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TopClicks
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Travel
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United States
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Western States
Alaska - Alaska is the largest state, in area, and is home to the tallest mountain in the United States, Mount McKinley (20,320 feet). It's both the westernmost and easternmost state! This curiosity is possible because, technically, part of the Aleutian Island chain of Alaska is located in the Eastern Hemisphere, while the rest of Alaska is in the Western Hemisphere. Alaska gets its name from an Inuit word for "great lands." It is the 49th state, and some of it lies above the Arctic Circle.
Aloha From Planet Hawaii! - Once in Hawaii, you could spend several hours flying to all the islands in the Hawaiian chain. On the other hand, you can spend a few minutes island-hopping in a virtual way, right here on Planet Hawaii. Each of the Hawaiian islands is distinct in its own way, as evidenced by the web sites you'll find straight ahead in our island directories.
Arizona - The 48th state, Arizona, is home to the largest gorge in the U.S.: the Grand Canyon. It is 277 miles long and 1 mile deep. The name is from the Aztec word arizuma , meaning "silver bearing." The official state bird is the cactus wren, and the flower is the saguaro cactus. This western desert state has lots of cactus!
California - California, the 31st state, was once part of Mexico. It is known for its national park, Yosemite. Also, the lowest point of land in the United States is Death Valley, at 282 feet below sea level. Located on the West Coast, California is known as the Golden State. The state tree is the California redwood, and its flower is the golden poppy.
Colorado - One of the Rocky Mountain states, Colorado has the highest average elevation of all the states, and over 50 of the highest mountain peaks in the U.S. are found there. Yes, skiing is popular in Colorado! The 38th state has had over 20,000 years of human habitation. Its state flower is the graceful Rocky Mountain columbine.
Montana - Montana is "Big Sky Country," a nickname that came from the wide-spaces that dominate the eastern grasslands. However, the Rocky Mountains in the west are responsible for its name, the Spanish word for "mountains." The 41st state's official tree is the ponderosa pine.
Nevada - Nevada's Hoover Dam on the Colorado River is one of the tallest dams in the world. Tourists from around the world visit Las Vegas for its gambling and entertainment. The official flower of the 36th state is the pungent sagebrush.
New Mexico - The 47th state has many natural wonders. Carlsbad Caverns National Park has caves that are over 11,000 feet deep and 20 miles long. This western desert state claims the yucca as its official flower and the roadrunner as its bird.
Oregon - The deepest lake in the United States is Crater Lake, in Crater Lake National Park, with depths to 1,932 feet. This lake is located inside an ancient volcano and has no water flowing in or out. Oregon's west coast is known for its dense woods and beautiful, mountainous scenery. Its state tree is the Douglas fir. It is the 33rd state.
Pueblo Cultural Center - In the New Mexico desert, 19 Pueblo communities welcome visitors, both real and virtual. You can read descriptions of all of them here, as well as pick up maps to the pueblos, calendars of events, and even rules for attending dances (don't applaud--dance is a prayer, not a performance). Gaze at the stunning wall murals, with titles such as these: The One-Horned Buffalo Dance; The Sounds of Life and Earth as It Breathes; and Indian Maiden Feeding Deer. You can read biographies of the artists, too.
Utah - Utah comes from a Navajo word, meaning "upper." Salt Lake City is the spiritual center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) religion. The Great Salt Lake in Utah is eight times saltier than the ocean. Utah is the 45th state, and its official bird is the seagull.
Washington - Coastal Washington state is known for its many natural features. The Cascade Range is where Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980. Olympic National Park contains vast sections of ancient rain forest. It is the 42nd state, and the rhododendron is the official flower.
Wyoming - Wyoming means "large prairie place" in Algonquin. Yellowstone National Park is famous for its geysers and hot springs (fictional "Jellystone Park" is where Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo live). This rugged Rocky Mountain state was the 44th to be admitted to the Union. Its official flower is the Indian paintbrush.
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