Explore natural stone arches, balancing rocks and spires at the Arches National Park and at Mesa Verde discover ancient Indian cliff dwellings. With a native guide, learn about the Navajo legends in Monument Valley and be captivated by the splendour of the Grand Canyon. Camp inside Yellowstone National Park and see the astounding array of elk and rare bears and stunning waterfalls.

Highlights

Grand Canyon–Discover the massive 1609m deep and 446km long Grand Canyon. Explore the south rim by car along Desert View Drive or hike along the Rim Trail. To the north, drive up the winding scenic road to Point Imperial, the highest point on the North Rim at more than 2400m above sea level. Overlook the Painted Desert and the eastern end of Grand Canyon. Or from Cape Royal take in a wide panorama up, down and across the canyon, best at sunrise and sunset. From Bright Angel Point, take a short easy walk out to the spine of the ridge and enjoy a classic view of the canyon, or try the (expensive) glass-bottomed Grand Canyon Skywalk at Grand Canyon West to enjoy spectacular views across the desert spires and buttes. For a bird’s-eye view, take to the air in a fixed wing or helicopter flight seeing tour through Dragon Corridor.

Colorado River -If you’re feeling energetic, take a two-day hike to the Colorado River and back from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon (it’s a five-hour return drive). Experience an outdoors cowboy-style dinner on the banks of the Colorado River then cruise downriver after sunset. Experience the history of Moab and the Colorado River in a sound and light show or float the currents downstream on a raft.

Arches National Park-Drive to and walk around the famous red arches of Entrada sandstone; enjoy stunning views of red rock canyons, balancing rocks and the largest number of natural stone arches in the world. Discover Park Avenue and Courthouse Towers – monolithic spires and ridges of rock standing isolated in mainly flat terrain, and then explore on foot the arches of Double Arch, Cove Arch and Balanced Rock. Carefully walk across the small, swaying suspension bridge to Delicate Arch, perhaps the most famous arch in the park, perched precariously on the edge of a small canyon. Take a guided tour around Fiery Furnace – an intricate maze of narrow gullies and eroded red and cream-colored ridges – and Landscape Arch, the longest arch in the world.

Monument Valley-Surrounded by empty, sandy desert, the isolated red mesas and buttes of Monument Valley are perhaps the most enduring and definitive images of the American West. If the twin East and West Mittens Buttes, the Totem Pole and the Ear of the Wind arch seem familiar, you’re right; they’ve been filmed and photographed countless times over the years for movies, advertisements and holiday brochures. Drive on a 4WD guided tour through the wide, flat, desolate landscape or tour the park and nearby Mystery Valley on horseback, just like a cowboy. As you ride through the Navajo Nation Reservation you will see ancient cave and cliff dwellings, natural arches and petroglyphs. Hobble your mount and camp overnight beneath the stars.

Mesa Verde National Park-Discover the ruins of Mesa Verde, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and regarded as the most famous archaeological site in the US. Stroll around the well-preserved cliff dwellings – more than 4000 separate ruins, many of them built under steep, overhanging cliffs in narrow canyons. Walk along a short trail and climb up a wooden ladder into Cliff Palace. Explore the many towers, houses and circular kivas (ceremonial gathering places). Then hike up a steep foot trail into Spruce Tree Canyon to view yet more ruins and perhaps get an insight into the daily lives of the ancient Anasazi Indians who lived in these canyon walls from 550 to 1250 AD.

Bryce Canyon National Park-Explore the dozen ravines of bizarre and fragile rock formations in many subtle shades of pink, white, yellow and red. Hike along the short Bristlecone Loop Trail to admire 1600-year-old bristlecone pines – the longest-lived species of trees in the world.

Hovenweep National Monument-Explore prehistoric ruined villages dating from the Pueblo period of the mid-13th century in a remote and somewhat forgotten part of the southwest. Hike the 2.5km trail and wander around the buff-colored Dakota sandstone ruins of Hovenweep Castle, with several rooms and towers and the two-storey Square Tower – a tall and elegant column rising from the canyon floor.

Mount Rushmore-As a lasting memorial to American history, the faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln look down from their stony heights, carved into the south-east face of a mountain in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Spot the turkey vultures, bald eagles, hawks and meadowlarks flying around Mount Rushmore and occasionally making nesting spots in the ledges of the mountain.

Yellowstone National Park-Located in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, the park is home to a large variety of wildlife including grizzly bears, wolves, bison and elk. Stroll to the edge of Old Faithful, one of the most popular geysers in the world, and discover hundreds of other geysers and hot springs. Spot bears and wolves, elk and buffalo in the Lamar and Hayden valleys. Hike or cycle along just a few of the 1770km of trails available – just watch out for those bears: seriously!

Best time to go

Any time, but temperatures vary wildly throughout the year, with summer highs in the desert exceeding 38˚C and winter minimum temperatures dropping to -17.8˚C. Check with your Flight Centre travel consultant when planning your trip.