Denver

Colorado sits in the southern Rocky Mountains between Utah and Kansas, with Denver as its capital and largest city. People come for the high mountain roads and trails, the 53 peaks above 14,000 feet, and four national parks ranging from Rocky Mountain to Mesa Verde.About six million people live here, most of them along the Front Range Urban Corridor, the string of cities at the eastern edge of the mountains around Denver. West of that line the Rockies rise fast; the highest summit is Mount Elbert at 14,440 feet. To the east the flat prairie of the High Plains begins.The four national parks are spread out across the state: Rocky Mountain (established 1915) northwest of Denver, Great Sand Dunes (2004), Black Canyon of the Gunnison (1999) and Mesa Verde (1906) in the southwest corner.

Arches National Park lies in eastern Utah just north of the town of Moab, about four hours southeast of Salt Lake City. It holds more than 2,000 sandstone arches, and the most famous, including Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch, are within short to moderate hikes of the road.A 19-mile scenic drive runs through the park past the trailheads for the Windows Section, Balanced Rock, Wolfe Ranch and, at the far end, Devils Garden. You'll reach many arches within 15 minutes on foot, but there's almost no shade along the way.Moab as your baseMoab is five minutes from the park entrance and also the base for Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park. It has hotels at every price point, grocery stores, gas and outfitters for jeep, rafting and canyoneering trips. Rooms book up early in the March to October high season.What to know in 2026No timed entry: you don't need an entry reservation in 2026. Expect lines at the entrance on weekends and holidays, and lots that staff close temporarily when they fill up.Still reservation-only: Devils Garden Campground (March through October) and every Fiery Furnace hike, self-guided or ranger-led.Entrance fee: $30 per private vehicle. Arches does not charge the $100 nonresident surcharge. The $55 Southeast Utah Parks annual pass covers Arches, Canyonlands and two national monuments.Heat: July and August highs often pass 100°F. Hike early or late and carry at least two liters of water per person; water is only available at the visitor center.

Moab is a small town of about 5,000 people in eastern Utah, on the Colorado River and US 191, just under four hours' drive southeast of Salt Lake City. It's where you'll stay for Arches National Park, five minutes up the road, and Canyonlands' Island in the Sky district, about 45 minutes away.Main Street doubles as US 191: motels, outfitters, grocery stores and most restaurants are on it or a block or two off it. Jeep, rafting and mountain bike tours leave from here, and in the evening most visitors end up on the Main Street patios after a day on the trail.Good to knowPeak season: March through October, especially around Easter (Jeep Safari) and holiday weekends like Memorial Day and Labor Day. Book rooms and campsites weeks or months ahead.Heat: July and August regularly top 100°F. Hike early in the morning or in the evening.Groceries: City Market on Main Street is the biggest grocery store in the area. Stock up on water and supplies before heading into the parks.

Wyoming borders Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho, and with about 589,000 residents it's the least populous state in the country. You come for the national parks, the mountains, and the old Western towns, and you drive long stretches of nearly empty country in between.In the northwest, Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park sit end to end, linked by the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway. Jackson, at the south end of Grand Teton, is the base for flights, hotels, and restaurants. Gannett Peak, the state's highest summit, rises in the remote Wind River Range.In the northeast, Devils Tower stands 867 feet above its base and 1,267 feet above the Belle Fourche River. Theodore Roosevelt made it the first national monument in 1906. Cody, named for Buffalo Bill, sits on the road to Yellowstone's East Entrance; the capital, Cheyenne, is in the southeast corner.

Island in the Sky is the northern and most accessible district of Utah's Canyonlands National Park, about 32 miles west of Moab. You come for the view: from a mesa top you look roughly 2,200 feet down into the canyons of the Colorado and Green Rivers, and the best overlooks are just minutes from the car.The park splits into three districts that no road inside the park connects. The Needles to the south and the Maze to the west are separate trips; Island in the Sky makes an easy day trip from Moab. One road runs from the visitor center across the mesa to Grand View Point, with a spur to Upheaval Dome.Before you goEntrance fee: $30 per private vehicle. There's no nonresident surcharge here. The $55 Southeast Utah Parks pass also covers Arches.Supplies: no restaurants or gas in the park. Potable water is available at the visitor center only, spring through fall, and there's none on the trails. Fill the tank and pack lunch in Moab.Visitor center: open daily March through December from 9 a.m., with longer summer hours.Combine it: Dead Horse Point State Park is on the way, with its own fee, and its view of the Colorado River's gooseneck is worth the detour.