7 Southwestern Spring Escapes
Dive into the natural wonders of the region this season
Hike Our Newest National Park
Visit our newest national park, a surreal landscape where you can sled down the white gypsum sand dunes, attend Mothapalooza and watch Perseid meteor showers.
Visit an Eco-Experimental Commune
Arizona is too hot to sweat your way through in summer unless you’re used to it, so head to Arcosanti in spring. Designed by Italian-American architect Paolo Santeri, this commune in central Arizona minimizes its carbon footprint through shared resource use, reduction of urban sprawl, and clever design, including solar-oriented doorways and windows. Learn about the community and then hike a few of the 860 acres of wilderness, including the Agua Fria Canyon.
More: Visit Arcosanti
Hike Zion Before It’s Too Hot
Spring is a great time to beat the 100 degree temps that beat down on Zion in summer. If you’ve only got one day for this natural wonder, make it a good one: head to Zion Canyon for a ranger-led hike that will leave you oohing and aahing over the red Navajo sandstone rocks.
Stay Cool in the Valley of Fire
Pitch your tent in this sci-fiesque state park amid Aztec red sandstone formed by ancient dunes that date back to the dinosaurs. Camp out at Arch Rock campground while it’s still relatively cool, where you’ll find petrified trees, narrow slot canyons and ancient petroglyphs.
More: Visit the Valley of Fire
Tour an Artsy Mountain Town
Taos temperature highs hover in the sixties in April and in the seventies in May, meaning you get sweet sunny afternoons that aren’t too hot in this beautiful little city that boasts a vibrant art scene of more than 50 galleries.
Go Out of Your Way to Marfa
Trip through Donald Judd’s art and a host of galleries in isolated Marfa, in West Texas. From Tex-Mex to high cuisine, quirky local goods to high fashion, you’ll find a pleasurable and strangely wonderful weekend here.
There’s More than Meow Wolf
Meow Wolf, a hypercolor immersive 22,000-square foot art space, was built by 135 artists. But it’s just the beginning of Santa Fe, where you’ll ride hot air balloons, party at large-scale visual art and music festivals, and stuff down sopapillas.
More: Santa Fe Travel Tips from the Founder of Its Best Cutting-Edge Art Space