Adventure Outside of Your State

Some of the greatest cities in the West are also those with spectacular scenery just a stone’s throw from the friendly confines of city limits. Outside of San Francisco, the Marin Headlands, the John Muir Woods, the coast of Point Reyes. Outside of Los Angeles, the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains. Salt Lake City has the Wasatch Front, Denver the entire Rocky Mountain Front, not to mention the disproportionately favorable endowment in the western part of the state. Portland has the Gorge. Seattle has Olympic National Park and the northern Cascades.

Wait, what were we talking about?

It turns out there are actually large, unbroken stretches of land in between these places, and in these places are more things. Sure, you’re more than welcome to visit Yosemite Falls for the thousandth time, and you would be right to do so—especially these days, when falls in the nation’s flagship park turn into fire and winter snows begin their runoff, when water cascades 2,000 feet like the flowing strands of a horse’s tail at full gallop.

But here’s a novel idea: Try something new. The interior West has huge tracts of land to explore. While the drive might be a little unbearable at times, depending on the company you keep—we recommend the Irish—beyond the border are once-in-a-lifetime adventures. Choose wisely, and you’ll find wild lands of comparable spectacle as those with more renown at a fraction of the hassle. Or, if that’s your thing, more of a hassle. We all have our style.

So it goes in this week’s edition of the #52WeekAdventure campaign. Get out there and cross state lines into a land of oblivion. We will guide you through the promised land.