America the Beautiful: National Parks of the Southwest

This grand tour visits four of the most spectacular national parks on earth, arranged into one of the great American road journeys. The Southwest's canyon country represents the planet's geology laid bare — millions of years of Earth's history visible in layers of red, orange, and cream-colored stone.

The Grand Canyon needs no introduction, but standing at the rim for the first time — or the twentieth — remains one of the most overwhelming experiences a human being can have. Zion Canyon offers an entirely different kind of grandeur, with the Virgin River cutting through soaring sandstone walls that glow golden in the afternoon light. Bryce Canyon's otherworldly hoodoos line the plateau's edge along what early settlers called the Million Dollar Highway.

Arches National Park near Moab, Utah, provides the visual climax: more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches, including the iconic Delicate Arch standing alone against the sky. This is the American West at its most magnificent, and this travelogue does it full justice.

Every Travelogue Includes

• ◆Audio-visual presentation
• ◆Literary and historical immersion into the region
• ◆Handouts and reference materials
• ◆Accommodation recommendations
• ◆Recipes from the area
• ◆Featured hotel and inn highlights
• ◆Discussion of the featured literature or novel