AZ, UT, CO - urgent only 1 day to plan!
 

Hello awesome people,

My husband and I live in Tucson, and would like to do a road trip this weekend: can leave a Thurs 8pm, returning Monday by midnight. Just found out I have off work so trying to plan something quickly!

Would like to see the following places, as many as possible in that timeframe while still being enjoyable.

One caveat, we are in our mid 30's, I am recovering from a broken leg that I mangled in December 2016 during a mountain bike fall. I am still walking with a cane and have a brace on my leg. I can not do copious amounts of stairs or hiking. Only short relatively easy walks.

Can we get some advice on the best route, or where not to bother because it will be inaccessible due to my leg?

Here is our wish list:
Mesa Verde
Arches
Antelope Canyon
Million Dollar Highway
Bryce Canyon
Zion Canyon
Big Water


Which way do we go from Tucson?

I was thinking maybe a loop through Antelope to Zion to Bryce to MDH to Mesa Verde to Arches to Big Water back to Tucson...?

You may be pressed for places to stay since you are picking very popular National Parks on a holiday weekend at short notice.

I also think you have WAY too much on your list; you will hardly spend anytime in any place.

I would try to get a room in Cortez CO and then go to Mesa Verde NP, drive the Million Dollar Highway, see Durango and Telluride. That will use up the time pretty much.

I know you said Colorado, etc. Would be lots of driving in 4 days and not much time to explore the places. Have you been to Las cruces, White Sands and that area? Lots to see and do.

Since we don't have time to see all, what would our best route be to see some of the sights?

Which are the best/most worth the drive?

Already been to White Sands, Las Cruces...drove from NYC to Tucson so already did everything coming from that direction.

see if you can get lodging near any of the parks then decide what you can do for the trip. I would guess that even the campgrounds are booked.

I would guess that you might be able to do Arches and Mesa Verde. Or you might be able to do Page for Antelope Canyon, Zion and Bryce. Doing it all would leave little time to actually see the parks.

If this is a "been there, done that, check it off the list" trip you will miss much of what the parks are all about. You need to get out and explore the parks a bit.