Interesting Great American West facts
Idaho is home to the Selway, one of America’s last truly wild rivers, and to Hells Canyon, the deepest river gorge in North America.
North Dakota’s Rugby is the geographic centre of North America, and Theodore Roosevelt National Park protects some of the state’s most famous badlands.
South Dakota is home to Mount Rushmore, the Badlands and the Black Hills - three of the most searched landscapes in the Great American West.
Wyoming is the least populous state in the United States and the home of Yellowstone, the world’s first national park.
Experience The Great American West
Journey through Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, and the Great American West opens up in front of you. Awe-inspiring scenery, iconic National Parks, legendary history, cowboys, rodeos, ranch life, American Indian culture and the great outdoors. This is the West beyond the usual stops, and every mile of the scenic route feels like a new chapter.
Where to go in the Great American West
Where to go in Idaho - follow the water
Start with the Selway River, winding through some of the wildest country left in the Lower 48, then fan out to glacier-fed lakes in the Sawtooths, the Snake River and the deep cut of Hells Canyon. Idaho’s “where to go” list is written in water: scenic byways beside the shore, trailheads that end at a falls, and quiet towns that grew up on the river. Go for Redfish Lake, the Sawtooth National Recreation Area and any stretch of road that keeps the water in view.
Where to go in North Dakota - breathe the air
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is the place to feel North Dakota’s open air with painted badlands, bison, and a horizon that doesn’t quit. Drive the park loop, walk a stretch of the Maah Daah Hey Trail, and let the Missouri River country unroll under that big, unbroken light. This is where to go when you want space, silence and the West at full breath.
Where to go in South Dakota - feel the earth
South Dakota is the earth under your boots: the Black Hills rising from the plains, the Badlands carved into colour and shadow, granite faces at Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. Base yourself near Rapid City or Custer and thread together Badlands National Park, Custer State Park, the Needles Highway, Spearfish Canyon and Deadwood. It’s iconic ground and the heart of a Black Hills, Badlands & Yellowstone road trip.
Where to go in Wyoming - chase the light
Wyoming is for first light on the Tetons, steam and sun over Yellowstone, and evenings when the ranch country turns gold. Go to Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton, Jackson and Cody, and leave room for a highway with nothing on it but sky. This is where to go for mountain light, geysers, wildlife on the road, and the West as you pictured it.
