be something.”

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The Grand Canyon is stunning. At şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř, we’re in love with that giant ditch, and chances are, you are, too. This river canyon, measuring 278 miles long, roughly 10 miles wide, and in places more than a mile deep, is unlike anything else in the country. Artists paint pictures of it. Musicians write songs about it. Scientists read the history of North America in the layers of its rock walls. The Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, with other standouts like Mount Everest and the aurora borealis.

I’ve been fortunate enough to explore the Grand Canyon a handful of times, trekking from rim to river within the national park and exploring lesser known aspects beyond park boundaries. The beauty and sheer volume of the ditch gets me every time. Some people are moved by the quiet of the landscape or the depth, which can be awesome in the literal sense of the word, but personally, I’m struck by the time it took the Colorado River to carve through all those layers of rock.

We’re talking about 6 million years of slow, steady work, which seems like forever, but that timeframe is just a blink when you stack it up against the two-billion-year-old layers of rock inside the canyon. Staring into the Grand Canyon is like staring at time itself. How can you not ponder the brevity of your own time on this planet here?

But not everyone is impressed. Lately, on a notion, I dug into online reviews of our most famous river gorge and found a decade’s worth of angsty complaints, with people moaning about everything from the weather to the lack of trees.

Here, and always with a nod to the classic , are the (best) worst reviews of the Grand Canyon, one of the most magnificent natural landmarks in the world:

“A great example of uncontrolled erosion leaving a dangerous and ugly scar on an otherwise beautiful forest. The park service personnel were nice and friendly, however. We probably need a dam to stop erosion and refill this hole.” —Yelp

“I would really love help understandin[sic] what is so grand about a canyon.”—Yelp

“Went to the Grand Canyon this past week and let me tell YOU it’s a big ole waste o[sic] time! There was dirt EVERYWHERE and the hiking trail was too long! Also where are the vending machines?? And nowhere to charge my phone! It’s way too deep to even see the bottom! …Grand Canyon more like grand blandyon.” —Yelp

“There is nothing there! It looks like California’s drought that I am dreading of. Easy place to commit murder. Just push the dude over the cliff.” —Yelp

“Once you have been to Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon is a joke, and I’m an Arizona native. There are no animals, no greenery, no clear blue streams… just a muddy river, rock, and sheer cliffs. You’ll go â€�ooh’ and â€�ahh’ for 30 seconds.”—Yelp

“I have been to Yellowstone twice, with buffalo herds walking near my car, an entire elk herd passing me when I went hiking, bald eagles so big I thought it was Jurassic Park, bears twice, and even a wolf trying to steal a baby buffalo and the standoff among a herd. And at the Grand Canyon? A hole. A very, very large hole.”—Yelp

“[P]retty much all of the really awesome things you could potentially do in the Grand Canyon are basically off-limits for a day tripper:

• Hike down to the Colorado River. You need a minimum of two days. Yes, people have done it in one day before, but many have also died trying, and the park service does everything short of an outright ban to discourage anyone from attempting it [too quickly], for good reason.
• Raft down the Colorado River with spectacular canyon walls towering over you on either side. You need a minimum of seven days.
• Follow a stream down a narrow side canyon and see waterfalls and springs. This is a multi-day backpack from the rim or accessed from the river during a rafting trip (see above).

“I just don’t understand why they won’t build a road, aerial tramway, elevator, or SOMETHING that gives easier access to the canyon’s depths?” —Yelp

“Dude seriously it’s just a big hole in the ground and it’s all dirt. No shade trees, nothing interesting at all. Honestly, the desert is all just dirt so that was no surprise but the way everybody talks about the Grand Canyon I thought there’d be some stuff to do there…. Oh yeah that’s right…you can walk around on the dirt and look at the giant gaping hole in the ground and take pictures of the dirt. Big whoop.” —TripAdvisor

“It was pretty cool I guess, the canyon. A bit much though. Maybe less canyon next time would be better if you guys can fix that.”—TripAdvisor

“Don’t go in early October. We was[sic] expecting sunshine like in las vegas where we was[sic] staying. We got there we had rain. You could not actually see the canyon. Was covered in fog so a wasted journey.”— Google Maps

“Grand Canyon? More like average canyon. Seen better.” —Google Maps

“Not that big, bad weather, bad food, too many people. Also why would they put so many trees everywhere. Terrible design, just terrible.” —Google Maps

“WORST wonder of the world! …. Only a big hole in the ground.”—Google Maps

“Very underwhelming experience. Totaly [sic] an overrated location. Cluster of ugly looking rocks and a gorge that runs for miles. Boring is an understatement. Don’t waste your time visiting.”—TripAdvisor

“Not much different from pictures. Besides, the views are about the same everywhere…the only reason to go to GCNP is to be[sic] see one of the Seven Wonders in the world. But after gazing at the canyon for 3 minutes from the rim, you have seen it all.” —TripAdvisor

“No lift, no real chapel, no real movie theatre… You really know how to make a hole in the ground a hole in the ground.” —TripAdvisor

“Look, don’t get me wrong, the views were ok. However, I just find it unacceptable that in this day and age wifi was non-existent. I had lots of good photos but was unable to Snapchat them!”—TripAdvisor

“I guess I was seeking some sort of deep existential revelation that so many of my friends experienced, but I got nothing. I planned on spending a few days here but left after five hours.” —TripAdvisor

From the author: Despite what you may have gathered above, the Bright Angel Trail was one of the greatest hiking experiences of my life. I do agree with the reviewer above that you don’t want to try it it one day. For most, that is folly or worse. But as for the hike itself, it’s a panoply of views all the way, and it opened my eyes to what space could be.

Graham Averill is şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř magazine’s national-parks columnist. He’s visited the Grand Canyon many times and never had an existential revelation there, either. But that’s probably his fault, not the canyon’s. He’s also never left a bad review on TripAdvisor or Yelp. Graham recently covered “The 9 Wildest Golf Courses in America,” Ěý“9 Most Underrated National Parks for Incredible Fall Foliage,” and “8 Surf Towns Where You Can Learn the Sport and the Culture.” His essay “This Is What It’s Like to Live in Asheville After Hurricane Helene” was an on-the-ground account of experiencing the life-changing natural disaster.

The post The Grand Canyon Is One of Our Most Beloved National Parks. These Reviewers Beg to Differ. appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

A few days after hiker completed the Arizona Trail—the 800-mile trek across deserts, mountains, and yes even the Grand Canyon—he had a pedicure.

The nail technician took a pumice stone to Fowler’s blisters and calluses, and she dug into exposed nail beds. She rubbed. She massaged. But even after the tender love and care, Fowler’s feet still throbbed.

“I’ve never had this much foot pain before,” Fowler told şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř from his home in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Monday, November 25.

The aching feet are daily reminders of the massive and historic physical effort that Fowler, 36, accomplished while hiking . On November 9, Fowler reached the AZT’s terminus on the U.S. Mexico border, after starting from the trail’s northernmost point.

Fowler’s time shaved nearly two days off of the trail’s previous self-supported speed record (hikers can use any infrastructure that is equally available: gas stations, hotels, scheduled re-supply caches, etc.), set by Josh Perry in 2019. But Fowler also broke the fully-supported fastest known time (individuals have teams of helpers cooking food, preparing beds, and yes, even rubbing feet) as well, which ultrarunner Joe “Stringbean” McConaugheyĚýset in 2021 at 13 days, 3 hours, and 21 minutes.

Fowler is now the only person to ever break the 13-day barrier on the trail.

The tight-knit community of American thru-hikers and ultrarunners has witnessed a handful of eye-popping attempts in 2024. In September, Will “Sisyphus” Peterson broke his own speed record on Vermont’s 272-mile Long Trail (3 days, 21 hours, 9 minutes) and over the summer multiple hikers set records on the 500-mile Colorado Trail (the trail has four different routes). Then, in late September, hiker Tara Dower garnered international attention when she completed Appalachian Trail faster than anyone in history.

But even among these accolades, certain statistics from Fowler’s hike stand out. He covered 460 miles during the first seven days on the trail—a blistering pace for a week on the trail.

And he maintained this pace despite inauspicious preparation and a disastrous start to his adventure.ĚýFowler planned the Arizona Trail hike for late 2024, when temperatures cool across the desert. But his life off the trail got somewhat more complicated.

In September, Fowler and his wife, Hannah, welcomed their first child, a son named Canyon. Infants, of course, have a way of disrupting training anThe Oklahoma thru-hiker overcame nausea, sleep deprivation, and crushing foot pain to set the fastest ever time on the 800-mile traild rest, and Fowler struggled with the usual challenges of early parenthood.

Still, Fowler pushed ahead with his Arizona Trail effort, hoping to at least surpass the self-supported record on the trail. His confidence evaporated 100 miles into his attempt. While descending into the Grand Canyon, Fowler felt a quiver in his stomach and intestines. After crossing the Colorado River and beginning the ascent to the canyon’s southern rim, Fowler was overcome with nausea.

“I’m puking my guts out just getting passed by hikers in flip flops,” Fowler said. “I gave up. I was like ‘I just need to get out of the canyon.’ I was embarrassed.”

Fowler climbed to the south rim and then hitchhiked to nearby Flagstaff. After a night’s sleep and some food, he hitched back to the trail’s start on the Utah border. He rested for two full days, replenishing his body with fluids and calories. He weighed whether to go home or give the trail another try.

Fowler is already a decorated athlete in the world of thru-hiking, and in 2023 he set the speed record for completing the Pacific Crest Trail self-supported from North to South (52 days, 9 hours, 18 minutes).

“A lot of people think 800 miles is long—in my mind it’s pretty short,” he said.

So Fowler set out again, hiking even faster than he had on his first attempt. He completed 143 miles in the first two days, barely sleeping.

He slept just three hours a night for the first week. He ate 300 calories an hour—”half junk-food, half healthy stuff,” he said.

As the miles ticked by, Fowler softened his focus on pacing and instead soaked in the natural wonders of Arizona’s backcountry. He marveled at the sunrises and sunsets, and kept his eyes peeled for desert animals. He spotted a Gila monster, a ring-tailed cat, and two desert tortoises.

Those highs helped Fowler push through many lows. On the sixth night Fowler was engulfed by a thunderstorm that blew down his tarp and soaked his sleeping quilt. From the third to the seventh day he began to endure painful chafing. After ascending 9,171-foot Mount Lemmon outside of Tucson, Fowler encountered below-freezing temperatures.

As Fowler pushed through the final half of his journey, his body began to surrender. His feet ached with every step and his mind took longer to focus.

“On day eight I realized that too little sleep becomes detrimental,” he said. “Even taking three hours off my feet didn’t mean I was actually sleeping for that amount of time.”

Fowler had planned to push through the final night and hike two straight days, but late in the evening he lay down to rest. When he started hiking again, Fowler gave up on snapping photos. He just wanted the effort to be completed. Around 7:30 P.M., Fowler approached the trail’s southern terminus, which is marked by a white stone obelisk.

A friend had spelled out “NICK AZT FKT” in candles at the foot of the monument. Fowler reached the point and lay down on the rocks and dirt.

“I just started bawling,” he said. His feet continued to throb, but at that moment he no longer cared.

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Ever come across an incredible hotel that stops you mid-scroll and makes you think, Wow, wouldn’t it be something to stay there? We do, too—all the time. Welcome to Friday Fantasy, where we highlight amazing hotels, lodges, cabins, tents, campsites, and other places perched in perfect outdoor settings. Read on for the intel you need to book an upcoming adventure here. Or at least dream about it.

Why I Love the Enchantment Resort

Sedona, Arizona, is best knownĚýfor two things: the stunning red-rock landscape, which draws thousands each year for hiking and mountain biking, and its vortex energy, a contested phenomenon that has drawn plenty of curious people and turned this high-desert city intoĚýa metaphysical mecca. The is the nexus of both.

From its location at the base of Boynton Canyon, the 70-acre luxury property is surrounded by high sandstone cliffsĚýthat make you and your problems feel minuscule (that’s a good thing). The canyon has long been considered sacred by Native people and, more recently, holy by pilgrims and unique by New Age mystics and psychics who believe in its spiritual powers.ĚýToday, Enchantment Resort tends to draw guests seeking change in their lives, managing director Stan Kantowski told me, or those hoping for peace and resolution in the wake of some tough change. “It’s an emotional place,” he said.

The mystery of just how transformative an experienceĚýthis could be intrigued me. The regenerative powers of nature are proven, but would I feel different hiking in a high-energy vortex zone, said to induce physical effects like tingling or hair-raising?ĚýWould I return home convinced in the merits of carrying crystals in my pockets, newly grounded by hours spent amongĚýheavy red rocks that have loomed large here since before the dinosaurs? And would the Mii Amo spa’sĚýlong list of alternative (and expensive) treatments—from sound baths and chakra balancing to manifesting-new-moon ceremonies and reiki—release the bad and let in the good?

I wanted to be convinced, to be cared for. My personal life had been taking a nosedive, and I longed for something magical to happen. So I called one of my best friends to meet me for a short stay, and we headed there with open minds.

What Exactly Is a Vortex, and Why Is Sedona Known for Them?

A vortex is a spot where some people believe intense energy is emitted (called an electric vortex) or pulled back into the earth (a magnetic vortex). It is believed to occur the intersection of ley lines, or electromagnetic threads of energy thatĚýcrisscross the planet. Boynton Canyon is considered to be one of four major vortices within an 11-mile radius in Sedona, its energy electromagnetic—a combo vortex of sorts.

Where there’s talk of heightened energy, there’s talk of spiritual awakening. Exactly what that means and how the area’s vortex energy will work for you—or whether it will at all—depends on the person and their intentions. In short, Sedona is “a place to feel alive,” said Carina Leveriza, who moved here 13 years ago after her husband died. She hiked every day for months as a way to heal. Now she leads vortex treks at the Enchantment Resort.

“Whatever you bring to the vortex will be amplified,” she said when I asked her what I might expect after a hike up the canyon. “If you’re happy, you’ll be effervescent. If you’re grumpy, you’ll be grumpier.”

Vortices are also thought to be portals to other dimensions, and especially so in Boynton Canyon. In her book Earth Frequency, Melissa Alvarez writes that “the veil to other dimensions is believed to be thinner in Sedona than it is at other vortex sites” (which, in the United States, include Mount Shasta, in California; Sugarloaf Mountain, in Utah; and Ni’ihau Island, in Hawaii). The Sedona canyons are believed, she writes, to enhance “spiritual growth and an intrinsic connection to universal knowledge.”

şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Intel

Enchantment Resort offers access to 400 miles of trails, for hiking and mountain biking (with equipment available from the on-site Trail House), and staff can arrange guided tours to suit your interest and skill level.

My friend Danielle Gill and I set off on the easy 2.6-mile Boynton Canyon Trail one afternoon with Leveriza, who was a fount of good energy, eager to tell us personal stories and lore, receptive to our infinite inquiries, and generally ambling along in an upbeat way. The beautiful sandy path led past pines and succulents, and Leveriza stopped occasionally to point out some of the more than 180 ancient cave dwellings on the box canyon’s walls, quartz crystals (said to be a source of clarifying energy) flecking the red rocks, and twisted tree trunks and branches that she told us were evidence of the canyon’s spiraling vortex effects.

“Hike with intention,” she said, then asked us to stay silent for a few minutes to consider what was deep in our hearts. “Psychics have said that what pierces the portals here are our intentions.”

I vowed to have more resolve, to be more joyful, to devote more time for myself, and to make hard decisions rooted in kindness and fairness. In the quiet of the canyon, it all seemed possible.

As we arrived back at the resort, a group of women were meditating on the lawn. Javelinas munched the grass, and two deer hoofed slowly up a hillside toward a casita. Leveriza directed us to an incredible vista overlooking the property and the rock massifsĚýthat make the greater Sedona panorama so magnificent. She lit a sage smudge stick, waved it slowly around our heads, and recited a meditation, the smoke lingering in the air as if it were a spirit listening in, too.

Hiking was a highlight for me, but Enchantment has several other recreational options, including swimming in four pools, stargazing—Sedona is an International Dark Sky Community—and, in winter, a “glice rink” for outdoor skating. There are tennis and pickleball courts; yoga, Pilates, and qi gong classes; chanting sessions; and educational sessions on nutrition and juicing. Curated, private high-end offerings around northern Arizona are also enticing,Ěýif your budget allows, and include heli tours to the Grand Canyon; sommelier-led wine tours of Paige Springs, a growing viticulture destination; and climbing excursions in Prescott.

At the resort, the deeper dive into self tends to happen at Mii Amo spa, which reopened in 2023 after a multimillion-dollar renovation. Considered one of the best spas in the nation, it’s open only to Enchantment guests. Treatments aren’t cheap (the least expensive is $250 for 60 minutes), but there are many—more than 50—and they head into metaphysical terrain not normally on offer at a resort spa. I wanted to sign up for the hourlong sound bath to reduce stress, meditate deeply by walking a labyrinth, get a numerology or tarot or pendulum reading, undergo hypnosis to delve into past-life regression, and treat my doshas with a balancing wrap. When would I ever see a menu like this again?

Instead, I opted to have my chakras (which I knew nothing about) balanced. The therapist who led me though this treatment was empathetic, her voice soothing, her touch gentle. I lay prone on the massage table, and as she rocked my body back and forth, I started heaving huge quiet sobs. She continued as if my crying was the most natural thing in the world, telling me that my heart chakra must have been blocked. I flipped over, and she massaged my muscles using a different scented oil for the —focal energy points in the body—and then placed polished gemstones atop each, to amplify those energies.

I was tired. I padded to the lower floor of the spa in my slippers and robe to the dry and wet saunas and hot tub, and rotated between them all for another half-hour.

That evening I popped into the Crystal Grotto, a dark, circular room with crystals the size of cats demarcating the four compass points. Before entering, you’re invited to write down something you’d like to let go of, with the promise that the sheets of paper would be burned, releasing those troubles to the universe. Then you remove your shoes so you can feel the bare ground beneath your feet. I wrote a note and deposited it into the little box of burdens; I curled my toes into the soft sand; and as theĚýgrotto guide took up a singing bowl in the low light, I closed my eyes and zoned in on theĚýhumming sounds, which research has shown to . Good vibrations.

Choice Rooms

TheĚýresort has 38 adobe-style casitas, housing a total of 218 guest rooms, each with its own patio and views of the massive canyon walls. My room, 180, was spacious, with a living-room area adjacent to a queen bed, and a large bathroom with a deep bathtub. It was a five-minute uphill walk to the main reception area and restaurants, but guests anywhere can call for golf-cart service.

I asked the bellhop and our hiking guide which rooms were considered the best. Both liked casita buildings 37 and 38, situated higher on the grounds and deeper within the canyon than the rest. They face the eastern walls of the canyon, which glow in hues of orange, red, and russet as the sun sets.

Eat and Drink

At all of the resort’s three restaurants, the whole-foods-focused menus and relaxed ambiance come served with vast views. The hardest restaurant to book is Che Ah Chi, more of a fine-dining experience, but the one I liked the best is its newest, Hummingbird, located within Mii Amo. I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast there one morning while gazing up at hawks drifting in the thermals near the canyontops. The clouds looked liked they’d been painted by Georgia O’Keeffe.

Off-site, I was wowed by , a vibrant, popular local place just 13 miles from the resort. On offer are 20 kinds of smoothies, superfood coffees, tonics, juice blends, and a grab-and-go selection of healthy treats that you can take to the trail. This being Sedona, you can also pick up herbal supplements targeted toward better focus, energy, mood, and sex drive.

Finally, for cheap eats, I asked locals for their recommendations. They like the Oak Creek Brewing Co., Eriberto’s, Layla’s Bakery, and , for fresh tamales made daily.

When to Go

Spring and fall, when the weather tends to be most pleasant in northern Arizona, are the busiest months at Enchantment Resort. March sees the most rain.

The hottest month in Sedona is July, with an average high temperature of 97 degrees, though the summer monsoons, which usuallyĚýbegin in June and can last as late as August, bring cooling afternoon rains.

December and January are the coldest months, with an average high of 57 degrees. While it only snows in Sedona a handful of times each year, staff tell me that Boynton Canyon covered in snow is a sight to behold. Guests in December can also look forward to live music every night.

How to Get There

Most out-of-state visitors fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, rent a car, and motor the 126 miles north via Highway 260.

I road-tripped in from New Mexico, and swung down from Flagstaff, a spectacular drive south on State Route 89A through Oak Creek Canyon—where the fall foliage was a brilliantĚýyellow in September—and past Slide Rock State Park. It’s slow going, because everyone is rubbernecking at the scenery, but I thought of it as the easy introduction to, and grand finale of, my wellness journey at the resort.

Don’t Miss

Crystal shops are everywhere in Sedona. Give in to your curiosity and check them out; it’s part of the woo-woo experience here, especially for first-time visitors.

Danielle and I spent an hour at Ěýafter our spa treatments at the resort. We picked out gemstone bracelets for friends and mementos for ourselves. We had our aura photos taken; IĚýwas happy to read that mine was reportedly now strong and radiant (no doubt thanks to my balancing session at Enchantment) and that my predominant color—green—reflected growth and joy.

We weren’t able to book an immediate consultation with a medium or psychic—the time slots for the remainder of the afternoon were all taken. Maybe next visit.

***

After a few days at Enchantment Resort, I’d eaten well and exercised, I’d soaked up the vortex vibe in a beautiful canyon, and I’d pondered spiritual growth in a new way. I felt lighter about life. Maybe it was simply the effects of finally being on vacation after a lot of weary workweeks. But two months later, I still feel changed by the experience. I believed—and that’s a big part of any trip here—there was genuinely something to it.

Details

Price: From $400

Address: 525 Boynton Canyon Road
Sedona, AZ 86336

To Book:

Tasha Zemke is °żłÜłŮ˛őľ±»ĺ±đ’s managing editor. She formerly lived on the Sicilian island of Pantelleria, where the phrase “anything is possible” was a common sayingĚýand her in-laws believed in the evil eye. Her truest faith is in nature’s power to heal.

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I first laid eyes on Sedona after surviving a sleepless night of food poisoning in nearby Flagstaff, Arizona.

Thank goodness I’d never driven the Oak Creek Canyon before, or I might’ve skipped the trip entirely. No one who hurls their guts up the previous night would knowingly agree to ride in a 12-passenger van hugging the cliffside of this narrow two-lane road, navigating hairpin turns on switchbacks that drop more than 2,500 feet into Red Rock Country.

But as a first-timer, visiting the area for an adult running camp and eager to check out this famous adventure mecca, I went along. Somehow, despite a super sick stomach, l still fell in love with the place.

Make no mistake—on less nauseating days, the hour-long journey on Route 89A between the alpine forest of Flagstaff and the sandstone desert of Sedona is iconic. Awe-inspiring, even.

Now, after 15 years living in Flagstaff, that commute is one I savor. Until I relocated to Arizona, I had been a life-long East Coaster. But after visiting this slice of high desert (and subsequently moving here), my appreciation and fondness for the Southwest’s geological diversity, and that of Sedona’s upper Sonoran Desert region has only deepened.

Every time I head down that canyon, I marvel at its beauty. I love taking visitors and watching their reactions to first glimpses of giant red rock formations that suddenly replace the canopy of oak trees and ponderosa pines. I imagine it’s akin to landing on Mars—otherworldly. Perhaps that’s why Sedona attracts such a strong enclave of New Age spiritual devotees searching for metaphysical energy in the allegedly sprinkled throughout its buttes and spires.

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Why the Fascination with Sedona?

It’s true. Sedona is a playground for all kinds of people, with interests as wide-ranging as fortune telling, aura reading, and crystal healing to mountain biking, hiking, climbing, and trail running. It welcomes the luxury spa vacationers, culinary aficionados, and jeep tour enthusiasts, too.

I fall somewhere in the middle. I won’t lie—I’ve visited a fortune teller or two over the years. I also eat dinner at Sedona’s , the kind of Mexican meal I don’t mind making reservations for 60 days in advance (at least!). Sometimes it’s fun to hit the local running store, , or just relax in one of the many coffee shops with tranquil garden seating. For the quintessential experience, I often end up at , billed as “a sanctuary where each being can nurture their authenticity.”

But most often Sedona is my wintertime weekend trail running refuge—when the snow dumps in Flagstaff, I’m guaranteed a clear path, warmer temperatures (averaging around 60 degrees), and sunshine in the red rock valley below. I love a good “wintertime double”: a morning run, hike, or ride in Sedona wearing shorts and a t-shirt, followed by afternoon powder turns at back home. Few places in the world hold such a mix of outdoor activities available in one day during the doldrums of February, and I love that about where I live.

Yes, Sedona Is Crowded, but I Don’t Let That Stop Me from Visiting

In recent years, however, Sedona’s storyline has taken an unfortunate (though not unwarranted) hit. Just like many areas that saw a surge of visitors seeking outdoor adventure during COVID, Sedona’s popularity—which was already quite high—soared further. Influencers, along with their Instagram and TikTok followings, —a double-edged sword for a place where 3 million visitors per year contribute to a $1 billion tourism industry, according to the .

More than a third of Sedona’s homes have become short-term rentals, and the city government and other local agencies have become of visitors—and how to infuse education on respectful public land use.

After all, we are all just guests to this place, originally inhabited by the Sinagua people who came here around 900 A.D. I applaud how the people who manage the city and the public land are helping its diversity of users enjoy the area in myriad ways. From my perspective, there are a few things every visitor should know to maximize their Sedona experience.

Spring Break Is Not the Best Time to Visit Sedona

To fully enjoy Sedona, you have to choose your time and activities carefully. I’m saying avoid spring break (most of March) at all costs, and plan your outdoor pursuits for early mornings (arrive at trailheads by 7 A.M.Ěý at the latest) year-round to dodge flocks of people. If you’re a real morning person like I am, you can get started even earlier for cooler temperatures during the summer swelter. The traffic, parking, and crowded trails on the most popular routes quickly become a turnoff if you’re desperately seeking solitude in nature.

Avoid Downtown, but Grab Some Grub at Wildflower

The downtown area is a genuine tourist trap. Unless you’re looking for souvenirs or a cartoonish taste of the old wild west, you can skip the main drag, save for Wildflower, a local chain good for family-friendly breakfast and lunch where you’ll find reasonably priced meals with a terrific red rock view. (Bonus points for identifying from the patio.) But Sedona is at its best when you go off the beaten path.

For Less Crowded Trails, Hit the Outskirts to Go Higher and Farther

Most locals won’t divulge those lesser-known destinations, however. In discussing places that my friends and I like to go in Sedona for a beer or a quick bite to eat or a trail run, most of them either decided against sharing at all, or their suggestions came with the caveat: “don’t tell anybody I said this, but…”

I get it. During the pandemic at the end of 2020, I headed to my friends’ house in Sedona for a day hike—and along the way it appeared that the rest of America had the same idea. The fight for parking at the nearby trailheads was bananas—crowds rivaling Disney World during winter break.

Thankfully we could just exit out their backyard gate to a series of established, but unnamed trails—ones I wouldn’t have found on my own. On our hike, new-to-me perspectives of the famous and in the distance were stunning—and as I took out my phone to capture a shot, my friend jokingly threatened to push me off the ledge of our undisclosed location above (the “scenic byway”) if I dared to geotag the photo on social media. Of course, I’d never do such a thing. For Northern Arizonans, sharing isn’t always caring.

Which is all to say, I’d tell you where to hike or run, but then I’d have to move far, far away from here. What I will say is that any trail on the outskirts of town that is rated as “strenuous,” includes a healthy amount of vertical gain, or is higher mileage than the routes topping travel blogs and Trip Advisor, will likely yield a more serene experience. You know which apps to use ( and have options), and doing your own research to head farther afield is best.

Sedona Is Helping Us All Become Respectful Visitors

As much as we regulars would like to hoard our Sedona secrets, I still applaud the efforts of local agencies to help ensure that visitors can continue to enjoy the area, too. I’m an advocate for making such a majestic corner of the U.S. accessible to all—it’s an immense privilege that it’s so close to my home. Angst-alleviating initiatives include to trailheads and the , which asks visitors to agree to nine ways to help preserve Red Rock Country’s natural beauty, like not forging your own trails and packing out your trash. No. 4 is my personal favorite: “I won’t risk life or limb (human or sapling) for more likes. I won’t get killed for a killer photo.”

My Recommendations for Best Outdoor şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř in Sedona

It’s understandable that all of us who call tourist destinations home would want to keep a few spots to ourselves, I also recognize that none of us own these places. They’re meant to be explored and enjoyed. So, here are a few of my hot spots for those who are new to Sedona.

Camping in Sedona

Camping in Sedona takes a lot of planning ahead, I’m told. I haven’t gone camping in Sedona myself, mostly because I live so close by and my visits tend to be on the spontaneous side. Free dispersed camping is available in the western part of town, and it fills up quickly, as do the campgrounds that require reservations, which are mostly located along Oak Creek on 89A. The options around Oak Creek are cooler during the summer, next to the water, and heavily shaded by the forest. The dispersed campgrounds, though fully exposed to the sun, offer some of the best views of the red rocks and canyons you can find.

The best way to find a spot is to visit and you can also try Hipcamp.

Best Sedona Hikes

If you’ve never hiked around Sedona, pick one of these three options for a taste of the town’s best trails.

• : This one is a bit outside of Sedona, on the other side of I-17, but worth the detour. Go early to beat the crowds inevitably seeking relief in the cool creek at the Crack, which comes at the end of the 3.5-mile trail. It’s a popular place to hang out and, for those who dare, jump off the cliffs into the water.
• : This is one of those “strenuous” paths that takes you up 2,000 feet in a bit less than 2.5 miles. The panoramic views extend the whole way up to Flagstaff—you can see the beloved San Francisco Peaks from the top.
• : About two miles north of Sedona, is Wilson Mountain, which packs about 2,300 feet of climbing into the first mile. Keep going—you’re rewarded along the way with hundreds of miles of views that include Oak Creek Canyon, Coffee Pot Rock, Capitol Butte, and the Verde Valley.

Best Sedona Trail Runs

If you’re an avid trail runner, don’t miss these three spots with stunning panoramic views.

• : Start at the Baldwin Trailhead and run along the Buddha Beach to the Templeton Trail at the base of Cathedral Rock. You’ll get a bit of everything on this one (make it an out-and-back or create a loop with your Gaia or Trailforks app)—cruise along the creek, climb sandstone ridges, and see the iconic Cathedral Rock, too.
• : Start from the Old Munds Wagon Road Trailhead off of Schnebly Hill Road, follow Old Munds Wagon Trail to the Cow Pies, forking left, to the Hangover Trail, one of the most scenic routes along the slickrock you can find.
• : This is an old standby and a popular place for visitors, so beware that the trailhead parking at the Bell Rock Trailhead might be tight. However, it’s the quintessential Sedona vista—like a postcard from the southwest. Follow the Big Park Loops signs for a four mile circumnavigation of the butte.

Why Sedona Will Always Be Magical to Me

To be sure, we live at a time where the deluge of information available to us all can make us jaded. When it seems like “everybody” is going to Sedona and posting every detail of their adventures, our natural instinct is to declare that this special place is overrated. But that denies the region of its magic.

I was recently reminded of what Sedona can do for the spirit when I took a day off work and headed down 89A for the afternoon with a friend. We stopped at one of my favorite spots, , on the way into town, a lovely counter-service restaurant with lush, shaded outdoor seating on the east side of Oak Creek. Then we drove out to , a strenuous-rated hike that requires some rock scrambling and the ability to power up nearly 2,000 feet of elevation in a short 2.5 miles to earn an exhilarating view of fantastical red rock formations.

The only thing that would’ve made my day more complete? A dip in the Oak Creek to cool off. A chance to swim in a natural body of water is a true treat for most Arizonans—especially me. I have plenty of fond memories of post-run cannonballs at , 10 or 12 years ago when it was less visited. Now, of course, it’s not so much a secluded swimming hole. Nature’s ice bath is usually worth it in my book, though.

Sedona has been dubbed the “most mystical place” in America by travel experts and spiritual visitors alike. And it might be. What I do know is that it offers one of the most valuable opportunities for renewed astonishment at the world around me. It may not be a hidden gem (spoiler alert: ), but it’s a place that offers outdoor access that’s unrivaled by most other places on the planet.

Here’s my takeaway: It took 350 million years to form those red rocks. It’s no wonder people want to see them. Sedona is many things, but in my book, overrated will never be one of them.

Want more of °żłÜłŮ˛őľ±»ĺ±đ’s travel stories?Ěý.

Erin Strout is a journalist and author based in Flagstaff, Arizona, who writes about health, fitness, and Olympic sports. She likes to focus on the big issues women face as athletes and humans who want to perform and feel their best. She still loves visiting Sedona every chance she gets.Ěý

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As he slathered SPF 30 onto his left calf, Ryan Johnson looked back at me and issued a warning: expect honking. I hadn’t been astride a bike in six years, but here I was on a brutally hot late-October afternoon in Arizona, an e-bike beside me, preparing for a ride. Our destination was a cycling path along the Salt River, which bisects Tempe, a city of 189,000 people about ten miles (or 60 minutes by bike) east of Phoenix. Tempe is home to Arizona State University, and it’s also the place where Johnson is currently running a grand residential experiment.

Johnson is the cofounder of Culdesac, a real estate development firm that wants to flip the script on urban living. In May 2023, he became one of the first tenants of Culdesac Tempe, a new complex taking shape on an otherwise inconspicuous tract of dirt. More than 225 people have since moved into apartments located inside a tight grouping of white stucco buildings that might be described as Santorini lite, with trendy balconies, spacious courtyards, and inviting patios shaded by trees.

Similar to those pseudo-urban enclaves situated outside America’s metropolises where residences and retail commingle, Culdesac has its own grocery store, gym, café, and mail service. There’s a bike shop on the premises, as well as a clothing consignment store, a plant emporium, an art studio, and a wellness boutique that offers IV hydration. A coworking space is located above the gym. Cocina Chiwas, the restaurant on the corner, combines craft cocktails with its own take on Mexican fare. This past May, the restaurant’s owners opened up Aruma, a coffee shop across from the restaurant.

Once construction is complete, which will take several years, will comprise 760 units total, ranging from studios to three-bedrooms and housing approximately 1,000 residents. The catch: not one of those units will come with a parking space. “We’re the first car-free neighborhood built from scratch in the U.S.,” says Johnson.

Virtually every residential development anywhere in this country includes parking, a requirement common in city building codes. At Culdesac, if you do own a vehicle, it’s a condition of your lease that you refrain from parking it within one block, in any direction, of the community. “We can’t tell people that they can’t own a car,” says Johnson, a tall, lanky 41-year-old. “But if people want to have a car, there are other great neighborhoods for them.”

The thought made me shudder. Where I live, in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., about an hour from the city, a car is practically a prerequisite for getting to the grocery store, the barber, the doctor’s office, the liquor store. Bike lanes are sporadic. There aren’t many bus stops within walking distance. Taking a rideshare to visit family, an hour by car at least, seems more than a little silly. While I typically work from home, when traveling I drive to the airport—in the Ford Bronco my wife and I bought last year. (And if I can be frank: I just want a vehicle.)

“I had an SUV in high school,” Johnson, who hasn’t owned a car in 13 years, told me when I met him. “I just didn’t know any better.”

The e-bike ride was my first lesson in automotive deprivation. I had flown here to try out a one-bedroom apartment at Culdesac and experience carless living for several days. There’s a light-rail stop one street over, but early Culdesac residents received a complimentary electric bike, which is Johnson’s favorite mode of transportation. (He owns about 70 of them, most stored at his company’s main office downtown.) Plus, I was told that a ride on the Salt River bike path, 100-degree weather be damned, would provide unobstructed views of the mountains framing the city’s skyline.

We just had to get there first, which involved traveling on streets lacking any bike lanes. The speed limit on our route was 25 miles an hour, but my e-bike maxed out at 20. Barely ten minutes into the journey, I heard the first honk.

Ditching cars entirely might seem crazy. (In nearby Phoenix, once described by The New York Times as an “ever-spreading tundra of concrete,” they’re more of a necessity than a luxury.) But what Culdesac is attempting to accomplish is a revision of city living, where the pedestrian, not the automobile, is more valued. To Johnson, Culdesac is an oasis in a desert of car-fueled aggravation—a walkable community that’s safe, entertaining, better for the climate, and better for the individual. And he believes that if he builds it, people will come.

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