CCV Bucket list #1-6

In case you missed them, here's a rundown of locations #1-6 on the CCV Bucket List. Hop in that van, disregard hygiene, and go see the world (but especially these six wonders):

1. Wheeler Geologic Area, CO

Explore this natural wonder hidden in the Eastern San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Visit for a secluded day hike or overnight backpacking excursion in geologic Narnia-land, and combine it with a trip to the Sand Dunes for a full Southern Colorado adventure.

2. Tioga Pass, CA

Take the back way into Yosemite National Park for a journey through remote wilderness that parallels Yosemite Valley itself. Hit it while it's open between May and November, and make sure to work in time to camp and hike instead of just passing through. Just wait until sunset for beauty that will make you drool all over yourself.

3. Canyon De Chelly, AZ

Located in Northeastern Arizona, Canyon de Chelly holds 131 square miles and three canyons worth of natural and cultural history. For nearly 5,000 years, native people have inhabited this land (longer than any others on the Colorado Plateau), and the Navajos still live here today. Drive the rim, hike through Anasazi ruins, or take a guided tour through Navajo lands along your Four Corners road trip.

4. Uncompahgre Wilderness, CO

It hides in Colorado’s largest mountain range: The San Juans. Access over 100 miles of trail and endless backcountry opportunities on your way through Ridgway, Ouray, and Lake City. Look for scattered lakes and roaring rivers, rolling tundra and jagged peaks, wildflowers and forested canyons. A visit to Uncompahgre is bound to leave you feeling a little extra tiny, in the best way possible.

5. Yachats, OR

First, before you embarrass yourself in front of the locals, know that it’s pronounced “yah-hahts”. It’s a small-town seaside paradise tucked into one of the best stretches of coastline the Pacific Northwest has to offer. The name comes from the Siletz language, and means "dark water at the foot of the mountain”, in reference to its sapphire seas resting at the base of the Coast Range. Here you can hike to a stone hut with ocean views while learning the dark history of Amanda De-Cuys or wander through the state parks to look at tidepool ecosystems. Finish the day of exploration with a stop at one of the many delicious food and drink options in quaint downtown Yachat.

6. Bighorns, WY

Here is a scene from the summit of Cloud Peak, the tallest in Wyoming’s under appreciated Bighorn range. Hop in your van and take a road trip to this little-trodden part of the West—hiking shoes, fishing rod, and camera in hand. It sees far fewer visitors than the Teton and Wind Rivers, but boasts equally spectacular scenery, and provides gentler terrain for the more casual hiker and horse-back rider. See you there!