The ultimate USA road trip

It’s funny how the most unexpected stops can turn out to be your favourites. This had happened in Cheyenne, and again when I crossed my final border into Colorado, and the small city of Fort Collins – the Napa (or Yakima) of craft beer. Brewing started in 1995 with one man in his basement, which became the phenomenally successful New Belgium Brewing Company.

On a tour, between tastings, I learned that 70% of a beer’s aroma is captured in its foam, and that flavours are added only at the end of a mixing/mashing process. More fascinating, though, was learning about the company’s set-up. Employees are given two six-packs a week; after a year of service, they’re offered shares and a custom cruiser bike, so most cycle to work. New Belgium also has its own private solar-panel farm – for every six bottles you buy, it guarantees that two were produced using renewable energy.

A slightly later than planned start saw me eager to let my Mustang loose on one final patch of wilderness – Rocky Mountain National Park. Before long I was on a trail, gawping at the aptly-named Emerald Lake while fish bobbed curiously near the surface and chipmunks and ground squirrels begged for food at my feet. Back in the car, Trail Ridge Road took me into the heart of the park, where yellow aspen trees splashed a shot of colour across the earthy autumn scene. I’d been advised to drive to the visitor centre and then turn back – left – to Denver, where my road trip would end. But I didn’t listen. At that fork, I made a right, and headed to the west of the park instead.

At first, I wondered if I’d regret these extra miles. But then I saw a line of cars near Timber Creek, so pulled over to investigate. There stood a moose, his antlers rising regally above the grass. To his left was a female, knee-deep in the watercourse, grazing on plants beneath the surface; when she raised her head, droplets fell from her chestnut beard.

I’d made the right decision. I didn’t know what else my detour would bring, but then that was the whole point. So with a wide grin, I continued, the road bending around the corner ahead, perhaps leading to many more forks, to endless possibilities.

An invaluable resource for planning your trip isDiscoverAmerica.com

Washington
Stay:Hotel Five (Seattle) is close to the Space Needle and Monorail; it offers free use of bicycles. Doubles from $165 (£104). Paradise Lodge (Mount Rainier NP) was built in 1916 and oozes period charm. Rooms from $120 (£76).Cherry Wood B&B (Yakima Valley) offers stays in luxury teepees and the chance to soak under the stars in the outdoor bathhouse. Teepees $245 (£154).
Eat: The5 Point Café (Seattle) serves good burgers and beer 24 hours a day.
Drink: Head to Silver Lake Winery and Cultura to sample two very different local wines.
Buy: A Seattle City Pass ($64 [£40]) covers access to the main museums, a boat tour on Puget Sound and a trip up the Space Needle.
More info:visitseattle.org, experiencewa.com

Idaho
Stay:The Wallace Inn (Wallace) is suitable for a stopover. Doubles from $84 (£53).
Eat: The Fainting Goat (Wallace) offers tapas and a self-serve wine tasting bar.
Do: Paddle from Coeur d’Alene with ROW Adventures, which offers a range of half- and full-day trips, as well as cycling tours along old railway lines nearby.
More info: visitidaho.org

Montana
Stay: St Mary Lodge and Resort has cabins with mountain views and great access to Glacier NP. Cabins from $240 (£151). C’mon Inn (Bozeman) is a Midwest chain hotel. Doubles from $109 (£69).
Do: Visit the Museum of the Rockies (Bozeman), home to a treasure trove of dinosaur bones discovered in the mountains. For more dino-thrills, try the Two Medicine Dinosaur Center.

Wyoming
Stay: Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel (Yellowstone National Park) is a great place to watch elks bugling. It also offers excellent Lamar Valley Wildlife evening tours available from $61 (£39). Doubles from $90 (£57). Jackson Lake Lodge (Grand Teton) has cabins, cafés and a glass-walled lounge with unrivalled mountain views. It also runs remote horseback tours for all levels (from $45 [£28]) – recommended. Doubles from $269 (£170). Homewood Suites (Rock Springs) is well placed. Doubles from $109 (£69). Windy Hills Guest House (between Laramie and Cheyenne) overlooks Curt Gowdy State Park; sit in a hot tub, watching deer feed and owls hoot. Bliss! From $149 (£94).
Do: Killpecker Tours runs passionately guided tours of the petroglyphs outside Rock Springs. From $100pp (£63).

Colorado
Stay: Armstrong Hotel (Fort Collins) is on the main street, with a jazz bar below and a coffee shop next door. Doubles from $129 (£81). Golden Leaf Inn (Rocky Mountain NP) is a lovingly restored old house with great views and even better breakfasts. Doubles from $157.50 (£99).
Eat:Fort Collins Brewery serves good beer and locally sourced food.
Do:Visit Fort Collins to enjoy its organic food store, independent boutiques and coffee shops. Also tour New Belgium Brewery – booking essential.
More info: colorado.com

To make it a truly classic US roadtrip, hire a Ford Mustang. Hertz offers 14 days’ Mustang hire for £639, based on collection in Denver and including one-way drop-off charge, unlimited mileage, taxes and charges.