WELCOME TO AMERICA'S PLAYGROUNDS
America's national parks have a transformative power. The wide-open awe, the astonishing scale, the intense beauty, the embraceable solitude of these protected wonderlands bring out the kid in us all. We find ourselves skipping ahead, leaping from rock to rock, splashing in streams and racing to the rim to stare out and yell, "Would you look at that!"
That power is much needed in today's world, where people are adapting their travel plans to better fit these unique times. As a result, Americans are focusing more on domestic destinations, especially ones that turn us into budding geologists and daring adventurers.
Here we'll focus on a few all-star national parks west of the Rockies. When paired with the luxurious accommodations of a SELECT hotel or villa, you get a complete and safe vacation experience that can truly transform you.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
Welcome to America's first national park. Alive with thermal activity, thanks to the giant, dormant volcano at its center, the land is alive with geysers, boiling hot springs and bubbling mudpots. Amazingly, among this alien world, the park teems with wildlife. Grizzly bears and wolves amble amid the rugged peaks, while giant herds of bison and elk graze in the meadows near the ring road, staring nonchalantly at the long line of SUVs. The entire park, especially the iconic sights like Lower Falls and massive Yellowstone Lake, are humbling when first seen. Paintings and Instagram pics could never do them justice - they demand to be experienced with your own two eyes. This is certainly true of Old Faithful, a surprisingly punctual geyser that not only shoots out thousands of gallons of searing hot water every 74 minutes or so, but also leaves you with a deep respect of the geologic powers that are still shaping our world today.
That respect carries with you as you stay at Amangani, a SELECT property, in nearby Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The 40-suite retreat is a year-round destination, making it ideal to launch your Yellowstone exploration whenever you want.
