We are actually starting in New Orleans, stopping in San Antonio and probably doing Carlsbad Cavern before Albuquerque but it's the path mentioned in the title that confuses me.

I originally mapped it out on Google Maps as:

Albuquerque to Petrified Forest/Painted Desert, AZ (9 hours)

Petrified Forest to Grand Canyon, AZ (3 hours)

Grand Canyon towards Colorado Springs stopping at any random town in AZ/CO in between for an overnight stay (11 hours split up with overnight stop)
Cortez is mid-point???

However when I tried to go back to decide on a good stopping point from the Grand Canyon to Colorado Springs, the map just back tracks to Albuquerque and says it will be 16 hours rather than the 11 I originally calculated. I tried moving it around and every other route is longer. I'm not sure if I was mistaken or if there is a route from GC to Colorado Springs that is about 11 hours that I am not seeing now. Also, I can move the Petrified Forest stop to after the GC if need be but I am really confused as to which route is best.

I am feeling pretty geographically challenged right about now so if none of this makes sense please feel free to make other suggestions. What it all boils down to is that we are coming from New Orleans and would like to see the Grand Canyon and the Rockies with caverns, waterfalls, other natural wonders and wacky roadside attractions in between. I am open to any alternative routes to make that happen. Thanks in advance.

We live just outside Cortez CO. We can drive to Grand Canyon in about 5 hours. It would be about mid point to stop on the drive from GC to CS.

From here to Colorado Springs would be about 6 hours. Of course, this depends on time of year/weather conditions.

Try yahoo directions.

Deb

If you use Mapquest, it will give you the 11 hr. route which does indeed take you through Cortez. I can't figure out why Google takes you back through Albuquerque unless it wants to keep you on the Interstates.

Great, thank you both. I think Cortez sounds like a perfect stop then. We can go to Mesa Verde. I'll be back with plenty more questions specific to each stop I am sure. I've never been further west than San Antonio so this is all very new to me.

DebitNM,

What do you suggest for food and lodging in Cortez? (preferably no chains)

Another thought - if you have never been to Mesa Verde National Park [just outside of Cortez] your really should allocate a day or so to visit. It is the only NP that is not based on natural habitat, but based on the people that lived here over 1000 years ago.

Durango is another option; it would place you 1 hour closer to Colorado Springs and has a bit more choice than Cortez.

Deb

There are a couple of B&B's in Cortez; rest is chain motel. There are several places to eat in town.

What time of year is this trip?

Deb

Restaurants in SW CO-

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...by-debitnm.cfm

and

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...by-debitnm.cfm

Deb

We'll definitely spend the day checking out Mesa Verde National Park.

This will be October 2010.

I'll do some B&B searches for Cortez and Durango.

Any favorites in casual steak or local specialty type places?

Thanks!

Sorry, I didn't see your restaurant links before my last response. Checking it out now...very helpful. Thanks again.

I'd spend a couple of nights in the Durango area - to give you time to see Mesa Verde and enjoy the area.

On the way east from Durango, I'd definitely stop by Great Sand Dunes NP, even if its just for a little while.

For what its worth, the Grand Canyon is a "must see", but we enjoy Southern Utah far more. DebitNM will steer you right, she has always offered great advice for me while in the 4 corners. One of the best B&B's is Valley of the Gods, which is near Monument Valley. You will find to Historic Hotels in Durango that are pretty interesting. Durango is not to far from Cortez. You can also stay in the park @ Mesa Verde. I don't know if they are open all year or not. The lodge food there is good.

If you are adventurous

Far View Lodge inside Mesa Verde NP closes in October, mid to late October, that includes the Metate Room which Spiro is talking about.

Deb

to continue my sentence. don't know what happened there

anyway, check out the wild cave tour at Carlsbad. very very good. Hall of the White Giants is best. Spider cave would be my second choice. no there aren't spiders in it. just a name. very very good. you can sign up now for it. there is a small fee. be sure and get a national park pass if you are going to several national parks

Thank you all so much. I'll look into all of this. I talked about this with my husband last night and I think we will add some more time to hit Monument Valley in Utah, then Cortez and we are going to by-pass the sand dunes and head up through Telluride/Mountain Villiage on our way to Colorado Springs. We want to stop at the Royal Gorge and Buckskin Joe's in Canon City...corny, I know but my husband has great memories there from his childhood that we want to share with our son. We won't get to spend as long in Cortez as we would like but in a few years I think we'll do a trip that focuses soley on UT/CO.

Since your going to Royal Gorge, you might consider seeing The Great Sand Dunes. Certainly a unique sight, seeing that much sand in the middle of Colorado. Tallest dunes in North America are there.

>>Albuquerque to Petrified Forest/Painted Desert, AZ (9 hours)

This is our updated itinerary:

We want get as much road behind us in Texas as possible so we are planning to leave Nola the Fri. evening after work, try to make it to around Beaumont for the night. Next day stop in San Antonio for lunch (we've both seen the Alamo before) and then drive to El Paso which will be 13 hours. We'll miss Carlsbad Caverns going this route but that's okay. We've done that kind of drive before and our son is thankfully a really good passenger on long drives.

TX- NM - AZ:
Leaving from El Paso we'll stop off in ABQ but not the spend the night. We'll drive about 7 hours from El Paso to see the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert then spend the night at the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook.
On the way to the Grand Canyon we'll stop to see the Meteor Crater and Bedrock City in Williams (we have a 6 year old and this is another place my husband went as a child). I have 3 hours from Holbrook to the GC before factoring in the stops.
Two night in the GC at either Bright Angel Lodge or camping.

AZ - UT - CO:
Drive 4.5 from GC to Monument Valley stopping briefly at either Hopi or Navajo reservations. I haven't figured out anything for lodging here yet.
Drive from Monument Valley to Telluride/Mountain Village stopping at Cortez to go to Mesa Verde, probably take the gondola in Telluride. I have 5 hours before factoring in the stop and have not looked into lodging yet. I know we will miss the Great Sand Dunes going this route but that's okay...it'll be on our list for another time.
Drive from Telluride to Canon City 6.5 hours to see Royal Gorge and go to Buckskin Joe's. Spend 1 night, also no idea about lodging yet.
Drive a little over an hour to Colorado Springs from Canon City. I know we don't *need* to stop overnight in Canon City but it will be nice to have a day with a short drive.
Is Cripple Creek worth a stop?
Three nights in Co. Springs to see Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, etc. We'll take our son to the North Pole at the base of Pikes Peak and hopefully take the railway to the top. Then when we leave Co. Springs we'll be headed on our route home.

Does this all sound good/correct?

That is a lot of driving. I am not following the time allocations very well. Are you expecting to "see" MV on the way to Telluride on the same day? Mesa Verde will require a day at the minimum. It is nearly an hour drive from Cortez to the the park. You can easily spend another couple hour just driving around in the park looking at things in the distance. You really need to park and walk into some of the sites so that you can truly see them. If all you want to do is a quick driving loop of M Verde, save it for another time. The gondola in Telluride is nothing when compared to MV.

I never know if MV is Mesa Verde or Monument Valley????