Category: Travel News

In a recent article on News.com.au in the travel section, the author attempted to put together a list of global travel destinations that provided the best experience based on the grandure of the location itself and weighing it up against the amount of tourists that will also be sharing your experience, in an attempt to find the best travel locations for those who want to experience the landscapes of the world without feeling like you need to take your picture quickly and move out of the way so someone else can take theirs.  In a list that included such exotic locations as Burma, Italy, Morocco and Peru we were not surprised at all to find one of our favorite locations mixed in to the list, and tours of Monument Valley were presented among the 20 best places on earth to visit. What needs to be taken into consideration when judging the best places on earth to visit as a tourist is how many other people are also doing the same thing as you, and potentially making it feel less like you are experiencing the area and more like you are just looking at it through a window.  Bindlestiff Tours has always strived to make our tours more of an experience, and to guide our clients through an area, providing interaction and interesting facts as we move, but not interfering with your experience as a adventurer.  When you enter an area like Monument Valley, you feel as though you are transported back into the Old West, and visions of cowboys riding across the range immediately come to mind.  The beauty of Monument Valley is that in addition to that fantastic landscape of vast sandstone buttes that reach upwards of 300 feet into the air, there will be very little in the

Death Valley tours are some of the most popular excursions that are offered by the tour companies that call Las Vegas home, and Bindlestiff Tours is no different with Death Valley tours being offered at almost all times of the year.  "There are some points during the summer when it just gets too hot to be safe," commented Rachel Frampton, owner of Bindlestiff Tours.  There are points during the summer months when the area really does live up to it's name, and it gets so hot out there that it is not a comfortable place to visit." Death Valley saw its first 120 degree temperature this year on June 9.  Yes, you read that right, it was 120 degrees in Death Valley in June.  What is truly amazing about this is that it is expected to get even hotter than that in the later summer months.  Here are a few facts about Death Valley that most people might not know: 1. On average, Death Valley California sees 15 120 degree days. 2. June 25 -August 15 are the average first and last days that Death Valley sees 120 degree temperatures each year. 3. In 1917, Death Valley recorded 52 120 degree days. 4. In 2013 Death Valley saw 27 120 degree plus days. Very few places in the United States ever get to see 120 degrees on the thermometers.  Of all of those places, none ever get to reach the temperatures that Death Valley can reach, and as a matter of fact in 2013 Death Valley actually almost hit 130 degrees, falling just one degree short on June 30.  Death Valley actually saw eight straight days over 125 degrees from June until July.  If you were looking to get out of the heat of the day and think that it

Bindlestiff Tours-  Monument Valley National Park Few places offer the majestic landscape and soaring views that characterize Monument Valley National Park. This must-see natural wonder is a destination that is included in most Utah and Arizona guided National Parks tour packages offered by Bindlestiff Tours. Visitors have the option to visit Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon, and Zion as part of a three, seven, or twelve day trip. For adventurers seeking the ultimate National Park experience, there is also a twenty-one day tour available. When touring Monument Valley, you will be immersed in the vast, open desert that defines the American wild west. Our 4x4 jeep tour offers a genuine outdoor experience, and you will have the opportunity to hike, camp out, and live like the cowboys did. The unique sandstone formations are some of the most photographed in the world, and have appeared in countless iconic Western movies. Vivid red and gold butte and mesa formations, carved out for centuries by slow-moving rivers originating in the Cutler Formation of the Colorado Plateau, get their rich color from iron oxide in the stratified layers of sandstone. Some of the more well-known formations include the East and West Mitten Buttes, Merrick Butte, Honeymoon Arch, and Mitchell and Wetherill Mesas. One of the most often photographed is Totem Pole, a spire of rock that reaches 450 feet high, but only a few meters wide. The juxtaposition of these formations thrusting up from the sweeping valley floor make for stunning sunsets and incredible photographs. As the sun drops in the sky, it bathes the towers in rich red hues, and casts long shadows on the valley floor. We ensure our visitors have ample opportunity to photograph these breathtaking sunsets, but many simply stare in awe at the wondrous scenery. Your guide will educate you

There has been a great amount of discussion regarding federal land and National Parks this year, with many politicians attempting to make a name for themselves by taking up the position that federal land should not belong to the federal government, and instead should be seized by the individual states that the land is bounded by.  This political posturing may be a difference of opinion between the parties, but the potential future of our National Parks may hang in the balance.  By the theory of federal land being transferred to the individual states, the outcome could be current National Parks being sold off to the highest bidders for a variety of activities including development, drilling, exploration, logging,  fracking and pipelines.  While this may seem like something worth considering as it could raise money for cash-strapped states, the consideration must be made to recognize the fact that our unspoiled National Parks cannot be recovered if any of these activities were to take place.  Once they are gone, they are gone forever. A prime example of this fight is happening in Colorado, where Republican nominee Bob Beauprez recently stated during a debate that he supported the seizure of Colorado’s national parks, forests and public lands by the state government, saying “this is fight we have to wage.” He went on to say that if the land were being leased from the state by the federal government, "we would cancel their lease."  His opponent Gov. Hickenlooper retorted by asking where Beauprez planned of acquiring the additional funding that would be necessary to maintain the additional land in question on a state level, pointing out that the additional burden to the taxpayers would be around $200 million annually.  If the costs of battling forest fires is to be addressed, the costs to taxpayers could be in the

All national parks have a birthday, a day when they were officially recognized by congress as a protected area in the United States, and would be governed by the rules set forth under the protection acts in order to forever keep their natural beauty intact for people to observe.  On October 1, 1890 President Benjamin Harrison signed into law a bill that gave Yosemite Valley a National Park status.  In this law, Yosemite National Park is preserved and protected, including more than 1,500 square miles of park area, Tuolumne Meadows, the high country, and Hetch Hetchy. Yosemite Valley and the Giant Sequoias of Mariposa Grove were still under the control of the State of California under the provisions of the Yosemite Grant (which was receded by California on June 11, 1906,) but the combination of the legislation and the existing Yosemite Grant makes up most of what Yosemite National Park as it is known today.  The Yosemite Grant itself is 150 years old, being signed on June 30 1864. Yosemite National Park is considered one of the most beautiful open spaces in the world, and one of the little known facts is that the Indian Village that once was home to residents of Yosemite was burned by the National Park Service in 1969, after the last residents were moved out.  The natives of the area were inhabitants for thousands of years, but upon being designated as protected land and being given the status of "National Park" the residents were not allowed to stay if they remarried, nor were children allowed to stay if the parental figures died.  Today, Yosemite National Park is enjoyed by thousands of visitors each year, and is cherished as an unspoiled example of the beauty of America.

Saguaro National Park officials have voiced their opinion that they are opposed to development of the land across from Rincon Mountain entrance.  The opposing opinion to the proposal of development hinges on the fact that it is in close proximity to the park, and is simply too close.  This opposition raises an interesting question regarding national park land, "should there be a development buffer zone around national parks?"  The question is going to be debated heavily from both standpoints, with examples of West Yellowstone at Yellowstone and Gatlinsburg at the Sugarlands entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park being used s examples.  In the example of Saguaro National Park, the potential development of the 45 acres of land across from the Rincon Mountain District is deemed by opposition as far too close. There are many examples of development happening within walking or short driving distance of national parks nationwide.  The development of Bar Harbor is within steps of Acadia National Park in Maine, the development of West Glacier is on the western border of Glacier National Park in Montana, Three Rivers Development is next to Sequoia National Park in California and Royal Front Development is steps from the northern entrance of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia.  In the majority of cases of development near national parks, the towns were established previous to the national park. At Saguaro, the disputed area is known as Bike Ranch development, and the opposing viewpoint is to  preserve open space around the entrance to the Rincon Mountain District. The property is located in the Pima County Buffer Overlay Zone, which preserves and protects the open space characteristics within one mile of public preserves, according to park staff. At the Pima County Hearing Administrator in May the proposal of development was strongly opposed by officials.  At

One of the most interesting touring experiences that visitors to the Southwestern United States have at their disposal are Bryce and Zion tours. Both the Bryce Canyon National Park and the Zion National Parks are within a short drive from the comfort of Las Vegas, making it a perfect trip to factor into your next vacation to the area. You can start with the bright lights and comfort of Las Vegas and all it has to offer, and then spend a few days getting away from the city with a tour through two of the most unique spaces on earth. Bryce Canyon National Park is a smaller and less traffic-heavy space encompassing roughly 50 miles of hiking trails in Utah. The picturesque beauty of the park is well on display throughout the entire ecosphere, but is most prominently displayed on the 18 mile scenic trail that is a must-do for hiking enthusiasts. The park is open year round, and should be visited at different times of the year in order to get a completely different perspective each time. The Hoodoos of Bryce are a truly unique experience that can be found nowhere else in the world. Only a short 83 mile drive from Bryce Canyon is Zion, which is a must for anyone who wants to experience first hand the landscape of the protected areas of the United States. The rock climbing in Zion is worldwide recognized as some of the best on earth, and avid climbers will travel thousands of miles to experience it. Horseback riding and ATV touring are also quite popular in Zion. The true beauty of Bryce and Zion tours are their accessibility to Las Vegas as a starting point. Tours which spend full days at both parks can be completed in a three day timespan,

TAKE ACTION: URGE THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT TO PROTECT PUBLIC LANDS IN SOUTHERN NEVADA! Southern Nevada is an amazing landscape of desert, mountains, and wildlife that offers room to hike, hunt, fish and enjoy the natural scenic beauty. Most of these lands—about 3 million acres—are publicly owned and held in trust for all Americans to enjoy. Overseen by the Bureau of Land Management, they contain designated wilderness areas, important habitat for desert tortoises, rich archeological sites, and many other environmental and cultural treasures. Because these special places belong to us all, we have a say in how they are managed. SOUTHERN NEVADA’S PUBLIC LANDS ARE IN YOUR HANDS—MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! In Nevada, only 230,000 acres of public land has been permanently safeguarded as wilderness. The land use plan that is being considered and is available for public review and comment by citizens, and  the Bureau Of Land Management has fallen short in properly assessing additional wild areas that are still in need of protection. The BLM identified only another 7 percent of those 3 million acres as having wilderness qualities, and it has proposed to set aside an even smaller fraction—just 1 percent. Numerous areas deserving of protection are either not identified as having wilderness characteristics or not slated for conservation, including Billy Goat Peak and Bitter Ridge in the Gold Butte area, the Middle and North McCullough Mountains, Arrow Canyon, Amargosa Valley, the Virgin Mountains, and Buffington Pockets. These lands not only provide a variety of recreational opportunities, but they also are home to desert tortoises, gila monsters, and kit foxes. URGE THE BLM TO PROTECT WILDERNESS IN SOUTHERN NEVADA. SEND YOUR COMMENT TODAY!

244,970 acres of new wilderness areas are now protected by Congress, as of a few days ago. Land conservation legislation has been a problem in Congress for the past five years, which has failed to pass any meaningful legislation that would impact the wilderness areas that are protected from industrialization and development.  With mounting pressure from President Obama and growing frustration from local communities impacted by encroachment, Congress has finally acted and supplied a package of dozens of land conservation bills to the President for signature.  The bills protect more than 1 million acres of national parks, wilderness areas and rivers.  Although the victory is slightly tainted in that these measures needed to be attached to the defense spending bill in order to pass, conservationists are taking the victory.  It is the first bit of substantial protection offered since 2009. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) stated “In addition to setting aside nearly a quarter million acres of wilderness in the American West, it also expands more than a dozen of our national parks to protect more of this country’s natural splendor for future generation.,” These bills include protections for 244,970 acres of new wilderness.  Some of the more significant additions were to the Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana, the creation of the Columbine-Hondo Wilderness in New Mexico, the Pine Forest Range and Wovoka Wildernesses in Nevada, and the Hermosa Creek Wilderness in Colorado.  Additionally, the bills also designate 208,160 acres in Montana as the Rocky Mountain Front Conservation Management Area, along with protection of 70,650 acres in Colorado as the Hermosa Creek Special Management Area.   More than 100 miles of rivers have additionally been added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. During his signing of a proclamation in May that used executive order to protect a national monument in

Bindlestiff Tours is one of the premier touring companies specialized in the National Parks of the Southwestern United States, and as such provides an inclusive and immersive hiking experience of Zion National Park as part of the "Bryce And Zion Overnight Tour."  This tour is provided as a walking tour, structured in a way so as to provide a full day at each location which can be spent in a variety of activities.  Day two is an excursion into what is considered Utah's finest National Park, Zion.  For hikers of all levels, there are trails that will provide beautiful scenery and challenging hiking. There are several hikes of note, but for the purposes of this article we will concentrate on the main hikes of Zion.  Each has it's own unique features and scenery, and in addition to those hikes discussed here, there are many others which are outside of our typical geographic area of choice that can be explored on private tours through our sister company Bindlestiff Private Tours. Angel's Landing: This is considered one of the most epic trails in Utah, and is the favorite among most of our guides.  The path itself winds through steep switchbacks and through Refrigerator Canyon, which displays cooler temperatures than the remainder of the hike.  Not to be missed is "Walter's Wiggles," one of the more interesting and unique geological formations in Utah.  You will ascend more than 1500 feet above the valley floor as you hit the ridgeline.  The trail ends at a dramatic perch with an unbelievable 360 degree view of Zion Canyon. Emerald Pools: Across from Zion Lodge is Emerald Pools, one of the most popular and heavily trafficked trails in Zion.  Considered mild in nature, there is dramatic scenery including waterfalls and the pools themselves.  Popular aspects of the