AAA Traveler - Fall 2015 - 9

The national parks showcase the country's most spectacular landscapes
and wildlife. And perhaps more importantly, the parks preserve these
natural treasures for generations to come.
rom the ancient rock layers of the Grand
Canyon to the newborn soil at Hawaii
Volcanoes National Park, from the icy
peak of Denali to the steamy wetlands of
the Everglades, America's national parks are
home to some of the nation's most diverse
landscapes.

AMERICA'S COWBOY COUNTRY
Cowboy heritage comes to life at the Jackson
Hole Rodeo, where well-worn leather boots and
oversized belt buckles are always in style. At the
end of eight very long seconds it seems all of
Jackson cheers for the rodeo rider who bests his
mount.
Here in Jackson, the heart of the American
West, cowboys still command attention and wide
open spaces still capture the American imagination. Nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains,
Jackson also lies within range of several national
parks.
The soaring, snow-tipped peaks of Grand
Teton National Park tower over Jackson, painting
an impossibly beautiful backdrop. Absorb this
magnificent national park silently, camera in
hand, or seek out a more active encounter on an
afternoon hike around placid Jenny Lake.
Just an hour north lies America's original
national park, Yellowstone. A magical world of
boiling mud pots and hissing fumaroles,
Yellowstone fascinates at every turn. Take a
nature walk with a national park ranger and
you'll soon learn the ins and outs of Yellowstone's
mystifying natural phenomena. In the evening,
settle beneath the covers of one of the charming,
historic Yellowstone lodges overlooking Old
Faithful or Yellowstone Lake.

Departing Yellowstone to the east leads inevitably through one more quintessential cowboy
town: Cody, founded by and named after Buffalo
Bill Cody himself. Cody's award-winning Buffalo
Bill Center of the West houses five distinct museums featuring historic relics and fine art of the
American West. Bronze Remington statues,
Buffalo Bill's fringed leather jacket and intricate
Native American beadwork all share space in this
expansive museum complex.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial marks
the end of this American adventure. The stately
mountainside carving amid the Black Hills of
South Dakota is within an easy drive of this tour's
fourth national park: the haunting peaks and
chasms of Badlands National Park.

THE WILD WEST AND
YELLOWSTONE FAMILY ADVENTURE
The ethereal beauty of the Great Salt Lake
emerges into view as you descend into Salt Lake
City, surrounded by the snow-capped Rocky
Mountains and within sight of the 2002 Winter
Olympic Village.
A journey through the Wasatch Range adds
spectacular beauty to the drive from Salt Lake
City to Wyoming through Idaho, ending with
Jackson Hole and Grand Teton National Park.
Admire the lavender peaks jutting above the countryside or venture out with a hike to Inspiration
Point. A steep footpath leads motivated hikers to
this popular viewpoint, over steps of roots and
rocky outcroppings. Once at the top, a sweeping
view rewards your efforts, with the jagged Tetons
soaring overhead and glassy Jenny Lake below.
Settle beneath the shade of a lodgepole pine and
soak up the view.

Opposite page: Grand Teton sunrise reflecting in beaver pond at Schwabacher Landing

TRAVELER FALL 2015

AAA Traveler - Fall 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AAA Traveler - Fall 2015