130 miles in the American Southwest. I explored 10 hidden treasures and must-see sites

This summer, my husband and I rented a Kia K5 and spent 19 days visiting the American Southwest.

My husband Trent and I traveled through the American Southwest for 19 days.
Gregory Moore

Our travels extended 4,000 miles and included five states, fourteen national parks, and a few state parks. We hiked a total of 130 miles.

From the Grand Canyon in Arizona to Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, we visited some of the country’s most famous landmarks.

But in our search for tougher walks and fewer visitors, we also discovered a number of hidden treasures and must-see locations.

A mile-long, shaded trail led from High Dune to the breathtaking Zapata Falls.

After visiting High Dune, we explored the neighboring Zapata Falls.

Gregory Moore

Our journey to High Dune, a popular sand dune in the Great Sand Dunes National Park in southern Colorado, was both epic and arduous.

After a difficult morning of climbing gigantic dunes under the desert sun, we drove 15 minutes from the base of the dunes to the Zapata Falls Trail, a less crowded, shaded trail outside the park.

The roughly one-mile out-and-back trail led to a 25-foot waterfall within a cave.

You’ll need waterproof hiking boots to traverse an ankle-deep stream to reach the base of the waterfall, which is nestled under a rocky fissure.

The falls were in full force when we visited in June, but in the winter they are frozen over.

We observed thousands of bats leaving Carlsbad Caverns in search of food.

Trent and I descended the caverns in order to observe all of the rock formations.

Gregory Moore

Travelers have the option of taking an elevator 755 feet down to the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, which contain more than 120 caves. Nevertheless, we believed that the hike through stalactites and stalagmites was worth the effort.

The real magic occurred at night during the Bat Flight Program supervised by park rangers near the cave entrance. The ranger stated that if we were fortunate, we could observe some Brazilian free-tailed bats feeding.

After stating that he had only seen 11 bats the night before, thousands of the creatures emerged from the cave in search of moths, their preferred food.

If you intend to visit Carlsbad Caverns, you should be aware that the Bat Flight Program is only offered during the summer and that photographing is prohibited.

On our journey to Zion National Park, the Kanab Sand Caves were an easy stop.

We visited the Kanab Sand Caves on our way from Arizona to Utah.

Gregory Moore

On the journey to Zion National Park, keep a look out for the Kanab Sand Caves after crossing the border from Arizona into Utah.

When we entered the sand caverns into Google Maps, the directions brought us directly to the interstate in front of the caves, but the trek began at a poorly defined parking lot around half a mile away.

We enjoyed a crowd-free climb to these man-made sand caves, byproducts of sand mining, while the majority of people continued toward Zion. We had to scramble up around 100-foot-tall stones to reach the caves.

We initially passed them by accident and had to turn around, so pay close attention as you trek.

Bryce Canyon National Park obscured our view of the night sky.

Bryce Canyon has less light pollution and was an excellent location for stargazing.

Gregory Moore

During the day, Bryce Canyon National Park was tough to miss.

Hoodoos arose from the earth like skyscrapers, but the tall, slender rock formations were slightly older than the Empire State Building; they originally appeared approximately 50 million years ago.

As dramatic as Bryce seemed during the day, it came to life at night. The park is designated as an International Dark Sky Location, indicating that it offers some of the darkest skies in the nation. When we were there, there was little light pollution to obscure the visibility of the stars.

Drive in before to nightfall, ascend Rainbow Point for the view, and find a pull-off along the road. Then, appreciate the stars by looking above.

Capitol Reef was not Utah’s most visited national park, but it was still well worth a visit.

Capitol Reef was less congested than many of Utah’s other national parks and featured stunning landscapes.

Gregory Moore

Capitol Reef is one of the least visited of Utah’s “Mighty Five” national parks – Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion — which is unfortunate.

The national park features breathtaking scenery, thrilling treks, and seasonal fruit.

The Butch Cassidy-named 7-and-a-half-mile out-and-back hike along the Cassidy Arch Trail in Capitol Reef.

Park at the Grand Wash trailhead and stroll a couple of miles within the wash before joining the path. To minimize the trek, park towards the base of the Cassidy Arch Trail. This will allow you to avoid the most of the wash.

A refreshing beer from Zion Brewery was the perfect way to end a long day of trekking.

We came early to Zion National Park with the intention of hiking Angels Landing.

Gregory Moore

Zion National Park was magnificent, but hardly a hidden treasure. I was overjoyed to discover a small brewery right outside the park after a day of trekking in the sun.

Every afternoon, we went to Zion Brewery, grabbed a delicious beer, and sat in the shady patio area to enjoy the misting fans, live music, and cornhole.

Compared to Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, Devils Garden Loop in Arches National Park felt empty.

We evaded the crowds at Arches National Park’s Devils Garden Loop.

Gregory Moore

Arches National Park has implemented a timed admission system to reduce the number of visitors. Even yet, crowds of people still appeared in the backdrop of our photographs at Delicate Arch, a 52-foot-tall landmark.

In order to get a more secluded experience, we ascended the Devils Garden Loop and witnessed eight arches in the same distance.

The first two kilometers were crowded, but at Landscape Arch, practically everyone turned around. We continued on, scaled rock formations, and came across solitary arches.

A part of the trail known as the Primitive Trail was badly marked and difficult to follow, but we encountered few people for miles.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison’s high cliffs were unlike anything else we saw on our tour.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison was a departure from the terrain of the other locations we visited.

Gregory Moore

Two weeks before we visited the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado, we had seen nothing except red cliffs and dry sand. Below the rim, the black canyon walls and thick vegetation were a refreshing change.

Similar to the Grand Canyon, Black Canyon provided visitors with stunning vistas from pull-offs along the route.

The best thing was that Black Canyon was adjacent to Colorado’s wine country, so after a hard day of trekking, visitors could continue north to a local vineyard.

Our trip to Sky Pond added a touch of winter to our summer vacation.

This summer, there was snow and ice on our hike to Sky Pond.

Gregory Moore

Bear Lake Road in Rocky Mountain National Park was so popular that it required a separate timed admission system from the rest of the park.

The majority of guests parked at Bear Lake and spent time a few hundred feet away at Bear Lake. However, there was much more magic to be found in the mountains.

We hiked around 9 1/2 kilometers out and back from Bear Lake to an alpine lake named Sky Pond. Even in June, we had to ascend the partially frozen Timberline Falls to reach the lake.

The alpine water was crystal pure, ice-cold, and undisturbed, with the exception of a few marmots fattening up for winter.

To descend the steep, snow-covered slopes, we slid down snow-bank-cut ditches on our backsides. This excursion required hiking boots and poles.

We discovered excellent Italian cuisine in Denver, which was a welcome change from protein bars and canned foods.

During our trip, Trent and I stopped in Denver, Colorado.

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In Denver, we slept at the Capitol Hill Mansion, a wonderful bed & breakfast. Odyssey, a family-run restaurant serving her favorite Italian cuisine in the city, was recommended to us by the proprietor’s daughter.

So, we went. Our waitress surprised us with a cannoli and a round of limoncello, and the ambiance was as laid-back as the Italian countryside.

The Italian lunch was the ideal way to conclude a journey that consisted primarily of protein bars and hotel breakfasts.

Overall, I’m delighted we saw both well-known and less-visited destinations.

In the future, Trent and I hope to return to the Southwest.

Gregory Moore

Don’t let the crowds prevent you from seeing these natural beauties, even if many of the country’s national parks are packed with visitors for good cause.

With a bit of research and exploration, travelers can find a balance between the most popular attractions and those that are far from other tourists.