Roadtrip Suggestions

“So I'm considering taking a solo raodtrip from my home in Jacksonville, FL out west...I'd like to make it as far west as Zion/Grand Canyon area with stops in Albuquerque, NM, and Prescott, AZ to visit friends and take a few dayhikes. I'm looking at a couple weeks around early August...any suggestions on what to see besides the obvious National Parks? Anyone taken a roadtrip in this area and have any suggestions on how to prepare? Thanks.”

“hahaha... wow, can't believe I found this on my computer...

My 2000 roadtrip, done in two weeks. This can give you some idea of a schedule, although not exactly where you want to go:

1. Mesa Verde
2. Hovenweep N'tl Monument (I LIKED this!)
3. Monument Valley on Navajo Indian Reservation (and Goulding's Lodge across the highway)
4. Navajo N'tl Monument
5. South rim Grand Canyon
6. Lee's Ferry N'tl Rec. Area on Colorado River
7. North rim Grand Canyon
8. Toroweep -- very remote, primitive western location on north rim of Grand Canyon. You lose the crowds here! It drops 3,000 ft. to Colorado River below and there are NO guard railings.
9. Kolob Canyons portion of Zion
10. Zion
11. Bryce
12. Scenic Highway 12 (I never tire of this drive!)
13. Escalante River-- Escalante/Grand Staircase N'tl Monument
14. Capitol Reef (the rain portion of trip started here! although we did take 4 mile hike in raingear!)
15. eastern end of Lake Powell, where Dirty Devil and Colorado rivers enter (Lake Powell N'tl Rec. Area)
16. Natural Bridges N'tl Monument (OK, so it was dark and we really didn't see much!)
17. Newspaper Rock -- great location of ancient petroglyphs on way to.......
18. Canyonlands, Needles District
19. La Sal Mts.
20. Arches
21. Deadhorse Pt. State Park
22. Canyonlands, Island in the Sky District
23. Colorado N'tl Monument
24. Rollins Pass near Winter Park (a fav. location of mine since first trip west in 1981!)
25. Rocky Mt. N'tl Park -- luckily Trail Ridge Road was open although almost end of October.

I've been around Albuquerque, too, and liked:
1. Wild Rivers BLM area on the Rio Grande (OK, this was far north, almost to Colorado)
2. Jemez Pueblo area
3. Bandelier National Monument
4. The mountains just east of ABQ. Pathman may jump in and tell you more. You can hike or take a chairlift to the top. I think there's quite a few trails.
5. The old volcano caldera that the US gov/local residents are managing as a preserve. Valle Caldera??? It's between Jemez and Bandelier.
6. Petroglyphs National Monument, right on west edge of ABQ. I love rock art and it's all over here!!!

LOL... way too many things to see and do. Ask if you'd like more info on any spot. Most of them included dayhikes.
last edited: 3/31/06 8:33:13 AM”

“I liked the Middle Fork hike in the Kolob section of Zion... and you MUST do Angel's Landing in the main canyon (but not if scared of heights!)

In Bryce the Navajo Loop is an easy jaunt with great scenery. If you're south of Bryce, there are some slots and things off Skutumpah Road.

Navajo National Monument could take a day. They offer hikes to Betatakin. Or an overnight (or long day hike, like 16 miles) to the remote Keet Seel. These are cliff dwellings.

You can camp at Lee's Ferry and maybe hike up Paria Canyon a bit.

There are hikes at Red Canyon, I think a BLM area, right on Scenic Highway 12 between Zion and Bryce.

I think all those are on the route you mentioned.”

“Well you are going to want to take a car. OOOhhh and some Gas even though I'm told it is kind of expensive equipment and in some model cars doesn't last to long. food and beverages would be a good thing too. Music helps the time go by unless you like listening to your own deep thoughts.”

“Sounds like fun wherever you can travel to!”

“Hehe...good one, flasher...
I've done N and S Rims of the Grand Canyon, I've done part the Narrows at Zion, been to Monument Valley, and places in between those areas, and would love to see them again. Not sure if I'll make it as far north as Colorado, but I would love to see Rocky Mountain NP and Denver. We don't get that kind of terrain here in FL..:-( I figure I'll go where the road takes me, I've never been one to make an itinerary, but I'd love to know what's out there...I-10 is the straight shot from J-ville, but I may head north to hit I-40 around Asheville, NC and head out to Albuquerque...decisions, decisions...”

“If you only have two weeks, and it's going to take a couple of days at least to get there, best is to focus on only a small area and do it in more depth, especially if you want to go hiking. If you can spare the time, I would advise adding an extra week or more. Last year we did a nine day loop from Las Vegas to the Escalante, with a couple of days each in Bryce and Zion - and we were really frustrated because we weren't able to do as much as we wanted. Western distances are huge. If you only have two weeks, then stick to the places you know you want to visit - northern NM and northern AZ. Come back and explore Utah another time when you can give it the time and attention it deserves.”

“Do you like caves. In New Mexico is Carlsbad Caverns. Very cool I had a good time there as a kid with my Parents. If you go out in the even you can watch the bats fly out.”

“Yeah, I looked at the caves on the map...that's a possibility. The problem i'm having now is the distraction of SO many things to do/places to see that I think I need to just enjoy the journey itself. There's really nothing between Jacksonville and say, Houston I want to see, so I figure that's a long day of driving, and then another day to El Paso, unless I want to see Big Bend and the VLA...i hear it's nice. From there's its 4 hrs. to Albuquerque and everything I really want to see. Has anybody done any roadtrips in that area, have any ideas on how to prepare? I'm figured the cost and all, but don't know if i'm taking everything into consideration.”

“My summer road/move trip should include Mesa Verde, Canyonlands, Bryce?, Teton, Yellowstone, Glacier?.

:D :D :D”

“The drive from Durango, Colorado to Ouray, Telluride, and Mesa Verde is awesome for mountain scenery. You might want to see Santa Fe and Taos along the way. If you find yourself going through Page, AZ you might want to see Antelope Canyon, Corkscrew Canyon, or Paria Canyon/Buckskin Gulch if you like slot canyons.”

“I've driven cross county about 10 times. Atlanta or Florida to Wa state or Calli.

Texas-- Caverns of the Sonora-- little known and world class.
Arizona-- near Prescott day hikes in Sedona area are ok but touristy, challenge go up Humphreys--the high point in Arizona.
New Mexico--- Detour north off I 40 to Chaco Canyon. One of the wonders of the world if you are into Anasazi Indian ruins. Also little known Bisti De Na Zin, badlands. Shiprock is killer. El Malpais not bad either.
Any drive in Utah is scenic. My favorites-- Hwy 12 the "hogback" between Escalante and Boulder, then on over the mountain to Torrey
Out of Mexican Hat over the Moqui dugway on up to the Cedar Mesa---that view is so expansive and incredible I swear you can see the curve of the earth horizon.

But the most fun is just the randon things you see--- a man crashing his Ultralight by I 10 in Texas, a family in a disabled RV having a musical jamboree right by the road with people pulling off not to help but to listen to music, a guy running across the interstate after ditching a stolen truck (I've seen this more than a few times).

Have fun--”

“Rather than cram, I suggest some overnights in some areas: Big Bend (will be hot), any mountains in NM, San Juans(Chicago Basin), Canyonlands (way hot), Paria, slots in S Utah/N Az, circumnavigate Navajo Mt (that would be great, done half), Grand Gulch, Dark Canyon.

Only bad thing is most areas in southern US will be hot in August, really hot. No water. Look for some canyons with water, but then you have to worry about getting flashed out (all slots, Zion, Paria/Buckskin, etc, etc).
Desert hiking is cool but you need to be prepared.

Consider getting up with a group and going down the Green or San Juan. Damn its hot in August in the SW.”

“Good point, edoc. The point of this trip is to see part of the US and visit friends, hiking along the way is kind of a bonus. I wouldn't do anything more than a dayhike, simply beause of the august conditions, and the fact that i'd be alone. Living in Florida, i'm used to the heat, but not the lack of water. In august here, it pushes 100 with the heat index about 120 some days...out there i think i'd probably find more variety in the conditions. thanks for the suggestions...i'll look into my options.”