Iconic view of the spires and mesas around Monument Valley.
Vast open spaces, big sky, preserved wilderness, solitude, freedom... These are but a few words that come to my mind when I think of the America's west. The best way to see the US is on a road trip and no place is more appropriate than the West.
Route 66 may be the mother road that beacons both Americans and foreign visitors. But it traverses only a small section of the amazing American Southwest. There is a lot more to be seen and experienced. On this page, I will try to mention and show photos of many amazing places, not that off from the Route 66.
Most of this page is devoted to the Southwest and Colorado Plateau because I believe it's the most unique scenery in the US. Pages about enduro motorcycle rides and van life cover more of the Pacific Northwest, Colorado, Idaho, Montana and Canada.
Before the white man got a chance to destroy the natural beauty of the place, large areas were designated as national parks, national monuments and national forests, preserving the natural beauty for the future generations.
Sunset over Lake Powell from Mesa Romana.
Celebrate a good day of riding with a drink and million-dollar view.
Buckskin gulch is hands down, the best long slot canyon around.
Oatman - well-preserved old western town on route 66.
Bottom of the ocean once, uplifted over eons and cut by rivers, shaped by rain and water, today's Colorado Plateau is arguably the most unique scenery found anywhere. This is my favorite part of the US and I can't get enough of it.
Sunrise over Lake Powell.
Even after the sunset, mother nature's show goes on.
Scenic highway 12 near Bryce Canyon NP. The stretch between Escalante and Boulder is one of the most beautiful roads of the Colorado Plateau.
The famous route 66, from Santa Monica, CA to Chichago, goes though parts of the Colorado Plateau.
Route 66 is all about automotive relics from the time long gone.
Stuck in the 50's - Kingman, Arizona.
Bikers, Harley riders in particular, love route 66.
Old cars in Seligman.
Cottonwood canyon road.
One of numerous slot canyons near Lake Powell.
Trying to capture the beauty of the canyon.
Admiring the walls.
Narrows of a slot canyon.
Mike playing a gymnast.
Awkwardly tilted walls..
Floating down Green River.
Dumb and happy, also, too drunk to bother with the paddle.
Overjoyed with the scenery.
It's a steep hike from Colorado river to Dollhouse. Dollhouse section of Canyonlands NP is near the Confluence of Green and Colorado rivers. One day we hiked up and explored this, otherwise hard to reach, part of the national park.
Exploring the Dollhouse.
It is possible to reach the Dollhouse by road. Once I rode there from Hite marina. The last section is in deep sand and it wasn't fun on a heavy motorcycle. Many people ride bicycles, but it's a long way from any water source.
The green meadow ends at the Cataract Canyon.
Trail goes through narrow passages between towering rocks.
Ancient ruins next to Green River.
After heavy rains, desert flowers are blooming.
Another blooming cactus.
Mike took following photos and kindly let me use them on this webpage.
An amazingly red desert flower.
Road-side gift shop near Durango=, Colorado.
Utah is blessed with countless canyons to be explored.
Angel's landing, Zion National Park.
Rock Hotel above Comb wash, off Hwy 95.
Sunset at an old campground at Monument Valley.
Grand Canyon is probably the most well-known feature of the Colorado Plateau, but there are countless other places just as amazing.
Horseshoe Canyon, just outside Page, AZ.
Colorful Bryce Canyon NP.
Zion NP may not be as famous as Yosemite, but it is every bit as beautiful.
Coyote Buttes is an area of exceptional beautify and access is stictly controlled.
The Narrows is the most popular hike in Zion NP.
The Wave.
Delicate arch at twilight.
Natural Bridges monument is easily accessible from highway 95.
Back when it was legal to walk anywhere.
Sunset in Grand Staircase Escalante.
Towering walls of buckskin gulch.
Hiking in Paria river canyon.
White Pockets after a summer storm.
White Pockets.
My favorite camping spot high above Colorado river.
Zebra slot canyon - easily approached and very scenic slot canyon just outside Escalante.
Upper Esalante canyon is another popular hike that starts at the edge of the town.
Mother Nature's art along the trail to Bighorn canyon.
Early morning start of the Little Death Hollow hike.
Picturesque narrows of the Little Death Hollow canyon.
Toroweap - little visited part of the Grand Canyon.
Toadstools between Page and Kanab at sunset.
Buckskin gulch, one of the best slot canyons to hike.
Buckskin gulch.
Admiring colorful walls of a slot canyon.
At the lower calf creek falls.
Island in the sky, Canyonlands NP.
Rocky mountains are the spine of the North American continent. The brathtakingly beautiful alpine scenery of this 4,000+ meter mountain range can be explored on foot, motorcycles and in Jeeps thanks to Colorado's mining legacy'.
An abandoned mine along the Million dollar highway between Ouray and Silverton.
Old mining town in the Rockies in early fall. The best time to experience autumn foliage is around third week of September.
Eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains near Salida, Colorado.
First snow on Pikes peak outside Colorado Springs.
Rainbow at Taylor reservoir in Colorado, a giant playground for anyone enjoying the great outdoors. This place is a paradise for hiking, fishing, hunting, dirt riding, camping, etc.
A deep blue-colored lake on Ice Lakes trail.
One of many lakes high up in San Juan mountains.
A waterfall along the Ice Lakes trail.
Rockies are rich in minerals and many roads were built to remote mining sites. Today, they are heaven for off-road riders. In this photo, I am descenging the Ophir pass in early summer
Fall in Colorado is the best times to visit this place.
A peak next to Independence pass.
Jaggedy peaks near Owl pass.
Campfire under the stars in San Juan mountains.
Million dollar highway snaking its way down to Ouray.
Ice climbing in Canadian Rockies.
Extraterrestrial highway through Nevada desert.
Desert art in Nevada.
US-50 though Nevada is supposed to be loneliest highway in the USA.
Bristlecone pines high up in the Great Basin NP, are the longest living trees in the world, some over 3,000 years old.
Arizona's desert canyons can be full of life and water.
Arizona sunsets are unforgettable.
Death Valley sand sunes.
Nevada desert art.
White Sand Dunes, NM.
Half-Dome basking in setting sun.
Golden Gate - Gateway to America, at least for those coming from Asia.
It's not all desert in the west. There is a chain of mountains running from Alaska down to Mexican border - The Pacific Crest. It is still geologically active and this activity is responsible for many earthquakes and even volcanic eruptions.
The jet stream carries moisture from the northern Pacific down along the western coast. The mountains block most of the storms, hence the desert on the east side of the Pacific Crest. The west side gets all the rain and is very lush. There is even temperate rainforest on the Olympic peninsula.
One of my favorite camping spots along California's Big Sur' - high above the clouds covering the Pacific ocean.
Glacier point, Yosemite - the best place to admire the glacier-carved valley and surrounding high country.
At the botto, of the valley, with Middle Cathedral rock behing. One of 50 classic rock climbing routes goes up the left buttress.
Yosemite falls.
California Redwoods.
Riding towards Tioga pass near Tenaya lake.
Giant California Redwoods grow only in a narrow strip near the ocean.
Atop the Half Dome, Yosemite.
Hi-exposure yoga.
High Sierras, with many 14,000+ ft peaks is a heaven for hikers.
Tahquitz - a premier rock climbing spot just outside Los Angeles.
At the end of a long day of climbing Clyde Minaret.
Paragliding at the wild coast - a desolate part of the California's coastline.
Drinks with 100,000 year old ice is just one of the things to do when visiting Alaska's glaciers.