Page 16 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Southwest USA & National Parks

14  INTRODUCING THE SOUTHWEST DISC OVERING THE SOUTHWEST  15

Two Weeks in (pp156–7). Hiking the Navajo (p146), hike the short trail to
the Southwest Loop takes you into the heart Mesa Arch, and take in sweeping
of this labyrinth of towering views over the mighty canyons
• Airports Fly in and out of pinnacles, while Sunset Point carved by the Green and
McCarran International offers an evening vista of the Colorado rivers. Stop off on your
Airport in Las Vegas. vast desert ahead. way back to admire the similarly
• Transport A rental car dramatic viewpoints at Dead
is essential. Day 5: Calf Creek Falls and Horse Point State Park (p147).
Capitol Reef National Park
• Booking ahead The in-
park lodges in Zion, Bryce Continue east along Hwy 12, To extend your trip…
Canyon, and Grand Canyon a stunning route through the Tour the remoter areas
tend to get booked up as wilderness of Grand Staircase– of the park – Horseshoe
much as a year in advance. Escalante National Monument Canyon and the Needles
(p152). Hike to the iridescent District (p146); each takes
waters of Calf Creek Falls (p151); a day to reach and explore.
then, back on the road, cross
the knife-edge Hogsback (p151)
to reach Torrey (see p241), the Day 8: Telluride and the
next night’s stopover, just west San Juan Skyway
of the forbidding 100-mile Drive east into Colorado from La The ruins of Cliff Palace, huddled beneath an overhang at Mesa Verde National Park
(160-km) wall of rock at Capitol Sal Junction, south of Moab, to
Reef National Park (p150). the Rocky Mountains. After lunch capital of the West, then climb where the ancient pueblo of canyon along Hermit Road
in the rugged-chic resort of into the forested tablelands Betatakin can be visited on (p66), and try to catch the
Day 6: Goblin Valley and Telluride (p183), follow the San above the Montezuma Valley guided hikes. Then press on to sunset at Hopi Point (p63).
Arches National Park Juan Skyway (p182) up amid to reach Mesa Verde National the South Rim of the Grand
Beyond the clay badlands that the snow-crested peaks, to the Park (pp184–5). In cliff-top Canyon (p64), where you’ll Day 13: Flagstaff
lie east of Capitol Reef, the former mining town of Ouray alcoves here, almost 1,000 years enter the national park at Head southeast to the buzzing
bizarre rock formations of little- (p183), then cross the 11,000-ft ago, the Ancestral Puebloans Desert View (p67). Visit sites pioneer town of Flagstaff
known Goblin Valley State (3350-m) Red Mountain Pass and constructed dwellings such along Desert View Drive, (pp70–72), and enjoy its many
Park (p147) resemble fairy-tale drop back down to the Wild- as Balcony House and the including Tusayan Ruin (p65) Route 66 relics. Allow a couple
monsters. Farther north, visit the West outpost of Silverton (p183). beautiful Cliff Palace. and the South Rim’s highest of hours to visit the stimulating
The orange and red sandstone spires of museum dedicated to pioneer overlook, Grandview Point Museum of Northern Arizona
Bryce Canyon National Park river-rafter John Wesley Powell To extend your trip… Day 10: Hovenweep and (p67), then spend the night in (p72), and venture a few miles
in the town of Green River Stay an extra night to ride Monument Valley Grand Canyon Village (p66). east to see the ancient ruins in
Days 1 and 2: Las Vegas (p147). Southeast of there, a steam train through the Accessed via remote backroads Walnut Canyon National
See the city itinerary on p12. Arches National Park (pp144–5) scenic high-mountain in Utah’s southeastern corner, Day 12: Grand Canyon Monument (p73).
holds the world’s largest array of Rockies on the Durango & Hovenweep National South Rim
Day 3: Zion National Park naturally formed stone arches, Silverton Narrow Gauge Monument (p176) preserves To make the most of a full day Day 14: Las Vegas
Head northeast from Las Vegas while nearby Moab (p145) Railroad (p183). a collection of mysterious on the South Rim, and minimize Take time on the long route
in the morning to reach your makes a lively overnight base. masonry towers, perched exposure to the desert sun, back to Las Vegas to drive the
lodgings in or near beautiful Zion on the rims of sandy gullies. set off early to hike the Bright final remaining segment of
Canyon (pp158–9) by lunchtime. Day 7: Canyonlands Day 9: Mesa Verde National Southwest from here, and Angel Trail (p67) down into the Route 66 (pp54–5), stopping
Ride the park shuttle buses the National Park Park via Durango familiar from a thousand canyon; don’t try to reach the in Seligman, and to plumb the
full length of the canyon, then Stay another night in Moab, and Head west from Durango movies, Monument Valley Colorado River, and turn back depths of the colossal Hoover
follow the short River Walk to visit the Island in the Sky District (p183), a Victorian frontier town (pp168–9) represents the Wild well before you’re tired. Spend Dam (p124), on the Arizona/
see the Virgin River emerge of Canyonlands National Park that is now the mountain-bike West at its most majestic; the afternoon touring the Nevada border.
from the mouth of the Narrows. spending a night there may be
the highlight of your entire trip.
To extend your trip…
Spend a day on the To extend your trip…
North Rim of the Grand Head southeast to Canyon
Canyon (p67), spotting de Chelly Nation al
inner-canyon landmarks Monument (pp172–5),
from Cape Royal Drive. where two canyons are
lined with stunning
Ancestral Puebloan ruins.
Day 4: Bryce Canyon
National Park
Tunnel your way east out of Day 11: Navajo National
Zion via the extraordinary Zion– Monument and Grand
Mt. Carmel Highway (p159), Canyon South Rim
then head north to spend the As you continue west, take
night near the fiery red-rock a tiny detour to see Navajo
hoodoos of Bryce Canyon Delicate Arch, one of the most spectacular of the 80 arches in Arches National Park, Utah National Monument (p170), The South Rim of the Colorado River winding through the Grand Canyon
For practical information on traveling around the Southwest, see pp286–91

012-015_EW_SW_USA.indd 14 28/11/17 12:38 PM 012-015_EW_SW_USA.indd 15 28/11/17 12:38 PM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Country itinerary template “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v1)
Date 15th January 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm