Are you using Durango as a stopping place on the way to Moab or to see some of the sights in the area? If so, why not push on to Mesa Verde for the night and do a little in the morning then head for Moab? You could spend a few hrs in the am and then be in Moab by noonish.

If you get to New Mexico, I'm guessing you will want to go back and explore some more.

Sounds like a great trip, wish I were going too!

Thanks emalloy!

Yes, Durango was just a cool place to stop to rest for the night on the way to Moab.

Maybe what we should do is skip Moab for this trip because we do want to do another trip from Vegas to Zion, Bryce, etc. Maybe it makes more sense to do Moab then?

Maybe this time we focus on Santa Fe area, southern Utah (Monument Valley area), Sedona, etc. I really, really REALLY want to go to Moab, but, maybe we do it next time then we can do the grand circle type trip from Vegas... Vegas, Zion, Bryce, Moab, etc.

Does that make more sense?

Your original plan is fine, but does involve a lot of driving. If you decide on a focus on Santa Fe and Monument Valley , Grand Canyon, Sedona you would have a bit less driving. I would urge you to plan a trip to the Moab area, Arches and Canyonlands are awesome. If you click my name you can scroll down to a a couple of TRs I've done in the area with links to pictures if you think that might help you decide.

As a local to both ABQ area and SW Colorado, I suggest that you make this trip in just those areas and leave AZ and UT for another trip. 7 days would work perfectly for Santa Fe, Taos, ABQ, Durango and Mesa Verde. Trying to squeeze anymore into it is going to be a trip where you barely see anything other than the roads leading to each place.

I totally agree that you are attempting to see to much in too little time.

A more rewarding and less hectic ten-day itinerary would be Santa Fe, Taos, Canyon de Chelley, Grand Canyon, Sedona, Phoenix.

(If you go to Canyon de Chelley, stay at the Holiday Inn and book your morning jeep tour there too.)

HTTY

If 4 Corners is on the route you are driving - you can stop there for about 15 minutes and see it all. Mainly it's just kind of fun to stand in several states at once, and taka a break from driving. If you drive through Chama in northern New Mexico on your way over from Sante Fe - that is very pretty.

And as I have said before - you can get an idea of the Cliff Dwellings at the Navajo National Monument - about 20? minutes west of Kayenta - the southern gateway to Monument Valley. You can do that in lieu of detouring to Canyon de Chelley.

They have a nice Visitor's Center - with a movie theater - and it's a short hike to look across the valley at Cliff Dwellings. http://www.nps.gov/nava/index.htm

Here is one way to get from Durango over to Monument Valley - and I would agree it would be easier to save Moab for another time, maybe when you have more time and can rent/ride bicycles on Slick Rock, etc.

http://www.distancebetweencities.net/monument-valley_ut_and_durango_co/route

Thanks all, so amazingly helpful! This is what I have now:


Day 1 - Arrive in Albuquerque, pick up rental car at airport
Drive to Santa Fe - 1 hour
Day & night in Santa Fe

Day 2 – Santa Fe to Monument Valley – 6 hours
Night in Monument Valley

Day 3 – Monument Valley day
Monument Valley to Page, AZ 3 hours
Night in Page

Day 4 - In Page, need 3 hours to do Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon
Page to Grand Canyon – 3 hours
Night in Grand Canyon

Day 5 – GC day
GC to Sedona – 2 hours
Night in Sedona

Day 6 – Sedona all day
Night in Sedona

Day 7 – Sedona to Phoenix – 2 hours
Night in Phoenix

Day 8 –drop off car at Phoenix airport
Fly to Cabo!

**Maybe skip Page and spend more time in Santa Fe/ Ojo Caliente Resort & Spa? or Taos?


The more I think about it, the more I think Moab fits better into a grand circle trip, another time (something like Las Vegas, Zion, Bryce, Moab, etc.). Am I right?

That itinerary is exhausting to me. You are trying to do too much in a short period. I would either fly in to Albuquerque and head north and spend the seven days in Santa Fe, Taos and Ojo with a side trip to either Mesa Verde or Chaco Canyon and try to switch your return flight to Albuquerque or fly in and head to AZ and spend your time exploring there.

Missed the part about flying to Cabo. Head to AZ and get to know it. If you are determined to see Santa Fe come up for a night.

Hey - if you like to drive - as I do - and see the countryside - I think it's very doable. We usually buy an inexpensive foam type cooler and keep it iced up with cold beverages and snacks. It is squeaks - just put some towels/clothing around it.

And if you want to get an idea of the Cliff Dwellings just west of Monument Valley (town of Kayenta) - you can turn off the road - and drive a short distance to see the Navajo National Monument. They have a nice visitor center and you can take a short hike to look across the valley at the amazing cliff dwellings. http://www.nps.gov/nava/index.htm

Thanks!

I know it is a lot of driving, but, my hubby likes that.

Do you agree that Moab fits better with a Zion, Bryce, Moab, etc. circle?

I don't think Moab fits into any circle tour. It's not really along any loop, you kind of just have to make the effort to get there. It's at least 5 hours from Bryce. You could plan a Zion/Bryce trip for a week and still find you don't have time to get to Moab, given all the other options in the area.

Thanks WhereWeAre!

It was this type of thing I saw that looked cool:

http://www.us-parks.com/the-grand-circle.html

I do agree that a "fly in to Las Vegas", do the Southern Utah Parks, drive up to Salt Lake area, take in some sites/hiking/parks/etc., including Park City and fly out of Salt Lake is a good plan.

We have done it and felt we had adequate time everywhere, including 4 ridiculous nights in Vegas...but still had time for Zion, Bryce, Moab, Arches, Canyonland, Park City, etc. Gorgeous driving, too, but yes, some mileage.

Agree with DebitNM that if you fly into ABQ, it makes more sense to circle NM/AZ and make that the core of your itinerary and save CO/UT for another trip.

I over-scheduled a trip to Sweden this year and still regret it. Wish I had focused more on fewer sites than tried to pack "everything" in to one trip.

Enjoy!

I agree that loop looks cool, but would take a couple weeks to do it justice. At least 3 days for Zion/Bryce, 1 for Capitol Reef, another 3 for Moab. Add in 2-3 days for Monument Valley and Grand Canyon and you're already up to 10 days. That's without adding in Page, state parks, Sedona, Vegas, etc. Its really easy to find more things to do and see once you start asking for advice on where to go.

This is what I did a few years ago. I went with a friend.

Arrived in Salt Lake City and drove to Moab. On the way we passed Arches about 5PM so we went into the park and hiked to Delicate Arch. It was cloudy so I put in the back of my mind to get back there.

Spent most of the next 4 days in the Moab area (end of day 0 to day 4). Arches, Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point, Rt179, Rt128, Fisher Towers and a morning of rafting.

Left 4PM on the day 4. Stopped at Goblin Valley for an hour or two and got to Torrey in the dark. Spent the next day (day 5) in Capitol Reef.

Day 6 went to Boulder, hiked to Lower Calf Creek Falls (95 degrees - see below), Devil's Garden Escalante and drove down the Burr Trail road as far as the paving.

Day 7. Got up and drove to Cannonville. Went to and hiked Willis Creek. Drove to Bryce Canyon (37 degrees and snow flurries). Hike Navajo Loop / Queens Garden. Had a snack and drove to Salt Lake City. Got there in time for dinner.

The next morning toured SLC for a few hours and went to the airport to catch a flight home.

Absolutely nowhere did we rush but got a lot done in a short period of time.