Rev up your engines for The Great American West

North Dakota 

Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit Scenic Byway 

Memorialising the former president whose passion for conservation sparked a protected network of wild spaces, Theodore Roosevelt National Park covers a swathe of the North Dakota Badlands he once adored. The park’s 22km-long North Unit Scenic Byway encapsulates some of the finest views of its lesser-visited upper half, beginning at the entrance station and winding through the colourful rock formations of the Badlands. The scenery shifts as you drive and you’ll spot bison patrolling the prairie and wild horses galloping through the grasslands, among other wildlife including bighorn sheep and elk. There are ample opportunities to stop along the way, whether it’s for a hike along woodland on the Little Mo Nature Trail or pausing at the River Bend Overlook for a panorama over the Little Missouri River snaking through the rugged valley. The drive ends in spectacular fashion, looking out over a sweeping gorge and endless grasslands from Oxbow Overlook. 

Enchanted Highway 

From a fleeting glimpse, the Enchanted Highway is just like any other normal road in the USA. But as its name suggests, it’s anything but. Along the way you will pass quirky sights including giant pheasants, grasshoppers, leaping deer and an oversized family all made from scrap metal. These huge sculptures are the inventions of former school principal Gary Greff, who created them after becoming worried his small hometown of Regent would suffer the same ‘brain drain’ exodus fellow Midwest towns had experienced. So, he adopted a ‘build it and they will come’ attitude, fashioning seven pieces of art to be placed along the 51km-long Enchanted Highway. And come they did, with thousands of visitors coming to this corner of rural North Dakota every year. Now, it can be your turn to be surprised by what you can find along the roadside. 

Turtle Mountain Scenic Byway 

Sounding more like a racetrack in Mario Kart, the pristine landscapes you’ll encounter along the 85km-long Turtle Mountain Scenic Byway are so good you’ll think they could only have been created by Nintendo’s most talented graphic designers. But the rolling pastures, forested hills and glassy lakes are 100 per cent nature’s handiwork and, lying just a few miles from the Canadian border, you’ll feel as far removed from human contact as anywhere in the country. While the deer, elk and moose which wander the boreal forests, wide-open prairie and glacial moraine deservedly take the limelight, there are still man-made wonders worth stopping for – Horizons is North Dakota’s modern take on Stonehenge, while Coghlan Castle has its roots in Irish immigrants. The Turtle Mountain Scenic Byway isn’t a route that should be raced. This is one that needs to be enjoyed slowly, soaking up the unspoiled views as you go. 

South Dakota 

Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway 

The phrase ‘taking the scenic route’ was made for the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway. A collection of routes in the shape of a squashed 112km figure-of-eight rather than one single road, it’s a minor miracle it even exists. The fact it does is down to the steadfast vision of conservationist and senator Peter Norbeck, who planned the construction of Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road (two of the roads the byway encompasses), defying popular opinion it couldn’t be done. The result is an eye-popping medley of pigtail-shaped bridges, hairpin bends and tunnels cut out of granite, all designed to pull you closer to the thick pine forests, creeks and beguiling rock formations of the Black Hills than you thought possible from inside a car. It’s a drive that deserves all the time you can spare it. Indeed, Norbeck put it perfectly himself: “You’re not supposed to drive here at 60 miles an hour. To do the scenery half justice, people should drive 20 or under; to do it full justice, they should get out and walk.” 

Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway 

In truth, everywhere in the Black Hills makes for a picturesque road trip but one of its most attractive is also one of its least celebrated: Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway. Vertiginous limestone cliffs, gurgling streams and dense deciduous forest keep you company on this 30km route but the real beauty is the amount of pitstops you can make along the way. Dozens of stop-offs give you prime access to a multitude of trails that take you to several of the route’s highlights, including a trio of cascading waterfalls: Bridal Veil, Roughlock and Spearfish. Hikers can really get their fix wherever they stop, whether it’s exploring side canyons such as Iron Creek or Eleventh Hour Gulch (the latter named because it only receives one hour of sunlight a day) or taking an ominous dip in Devil’s Bathtub. To really see Spearfish Canyon at its best go in autumn, where it will be painted in streaks of crimson, orange and gold. 

Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway 

At 62km long, you could drive the length of the Badlands Loop State Scenic Byway in an hour. But as the road twists and turns through a sea of otherworldly rocky buttes, mounds and pinnacles in Badlands National Park, each one layered with multicoloured minerals, no-one ever does. No less than 16 designated overlooks afford widescreen views over this lunar-like landscape and we wouldn’t blame you if you stopped at each and every one. Even when you’re driving it’ll be hard enough to keep your eyes on the road but try to ensure you do, as pronghorn antelope, mule deer and prairie dogs can commonly be seen crossing the byway. If you’re lucky, you might even see a black-footed ferret – one of North America’s most endangered animals. It’s a wilderness that stimulates curiosity and the Ben Reifel Visitor Center is a wealthy source of information and ranger-led hikes around the park. 

Idaho 

Lake Coeur d’Alene Scenic Byway 

Carved out of the rock by melting glaciers during the last ice age, Coeur d’Alene was a hotbed for silver and gold mining in the late 19th century. Today, visitors are drawn for something just as valuable – its wilds – and the lake’s namesake scenic byway is the best way to see it. Tracing a 58km-long stretch of its eastern shore, the lake’s deep blue beauty is always kept in full view while on the other side of the road, there’s the chance of spotting black bears, white-tailed deer and elk roaming in-between the giant cedars carpeting the steep banks. Several switchbacks take you high above the lake, where you can pause to soak up eye-popping panoramas of Wolf Lodge and Beauty Bay. The lake is a summer hotspot for many Americans but if you choose to get behind the wheel in winter (December and January), you’ll be rewarded with sightings of bald eagles and ospreys fishing for salmon. 

International Selkirk Loop 

North America’s only multinational drive, the International Selkirk Loop comprises 12 different roads which create an epic 450km-long circuit which weaves through Idaho and Washington states, before skipping into British Columbia in Canada and back again. Panhandle Historic Rivers Passage is one of two roads on the loop which pass through Idaho, running alongside the slumbersome Pend Oreille River where you can hop off to go kayaking or swimming in the summer and ice fishing and snowmobiling in winter. Head north and you’ll join the Wild Horse Trail Scenic Byway, which follows a trail made by the native Kootenai tribe over hundreds of years as they made a once-yearly beeline for the rich fishing waters of Lake Pend Oreille. Glassy lakes, rivers and ancient cedar groves accompany you along the way, before you trace the Selkirk Mountains further into British Columbia and Washington to complete the loop. 

Sawtooth Scenic Byway 

This 185km route between Shoshone and Stanley is one of the few road trips that will catch your eye just as much after dark as it does during the day. That’s because a portion of it cuts through the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve (the first of its kind in the USA) between Ketchum and the Craters of the Moon National Monument, so every night sky here is filled with stars. During daylight hours the drive is no less impressive and you’ll wind past wildflower meadows, cloud-baiting peaks and rushing rivers. The route throws up surprising variety along the way, from the sleepy town of Ketchum, a favourite retreat for A-listers and the final resting place of Ernest Hemingway, to Galena Summit, which boasts panoramic views of the Sawtooth peaks from the highest paved road in the Midwest. End at Redfish Lake, where you can kayak, sail and paddleboard its alpine waters. 

Montana 

Going-to-the-Sun Road 

Nature is seldom measured by statistics but until you lay eyes on it, the very fact it boasts 2,000 lakes, over 2,500km of rivers and was carved by glacial activity 20,000 years ago is the best way to describe the colossus that is Glacier National Park. It deserves a road to match and thankfully it does in the shape of the 80km-long Going-to-the-Sun Road. It traverses the park from west to east, taking in every kind of landscape imaginable, including snow-topped mountains, toothpaste-blue lakes surrounded by emerald forest and waterfalls seeping from rocky cliffs. The road itself is an engineering marvel, manoeuvring through narrow passes, hugging rugged mountain slopes, passing under waterfall curtains and skirting around lakes. As you’d expect in a wilderness this large, there are plenty of places for you to jump out, lace up your hiking boots and take to a trail that heads deep into cedar groves or atop a rocky cliff for wide-ranging views of white-streaked peaks and alpine meadows. 

Beartooth Highway 

As you look out over the sweeping Rock Creek Canyon and snow-capped Hellroaring Plateau in the distance from high above, you’ll struggle to fathom how vistas as dramatic as this can be reached with minimal effort. But that is the allure of the over 100km-long Beartooth Highway and you’ll find yourself glued to the ever-shifting scenery as you motor along, this drive expertly blurring the boundaries between alpine meadows, rocky plateaus pooled with glacial lakes and tunnel-like forested valleys. The road reaches highs of over 3,000 metres in both Montana and Wyoming – the loftiest highway in either state – so you’ll be guaranteed the best vantage point all the way along. Keep your eyes peeled for grizzly and black bears, wolves and moose but the driving matches the wildlife for excitement: thrilling switchbacks will allow you to climb the Beartooth Mountains to viewpoints such as the Clay Butte Lookout Tower and Rock Creek Vista Point with ease.  

Flathead Valley Scenic Drive 

If you want a road trip that gives you a rich mix of Montana’s history, landscapes and adventurous side, then the Flathead Valley Scenic Drive is it. You’ll tick off highways 35, 93 and 2 on your journey, beginning among the art galleries, fine restaurants and boutiques of Bigfork. The town lies on the shores of Flathead Lake, the country’s largest freshwater lake west of Mississippi, which in summer is a hotspot for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding, as well as cycling and hiking into the jade-hued forest from its banks. Then, carry on Highway 35 to Kalispell, a town founded by Charles Conrad, a pioneering tradesman who made his fortune along the Missouri River. Today, his former family home, Conrad Mansion, is one of the finest examples of Victorian-era architecture in Montana and has become an interesting museum. Continue north from Kalispell to finish in Whitefish, a town made for those who adore the outdoors. There’s something going on here whatever time of year, whether it’s hiking through thick woodland in summer or hitting the ski slopes in winter. 

Wyoming 

Wind River Canyon Scenic Byway 

For raw natural grandeur, Wind River Canyon Scenic Byway is one of the country’s best road trips. The yellow and red stripes of the Owl Creek Mountains will be dramatic enough but as you head into the canyon itself you’ll realise that’s just the tip of the iceberg. You’ll find yourself snaking alongside canyon walls that rise as high as 760 metres, the route running shoulder to shoulder with some of the oldest rock formations on the planet, dating back nearly three billion years ago to the Precambrian period. On your left, the Wind River rages and you might motor alongside rafters battling the white waters and fly fishermen hoping to pluck a trout out of the rapids. Emerging out of the canyon, you’ll reach the byway’s end point: Thermopolis and Hot Springs State Park, one of the world’s largest natural hot springs. It was a favourite place to relax for the Shoshone and Arahapo tribes and when they finally had to surrender it to European traders, they ensured a treaty was signed to keep it free for public use indefinitely. 

Snowy Range Scenic Byway 

With a history dating back around 150 years, the 46km-long Snowy Range Scenic Byway began life as a wagon road, before being paved in the 1930s and then inducted as the USA’s second scenic byway in 1988. It’s one of Wyoming’s shortest scenic byways (both in length and its accessibility, only being open from May to November each year due to the snow), which makes it all the more remarkable that it squeezes in so many varied vistas. It begins among sagebrush and spruce forest before rising to alpine wildflower meadows and the snow-covered mountains the road takes its name from. Several viewpoints are ‘musts’ for pausing at, including the perfect reflection of Medicine Bow Peak in the glacier-fed Lake Marie and Mirror Lake. The Snowy Range Observation Point has a trail laced with fascinating mining history but perhaps the finest panorama is saved for the byway’s highest point at Libby Flats (at over 3,040 metres high), where yellow-bellied marmots are your only obstacle to a flawless view of several rugged mountain ranges. 

Bighorn Scenic Byway 

Bisecting Bighorn National Forest, the 93km-long Bighorn Scenic Byway is your ticket to experiencing some of Wyoming’s most diverse landscapes in one hit. You’ll wind over the crest of the Bighorn Mountains – a sister range to the Rocky Mountains – and check off verdant forest, lush meadows, yawning canyons and limestone outcrops as you drive. If you head from west to east, it won’t take you long to meet one of the forest’s stars, the 37 metre-high Shell Falls. Nature trails here afford you a wider exploration of Shell Canyon, where you can spy moose and mule deer, as well as rich birdlife such as water ouzels, mountain bluebirds and mourning doves. After exiting the forest’s eastern fringes, spare some time for a detour to Sheridan, a town that looks like it’s been authentically ripped from a Wild West movie. Its roots are firmly in ranching (you’ll see working cowboys around the town) but Sheridan is also progressive, becoming one of the country’s premier polo-playing locations and connoisseurs of craft beer, wine and spirits.

Spring

Hiking in South Dakota

The Great American West isn’t short of hiking paths and some of its most dramatic are found in South Dakota. While Good Earth at Blood Run is its newest state park, its 10km of trails weave through pristine prairie and woodland that was once home for Native American tribes as early as 1300. Today, you’ll be joined by nearly 200 different species of birds, with bobolinks, American redstarts and yellow warblers especially prevalent in spring. In fact, Good Earth is just one of many great places for hiking in eastern South Dakota; walking routes will have you twisting through striking quartzite formations in Palisades State Park or following in the horse hooves of legendary outlaw Jesse James at Devil’s Gulch.

Wildlife watching in Wyoming

Every season at Yellowstone National Park throws up a different experience but spring represents one of its most dynamic times to visit for wildlife watching. It’s something of a reawakening for the park, where many of its larger mammals emerge from hibernation. Grizzly bears typically appear from their dens in March, followed by black bears in April, along with wolves, making spring the best time to spot this trio of animals in Yellowstone. Spring is also the season for calving, with bison, elk and moose all typically giving birth to their young, while a look up the skies will have you glimpsing migratory birds such as bluebirds, meadowlarks and ospreys returning to the park.

Take a dip in a hot spring in Idaho

There are few better ways to (literally) soak up the great outdoors than taking a dip in a natural hot spring. The aftermath of a meteorite collision millions of years ago, Idaho has 340 of them – more than any other state. Around 130 are safe enough to bathe in, including perhaps the state’s most famous, Kirkham Hot Springs. Here, there are several pools of varying temperatures to soak in, as well as a warm ‘shower’ that tumbles off the craggy cliffside. Boat Box Hot Springs has an old mining cauldron you can sit in (hot tub-style) while the current of the Salmon River flows on gently beside you, while the golden glow of the trees flanking Frenchman’s Bend Hot Springs adds a vivid backdrop in autumn.

Summer

White-water rafting in Montana

The state of Montana is well-stocked with raging rivers and while nature’s brute power is impressive to witness, the fierce white waters are exhilarating to ride in a raft. Glacier National Park’s Flathead River provides some of the best white-water conditions, with its Middle and North Forks winding between rugged rock and thick alpine forest, with the park’s icy peaks lording over them all. The rapids will take up most of your attention but try and keep one eye out for ospreys, eagles, beavers and bears as you paddle. The state’s Gallatin River is another option and in summer you can tackle the infamous ‘Mad Mile’ and its class four rapids.

Mountain biking in North Dakota

The Great American West flies under the radar when it comes to the country’s great cycling locations but when you realise it’s home to the USA’s longest continuous mountain biking trail, you’ll wonder why. Cutting a 232km-long thread across North Dakota’s Badlands, the Maah Daah Hey Trail (which takes its name from the Mandan tribal phrase for ‘an area that will be around for a long time’) is an epic pedal through rolling prairie, rocky plateaus, steep clay buttes and emerald-tinged valleys. You’ll whizz past coyotes, pronghorns, bighorn sheep and more, while camping grounds dotted along the route give you the chance to stretch this trail out over several days.

Kayaking in South Dakota

South Dakota may be better known for its lunar-like Badlands but it’s also home to the USA’s longest river, the Missouri. It’s also one of the finest places in The Great American West to kayak and the 62km-long stretch from Fort Randall Dam to Running Water is one of the best sections to paddle. Its willow-lined banks and marshland look almost identical to when it was navigated by legendary explorers Lewis and Clark on their expedition through the Pacific Northwest in the early 19th century. The Black Hills is another option for a paddle, whether it’s the serene lakes of Custer State Park or the white waters of Rapid Creek.

Autumn

Fishing in Idaho

With tens of thousands of kilometres of streams and rivers and over 3,000 lakes filled with over 40 different game fish species, Idaho is a playground for anglers. Most have year-round fishing seasons, including the pine-lined Little Salmon River. It’s famed for its population of trout and autumn is one of the best times of year to catch them, as the hungry fish are ready to fatten up for winter. Steelhead and rainbow trout can be caught here, as well as Chinook salmon. The clear waters of Marten Lake are another top spot to cast your line, while a steep (but short) hike takes you to the Saddleback Lakes in the Sawtooth Mountains, a chain of glacial lakes where you can catch brook trout.

Walking in North Dakota

With its rolling hills, untouched prairie and wildflower-speckled hardwood forests, the Sheyenne Delta is a handsome landscape that has attracted people for centuries. The Sheyenne National Grassland is the only one of its kind in the tallgrass prairie region of the USA and its oak savannah, forests and grasses are sliced in two by a 51km-long segment of the North County National Scenic Trail. Tread here in early autumn and you’ll walk among vibrant wildflowers like western prairie fringed orchids. If you fancy putting your feet up, the autumn colours along the 101km-long Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Byway, a road that began life as a Native American footpath, are almost ethereal.

Horse riding in Wyoming

Owing its nickname as the Cowboy State due to its long history of ranching, there’s only one way to truly appreciate Wyoming’s landscapes and that’s from the saddle. Locals have long traversed the Wind River Range on horseback and plenty of ranches now offer you the chance to do the same, exploring its sage-blanketed foothills, green pastures and pine forests. The Bighorn Mountains is another great place to explore on horseback and visiting in autumn means you’ll see its foliage burning fiery oranges and reds as you ride beneath the epic mountain vistas.

Ranching in Montana

Montana has a long history of ranching and it is still an important part of the state's culture today. To fully immerse yourself and learn more about this way of life, spend a few nights at a ranch. Get stuck in by staying at a working ranch where you can help with cattle drives, round ups and other chores. For an active stay, opt for a dude ranch to spend your days exploring by horseback and learning to fly fish. There are also a number of luxury ranches across the state where you can soak up the culture without compromising on comfort.

Winter

Skiing and snowboarding in The Great American West

Once winter arrives in The Great American West it’s firmly skiing and snowboarding season, whether you’re a beginner or seasoned expert. A wealth of ski resorts means a day on the slopes is never too far away, with Big Sky Resort in Montana boasting one of the biggest vertical drops anywhere in the USA; Montana also has over a dozen cross-country ski resorts and hundreds of kilometres of groomed trails. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming may be better known for having the world’s most black diamond runs but 35km of novice runs mean beginners shouldn’t be put off. Idaho is also a pioneering winter wonderland, with Sun Valley home to the world’s first chairlift in 1936, spawning the idea of a regular ski holiday.

Snowmobiling in The Great American West

North Dakota is home to thousands of kilometres of groomed snowmobile trails that the locals relish using once winter arrives. Elsewhere, West Yellowstone in Montana also has great snowmobiling trails. If that wasn’t enough, South Dakota’s Black Hills can claim the most extensive and well-groomed snowmobile trails in the USA, with nearly 500km to zip along.

Fat biking in The Great American West

Who said cycling was just for summer? The oversized tyres of a fat bike mean you can easily explore snowy terrain on two wheels. The outdoorsy town of Whitefish in Montana is one of the friendliest places for fat biking, with its namesake trail an over 60km-long route connecting you with sweeping mountain scenery, glassy lakes and alpine forests. South Dakota’s Black Hills has numerous fat biking trails easily accessed from Spearfish, while many of The Great American West’s ski resorts have groomed trails that double as fat biking routes, like Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Sun Valley in Idaho has one of the largest selections of trails, from the 7km Durance Loop in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area to the 32km valley-spanning Wood River Trail.

Dog-sledding in Montana

For an adrenaline pumping adventure, be sure to try dog-sledding. Feel the wind in your hair as you race across frozen landscapes behind a team of well-trained, snow-loving dogs and learn about the history of mushing in Montana. There are outfitters offering this winter wonderland activity in the Big Sky and Whitefish areas. 

Winter in Yellowstone National Park

By mid-December, so much snow has fallen on Yellowstone National Park that the only way to explore is by embracing a winter activity. Strap on a pair of skis or snowshoes for a hiking or cross-country skiing adventure where you can follow trails through forests that look like they have been sprinkled with icing sugar.

In winter, a great way to visit top sites such as Old Faithful and Yellowstone’s very own Grand Canyon is by snowmobile or snowcoach with a guide who knows the park like the back of their hand. With both day tours and multi-day trips available, the journey there is just as exciting as the final stop and along the way you can soak up the winter scenery, see wildlife, go off-the beaten track to discover places such as Greys Rivers, and discover the Togwotee Mountain Pass.

South Dakota

Ingalls Homestead & Historic Homes

Nothing says classic Americana more than legendary Laura Ingalls Wilder, whose series of Little House on the Prairie novels have become institutions of American literature. They were largely based on her upbringing in the Midwest and the South Dakotan city of De Smet is home to several of her life’s landmarks. Ingalls Wilder’s childhood home, Ingalls Homestead has become a museum you can wander on guided tours or get more hands-on with family activities like wagon rides and hay twisting. Just a stone’s throw away lies the more comprehensive Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Homes, where you can visit the original Ingalls home, the school the author attended, the Surveyors’ House (which featured in her fifth book, By the Shores of Silver Lake) and much more.

 

Crazy Horse Memorial

Legend has it that famed Lakota leader Crazy Horse, who helped the Native Americans succeed in the Battle of the Little Bighorn, refused to have his photograph taken, believing it would take away a part of his soul. He died in 1877 but sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski came up with the ingenious idea to preserve his likeness by carving it out of Thunderhead Mountain. He began work in 1948 and despite it being far from finished, you can’t help but be in awe of its immense size. When it’s completed, it will be the world’s largest mountain carving, 195m long and 171m high. To put that into perspective, the presidents' heads on Mount Rushmore are each 18m high.

North Dakota

United Tribes International Pow-Wow

One of North Dakota’s leading cultural events, the United Tribes International Pow-Wow brings together over 70 Native American tribes from across the rest of the USA and Canada. Held at the Lone Star Stadium in Bismarck, this is more than just a social gathering, it’s a huge cultural celebration featuring over 1,500 dancers and drummers and watched by around 20,000 spectators. Many different dances are involved to reflect various parts of Native American culture, including the men’s grass dance, which is usually performed to flatten the grass at a new camp or meeting site.

MHA Interpretive Center

The recently opened MHA Interpretive Centre has been set up to education locals and visitors alike about the culture, oral tradition and history of the MHA Nation. Not only does the centre hold museum-like displays, it also has a kitchen where you can enjoy traditional meals and classes on beading, tanning hides and other traditional crafts. 

Montana

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

A memorial to one of the USA’s most well-known Native American battles, this monument marks the location where the US Army’s Seventh Cavalry, led by General George Custer, were defeated by several thousand Sioux and Cheyenne warriors in one of their last efforts to preserve their way of life. The battlefield today is a poignant place with several gravestones marking many of the fallen soldiers, while a visitor centre and museum feature many artefacts from the battle, including soldiers’ equipment, ammunition and weapons. During the summer, rangers give entertaining lectures to add further colour to one of the most important battles in US history.

Virginia City Historic District

Born out of the gold boom at Alder Gulch in 1863, by the following year Virginia City had a population of 30,000 as people flocked there to find their fortune. Pay a visit there today and it’s like a town frozen in time, for it remains very much like it did in its golden heyday with around 150 19th-century buildings, making it one of the best-preserved towns of the Old West. Visitors are encouraged to do more than just observe what life was like during the gold rush era, from attending a performance at the town’s Opera House to having a beer at the H. S. Gilbert Brewery, Montana’s first. Cheers to living history!

Idaho

Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural & Educational Center

The Lewis and Clark Expedition (1803-1806) may have been named after the men commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to explore western USA, but they owe their exploits to Sacajawea. At just 16, she acted as their guide, naturalist and helped to build relationships with Native American tribes of the west. Her vital role and life is remembered at the Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural & Educational Center in Salmon, nestled in the heart of her homeland. There’s plenty to do here, including ancestral living skills classes, numerous artefacts and exhibits to peruse, period theatrical performances or simply just enjoying the walking trails which thread the park.

Another park that gives great insight into Native American culture is the Nez Perce National Historical Park, a sprawling park that connects 38 places of historical and cultural significance to the Nez Perce people. The Nez Perce National Historical Park's visitor centre is a great place to start, where you can plan your trip and explore the museum, Watson's Store, the Spalding Presbyterian Church and many more sites.

Treaty Rock Park

Nestled in the city of Post Falls is the Treaty Rock Park. Just by strolling its wooded trails, you’d never guess it hides a historic secret. Along one of the walks you’ll pass a rocky gorge where, if you look closely, you’ll see some scribbles on the granite wall. This isn’t graffiti, it’s thought to be the site of a treaty between settler Frederick Post and the Coeur d’Alene tribe. The tribe agreed to give Post 200 acres of land to build a sawmill if he provided them with timber in return. To commemorate the deal, he etched his name and date on the rock, a signature that has become more significant over time as possibly the only record of such an agreement taking place in the USA.

Wyoming

Devils Tower National Monument

Majestically rising out of the Black Hills’ prairie, Devils Tower National Monument is a stump-shaped granite formation whose striking rocky grooves and enormous size will have you gripped with awe. It was declared the country’s first national monument in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt but the Native Americans have revered this natural wonder for far longer. A sacred site of worship for over 20 different Native American tribes (who commonly refer to it as Bears Lodge), legendary tales surrounding it have been passed down over generations. To this day, Devils Tower is a regular spot for tribal sun dances, sweat lodges and other ceremonial rituals.

Hole-in-the-Wall Outlaw Hideout

Forget Paul Newman and Robert Redford, Wyoming can lay claim to the hideout of the real Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The remote and rugged Bighorn Mountains were a playground for outlaws during the height of the Old West, not only being a landscape with cattle to steal but also laden with secret hideouts. The most famous of which is Hole-in-the-Wall, a fertile valley accessed only by a gap in the wall of a crimson sandstone escarpment. It protected the outlaws (known collectively as the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang) from the authorities, allowing their livestock to graze while they plotted which ranch to rustle next. Even today the trail to reach it is tricky, but then we never said the life of an outlaw was easy.

Many more Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid locations can be found across the state including the town of Sundance, Laramie Prison and the Occidental Hotel in Buffalo.