Summer view of the Yellowtail Dam from the Ok-A-Beh road. (Fort Smith, MT District)
Bighorn Canyon
The vast, wild landscape of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area offers visitors unparalleled opportunities to immerse themselves in the natural world, and experience the wonders of this extraordinary place. With over 120,000 acres, one can find a
Wagon at Register Rock in City of Rocks National Reserve
California
Follow in the footsteps of over 250,000 emigrants who traveled to the gold fields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840s and 1850s: the greatest mass migration in American history. The California National Historic Trail is over 5,000 miles
Devils Tower looming above the trees
Devils Tower
The Tower is an astounding geologic feature that protrudes out of the prairie surrounding the Black Hills. It is considered sacred by Northern Plains Indians and indigenous people. Hundreds of parallel cracks make it one of the finest crack climbing
Sunrises and sunsets are extraordinarily beautiful when set against the many historic structures the site.
Fort Laramie
Originally established as a private fur trading fort in 1834, Fort Laramie evolved into the largest and best known military post on the Northern Plains before its abandonment in 1890. This “grand old post” witnessed the entire sweeping saga of Americ
Knightia eocaena, the most abundant vertebrate fossil in the world, lies exposed near cliff face.
Fossil Butte
Some of the world's best preserved fossils are found in the flat-topped ridges of southwestern Wyoming's cold sagebrush desert. Fossilized fishes, insects, plants, reptiles, birds, and mammals are exceptional for their abundance, variety, and detail
Backpackers in North Fork Cascade Canyon approaching Paintbrush Divide.
Grand Teton
Soaring over a landscape rich with wildlife, pristine lakes, and majestic alpine vistas, the Teton Range stands as a testament to generations of stewards. For over 11,000 years, communities have thrived in the valley known as Jackson Hole, turning th
Echo Canyon on the way from Wyoming to Salt Lake City, Utah is both beautiful and historic.
Mormon Pioneer
Explore the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail across five states to see the 1,300-mile route traveled by Mormons who fled Nauvoo, Illinois, to the Great Salt Lake Valley in 1846-1847.
The Guernsey Ruts in Wyoming feature deeply eroded rock from wagon traffic.
Oregon
Imagine yourself an emigrant headed for Oregon: would promises of lush farmlands and a new beginning lure you to leave home and walk for weeks? More than 2,000 miles of trail ruts and traces can still be seen along the Oregon National Historic Trail
A National Pony Express Association rider poses at Simpson Springs in Utah.
Pony Express
It is hard to believe that young men once rode horses to carry mail from Missouri to California in the unprecedented time of only 10 days. This relay system along the Pony Express National Historic Trail in eight states was the most direct and practi
The bright colors found in Grand Prismatic Spring come from thermophiles—microorganisms that thrive in hot temperatures
Yellowstone
On March 1, 1872, Yellowstone became the first national park for all to enjoy the unique hydrothermal wonders. Today, millions of people come here each year to camp, hike, and enjoy the majesty of the park.