The Top Fifty Best Places in the American West (Part 4)

There are certainly more difficult technical climbs but fewer are more high profile than El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. The 3,000 foot sheer cliff is adjacent to the main park road so there's always an audience. On any given day there will be numerous climbers on the cliff at the same time and a crowd of onlookers by the road watching with binoculars. The less courageous can hike a more conventional trail to the top and get the great view.

The trail to Angel's Landing in Zion National Park is accessible to any hiker who has the strength for a good uphill climb. The giant monolith sits in the center of Zion Canyon with fabulous views in every direction. There is one catch: Angel's Landing is connected to the main canyon by a narrow neck of land which is about two feet wide at its narrowest point. The drop on EITHER side of the trail is over 1,500 feet straight down! The park service has bolted hand chains onto the rocks for support but folks who are uneasy with heights will often decide to turn around at this point.

• Tom Marusa: I hiked to the end of Angel's Landing in 1996. Truly a terrific hike...
• M. Clayton: An exhilarating hike with great views on top as your reward.

The Hoh Rain Forest in Washington's Olympic National Park can receive up to 400 inches of rain per year. Located west of Seattle, the Olympic Peninsula juts out into one of the Pacific Ocean's fiercest storm tracks. A short distance from the coast the Olympic Mountains acts as a rain barrier, causing enormous amounts of rain to be dumped on the mountains' western base. This has created a "temperate rain forest" with unbelievably lush trees and plant life.

• Kyla Hoffman: The rain forest makes me think, "Life, Growth, and Renewal".

Without a doubt the honor goes to the interior portions of Alaska and northern Canada. During World War II, my father served one winter at an air corps base in Watson Lake, the Yukon. He recollects a cold snap where the temperature went to 70°F (-57°C) below zero. (Photo right, circa 1943.)

The Painted Desert in northeast Arizona lives up to its name. The photo left shows the vast variety of colors decorating this land which consists mainly of mud, sandstone, and volcanic ash. This soft material is very conducive to staining by mineral deposits and mineralized water as well as erosion. The result is a region of very colorful badlands. A close second is Nevada's oldest state park, Valley of Fire State Park noted for its brilliantly red sandstone formations including cliffs and petrified sand dunes. as well as outstanding wildlife. The red color is enhanced late in the day, near sunset.

• Mary Lamphier: ...one of the most colorful highlights of our "historic Route 66" road trip.
• Paul Markowski: Nevada's Valley of Fire State Park has very colorful, deep red scenery.

Located on the edge of Arizona's Painted Desert, Petrified Forest National Park is home to the world's finest collection of fossilized wood. Huge pieces of 225 million year old trees litter the landscape. Many are loaded with beautiful gemstones. The same soft "Chinle" formation which created the Painted Desert also was excellent for preserving ancient plants and animals. Many early dinosaur fossils are found here as well.

• Mary Lamphier: ...the park provided many photo opportunities. I loved the closeups of the petrified wood.

My favorite has always been the Lost Palms Oasis in Joshua Tree National Park. Groves of palm trees and a tiny creek are nestled in a steep, hidden canyon about four miles from the parking lot. After the warm, shadeless walk through the desert, the sudden appearance of the oasis never fails to please. The trail passes through a rugged foothills area with an assortment of hills, ridges, and canyons which make it a very interesting walk.

Arizona's newest wonder can be found at Kartchner Caverns State Park. The park, opened in 1999, presents one of the world's most magnificent caverns. The caverns were not discovered until 1974 and were kept secret until 1988. So, unlike most well-known caves, Kartchner remains in near pristine condition. The state has gone to great lengths to try and keep it that way. It is a unique opportunity for the average person to see the extraordinary wonders of an unspoiled cave.

• Paul Markowski: Lost Dutchman State Park is HOT; SCENIC and very interesting.

For over 200 miles from San Luis Obispo to San Francisco, California Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) closely follows the coast with an endless procession of beaches, bluffs, and rugged cliffs. The Big Sur Coast Highway is the middle of the route and the primary attraction of California's Central Coast. It runs about 100 miles between Ragged Point and Carmel and covers a series of cliffs with unmatched vistas of land and sea. In a fabulous engineering feat, the Pacific Coast Highway has been built onto the cliffs generally about 400 feet above the water. This section of the Pacific Coast Highway is considered by many to be the finest scenic drive in the world.

• Tom Marusa: ...I can see why they call it the "million dollar view".
• Lawana: ...The old highway from Crown Point up the Columbia River Gorge on the Oregon side is hard to beat.
• J. Meyer: Have never been...this picture makes me want to go. The coastline is beautiful...
• Kyla Hoffman: The photo is so colorful, it feels real...

One of the greatest dinosaur fossil deposits of all time was found in northeast Utah near the confluence of the Yampa and Green Rivers. Many articulated dinosaur skeletons were found here and shipped to the world's great museums. It was ultimately decided that this hilltop quarry should be preserved as Dinosaur National Monument. The remaining bones on the surface - which number in the thousands - have been exposed but not removed. The park service provides excellent interpretation.

• M. Clayton: Also, hike out to Harpers Corner (5 star!). Petroglyphs near Rainbow Park.