Visit the USA's national parks

Much-loved and much-visited, holidaymakers have long enjoyed seeing wildlife and getting away from it all in national parks.

This month sees the 75th anniversary of the Kinder Mass trespass, when walkers trespassed onto publicly-owned land in the Peak District that then led to the creation of the UK's first national park.

However, long before then national parks had already been created in the USA, with Grand Canyon National Park one of the first.

So if you want to experience some of the USA's most incredible landscapes on a big scale, here are some holiday ideas for exploring national parks in the states of Utah and Arizona.

Holidays to Zion, Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon national parks

An active holiday in three of the USA's national parks is a fantastic way of seeing some of the vast country's natural wonders.

It is possible to visit Zion, Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon national parks in one trip, as the parks are relatively close to one another.

The northernmost and smallest of the three is Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, from which the east entrance of Zion National Park is 78 miles away and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is 150 miles away.

The park has distinct climates thanks to its 650-metre elevation, and is home to three endangered species, 100 different bird varieties, many mammal species and over 1,000 plant types.

First declared a national park in 1923, Bryce Canyon has towering red, orange and white rock formations called hoodoos that have been caused by frost rather than flowing water, as is the case with the Grand Canyon.

The visitor centre is one of the best places to start, where holidaymakers can find out more about the park with a short documentary that is played twice an hour, as well as being able to find maps, exhibitions and useful information.

To see the great views over the park holidaymakers can drive to straight to Rainbow Point along an 18-mile one-way road, and can then stop at the 13 viewpoints on the way back.

Two or four-hour wrangler-guided horseback or muleback rides can also be taken into the canyon.

For more information on visiting Bryce Canyon Nation Park see www.nps.gov/brca

The larger Zion National Park offers holidaymakers a chance to experience narrow canyons with towering sandstone cliffs, and even more wildlife than at Bryce Canyon.

Zion is home to 271 species of birds, and some of the best times to visit the park are in spring for the wildflowers and autumn when leaves dramatically change colour.

Shuttle buses, many hiking trails suitable for all abilities and cycle routes also make the park an excellent place to go for an activity holiday.

Park Rangers at Zion also lead a number of talks, guided tours and evening programs on many different topics, from the park's human history (dating back more than 2,000 years) to animal inhabitants and local plants.

For more information on visiting Zion National Park see www.nps.gov/zion

The best-known national park in the region is Grand Canyon National Park, but it is also one of the most challenging on an active holiday.

Recently making the headlines thanks to the new Skywalk - a huge glass-floored balcony jutting out over the rim of Grand Canyon West - the national park is one of the USA's first parks, getting its National Park status back in 1919.

With over five million people visiting the park every year, it is also a huge tourist attraction.

For adventurous holidaymakers one of the ultimate experiences is to take a river trip through the canyon on the Colorado River, which takes a minimum of three days to do.

However, if you are looking for a less intense Grand Canyon experience, it is also possible to take one-day hikes into the park.

Holidaymakers should also note there are no easy trails into or out of the Grand Canyon - so for the easiest walking experience visitors can spend a day on the Rim Trail, which runs from the village area to Hermits Rest, which is also served by a free shuttle bus.

For more information on visiting Grand Canyon National Park, including information on the Grand Canyon Skywalk, see www.nps.gov/grca

Adventure holiday company Explore has a nine-day tour of Zion, Bryce Canyon and Grand Canyon national parks, as well as Monument Valley, Route 66 and the new Grand Canyon Skywalk. September departures start from £1,274 per person including flights, all transportation, accommodation, local payment and the services of a tour leader (www.explore.co.uk).

Other tour operators with trips to the USA's national parks include American Sky, Trek America and Responsible Travel.