Do you feel the call of the open road? When you take a moment to consider the sheer vastness of the natural beauty of America, do your hairs stand on end? You can’t quite place it but there’s something pulling you towards it. Some indefatigable thing that drives…no…compels you to set out on that ol’ dusty trail called adventure? To you and me, it feels like the precipice of everything you’ve ever wanted. To us it represents freedom. It represents the ability to shed our hangups. To shrug off our notions about what society thinks we should be doing, and for once truly and purposefully living for ourselves. That’s right, though it seems small initially, camping in a sprinter van can change your entire relationship with nature. And once that relationship changes and you commune long enough with nature. Like magic, your entire perspective begins to shift. You reevaluate your life. You realize how petty some of those arguments were. How unnecessary hanging onto those bad feelings has become. You have some fundamental realizations about who you are and what you want, that will inform you for the rest of your life. So in that spirit, the least we can do for ourselves is pick a couple of pieces of incredible scenery to change your life to! So let’s pack our bags, throw our supplies on our sprinter roof rack and explore some of the best places to travel this Summer!
Yucking It Up at Yellowstone!
Wyoming is one of the most beautiful places in all of the United States. Featuring mass acreage of sprawling land, this is a state that’s ripe with all sorts of natural beauty. Not the least of which is Yellowstone National Park! Yellowstone is located in the northwest corner of Wyoming, but also extends into parts of Idaho, and Montana. It’s a magnificently special place, that includes some of the greatest natural wonders America has to offer. I specifically suggest visiting the prismatic lake in the Yellowstone Caldera. Yellowstone sits right on top of an active supervolcano. Now, there’s no need to worry. Chances are you won’t get swept up in an eruption. But you can check out most of the boiler’s thermal features! If that’s not your cup of tea I suggest taking a gander over at Old Faithful! Old Faithful is one of the most active geysers in the United States and is a staple of tourism for Yellowstone. Due to a miraculous combination of math and science, the geyser erupts in 65-95 minute intervals. Meaning that if you’re planning on staying in the park you’ll have plenty of chances to catch it! Now our final feature for Yellowstone is only for some of our most daring readers. We’re talking of course about Halfdome. Halfdome is a 17-mile hiking trail that is strenuous, to say the least. If you’re not in a great shape, I don’t suggest this. But if you’re an advanced and adventurous hiker, then I have to recommend it. Because cresting Halfdome is like no other experience within the park!
Catch Some Z’s in Zion!
For our next entry let’s move on down south over to Utah, to take a glimpse at wondrous canyon cliffs, and the countryside of Zion National Park! Located in the southwest corner of Utah, Zion is a national park that is bar none, one of the most beautiful places in all of the US. And though it doesn’t feature some of the same flashes, as Yellowstone before it. All it takes is one peek of the view from Angel’s Landing, and you’ll know that this place is a little slice of heaven. One of the most interesting features of the park is its magnificent canyon. The canyon is about 15 miles long and creates some of the most arresting natural beauty on the planet! It’s a site that is not to be missed by anyone chasing the beauty of the United States!
Say Yes To Yosemite!
Lastly, on our list let’s check out one of the most interesting locales in California. No, I’m not talking about LA. I’m talking about Yosemite National Park, a place where the real stars come out at night! Yosemite is located right between the Sierra Nevada forest, and the Stanislaus forest. This makes Yosemite perfect for any of our more forestry-focused nature lovers out there! Now as far as activities go, I’m not gonna recommend climbing the narrows. But there are tons of hiking trails, and just an overall great vibe to get lost in!
If you’re looking for adventure, sometimes the best call is to set out on the open road and find it! So don’t wait, grab your gear, and find what you’re looking for out in the great outdoors!
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism