The Great One

Denali National Park & Preserve, Alaska, USA

A truly wild place, Denali is huge, with 2.4 million hectares of pristine wilderness including the highest mountain in North America – Mt Denali –which is an imposing 6,193 metres. There is one road in through just one entrance, with narrated tour buses the best way to take in the landscape and see the wildlife. Locations like Wonder Lake, Sable Pass, Savage River, Primrose Ridge and Polychrome Pass, will take your breath away. There are plenty of places to stay at the park entrance, referred to as ‘Glitter Gulch’, and a vast range of activities can be booked there as well – from flightseeing to ziplining, canoeing to kayaking, and rides on horses or ATVs.

Almost Heaven

New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, West Virginia, USA

America’s newest national park, designated in 2020, is one of the most photographed places in West Virginia. No wonder, when you see the signature view of the park – looking up at the iconic steel arch bridge that soars over the rumbling New River. There are more amazing panoramas from the Overlook at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center, looking along the bridge and down to the thick blanket of green forest flanking the ancient, northward-flowing river as it cuts through the wilds of the gorge. Take a hike on the Bridge Buttress Trail, go rock climbing, stand up paddleboarding, biking, or white water rafting. Look skywards, as the Park, located in the Appalachians, is home to bald eagles and peregrine falcons.