America’s Most Awe-Inspiring Destinations

Updated June 10, 2025 10:01PM

If you want to find your own version of wild, you might need some guidance. Following an adventurer inspired by the uncommon trail can help. Take Max Romey. This Alaska-based multi-hyphenate artist, filmmaker, educator, and environmental advocate is, above all, a visual storyteller. Romey’s watercolor paintings allow him to process the world around him, seeing more in vivid surroundings than meets the eye.

Outside recently captured Romey’s exploration of the rugged high-desert landscapes south of Flagstaff, Arizona, where he traveled off-road in a 2025 Toyota 4Runner and let his creativity run wild.

Each new horizon helped him shape vivid, hand-painted visions of some of the country’s most wondrous destinations. Start imagining your own journey beyond with a few of the top locations below. Then watch the film and discover Your Window to the Wild—as well as the vehicle to get you there.

Texas Wild

Every Texan who loves the wild has Devils River on their list, but plenty never make it. That’s because it’s about as remote as Texas gets, tucked deep in the rocky hills of Val Verde County, where a spring-fed river runs cold and clear through desert canyons. The water looks tropical at first, almost Caribbean, but the landscape beside it is marked with mesquite and cactus. You won’t find crowds or cell service out here, just serious serenity and complete quietude. The dark skies alone are worth the trip.

The route: From Highway 277, turn onto Dolan Creek Road and drive 22 miles of rocky washboard gravel to the Del Norte Unit. High clearance is essential. Campsites are primitive, with no hookups or running water—but plenty of desert and sky.

Find your wild: Wade straight from camp into the river’s cold current or explore the dry canyons that climb away from the banks. With a permit and a boat (outfitters in Del Rio can help with shuttles and rentals), you can paddle the river, navigating travertine shelves and some mild rapids. Whatever your approach, Devils River delivers the kind of raw, unfiltered setting that just might change you.

An Ancient Fog Forest

In far Northern California, a patchwork of state and national parks protects the tallest trees on Earth. The redwoods here (painted above) can top 350 feet and live for more than 2,000 years. They trap the fog and turn sunlight into mist, forming a kind of arboreal cathedral. It may feel like you’ve wandered into ancient surroundings steeped in the forgotten past. After all, some of the trees here are older than written English.

The route: Drive Highway 101, then detour onto Newton B. Take Drury Scenic Parkway for the cinematic version or Howland Hill Road near Crescent City for a tighter, wilder ride. Davison Road (gravel with shallow creek fords) takes you out to Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon.

Find your wild: Walk the narrow gorge of Fern Canyon, where 50-foot walls drip with greenery. Kayak the Smith River, California’s last major undammed waterway, or just pull over, step into the trees, and lose yourself in the mystery.

Wild Florida

Big Cypress sits next to the Everglades but sees a fraction of the traffic. Water moves slowly. Gators glide in the shallows. Egrets laze. The air smells like damp pine or a recent thunderstorm. You’ll find cypress domes and sawgrass prairies stretching to the horizon, tangled mangrove tunnels, and skies so wide they swallow the road ahead. This prehistoric swamp will enchant you even before the mind-melting sunset begins.

The route: Loop Road runs 24 miles along the preserve’s southern edge. It’s partly gravel and often pitted with potholes. For more remote access, drive the Turner River/Wagonwheel/Birdon Loop through the interior. During the rainy season, expect standing water, soft shoulders, and muddy pullouts. High clearance is a smart call.

Find your wild: If you have all day, paddle the Turner River through twisting mangroves and open glades, or go thigh-deep on a ranger-led swamp walk among orchids, air plants, and cypress knees. You might spot a gator—or ten.

A wild world awaits. With its awe-inspiring capabilities and incredible versatility, the 2025 Toyota 4Runner is the ultimate tool for powering through, crawling over and diving into your world of adventure. Discover ‘Your Window to the Wild.’