FromPhilly

Planning a 10-night road trip with my girlfriend next year in late May/early June. Itinerary looks like this:

Fly into Albuquerque, rent car, drive to Santa Fe.
Spend 2 nights in Santa Fe shopping and seeing Bandelier.
Drive to Durango, CO. Stay 2 nights,see Mesa Verde and raft on Animas. Drive to Bryce via UT 95 and stay one night at Bryce, see Bryce, drive to Springdale outside of Zion. 2 nights at Zion, then to Grand Canyon for 1 night. End up in Vegas for 2 nights, then fly home. It is alot of driving, but I dont mind, and I know this trip will probably cost close to 5k for both of us...but it should be epic, considering we've never done anything like this together. Any suggestions on this trip???

tovarich

I would try to include the following:visit Taos pueblo.
On your way to Durango visit Chaco canyon.It's only a small detour but worth it.Instead of going from Durango to Bryce go to the grand can.first by way of Monument valley.Then from the G.Can. to Bryce via Lake Powell (Page).In Bryce do the combination hike Navajo trail-Queen's garden trail.Springdale is fine for Zion.The Best western is great.I would spend more time in the parks than L.Vegas but that's personal.You'll have a wonderful trip.Paul

ElendilPickle

Yes, it's a lot of driving, but the scenery is pretty spectacular!

Aim for May if you can; it will be hot, but not as hot as June.

Lee Ann

sharondi

Seems to me like you are doing an awful lot of driving yet missing some of the most amazing places. Mesa Verde is incredible but you really need at least a full day there. But driving from Durango is a bit of a haul - just the road into the park is about an hour drive.

Then you are so close to Moab (Arches, Canyonlands), it seems like such a shame to be so close and not spend any time there. Instead you are driving all the way from Durango to Bryce on a pretty slow (yet scenic) road (rte 95) and won't really have any time to spend in Bryce once you get there. The drive will take you probably 8-10 hrs. And you should try to see Natural Bridges and do the short drive through Valley of the Gods on the way. So, a very long day and not much time to see Bryce.

Then going from Zion to GC; for only 1 night is also a lot of driving for a small return. I would strongly suggest spending those 2 nights at the end of your trip seeing the amazing scenery instead of in LV (sorry, but it's only good for it's airport, IMO).

I hope you will rethink your itinerary so that you'll have a chance to see more of the beauty and history of the area. The southwest is so amazing and I just want you to have the best trip possible.

algalli

Having done this several times I would skip Las Vegas. I would spend at least one night at Far View Lodge in Mesa Verde

peterboy

Spend one night in Santa Fe. You can skip Bandelier since it pales in conparison to Mesa Verde.

Spend two nights in Mesa Verde at the Lodge in the park instead of Durango. Skip the rafting.

Spend 2 nights in Moab seeing Arches
for a full day (more would be better but... no time this time).

Drive Moab to Boulder and splurge for a night at the Boulder Mountain Lodge.

Drive scenic HWY 12 to Bryce stopping to hike Lower Calf creek Falls trail.


2 nights at Bryce to allow a day to hike into the canyon among the Hoodoos.

Drive to Zion/Springdale and spend the rest of that day hiking to Scout's Landing in Zion.

Drive to Vegas for a 1 night stay (if you really must).

Yup, this has you skipping Grand Canyon. Since it is out of your way.


I fear that, if you stick to your plan, the only thing "epic" about your trip will be the numbness of your rear end from sitting in the car so much. I know you say you don't mind driving but I'm afraid you'll regret passing so much by without a chance to get out and wander through the landscape some.

Also, consider dropping Santa Fe and start in Vegas and do a loop, aka "The Grand Circle".

marksfour

I second Far View Lodge...most unforgettable view..all the way to Shiprock, NM.

Also had a surprisingly amazing dinner there!

algalli

Shouldn't be surprised at an amazing meal. The National Parks have very good restaurants. Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, Mesa Verde, Glacier, GRand Canyon, Mount Ranier all have wonderful common spaces in their lodges and quality restaurants to go with them. And this makes up for the sometimes plain rooms. I will always stay in a National Park if I have the chance.