When to go?
The climate in the
American West
is continental, with large disparities between regions.
Temperatures are higher in the South, more contrasted inland and in the North.
In the northern Rockies, parks like Yellowstone or Grand Teton in Wyoming are often snow covered.
Further south, Monument Valley, on the border of Utah and Arizona, can be covered with a blanket of snow.
The desert areas of the Great Southwest (New Mexico, Arizona, Death Valley) experience scorching summers, it is best to come from October to April. Finally, California enjoys a Mediterranean climate.
You can go there all year round.
Aside from the charms of snowy winters, spring and fall are overall the most pleasant seasons to travel to the American West.
Entry formalities to the United States
The
biometric or electronic passport
is compulsory.
It must be valid at least 6 months after the end of the stay.
All travelers entering the United States for a stay tourist least 90 days must have
authorization
ESTA electronic (Electronic System for Travel Authorization)
.
This document can be requested online, on the site of the Department of Homeland Security, and only on this site.
Please note, unofficial sites offer more expensive ESTAs.
It is recommended that married women register their full name (maiden and wife names).
The request must be made at the latest 72 hours before departure, but it is recommended to make it as soon as possible.
The ESTA costs $ 14, and remains valid for 2 years from the date of issue (or until the passport expires).
You must also present a return plane ticket.
It is advisable to keep yourself informed of the progress of formalities with the consular section of the United States Embassy.
Read the dossier: United States: the
Figaro
travel guide
What to plan before you go
What you need to know before setting off to explore the national parks of the American West.
makasana photo / stock.adobe.com
Accommodation and car rental reservations
It is strongly recommended to book at least 6 months in advance, especially for a stay in July-August.
Payment
The credit card is essential to rent a car or book a hotel room.
Payment by card is very common in the United States.
The exchange of euros on the spot being rather unfavorable, it is better to withdraw dollars from the vending machines.
Jet lag
It is - 8 hours (
Mountain Time
) or - 9 hours (
Pacific Time
) compared to France.
Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming are on the
Mountain Time
time zone
, while California and Nevada are on
Pacific Time
.
In summer, watch the time change when passing from Utah to Arizona, the latter state does not change the time: it is 8 hours less than in France in winter, 9 hours less in summer .
Health
Despite their quality, medical consultations and care are very expensive in the United States.
Even the slightest health problem can be very expensive.
It is therefore strongly recommended to take out health insurance including repatriation.
Budget
The cost of living in the American West is comparable to that of France.
The catering budget is similar, but accommodation is expensive, especially in high season.
Budget for accommodation
Hotel prices fluctuate very strongly, sometimes from simple to triple.
They depend on the season and the day of the week, the proximity to the park, the possible scarcity of accommodation, and the range.
A mid-category double room, in a motel for example, is generally displayed at $ 80 to $ 130 in high season, to which taxes must be added (see below).
In a hotel or in a big city, it is more like $ 100 to $ 200, and up to $ 300 in a luxury establishment or a
Bed & Breakfast
.
Breakfast, rarely included, costs around $ 15.
Camping is of course less expensive: $ 12 to $ 30 in national campsites, $ 20 to $ 45 in private campsites.
Budget for catering
It is possible to eat very inexpensively, for less than $ 12 a dish or a snack.
But it will be more of burgers or sandwiches.
For more balanced dishes, count at least $ 15 per dish, and $ 20 to $ 25 for more refined cuisine.
We estimate a standard lunch around $ 20, a dinner around $ 30.
At these prices, you will have to add taxes and tips.
Budget for car or motorhome rental
For a compact car rental, expect an average of $ 300 to $ 400 per week in high season, with strong fluctuations possible.
Renting a motorhome is expensive.
Count around $ 1,500 per week.
To this must be added gasoline, parking lots and sites with connections ($ 15 to $ 45 per night).
Note that in Death Valley, camper vans are prohibited in summer due to the heat.
You also need to budget for parking: around $ 20 to $ 30 per 24 hours.
Taxes
Prices are displayed exclusive of tax
, including on the Internet.
The amount of taxes varies by state, type of product or service.
They generally vary from 9 to 15% in the hotel industry, from 3 to 8% in car rental companies, in restaurants and shops.
Local surcharges of 1 to 3% may be added to this.
Tips
In restaurants, tips constitute the major part of the remuneration of the waiters.
Tipping is therefore a quasi-compulsory institution in the United States.
The custom is to leave 15 to 20% of the note.
Between taxes and tip, the bill increases significantly: it can reach 25 to 30% more than the displayed price.
Budget simulation
Despite these indicative price ranges, the variables are numerous, and the prices are very fluctuating.
Also, for a realistic budget and to avoid any unpleasant surprises, a simulation is necessary, including overnight stays and car or motorhome rental.
Do I need to reserve tickets to national parks?
View of the southern and northern part of the grand canyon from a helicopter.
Amineah / stock.adobe.com
Reservation is not required.
Entrance fees are to be paid at the entrance to the parks.
Some specific activities, however, require advance reservations.
This is the case for certain hikes (descents to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon), for 4x4 excursions in Arches or Canyonlands, or for the helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon.
Choice of parks and development of the itinerary
Two to three weeks seems a minimum period to have time to explore several parks.
It is best not to try to see too much.
The best is to concentrate on a region, and to select the parks according to the desired landscapes.
Read also: National Parks of the American West:
our 10 favorites between deserts and paradise on earth
It is important to take into account distances and travel times.
We will take care to alternate long stages, and short stages or days inside a park.
Count at least one, or even rather two full day (s) in each park.
This seems to be the minimum time to discover the most beautiful points of interest, and to go on hikes allowing you to soak up the unique atmosphere of the park.
Entrance fees to national parks and passes
The America the Beautiful Annual Pass sells for $ 80.
It gives access to all national parks.
National Parks & Federal Recreational Lands
Entrance fees generally range from $ 20 to $ 35 per 4-passenger vehicle.
Upon arrival, a stopover in the
Visitors Centers
is strongly recommended.
They often feature small museums with explanatory panels and dioramas.
They are excellent sources of information: maps, essential sites, information on flora and fauna, topographic hiking maps, news, etc.
The America the Beautiful Annual Pass gives access to all national parks.
It is bought at the entrance of the first park visited.
It costs $ 80, and pays for itself from the third.
However, it does not give access to Monument Valley.
You will find all the information on the National Parks Service website.
How to get around
Monument Valley, one of the most photogenic stages of the road trip.
Adobe Stock
The car is the easiest and fastest way to travel long distances in the American West.
Indeed, apart from connections between large cities, public transport is rare.
To rent a car in the United States, the French national driving license is sufficient.
However, you should check with the car rental company or the travel agency, because some companies require French customers to have an international driving license.
The driver must be at least 21 years old, and the license must be older than one year.
Another very popular option in the American West is RV rental.
A classic permit is sufficient.
By adding the additional costs (kilometer package, gasoline, pitches, connections, etc.), the budget for such a stay is almost equivalent to that of a car + hotel formula.
The
CDW
(
Collision Damage Waiver
) or
LDW
(
Loss Damage Waiver
) is an optimal cover in the event of damage or theft.
It is often compulsory, as is the
LIS
(
Liability Insurance Supplement
), an additional civil liability insurance covering damage caused to third parties.
These assurances are essential.
Gasoline is generally cheaper than in France: $ 2.5 to $ 3 per gallon (3.8 liters).
Inside the parks, shuttles are in service to manage the crowds in the busiest areas.
They circulate in the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce or Yosemite.
Housing
Very importantly, it is strongly recommended to book accommodation as early as possible, up to 6 months in advance.
For the summer in particular, we will do it from the beginning of the year.
Motels are the iconic lodging formula of the American West, but there are also other lodging possibilities in the heart of the parks, such as wooden bungalows (
cabins
) in Zion or a Victorian lodge in Yosemite… in a park turns out to be an enchanting experience.
Lovers of charming accommodation will opt for the
B&B
.
Comfort and elegance are often found in beautiful homes or cozy country houses.
As for national or state campsites (
national
or
state camgrounds)
, they are generally located in exceptional sites.
On the other hand, the infrastructures are rudimentary.
Private campsites, on the other hand, are often less conveniently located outside parks, and often lack charm, but overall offer more facilities and services.
Some campsites have rustic lodges or
cabins surrounded
by nature, or even
mobile homes
.
Certain destinations such as California and Utah offer “glamping” offers, camping in a chic and glamorous version: luxury tents in the heart of nature,
vintage
caravans
...
As for the location, for Joshua Tree, we recommend staying in Palm Springs;
for the Grand Canyon, in Tusayan;
for Arches and Canyonlands, in Moab.
In Monument Valley,
The View Hotel
and
Goulding's Lodge
enjoy exceptional panoramas.
In Death Valley, due to the distances, it is imperative to stay in the park.
In Yosemite, will look towards Mammoth Lakes or El Portal, otherwise Mariposa.
security
Yosemite National Park in the San Francisco backcountry.
In the heart of the Sierra Nevada grows forests of pine trees and giant sequoias.
Adobe Stock
No major danger is to be reported in the wide open spaces of the American West, except that of wild animals: bears, bison, coyotes, pumas… Regulatory distances must be respected.
It is forbidden to leave food or food waste in the car,
a fortiori
in a tent.
The food is to be placed in metal boxes.
Hikers will take care to leave well equipped: physical preparation adapted to the duration and level of the hike, good shoes, sufficient water, sunscreen….
Better to stay on the marked trails.
In summer, avoid the hottest hours.
In summer, the risk of sunstroke is high.
The mercury is close to or even exceeds 40 ° C in the American Southwest.
It is imperative to go on a hike equipped with sufficient reserves of water, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat.
In winter, temperatures hover around 0 ° C, and some roads are closed from November to the end of April or May.
The
Visitor Centers
indicate the closing schedules.
As for motorists, they will take care to have water reserves and fill up with gasoline in the stopover towns, because in rural areas and in the desert, service stations are sometimes very far from each other.
On the way to a life-size show!
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