There are a lot of ways to appreciate the West, but none beats visiting the places where horses were saddled, shots were fired, and the frontier was confronted. And nothing beats the National Park Service for making it a breeze to do just that. Though typically associated with sprawling parks filled with wildlife and other natural wonders, over half the areas in the National Park System are dedicated to preserving places that commemorate the people and events that shaped American history.
There are too many attractions central to Western history to hit in a single road trip. That didn’t stop us from compiling this short list of historic stops to help us — and you — get a jump on summer travel plans. See you on the trail.
Mesa Verde National Park
Southwest Colorado
Commemorates: Ancestral Pueblo (aka Anasazi)
No matter how many times you see it, the Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde National Park doesn’t seem real. It looks more like something from a sci-fi film set or graphic novel. A spectacular remnant of the Ancestral Pueblo culture that resided here from about A.D. 550 to 1300, the park contains nearly 5,000 known archeological sites, including pithouses, pueblos, masonry towers, and farming structures. But it’s the cliff dwellings — built of sandstone, mortar, and wooden beams — that inspire the most open jaws. And photos.
The best way to appreciate the amazing architecture is with a guided cliff-dwelling tour. But a number of short and longer hikes allow for independent exploration of this wonder of human construction, where evidence has been found that builders used the sophisticated “golden ratio,” a mathematical ratio also employed at the Giza Pyramids, to construct their SunTemple.
High point: At 8,572 feet, Park Point offers spectacular views across the rugged Four Corners region.
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park
Astoria, Oregon
Commemorates: Corps of Discovery
The legend of the Lewis and Clark Expedition is so enormous that it’s startling to walk into the party’s reconstructed Fort Clatsop and see just how small the place was where
