Tetons and monuments: A Rockies road trip with giants

Of course, no road trip through the West is complete without a stop at the country's first (and most iconic) National Park: Yellowstone. Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic, The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, the Boiling River, Lamar Valley, and the Old Faithful Inn are all absolute gems that everyone should see once in their lives.

Grand Teton National Park borders Yellowstone, so it's easy to experience both parks... and they're both equally worth visiting. Grand Teton is only 484 square miles (compared to Yellowstone's 3.5 thousand square miles), but those mountains pack a serious punch. Historic buildings, lush lakes, scenic drives, and more can be found here. Definitely check out the Triangle X Dude Ranch, and explore the nearby town of Jackson for Wild West vibes.

Sinks Canyon State Park is about as wild and rugged as it gets! The rushing river, craggy canyon, and giant boulders make the hiking, fishing, camping, and climbing here incredible. Check out the visitor center for some great info about the geology and wildlife of the region!

Just outside Denver, you'll find Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre, which is, hands down, the coolest music venue in the country. Mother Nature was the architect here: The stage is set up between tree massive sandstone slabs. Artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Rush, and the Grateful Dead all reportedly listed the venue among their favorites, and it still pulls in the biggest acts from across the country. Plus, when shows aren't going on, you can hike here, or pop in for a yoga lesson!

The tallest sand dunes in the country are actually nowhere near the coast... they're at Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado! You can hike to the top of the dunes, go sledding or sandboarding, and swim in Medano Creek! You really need to visit these dunes to fully appreciate how massive they are.

Walk in the footsteps of the incredible Pueblo Indians at Mesa Verde National Park. The park preserves pueblo structures built into the cliffside of this mesa hundreds of years ago... and the buildings are still in good enough condition that you can go inside most of them. Learn about the people who built the homes, and about their culture, as you explore the museum and the various "houses" here.

To understand just how rugged and stunning the West can be, head into Canyonlands National Park. It's more remote than its neighboring park, Arches, but if you're up for a hike, it's worth visiting. Canyonlands' Island in the Sky unit is home to the famed Mesa Arch, which is at the end of one of the park's easier, shorter hikes... and the view through the sculpted sandstone is absolutely breathtaking.

Arches National Park features bright sandstone formations and desert views. Here, you'll find more than 2,000 arches, hoodoos, gargoyles, goblins, spires, and fins. Delicate Arch is the park's most famous feature (it's even featured on the Utah license plate), and Double Arch is great for photo ops and rock climbing!

Capitol Reef National Park is definitely one of the more under-appreciated national parks around. Its crazy history involves intrepid Mormon settlers and notorious outlaws, and it has colorful sandstone formations and amazing scenic drives that make it just as worth checking out as Arches and Canyonlands. Hike Cathedral Valley, eat some pie at the Gifford Homestead, and tackle the tough but beautiful Burr Trail Road to make the most of an adventure here.

Zion National Park's Angels Landing is an absolutely incredible, bucket list-worthy hike, but it's far from the only reason to visit yet another Utah beauty of a park. The Narrows, The Subway, and Weeping Rock are other equally famous and equally stunning hikes to try while visiting. Plus, Grafton Ghost Town is right outside the park, and there are some really great inns and lodges around Springdale as well!