“Van Life” is a contemporary sensation. During the pandemic, many of us reassessed our priorities, convincing some to adopt a more carefree way of life. Members of the Van Life movement come in all shapes and sizes, from fulltime residents to weekend warriors. Offering an itinerant lifestyle with an unprecedented level of location independence, vehicular dwellings have seen a significant surge in popularity recently.
With this in mind, we run through four iconic natural attractions in the United States worthy of being incorporated into any tour of the country.
1. Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is one of the Earth’s most spectacular natural treasures. Enchanting in excess of 5 million visitors each year, this huge national park is well-known for its dramatic cliff-edge canyons, covering nearly 1,900 square miles of rough ground in total. Guests are amazed by the sheer immensity of the Grand Canyon as well as with its serene loveliness.
Most travelers head for either the North, South, or West Rim. The North Rim is closed in the wintertime, but the South Rim is open year-round. Also popular with tourists, the West Rim features the renowned Skywalk, a platform with translucent sides that sticks out into the canyon, providing incredible vistas in all directions. For those hoping to experience a Grand Canyon sunset, the South Rim does not disappoint, and it tends to be quieter at that time of day.
2. Redwood National and State Parks
Here tourists can experience what remains of the gargantuan redwood trees that once covered all of Northern California and served as a home to indigenous peoples for millennia. This campus of state and national parks runs along the seashore and features some of the loftiest and most inspiring trees on the planet. Covering some 216 square miles, the Redwood National and State Parks are the surviving relic of a coppice that is believed to have thrived for 160 million years. Experts believe that redwoods once grew in many humid, mild climates on our planet. However, the redwood forests around today are largely restricted to North America’s West coast.
The Redwood National and State Parks host 45 percent of the world’s remaining protected old-growth redwoods. Redwood National Park was established in 1968 to conserve the prehistoric forest after practically 90 percent of its original population of redwood trees were cut down by Euro-American settlers. Over 40 mammal species have been observed in the region, including bobcat, cougar, coyote, beaver, otter, black bear, elk, and deer.(
3. Death Valley
One of the most dangerous yet stunning locations in the entire country, Death Valley is situated near the California’s border with Nevada, located mostly in Inyo County, California. It stretches from the Grapevine Mountains in the north to the Owlshead Mountains in the south, covering approximately 3,000 square miles in area.
The lowest point below sea level in the United States, Death Valley is also the country’s hottest, driest national park. It offers guests an arresting contrast in landscapes to explore, from its lush wildflower meadows to its towering snowcapped peaks. However, Death Valley is best known for its vast desert plains.
In July 2018, Death Valley made history as the hottest place on earth, with an average temperature of 108.1 degrees Fahrenheit, factoring for overnight lows. Daylight temperatures peaked at 127 degrees Fahrenheit four days in a row, culminating in the kind of conditions that make it a supremely treacherous place to visit.
Visitors should avoid the height of summer for self-evident reasons and keep their travels to well-trodden areas of the park. It is also important to pack enough supplies, especially water. Although the dunes represent just a small portion of Death Valley National park, their entrancing swirls, stark shadows, and dramatic ripples are an unforgettable sight. Standing at the top of the dunes, guests can experience the strange phenomena of “singing sand,” a sound much like the base note of a pipe organ that is allegedly caused by friction between sand grains.
4. Grand Teton National Park
Located in the state of Wyoming, Grand Teton National Park is a perfect stop-off on the way to the significantly more famous, but no more remarkable or riveting, Yellowstone National Park. Against the backdrop of the mighty Teton mountains’ asymmetrical, serrated summits, guests can view the area’s lush green woodlands, prairies, and sparkling lakes, observing the national park’s incredible biodiversity, and meeting animals such as bison, elk, coyotes, and eagles.
With hundreds of miles of mountain trails to explore, some perfect for beginners and some more challenging, fantastic views await around every corner. Highlights include the 42-mile scenic drive that loops through the center of the national park, taking tourists down the length of the Teton mountain range.
Jenny Lake can be reached by boat, with shuttles running every quarter hour or so during the summer months. There, kayaking and canoeing are popular pursuits, giving visitors the ideal opportunity to enjoy peace and solitude in the shadow of the spectacular Teton mountains.