10 Best Ecotours
ALL Natural
Each of these 10 ecotours is an adventure in perfect harmony with the surrounding environment.
words by > Nick Burry
Ecotourism combines the ideals of adventure, education and sustainability. Ecotours are often characterized by exciting outdoor activities, from hiking and biking to paddling and diving. At the same time, they emphasize the importance of learning about local cultures and regional flora and fauna. Above all, ecotourism promotes the goal of balance in the environment. Here’s a list of ten ecotours that maximize adventure and education—while minimizing the impact on nature.
1 - Take a gamble on Red Rock Canyon
LAS VEGAS
Just beyond the endless neon glow of Las Vegas’ many casinos, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (www.nv.blm.gov/redrockcanyon) provides the perfect antidote to the sensory overload of 24-hour slot machines and Elvis impersonators. One of the easternmost parts of the Mojave Desert, the 200,000-acre park gets its colorful name from oxidized rocks, and features some stunning red sandstone peaks known as the Keystone Thrust (part of the Spring Mountain chain). A popular destination for rock climbers, Red Rock is also home to some fine examples of Native-American cave painting, along with a rich collection of indigenous wildlife, including desert tortoises, wild rabbits and herds of burros.
Perhaps the best way to take it all in is to book a guided day-hike through Las Vegas Tours (www.buylasvegastours.com). Catering to your abilities, experienced guides will lead you along winding desert trails, stopping for water breaks in just the right spots for breathtaking views. And though you won’t have to worry about the noise of ATVs—which are forbidden in Red Rock—you will have to watch out for rattlesnakes!
2 - Rocky Mountain Hikes from the Mile-High City
DENVER
Denver is actually 5,431 feet above sea level (just over a mile, if you’re keeping score), just east of the Front Range of the Rockies. Denver itself is responsible for some 40,000 acres of outlying “mountain parks,” so the hiking enthusiast need hardly leave the metropolitan area to experience the beauty of this unique border zone between the Great Plains and the mountains.
The self-proclaimed goal of Get Out Colorado (getoutcolorado.com) is to provide “hassle-free hiking” for the visitor with limited time to spend on planning or researching. Able to cater to your interests and your level of expertise, they offer guided hikes 300 days out of the year, providing you with the best way to catch stunning mountain vistas—and if you’re feeling adventurous (and energetic), they offer snowshoeing!
3 - North Carolina Retreat
CHARLOTTE, NC
The Cottages at Spring House Farm (www..springhousefarm.com), near the outdoor adventure magnet of Asheville, North Carolina (130 miles northwest of Charlotte), are carefully integrated into the landscape at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The lodgings are comprised of six cabins constructed from reclaimed lumber, and the site itself is a wildlife sanctuary. It’s an ideal venue to throttle down the pace of everyday life, but there is a wealth of outdoor activities in the area. Nearby Chimney Rock Park (www.chimneyrockpark.com) is a perfect location to explore the region’s natural splendor. Take advantage of the park’s professional instruction in rock climbing, panoramic 75-mile views and moderate hikes leading to 400-foot waterfalls.
4 - A visit with the Tule Elk in Point Reyes
SAN FRANCISCO
The majestic Tule Elk were reintroduced to Point Reyes, an hour north of San Francisco, in the late 1970s and have grown to an impressive herd of nearly 500. Point Reyes National Seashore park offers the opportunity to admire these elk and features stunning cliff-side vistas. New England Hiking Holidays (www.nehikingholidays.com) offers three-day guided tours, during which you’ll have the chance to observe the Tule Elk in their natural habitat and also explore the primeval redwood forests of the Muir Woods in Mt. Tamalpais State Park.
5 - Cross-Country Skiing in Western New York
ROCHESTER, NY
Magnificent views of the Genesee River Gorge are what give the 14,350-acre Letchworth State Park (www.nysparks.state.ny.us)—a 35 mile drive from Rochester (and 60 miles from Buffalo)—the nickname “the Grand Canyon of the East.” Many of its 66 miles of hiking trails are open to skiers in the winter; the area itself receives some of the heaviest snowfalls in the US, making the park one of the best cross-country skiing spots in the state of New York. Glide through lush forests, along plateaus overlooking waterfalls that rush between 600-foot high cliffsides, breathing the crisp, clean air of the natural landscape. There is a range of trails of varying difficulty, most requiring limited skill, so novices need not fear.
When your legs are more rubber than muscle and you just can’t take any more outdoor adventure, you can either rough it at one of the park’s winterized cabins, rent out the park’s three-bedroom Maplewood Lodge or stay at one of the houses on the grounds of the Glen Iris Inn (www.glenirisinn.com).
6 - Mountain Biking Along the Atlantic
SAVANNAH, GA
While the islands around Savannah— Hilton Head foremost among them—are renowned for their golf courses, you can also get close to nature biking the trails of Hunting Island (www.huntingisland.com). A relatively secluded barrier island, this state park has quiet beaches, a salt marsh preserve, the longest free-standing pier on the East Coast and an old-fashioned lighthouse, all of which can be experienced using over five miles of interconnected bike trails. The island is also home to the nesting grounds of the Loggerhead Turtle, so if you happen to be there around midMay, you may enjoy the sight of hundreds of turtles dragging themselves up the beach to lay their eggs. The nearby town of Beaufort, South Carolina, has created a useful online resource for cabin rentals, campsites and other information (www..beaufortonline.com/tourist/huntingisland).
7 - Paddling the Black Creek
GULFPORT/BILOXI, MS
Just 45 minutes north of the airport in the De Soto National Forest, is a nearly 400,000-acre preserve of pine forests and winding waterways. The Black Creek, which runs through the northern part of the forest, is officially classified as a National Wild and Scenic River. Popular for canoeing, the Black Creek is both gentle enough for the amateur paddler and diverse enough for the experienced outdoor explorer.
To ensure that you make the most of your time, though, take advantage of the resources at Black Creek Canoe Rental (www.blackcreekcanoe. com). They offer rentals (both canoe and kayak) and shuttle services which will take you to spots great for anything from a three-hour paddle to a full-blown three-day canoe trip.
8 - Safari in the Everglades
FORT MYERS, FL
Everglades National Park is one of the country’s greatest ecological treasures—and a guided safari ecotour will uncover the hidden secrets of the “river of grass.”
Real Adventures (www.realadventures.com) offers nine-hour educational safaris that cover varied transportation and terrain, from hiking through cypress groves to airboating through sawgrass swamps. For a different perspective, North American Canoe Tours (www.evergladesadventures.com) offers night paddle adventures. As the sun begins to dip, guides help identify birds as they come in to roost, and point out hidden orchids. Paddling back after sunset, headlamps pick out the glowing red eyes of half-submerged alligators.
9 - Birding Tour in New Jersey
NEWARK, NJ
Cuckoos, hummingbirds, and buntings—along with dozens of other species from woodpeckers to eagles—can be found just outside the greater New York City metropolitan area.
Starting from Newark International Airport, WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide (www.wingsbirds.com) offers a five-day tour of the diverse bird habitats in the Garden State. The tour takes place in May, the best time of year to catch the northern migration through New Jersey as well as the regional breeding species as they establish their nests. From Newark, expert guides lead the group through several state parks, covering marshes and bogs, forests and meadows. The tour is aptly titled “Sounds of Spring in the Highlands,” and amid a chorus of chirping and warbling, beginners and advanced birders alike will appreciate the special attention devoted to identifying birdsong.
10 - Outdoor Education in Cape Cod
BOSTON
Boston is one of the world’s academic hotspots, but the city is also a gateway to a wealth of outdoor education opportunities. Just southeast of Boston is Cape Cod, a spit of land curled like an arm flexing its bicep. The Cape is an eco-tourist’s paradise. On land, bikers wheel along hundreds of miles of trails through varied topography from forests to marshes (www.capecodbikeguide.com). At sea, seal- and whale-watching tours highlight the area’s marine mammal population. But perhaps the most eco-friendly and intimate way to explore the area is a kayak tour.
Osprey Sea Kayak Adventures (www.ospreyseakayak.com) specializes in rentals, instruction, and tours for all levels of kayakers. Tours thread through the islands of Pleasant Bay and are led by coastal naturalists who highlight the region’s glacial formations, bird migration, aquatic vegetation and marine life. Osprey Adventures strives to educate paddlers about both physical balance aboard kayaks and environmental balance in the delicate salt marsh ecosystem. Sunrise, sunset and full moon kayak adventures are also available.