Am thinking about a trip in late Sept/early Oct. to this area - needs lots of help - never been to this area. Would probably be about a 10 day trip. Areas of interest: scenery, fly fishing, wildlife. Lots of questions:
1. Would it be better to stay at Four Corners and do day trips from there or do a loop.
2. Areas of interest (maybe) Mese Verde, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Arches, Canyon de Chelly, fly fishing, Taos, painted desert, pertified forest. Is this way to much, if so what should we cut out.
3. If stay in one place has anyone heard of Casa Blanca B&B in Farmington NM, or Corkins Lodge in Chama NM.
4. What is the best place for fly fishing for a day or two?
5. Best airport to fly into to take in some (or all) of this? Thanks, need much help

You have a lot planned and I would drop at least one of the places listed below, just because of their distance from other locations. Arches (Moab area), Grand Canyon or Taos.

The 4 Corners area takes in a big area so when you ask is it best to stay in 4 corners I'm not sure where that is. There is a 4 Corners Monument but there is no lodging there. If you select one city and try to do all the places you named you will be doing a LOT of extra driving. It's best to do a circle.

This is also desert area and I don't know if any fly fishing but that doesn't mean it doesn't exists...I just don't know. I guess your best bet might be the Taos area because it's in the mountains. I've never been there.

Where you fly into will depend on what destinations you finally decide on.

Examples:

Fly into Albuquerque, Taos, Mesa Verde, Arches, Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly, Petrified Forest, Alburquerque. Total miles approx. 1300

Fly into Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley, Arches (Moab), Las Vegas. Total miles approx. 1550

Ideally if you could fly into Las Vegas and out of Albuqureque you would save some driving time and might be able to do it all in 10 days. Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, (skipping Petrified Forest) Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley, Arches (Moab) Mesa Verde, Taos, Alburquerque. Approx. 1400 miles.

Even the routes I mentioned will be rushed in a 10 day period but it could be done.

BTW, late Sept. early Oct. is a perfect time to visit this area.

Utahtea

Farmington was the area I had looked at to stay if we stayed in one location in the Four Corners area

The South West is a big place and while Farmington would be my choice for going to Chaco Canyon, it wouldn't be my choice for your destinations.

Examples

Arches is 185 miles and about 3 hours one way.

Grand Canyon is 280 miles and about 5 1/2 to 6 hours. Not worth it for a day trip.

Monument Valley is 155 miles and over 3 hours away.

Canyon de Chelly is about 150 miles and 3 hours away (by roads I've been on)

Even Mesa Verde is 100 miles and about 2 hours of driving time.

Taos is 200 miles and will take about 4 hours.

REMEMBER ALL OF THESE WERE ONE WAY!

By the time you get to these places you won't have much time for site seeing before you have to return. You won't have time for more than one place per day. I would definetly recommend making a circle tour.

Cities to stay in:
For Mesa Verde - Cortez, CO
For Arches - Moab, UT
For Monument Valley - Gouldings, UT or Kayenta, AZ
For Grand Canyon - in the park or Tusayan, AZ
For Canyon de Chelly - in the park or in Chinle, AZ.
For Petrified Forest - Holbrook, AZ
Taos - like I said, I've never been.

We always camp but these towns have lodgings.

Utahtea

I did some of your trip - Four Corners, Mesa Verde, Canyon de Chelly - in April. I agree with some of the other posts about the large amount of traveling you'll be doing to see these areas.

I've not done much fly fishing recently, but I believe the San Juan River near Farmington is famous for its fishing.

I would happily return to this area, so I think you'll have a good time. My pictures and trip report are available at: www.mikehoneycutt.com

Mike Honeycutt

I agree with Utahtea's recommendation not to make Farmington your base. It's not a really pleasant town, and most people there drive to Durango for their culture, if you can believe it. Aztec, NM, very close to Farmington, is a much nicer place.

I'd choose Durango for visiting Mesa Verde if you want any night life. If you don't, the Far View Lodge at Mesa Verde would be nice.

Moab is a great base for Arches and Canyonlands. Chama is a nice little town in a beautiful area.

I'm not a fisherwoman, but from what I've heard, I'd think of the San Juan, the Animas, and the Dolores Rivers for fly fishing. I think there's a Chama River, but I can't remember. The San Juan would be nice to fish around Pagosa Springs, Colorado. At that time of year, the Dolores would be lovely with all the leaves turning. The town of Dolores is near Cortez, but again, a lot more pleasant.

Just back from this area, where we have
been for 15 days(see report 2 weeks in the four corners).It was our 6th. times there and we project some others "sejours" because it seems to us that we'll never have seen all to see.
This year, organisation was so good that we can made a lot without too much to drive...
Arrival at Durango and we've made a"loop" : Durango/Cortez/Monticello(2
nights)/Moa4 nights)/Gouldings in Monument valley(2 nights)/Bluff(2 nights)/Durango(2 nights) before return in France...
If it's your first travel in this area, you can short the stay in Moab and
so drive from Mnt valley to canyon de
Chelley for 2 nights before drive to Bluff...
Arches, Monument valley and canyon de Chelley + dead Horse SP are easy to visit with easy hikes or moore strenosu if you want.Canyonlands, both 3 districts are more difficult...
In Bluff, try to get one day or halfday of archeological discovery with Jay from Faroutexpeditions(they have a web site) because he knows ruins and rockart out of habitual roads and he knows really very well the nacient ones
civilisation...
From Bluff, you can also drive to Natural bridges.
It's an idea of one loop, but this area is so nice that I think you'll need some other trips to explore and appreciate more and more, year after year...
Erik Monpetit.