The most beautiful natural sites to discover Côte Ouest Etats-Unis

The Grand Prismatic Spring is 122 meters wide and 75 meters wide, and its flat bottom reflects all the colors of the rainbow in vapors that rise in swirls.

It is the largest hot source in Yellowstone and probably also the most beautiful basin in the park. To better observe the color differences and to measure this performance out of standard, we need to take height. Unfortunately, no facility allowed, for years visitors parked at the Fairy Falls parking lot and borrowed the small trail to finally sink into the forest. From there, they were languishing between dead trunk traps to the ground to find the right point of view on the basin. In addition to the most secure side of the climbing, it has had a heavy impact on local vegetation. The park thus rehabilitated the damaged hill and worked on the construction of a pathway to enjoy the view safely.

Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail. To reach it, park at Fairy Falls Parking and take the Fairy Falls Trailhead to Prismatic Spring Overlook Trail.

Canyonlands National Park was proclaimed a national park on September 12, 1964. With an area of 1 366 km 2 and three districts separated from each other by Colorado and the Green River, it is a huge territory whose different parts are visited fairly unevenly. The three districts are Island in the Sky, the Needles and The Maze. Each of them presents its own particularities and requires a particular organization. Exploration of the park on the waters of Colorado and Green River by boat is possible but requires at least two days of navigation.

The most famous geysers in Yellowstone are more frequent than other large geysers. The average interval between two rashes varies from 65 to 92 minutes. It lasts 1.5 to 5 ¾ minutes, expels 14 ¥ 000 to 32 ± 000 ¥ liters of boiling water and reaches heights of 30 to 55 ¾ meters. Although the average interval has elongated over the years due to earthquakes, Old Poli is always as spectacular and predictable as it was a century ago. The attraction is very popular, so wait not to be alone.

In Biscuits Basin, the mineral deposits formed, until the 1959 earthquake, as a stack of biscuits. The Sapphire Pool has been a geyser since 1955.

This is the Yellowstone area where geothermal demonstrations are hottest and most variable. Throughout the 4 ½ km of trails, we can discover the largest active geyser in the world (Steamboat Geyser, 90 to 120 meters) and the most acidic (Echinus Geyser, pH 3.5), hot springs of all colors and microscopic manifestations in one of the most important environments extremes of the earth. The Norris Museum describes the geological origins of the sources. From there there are two trails to safely observe the areas of Porcelain Basin and Back Basin. Arches, whistle vapors and stinging odors combine to create a unique environment. In Porcelain Basin, in an open setting, we walk amidst a high density of geothermal phenomena (hundreds) while in Back Basin, through wood, these phenomena are more dispersed. Exploration of the One Hundred Springs Plain area is discouraged without guide, because very acidic, rugged and without trails. Artist Paint Pots is a small, but pretty geothermal zone just south of Norris Junction. A walk of a mile in the surrounding area leads to very colorful hot springs, two large volcanoes and part of the forest burned in 1988. Other nearby areas, Sylvan Springs, Gibbon Hill Geyser Basin and Geyser Creek Thermal, are not advised without guidance.

Like Rainbow Vista, this area offers beautiful views of the park and surrounding silica domes, including one in particular. It is reached by a 1 km envrion track that is part of Rainbow Vista.

They are the Mormon pioneers who named the region Capitol Reef, the rocky domes found recalling there as that of Capitol.

The Capitol Reef national park covers an area of 979 mi ², east of Dixie National Forest and Large Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and north of Glen Canyon national recreation Area. It was created to preserve Waterpocket Fold, a huge fold winds over 160 km from north to south. There are massive cliffs, rocky multi-coloured domes, winding canyons and impressive natural arches, as well as the raging waters of Fremont River.

The Scenic Drive which forks of Hwy 24 in Fruita, where farm built by the Mormons at the beginning of the 20th century, ends in a deep grand canyon and a grandiose landscape.

Guides of Scenic Drive as well as Cathedral Valley and Strike Valley are available to Visitor Center. Other unpaved road are accessible for 4x4 vehicles or peaks on wheel. Visitors will find at the visitor center from the menu or the guides and can get informed about the conditions of the slopes. It is possible to go on some tracks. A location and two primitive locations are in the park. Note that the magnificent orchard in Fruita is made available to visitors who can crunch its fruit there.

Yellowstone Lake (elevation 2,357 meters), one of the world's largest mountain lakes is traversed from the south to the north by the Yellowstone River. It measures 32 km in its longest length, 22.5 kilometers in its widest width. With 176 kilometers of banks, it covers a total area of 360 km ². Its maximum depth is 91 meters in West Thumb Bay. This fish lake, surrounded by high mountains, is the refuge of countless waterfowl.

It is frozen almost half of the year (from late December or early January to late May or early July), with ice thicknesses ranging from a few centimeters to more than 60 centimeters. Situated at an altitude of 2 ¾ 300 meters, the lake remains cold all year long; its average temperature is 5 ° C, the upper layer rarely exceeding 19 ° C. This lake has the largest population of North American 'ferocious trout'. Lake trout, an exotic species that is illegally introduced, threatens its existence. In the larger part there are three small islands: Frank Island, Dot Island and Stevenson Island. From West Thumb, following the north shore, the road leads to Lake (38 km). Lake Yellowstone Hotel dominates the lake and offers magnificent views of the Absaroka Range.

On the left, a 2.4 km road rises to Natural Bridge, a rock arch created by erosion.

Located only a few minutes from visitor center, Sulphur Works is one of the smallest geothermal areas in the park (but also the most accessible, visible from the sidewalk!). It combines both mud-mud and fumaroles, which escape from the suffering. Clay minerals, volcanic rocks and warm acid water give the earth almost irréelles colours ranging from yellow to red.

Stroll through the tufa, strange limestone concretions on the lake shore. Guided tours are organised by the rangers. Renseignez-vous au Visitor Center.

9 M deep canyon covered with ferns. The site recalls the prehistoric time so that several scenes from the film Jurassic Park were shot here.

Very visited, in a huge area of hills and lakes, this schedule of the San Diego zoo leaves on the day, on large expanses, animals from all regions of the globe. There are several ways to explore the park: in a safari car, in a van, or still hanging to a Tyrolean. As the park is ecologically engaged, part of its profits are returned to endangered species defence funds.

From this large, easy-to-access parking lot you can take a look at the entire park and its impressive colours. However, there is still a long way to go from the fun of the canyon.

A 20 minute walk around the Seattle Center. Take Queen Avenue North and turn left onto Highland Drive. Attention, it climbs. But your efforts will be rewarded by the splendid view you have on Elliot Bay and Seattle. This is the ideal place to take a nice picture of the city with its skyscrapers, the Space Needle and weather permitting, Mount Rainier. At night and at sunset, the view is simply magical. A little further on W Highland Dr at Betty Bowen Park, you can enjoy the magnificent views of the Puget Sound and the Olympic Peninsula Mountains.

A 40-meter waterfall of the Tower Creek, framed by eroded volcanic summits, it was described from the earliest voyages of Europeans to the Yellowstone region. His idyllic framework inspired many artists, including Thomas Moran, whose paintings presented to Congress played a decisive role in the creation of Yellowstone National Park in 1872. Trails lead to scenic platforms at the top and bottom of cataract and near to Undercliff Springs in the Yellowstone River canyon. The Narrows is the narrowest passage of the Yellowstone River Gorge with the Calcite Springs, whose gypsum and limestone deposits cover the canyon wall (petrified tree remains).

Of Jackson Lake Dam until southern Moose. Elk and bison meat in grasslands along the river. The bison also eat in the carpets of wormwoods on the benches above. Sea eagles with white head, osprey and large herons build large nests of visible branches of the river. Beavers mooses and eat willows lining the waterway.

Upper Geyser Basin covers a surface of about 10 km ², over 180 of the 200 (250) geysers of the park, including the largest and most impressive of the park, and many hot springs. A circuit, the Geyser Hill Nature Trail (starting at the Old Faithfull Full Geyser, approx. 2.5 km), allows you to admire the main geysers and other attractions. The five largest geysers are regularly submitted by the staff: Castle, Grand, Daisy, Riverside, Old Poli.

North-west of the Old Faithhole River, on the other side of the Firehole River, the Giantess Geyser, which runs irregularly up to 60 meters high for periods up to 36 hours, is reached. Nearby you can see the Boakettle boil water (kettle) and Geyser Sponge (sponge), which owes its name to the shape of its crater. Isolated, isolated, Solitary Geyser. Beyond the Desert Sponge, northwestern, Geysers Lion Group, Lioness, Big Club and Little Club.

The main road leads to Liberty Pool, Sawmill Geyser and Spasmodic Geyser. A path crossing the Firehole River allows you to go to Crested Pool and Castle Geyser, probably the oldest active source of the park.

The main trail then obtains to the Grand Geyser (jet of 60 meters high), which communicates with the close Turban Geyser. Later, Beauty Pool and Chromatic Pool are in turn. Then we cross the Firehole River again to reach Inkwell Springs near Giant Geyser, broken crater. Farther away, the Grotto Geyser, whose dome has several niches almost to man's height, leads to water jets.

Next, the trail runs along the bank of the Firehole River and leads to Riverside Geyser (on the other shore) that spreads its jet into the stream and then beyond another bridge to the Fan and Mortar Geysers, connected by underground; Later, the Morning Glory Pool is a tinted basin of the most tender colors, named because of its resemblance to the ipomée (morning glory) flower.

Teton Park Road runs along the feet of Teton Range from Moose to Jackson Lake Junction.

One of the most popular beaches and longest, therefore ideal for walks in the sunset. A paved path runs on the beach, 2 miles of Mission Bay to Pacific Beach.

These waterfalls have a cliff about 82 meters high. The park all around belongs to the hydroelectric power station on the cliff behind the waterfall. Trails lead to observation positions across the falls, offering a superb view. You can go down to the river by walking for a few kilometers to have another panorama. Fans will have recognized the falls in the generic series of the Twin Peaks series, made by David Lynch in 1989. For Indian tribes in the valley, these falls are sacred. Legend tells us that loved ones can travel from earth to heaven through the haze of water.

For more information about the work around the falls, consult the Puget Sound Electricity site, the hydroelectric power plant: www.pse.com

This massive grey rocky outcrop stands far away from the panoramic road of the park and other rocks. High of 475 metres, it is a volcanic formation of original. It is easily visible from the US 163, between Kayenta and park entrance of Monument Valley.

Its name comes from its impressive depth. The distance to which the objects are visible in its abysses is truly amazing. The tone overseas blue of its deep transparency under the light of the sun and its walls similar to coral in formation offer a rare and magical spectacle.

Le Black Sand Basin forms a plain with countless petrified trees, particularly beautiful. L'Emerald Pool, sparkling and green, in which grow coloración algae.