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Quiz about For Travelers To Western USA
Quiz about For Travelers To Western USA

For Travelers To Western USA Trivia Quiz


The quiz covers places that I'd suggest seeing in the region. The questions outlines a zigzag route that allows someone who wants to see all of them to do so without retracing their steps.

A multiple-choice quiz by BaronTR. Estimated time: 9 mins.
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Author
BaronTR
Time
9 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
86,272
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
20
Difficulty
Difficult
Avg Score
9 / 20
Plays
5960
Awards
Editor's Choice
Last 3 plays: Guest 72 (11/20), Linda_Arizona (9/20), Zambo1 (12/20).
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Question 1 of 20
1. The tour starts and ends in the Dallas Fort Worth area. First, drive west to Carlsbad Caverns NP(National Park) in New Mexico, a major cave system and a World Heritage site. Which of the following is not an area of the cave that's primarily known for its rock formations? Hint


Question 2 of 20
2. From Carlsbad, work your way north to I(Interstate)40, which replaced the old highway Route 66, a road that was made famous in literature, song, and TV. What 40's and 50's singer is known for singing the song "Route 66"?

Answer: (Three Words: think Mona Lisa)
Question 3 of 20
3. Your next stop is Flagstaff, AZ, gateway to the south rim of the Grand Canyon, which is a must see. Although the distance by air between the South and North rim visitor centers is only 10 miles, how far is it if you drive? Hint


Question 4 of 20
4. After leaving the Grand Canyon, keep going west to Las Vegas, where you can experience a sensory experience that's extreme even by US standards. It's centered on Las Vegas Blvd South, also known as "The Strip". What was the first resort built along it? Hint


Question 5 of 20
5. From Las Vegas, head south all the way down I15 to San Diego. When you get to the Mission Beach area, you'll find a restored roller coaster right next to the beach. What's the coaster's name? Hint


Question 6 of 20
6. The next step is a short drive north to Los Angeles. LA has a wide range of things to do depending on what interests you the most, including several locations you can visit that have been used as settings for movies and TV. What location was used as a backdrop in the movie "Rebel Without a Cause", and the "ST Voyager" episode "Future's End"? Hint


Question 7 of 20
7. From LA, you go north to Bakersfield, continue on to Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP, and then head on up to Yosemite NP, the second must see stop on this list. The highlight there is Yosemite Valley, which not only includes several famous peaks like El Capitan and Half Dome, but some spectacular waterfalls. Which waterfall is the highest? Hint


Question 8 of 20
8. After leaving Yosemite, it's time to proceed west to San Francisco, a city that is remarkably picturesque. After taking a ride on the cable cars and checking out Fisherman's Wharf, you cross the bay on the Golden Gate Bridge. What city is on the other side? Hint


Question 9 of 20
9. From San Francisco, take US101N, and follow the coast up to Redwood NP. This gives you a chance to compare the sequoias of the Sierra Nevada mountains to the coastal redwoods. Which is the larger tree in terms of overall size, the sequoia or the redwood?

Answer: (One word, name the tree)
Question 10 of 20
10. Continuing north, you can stay on US101N all the way up the Oregon coast, a scenic but slow drive, or cut over to I5 at some point and take it to southern Washington and Mt St. Helens National Monument. It's a great chance to see the effect of a volcano. When did the mountain erupt? Hint


Question 11 of 20
11. Before you get to Seattle, leave the interstate and take the circle route around Olympic NP via US101, with one of the most interesting combinations of features in the national park system. What type of terrain is not contained within the park? Hint


Question 12 of 20
12. As you begin the trip back east on US2, you'll pass close to Grand Coulee Dam, which is well worth a trip to see. True or false: Grand Coulee Dam is not the largest concrete structure in the US.


Question 13 of 20
13. If you keep moving east on US2, the next big stop is Glacier NP in Montana. The highlight of the park is traveling across the continental divide over Logan Pass. The road is called "The Going to the ________ Road". Hint


Question 14 of 20
14. Your next move will be to the south, as you head to the first National park in the world, Yellowstone NP, in the NW corner of Wyoming. Which of the listed areas is not a thermal region in the park? Hint


Question 15 of 20
15. While you're at Yellowstone, be sure to visit Grand Teton NP just to the south. The park has multiple mountains over 12,000 feet, but almost no foothills, so the mountains seem to come right out of the valley. What industrialist bought and protected a large tract of land until the park was fully created? Hint


Question 16 of 20
16. At this point, it's time to head to eastern Wyoming and Devil's Tower National Monument, the first national monument in the US. Even if you haven't seen it in person, you've probably seen it featured in a famous movie. Which movie was it? Hint


Question 17 of 20
17. If you keep going east, you'll reach the Black Hills of South Dakota, and Mt Rushmore NM, which honors some of our greatest presidents by carving their faces into a mountain. In what chronological order were the faces carved? Hint


Question 18 of 20
18. Your zigzag tour now takes you back south to Colorado and Rocky Mountain NP, via Big Thompson Canyon and the city of Estes Park, home of the Stanley Hotel. What famous author was inspired to write a novel, later made into a movie, while staying there?

Answer: (Full name or just surname, "Hotel in Wintertime")
Question 19 of 20
19. You'll come out of the park in the midst of the Rockies. Take the opportunity to drive through the heart of the old Colorado mining region, which will include going through the highest incorporated city in the US. What's the city? Hint


Question 20 of 20
20. Your last big stop in this tour is Colorado Springs, home of the Air Force Academy, Garden of the Gods, and of course, 14,109 foot high Pike's Peak. It's probably the most famous mountain in Colorado, but is it the tallest?



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Oct 18 2024 : Guest 72: 11/20
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quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The tour starts and ends in the Dallas Fort Worth area. First, drive west to Carlsbad Caverns NP(National Park) in New Mexico, a major cave system and a World Heritage site. Which of the following is not an area of the cave that's primarily known for its rock formations?

Answer: The Lunchroom

The lunchroom is not a room with formations, but an actual cafeteria that's inside the cave. There are both guided and self guided tours depending on your preference. One suggestion if your going on this overall tour: The first time you get to a NP and have to pay an entrance fee, go ahead and get the annual pass that covers all parks. It'll save you money.
2. From Carlsbad, work your way north to I(Interstate)40, which replaced the old highway Route 66, a road that was made famous in literature, song, and TV. What 40's and 50's singer is known for singing the song "Route 66"?

Answer: Nat King Cole

Route 66 was built in the 20's to connect Chicago and Los Angeles. It became famous during the 30's as the route that many people who'd lost everything took to get to California, as portrayed in John Steinbeck's novel "The Grapes of Wrath". Although most of the road has been replaced by interstate highway, there are several websites showing what's left of the old road if you want to drive on a part of history. If you drive north to Roswell then over to I25N via Ruidoso, you get scenery and possible alien sightings before hitting I40W.
3. Your next stop is Flagstaff, AZ, gateway to the south rim of the Grand Canyon, which is a must see. Although the distance by air between the South and North rim visitor centers is only 10 miles, how far is it if you drive?

Answer: 219 miles

If you want to hike across the canyon, it's 21 miles across. There are amazing views from both rims, and they change at almost every turn. If you drive to the south rim via the eastern entrance, you'll be able to see the painted desert along the way there, then head back to Flagstaff. Flagstaff's also the gateway to Oak Creek Canyon just to the south of town, which is definately worth taking a day trip to see.
4. After leaving the Grand Canyon, keep going west to Las Vegas, where you can experience a sensory experience that's extreme even by US standards. It's centered on Las Vegas Blvd South, also known as "The Strip". What was the first resort built along it?

Answer: El Rancho

Although the Flamingo hotel is more famous due to the movie "Bugsy", the El Rancho, built in 1941, was the 1st resort built in the area. The Flamingo was the 3rd resort, opening in 1946. Of course, today you can pretend to travel the world by simply moving from one themed hotel to the next. You really have to see the town to believe it. If you get tired of gambling, Death Valley NP and Hoover Dam aren't too far away either.
5. From Las Vegas, head south all the way down I15 to San Diego. When you get to the Mission Beach area, you'll find a restored roller coaster right next to the beach. What's the coaster's name?

Answer: Giant Dipper

The coaster was built in 1925, but had fallen into disrepair by the 1980's. A preservation group was able to prevent it's demolition until funds for a restoration came up. When you go to check out the beach scenery, the coaster's worth taking the time to ride.

While going to the beach, and over to the Zoo, and back to the beach, I found San Diego to just be a pleasant town to spend time in.
6. The next step is a short drive north to Los Angeles. LA has a wide range of things to do depending on what interests you the most, including several locations you can visit that have been used as settings for movies and TV. What location was used as a backdrop in the movie "Rebel Without a Cause", and the "ST Voyager" episode "Future's End"?

Answer: Griffith Observatory

It's not remembered with a bust of James Dean like "Rebel Without a Cause", but there was a phaser fight out front in the "Voyager" episode. It's also an excellent location to get both an overview of the city and a good view of the Hollywood sign.
7. From LA, you go north to Bakersfield, continue on to Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP, and then head on up to Yosemite NP, the second must see stop on this list. The highlight there is Yosemite Valley, which not only includes several famous peaks like El Capitan and Half Dome, but some spectacular waterfalls. Which waterfall is the highest?

Answer: Yosemite

Yosemite Falls is the 5th highest in the world. If you want the full effect where the roar can be heard across the valley, go in the spring, as several falls almost dry up in late summer, although there's still a couple of days worth of things to see and do. Yosemite Valley is one of the crown jewels of the US park system, and the rest of the park is impressive as well.
8. After leaving Yosemite, it's time to proceed west to San Francisco, a city that is remarkably picturesque. After taking a ride on the cable cars and checking out Fisherman's Wharf, you cross the bay on the Golden Gate Bridge. What city is on the other side?

Answer: Sausalito

Sausalito is along the bay, and is one of many great places for picture taking in and around the area. This is an area that's worth checking out not just for scenery, but for it's unique character and style, which is occasionally odd, but always interesting.
9. From San Francisco, take US101N, and follow the coast up to Redwood NP. This gives you a chance to compare the sequoias of the Sierra Nevada mountains to the coastal redwoods. Which is the larger tree in terms of overall size, the sequoia or the redwood?

Answer: Sequoia

Although redwoods are somewhat taller, they are thinner than the sequoias and have less overall mass. Get someone to stand next to each one and you'll see the difference. Both tree types are amazing to look at in any event.
10. Continuing north, you can stay on US101N all the way up the Oregon coast, a scenic but slow drive, or cut over to I5 at some point and take it to southern Washington and Mt St. Helens National Monument. It's a great chance to see the effect of a volcano. When did the mountain erupt?

Answer: May 18, 1980

Go to the Johnson Ridge visitor center a few miles from the crater and look at the destruction there. It's an excellent spot to view the area, and to put into perspective just how far off the expectations for the eruption were. It was not considered a high risk zone before that morning.
11. Before you get to Seattle, leave the interstate and take the circle route around Olympic NP via US101, with one of the most interesting combinations of features in the national park system. What type of terrain is not contained within the park?

Answer: Volcanic activity

The most unique element of the area is the existence of a temperate rain forest, because the mountains in the center of the park block storms from the Pacific ocean and keep most of the rain on the ocean side. Keep in mind that the park takes up much of the Olympic peninsula, and while you can see the highlights in one day, it's a long drive all the way around.
12. As you begin the trip back east on US2, you'll pass close to Grand Coulee Dam, which is well worth a trip to see. True or false: Grand Coulee Dam is not the largest concrete structure in the US.

Answer: False

The dam was built during the Great Depression, and although it's not as high as Hoover Dam near Las Vegas, the overall size at Grand Coulee is larger. If you spend the night in the area there's an impressive laser light show illuminating the dam in multiple colors.
13. If you keep moving east on US2, the next big stop is Glacier NP in Montana. The highlight of the park is traveling across the continental divide over Logan Pass. The road is called "The Going to the ________ Road".

Answer: Sun

The road was built in the 30's, and is one of the most spectacular drives in the US. People with recreational vechicles should be aware that it is a winding road with limits on vehicle size. The park is also a great place for hiking.
14. Your next move will be to the south, as you head to the first National park in the world, Yellowstone NP, in the NW corner of Wyoming. Which of the listed areas is not a thermal region in the park?

Answer: Hetch Hetchy

Hetch Hetchy valley is in Yosemite NP. Over half of the world's geysers are inside the park. I could spend an hour writing about things to do here. It takes a good 3 days simply to get a good overview of the park. Just make sure you don't limit yourself to Old Faithful geyser. If you skip other places on this list, that's fine, but don't skip Yellowstone.
15. While you're at Yellowstone, be sure to visit Grand Teton NP just to the south. The park has multiple mountains over 12,000 feet, but almost no foothills, so the mountains seem to come right out of the valley. What industrialist bought and protected a large tract of land until the park was fully created?

Answer: John Rockefeller

Rockefeller acquired 35,000 acres of land that was eventually included in the park. In his honor, the road connecting Yellowstone NP with Grand Teton NP is called the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Parkway.
16. At this point, it's time to head to eastern Wyoming and Devil's Tower National Monument, the first national monument in the US. Even if you haven't seen it in person, you've probably seen it featured in a famous movie. Which movie was it?

Answer: "Close Encounters of the Third Kind"

The formation is what Richard Dreyfus' character was making out of mashed potatoes, and where the aliens made contact at the end of the movie. Devil's Tower is made up of very hard rock that erodes much more slowly than the weaker rock around it, leaving this big exposed rock that's over 1200 feet high.
17. If you keep going east, you'll reach the Black Hills of South Dakota, and Mt Rushmore NM, which honors some of our greatest presidents by carving their faces into a mountain. In what chronological order were the faces carved?

Answer: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt

The figures were carved over a 14 year period between 1927 and 1941 as designed and supervised by Gutson Borglum. Originally, he planned to carve a more complete portrait of each man, instead of just carving the faces, but only the top part of Washington's coat was done due to budget issues. If you want to see a mountain carving being done, the Crazy Horse Memorial is in the same region.
18. Your zigzag tour now takes you back south to Colorado and Rocky Mountain NP, via Big Thompson Canyon and the city of Estes Park, home of the Stanley Hotel. What famous author was inspired to write a novel, later made into a movie, while staying there?

Answer: Stephen King

He wrote part of the book "The Shining" while staying in room 217. You wont recognize the exterior from the movie however, as the outdoor scenes were shot at the Timberline Lodge in Oregon. The drive to the park through the canyon is almost as scenic as some of the roads in the national park itself, and they're quite impressive.
19. You'll come out of the park in the midst of the Rockies. Take the opportunity to drive through the heart of the old Colorado mining region, which will include going through the highest incorporated city in the US. What's the city?

Answer: Leadville

Leadville is 10,430 feet above sea level, and has preserved several buildings from when it was a primary town during the the gold and silver rushes that took place during the late 19th century. You'll also be driving on part of the "Top of the Rockies" National Scenic Byway, while traveling through the area.

After you go from the park to I70, go west about 35 miles to CO91, follow it to US24, then go all the way to Colorado Springs. It's worth it.
20. Your last big stop in this tour is Colorado Springs, home of the Air Force Academy, Garden of the Gods, and of course, 14,109 foot high Pike's Peak. It's probably the most famous mountain in Colorado, but is it the tallest?

Answer: No

Mt. Elbert is the highest mountain at 14,433 ft high, with Pike's Peak only the 31st highest peak in Colorado. The things that Pike's Peak has going for it is that it's located out by itself on the edge of the Rockies and is therefore very visable, and that you can actually drive to the summit in your car.

The view from the summit so impressed Katherine Lee Bates that she wrote the poem "America the Beautiful". From there, several roads will take you to US287, which goes all the way back to the DFW area. I not only hope you liked the quiz, but got some ideas for a Western US adventure.
Source: Author BaronTR

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ballykissangel before going online.
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