6 Things to Do in the Intermountain West

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The Mountain West is a great place to visit for both individuals and families . We offer six great ideas for your next trip to the Mountain west. Our suggestions range from hiking to ideas for hot springs to visit.

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Trips to the Mountain West, Montana Vacations, Idaho Vacations, Wyoming Family vacations, Colorado Vacations, Nevada Vacations

The Mountain west consists of the states Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada and Utah. Although all of these states are known for for their natural beauty there are many aspects of this area that most people do not often tour but are certainly worthy of attention. If you have the time and ability then make a point of visiting at least one of these attractions on your next trip.

1. Visit the Thermal Springs- This geographic area has a large amount of thermic activity which has resulted in a a lot of mineral hot pools in this region. From homey to opulent there is a pool for every taste. For those that are like simplicity then White Sulfur Springs Hotel is the perfect place for you. Those that like more of a resort feel, check out some of the hot springs that Colorado has to offer.

2. Hunt for Pictographs- The archaic Indians of the Mountain west were extremely expressive, and a a lot of there 4000 year old art can still be seen today, chipped into rock surfaces across the area. For a quick tour, Fremont State Park in Utah has a great trail and interpretive center, for those that enjoy walking Grand Gulch in Utah is a great place to explore.

3. Tour the Smaller National Recreation Areas- If you have not been to Glacier, then by all means you should see there first, but for those of you that have already done the main circuit of parks in the west you might think about stopping by the less famous ones. Cumulatively, the west has over 50 National sites, and many of the state have outstandinglocal park systems as well.

4. See the Local Museums (as well as the most popular ones)- A lot of the most interesting museums are those that are not on the map, like the town museum in Three Forks, Montana in which the local people gathered paraphernalia from their town spanning a 100 years. Of course, some of the more famous museums are worth visiting as well, such as the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, Wyoming. This museum has five separate galleries which cover some aspect of the west such as Indians of the West or Modern Western Art.

5. Go Skiing- Western summers are famous, but we also have the best powder around. For those of you that are not interested in trying downhill skiing, you might try cross-country. The Sun Valley of Idaho has great trails another great option the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest in Montana.

6. Hike to a Mountain Lake this summer– The mountains of the west are full of small and secluded lakes. A lot of them are well known but a number of the most beautiful are off the main tourist track and frequently require a difficult or even overnight backpack to reach. One of our favorites is Island Lake in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming. This mountain lake is surrounded by giant cliffs and jagged mountain peaks that were created by the retreqating glaciers of the last ice age. The Wind River mnts. are well known for fishing and backpacking opportunities. Another fantastic place to visit in the Wind Rivers is Lonsome lake located near the Cirque of the Towers in the southern section of the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming.

As you can tell, there are a many great things that you could do in the mountain west, beyond the old car tour. Any of the above iteneraies will not only take you to the heart of the true West but provide you with many happy memories for a long time to come.