Posts from ‘January, 2009’

The Metate Room – The food at national park restaurants is not always worthy of bragging rights, but Mesa Verde’s Metate Room is a notable exception.  Try the Rocky Mountain elk tenderloin or mesquite smoked buffalo for something out of the ordinary.  Allow time for a leisurely dinner as the restaurant is quite busy during the [...]

Highway 89 and Scenic Byway 12 in Southern Utah will lead you to two fantastic eateries. Once again, these spots require a bit of effort to find but you will not be disappointed.
Hell’s Backbone Grill – Boulder, UT – Don’t let the name fool you. This food is about as heavenly as it gets!  [...]

With a little effort, one can travel throughout the Southwest and dine incredibly well along the way. Sample the local fare, sip some wonderful wines and wrap it all up with views of some of the world’s most beautiful destinations.

Great birding locations are found throughout the Southwest and many communities host birding festivals throughout the year.  My favorite birding revolves around the large raptors and on the opposite end of the scale, hummingbirds.  But with such a wide range of terrain, there are many species to enjoy. If you are quite lucky, you might [...]

While many of the destinations we feature in other states center around ancient civilizations, New Mexico offers opportunities to visit lands currently in use by a number of tribes. Take time to visit any of the pueblos and then contrast with ancient villages such as Chaco Canyon.

Cortez: Some of the most impressive ancient Native American ruins are located in close proximity to Cortez, Colorado.  The most well known are those in Mesa Verde National Park.  Richard Wetherill discovered some of these ruins while ranching in the area. Today, you can visit both Wetherill and Chapin mesas and view all manner [...]

There are many hiking trails in the Grand Canyon area but you should not take a hike in the Grand Canyon without giving serious consideration to your fitness level. Remember that any hike into the Canyon begins with the downhill trek and you must finish with consistent uphill hiking when you are most tired…

Native American cultural experiences can be found throughout Arizona. Since many visitors arrive in Phoenix, we recommend the following stops before you head out to visit any reservations or historic sites…

Grand Canyon is by far the most recognizable icon of the Southwest U.S. Millions of visitors enter the national park gates every year, making it difficult to find solitude at the busy South Rim. Even so, you can still find a quiet spot with a bit of effort…