Best of the West
The last 4 months in the Wild West have made up an incredible experience, the likes of which cannot soon be replicated. With the completion of this historic epoch comes a temporal juncture. And like any respectable publication, a temporal juncture calls for the timeless “Best Of” list! (Because what kind of humans would we be if we didn’t jump at the opportunity to arbitrarily assign values to and create a hierarchy of the natural universe?)
We do not offer this valuable information lightly though. It’s our duty as conscience tourists to ensure that these places stay special for all of us to share. We’re not trying to create a millennial manifest destiny, but instead aim to inspire patrons of the best local spots along our route! So, with that spirit in mind, please recite after me:
I pledge allegiance to the weirdest and some of the most beautiful parts of the United States of America, and to the land upon which they stand, many places under the Sun, interconnected, with breweries and bakeries for all.
Now that the business is taken care of, let that cat out of the bag!
CAMPS
The place we must have an epic Covid-Is-Done Fiesta - Alabama Hills, CA
The spot that makes you want to sing like Julie Andrews - Gothic, CO
The campsite to see no one and have a float plane land in front of you - Hungry Horse Reservoir, MT
DRIVES
Best hairpin turns with a view- Highway 89; Sedona to Flagstaff
Best way to almost get to Canada - N. Fork Road to Polebridge, MT
Best scenic drive to learn how to tow a camper - Highway 75 to Highway 21 through Stanley, ID
Best drive without driving - Ferry trip to Lopez Island, WA
Best way to charge up your crystals on the go - Highway 62 through Joshua Tree
HIKES
Best hike to kick off an American road trip - Onion Valley Campground to Flower Lake in the Eastern Sierras
Best way to gain 3,000 ft in elevation - Backpacking to Alaska Basin, WY from the Idaho side
Best way to sneak into a National Park - Day hike to the summit of Static Peak in the Tetons from Alaska Basin
Best spot to string up the hammock - Top of the bluffs overlooking Otokomi Lake in Glacier NP
Best place to remind yourself that the desert is not a monolith - Maze Loop in Joshua Tree NP
BIKES
The place most likely to make you wish you had a cup holder on your handle bars - Bend, OR
The suburb with surprisingly nice bike infrastructure - Idaho Falls, ID
The city that would actually like you to ride a bike regularly - Seattle, WA
Home to “Bridge of the People,” a safe haven for those of us on two wheels - Portland, OR
Most nostalgic bike rides - Berkeley, CA
BAKERIES
The place that makes you wonder if the pioneers had it better- Polebridge Mercantile
the place where waiting in the frost is definitely worth it - Stanley Bakery
The place where you don’t have to choose between empenadas and pie - Slice of Humboldt Pie
BREWS
Where you go to daydream about your summer house in Montana - Butte Brewing; Butte, MT
The spot that had the patio before it was COVID cool- Highway 50 Brewing; Camino, CA
The brewery where you steal the glasses - Fremont Brewing; Seattle, WA
The place that makes you want to drive into the industrial park - Craft Brewery; Bend, OR
SWIMS
When you want an alpine lake to yourself- Emerald Lake; Gothic, CO
When you want to dive in front of 30 tourists cuz you fancy like that - St. Mary’s Falls; Glacier NP
When you know it’s a little played out, but you can’t help yourself - Jenny Lake; Grand Teton NP
