While America’s history is retold in world-class museums, one of the best ways to experience it is to get outdoors.
Across the country, trails weave through ancient ruins or retrace the steps of historical figures. From national monuments to biking routes, we’ve picked the top ways to explore America’s past on the go.
Hike in the Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico
This fascinating national park protects the remains of an ancient society that flourished more than 1,000 years ago. The Native Chacoan people made their home in this rugged, high-desert region as early as the 800s, and they thrived here for at least 300 years. The greatest legacy they left behind is the Chacoan “Great Houses”: mighty, multi-story stone buildings with hundreds of rooms, thought to have been used for important ceremonies or trade.
Today you can see their remains on the hiking routes that crisscross the park. The longest is the 7-mile Peñasco Blanco trail, a sandy trek that takes in the Great House of the same name. The walk also encompasses the short Petroglyph Trail, which whisks visitors past a series of intricate rock carvings.
Did you know? Chaco Culture is a certified International Dark Sky Park, so it’s a great place to drink in the stars.
Today you can see their remains on the hiking routes that crisscross the park. The longest is the 7-mile Peñasco Blanco trail, a sandy trek that takes in the Great House of the same name. The walk also encompasses the short Petroglyph Trail, which whisks visitors past a series of intricate rock carvings.
Did you know? Chaco Culture is a certified International Dark Sky Park, so it’s a great place to drink in the stars.
Paddle around Fort Jefferson in Florida’s Dry Tortugas National Park
Right at the tip of the Florida Keys is Dry Tortugas, a remote national park in the Gulf of Mexico that’s only accessible by ferry or seaplane. It comprises a sprinkling of seven little islands, then the rest is open water home to colorful coral reefs and sea turtles.
The park’s true showpiece is Fort Jefferson, a brooding 19th-century structure that served as a military prison in the Civil War. The fort spreads out on Garden Key and the best views are from the water. Rent a kayak from Key West, then paddle around the fort or strike farther out to see shipwrecks molder beneath the ocean’s surface. Unsurprisingly, the park is a hotspot for snorkelers and divers too.
The park’s true showpiece is Fort Jefferson, a brooding 19th-century structure that served as a military prison in the Civil War. The fort spreads out on Garden Key and the best views are from the water. Rent a kayak from Key West, then paddle around the fort or strike farther out to see shipwrecks molder beneath the ocean’s surface. Unsurprisingly, the park is a hotspot for snorkelers and divers too.
Bike a section of the Lewis and Clark Bicycle Trail
In the early 19th century, on the orders of President Thomas Jefferson, Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark led an expedition westward across America, through the Louisiana territory (newly acquired from France) and to the Pacific Coast. Their mission was to explore new land and to make contact with the native tribes who had long inhabited it.
Now their epic journey is immortalized with the 4,900-mile Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, which stretches right from Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania up to Astoria, Oregon, joining up 16 states as it goes. Cyclists can explore swathes of the historic route on the Lewis and Clark Bicycle Trail. Carved up into eight sections, the trail stays close to the Missouri and Columbia rivers, with terrain ranging from pristine bike paths to gravel tracks.
It would take you a whopping two-and-a-half months to tackle the whole route, but each slice has its own rewards. Take in mountain scenery in Montana (Great Falls is also home to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center) or enjoy a smooth ride on the waterside Katy Trail section in Missouri. The Pacific Northwest’s breathtaking coastline is well worth those aching legs.
Did you know? The Lewis and Clark Expedition took a total of two years and four months.
Now their epic journey is immortalized with the 4,900-mile Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, which stretches right from Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania up to Astoria, Oregon, joining up 16 states as it goes. Cyclists can explore swathes of the historic route on the Lewis and Clark Bicycle Trail. Carved up into eight sections, the trail stays close to the Missouri and Columbia rivers, with terrain ranging from pristine bike paths to gravel tracks.
It would take you a whopping two-and-a-half months to tackle the whole route, but each slice has its own rewards. Take in mountain scenery in Montana (Great Falls is also home to the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center) or enjoy a smooth ride on the waterside Katy Trail section in Missouri. The Pacific Northwest’s breathtaking coastline is well worth those aching legs.
Did you know? The Lewis and Clark Expedition took a total of two years and four months.
Snowshoe through a ghost town in California
Haunting reminders of the Gold Rush era, ghost towns are peppered across the American west. One of the finest examples is Bodie, a former mining town in California, a stone’s throw from the Nevada border. Bodie thrived from around the 1870s, growing into a town of some 10,000 people with a school, a hotel, a saloon and more. But today the rusted cars and rickety wooden shacks offer only eerie whispers of the past.
You can wander between them in summer or, for an even more magical (and slightly more strenuous) experience, take to the deserted streets on skis or snowshoes in winter. Bodie’s high elevation means the town will be covered in a carpet of snow.
You can wander between them in summer or, for an even more magical (and slightly more strenuous) experience, take to the deserted streets on skis or snowshoes in winter. Bodie’s high elevation means the town will be covered in a carpet of snow.
Explore the grounds of one of America’s oldest plantations in Louisiana
For a historical adventure at a much slower pace, head to the Deep South and Louisiana’s Destrehan Plantation, the oldest in the lower Mississippi Valley.
A stroll within the pretty grounds – all mossy oaks and leafy shrubs – is an easy way to blow off the cobwebs, and a guided tour is a must. Opt for ‘Unheard Voices’: this poignant tour tells the story of the enslaved peoples who once lived here.
A stroll within the pretty grounds – all mossy oaks and leafy shrubs – is an easy way to blow off the cobwebs, and a guided tour is a must. Opt for ‘Unheard Voices’: this poignant tour tells the story of the enslaved peoples who once lived here.
Follow the Presidential Trail at South Dakota’s Mount Rushmore National Memorial
One of the most famous landmarks in America, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial immortalizes four of the country’s formative presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. Their 60-foot faces are hewn from South Dakota’s Black Hills and they’ve watched over the rugged landscape for little short of a century.
The best way to see the great leaders up close is on the Presidential Trail. It winds on for 0.6 miles, and the 400-plus stairs will help you break a sweat. Off the trail, the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center provides fascinating context.
If you fancy venturing further, the moderate Blackberry Trail spills out into the forest, eventually connecting with the longer Centennial Trail.
Did you know? There’s a secret room behind Lincoln’s head containing panels inscribed with important American writings like the Declaration of Independence.
The best way to see the great leaders up close is on the Presidential Trail. It winds on for 0.6 miles, and the 400-plus stairs will help you break a sweat. Off the trail, the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center provides fascinating context.
If you fancy venturing further, the moderate Blackberry Trail spills out into the forest, eventually connecting with the longer Centennial Trail.
Did you know? There’s a secret room behind Lincoln’s head containing panels inscribed with important American writings like the Declaration of Independence.
Wander the Newport Cliff Walk in Rhode Island
The windswept Cliff Walk in Newport pairs a dose of history with a healthy lungful of sea air. A National Recreation Trail, it spools out for 3.5 miles along the coast, offering sweeping views of rocky shores lapped by the Atlantic on one side, and elegant Gilded Age mansions on the other.
The Beaux-Arts-style Marble House and the Vanderbilt-owned Breakers are the most famous en route. You can peek inside The Breakers on a guided tour too.
The Beaux-Arts-style Marble House and the Vanderbilt-owned Breakers are the most famous en route. You can peek inside The Breakers on a guided tour too.
Read next
The best cities to switch off and explore in
When the daily grind begins to lose its charm, a travel adventure could be just the thing you need to reconnect with nature. These awesome cities offer outdoor adventure and natural beauty like no other place on the planet. So switch off your phone and set up your out of office, it couldn’t be easier to leave the digital world behind.
This year has been, and continues to be, particularly important for USA road trips, as people search for ways to experience the country while staying vigilant about their health. Since it can be daunting to start your vacation with all these considerations — how to avoid COVID-19, how to make a gas or food stop as sanitary as possible — we’ve compiled a manual for staying healthy on your vacation.