Painted Canyons of the West

Located on desert land on the Colorado Plateau, the Colorado National Monument hosts a variety of wildlife, including red-tailed hawks, golden eagles, ravens, desert bighorn sheep and coyotes. The area was first explored by John Otto in the early 20th century, when many residents believed the canyons to be inaccessible to humans. The park was then established on May 24, 1911. Today, many come to hike, horseback ride, bicycle and take scenic drives through the park.

Spend two nights in the picturesque desert town of Moab, Utah, a popular base camp for those seeking to explore both Arches and Canyonlands national parks. You’ll have ample time to do some exploring of the city and the national parks yourself.

Located along the Colorado River, Arches National Park contains over 2,000 natural sandstone arches. One of the most famous attractions in the park is Delicate Arch, which is known worldwide. The national park lies atop an underground salt bed, which is the main cause of the formation of the arches. Humans occupied the region from the last ice age 10,000 years ago up until about 700 years ago. Today, visitors come not only for the view but to hike and rock climb as well.

The Canyonlands National Park preserves a colorful landscape eroded into canyons, mesas and buttes by the Colorado River. The park is divided into four districts: the Island in the Sky, the Needles, the Maze and the rivers themselves. The park was first established in 1964 and is now visited by over 450,000 people in a year. Canyonlands is a popular recreational destination. The trails are welcome to hikers, mountain bikers, backpackers and four-wheelers, and the rivers are welcome to rafters and kayakers.

Stand atop the sheer sandstone cliffs of Dead Horse Point State Park, and take in awe-inspiring views of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park. Legend says the point was used as a corral for wild mustangs that roamed the mesa top.

Travel to Capitol Reef National Park, filled with colorful sandstone geological formations, and named in part for the white Navajo Sandstone formations that resemble the U.S. Capitol building.

A small national park in southwestern Utah, Bryce Canyon is named after the Mormon pioneer Ebenezer Bryce, and became a national park in 1928. Known for its unique geology, consisting of a series of horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters, slot canyons, windows, fins, and spires called "hoodoos", Bryce is a virtual stone forest tinted with colors too numerous and subtle to name.

As Utah's first national park, Zion became a national park in 1919. The word Zion translates from Hebrew as a place of safety or refuge. This area has been settled by people since 6000 BC and became home to Mormon pioneers in the 1860s. A staggering mix of canyons and sandstone mountains, Zion today welcomes over 3 million visitors a year and is Utah's most visited national park.

A desert oasis, Las Vegas is also known as "Sin City". With the legalization of gambling in Nevada in 1931, Las Vegas became a hotspot for casino owners. Today, it bills itself as the "Entertainment Capital of the World" with its mega-casinos and entertainment venues.