The Parks & Peaks of Utah, Idaho and Wyoming – by Jo Bradley

THE PARKS AND PEAKS OF UTAH, IDAHO AND WYOMING

Salt Lake City is the city for easy access to this part of USA. Hop on/hop off sightseeing buses offer an easy way to explore the city and view all the points of interest – one of which is the Hotel Utah, known as the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in honour of its founder of the Latter Day Saint Movement and is used for meetings and conventions and features a roof top restaurant. The Morman Tabernacle and Temple Square are in the centre of the city and are also on the sightseeing route, as are the many Museums. Or burn off all the calories from the delicious meals they serve here by cycling part of the 80 acres of Liberty Park - another good way to see the city.

After my orientation of the State of Utah, I then headed out to Idaho Falls to explore the surrounding parks – the powerful cascading water and its stunning natural beauty of the Upper Mesa Falls was well worth the walk. There are plenty of walking trails to choose from - I chose Harriman Park where I enjoyed a lovely walk followed by fly-fishing - not my best sport!

Filled with National Parks is the State of Wyoming, next on my itinerary - this picturesque region offers a wealth of activities and experiences - the Teton Scenic Byway gave me plenty of chances to view and photograph the peaks of the Grand Teton Mountain range. I loved it here, with so much to do… a wildlife tour in a 4x4 vehicle, a boat ride on Jenny Lake and a hike to the snow capped Mount Teewinot. Jackson is a cowboy town and a famous ski resort. While I was here it was the 48^th Annual Elkfest week-end and the town square was buzzing with numerous stalls selling antlers! Curious, I found out that these are collected by the Boy Scouts, then auctioned, and the proceeds go back to the Scouts. The aroma of spices filled the air at the High Noon Chili Cook-off, where local chilli aficionados are invited to show off their skill and enter the contest.

Spoon in hand, I walked up to the main stalls sampling the goods – some hot and spicy, others mild and flavourful, but all delicious! At the fairground I spoke to a Mountain Man about local handicrafts, and another fairground worker showed me how to throw a knife! I also tried my luck at a bow and arrow competition – again not my sport, but fun to try!

My favourite outdoor adventures were a scenic float trip on Snake River and the adrenaline rush of the white water rafting challenge!

If that’s too tame, stop off in Logan, where I was kitted out in helmet and gloves and given a Polaris RZR 800 Robby Gordan vehicle, to drive into the forest screeching through unknown depths of muddy puddles and snow drifts – and when it started to hail stone, it just added to the best fun driving thrill I have ever had!

So if you fancy some safe, outdoor soft adventures, in beautiful surroundings – follow me to the USA’s Parks and Peaks!

If you'd like to know more, email me: joanna@hallmarktravel.com

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