The Mountain west is made up of the states Mo.,Id.,Wy.,Co.,Nv.,Ut. Although these states are well known for for their natural beauty there are many aspects of this region that a lot of people do not often travel to but are definitely worthy of a visit. If you have the desire and ability then make a point of visiting at least one of these attractions on your next trip.

1. Visit the Mineral Springs- This geological area has a great deal of thermal activity which has resulted in a a lot of bathing hot pools in these states. From primitive to luxury there is a pool for every taste. For those that prefer the primitive then White Sulfur Springs Hotel has the best pool and motel for you. Those that like more of a resort feel, check out some of the hot springs that Colorado has to offer.

2. Search for Petraglyphs- The ancient peoples of the Intermountain west were very artistic, and a a lot of there 4000-year old art can still be seen today, painted on cliffs and alcoves throughout the area. For a quick tour, Fremont State Park in Utah has a great trail and interpretive center, for those that like hiking Grand Gulch in Utah is a great place to spend time at.

3. Tour the Less Famous National Parks- If you have not been to Arches, then by all means you should go there first, but for those who have experienced the main circuit of parks in the region you should think about visiting the smaller ones. Cumulatively, this region has over 50 National sites, and many of the state have outstandingstate park systems as well.

4. Drop by the Regional Museums (as well as the most popular ones)- Some of the best museums are those that are in the middle of nowhere, like the small museum in Three Forks, Montana in which the local citizenry gathered paraphernalia from their town spanning a 100 years. Of course, some of the bigger museums are worth stopping by as well, such as the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, Wyoming. This museum covers many different themes of the west such as Western Art or Modern Western Art.

5. Learn to Ski- Everyone knows that good weather activities abound in the Intermountain West, but we also have some of the best powder around. For those of you that are not interested in trying downhill skiing, you might try x-country skiing. The Sun Valley of Idaho has wonderful trails as well as the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest in Montana.

6. Hike to a Mountain Lake this summer– The mountains of the west are full of small and secluded lakes. A lot of these are well known but some of the most most interesting are off the beaten track and at times require a rewarding or even overnight backpack to reach. One of our favorites is Island Lake in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming. This mountain lake is circled by tall cliffs and picturesque mountains that were formed by glaciers. The Wind River mountains are a popular destination during the summer months for camping and fishing opportunities. Another great destination in the this same mountain range is known as Lonsome Lake and is found in the Cirque of the Towers region in the southern section of the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming.

As you can see, there are a wide variety of things that you can do in the mountain west, instead of the oldgroup tour. Any of the above suggestions will not only be exciting and fun but provide you with many great pictures for years to come.