So you've been done an Arizona vacation, maybe even Colorado and Utah, but have you done the Grand Circle? You may have heard of the term and likely know it well if you live within it. For those that don't know what the Grand Circle means, you aren't alone. It is, in a nutshell, one of the "must do" vacation destinations in North America.
The Grand Circle encompasses five southwestern states but more importantly, is so named because it contains the highest concentration of national and state parks in the United States. Within this 500-diameter area, there are almost 80 parks and hundreds of other attractions. Simply put, the Grand Circle is a bounty of fun and adventure. This isn't about going to Zion or the Grand Canyon, it's about going on a once in a lifetime vacation, something so incredible that it becomes one of the top things you have ever done.
Top Trails of Colorado and New Mexico is part of our four book "Grand Circle Series", providing complete coverage of every trail in all parks within the Grand Circle!
Top Trails of Colorado and New Mexico covers 35 parks and a healthy 211 hikes within an area of the Grand Circle. The book covers every park in the western regions of Colorado and New Mexico and neighboring parks within Utah and Arizona. Each park contains information on camping, lodging, and food within the park as well as how to get there and nearest town. The book covers every trail in the park and details what makes the parks unique and worth a visit. From the amazing ruins of Chaco to the cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde to more unknown parks such as Canyon of the Ancients, this book is the only book you will need to hike this spectacular area.
Here are all of the parks covered:
South West Colorado
- Mesa Verde National Park
- Yucca House National Monument
- Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
- Mancos State Park
- Chimney Rock National Monument
- Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
- Ridgway State Park
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
- Curecanti National Recreation Area
- Colorado National Monument
- Rifle Falls State Park
- Dinosaur National Monument
Northwest New Mexico
- Chaco Culture National Historic Park
- Aztec Ruins National Monument
- El Vado and Heron State Parks
- Bandelier National Monument
- Kasha - Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument
- Pecos National Historic Park
- Petroglyph National Monument
- El Morro National Monument
- El Malpais National Monument
Eastern Arizona
- Canyon de Chelly National Monument
- Four Corners Monument
- Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
- Navajo National Monument
- Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Park
- Petrified Forest National Park
South East Utah
- Arches National Park
- Dead Horse Point State Park
- Canyonlands National Park Island in the Sky District
- Canyonlands National Park Needles District
- Canyonlands National Park Maze District
- Edge of the Cedars State Park
- Goblin Valley State Park
- Goosenecks State Park
- Natural Bridges National Monument
- Hovenweep National Monument