Best Road Trip Destinations for Adventure Die-Hards
Hot springs (shown above)
Eastern Sierra, California
Driving U.S. Route 395 between Bishop and Bridgeport, California, doesn’t just get you astounding views of the Sierra Nevada’s precipitous east side. It links a smattering of hot springs—some developed into comfy resorts, others left unpolished. The largest is Keogh’s Hot Springs, where 130°F spring water feeds a soaking pool and swimming area, all accessed from furnished canvas “glamping” tents. For a more all-natural experience (including access via unpaved roads), Hilltop Hot Springs has satisfyingly warm water (the source water exceeds 100°F) and a pool surrounded by meadows and bogs framing the Sierra’s peaks. As the name suggests, Crab Cooker is too hot for human comfort, but visitors can adjust the temperature using pipes and valves that feed the tub.
Much of the Driftless has escaped major development. Only tiny towns dot its Kickapoo River Valley.Travel Wisconsin
Fishing
Driftless Area, Wisconsin
Welcome to trout heaven! The Midwest’s Driftless Area—mostly in Wisconsin but also chunks in Minnesota and Iowa—was largely spared the pummeling of ice age glaciers, so it lacks glacial deposits, called drift. (Get it?) That’s given this unique topographical area lots of cold, spring-fed streams that nurture teeming populations of gem-hued wild trout. In fact, 98% of this region’s fish are naturally reproducing. Not only are their colors more vibrant than hatchery spawn, but these brookies and browns are also wilier. Fat, predatory lunkers do inhabit these creeks, and landing a 30-inch brown trout on light tackle is a genuine resume-builder. But many are palm-length beauts won with sleuthy stalking and delicate presentations.
Hook In: In Viroqua, Wisconsin, the Driftless Angler is a fly and guide shop that can get on you top of some of the region’s best fish. Owner Mat Wagner recommends the Timber Coulee outside the town of Coon Valley. “There’s plenty of public water to spread out on, and good fishing all season long,” says Wagner.