Discover ancient forests, vast canyons and enduring cultures that reveal America’s story long before its founding.
In 2026, the United States celebrates its 250th birthday. It’s a milestone worth celebrating, and an opportunity to reflect on the people, events and ideas that have shaped the nation. Yet some of the places that define America have stories that stretch back much, much farther.
Ancient forests, vast canyons, living Indigenous communities and remarkable geological wonders have witnessed centuries, millennia and even millions of years of history. Some were already old when the first Europeans arrived on the continent. Others were taking shape long before humans existed at all.
As the nation marks a quarter millennium, it’s the perfect time to explore a few places whose stories began long before 1776.
Giant Sequoias
Walking among giant sequoias has a way of making human timelines feel very small. Some of these towering trees have stood for more than 3,000 years, taking root long before the Roman Empire reached its height.
Their immense trunks can measure more than 30 feet across and their bark glows a rich cinnamon color in the California sun. Up close, the bark feels surprisingly soft and fibrous. Standing at the base of one, its size is difficult to comprehend. These trees have survived droughts, storms and centuries of change. Standing beneath them, it’s hard not to feel a sense of perspective. Generations come and go. The sequoias remain.
Backroads guests experience these remarkable forests on adventures through Yosemite National Park, where giant sequoias remain among the most awe-inspiring sights in North America.
The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon tells a story almost too immense to grasp. The Colorado River carved the canyon over millions of years, revealing layers of rock that showcase nearly two billion years of earth’s history.
Standing on the rim, it’s easy to understand why generations of travelers have struggled to describe it. Colors shift with the light. Shadows move across cliffs and buttes. Distances seem impossible to judge. Geologists have spent generations studying the canyon’s rock layers, yet the landscape still inspires a sense of wonder that goes beyond science.
While photographs capture the scale, they rarely convey the experience of walking along the canyon’s edge or watching sunrise illuminate its walls. Backroads trips through Sedona & the Grand Canyon offer the chance to explore this iconic landscape on foot, taking in its beauty one step at a time.
The Pueblo Communities of New Mexico
Not all of America’s oldest stories are written in stone. Some continue to be lived every day. The Pueblo peoples of the Southwest have deep roots in New Mexico, where communities have preserved traditions, languages and cultural practices across centuries. Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been continuously inhabited for more than 1,000 years.
Throughout northern New Mexico, visitors encounter a landscape shaped by Indigenous history, from ancient villages and cliff dwellings to petroglyphs etched into stone. Adobe structures blend naturally into the landscape, while centuries-old traditions remain part of community life.
These places offer a powerful reminder that the history of the American Southwest extends far beyond the nation’s founding. More importantly, it remains part of a living culture that continues to shape the region today.
Backroads adventures in Santa Fe and Taos explore many of these places while highlighting the rich cultural heritage that makes New Mexico unlike anywhere else in the country.
Discover the Cultural Traditions of New Mexico
Yellowstone’s Geothermal Landscape
Long before Yellowstone became America’s first national park, powerful geological forces were shaping the landscape beneath it. The park sits atop one of the world’s largest volcanic systems. For hundreds of thousands of years, heat rising from deep within the earth has created the geysers, hot springs and otherworldly features that make Yellowstone unlike anywhere else.
Today, visitors can watch Old Faithful erupt, stroll beside vividly colored thermal pools and gaze into the dramatic Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Steam rises from the ground and mineral-rich waters shimmer in shades of blue, green and gold. Around every bend, the landscape feels alive.
The park’s famous wildlife adds another dimension to the experience. Bison roam broad valleys. Elk graze in mountain meadows. Bald eagles soar overhead. Together, they help make Yellowstone one of North America’s most distinctive landscapes.
Backroads’ Yellowstone adventures, including glamping trips, bring travelers closer to these remarkable natural wonders while providing unforgettable access to one of America’s most iconic national parks.
Roam with the Buffalo in Yellowstone
Utah’s Red Rock Country
Few places in America look quite like southern Utah. Towering sandstone cliffs, natural arches and sculpted rock formations rise from the desert in shades of red, orange and gold.
Much of the region’s sandstone began as vast sand dunes hundreds of millions of years ago before hardening into rock. In Bryce Canyon, cycles of freezing and thawing later sculpted the park’s famous hoodoos, while wind and water helped shape the landscapes that now define parks such as Arches, Zion and Canyonlands.
Delicate arches span open sky. Hoodoos rise from the desert floor. Narrow canyons wind through towering walls of stone. At sunrise and sunset, shifting light casts long shadows and brings the rock to life.
Backroads guests explore these remarkable landscapes on active adventures throughout the Southwest, including Utah’s Arches Glamping trip that places travelers in the heart of red rock country.
A Longer View of History
America’s 250th birthday is a reminder that history exists on many different scales. Some stories span centuries. Others stretch across millennia.
The remarkable thing is that these places aren’t relics of the distant past. You can still stand beneath giant sequoias, watch steam rise from Yellowstone’s geothermal landscape or explore the cultural traditions that continue to shape New Mexico today. Their stories aren’t confined to history books—they can still be experienced firsthand.
