Where to go after Grand Canyon
 

My wife and I will be out in the Arizona area in late October and we will be heading towards Albuquerque New Mexico. I am interested in ideas after seeing the Grand Canyon. We are going to hit the South Rim and then go on from there. What do you recommed to see on the way to New Mexico.

Thanks,

Chris

Canyon de Chelly, Lake Powell...

Wow, so much.

Sunset Crater http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/...mg_sunset.html
Wupatki Nat'l Monument http://wupatki.areaparks.com/
walnut Canyon http://walnutcanyon.areaparks.com/
Standin' on a Corner Park, in Winslow http://www.standinonthecorner.com/
Petrified Forest and Painted Desert http://www.wmonline.com/attract/pforest/pforest.htm

Canyone de Chelly is way out of your way, but great if you can take the time.
http://www.americansouthwest.net/ari..._monument.html

Oops, forgot Meteor Crater
http://www.meteorcrater.com/

Thanks Mike. I appreciate the feedback. Now the fun part...deciding where to go.

Monument Valley perhaps (about 4 hours drive North East of the South Rim) and from here you can head for the 4 Corners

Everyone's hit all the great places to visit. How long do you have?

Utahtea

I've got 4 days.

I have really enjoyed a number of places in northeastern arizona--a few are "on the way" to Albuquerque--if you go straight east, you get to monument valley--which is a personal favorite of mine--if you go more southeast, you get to canyon de chaille, which is close to gallup and rte 40 which would take you to albu--canyon de chaaille, as you may know, is a very spritual place to the navajo

I'd also recommend Monument Valley http://www.americansouthwest.net/utah/monument_valley/ and Canyon de Chelly National Monument.
http://www.americansouthwest.net/ari..._monument.html

With 4 days, you should have enought time to enjoy these two areas.

Depending on what you are looking for, either Native American ruins and Southwest Sandstone scenery or magestic mountain scenery and wildlife I would go to either Canyon de Chelly and Monument Valley or the White Mountains of Arizona. Both can be made easily within a few hours (anywhere from 3-5) drive from GC.

Canyon de Chelly is beautiful and I would do both a drive tour from the rim and a tour on the canyon floor with a guide. I did not make MV but I understand it is just as magnificent.

Having spent many. many years going to the White Mountains I can say they truly are spectacular, especially at that time of the year when the aspens are changing colors. There are some magnificent drives and back roads that you are sure to see elk and deer and maybe even big horn sheep, grey wolves, and black bear. From the GC you would drive to Flagstaff and from there take I 40 East until Holbrook, take 180 south you could stop at the Petrfied Forest and then continue on to St. John and then on to Springerville/Eager and stay in the very small town of Greer (known as little Switzerland, elev 8500 feet. located in the largest stand of Ponderosa Pine Forest in the world and is just below the headwaters of the Little Colorado River checkout www.greeraz.com and www.greerarizona.com). From there you head out Route 60 toward Quemado where you then have two very different choices on to ABQ.

Route #1-You either continue on Route 60, passing the Very Large Array (an incredible sight) and end up in Socorro, turning north on I -25 or Route #2-you can leave Quemado on Route 36, then turn onto Route 117 which takes you through El Malapais NM and pass La Ventana Natural Arch (visible from the road) which dumps you onto Route 40 again in Grants. From there you would continue past Acoma Sky Pueblo and into ABQ.

Both Routes from Greer to ABQ take about 3 1/2 hours without stops. These are very, very rural routes but with amazing scenery along the way. You willl pass more prairie dogs then you will cars but they are unbelievable drives.

You could actually pull off both the MV and CdC trip along with the White Mtns depending on how much time in the car you want to spend and if you are looking to do any hiking anywhere along the way.

Arizona is an amzing state. Everyone always thinks of it as desert, cactus and the Grand Canyon. There is soooo much more to it then you could ever imagine.