[History] LIVE YOUR WILD WEST FANTASY ON THE OUTLAW TRAIL WITH THIS NEW TRAVEL GUIDE

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There’s no doubt that the fascination with the Wild West lives on today. And for those looking to travel in the footsteps of the region’s storied denizens, writer Mike Bezemek has penned Discovering the Outlaw Trail: Routes, Hideouts, and Stories from the Wild West.

The recently released book is a hybrid of historical storytelling and adventure—part narrative nonfiction and part guide book—with gorgeous photographs to illustrate the iconic stories of the era, including the real-life exploits of Butch Cassidy, Queen Ann Bassett, and the Wild Bunch. Bezemek, a passionate history buff and former kayak and backpacking guide originally from the Bay Area, highlights a variety of activities suited for various levels of accessibility, including hiking, biking, paddling, and driving routes. There are also historic sites, parks, museums, viewpoints, campgrounds, and Old West hotels. In other words, there’s something for everyone. Which is a good thing, because despite the passing of time, collectively, society is still very much fascinated by the idea of the Wild West.

“The Outlaw Trail is a figurative concept. There was a network of routes, and these trails led in and out of the hideouts,” he says. “These weren’t caves; these were regions that were considered to be OK for an outlaw to go.”

Naturally, many of these regions are removed from bustling cities and congested areas, meaning they’re not only historically interesting, but beautiful to explore, even in present time. “These outlaws were living off the grid and debunking societal conventions in a way that popular culture still seems to gravitate towards, as exemplified by the popularity of hidden history and true crime programs,” says Bezemek.

“Even the people in the towns [they terrorized] couldn’t look away,” he says. “The violence and defiance, they’d look at it and think ‘I could never do something like that.’ But man it’s thrilling to think about getting people their comeuppance.”

Here are some of Bezemek’s top spots to explore along the Outlaw Trail in the Western U.S., complete with his descriptions of what makes them a worthy trip.

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