Six Things to Do in the Mountain West

 

The Rocky mountain west is comprised of the states Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada and Utah.  Although these states are known for for their grandiose beauty there are many aspects of this region that most people do not often explore but are definitely worthy of attention.  If you have the desire and inclination then add some of these to your list of activities when you next visit this region.

 

1.    Visit the Mineral Springs- This geographic area has a great deal of thermic activity which has resulted in a  a good number of mineral hot pools in these states.   Springs are as developed or as primitive as one likes. For those that prefer the primitive then White Sulfur Springs Hotel has the best spring and hotel for you.  Those that like more of a resort feel, check out some of the ones that Colorado has to offer.

 

2.    Search  for Petraglyphs- The ancient Native Americans of the Intermountain west were very expressive, and a great deal of there 4000-year old art can remains even today, painted on rock surfaces throughout the area.  For a quick tour, Fremont State Park in Utah has a interesting trail and museum, for those that enjoy walking Grand Gulch in Utah is a delightful place to spend time at.

 

3.    Visit the Smaller National  Monuments-  If you have not been to Yellowstone,  then certainly you should go there first, but for people who have experienced the main circuit of parks in the west you might think about visiting the smaller ones.  All together, these states have over fifty National sites, and many  of these states have exemplarystate park systems as well. 

 

4.    Check Out the Regional Museums (as well as the large ones)- Many  of the best museums are those that are in the middle of nowhere, like the small museum in Three Forks, Montana in which the local people gathered memorabilia from their town spanning a century and a half.  Of course, some of the bigger museums are worth visiting as well, such as the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, Wy.  This museum has five separate galleries which cover some aspect of the west such as Indians of the West  or Modern Western Art.

 

5.    Learn to Ski- Everybody knows that summer time activities abound in the Intermountain West, but we also have the best powder around.  For those of you that are not interested in trying downhill skiing, you might try x-country skiing.   Sun Valley, Idaho has great trails an addiotion top pick is the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest in Montana.

 

6. Explore a Mountain Lake during the beautiful summer weather– The big mountain ranges of the intermountain west are full of  beautiful alpine lakes. Most of these are popular but some of the most beautiful are off the main tourist track and often require a difficult hike to get to. One of our favorites is Island Lake in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming. This mountain lake is circled by tall cliffs and picturesque mountains that were formed by glaciers. The Wind River mnts. are a popular destination during the summer months for fishing and hiking opportunities. Another great destination in the this same mountain range is known as Lonsome Lake and is found in the Cirque of the Towers region in the southern part of the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming.

 

As you can tell, there are a number of things that you should try to do in the mountain west, beyond the boring car tour.  Any of the above ideas will not only be a great change of pace but provide you with many great pictures for years to come.

 

----------

For more information visit our website at <a href=”http://niagrafallshotels.us”>romantic Niagra Falls resorts.</a>