USA_2011

In May 2011, after attending a scientific conference in Los Angeles, I decided to visit some of the well-known national parks in Western USA. During 14 days I traveled through 8 states and visited 7 national parks, driving a rental car (a Chevy Impala 3.5L, V6). All in all I covered a distance of 6700 km or about 4200 miles.

The main aim of the trip was to visit Yellowstone National Park to view wildlife, where I spent 3 days. But I also visited the northern outskirt of the Mojave Desert and the Death Valley National Park in California to see the desert spring wildflowers, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park and Arches National Park, all situated at the Colorado plateau in Southern Utah, to see the colorful rocks, as well as the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks in Wyoming and Montana. After 14 days, with the weather ranging from sunny and hot in Death Valley to snow-stormy and freezing in Yellowstone, I delivered the rental car in Seattle, Washington, from where I flew home to Europe. All in all a long but very rewarding trip.