2023-06-22 07:00:00
« Go west, young man ! » as we used to say. And if the phrase originally aimed to encourage the Conquest of the West in the second half of the 19th century, it might also apply for a few decades to this desire for tourist discovery that one can have for the American West.
Life-size America
Whether it is the Rockies (with Colorado, Montana, Wyoming) or the Southwest (Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah), all of this part of the American territory which is more widely called the West is one of the least populated with a density barely equal to 10 inhabitants per km².
We are here in the land of cowboys and Indians; where nature, rough and wild, is barely disturbed by a few oasis towns pushed here and there. A nature that has also designed the most “beautiful monuments” in the United States which, from the Grand Canyon of Colorado to Monument Valley via Yellowstone and countless other sites and parks, attracts millions of tourists who also represent one of the main sources of income for the region…
Which States Make Up the American West
These are Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
Arizona
The Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, Meteor Crater, the Petrified Forest, the Monts de la Superstition, Horseshoe Bend, the Canyon de Chelly, The Wave and many other places, Arizona alone concentrates many must-see sites on any trip to the American West. So much so that it has become the very “image” of this Wild West, land of cowboys and Indians whose presence can also be discovered in places like Tombstone, the Navajo National Monument or the Hopi mesas. So enjoy it and, as they say over there, « life on a grander scale ! ».
> Infos : www.visitarizona.com
Colorado
Denver, Colorado… lakes, rivers, forests, extraordinary mountain landscapes with peaks over 4,000 meters like in Rocky Mountain National Park and impressive canyons. And even dunes, the highest in the USA, which exceed 200 meters in the Great Sand Dunes park.
We are here in the Rockies, in the land of the “outdoor”, where lovers of fishing, hiking of all kinds, climbing, rafting on the Arkansas River and especially skiing with the famous resorts of Aspen or Vail are sure to find what they are looking for in all seasons. But Colorado is also an Indian land as shown by the imposing archaeological sites of the Mesa Verde or the Canyons of the Ancients.
> Infos : www.colorado.com
Montana
This is the state of cowboys, Indian wars (the Little Bighorn site is here) and the Gold Rush as we imagine them. Large sparsely populated spaces with barely a million inhabitants for almost the size of France (!), between Rocky Mountains in the west and wide plains in the east, and places of interest such as the Beartooth Mountains, the Flathead Valley, Glacier Parks and especially Yellowstone known for its landscapes, geysers and wildlife. There are immense opportunities for outdoor activities and ecotourism everywhere in a remarkable environment, ranging from hiking of all kinds to skiing, fishing, rafting and canoeing.
> Infos : www.visitmt.com
Nevada
Obviously everyone knows Las Vegas with its casinos, its shows and major events, its special atmosphere, without necessarily knowing that the gambling capital of the world is located in Nevada. But outside of Vegas, what else is there to see in this arid, desert state?
Several things for sites primarily on the outskirts of Nevada. This is the case of the unmissable Death Valley (especially in California), the Red Rock Canyon and its amazing rock formations near California, the Hoover Dam, Lakes Tahoe and Mead (Arizona and California) or the Great Basin National Park not far from Utah.
> Infos : www.travelnevada.fr
New Mexico
Vast and arid as a whole, New Mexico nevertheless has varied landscapes where snow-capped mountains rub shoulders with deserts such as the White Sands, which is the largest white sand desert in the world.
Nevertheless, nature, although very beautiful, is not necessarily as grandiose as in the other western states. Here, it is first of all the historical and cultural testimonies, primarily Indian, that motivate a large part of the visitors such as the famous Pueblos, including that of Taos, or Chaco Canyon and its 3,600 sites linked to the Anasazi culture. In addition to its beautiful Spanish adobe architecture, the city of Santa Fé is also renowned for arts and culture.
> Infos : www.newmexico.org
Utah
This is “Mormon Country” with its capital Salt Lake City which alone is home to almost 90% of the state’s population. But Utah is also and above all a region, certainly arid, which hosts some of the most famous natural sites in the whole country with grandiose and unique landscapes, where to practice hiking and other outdoor activities.
So, you too can discover Bryce Canyon, Arches, Capitol Reef, Cedar Breaks, Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point, Natural Bridges, the Uinta Mountains, Zion and especially the famous Monument Valley. In short, a huge choice for what remains a must on any trip to the American West!
> Infos : www.visitutah.com
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Wyoming
With barely half a million inhabitants spread over the equivalent of half of France, it is the least populated of the American states. It is also the country of cowboys, Indians, rodeos, bison and the conquest of the West that localities like Sheridan, Jackson or Cody highlight in terms of tourism. Nature, which knows how to be harsh, is omnipresent here with many plains, but also mountains, lakes and rivers and parks such as the Grand Teton, the Medicine Bow Mountains, the Wind River, the Bighorn Canyon without forgetting of course the Yellowstone and its millions of visitors.
> Infos : travelwyoming.com
What climate to expect?
Even if the extent and the diversity in the reliefs do not allow an identical climate according to the places, this one remains nevertheless continental and little sprinkled for the whole of the American West. The summers are therefore hot, even scorching in some places in the Southwest, and the winters cold and even freezing for the northernmost states or the high altitude areas of the Rocky Mountains.
Best time to visit
In a way, the best climatic periods of visits are reversed depending on where you plan to go.
Summer is thus a good time for the Rockies and the north (Montana, Wyoming), while for the southwestern states it is the hot period in many places. In short, as often, it is the mid-seasons that offer the best compromise between the end of April‑mid June and mid September‑October.
Go west !
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