desert road trip itinerary

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Southern California Desert Road Trip: The Perfect One Week Itinerary

last Updated: January 5, 2023 borrego springs california Death Valley Joshua tree Palm Springs Southern California

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So you wanna take an epic Southern California desert road trip? Get ready for tons of arid landscapes, starry night skies, and pool party time. I promise you’ll love the drive from Palm Springs to Borrego Springs → this part of California is utterly fascinating! Keep reading for my exact California deserts itinerary, including when to go, where to stop, and more!

If you follow this Palm Springs to Borrego Springs road trip itinerary, I can promise that you’ll discover more palm tree oases, wacky (and weird) desert art, and solitude than you thought possible along the way. Oh, and we’ll be stopping at some of the oddest road-side attractions you’ve ever seen – what could possibly go wrong? #noshame. The desert in California surprised me in more ways than one.

This SoCal desert road trip drive will have you wondering why you haven’t explored the region before! When international travel was outta the question (hello 2020/21, haha), I thought it’d be the perfect time to head south and explore the dry California desert. And I’m so glad I finally made this road trip a priority — we loved Palm Springs and the surrounding areas way more than we ever thought we would!

California Desert Itinerary Overview

• Days 1-3: Palm Springs
• Day 4: Joshua Tree
• Day 5: Desert Oddities 
• Days 6-7: Borrego Springs
• Extra Add-Ons: Death Valley (pre-trip) + San Diego (post-trip)

Over the course of the road trip, expect to drive approximately 7 hours through the desert in California (round trip from Palm Springs, longer from LA/OC) and around 400 miles. In order to complete this full Southern California desert road trip in a reasonable amount of time (1 – 1.5 weeks depending on the length of your trip), you’ll be driving at least a little bit almost every day, with some being longer driving days than others. Plan accordingly and bring snacks! The time in the car doesn’t have to be absolutely horrible. :p

Palm Springs to Borrego Springs Itinerary Logistics 

When to take this road trip .

I’d suggest planning this California desert road trip between late October and early April . Other times of year will be unbearably hot. Remember — this is the desert we’re talking about! SKIP THE SUMMER as it’s just not safe to be out and about all day!

And of course because I’m exceptionally wordy and feel the need to give you all the information you could possibly need, here’s a breakdown of the seasons in the SoCal desert area:

Spring : Early spring is a gorgeous time to visit the desert! The temps are starting to heat up from the mild winter, but it’s not unbearably hot just yet! It does get pretty steamy as the months progress though (from April onwards). One way to combat this — do all your exploring in the morning, and spend the afternoon at the pool. That’s what we typically did, and it was the perfect balance of hot desert fun and splashing around with cocktails in hand at The Ace ’s pool parties. 

For reference, we took this SoCal desert road trip in late March, and found the weather to be nearly perfect. I will say we had uncharacteristically hot weather in Palm Springs, so thankfully we chose a hotel with a bangin’ pool! 

Summer : The desert in California during the summer months are BRUTAL beyond brutal. Skip May through September. I repeat, do NOT take this SoCal desert road trip in the summer. The temps are sweltering and days over 100°F are not uncommon. They SOAR into the triple digits come mid-summer, so you’ll 100% need AC and the pool. It’s way too hot to really do much of anything besides fry by the pool. Plus, some shops and sites (especially in Palm Springs and Borrego Springs) have limited off-season hours this time of year.

Fall : Early fall is kinda just a continuation of summer (haha), with crazy hot temperatures (well into the high 90’s) and virtually all sunshine. It’s definitely more comfortable than summer, but just know you’ll still want/need lots of pooltime and tons of liquids! The temps FINALLY begin to cool down in late-October/November, so I’d recommend waiting until then to visit the desert.

Winter : Ahhhh, goodbye sweltering heat! Finally you can go for a walk and not be dripping with sweat! Understandably, it’s peak tourism season in the desert, so make sure you book everything in advance (including all your accommodations and car rental!).

What to Pack for the California Deserts

• Slather on that sunscreen , the sun is super strong over here. And on that note, I always like to take along some SPF lip balm to protect my lips as well. 
• Keep your eyes protected from the sun with a wide-brimmed hat and polarized sunglasses (like I said, the desert sun is powerful!)
• Some bright bathing suits for the pool, coverups, and of course, pool sandals. A fun pool floaty for Palm Springs never hurt anyone either!
• A portable phone charger ’s always a good thing to take along, no matter the trip! Never worry about your phone running out of battery! This one is super tiny and lightweight!

• Your kindle or mini ipad to read by the pool
• A reusable water bottle to fill up on that H2O (gotta stay hydrated, especially in the California desert!)
• These refreshing body wipes , for ya know, when you get all hot and sticky and need a little freshening up before brunch
• Hydrating lotion and/or some cocoa butter for all that dry skin — I found my skin got especially dry after being in the desert and pool chlorine for a few days
• If you’re doing any kind of hiking in the desert in California (whether that be close to Palm Springs, Joshua Tree , Anza-Borrego , and/or Death Valley ), make sure to bring along comfy sneakers . I swear by these — I have them in 3 colors!
• Light, airy, and breezy clothing. But don’t be afraid to bring along bold and colorful clothing too — leave all your boring black and whites at home! Palm Springs is all about color and that popular retro, vintage style. I loved wearing colorful, floral dresses here!
• Some fun accessories, like colorful hair scarves, a trendy straw bag, statement earrings, and cute espadrilles!
• A camera to take lots of pretty photos (I typically use my iPhone and Olympus mirrorless )!
• Lightweight jacket or sweater, as the desert drastically cools off at night (I was fine with a jean jacket — my exact one — but kinda wished I brought along a light sweater as well)

Where to Start the Road Trip

I recommend starting this Southern California desert road trip in Palm Springs. I mean, technically, you could start from any spot, but we loved ending with a few days relaxing in Borrego Springs. In addition, Palm Springs is the most accessible to most people, so it’s a good starting point anyways.

Palm Springs is pretty close to other main hotspots in Southern California. It makes for the perfect getaway from both LA and San Diego , and all the spots in between. 

But from Northern California , a different story. Originally, we were thinking of making the long drive from San Francisco , but ultimately decided we didn’t wanna spend that many hours in the car so took a short flight (it’s far, see below!).

• From Joshua Tree : 50 minutes | 35 miles
• From Orange County : 1.5 hours | 95 miles
• From Los Angeles : 2 hours | 105 miles
• From San Diego : 2.5 hours | 140 miles
• From Death Valley : 4.5 hours | 230 miles
• From San Francisco : 8 hours | 490 miles

How to get to SoCal/Where to Fly Into: 

If you’re not from SoCal yourself, you’ll need to fly on over before getting this road trip underway! Thankfully, there’s a bunch of airports which’ll do! Here’s a few options:

• fly into either Los Angeles (LAX) or Orange County (SNA) and then drive two hours east to Palm Springs (note that LAX is always wildly busy; so account for extra driving time/lots of traffic)
• fly into Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) itself; by far the easiest and quickest option, although I typically find flights to LAX and SNA much cheaper
• fly into Ontario International Airport (ONT) — I’ve heard flights can sometimes be cheaper than PSP, and it’s only an hour west of Palm Springs

Renting a car 

Since this is in fact a road trip , you’ll need a vehicle to get you from place to place! Worth mentioning so you don’t forget to account for the cost of a rental car when following this Palm Springs to Borrego Springs road trip itinerary! I like to search via this site in order to compare rental companies to see who has the best price.

Ok, but here’s the thing — you don’t NEED a car in Palm Springs if you’re just hanging out on the main streets and hanging at the pool. But we found ourselves driving way more than we thought — to DesertX locations , to a boozy brunch spot in Palm Desert, to the windmills, and a whole slew of other spots. I like the flexibility of having a car, especially since you won’t wanna walk terribly far due to extreme midday heat. 

But if you’re not renting a car for Palm Springs, you’ll need to get one for Joshua Tree (if you don’t wanna take a tour) and the rest of this road trip. You’ll 1000% need a car for day 5, when we make a lot of stops en route to Borrego Springs. 

Honestly though, if it’s your first time visiting Palm Springs and the surrounding area, just get yourself a car for the entire time. Both our hotels in Palm Springs had free parking, and we didn’t find parking in town to be exceptionally difficult, so just for it! 

And finally, what you probably came here for — a super-comprehensive California desert road trip itinerary! Including all my favorite stops, eats, and wild road-side attractions.

California Desert Road Trip Itinerary Stops

Days 1-3: palm springs.

You’ve made it to the desert! First stop: Palm Springs! Full of mid-century modern architecture, boozy weekend brunches, old Hollywood glitz and glam, epic pool hangs, and those chic desert vibes. We honestly couldn’t get enough of it.

If you’re looking for a design-focused city with palm tree lined streets, colorful accommodations, vintage shopping, and an all-around relaxing ambiance, you NEED to spend a few days in Palm Springs ASAP. A true mix of classic hipster vibes and that desert bohemian spirit. Here’s some of my favorite stops to make while in Palm Springs ( check out my full guide for everything you need to know — I go into way more detail over here! ).

• Palm Springs DIY Door Tour : Palm Springs is kinda a mecca for their mid-century architecture and design. And the doors are no exception. We had such a great time searching around for all the colors of the rainbow —  Yellow doors, bright turquoise doors, orange doors, lime green doors, pink doors, you name it!  I have a whole post with exact addresses of all my favorite doors in Palm Springs , but if you head on over to the Indian Canyons neighborhood, that’s where you’ll find them all!
• Andreas Canyon Trail in Indian Canyons : If you’re gonna do one hike in Palm Springs, make it the Andreas Canyon loop in Indian Canyons. Not only is it pretty easy at just around a mile (I even wore sandals, haha), but the views are like no other. You’ll see groves of spectacular California skirted fan palms, the Andreas Creek, and even a mini waterfall. Just go early before the temps really heat up for the day, and bring lots of water!

• Visit the Cabazon Dinosaurs : Quite possibly the wackiest road-side attraction near Palm Springs! I’m sure you’ve seen a photo of them somewhere before. They get painted and decked out depending on the season and holiday — we saw a 65-foot-tall Mr. Rex ready for Easter and a pink 150-foot-long brontosaurus (named Dilly the Dinosaur) for Valentine’s Day! And definitely don’t miss Hadley Fruit Orchards — the best place to get a famous date shake. 
• Moorten Botanical Garden : Have you ever visited a cactarium before? Well this one’s been around since 1938! We loved strolling through the botanical garden, and especially the greenhouse dedicated to smaller, unique cacti and succulent plants. Say hello to the desert turtles on your way out — we loved them! Double check the hours before you go because they close on the earlier side.
• Hang at the Pool: Every day is a pool day in Palm Springs — think palm trees, pool floats, and of course, good vibes! In all seriousness, if you aren’t spending your afternoons at the pool, you aren’t doing Palm Springs right. And if you visit anytime between February and October, you’ll wanna jump right into that pool every chance you get. Because let’s face it — it’ll likely be at least 85°F when you visit. 

• Palm Springs Windmills: If you’re driving on the 10, you really can’t miss them! It’s by far the largest wind farm I’ve ever seen, with over 4,000 windmills — providing enough electricity to power all of Palm Springs and the entire Coachella Valley. Whoa! Interested in learning more about the windmills and wind energy? Take a guided tour of the farm! We didn’t have time for this (we simply just stopped by to snap a few photos), but I’d like to make it a priority for next time.
• Eat your Face Off: Palm Springs is a mecca for trendy foodie spots, so it’s not hard to find something amazing over here! A few of my favorites: Cheeky’s (for breakfast), The Pink Cabana (for brunch), Norma’s (for brunch/lunch), Birba (lunch/dinner), Sandfish Sushi and Whiskey (dinner), El Jefe (drinks/tacos), Great Shakes (dessert), and Koffi (coffee).

Where to Stay on Nights 1-3: There’s no shortage of accommodation in Palm Springs — so whatever you’re looking for, this little city’s got it! There’s chic boutique hotels, spruced up roadside motels, rustic meets modern establishments, and even more posh resort-like spots than you can imagine. Here’s some of the best: Ace Hotel & Swim Club (where we stayed and LOVED), The Saguaro (by far the most colorful hotel in Palm Springs), Parker Palm Springs (quintessential Palm Springs vibes), and Korakia Pensione (super upscale and super serene — where I wanna stay next time!).

Drive from Palm Springs to Joshua Tree: ~50 minutes

DAY 4: Joshua Tree

Wild and wacky Joshua Trees. Rugged rock formations and giant boulders. That arid desert landscape. Dark starry night skies. And even a rich (and quirky) cultural history! That’s Joshua Tree National Park in a nutshell — and it’s 100% worth spending at least a day there! This really wouldn’t be a complete SoCal desert road trip without a day among the Joshua Trees!

Expect your day in Joshua Tree National Park to be filled with all the superlatives you could think of — kinda weird, pretty wacky, super strange, and all kinds of amazing! We spent our time in Joshua Tree admiring the wacky trees, climbing up huge rocks, watching the climbers, and heading to the highest point in the park for sunset. And I suggest you do the same! 

Thankfully, Joshua Tree’s a pretty straightforward and easy-to-get-around park, so you can see the main highlights in a day or even less! But if you’d feel more comfortable having someone else do the driving (or just want a more relaxing day), there’s a few day tours you can sign up for in advance. Most even bring water and snacks for you! This small group ½ day tour looks awesome, as does this Joshua Tree jeep tour (for those of you itching for a little more adventure)!

Read Next → The Perfect Day Trip to Joshua Tree National Park (Everything You Need to Know)

Heading out without a tour? Here were our favorite stops:

• Cholla Cactus Garden: While there’s actually no Joshua Trees over here, you will find a whole bunch of cholla cacti, commonly referred to as teddy bear cacti instead! They look super cute and cuddly from afar, but as soon as you get closer, you’ll see they’re surrounded by tons of prickly little needles. The Cholla Cactus Garden Nature Trail is a flat (and easy) loop walking trail. 
• Arch Rock : Arch Rock spans 30 feet over a huge boulder, and is a pretty walk — as long as you know where you’re going! The whole trail is pretty short, at just around 1.2 miles roundtrip. I was silly and was wearing a dress, meaning I couldn’t climb up to take a photo! Boo — don’t be like me! Next time! Oh, note there’ll probably be a bit of a line to take a photo, but worth the wait as long as you can scramble up!

• Skull Rock: Located right off the main road, you’ll find a giant rock that looks like a human skull! When viewed from a particular angle, it’s easy to see how it got its name (look for the two sunken eyes and sunken nasal cavity). 
• Hidden Valley Nature Trail: Easily one of the most popular hikes in all of Joshua Tree, and because of that, it gets pretty crowded. The trail is a mostly-flat one-mile loop with less than 100 feet in elevation change, making it a quick and easy walk! And although it’s a short trail, don’t miss the otherworldly terrain! The hike weaves through boulders and some of the valley’s most interesting rock formations.
• Keys View: Being the highest vantage point in the park, there’s epic views from up here, and it’s a great spot to watch the sunset! The viewpoint looks out over the entire Coachella Valley, the San Andreas Fault, the Salton Sea, and the San Gorgonio Mountains. 

Where to Stay on Night 4: Technically, you could do a day trip to Joshua Tree from Palm Springs (that’s what we did), but I really wanna stay right near the park next time! There’s so many fun spots to check out, including Pioneertown Motel (kitschy and quirky; it looks like a vintage western movie set!), 29 Palms Inn (one-of-a-kind Adobe bungalows and wood-framed cabins), Spin and Margie’s Desert Hideaway (quirky desert chic spaces), and The Castle House Estate (featured on HGTV)!

DAY 5: Desert Oddities 

Wake up early, because today’s a long day of driving (about 4 hours total but with plenty of stops, don’t worry)! I recommend filling up on gas before heading out and bringing a few snacks with you, because there’s honestly not much out here! And you may not have great cell service, so definitely plot out your spots on a map beforehand and get a general idea of your route, just in case!

Stop #1: Palm Tree Farm

On our drive to the Salton Sea, we kept passing by fields and fields of palm trees; I just knew we needed to make a quick stop! Who knew there were so many palm trees right near the deserts in California?!

And when we got out of the car, I just couldn’t believe my eyes. Rows and rows (and even more rows) of perfectly spaced out palm trees! Sure, I’ve seen palm trees before (I’ve been living in California for a while now), but this was something straight outta a movie. 

You’ll find the palm tree farms in between Indio and Mecca on the way to the Salton Sea. Sorry I don’t have an exact address for ya! I promise you’ll see them if you keep your eyes peeled! Just goes to show that sometimes the best spots are totally unplanned for! 

Psst — did you know dates grow on palm trees?! I had no clue! The dates grow in large clusters (kinda like bunches of grapes), which hang higher than fifty feet off the ground. Every August, ranches over here collect the dates and they’re then packaged and sold. The Coachella Valley (known as the Date Capital of the World), supplies about 95 percent of dates grown in the United States. Totalling up to roughly 43,600 tons of dates in 2015 alone! Whoa!

And before you get to the Salton Sea, check and see if the International Banana Museum is open! It was unfortunately closed when we drove by though, but it sure looks like a quirky stop!

Drive time from Palm Tree farms to Salton Sea Recreation Area: 20 minutes

Stop #2: Salton Sea State Recreation Area and Visitors Center

Next up, the stinkiest spot on this Palm Springs to Borrego Spring road trip itinerary! Yup, we’re talking about the Salton Sea, one of the world’s largest inland seas and one of the lowest spots on Earth (at 227 feet below sea level). That’s almost as low as the Badwater Basin salt flats in Death Valley , sitting at 282 feet below sea level — taking the cake for the lowest point in the United States.

Yes, it’s quite rundown, and you most definitely will see dead fish and bones near the shoreline, which of course makes the entire area smell absolutely disgusting. But it’s worth a quick stop! We got used to the nasty smell after a few minutes, and then thankfully breathed in some fresh air after we left.

The Salton Sea is so, so, so salty that literally nothing can survive here (the salinity’s twice as high as the ocean)! And it’s definitely drying up and is unfortunately being destroyed by human activity. There’s lots of contaminants in the water, and the mud is laced with toxic chemicals such as chromium, zinc, lead, and pesticides like DDT. I definitely wouldn’t spend all day here. And trust me, you don’t wanna swim here. Did I mention there’s dead fish everywhere?!

Do note you’ll need to pay a fee in order to get in (we paid $7 if I remember correctly) — it’s a state recreation area part of the CA state parks unit, so go support!

Drive time from Salton Sea to Bombay Beach: 20 minutes

Stop #3: Bombay Beach Ruins

Mix Burning Man and Marfa, Texas, and you’ve got Bombay Beach. What used to be an apocalyptic wasteland has recently turned into a cool offbeat artist hub! Imagine a fish airplane, door frames right on the beach, and an artistic chapel. A colorful television art display, abandoned Airstream trailers, and even a burning man airplane itself. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a place just quite like Bombay Beach. I mean, when else do you see old couches and TVs just hanging out on the beach? 

It’s now an artist mecca, and besides all the rubble of this forgotten town, there’s the stunning blue Bombay Beach Opera House (with its cardboard piano), a house plastered with plastic toys, and of course the Bombay Beach Drive In art installation.

Can you believe this place used to be a booming resort town for the rich and famous in the 40’s and 50’s?! Think Frank Sinatra, the Beach Boys, Jerry Lewis, etc. But when the salinity of the Salton Sea rose and all the fish and birds were dying off, it turned into an abandoned ghost town. Definitely take some time to read up on Bombay Beach; we were so intrigued by the wild history! Now only about 200 people call this town home, but plenty more come to visit.

It’s hardly crowded, pretty creepy, and kinda has an eerie vibe to it, but it’s a total gem for photographers and a crazy place to walk around. I loved it!

Drive time from Bombay Beach to Salvation Mountain: 25 minutes

Stop #4: Salvation Mountain

Beautiful. Bizarre. And completely unforgettable. Salvation Mountain is a true candy-colored fantasy world in the middle of the desert in California. And I couldn’t get enough of it. I’m sure you’ve seen it all over social media — it’s a super instagrammable spot a bit south of Palm Springs! I’d had this spot on my California bucket list for years, so was thrilled when I finally was able to check it off! I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

Artistic landscape. Off-beat religious roadside attraction. Vibrant folk art. Whatever you call it, I promise you won’t forget it once you visit. It’s probably the strangest road-side attraction you’ll ever see (way more so than the Jolly Green Giant we saw in Blue Earth, MN on our road trip from NYC to SF .)

There’s a few little convenience/grocery stores around here (on the main road before the turn off to Salvation Mountain) if you’re needing a quick pick me up. Don’t expect to find a huge selection, but we grabbed a few cold drinks and some chips.

Drive time from Salvation Mountain to East Jesus: give or take 5-10 minutes 

Stop #5: East Jesus

It’s just a mile down from Salvation Mountain, so obviously head on over right after! Kinda like the Bombay Beach ruins all squished together into one compound. 

East Jesus is an artist community on the outskirts of the Salton Sea, with a sculpture garden full of odd and interesting pieces. And get this — everything is made out of junk and waste! There’s intricately decorated old vehicles, a TV wall full of messages, decked out mannequins, and even a giant mammoth made out of tires. But contrary to its name, East Jesus actually has no religious connotations. 

The main gate was unfortunately closed when we were there, but we were able to do a quick drive around to see some of the pieces on the outskirts of the compound. 

This community literally lives in the middle of nowhere, completely off the grid, and operating without electricity or running water. So if you like running water in the bathroom, definitely go beforehand in nearby Niland, about 6 miles away.

Drive time from East Jesus to Glamis Sand Dunes: 50 minutes

Stop #6: Imperial Sand Dunes (Glamis)

The sand dunes are a ways away (deep in the California desert), but I promise you they’re so worth it! I wouldn’t have you going outta your way if they weren’t. Breathtaking, surreal, and absolutely amazing. It felt like we were on a different planet — even Jumanji 3 was filmed right here!

Surprisingly, we found them even more impressive than the sand dunes we had recently seen at Death Valley National Park ! For starters, you literally drive right up to the dunes, and secondly, the sand is so much more pristine! We didn’t have to walk forever through the sand to find those perfect ripples (like we did in Death Valley). 

It was super fun to watch the ATV and buggies race on the dunes — they went crazy fast! The Imperial Sand Dunes are the largest mass of sand dunes in not only California, but the entirety of the US, whoa! 

Psst: Put in Hugh T. Osborne Lookout Park into your GPS and it’ll take you exactly where I went!

Drive time from Imperial Sand Dunes to Borrego Springs: 1 ½ hours

Where to Stay on Night 5: I highly recommend heading to Borrego Springs after checking out the sand dunes. There’s honestly not really much between Glamis and Borrego Springs, so just prepare for a bit more driving to make it all the way to Borrego for a good night’s sleep.

DAYS 6-7 Borrego Springs

FINALLY — it’s time to relax a little! If you’re hoping for a quiet few days, you’ll love this wide open, desolate California desert landscape, I just know it! It’s laid back and unpretentious, with fabulous night skies and a super funky art scene. But don’t worry, there’s still lots to do here if you have a hard time sitting still (like me)!

I imagine Borrego Springs is what Palm Springs was like decades ago — pristine desert landscapes, super starry dark skies, crystal clear air, extraordinary spring wildflowers, and oases full of cacti and palm trees. The entire town is completely surrounded by Anza Borrego Desert State Park — the largest state park in California!

Here’s our favorite things to do in/near Borrego Springs:

• Hiking the Slot Canyon Trail: With it’s alien-looking landscapes, a narrow siltstone canyon, and spectacular cliffs, it was such a fun morning activity in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. AND we needed to literally squeeze through some rocks, which made it especially exciting! Definitely start as early in the morning as you possibly can, as it gets extremely hot in the desert. It’s only about a mile round trip so anyone can do it, just bring lots of water!
• Metal sculptures in Galleta Meadows : What are they exactly? A large collection of supersize prehistoric and fantastical beasts, all crafted by artist and welder Ricardo Breceda. Probably one of the quirkiest roadside attractions we’ve seen in a while (minus the teeny-tiny Crochet Museum in Joshua Tree !). There’s more than 130 metal sculptures showcased along the highway, so you definitely won’t make it to all of them, but find a few favorites and explore! You can drive right up to most of them so you can even blast the AC between sculptures if need be.

• While you can absolutely just look up, we booked a night sky tour so we could learn more about astronomy and look through a telescope! Our guide taught us everything we needed to know and then some, and pointed out constellations, planets, and even other galaxies (which we saw with our own eyes through the telescope). Kinda insane if you ask me! 
• Hang at the pool: I won’t lie — we spent a lot of our time in Borrego Springs at the pool. And it was absolutely glorious. Usually I absolutely hate this, but considering we had just had a busy few days in Palm Springs , Joshua Tree , and Salvation Mountain , we loved this extra time to just relax and take it easy!

• Borrego Palm Canyon Trail: Looking to stretch your legs one morning and the thought of a 3 mile round trip (flat!) hike to a palm tree oasis gets you excited? Hike the Borrego Palm Canyon trail — it’s one of the most popular things to do in Borrego Springs! The Borrego Palm Canyon trail is a self-guided nature trail that passes a whole bunch of desert-y stuff: think cholla cacti (like we saw in Joshua Tree !), desert lavender bushes, catclaw, honey mesquite, and ocotillo plants. You’ll have a fun time identifying all the desert plants! 

Where to Stay on Nights 6-7: If you’re planning to visit in the steamy summer months (not recommended — it’s too hot to enjoy the outdoors), plan far ahead as some hotels close when the temps get too hot. And definitely opt for a hotel with a pool, regardless of when you visit! 

I recommend the Borrego Valley Inn as my first choice of where to stay — adults only, in-room fireplaces, multiple pools and hot tubs; the ultimate chic desert hide-a-way. Other top spots include La Casa del Zorro Resort & Spa (cosy rooms and casitas) and Palm Canyon Hotel & RV Resort (the entire hotel is styled like an old western movie)!

How to Extend This SoCal Desert Road Trip

Have a few extra days?! You could either spend some extra time in Palm Springs, Joshua Tree, or Borrego Springs, or you could fill your days to the max and explore another part of California! My two top picks (that make sense from over here) → Death Valley and San Diego!

PRE-TRIP ADD-ON: Death Valley 

If you wanna make this a true road trip through the SoCal desert, don’t leave off Death Valley ! It’s one of my favorite national parks in California! I recommend flying into Vegas and starting your road trip there. You’ll drive the 2 hours to Death Valley, and actually begin this road trip over there! Think of it as a pre-trip extra add-on! 

Here’s my ultimate 2-day Death Valley itinerary , full of possibly everything you need to know.

→ Psst: I don’t recommend driving to Death Valley round trip from Palm Springs. It’s just too far of a drive (it’s about 4 ½ hours one way). Heading there from Vegas is the much better option. You’ll wanna book a one way flight to Vegas for the start of your trip, then another from where you end up.

Skip Death Valley in the summer. Like the rest of the stops on this road trip, it’s sweltering hot. I mean, it’s the hottest, driest, and lowest national park in the USA afterall. It’s also one of the hottest places on Earth (it gets to a blistering 120°F in the summer). And this heat is no joke — it’s called Death Valley for a reason! 

Top sites to see in Death Valley:

• Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes: OMG this was SO. MUCH. FUN. And by far one of my favorite things we did in the park. Expect sculpted sand dunes as far as the eye can see. Long-curving shadows. And mountains on the horizon. Now this is what I’m talking about. We spent all morning climbing up and running down the dunes!
• Badwater Basin Salt Flats: Imagine walking out to a bed of geometric-shaped salt flats as far as the eye can see. Yup, that’s Badwater Basin , the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level! It kinda reminded me of the Bonneville Salt Flats which we saw on our cross country road trip from NYC to San Francisco .

• Dante’s View:  Drive up the windy, curvy roads to Dante’s View, and you’ll be greeted with views of Badwater Basin, Telescope Peak, and even Mos Eisley (in a famous Star Wars scene). The 360° views in every direction are absolutely spectacular.  It gets chilly up here, so bring some layers!
• Zabriskie Point: Gazing down at the Martian-like moonscape below you will make you feel like you’re on a different planet, easily. A few hiking trails start here (one that goes all the way to Golden Canyon!), but we just walked around the viewpoint and took (loads of) photos. Come for sunset — the colors on the badlands are utterly fantastic.
• Artists Drive and Artists Palette: Looking for those natural pastel colored canyons (everything from blue and purple and green)?! That’s over here at Artists Palette! A geologist’s true paradise with it’s multi-colored mineral rocks and canyons!
• Go for a hike: We loved both Golden Canyon (with its towering golden walls) and Mosaic Canyon (with narrow canyon slots and polished marbleized rock). Remember to take lots of water when hiking, no matter the time of year.

POST-TRIP ADD-ON: San Diego 

Did someone say tacos? Get outta the barren desert and head to sunny San Diego (it’s less than 2 hours from Borrego Springs). While it’s not technically part of the California desert, who can say no to an idyllic climate, pristine beaches, and stunning Spanish-style architecture?! You can easily spend a week here and never get bored, if it’s your first time to the city, I think 3 days will suffice!

Although there are a million things to do in San Diego (you’ll never be bored here), so you may never wanna leave! Plus that perfect weather!

Here’s a few of my fave things to do in San Diego:

• Go for a trendy brunch: There’s a whole slew of trendy brunch spots in San Diego, but my two favorites (so far!) are Great Maple and Morning Glory. You’ll need to get there early if you don’t wanna wait forever, but I promise you the decor and food is worth it!
• Wander Balboa Park: Like Central Park in NYC and Golden Gate Park in SF , Balboa Park in San Diego can’t be missed! It’s huge and there’s oh so much to do, but don’t miss the Spanish Village Art Center (with its colorful rainbow painted floors), The Museum of Us (or just admire the stunning intricate architecture), and the Botanical Garden and lily pond in front. You could easily spend all day exploring!
• Watch the Seals in La Jolla: Seals hang out in La Jolla almost year round, and you’ll probably hear them before you see them! Hang out by the Children’s Pool and La Jolla Cove, then grab some caffeine at Better Buzz in town nearby.

• Go Mural Hunting: There’s tons of colorful art in San Diego just perfect for your IG feed ( peep my best photo spots in San Diego post here! ). Some of my favorites are: Greetings From San Diego, the pink ombre wall at Pigment, and the flowers outside Native Poppy. 
• Spend a night eating in Little Italy: Three words — cheese wheel pasta. Whenever I’m down in SD, I NEED a meal at Monello. It’s literally one of my favorite Italian meals in California. The pasta’s homemade and the ambiance is amazing.
• Stuff your face with tacos: You can’t not try all the taco spots in San Diego. Some favorites: Oscar’s Mexican seafood (always a long line for a reason), Lucha Libre (not the best tacos of all time, but such a fun spot), and Puesto La Jolla (make a reservation!).

• Carlsbad Flower Fields: If you’re happening to be doing this SoCal desert road trip from March to May (the best time to do it!), why not head to the Carlsbad Flower Fields ? I had this on my California bucket list for years (YEARS!), and was more-than-thrilled when I finally got to spend a day there!

So there ya have it, our complete Palm Springs to Borrego Springs road trip itinerary! Which part of the California deserts are you most excited to check out?!

Loo king for more California content? Explore my other California guides here!

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Home » North America » USA » Best Road Trips in Southwest (Insider Guide for 2024)

Best Road Trips in Southwest (Insider Guide for 2024)

Is there a single place on the planet that begs for a ‘road trip’ any more than the American Southwest? We certainly can’t think of any! Geographically speaking, the Southwest is one of the most diverse parts of the country. Spanning six states, you’ll encounter all kinds of deep red canyons, desert plateaus, and lush alpine vistas.

The trick to making the most of everything this region has on offer is to plan a good, old-fashioned roadie. Public transport isn’t the best in these parts, and of course, it claws away at your sense of freedom.

But, where to begin? There’s so much to see – you must be thinking, how can I plan a road trip in the Southwest that lets me see a bit of everything? Well, keep scrolling. We’ve created four itineraries so you can have the best road trip in the Southwest to suit your timeframe and budget!

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Why Roadtrip in the Southwest?

Southwest road trip route 1: ultimate southwest national park roadie, southwest road trip route 2: historic route 66, southwest road trip route 3: the rockies and beyond, southwest road trip route 4: canyon explorer, driving in the southwest, what to pack for a road trip in southwest, final thoughts on the best road trips in the southwest.

Why take a road trip in the Southwest, you might wonder? The US is a pretty big country to visit , and when it comes to road-tripping, there’s no shortage of options. Well, here’s why:

• National Parks: Some of the greatest national parks in the US of A are right here in the Southwest. You’ve got the Rockies, Zion, Monument Valley. Did we miss one? Oh yeah, the Grand Canyon!
• Camping: What’s number one on your list of Southwest road trip essentials? A tent, of course. Fling one in your rental, and you can turn this into a real wilderness quest.
• Real Wild Wild West: You’ve got abandoned ghost towns, saloons, and stark desert plateaus. A road trip in the Southwest slides you right into a John Wayne movie.
• Phenomenal Scenery: That’s the main reason for a road trip, right? The scenery in the Southwest is a total freak show, in the best kind of way.
• Outdoor Activities: Nothing beats getting out and about and connecting with nature. Fortunately, the Southwest gives you bucketloads of awesome hikes and activities to spike your adrenaline.

Alright, now that’s out of the way, it’s time for the fun stuff. We’ve put our heads together to give you four fabulous Southwest road trip ideas!

Ultimate Southwest National Park Roadie – 10 days

Historic route 66 – 8 days, the rockies and beyond – 5 days, canyon explorer – 5 days.

• From: Las Vegas
• To: El Paso
• Total Distance: 1,200 miles
• Top Road Trips Stops: Valley of Fire State Park, Zion National Park, Monument Valley, White Sands National Park,  Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, Lake Powell

Want to hit four states and see some of the best national parks in the US? Then you definitely need our ten-day Southwest vacation trip planner. Beginning in Sin City, we’ll hit the road before we flutter away our gas dollars.

This is a long drive, stopping off at some of the most iconic parks in the whole country. But we’ve broken it up so that there’s as much adventuring as driving! We’ll navigate 1,200 miles of backcountry and small towns between Vegas and El Paso. Our road trip from Las Vegas takes you through deserts, mountains, canyons, ghost towns, and much more.

Road Trip Highlights: 

• Camp in the Zion National Park
• Check out some vintage road signs from the historic Route 66
• Stand in four states at the same time
• Raft down the Colorado River
• Sled down the soft dunes of the White Sands National Park

Day 1-2: Las Vegas to Zion National Park (4 hours)

Your ultimate Southwest road trip begins in the one and only Sin City! Those bright lights will become a distant memory as you cruise through dusty desert landscapes of the I-15. You’ll get your fix of red rock formations and petrified trees with a short hike at the Valley of Fire. Then, we’ll continue to tonight’s accommodation – who’s game for camping?

Book a spot for two nights. This gives us a full day to explore Zion National Park on the second day. There are countless trails to choose from , including the so-called scariest hike in the US, Angel’s Landing. Alternatively, let’s get our feet wet and hike the Narrows trail through the river.

• Best Stops: Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, The Neon Museum, Valley of Fire State Park, Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Area
• Where to Eat: Lil’ Wagon Tacos, Affogato West, Black Bear Diner, Stage Coach Grille, Oscar’s Cafe
• Where to Stay: Super8 by Wyndham Zion Hurricane National Park ($), Watchman Campground ($) Hotel Zion ($$)

Day 3: Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon (1 hour 20 minutes)

Rise and shine. If you’re an early bird, you can wake early and watch the sunrise over Zion Park. If you’ve camped, there’s really no excuse not to!

Today we head to Bryce Canyon. This is a slight detour, but these bizarre hoodoos are worth it, trust us. What we love about Bryce Canyon is that we can explore the sights entirely by car. There are plenty of hikes, but we won’t judge you if you choose the auto-tour option. We can drive ourselves through the park or hop on the free shuttle if you fancy saving some gas money.

• Best Stops: Bryce Canyon, Rainbow Point, Farview Point, Natural Bridge
• Where to Eat: Stone Hearth Grille, Bryce Canyon Pines, Valhalla Pizza
• Where to Stay: Bryce Canyon Resort ($), North Campground Bryce Canyon ($) ($$)

Day 4:  Bryce Canyon to Page (2 hours 35 minutes)

We have a very pretty drive ahead today as we cross over into Arizona. It’s a short journey, but there are plenty of sights to stop for, so be sure to leave enough time. We can even check out a cave was once used as a speakeasy, believe it or not. If you’re the romantic type, this region is incredible for stargazing.

• Best Stops: Paria Ghost Town, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, Moqui Cave, Star Party, Lone Rock Beach, The Toadstools, Little Hollywood Land (Kanab)
• Where to Eat: Jakey Lee’s Coffee Shop and Bakery, State 48 Tavern, Driftwood Lounge
• Where to Stay: Rodeway Inn at Lake Powell ($), Red Rock Motel ($$)

Day 5: Page to Monument Valley (2 hours 30 minutes)

Welcome to Arizona, the third state on our epic Southwest US road trip. There are plenty of things to do around Page : Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon are two must-sees on this Southwest road trip itinerary. Let’s squeeze in some kayaking or a stand-up paddleboarding session on Lake Powell, or rafting down the Colorado River!

Once we’ve dried off, the drive to our next destination is pretty desolate – we’ll take the road through the desert. We can take a motel, but you should know that camping in Arizona is where it’s at.

• Best Stops: Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, Lake Powell, Glen Canyon Dam Lookout, Navajo National Monument
• Where to Eat: Blue Coffee Pot Restaurant, Pizza Guys, Amigo Coffee, Reuben Helfin Restaurant
• Where to Stay: Mokee Motel ($) The View Campground ($), Kayenta Monument Valley Inn ($$)

Day 6: Monument Valley to Gallup (3 hours)

The Navajo’s Nation’s Monument Valley is a soaring plateau of towering sandstone buttes. If you’re a Western movie buff, you’ll recognise these from the silver screen. Forrest Gump fan? Punch the GPS coordinates 37.101393, -109.990973 into the satnav.

What’s also pretty awesome is that the park straddles Utah and Arizona, so you can hop across the state lines while you explore. For a bit of vintage charm, you could stay in the historic El Rancho Hotel tonight once we get to Gallup.

• Best Stops: Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Four Corners Monument
• Where to Eat: Denny’s Diner, Genaro’s Cafe, Aurelia’s Cafe
• Where to Stay: Travelodge by Wyndham Gallup ($), Yellow Navajo Hogan ($$) El Rancho Hotel ($$$)

Day 7: Gallup to Albuquerque (2 hours)

Gallup is a small city on Historic Route 66. If you want to buy a few souvenirs, the city is famed for its arts and crafts. As we head eastwards today, we’ll follow the iconic old highway itself. We’ll stop off to snap old neon signs and abandoned gas stations along the way. The Acoma Pueblo is a cool stop where we can take a guided tour around the community.

Let’s aim to be in Albuquerque by lunch, so we can explore the city. There are plenty of museums in town if you fancy dipping into Southwest history, or you can stretch your limbs by rowing at Tingley Beach instead. Feeling flush? Let’s splash out on a hot air balloon ride.

• Best Stops: Red Rock Park, Acoma Pueblo, Bowlin’s Old Crater Trading Post
• Where to Eat: Whistle Stop Coffee Room, Padilla’s Mexican Kitchen
• Where to Stay: Econo Lodge Midtown Albuquerque ($), La Quinta by Wyndham Albuquerque West ($$)

Day 8-9: Albuquerque to Lincoln National Forest Park (3 hours 40 minutes)

Before we leave Albuquerque, one thing we shouldn’t miss is the phenomenal view from the Sandia Peak Tramway. That’ll give us a sprawling panorama of the whole city, plus 11,000 square miles of New Mexico wilderness!

And then, farewell to city comforts; we’re heading deep into the lush greenery of the Lincoln National Forest. Choose to camp for a few nights, or check into the local hostel.

We’ve planned something exceptional to wrap up our road trip in the Southwest! The White Sands National Monument is a vision after all the rusty red rocks we’ve seen so far. There is a mix of hikes to choose from that range from 20 minutes to 3 hours. Or get an adrenaline boost by hiring a sledge and swooshing down the dunes!

• Best Stops: Sandia Peak Tramway, Albuquerque Old Town, Tingley Beach, Cloudcroft, White Sands National Monument
• Where to Eat: Western Bar & Cafe, Rebecca’s at the Lodge, Rustic Cafe
• Where to Stay: Lincoln National Forest campground ($), Cloudcroft Hostel ($), Days Inn by Wyndham Alamgorado ($$)

Day 10: Lincoln Forest National Park to El Paso (2 hours 20 minutes)

Before we part ways, we’ll make our final state border crossing and travel into Texas. The Franklin Mountains State Park is a great stop on the way and is fantastic for mountain biking, rock climbing, and hiking.

And then, finally – El Paso concludes our road trip from Las Vegas. This is a cultural gem where we can experience the best of Southwestern charm with a splash of Mexican spirit! There’s a ton of things to do in El Paso so make sure to stick around for a day or two.

• Best Stops: Welcome to Texas sign, Chihuahuan Desert Gardens, Franklin Mountains State Park
• Where to Eat: Milagro Coffee y Espresso, Tacos el Troquero, L&J Cafe
• Where to Stay: Red Roof Inn PLUS + El Paso East ($), Inspira Hotel ($$) Beautiful Stylish Casita ($$)

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• From: Oklahoma City
• To: Phoenix
• Total Distance: 1,027 miles
• Top Road Trips Stops: Cadillac Ranch, Santa Rosa, Albuquerque, Petrified Forest, Painted Desert, Sedona

Yup, the Historic Route 66 technically no longer exists. However, you can still trace the route of Mother Road through the American Southwest. And it still makes a killer road trip. But planning a road trip in the Southwest that covers the whole 2,500 miles of the Main Street of America gobbles up your vacation days. That’s why we’ve taken just a slice of the route.

Our road trip from Oklahoma City navigates a stretch of that legendary highway, which we’ll break up with stops in small towns. Rather than heading into California, we go south to culminate with some breathtaking natural wonders in Arizona.

Road Trip Highlights:

• Cruise past relics of the Historic Route 66, including neon signs, abandoned gas stations, ghost towns, and fascinating museums
• Check out the auto-art installation of Cadillac Ranch
• Take a dip in a sinkhole in the middle of the New Mexico desert
• Explore the natural wonders that are the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest
• Take a tour in one of the iconic pink jeeps of Sedona

Day 1: Oklahoma City to Amarillo (3 hours 52 minutes)

Get comfy; we’ve got a decent stretch of road to cover as we start our road trip from Oklahoma City. Let’s visit a couple of Route 66 relics in Oklahoma City first – duck into a museum if you feel like it. Then, off we go.

Today’s all about soaking up the nostalgic charm of the legendary highway. We’ll stop to check out relics like the oldest gas station in Texas. There are a couple of museums where you can browse old memorabilia to break up the drive!

• Best Stops: Milk Bottle Grocery, Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma Route 66 Museum (Clinton), National Route 66 Museum (Elk City), Lucille’s Historic Gas Station (Hydro), Phillips 66 (McLean), Wonderland Park
• Where to Eat: Aubrey’s Fish & Ice Cream, Lucille’s Roadhouse Diner, Jo Taco
• Where to Stay : Red Roof Inn Amarillo West ($), Updated and Modern Studio in Downtown Amarillo ($$) Zo’s Relic ($$$)

Day 2: Amarillo to Santa Rosa (2 hours 30 minutes)

After breakfast, we’ll freshen up our Instas with some snaps of the spray-painted cars at Cadillac Ranch. Belt up for a drive through the New Mexican desert. We’ll grab a coffee at the aptly-named Midpoint Cafe and pose with the neon sign of the historic Blue Swallow Motel.

The Route 66 ghost town of Glenrio is a worthy pit stop before we reach Santa Rosa. Let’s cool down with a dip in the natural phenomenon that is the Santa Rosa Blue Hole. This sinkhole is filled with water; if you’ve brought your PADI licence along, you can even scuba dive!

• Best Stops: Cadillac Ranch, Santa Rosa Blue Hole, Glenrio, Welcome to New Mexico sign, Route 66 Auto Museum
• Where to Eat: Midpoint Cafe, Kix on 66, Blue Swallow Motel, Comet II Drive In & Restaurant
• Where to Stay: Casa del Leon ($), La Quinta by Wyndham Santa Rosa ($$)

Day 3: Santa Rosa to Albuquerque (1 hour 46 minutes)

We can stretch our legs in the Santa Rosa Lake State Park or indulge in some watersports once we’ve had our coffee. Shortly before we reach today’s final destination, we can have a quick stroll in the Canyon Estates.

Once we park up in Albuquerque, take your pick of cool things to do. We can hire a rowing boat down at Tingley Beach. Or if we have some spare cash, sign ourselves up for a hot air balloon ride. Let’s catch the sunset at the Sandia Peak Tramway.

• Best Stops: Santa Rosa Lake State Park, Lewis Antique Auto & Toy Museum, Canyon Estates Trailhead, Sandia Peak Tramway
• Where to Eat: Sierra Blanca Brewing Company, Mary & Tito’s Cafe, Antiquity Restaurant
• Where to Stay: Days Inn by Wyndham Albuquerque West ($), Danish Modern Mini Luxury Suite ($$)

Day 4-5: Albuquerque to Holbrook (3 hours 20 minutes)

We’ll power on to Holbrook today, with a stop off in Gallup – a historical city which is handy for souvenir shopping. Oh yes, don’t forget to factor in some treats for loved ones back home in your Southwest vacation trip planner!

To make things easier, we’ll book into a motel in Holbrook for two nights. That way, we can spend the next few days exploring two of Arizona’s finest natural wonders, hiker’s heavens . The Petrified Forest is the only national park that contains a segment of the Historic Route 66. It’s an enchantment of colourful ancient trees – another haven for photographers! Meanwhile, an hour’s drive brings us to the intriguing badlands of the Painted Desert.

• Best Stops: Gallup, Historic Armco Gas Station (Gallup), Petrified Forest, Painted Desert
• Where to Eat: El Rancho, Genaro’s Cafe, Healing Grounds Coffee Shop
• Where to Stay: 66 Motel ($), Campsite @ Big Spin Ranch, Petrified Forest ($), The White Buffalo Casita ($$)

Day 6-7: Holbrook to Sedona (2 hours)

If that wasn’t enough excitement for you, we have even more natural wonders a mere two-hour drive west! But first, we’ll make a pitstop in the Route 66 city of Flagstaff and check out a few more sights. We’ll also have a gander around a crater formed by a meteor, before catching the sunset from Airport Mesa.

Stay overnight in Sedona for two nights so we can experience this adventurer’s playground.  Take your pick from desert jeep tours, horseback riding, rafting, rock climbing, and mountain biking. There’s even a massive natural waterslide! If you ask us, Sedona is what makes this a contender for the best road trip in the Southwest.

• Best Stops: Meteor Crater National Landmark, Walnut Canyon, Amtrak Train Station Route 66 mural, Slide Rock State Park, Devil’s Bridge Trail, Airport Mesa, Cathedral Rock
• Where to Eat: Mother Road Brewing Company, Criollo Latin Kitchen, Diablo Burger
• Where to Stay: Sedona Camping Gear ($), Wonder View Grotto ($$), Newly Built Tiny Home with Awesome Views ($$)

Day 8: Sedona to Phoenix (2 hours)

We’ll drive south via Cornville and stop off at a vineyard for lunch. You might want to duck out of being today’s designated driver if you want to sample the local wines.

As we approach our final destination, we can check out a couple of exciting natural attractions around Phoenix before we explore the city. And relax, that concludes our road trip from Oklahoma City.

• Best Stops: Red Rock State Park, Cornville, Old Town Scottsdale, Desert Botanical Garden, Papago Park, Goldfield ghost town
• Where to Eat: Page Springs Cellars, Thanks a Latte Esporess Cafe, Los Taquitos
• Where to Stay: Quality Inn Phoenix ($$), Urban Guesthouse in Uptown Phoenix ($$$)

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• From: Denver
• To: Salt Lake City
• Total Distance: 746 miles
• Top Road Trips Stops: Rocky Mountain National Park, Glenwood Springs, Arches National Park, Canyonlands, Great Salt Lake

Despite taking less than one week to complete, this road trip from Denver takes you through a decent chunk of Colorado and Utah. We’ll make Salt Lake City our final destination.

Along the way, we’ll explore some of the finest state parks and mountain ranges in the whole Southwest, including the lush Colorado Rockies. Our itinerary prioritises the scenic routes over the fastest – so we get to see the most epic landscapes this region has on offer!

If you want to tackle this trip during winter, let’s factor some skiing into our itinerary. You might want to add an extra night to accommodate this.

• Hike in the rugged snowcapped wilderness of the Colorado Rockies
• Mountain bike in one of Utah’s legendary national parks – Canyonlands or Arches
• Explore fascinating ghost towns
• Raft your way down the Colorado River
• Take in the epic landscapes of the Great Salt Lake itself

Day 1: Denver to Estes Park (1 hour 20 minutes)

Ticked off whatever you wanted to see in the city? Cool, let’s rev the rental and start our road trip from Denver. We’ll kick off the road trip with the alpine glory that is the Rocky Mountain National Park (the Rockies to their friends). Today, we’ll take the fastest route (Highway 36), so we have as much of the day as possible for the park.

Once we make it to Estes Park, we’ll grab lunch then follow the scenic loop through the majestic mountains. This takes around four hours, but we’ll be in and out of the car. In terms of hiking, there are hundreds of trails to choose from.

We vote for the Bear Lake Loop, Ute Trail, Mount Ida or Chasm Lake. These are relatively short and pack in some of the best scenery in the region. Let’s hop on the tramway, too, and take in the views from Prospect Mountain.

• Best Stops: Golden Gate Canyon, Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park Aerial Tramway
• Where to Eat:  Salto Coffee Works, Sweet Basilico Cafe, Coffee on the Rocks, Trailhead Restaurant
• Where to Stay: Rocky Moutain National Park campgrounds ($), Murphy’s River Lodge ($$), Cozy Shepherd’s Tent in Aspen Grove near RMNP ($$$)

Day 2: Rocky Mountain National Park to Glenwood Springs (2 hours 30 minutes)

Let’s tackle a short morning hike before we hit the road. This time, take the peak-to-peak scenic byway out of town. This way, we can drive right through the mountains and past a number of ski resorts. If we’re in a 4X4, we’ll take a detour to Dakota Hill.

Once we get to Glenwood Springs, we can wander along the Colorado River. Or, for something more adventurous – let’s go rafting or book a canyon swing. Cycling along the Glenwood Canyon Bike Trail is another option, perfect for summer. And of course, we must take a dip in the hot springs. Accommodation in town is pricey, so let’s stay in a cheaper guesthouse and get a day pass to the springs instead.

• Best Stops: Rocky Mountain National Park, Loveland Ski Resort, Vail Ski Resort, Dillon Reservoir, White River National Forest, Glenwood Caverns
• Where to Eat: Vail Mountain Coffee & Tea – Roastery cafe, Abbey’s Coffee, Glenwood Canyon Brewclub
• Where to Stay: Rodeway Inn Glenwood Springs ($$), Glenwood Springs Cedar Lodge ($$)

Day 3-4: Glenwood Springs to Moab (4 hours 40 minutes)

With the gorgeous Rocky Mountain National Park in our rear-view mirror, we’ll cruise west into the realm of canyons. For the most scenic route, skip I-70 and drive through the mountains. It’s longer but much prettier, with even more mountains to ogle. We can stop off in towns like Paonia and Delta for coffee to break it up.

Rejoin I-70 at Redlands. Let’s turn off onto state route 128 so we can check out the ghost town, then follow the scenic drive through Dewey. The Fisher Towers trailhead is a pleasant two-hour hike to stretch our legs and catch the sunset. There are lots of places to stay around Arches National Park , which is a great base for exploring the area for a couple more days.

• Best Stops: Gunnison Gorge/Black Canyon, Cisco Ghost Town, Fisher Towers,  Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point State Park, Arches National Park
• Where to Eat: Black Bridge Winery, Berg Harvest Mercantile and Cafe, Doghouse Espresso
• Where to Stay: Moab Valley RV Resort & Campground ($), Adventure Inn Moab ($$), OK RV Park Glamping Tipi OK56 ($$$)

Day 5: Moab to Salt Lake City (5 hours)

Squeeze in any last activities you fancy, top up the gas tank, and northwards we drive. We’ll take the scenic road, past the San Rafael Swell and up through the Manti-La Sal National Forest.

If you stay an extra night in SLC, hang onto your rental and take a day trip to either the Wasatch or Oquirrh mountains. And, of course, don’t miss the opportunity to plunge into the Great Salt Lake and see how well you float!

• Best Stops: Green River State Park, Spring Canyon ghost town, San Rafael Swell, Utah Lake State Park, Temple Square
• Where to Eat: Green River Coffee, Tangerine Eatery, Happiness Within, Guru’s Cafe,
• Where to Stay: Park City Hostel ($), Cozy Tiny House ($$), Ellerbeck Mansion Bed and Breakfast ($$$)
• Total Distance: 563 m
• Top Road Trips Stops: Grand Canyon National Park, Slide Rock State Park, Airport Mesa, Goldfield ghost town, Tonto Natural Bridge State Park

If you’re looking for short ‘n’ sweet Southwest road trip ideas, this one gives you tonnes of sights without chewing up all your annual leave.

Our 5-day road trip itinerary takes you to some of Arizona’s best natural wonders, starting with a canyon you’ve possibly heard of.

• Savour the hues of one of the most alluring wonders of nature, the Grand Canyon
• Tackle the gruelling but rewarding Humphrey’s Peak track – the highest point in Arizona
• Stun yourself with the rust-red delights of Sedona
• Experience fragments of the Historic Route 66
• Throw in a tent and camp for a real Wild West adventure

Day 1-2: Las Vegas to Grand Canyon Village (4 hours)

Pick up your rental in Sin City, load up the snacks and say farewell to Nevada – we’re crossing over to Arizona.

The drive starts off as barren as you might expect as we cruise through the desert landscape of Nevada. Once we cross the state line into Arizona, things start getting greener. We’ll stop off to take photographs and aim to squeeze in a short hike in the Kaibab National Park, where we can camp tonight.

Whichever accommodation you decide on, book for two nights so you can spend the entire second day exploring the Grand Canyon South Rim.

• Best Stops: The Neon Museum, Hoover Dam, Liberty Bell Arch, Willow Beach, Pete’s Route 66 Gas Station Museum, Kaibab National Park
• Where to Eat: Coffee Cup Cafe, Cruiser’s Route 66 Cafe, Rutherford’s 66 Family Diner, Plaza Bonita
• Where to Stay: Kaibab National Forest campgrounds ($) Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel ($$), Nomad’s Pad Grand Canyon: The Grand Nomad ($$$)

Day 3: Kaibab National Forest to Flagstaff (1 hour 20 minutes)

If you have the energy for a strenuous hike, we’ll tackle the Humphrey’s Peak trail this morning. This affords us fabulous views from Arizona’s tallest peak. Access depends on the weather – the route is only accessible when it hasn’t snowed. Pick up snacks from Tusayan if so, breakfast options are limited around here.

Afterwards, we’ll check out the youngest volcano on the Colorado Plateau. The Bonito Vista Trail and Lava Flow Trail are gentle, easy options to recover from this morning’s antics. Then, onwards to Flagstaff for the night. If you can still move your legs, let’s go line dancing at the Museum Club.

• Best Stops: Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Humphrey’s Peak, Walnut Canyon National Monument
• Where to Eat: Brandy’s Restaurant & Bakery, Tourist Home All Day Cafe,
• Where to Stay: Econo Lodge Flagstaff Route 66 ($), Western Hills Motel ($$), Sage Yurt – A Cozy Nature Getaway ($$)

Day 4: Flagstaff to Sedona (50 minutes)

We have a short drive this morning, which is for the best because Sedona is one of the best towns in the whole of Arizona. Let’s make the most of it!

The town is cradled by 1.8 million acres of national forest land and buttressed by four wilderness areas and staggering mesas. There’s plenty of scope for thrill-seekers; take your pick from desert jeep tours, horseback riding, rafting, rock climbing and mountain biking. Whatever we do, we can’t miss the sunset from Airport Mesa.

Accommodation is a bit pricier in Sedona, so if you’ve brought your tent along, now’s its moment to save you a few bucks.

• Best Stops: Slide Rock State Park, Devil’s Bridge Trail, Airport Mesa, Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village
• Where to Eat: Air Cafe, SaltRock Kitchen, 89 Agave Cantina
• Where to Stay: Cave Springs Campground ($), Days Inn by Wyndham Sedona ($$), Newly Built Tiny Home with Awesome Views ($$)

Day 5: Sedona to Phoenix (3 hours 30 minutes)

For our final day, we will take the scenic route to Phoenix through the Saguaro cactus-studded desert that forms the Tonto National Forest. There, we’ll get out to see what’s considered to be the largest natural travertine formation in the world.

After that, we’ll stop off in Payson for lunch, the so-called ‘Heart of Arizona’. The landscape here isn’t what you expect from the cactus state. Clasped by the Mazatzal Mountains and dense forestry, it’s got much more of an alpine vibe. Tonight, we’ll enjoy a final brew in Arizona’s largest city. For a quiet place to stay after a long day of driving, consider staying at a vacation rental in Scottsdale .

• Best Stops: Montezuma Castle National Monument, Payson, Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, Old Town Scottsdale, Desert Botanical Garden, Papago Park, Goldfield ghost town
• Where to Eat: Pinon Cafe, Common Grounds Coffee House, Virtu Honest Craft,
• Where to Stay: Red Roof Inn Phoenix – Midtown ($$), Cozy Desert Oasis ($$)

Renting a vehicle is the best way to explore the Southwest. That could be a regular car, a 4X4, or even a campervan/RV.

Renting a Vehicle in Southwest

Renting a vehicle is one of the most popular ways for domestic and international tourists to explore the region. In general, US motorists drive conservatively. For many of the itineraries in our Southwest vacation trip planner, you’ll be in the backcountry, away from the city traffic.

You must have a valid driver’s licence to rent a vehicle in the Southwest. If you hold an overseas licence, you will need an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) too. You should check the requirements as per your passport country.

You may pay a couple of additional fees on top of the car hire rate. Factor in the following charges when planning a road trip in the Southwest.

• Young Renter Fee: You must be aged 21 or over to rent a car in the Southwest. If you are under 25, you may have to pay a ‘young renter fee’. The average cost of this is $20 per day, but it can vary from state to state.
• One-way Rental: All our road trips originate and finish in different cities. You’ll most likely be asked to pay a drop-off fee. This should be included in your quote.
• Additional Driver: Unless the additional driver is your spouse or domestic partner, you will pay a fee to add a second driver. This varies depending on the state and company.
• Deposit: You will need to pay a deposit/bond when you pick up your rental. This must be paid on a credit card and is usually $200-$300.
• Insurance: Another of your Southwest road trip essentials is sturdy insurance. We recommend not purchasing insurance from your rental – these guys always inflate the prices. Instead, check out an independent insurance company, such as RentalCover.com. Their rates are much friendlier.

Don’t have a car? Well, we’re going to have to sort that out! Use  rentalcars.com  to find the best deals on the web and save heaps of cash!

Road Rules in the Southwest

As with everywhere, the US is subject to road rules. And yes, they do take things seriously, like speeding, driving under the influence, and travelling without a seatbelt!

When you plan a road trip in the Southwest, here some of the weirder rules that may catch you off-guard.

• Whatever you do, don’t miss your exit in Arizona. Reversing down a public road is against the law.
• If you fancy our road trip from Denver, request a non-black car. According to an old law, driving a black car on a Sunday is illegal.
• Stick to a trusty automobile while road-tripping across Nevada. If you decide to ride a camel down the highway, you’ll be smacked with a fine.
• Put your comic down while driving through Oklahoma. Reading about Batman’s latest exploits while driving is a fineable no-no.
• It is illegal to make hand-held phone calls and send texts while driving in Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico. Neighbouring states are likely to instigate similar rules in the near future.

On a more serious note, remember that every state in the US sets its own road laws. When crossing into different states on your road trip in the Southwest, do check each state. Also, as you cruise closer to the Mexican border, don’t be surprised if Border Police wave you down. They might ask to check your documents and trunk. It’s pretty common.

And don’t forget, they drive on the right in the US!

Insurance in the Southwest

Before you hit the road, we just want to swoop in again with nobody’s favourite topic. One of the ultimate Southwest road trip essentials is insurance for your rental car. Yes, you can buy this from your hire company. But you can save a decent bit of cash by using an independent insurance provider.

In the US, you are required to purchase liability insurance and a damage waiver. Often, this is packaged up as Collision Damage Waiver/Loss Damage Waiver. This covers damage, theft and loss of use of the rental vehicle and usually amounts to a maximum of $30 per day.

Roadside assistance is an optional extra that may come in handy for your Southwest road trip itinerary. There are long stretches between gas stations in the backcountry! Rental companies typically charge $10-$15 per day for assistance. It’s worth shopping around with companies like RentalCover.com to find a plan that covers the lot in one deal.

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing .

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

If you’re not careful, Southwest’s wilderness will smack ya to next Monday.  There are six road trip essentials I never go traveling without:

1. First Aid Kit : Even if you don’t plan on doing anything extreme on your trip, like hiking, climbing, or other extreme sports, you never know what could happen. You could cut yourself while cooking, smash a finger in a car door, or burn yourself on a hot radiator. A first aid kit will be able to handle most of these minor situations.

2. Aux Cord : One of the only things to do on a long car ride by yourself is to listen to music or a podcast. Since most people use their phones as an MP3 player these days, an auxillary cord is crucial to preserving your sanity. If there is no auxiliary port in your car, buy a radio transceiver or use a portable speaker.

3. Phone mount :  It’s very dangerous to be looking down at your phone while driving. If you need to have access to your phone, for maps and what-not, buy a mount for it. This way, you can keep your eyes on the road and your phone won’t be far from your field of view.

4. Headtorch : Every backpacker should have a head torch! A decent head torch could save your life. If you want to explore caves, unlit temples, or simply find your way to the bathroom during a blackout, a headtorch is a must. Currently, I’m using the Petzl Actik Core rechargeable headlamp – an awesome piece of kit! Because it’s USB chargeable I never have to buy earth polluting batteries.

5. Roadside Emergency Kit : Just like you never know what could happen to yourself , one never knows what can happen to their car . A vehicle can mysteriously fail, break, run into a ditch; all that and then some. Most emergency kit include a pair of jumper cables, a tow rope, a set of essential tools, and ties.

6. Toiletry Bag : I always travel with a hanging toiletry bag as it’s a super-efficient way to organise your bathroom stuff. Well worth having, whether you are hanging it from a tree whilst camping, or a hook in a wall, it helps to have quick access to all your stuff.

For plenty more inspiration on what to pack, check out my full road trip packing list.

Well, that brings us to the end of our top four Southwest road trip ideas! We hope you’ve found your perfect itinerary. Now all you need to worry about is creating an epic soundtrack for your own road trip in the Southwest!

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

Colleen Kinsey

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19 Stunning Southwest Road Trip Itinerary Ideas (+ Tips!)

There may be no other region in the USA quite as otherworldly as the American Southwest. And there is absolutely no better way to appreciate that magnificent beauty than via an epic Southwest road trip itinerary!

Unfortunately, for most of us, there’s no way to encapsulate the full magnificence of the region on a single Southwest US road trip (and trust us, we’ve tried to, many times).

Because of that, we’ve teamed up with several other travel bloggers to craft this complete guide to the best road trips in the Southwest USA, from iconic classics in Utah to offbeat highlights in Nevada to focused Southwest national parks road trips.

We’ve decided to work with a pretty generous definition of the Southwestern US for this guide, covering road trips in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and Colorado, as well as parts of Southern California and West Texas.

Whether you only have a weekend to spare or are planning the Southwest road trip of a lifetime, here are the best Southwest USA road trip routes to consider!

Table of Contents

Quick Tips for Your Southwest USA Road Trip

Utah road trip itinerary ideas, arizona + new mexico southwest road trips, southwest road trip itineraries in colorado, cool nevada road trip ideas, west texas road trip itineraries, multi-state southwest itineraries, read more about visiting the southwest usa.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more detail.

Before diving into the best Southwest road trip itineraries below, there are a few tips to be aware of, especially if this is your first time in the region!

Pick up an America the Beautiful Pass.

If you’re planning a Southwest USA road trip itinerary, odds are very high that you’re planning to visit several national parks!

If so, consider picking up an  America the Beautiful Pass , also known as the USA’s annual national parks pass.

For only $80–less for certain groups like seniors and military personnel–the park covers day-use fees to over 2,000 federally managed lands, including all 62 national parks, for an entire year.

It’s one of the best travel deals around and will pay for itself within 3-4 visits to popular US national parks (for example, as of the time of writing, many popular Southwest national parks such as Arches and Bryce Canyon cost between $25-35 per vehicle to visit).

Buy your national parks pass  today!

Beware the heat.

Everyone talks about it, but it really can’t be overstated: the heat in the American Southwest in summer can be life-threatening and is not to be trifled with.

Water, sun protection, and keeping an eye on the weather need to be at the forefront of your mind as you work your way through the region.

If you’re planning a trip during the (long) summer, consider optimizing your schedule so that the bulk of your hiking takes place in the mornings and evenings, too, rather than in the middle of the day.

If you’re renting a car, shop around.

The best company to rent a car from for your Southwest USA road trip will likely vary dramatically depending on where and when you’re traveling.

Sometimes large international carriers offer the best prices, sometimes local outfits. Sometimes one company has an excellent base price, but terrible rental requirements.

The best way to find your rental car is to search through  Discover Cars , which will sift through dozens of companies to find the best combination of low prices and reasonable rental terms for your trip.

Shop rental cars for your Southwest road trip today!

Read the rental requirements carefully.

Especially make sure you know how many miles you’ve been allotted (or ideally, if they’re unlimited), what to do if the car breaks down, and what damages you’re liable for in the event of an accident.

You’ll also want to note whether or not to return the car empty or full of fuel.

On the off chance that you’re planning on extending your road trip beyond the US Southwest into Canada or Mexico, be sure to check the requirements for crossing the border as well.

Consider bringing your sleeping arrangements along with you.

It’s not right for everyone, but there’s a reason that using an RV or campervan is such a classic American road trip experience!

And, you don’t need to dive into the RV lifestyle and buy one for your next trip in order to try it out: you can try out the experience by renting RVs and camper vans from  Outdoorsy .

Browse RVs available to rent with Outdoorsy  today!

Make sure you pack the right gear.

From safety gear to snacks, a big road trip in the American Southwest requires bringing the right tools along, whether you’re taking a short vacation, trying out van life, or something in between.

We recommend taking a look at the suggestions on  our road trip packing list  before you go!

Book travel insurance.

We don’t ever suggest traveling without travel insurance.

Anything can happen on the road, and an epic road trip is definitely a case of better to be safe than sorry.

You can check prices and inclusions with  Safety Wing  for road trips in the Southwest USA.

Don’t overextend yourself.

Exploring every nook and cranny of the American Southwest is a project for a lifetime, not one trip!

As tempting as it is to add on additional driving to stop in just one more park or small town, make sure that you leave enough time to thoroughly explore each destination rather than spending the entirety of your Southwest US road trip driving from one spot to the next.

Considering the long driving distances between some of the most iconic places in the Southwest, it’s easy to over-plan!

Set realistic expectations for visiting US national parks.

Many of the best national parks in the USA are located in the Southwest–and they are incredibly popular.

Be sure to research individual parks in advance to make the most of your time, as accessing the most iconic attractions often is not as simple as showing up.

Hotels tend to get booked up quickly, some parks like Rocky Mountain National Park, Arches National Park, and Zion National Park are now requiring most visitors to book timed entry permits in advance.

Other restrictions can pop up too–for example, Zion National Park requires visitors to use a shuttle rather than private cars to access popular hikes (unless you’re planning a winter trip, that is).

None of this detracts from the beauty of the parks–but it does mean that your experience will be much better if you plan ahead!

Kanab to Escalante

From Rachel & Clark of Seeking Our Someday

The Kanab, UT to Escalante, UT road trip gives way to some of Southern Utah’s most beautiful hidden gems.

These rural areas are filled with some of the most dramatic rock formations that you can find on an itinerary for the Southwest USA. 

Starting in Kanab, use this small town as a home base for visiting several nearby destinations.

Buckskin Gulch, just East of Kanab, is one of the longest slot canyons in the world and is considered one of the most beautiful slot canyons in Utah.

For an incredible day trip from Kanab, hike into this slot canyon from Wirepass Trailhead. Be on the lookout for ancient petroglyphs as you descend into the canyon.

Just north of Kanab are the Moqui Caves. These caves are great to explore for a couple of hours, especially in the afternoon light.

Only 30 minutes outside of Kanab, the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is home to some of the most beautiful sand dunes. These dunes are especially beautiful at sunrise and sunset. 

On the two-hour drive from Kanab to Escalante, make sure to stop at Bryce Canyon National Park to see the natural hoodoos in the Bryce Amphitheater and check out a few of the coolest things to see in Bryce Canyon NP .

Use Escalante as a second home base to visit more hidden gems in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

Some of the most incredible landscapes can be found down Hole in the Rock Road, just south of Escalante.

Make sure to visit Zebra Slot Canyon, a very narrow slot canyon with natural striped rock, along with Devils Garden just a few miles down the road.

Further down Hole in the Rock Road are the Peekaboo and Spooky Slot Canyons which are a fun loop hike through two beautiful slot canyons.

Driving Distance

Recommended road trip length.

This road trip could be done in a long weekend, but there are enough places to visit that we recommend 1-2 weeks to fully experience all of the stops along the way.

New Mexico’s Enchanted Circle

From Becky of SightDOING

Northern New Mexico doesn’t get the attention that the rest of the state does, but travelers willing to take an extra drive will find incredible beauty along the  Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway .

Starting from Taos and going clockwise, you’ll visit the smaller towns of Questa, Red River, Eagle Nest, and Angel Fire.

This part of New Mexico sits high in the mountains and the route takes you through ever-changing scenery.

Many parts are verdant green, thick with evergreens and aspens.

As the road winds, you’ll also see alpine valleys and lakes, plus the impressive Mt. Wheeler (the highest in the state).

As you drive, you’ll be reminded more of Colorado than the stereotypical desert road trips that are so iconic in the Southwest.

Perhaps as you’d expect in a beautiful destination like this, the primary activities involve the outdoors.

One of the highlights is Eagle Rock Lake, not only beautiful but home to playful otters that you might spot if you’re lucky. The picnic tables make a perfect vantage spot.

Hiking is plentiful: head out into the Columbine Hondo Wilderness for wildflowers in spring or look for waterfalls in Cimarron Canyon State Park.

Other activities include mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing, and even skiing in the winter.

It’s not all about the outdoors, though. Visitors can also watch artisans in Questa, pay their respects at the Vietnam Memorial near Angel Fire, brewery hop along the trail, or explore Taos’ history.

Best of all, this New Mexico road trip is wonderful year-round.

Although the driving route is short enough that you can complete it in a day, the area is deserving of a weekend.

Allow plenty of time to stop and explore the parks and mountains along the way and consider even longer if you’re an avid hiker.

Phoenix to the Grand Canyon Road Trip

From Nicole of American SW Obsessed

Visiting the Grand Canyon is one of the best weekend trips you can make from Phoenix. 

The  drive from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon  is only 4 hours and there are several stops along the way.

Montezuma Castle is one of the best preserved Native American Ruins located 94 miles from Phoenix.

It is a 5-story structure built into a recess in a white limestone cliff about 70 feet above the ground and it consists of 20 rooms.

Another great stop is Sedona, which is famous for its red rocks and great hiking trails.

You could easily spend a weekend in Sedona but it is also a great place to stop for some lunch and get out and stretch your legs.

Once you arrive at the Grand Canyon National Park you will enter from the east and one of the first viewpoints is the Desert View Point and Watchtower.

This is one of the most popular viewpoints in the east and it is your first view of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River. 

You can continue heading West to the main visitors center where you can walk the Trail of Time. 

The Grand Canyon Trail of Time is an interpretive walking timeline trail focusing on the highlights of the Grand Canyon so tourists can experience and appreciate the vastness of geologic time, as well as the stories captured by Grand Canyon rock layers and landscapes. 

We recommend three days as a minimum for this road trip.  Some people do this in a day but it is very rushed. 

Spending a weekend there gives you time to make stops along the way and experience the Grand Canyon.

Northern New Mexico

From Melissa of Parenthood and Passports

New Mexico is known as the Land of Enchantment for a reason.

The southwestern state is one of the best places in the United States for a culturally immersive trip, incredible food, and beautiful desert landscapes. 

Most New Mexico road trips start and end in Albuquerque, the largest city in the state.

There are so many things to do in New Mexico with kids , or without, and you’ll find many of them in Albuquerque!

Give yourself a couple of days to explore Old Town and visit some of the great museums, like the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.

Be sure to take the tram up to Sandia Peak. The 2.7-mile aerial tramway is the longest in the United States! 

From Albuquerque, head north to New Mexico’s capital of Santa Fe. Known for its adobe-style architecture, this historical city founded as a Spanish colony in the 1600s is as lovely as it is enchanting! 

Just northwest of Santa Fe, outside the town of Los Alamos, Bandelier National Monument is a fascinating look back in time.

In this national monument, you’ll find petroglyphs and cliff dwellings left behind by the Pueblo Indians, the indigenous tribe who originally settled the area. 

For a look at how the Pueblo live today, head to the Taos Pueblo next.

The pueblos one mile north of the town of Taos, is believed to be the oldest continuously inhabited community in the United States.

People have lived in this multi-story adobe building for more than 1,000 years! You can tour the pueblo, which is open to visitors except when tribal rituals take place.

300+ miles.

Ideally, give yourself about a week for this road trip through Northern New Mexico.

Denver to Aspen Loop

From Lori of Fitz 5 On the Go

The state of Colorado was made for epic road trips.  The scenery is just amazing and pretty non-stop.

Colorado’s many mountain towns are fun and welcoming places to explore and are packed with so many outdoor activities to enjoy.  

There are many great options for planning a loop from Denver.  Some can be done on a day trip, and others are more fun spread over a few days. 

For the most variety and activities in a shorter drive time consider going south to Colorado Springs, loop over to Salida then make your way north through Independence Pass. 

Take some time enjoying Aspen then stop by Glenwood Springs for fun activities before going back to Denver.

Summer or early fall is the best time for this trip before some of the roads are closed due to snow.

First, stop in Colorado Springs, where popular activities include Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, the Incline, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the Olympic training center, and the Broadmore.

From there, head to Salida and Buena Vista.

On the way to Salida stop by the Royal Gorge.  This amazing viewpoint is not great for those with a fear of heights but it’s beautiful.

The area has a train, a suspension bridge, and several other activities including a Skycoaster. 

After enjoying a night in Salida, head north toward Leadville.

Leadville can make a nice little stop to explore an old mountain town and get some lunch but the main attraction of the day will be Independence Pass just south of Leadville.  

Driving Independence Pass in the fall  is likely one of the most beautiful drives in the country.

As a mountain road, it is closed in the winter and no large vehicles are allowed.

Independence Pass ends in beautiful Aspen. A stop to Aspen is not complete without seeing the Maroon Bells.

To make your way back to Denver, head north toward I-70 and stop for lunch and activities in Glenwood Springs.

Glenwood Springs has a fabulous hot spring as well as a mountaintop adventure center. 

At minimum plan to stay a night in Salida and one night in Aspen. 

If you only have a weekend then consider cutting the trip in half and making a smaller loop. 

The full loop would be most enjoyable with planning a night in Colorado Springs, 1-2 nights in Salida, and at least 2 nights in Aspen.

The Extraterrestrial Highway

From Audrey of That Backpacker

For a one-of-a-kind southwest road trip that you won’t soon forget,  drive Nevada’s Extraterrestrial Highway !

Located in south-central Nevada and spanning a total of 98 miles between the towns of Warm Springs and Crystal Springs, State Route 375 is considered a bit of a pilgrimage for those who believe in alien life!

But even if you’re not a believer, this is still a fun road trip worth doing.

The Extraterrestrial Highway is punctuated by desert landscapes, lonely roads, and some rather unusual attractions.

Some places not to miss include ET Fresh Jerky where you can buy alien-themed snacks including bottles of Martian soda, the Extraterrestrial Highway sign which is plastered with stickers from intrepid adventurers who have completed the drive, and the Alien Research Center where you can hear stories of paranormal desert activity.

You should also visit the Black Mailbox where people leave all sorts of mementos and letters to aliens, and the Little A’le’inn Motel featuring a pick-up truck towing a UFO and a green alien welcoming all earthlings.

It’s important to note that although Area 51 is also located in the area, it is strictly off-limits.

There are numerous signs to remind you that no video, no photography, and no droning are permitted, so save yourself the trouble.

Though this road trip can be completed in a day, you can break it up with a stay at the infamous Little A’le’inn Motel, home to all things extraterrestrial.

You may also want to consider driving the ET Highway as part of a bigger Nevada road trip with a small detour through Valley of Fire State Park.

Las Vegas to Cathedral Gorge State Park

From Daria of The Discovery Nut

Cathedral Gorge State Park is a natural wonder located in Central Nevada near Utah’s border that makes you feel like you landed on Mars. 

The park is located about 3.5 hours by car away from Las Vegas , the nearest big city, and the remote location of this place and lack of facilities, coupled with the lonely drive in the desert make for an incredible experience.

Cathedral Gorge State Park remains an undiscovered gem full of otherworldly views, amazing hiking trails, and great opportunities for photography.

It’s one of those hidden gem Southwest road trips from Las Vegas that no one talks about, and if you want to see it before it gets discovered, you need to do it now. 

Visiting Cathedral Gorge is pure magic at any time of the year.

Unlike many other popular places in the southwest USA, this state park is uncrowded and offers an amazing quiet space with fantastic landscapes.

With no big stores, chain hotels, or restaurants in the area, this is the ultimate getaway for adventure lovers.  

I recommend spending at least one day at the park and camping under the clear dark skies.

However, if you would rather stay at a hotel, the nearby town of Panaca has a couple of accommodations.

Big Bend Country Road Trip

While all of Texas may not culturally fall into the Southwest, the western part of the state does–and a Big Bend Country road trip is among the best road trips in the Southwest USA.

Make your way to the rugged, isolated, and utterly beautiful Big Bend National Park to kick off your trip.

While you’re there, hike the stunning Santa Elena Canyon, ascend into the Chisos Mountains via the Lost Mine Trail , and soak in natural hot springs along the Rio Grande.

From there, head to Big Bend Ranch State Park to experience one of the most scenic drives in the USA.

Head a couple of hours north, and some of Texas’ most beloved small towns are waiting for you, including Alpine, Fort Davis (where you can experience some of the best stargazing in Texas at the McDonald Observatory), Marathon, and Marfa.

With wild beauty, a huge variety of landscapes, great food, and even excellent art installations, you’ll find plenty of fun things to do in Texas’ Big Bend Country–just be prepared for long driving distances along the way.

About 1000 miles round trip, starting and ending in El Paso.

We recommend setting aside at least one week for this Southwest road trip route.

Classic Southwest USA Road Trip from Page, AZ

From James Ian of Parks Collecting

One of the best road trips in the Southwest USA is a loop from Page, Arizona that takes in a variety of natural and cultural icons.

Starting in Page, head to Monument Valley.

Stop off at the Navajo National Monument, where you can walk on the easy paved 1.3-mile Sandal Trail to the Batatkin Cliff Dwelling overlook for views of your first cliff dwelling on the trip.

After arriving in Monument Valley around noon, head down the Monument Valley road for a self-driving tour. 

The 17-mile scenic drive loops through the valley past many of the major buttes and mesas that make this area so famous.

In the late afternoon, if you still have some energy, hike the Wildcat Trail around West Mitten.

The next day, take a Navajo-led guided tour back into the valley, where you can visit the backcountry and learn more about the Navajo people and culture.

After you leave Monument Valley, take a couple of hours to drive through the beautiful Valley of the Gods before arriving in Moab in the late afternoon. 

Moab is the adventure capital of the world, and you can arrange to go canyoneering, rock climbing, mountain biking, or white-water rafting. Then head to nearby Arches National Park and do all the major hikes in the park.

Next up is a  visit to Mesa Verde National Park , where you will want to spend a couple of days visiting the cliff dwellings, hiking to petroglyphs, and exploring the area. 

After you leave Mesa Verde, stop for a photo at Four Corners, where you can have your limbs in four states at once!

Drive on to Canyon de Chelly, where you will want to spend a full day enjoying the views and hiking down into the canyon.

On the drive from there back to Page, you will pass through the Hopi reservation.

It is worth spending half a day on a tour with a Hopi guide to see more of the area and learn about Hopi culture.

Back in Page, don’t miss the mind-blowing Antelope Canyon and stunning Horseshoe Bend !

I recommend allowing ten days for this trip.

This will give you time to explore each of the parks/ areas and learn more about the cultural and natural environment along the way.

Trail of the Ancients

From Megan of Red Around the World

One of the most unique road trips in the Southwest is the  Trail of the Ancients  through Southeast Utah and Southwest Colorado.

It passes tons of amazing scenery but really features ancient Anasazi ruins throughout the Four Corners Area.

This is a particularly great Southwest road trip itinerary for history buffs and hikers!

Start your road trip in Cortez, where you can start making your way through some of the best places to visit in the Southwest.

Some of the highlights are Mesa Verde National Park, Monument Valley, and Valley of the Gods, but there are tons of smaller stops along the way, too. 

Some of those include Natural Bridges National Monument, Edge of the Cedars State Park, Upper Sand Island Petroglyphs, House on Fire Ruin, Butler Wash Ruin, Goosenecks State Park, Four Corners National Monument, Hovenweep National Monument, and more.

Diriving Distance

About 300-400 miles, depending on stops.

I would recommend spending about 7-10 days on the Trail of the Ancients.

If you have a full 2 weeks to explore, that’s even better.

Zion National Park to Sedona Southwest Road Trip Itinerary

From Allison of She Dreams in Alpine

If you’re looking for a quick Southwestern road trip that packs a whole lot into a relatively short drive, head from Zion National Park in Utah to Sedona, Arizona.

Although Zion is the start of your road trip, it’s actually hard to leave this magical place.

From the epic Angel’s Landing hike to The Narrows slot canyon, if you’re up for adventure, you will have an amazing time here.

Don’t worry, when it’s time to hit the road, your next stop of Kanab has plenty to offer.

If you’re lucky enough to score permits, hike to the incredible swooping sandstone of The Wave.

Or, take some time to explore the beauty of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

Then head east on Highway 89 to Lake Powell, where you can take a rest day or two. Chill in the lake before heading south.

Stop at the photogenic Horseshoe Bend , then make your way to the Grand Canyon .

Bask in the breathtaking views from the rim, or challenge yourself to hike to the bottom – just know that means you also have to hike back out!

Next, make your way to Flagstaff, and enjoy the Southwestern city life in the lively downtown area. Finish your road trip in the red rock paradise of Sedona.

You can hit the trails again on some of the awesome hikes in Sedona , take an off-road Jeep tour, or pamper yourself at a spa.

You’ll definitely be ready for some relaxation by the end of this road trip through the Southwest USA!

With all the incredible outdoor places to explore along the way, you should plan at least a week for this adventurous road trip.

You could easily make it longer if you wanted to spend more time hiking around Zion, the Grand Canyon, and Sedona.

Salt Lake City to Phoenix

From Samah of God and Wanderlust

Absorb the extraterrestrial beauty of the southwest with a road trip from Salt Lake City, UT to Phoenix, AZ.

Salt Lake City is made for the adventurous at heart.

Explore Red Butte Garden, Big Cottonwood Canyon, and the Great Salt Lake itself. A scenic mountain backdrop is always included.

Skiing and other snow sports are possible in nearby Park City.

Drive south to Moab and hike your way to the Delicate Arch in Arches National Park. Camp under the Milky Way in Monument Valley situated on protected Navajo land.

Ride a horse among the red rocks and buttes and pretend to be in the Wild West. Visit Forrest Gump Point at the crack of dawn to avoid the rush of cars.

From here head to Zion National Park and then Page, AZ.

Check the infamous Angels Landing off your list, kayak in Lake Powell, and hike to Horseshoe Bend.

Become mesmerized by the cave formations of Antelope Canyon.

At last, you arrive at the Grand Canyon. It’s magnificent. The Bright Angel trail will guide you right into the Canyon.

Sedona is still to come. It’s the most beautiful city you’ll lay eyes on. Hot air balloons illuminate against the sun’s glow. Devils Bridge and Doe Mountain offer spectacular views.

Phoenix will eventually bring a calm end to your southwest road trip itinerary.

Its mellow, laidback atmosphere will help relax after your breathtaking journey through the southwest.

Road Trip Length

We recommend at least 2 weeks to explore various cities, do activities and make stops along the way.

Las Vegas to Monument Valley

From Hannah of Hannah Henderson Travel

For a point-to-point overview of some of the most popular Southwest road trip stops, drive from Las Vegas to Monument Valley!

Your first stop outside of Las Vegas is the Hoover Dam.

This impressive man-made damn along the Colorado River marks the border between Nevada and Arizona.  

Head southeast along Hwy-93 towards Kingman, and be sure to visit the Historic Route 66 Museum.  

If you have time, take a detour and visit Oatman, an old mining town where wild burros (donkeys) roam free throughout the town.

The next leg of the road trip takes you along a small section of Historic Route 66 from Kingman to Seligman.

Enjoy the kitsch rest stop at Hackberry and eat lunch at the Road Kill Café .  The replica Wild West town in Seligman is a fun attraction for families too.

Continue to head east along the I-40 and then up to the Grand Canyon.  There are Grand Canyon hikes to suit many levels, educational talks, and unparalleled views.

Stay overnight at one of the rim-side cabins and witness the incredible sunset and sunrise.

The final leg of your journey will take you through some of the most captivating  desert landscapes in Arizona , onwards north towards Monument Valley.  

The land becomes more arid and sparsely populated, and you will get picture-postcard views.  

Your final stop is Oljato-Monument Valley, a Navajo Nation Tribal Park.  This valley of red rock formations is a soul-shaking place to end your road trip.  

Three to five days is a good length of time for this road trip between Las Vegas and Monument Valley.  

You can do the journey in 3 days minimum, but 5 days would offer you more time to explore the by-ways and scenic stops along the way.

LA to Las Vegas Road Trip Itinerary

From Dhara of Roadtripping California

An  LA to Las Vegas road trip  can be done along several different routes, but you can’t go wrong with a route that includes some of the choicest scenery in the Sierra Nevada as well as the spectacular Death Valley National Park in California.

Admittedly, this is a longer route that involves a little bit of a detour, but for travelers with enough time on their hands, this Southwest national parks road trip itinerary cannot be beaten.

Highlights of the itinerary include the scenic Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, and Mount Whitney, and the spectacular sights in Death Valley National Park.

The Alabama Hills consist of beautiful rock formations nestled at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

The national scenic area is popular for hiking, dirt road driving, photography, camping, and night sky viewing.

At Lone Pine, you can also drive the road that goes part way up Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the contiguous United States.

The road is open in the summer and fall until snow accumulations close it.

Of course, you can also hike to the peak, either as a grueling day hike or as an overnighter, with a permit.

In Death Valley National Park, the main sights can be found along the road that runs through the park, the one you will be taking to get to Vegas.

If you do the road trip in the cooler months of the year, you can hike. When it’s hot, you can drive through the park and stop briefly at viewpoints for photos.

The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are fun for kids and adults.

At Badwater Basin, you can have your photo taken by the sign for the lowest point in North America. Spectacular views await at Zabriskie Point and Dante’s View.

Once you are done exploring the park, it’s a quick drive to Vegas!

We suggest three days or more for this road trip.

With more than three days, you can spend more time hiking, and also explore the northern part of Death Valley National Park.

Denver to Moab

From Julia of The Cure for Curiosity

One of the best road trips in the Southwestern USA takes you from the snow-capped mountains of Denver, Colorado to the red canyons of Moab, Utah. 

During this epic  road trip from Denver to Moab , you’ll be able to see some of the best scenery the United States has to offer.

As you travel, you’ll pass through many charming small towns, complete with great hiking, hot springs, and of course panoramic views.

Start your trip in Denver, the capital of Colorado, and make your way to Rocky Mountain National Park.

Here you’ll find some stunning mountain views and world-class hiking.

Continue your trip through the renowned ski towns of Breckenridge and Vail, exploring the quaint city centers and everything they have to offer, from skiing to mountain roller coasters and free gondola rides.

The next stop is Glenwood Springs, famous for its hot springs as well as the beautiful hike to Hanging Lake.

If you have the time, you can also detour down to Aspen to check out the popular Maroon Bells, the most photographed mountains in North America.

From there, make your way through Colorado wine country in Palisade, CO to the Colorado National Monument.

This is the last stop before crossing into Utah and making your way into Moab.

Moab is the perfect end destination for a road trip as you can spend days exploring the local sights that bring droves of tourists to the area, like Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Dead Horse Point State Park.

While the drive itself can easily be done in just one day, you’d miss a lot of the fun stops along the way.

It’s best to plan about a week for this road trip to have plenty of time to explore Denver, the stops in between, and Moab.

LA to Bryce Canyon & Zion National Parks

From Ciara of Wellness Travel Diaries

Los Angeles to Bryce Canyon National Park— a red rock road trip experience — is a beautiful and classic Southwest USA itinerary for those wanting to escape and indulge in the unique rock formations found in Utah.

It’s a serene drive that takes about 8 hours from LA to Bryce Canyon. Add an extra two hours for a detour to Zion National Park

Here’s how to make the best of your time when road tripping from LA to Bryce Canyon and Zion .

Starting in Los Angeles, California hop on the freeway heading north toward Las Vegas. On route, you’ll find Death Valley about an hour or so off the freeway for a quick day trip.

Take another quick pitstop, right off the freeway at Eddie’s World for clean bathrooms and exquisite snacks.

Once you reach Nevada, stay the night in Las Vegas to explore the famous strip where the downtown lights, lit up the midnight sky.

It’s about four hours from LA (depending on traffic), and marks the halfway point to Bryce Canyon.

Continue toward Utah for another 160 miles to reach the first destination: Zion National Park.

Hike the beautiful trails such as Angels Landing (5.4 miles out and back) and Watchman Trail (3.3 miles out and back).

Hop back in the car for another 80 miles to reach the second destination: Bryce Canyon.

Explore the picturesque hoodoos by taking the Rim Hiking Trail (1-11 miles; it’s not a loop so hike the distance you choose) or Fairyland Loop (8 miles out and back).

Pick your route by deciding which park you’d like to visit first, then enjoy!

About 530 miles — this includes the stop in Zion National Park.

While the drive from California to Utah can be done in one day, there are several fun pit stops along this route.

It takes about seven hours to drive from Los Angeles to Zion, and then about two hours from Zion to Bryce Canyon.

To fully explore these natural wonders 6-8 days would be ideal, and allows you to split your time equally between both parks.

Phoenix to Taos to Road Trip

From Polina of Bucket List Places

One of the best itineraries to explore by car in the states is through Arizona and New Mexico.

If you are doing a winter  ski road trip itinerary , this can also be done in reverse starting in Taos.

Fly into Phoenix and rent a car (or RV for even more fun)! Then head south and stop by Saguaro National Park to view the iconic cactus after which the park is named.

From there head to White Sands National Park in New Mexico and sled down some sand dunes.

This park is vast and can be explored for the day or for multiple days if you would like to hike amongst the sand dunes.

Then head to the city to check out Albuquerque’s bustling nightlife.

In contrast, the next stop on the itinerary is Santa Fe, a beautiful historic city that looks like it is stuck in the past.

Stroll the streets and marvel at the beautiful architecture. Visit the delicious restaurants in town or get your culture on at the numerous art galleries.

Your final stop is Taos where you can view the historic Pueblan village, enjoy the delicious restaurants in town, and hang out in the historic town square.

In the wintertime, make sure to hit the slopes! 

We suggest a minimum of one week to enjoy the beautiful destinations on this road trip itinerary. 

Route 66 (Southwest Portion)

From Stephanie of Oklahoma Wonders

While Route 66 stretches from Chicago to the east to Los Angeles and Santa Monica in the west, Route 66 is the Great American Road Trip of your dreams.

Of course, when people think of driving Route 66, or the Mother Road as it’s commonly called, they think of diners and motels in the Midwest, but by the time the route crosses the border from Oklahoma into Texas, you’re officially in the part of the drive where southwestern scenery and magnificent landscapes take over.

There’s nothing more iconic than a Route 66 sign in front of a tiny Arizona town or the eye-catching Cadillac Ranch installation in Amarillo.

There are so many  things to see on Route 66 , but in this part of the country make sure to visit Petrified National Forest National Park, take a day trip to the Grand Canyon, and even venture up to Monument Valley.

The total distance of Route 66 is just under 2,500 miles, but you can easily visit only a portion on a Southwest USA road trip.

You can spend months exploring Route 66!

With a week or less, we recommend picking 1-2 states to explore.

San Jose, CA to Escalante, UT Loop

From Jyoti at Story at Every Corner

The road trip from San Jose to Escalate is an excellent way to get out into nature and have a fun outdoor vacation, and features plenty of of classic Southwestern landscapes along the way.

The drive is about 12 hours plus additional time for stops.

Along the route, you’ll find many parks, camps, Mojave National Preserve, and Las Vegas. 

The little town of Escalante is surrounded by five great national parks of Utah and many recreational areas and national monuments.

You could do day trips to national parks but there are many incredible hikes around Escalante to slot canyons, waterfall trails, and natural formations .

You could easily spend 10 days in Escalante and still have many hikes remaining to be explored.

You would definitely want to do day trips to Bryce Canyon National Park , Burr Trail, Capitol Reef National Park, Dixie Forest, and Arches National Park . 

1640 miles.

10 days will be a reasonable amount of time for this round trip.

Planning a Southwest road trip soon and eager to keep planning?

You can browse all of our USA blog posts here , or check out these guides:

• The Ultimate Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary
• Colorado Bucket List: 25 Cool Places to Visit in Colorado
• The Ultimate Road Trip Packing List: 50+ Road Trip Essentials You Need
• 3 Days in Las Vegas: The Perfect Weekend in Vegas Itinerary
• 9 Best Things to Do in Page, AZ (+ Nearby!)

About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

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5 Days 440 Miles

Explore California’s Desert Country & 2 National Parks

The Pacific

California Desert Country is like nowhere else on the planet. Get ready to drive through naturally carved landscapes, answer the call of calderas, have your nerves rattled by rattlesnakes and bow among canyons during spiritual sunsets. This is your itinerary for five days in the California desert without boundaries.

Cross into the desert gateway by flying into Joshua Tree National Park by way of Palm Springs International Airport (PSP). The airport also offers access to plenty of car rentals for your California road trip. The distance from the airport to the park entrance is about 37 miles.

Day 1 – Joshua Tree National Park

The ecosystems of the Mojave Desert and the Colorado Desert merge in Joshua Tree National Park . Save yourself the hassle of being disoriented when you first arrive by purchasing your digital park entrance passes ahead of time online. You can also download the National Park Services App on your phone to get great tidbits for your visit. There’s a lot to see in the 800,000 acres that cover this park.

Considered the main portion of the park, Park Boulevard is a great starting point for those visiting Joshua Tree for the first time. In fact, driving along this route offers the best way to see most of the splendor of Joshua Tree in just a few hours. Along the way, spot Skull Rock, Hidden Valley and Cap Rock.

You can extend your Park Boulevard Drive with a few additional detours, hikes and viewpoints. One of the best detours is Barker Dam. Check out the large reservoir, the surrounding yucca trees and even a few Native American petroglyphs. Another great addition to your Park Boulevard adventure is Pinto Basin Road. Explore more of the Colorado Desert, including incredible spots like Cholla Cactus Garden and Cottonwood Spring.

Where to Eat & Stay Near Joshua Tree National Park

At the end of your first day of your California Desert Country road trip, pop by Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneertown for some delicious food and live music. Then, head to the Pioneertown Motel , Fairfield Inn & Suites Twentynine Palms , or Best Western Joshua Tree Hotel & Suites for a night of rest.

Day 2 – Black Rock Canyon

If you’ve been dreaming of seeing the spiny, dagger-fringed Joshua trees that make Joshua Tree National Park so adored, Black Rock Canyon is the place to go on the second day of your road trip. Tucked into the Yucca Valley in the northwestern corner of the park, you’ll find a robust Joshua tree forest that is the perfect spot for taking pictures.

On top of that, Black Rock Canyon is one of the prime spots for wildlife sightings in Joshua Tree. Keep your eyes peeled for jackrabbits, cottontails, cactus wrens, horned owls and roadrunners. Some lucky visitors are privy to sightings of bighorn sheep, bobcats, mountain lions and desert tortoises.

Where to Eat Near Joshua Tree National Park

When you need a bite to eat, head to La Copine for some New American-inspired dishes. Then, spend another night at your hotel of choice to rest up for your next adventure-filled day.

Day 3 – San Bernardino National Forest

Savor the experience as 823,816 acres of desert-meets-mountain beauty stretch out before you in San Bernardino National Forest! The best things to do here comes down to the time of year you’ll be visiting.

Spring & Summer

During the warmer months, hiking is the obvious activity. If covering a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail is on your bucket list, follow Lower Deep Creek Canyon. This route leads you to a secluded pair of hot springs called Deep Creek Hot Springs. If you’d like to get to Big Bear Lake, Cougar Crest Trail offers views of the lake and surrounding mountains after a trek through a wildflower-lined route in the summer. Last but not least, Grand View Point Hike is a good choice when you want to avoid the crowds of the more popular San Gorgonio Mountain without missing out on an ounce of Santa Ana and San Bernardino views.

Fall & Winter

In the colder months, the best things to do in San Bernardino National Forest change a bit. The Forest Service provides some great routes for snowmobiling , skiing and snowshoeing within if you’re visiting in the winter.

Where to Eat & Stay Near San Bernardino

San Bernardino offers many chain hotel choices, including Hilton Garden Inn and Days Inn . However, if you’re looking for a more unique accommodation, this California town is also home to one of the last three operating Wigwam Motels in the country. These cement teepees have been drawing visitors since the 1930s.

As for where to grab a bite to eat, The Cutting Board in San Bernardino has some of the best burgers and comfort foods we’ve ever tried in a lovely modern setting.

Day 4 – Mojave National Preserve

Wander through mountains, canyons and woodlands in the Mojave National Preserve on the next day of your adventure. To start, stop at the Kelso Depot Visitor Center to get some park information and tour a 1920s railroad station.

Kelso Sand Dunes

If hiking sounds like music to your ears, definitely follow Kelbaker Road to head to the famed Kelso Sand Dunes . Considered the most popular hiking spot in the Mojave National Preserve, the majestic dunes sing to hikers through an audible vibration phenomenon caused by small avalanches moving up and down the faces of the dunes.

From there, make your way to Cima Doma. As the most iconic section of the park, Cima Dome boasts 35 gorgeously preserved volcanic cinder cones and lava flows dating back up to 7.6 million years ago. If you love the topography in this area, continue to weave along Ailken’s Mine Road until you reach Cima Cave, Aiken Mine and Cima Cinder Mine. You can even check in at Cow Cove, the park’s most prolific Native American petroglyph site.

Last but not least, if you’ve done a ton of hiking up until this point in your road trip, you can give your muscles a break with an ATV ride! ATV tours are very popular in Mojave National Preserve, because the area is a bit clearer and flatter than the surrounding desert parks.

Where to Eat & Stay Near Mojave National Preserve

It is important to note that Mojave National Preserve doesn’t have any spots where you can get food, so be sure to pack your snacks accordingly. If you’re ready to poke your head into civilization, Barstow is the closest city to Mojave National Preserve.

Barstow, California offers many of the same hotel brands as San Bernardino, including the Best Western Desert Villa Inn and Home2 Suites by Hilton Barstow , so there will be no trouble finding a clean, comfortable room from a name you trust. Barstow also has lots of great restaurants, including Peggy Sue’s 50’s Diner , Pit Stop Bar & Grill and Lola’s Kitchen .

Day 5 – Death Valley National Park

Famed for being home to North America’s hottest and lowest points, Death Valley National Park is one stop you don’t want to miss in California’s Desert Country. The views are every bit as sharp as the bites of the rattlesnakes that etch into the dusty terrain here. Prepare accordingly for this leg of your trip because you’re entering the country’s lowest and driest National Park.

If you’re here for the views, Dante’s View is the best place to visit. From this spot, you can see incredible views of the Panamint Mountain Range and the famous salt flats of Badwater Basin. After catching a glimpse of Badwater Basin from above, you’ll inevitably want to make it your next stop. Also known as the lowest point in North America, Badwater Basin is a surreal landscape that creates some epic photography opportunities.

Badwater Basin isn’t the only place to find salt flats in Death Valley National Park though. Devil’s Golf Course is also home to a terrain of lumpy salt flats. Just watch out for the sharp edges of these spiky formations as you explore. If you’re coming with little ones, skip this precarious spot in favor of visiting a spot like the plush playground of sand known as the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.

Next, meander along Artist’s Drive to admire the pink and aqua hills that make up a park known as Artist’s Palette . Take some time to explore the obscure, brightly hued canyons in the area.

To round out your day at Death Valley National Park, consider hiking the two-mile trek to Darwin Falls. Many people are surprised to discover that there’s a waterfall in Death Valley, so you’ll definitely have to see this 18-foot cascade with your own eyes to believe it.

If you’re still looking for some items to pad your itinerary, consider walking the rim of Ubehebe Crater to see an active caldera, taking a 27-mile detour to check out the mysterious sailing stones at Racetrack Playa, or hiking the park’s highest point at the 11,043-foot Telescope Peak for jaw-dropping views of Badwater Basin and Mount Whitney.

Where to Eat & Stay Near Death Valley National Park

After all of that activity, you’ll likely want to find the closest place to eat and sleep. Within the park, there’s the convenient Stovepipe Wells Village Hotel , which also happens to be home to the well-rated Toll Road Restaurant .

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The Perfect California Deserts Road Trip Itinerary

02/07/2019 by Kristin Addis 5 Comments

What comes to mind when you picture vacationing in California? Is it the dazzling lights of Hollywood, the Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco, or the stunning Pacific Coast Highway ? These are all incredible things to see in their own right, but there’s another adventure that many overlook: The deserts.

Deserts comprise 25% of the state, taking up the majority of Southern California. The colors are vibrant, you’ll mostly leave behind the crowds, and there’s nothing like a desert sunset. Here’s the perfect California deserts road tip itinerary:

Table of Contents

Alabama Hills National Monument

The Alabama Hills is a popular place for shooting movies, particularly old western flicks. There are plenty of arches, short hiking trails, and BLM camping spots.

Departing from Los Angeles, take the 395 up to Lone Pine, the gateway for the Alabama Hills and Mount Whitney, the highest summit in the lower 48.

Just like all of the suggestions on this list, the Alabama Hills is fantastic for stargazing. Don’t miss these:

Mobius Arch:

This is the most popular feature in the national monument and you still might just get it all to yourself at primetime, which is sunset. You can watch as the sun sets through the arch and over Mount Whitney. At night, this is another great spot for photography as you can often get the Milky Way through the arch.

This arch is, you guessed it, shaped like a boot! It’s easy to reach from an offshoot of Movie Road. Though the road says it may not work for low clearance vehicles, in good weather an SUV should be fine even if it’s not a 4×4. The cyclops Arch is nearby as well.

Movie Road:

Most of the things to see are offshoots of the movie road. This is a dirt road, but unless it’s particularly muddy, most cars will have no problem driving on it.

You can camp anywhere within the hills that is not visible from the road, however there are no facilities, just like any other BLM campsites. Always pack out everything and leave no trace. Alternatively, check out the Best Western Plus Frontier Motel in Lone Pine. I stayed there and thought it was great!

For more on the Alabama Hills, check out this post.

More of California’s hidden places here:

Death Valley

Death Valley is hauntingly beautiful and otherworldly. It may seem like life could hardly exist in the hottest place on Earth, but this is where nature really comes alive with vibrant colors and dramatic vistas.

From the Alabama Hills, it’s about a 2 1/2 hour drive to Death Valley’s more famous attractions. While Death Valley can quite literally be lethal in the summer, with the hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth (134°F/56.7°C), the winter is the perfect time to go for much milder temperatures. In a park as huge as Death Valley, this is far from an exhaustive list, but these are some of the highlights.

Zabriskie Point:

For both sunrise and sunset, this overlook is perfect to see the badlands change color as the light hits them in the morning or fades behind at sunset. It’s a super easy walk up to the viewpoint from the parking lot. If you’re a photographer and want a good spot, stake it out early as this is the most popular photography location for sunset.

Golden Canyon and Red Cathedral:

I highly recommend walking from Zabriskie Point around the Golden Canyon to the Red Cathedral and back past Manly Point. It’s one of the most beautiful hikes I’ve ever done, and not too difficult, though it does take a few hours to complete. Bring plenty of water and wear sunscreen .

Artist’s Palette:

This is another easy, super short hike to the viewpoint. Imagine minty green and pink rocks in layers. This is great for golden hour or just after the sun sets.

Salt Flats in Badwater Basin:

The Badwater Basin, which sits below sea level and is the lowest point in North America, makes up a large part of the park and is incredible for stargazing, or during a full moon. It’s a flat and easy walk out to them from the main viewing area and from there you can go as far as you please.

Mesquite dunes:

This is a great spot to watch the sunrise, just plan in plenty of time because dune climbing can be a challenge!

Dante’s View:

For an incredible viewpoint higher up over Death Valley, head here for stunning views.

The Oasis at Death Valley is a gorgeous hotel with a lovely restaurant and perfect positioning for the main attractions like Zabriskie Point. I loved the 1920s old western theme.

Mojave National Preserve and Monument:

Covering 1.6 million acres, the Mojave Trails National Monument is the largest in the United States. At 1.6 million acres, the Mojave National Preserve is the third largest national park in the US. Like most national monuments, most of this area would require a 4 x 4, but plenty of the coolest things to see do not. These are some of the highlights:

Lava tubes:

This will be the first stop if heading in from Death Valley via Baker. This one is a short walk from the parking area down into the lava caves where you can see beams of light shining through at certain times of day. When I went at 1pm, lights were shining through one of the tubes, but not the biggest one. I met someone down there who had been waiting since 10am to see the light beam, but hadn’t had any luck. Time of day matters but time of year may also play a role.

The road out is washboard and dirt with sand in some places. I personally did not think a non-4 x 4 would be a good idea, however right as I parked my truck rental I saw a Prius, so it must be possible!

Kelso Dunes:

Admittedly, until Apple came out with the Mojave update for my computer, I had no idea that there were dunes in California that looked like the ones in Namibia ! These are incredible at both sunrise and sunset, and are accessible with a normal, non-4 x 4 car as long as you stay on the tar road and don’t continue onto the sand.

Amboy Crater:

On your way out of Mojave towards Joshua Tree, stop by the crater for a hike up to the rim for an amazing view for miles. Take caution to only do this in the winter, as the lava rocks can get incredibly hot.

Roy’s Ghost Town:

An Instagram favorite, Roy’s Motel Cafe and Ghost Town is on Route 66 right at the turnoff for Joshua Tree. There’s not much there these days apart from some incredibly expensive gasoline, but it’s a fun little photo stop.

There are no hotels within the national monument, so I recommend bringing a tent and camping out. There are spaces near the base of the Kelso Dunes. Per usual, pack everything out and leave no trace.

Joshua Tree:

Though you will see plenty of Joshua trees in Mojave, Joshua Tree National Park is the most famous spot to view them. Unfortunately, they are also dying out , so see them while you can! These are a few more things to see:

Barker Dam:

This is an easy and nice walk that takes you past several Joshua trees as well as a dam that has water for at least part of the year, creating a nice reflection.

The stargazing is pretty good in Joshua Tree, not to mention the perfect foreground that the trees create. This park really comes alive at night, and at sunset, sunrise, and golden hour.

Cholla Cactus Garden:

For something a little different, head to the Cholla Cactus Garden for a nice walk that takes you past some different kinds of flora other than the Joshua trees.

Twentynine Palms is right by one of the entrances to the park in the perfect place to stay. It’s a quirky town and there’s some great food, too. I really enjoyed The 29 Palms Inn . Alternatively, there are campsites within the park.

Anza-Borrego State Park:

This turned out to be one of my favorite stops and one of the biggest surprises ! Most of what you can see here requires a 4 x 4 due to the deep sand, but it’s worth the rental! Alternatively most of these can also be hiked to from a safer parking spot closer to the tar road for non-4 x 4s. These are some of the highlights:

Font’s Point:

This must be the best sunrise in all of California, seriously! Watch as the sun rises over the badlands lighting up as far as the eye can see all the way to the Salton Sea. You need a 4×4 for this one, though you can hike to it. It’s flat, and it’s mostly the areas closer to the actual point with deep sand.

Wind Caves:

You can either hike out to these if you don’t have a 4×4, or take a drive if you do. It’s a series of bubble shaped wind caves that are low to the ground and easy to miss, so keep a lookout for the sign. I felt like a prairie dog running around these!

The stargazing was unreal here as well. There’s no bad spot – this was taken at Font’s Point.

There are plenty of places where you can camp within Anza Borrego. Once again, there are rarely facilities so leave no trace.

Staying Safe in the Desert:

Though it goes without saying, the desert can get incredibly hot and dangerous in the summer months. However the autumn, winter, and spring can be fantastic times to visit. If you’re into stargazing, summer can still be a perfect time to go, particularly during the Perseids meteor shower. Prepare for freezing cold temperatures as well, as temperatures plunge at night, particularly in the winter.

First Name:

Since a cell signal can be hard to come by, always bring an extra tire and plenty of water, and I highly recommend downloading off-line maps to Maps.me with your locations plotted ahead of time. This worked great for me out there, particularly for hiking trails, though sometimes it overestimated the time needed to drive between places.

Additionally, make sure you keep your gas tank full and fill up whenever you get a chance. Gas is well priced in Baker and decent in Lone Pine, and surprisingly cheap in Stovepipe Wells at the entrance of Death Valley. But try not to fill up anywhere else in the area or it can get up to five dollars per gallon!

Leave No Trace:

The desert is a particularly vulnerable environment, so please practice Leave No Trace principles. Stay on trail, pack out all of your trash including human waste, and when there is no trail, look for where there are already footprints to minimize your impact. You can read more here .

Did you know that California had so many beautiful hidden places? This is one of my favorite road trips in California, particularly if I want to get away from it all.

At the beach it’s all about the ocean, in the forest it’s about the trees, but in the desert it’s about the land. The way it all changes depending on how the sun hits it blows me away every time. There’s nothing like the quiet, and colors, and incredible landscape of the desert.

Pin me for later:

The Perfect Pacific Coast Highway Itinerary

An alabama hills guide, the best american southwest road trip itinerary.

*This post was brought to you in partnership with Visit California . Itinerary and opinions of the inanely gorgeous California desert are my own. 

About Kristin Addis

Kristin Addis is the founder and CEO of Be My Travel Muse, a resource for female travelers all around the world since 2012. She's traveled solo to over 65 countries and has brought over 150 women on her all-female adventure tours from Botswana to the Alaskan tundra.

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Anna Mountain says

02/11/2019 at 2:36 pm

03/24/2020 at 2:18 am

That was really good list of places to visit in California . The images are amazing too, with Amboy carter being favorite from all. The blog will be really helpful for all the travelers planning for a California trip. There is so much to explore in US and California is an perfect example of it. Thanks for sharing!

Alexandra says

08/28/2020 at 9:21 am

Do you have a breakdown of how long you sir take at each stop? Super interested in making this trip a reality for me very soon! Thank you so much for the inspiration!!

08/28/2020 at 9:22 am

Kristin says

08/31/2020 at 10:35 pm

In most cases just a night or two 🙂

Ultimate Arizona + Utah 9-Day Road Trip Itinerary for Desert Lovers

This Utah-Arizona itinerary is perfect for first-timers looking for epic scenery, breathtaking trails, and active adventures on their family road trip.

There are plenty of ways you can tackle this journey, depending on where you need to arrive and leave.

For this family road trip itinerary, we’re starting at Moab and meander our way south through the Utah Mighty 5 to end at the Grand Canyon.

From there, you can continue onwards through more of Arizona’s incredible natural wonders and desert reserves or head west towards Nevada and Las Vegas .

Suggested 9-Day Desert Lovers Itinerary

Days 1 and 2: Canyonlands National Park (Island in the Sky and The Needles)

Canyonlands National Park is so vast that a lifetime can be spent exploring it without getting to see everything. Seriously, you could come back many times and never repeat the same experience twice! If you’re new to Moab, though, the best way to go is to explore the Island in the Sky section of the park, which is easier to tackle and will give you a good introduction to the area.

Get an early start by catching one of the most spectacular sunrises in your lifetime at Mesa Arch, one of the most iconic spots in Utah. Next, you can hit a few of the hiking trails on offer to get a good feel of the place. Grand View Point Trail, Gooseberry Canyon, and Upheaval Dome are great options!

To finish off the day in the same but opposite way that you started it, head to Green River Viewpoint and catch an epic sunset with spectacular vistas of the iconic canyons below. At this point, the sun’s rays fall on the canyon walls, bringing the red hues on the rocky surface to life, a splendid spectacle you won’t soon forget.

The next day, you can explore Island in the Sky further or choose to dive deeper into Canyonlands by heading to The Needles district, another amazing spot that offers amazing panoramic views of the canyon and features some off-the-beaten-path, more challenging hikes.

• Got a little longer to spend in Moab? Then get beyond the national parks and check out these other family-friendly hikes and activities around Moab .

Day 3: Arches National Park

Arches National Park is pretty small as far as national parks go, but this doesn’t mean that it’s short on fabulous things to do and wonderful desert adventures!

Delicate Arch is an excellent place to start the day. This is probably the most iconic sight in Utah, to the point that it’s the arch depicted on their license plates! Next, take on the Landscape Arch trail , which will lead you to the largest natural arch in the USA and the entire world!

Afterwards, hop on your car and drive down the Arches Scenic Drive, a stunning road that offers a lot of great viewpoints where you can absorb spectacular, sweeping desert vistas.

At this point, it’ll be time for sunset. For a truly epic one, we recommend hiking up to Double Arch and continuing onwards until you reach The Windows, a perfect place to watch the sun go down and bid the day goodbye!

Note that timed reservations have been introduced for Arches National Park. From April to October, you’ll need to reserve your arrival time in advance to ensure entry and beat the summer queues.

Day 4: Capitol Reef National Park

Time to visit Capitol Reef, where the surest way of getting the most out of your stay here is by hiking to Hickman Bridge, a classic trail (2 miles round trip) that will take you to some of the most iconic spots in the park.

After hiking, hop back in your car and take Highway 24 to see the park’s impressive petroglyph figures that can be appreciated along a sheer cliff that runs parallel to the highway. These figures cover several rock panels and provide a wonderful insight into Capitol Reef’s indigenous heritage.

Next, drive along the 8-mile long scenic road, where you’ll catch some of the most famous sights in the park. Then, hike to Cassidy Arch, one of the most exciting trails here and the most iconic spot for photos in the entire park!

Days 5 and 6: Bryce Canyon National Park

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Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the smallest national parks in the USA, so a day and a half is plenty to see all of its highlights. Just make sure you start the day as early as possible so you can explore as much as possible and make the most out of your visit.

The highlight of Bryce Canyon are red rock hoodoos, so I recommend packing a lunch and driving the park’s own scenic road first. Feel free to stop by at some of the park’s most scenic overlooks to get a mind-boggling “trailer” of some of the best vistas Bryce Canyon has in store for you.

In the afternoon, pick a short hiking trail so you can continue exploring and getting to know the park a little better. Afterward, get ready for the most epic sunset you’ve ever seen by heading to Sunset Point, where you’ll see the sun going down and the red rock hoodoos changing colors.

Day 6 is all about getting personal with Bryce Canyon. Hoodoos are what make Bryce Canyon so special and unique, so the best way to get more personal with the park is by seeing them up close.

There’s no better way to do that than by taking on the challenge of the Queen’s Garden to Navajo Loop and Wall Street trail. As you move through quirky rock tunnels and aromatic pine forests, you’ll get the best views of the park’s distinctive sandstone hoodoos that will make you feel like you’ve walked into a completely different world!

Come evening, you can drive to Springdale, adjacent to Zion National Park to get a good night’s sleep so you can prepare for another day full of desert wonders.

Day 7: Zion National Park

Begin the day early by heading from Bryce Canyon to Zion National Park . You can start by checking out the Zion Human History Museum , which tells the story of the indigenous Paiute who once lived here. The Towers of the Virgin and Watchman, plus other famous rock formations of Zion, sit right outside the museum, so take advantage of the opportunity to visit them.

Next, your best bet is to tie your shoelaces and explore the park on foot. There are many trails here that are pretty short and gentle, so you can do several of them on the same day.

When you’re done hiking, get back in your car and drive to Kolob Canyon, the best place in the park to watch a sunset. If you want to catch the exact spot for seeing the sun go down, where you’ll get a panoramic vista of the rock formations surrounding you, go up to Timber Creek Overlook at Kolob ViewPoint. You’ll even get some glimpses of the Grand Canyon on a clear day!

If you want to extend your Zion trip visiting Angel’s Landing, be aware you’ll need a permit only available by applying in the seasonal and daily ballot system. Also be mindful of the need to catch a shuttle into the parks popular trailheads when working out your timings.

Days 8 and 9: Grand Canyon National Park

Finish off an epic desert road trip by taking on the Bright Angel Trail, a 9.5-mile-long trail that begins at the rim of the Grand Canyon at Bright Angel Lodge and goes down all the way to the Colorado River at the bottom, ending in Phantom Ranch, where you can spend the night inside the canyon before heading back the next day!

If that sounds a bit much, there are plenty of shorter trails and scenic drives to experience within the country’s most famous national park to complete your Southwest desert adventure – and several interesting stops you can make along the way from Zion National Park to Grand Canyon without needing extensive hikes.

Book well in advance if you wish to stay at any of the Grand Canyon lodges or popular camping grounds within the national park.

Your Utah-Arizona Desert Road Trip Planned

Top Tips For A Utah-Arizona Desert Road Trip

• You’ll be covering several National Parks, so it is well worth investing in your America the Beautiful annual pass, which covers entrance fees at national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and more. At just $80 for 12 months of visits, it’s one of the best investments a traveling family can make.
• We have shown this route as a one-way trip, but you could join at any point and complete it as part of “The Grand Circle,” incorporating Glen Canyon Monument Valley, too (though we’d suggest up to 2 weeks to cover the highlights of this epic road trip route thoroughly).
• You could be crossing between time zones! Arizona observes Mountain Standard Time (MST) throughout the year, while Utah observes Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) – daylight savings – from mid-March to Mid-November.
• Summer in the desert can be brutally hot. Always set out with plenty of water and observe our desert driving tips .
• Never forget a road trip essential again with our downloadable family road trip checklist .

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The Perfect 10-Day American Southwest Road Trip Itinerary (14+ Gorgeous Desert Stops!)

Post Summary: Everything you would ever want to know about planning and executing an epic Southwest road trip itinerary.

The American Southwest.

This classic American road trip is packed full of iconic Southwest locations, Instagram-worthy stops , and incredible natural wonders.

We’d even go far enough to say that it’s a must-do for all Americans at least once in their lifetime!

Planning a route this large and complex can get a little crazy and overwhelming. That’s why we’ve created the ultimate American Southwest road trip itinerary to help set your plans in motion.

We’re sharing the best route to take and even breaking it down into smaller bite-sized trips.

No matter how many days you have for your Southwest US road trip itinerary, we’re sharing how you can still have the maximum amount of fun!

The Ultimate American Southwest Road Trip

This post is a compilation of many trips we’ve taken to some of our American Southwest bucket list destinations . We’re constantly updating this post as we explore more, so keep coming back for more Southwest USA inspiration in the future!

Where Is The American Southwest?

The American Southwest area is a broad term with borders that depend on the person you are talking to!

In a large, encompassing stroke, it would cover Southern California, Southern Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and sometimes even Western Colorado.

It’s a unique area of the United States that showcases vast deserts, red rocks, cool ecological formations, and so many unique and natural landscapes.

Covering all these areas on an American Southwest road trip would require weeks off of work and tons of planning. Stay tuned as we tell you how you can break up your trip into smaller loops for a more manageable trip!

What’s The Best Way To Get Around On My Southwest Road Trip?

The best way to plan and execute a Southwest Road Trip itinerary is certainly by car. Traveling around the Southwest by car will give you the most freedom, and the ability to change plans on a whim if you feel like it! Being one of the most famous west coast road trips , you’ll want to have the freedom to change plans on a whim and drive were you wish.

Our favorite way to get around the Southwest is by renting a campervan. If you are wanting to try our van life, we recommend renting a campervan through Outdoorsy , because it’s kind of like Airbnb but for campervans! You can pick anything from Airstreams to Sprinter Vans to Vintage VW Westfalias. There are so many to choose from, and they come fully insured so you can worry less and explore more!

Finding Camping Spots In The American Southwest

Are you planning to go camping on your Southwest road trip route? Make sure you download the #1 camping app, The Dyrt ! The Dyrt is one of the best road trip planner tools , with tons of features to help you find the perfect camping spots on your trip!

The pro membership unlocks essential tools like their Road Trip Planner (to find the best campsites along your route) and the offline search features to find camping spots without cell service. Try the pro membership for 30 days free!   Click here and use the code  Mandagies  to unlock your 30-day free trial .

Where Do I Start My Southwest Road Trip?

There are many potential starting points for a southwest road trip , and we’ve created ours to be in an enormous loop so you can really start wherever is most convenient for YOU!

However, you may not have time for a mega trip like this one. That’s why we’ve split our route into many smaller routes, to target more specific areas of the American Southwest if you choose to do so.

Here are a few options below to help you pick the best southwest road trip that’s right for you!

The Utah National Parks Trip

Starting Point:  Las Vegas, Nevada.

Total Driving Time:  19 Hours there and back – 1,082 miles

Highlights include locations like Temple of the Sun and Moon, Delicate Arch , Angeles Landing hike (Zion National Park), and more!

This trip includes five US National Parks , lots of hiking, and red rock landscape.

Don’t want to drive back the way you came? Make it a loop and make your way south through Monument Valley and Page, Arizona. This way you can see Horseshoe Bend and even Antelope Canyon!

Click here to see our full detailed road trip route to all five Utah National Parks.  

The Southern California Loop

Starting Point: Los Angeles or San Diego, California

Total Driving Time:  35 hours in a loop drive – 1,200 miles total

This Southern California road trip route includes driving parts of the iconic Highway 395 route , visiting at least two US National Parks (Death Valley and Joshua Tree).

There is also a potential extension to three more (Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park)!

This trip will bring you through major cities, scorching deserts, and incredible views of the Eastern Sierras. Best driven in the springtime to avoid super-hot days, it’s an iconic area to explore in the Southwest USA.

If you are hoping to begin your southwest road trip from Los Angeles, this route is a great place to start!

The Grand Canyon / Desert Loop

Starting Point: Las Vegas, Nevada

Total Driving Time:  18 hours 30 minutes hours in a loop, 1,100 miles total

This route is perfect for lovers of the red landscape of the American Southwest.  Some of the most popular adventures in this area are road trips to the Grand Canyon, so you’re in good company if you like this southwest road trip route!

The red rocks of Valley of Fire State Park, the deep crevasses of the Grand Canyon , and amazing hikes in Sedona are any outdoor enthusiast’s dream.

Driving the Grand Canyon and Desert Loop will have you spending a lot of time outside.

Make sure to know some camping essentials like where to find free camping spots , how to sleep in your car , and easy meals to make on the road !

The Mega American Southwest Road Trip

Total Driving Time:  37 hours in a loop, 2,144 miles total

***This is what we’ll be covering below. Keep reading!***

In this post, we’re going to cover a Southwest road trip route that covers every ‘major’ stop. (Note: We really can’t cover EVERY SINGLE STOP, so we’re trying out best to cover the highlights! 

Every major desert, national park, and hidden place we can think of will be included!

If you spent one day in each of these included locations, this Southwest USA trip would take you a little over two weeks.

We’re sharing the largest itinerary so that you can see all your options, and custom fit your route to however long and far you’d like to travel!

All The Best Stops On A Mega Southwest Road Trip Itinerary

Again, this American Southwest road trip guide below includes ALL the stops.

If you are hoping to break it down into a more in-depth trip around just one area, scroll back up to see examples of our bite-sized itineraries!

1. Alabama Hills

Alabama Hills Recreational Area is an area east of the Sierra Mountains in Southern California. It’s managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and its sole purpose is to be for the enjoyment of the people. Yay!

This place is chock-full of amazing rock climbing, desert hikes, interesting natural arches, and so much more. There are even free camping spots pretty much anywhere and everywhere, so you can sleep and play all in one place.

Alabama Hills is also the site for over 150 movie filming locations including American Westerns like Round-Up and The Long Rangers, and more recent films like Django Unchained and Iron Man.

Note: Alabama Hills is mainly dirt roads, so 4-wheel drive vehicles are recommended for travel.

Movie Flat Road is generally in acceptable condition for all vehicles, but take caution after heavy rainfall. The rain may cause ruts in the road or even wash it away completely. Check the weather before you venture out!

Read More: Exactly How To Find Movie Road – (That Famous Instagram Spot In Alabama Hills)

2. Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park is not only the largest national park in the US , but it’s also the hottest, driest, and lowest elevation one too!

Despite its morbid name, Death Valley is actually home to many species of wildflowers, desert animals, and plants that can withstand the harsh environment. The Death Valley NPS Website even has a calendar for blooming wildflowers and the best times to visit to see them.

We recommend spending a night or two in the park. You can reserve traditional camping spots at Recreation.Gov or pop into the Furnace Creek Visitor Center and ask for free backcountry roads for camping.

Highlights of Death Valley National Park:

• Badwater Basin  – The lowest point in North America.
• Zabriskie Point – Colorful hills in all directions.
• Devil’s Golf Course – Rough, rocky terrain as far as the eye can see.
• Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes – The quintessential view people expect at Death Valley. A vast area of sand dunes as tall as 100 feet, perfect for wandering in the evening.
• The Racetrack – Death Valley’s most peculiar site. Stones seem to move and make tracks in the dirt.

Read More: 24 Hours in Death Valley – How To See Death Valley in One Day

3. Valley of Fire State Park

You thought Nevada was just casinos and bright lights? Think again!

Directly around Nevada (in all directions!) are incredible desert landscapes and opportunities to get outside and enjoy nature.

This part of the Southwest is particularly popular for rock climbers, so if you fancy that you should plan more time in your trip to hang around Las Vegas. Las Vegas actually has a large rock climbing community, so if you wanted to train for rock climbing in a controlled environment, this would be the place to try it!

Have a little bit more time? Consider spending a few extra days in Sin City! There are tons of adventurous  things to do in Las Vegas for couples , including romantic hot air balloon rides, attending shows, and experiencing some fine dining! You deserve it after all that time hanging out in the desert dirt!

One of these amazing state parks near Las Vegas is Valley of Fire State Park – an outcrop of fiery red Aztec sandstone jetting out of the earth. The park covers over 40,000 acres of land and is at its best and brightest during sunrise and sunset.

Some of the best attractions at Valley of Fire State Park include:

• Rainbow Vista – color-streaked rocks with a great view
• Atlatl Rock – ancient petroglyphs
• Elephant Rock – natural arch shaped like said animal
• Mouse Tank Road – epic road with surrounding red rocks (that road you see all over social media!)
• White Domes Trail – beautiful view, best at sunrise
• Fire Canyon/Silica Dome – great sunset views
• Arch Rock – natural arch, conveniently on the side of the road
• Fire Wave – beautiful streaks of color on a short, easy trail

If you find yourself driving through Las Vegas on your Southwest road trip, we highly recommend visiting Valley of Fire State Park! The entry fee per day is $10.00 per vehicle, and $20.00 for overnight camping.

4. Zion National Park

Zion National Park is one of the most popular Utah national parks to visit on any Southwest road trip.

This is because it’s usually the closest to any starting point you may have (especially if you’re starting in Las Vegas, Phoenix, or California).

With over 4.5 million visitors per year, there are tons of activities to do like biking, hiking, cave exploring, and camping!

Planning out your days in Zion National Park are of the utmost importance. Because cars aren’t allowed in the park, you’ll be riding around on scheduled shuttles with all the other crowds in the park.

If you are visiting during a busy season or busy time of day, it’s important to arrive early and avoid long queues for the buses.

Zion National Park HACK: If you want to hike in a location before the shuttle begins for the day, we know of friends who have rented bikes for the week in Zion.

Bikes will give you more freedom to come and go from trailheads without waiting for the busy shuttle times and dealing with crowds. You can easily rent bikes at Zion Outfitter.

Travelers Tip: Stay outside of the park at hotels in Hurricane, UT for a budget-friendly stay. You’ll need to drive into the park every day, but it’s not too far of a drive, and the views are great!

If you really want to stay closer to the park, we highly recommend booking accommodations in Springdale, Utah  at least 6 months in advance or booking your camping spots very early. Accommodations near the park fill up FAST in high season!

Best Hikes and Attractions In Zion National Park:

• Angels Landing Hike (Difficult To Challenging)
• The Narrows (Canyon hike)
• Emerald Pools Trail
• Canyon Overlook Trail
• Kolob Canyons
• Weeping Rock
• Riverside Walk
• West Rim Trail

Best (And Scariest) Hike in Zion National Park: Angels Landing

5. Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon is located in Utah, one of the “Mighty Five” Utah National Parks . It’s often paired with Zion National Park because of their proximity to one another.

This park is unique for its bright orange hoodoos,  which are tall skinny spires that form at the bottom of a dried up basin after thousands of years of erosion.

There are many opportunities to hike down in the basin and next to these towering hoodoos. Some of the most iconic hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park include:

• Queen’s Garden Loop  (most iconic Bryce features) – 2.6-mile loop
• Rim Trail (Best for sunrise and sunset) – entire length is 5.5-miles with multiple stopping points
• Mossy Cave Trail  – 0.9 miles out-and-back trail
• Navajo Trail  – 1.3-mile loop
• Swamp Canyon Loop – 4.1-mile loop
• Tower Bridge Trail – 3.4-mile out and back trail
• Fairyland Loop Trail – 8.0-mile loop
• Riggs Springs Loop Trail – 8.5-mile loop
• Peek-A-Boo Loop Trail – 5.5-mile loop

Because of its high elevation (8,000 to 9,000 feet depending on your location), Bryce Canyon stays cold nearly year round.

In January, temperatures barely rise above freezing at 15-37 degrees Fahrenheit, and its hottest month (July) sits between 53-80 degrees Fahrenheit.

That being said, we suggested earlier that the best time to make a southwest road trip itinerary would be between March/April or October/November. We still think this is true, but you should definitely add warm clothes to your southwest USA packing list.

If you’re packing light, here’s what we suggest you bring for warm clothes at the very minimum for visiting Bryce Canyon:

• Lightweight Down Jacket
• Thin, e-tip gloves (trust us, these are a lifesaver)
• Down-filled throw blanket

6. Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park is a hidden gem on any adventurous southwest road trip. Located in central Utah, this park’s unique feature is a wrinkle in the earth called the “ Waterpocket Fold “, which runs north to south for nearly 100 miles.

This formation has created some interesting details in the area. Deep canyons, monoliths, and rocky reefs are waiting to be explored here!

To take your trip to the next level , we suggest reading our post about getting to Cathedral Valley to visit the Temple of The Sun And Moon . It’s a journey you won’t soon forget.

These towering twin rock monoliths are a two-hour drive down a dirt road – but well worth the detour! Just make sure to have a high-clearance 4×4 vehicle, and/or very confident driving skills.

It also doesn’t hurt to stop by the ranger’s office before heading out –  the rangers can tell you about the current road conditions.

Around Cathedral Valley is also a great place to camp. BLM land surrounds most of the park, so you can find a free camping spot just outside the national park borders and wake up in the valley!

(Just remember that camping IN the park is not permitted unless you have a backcountry permit or are in a designated camping spot!)

Here are some iconic things to do in Cathedral Valley:

• Hike The Grand Wash
• Drive The Backroads to Cathedral Valley
• See The View At Gooseneck Overlook

In Capitol Reef National Park, you’ll get a good perspective of the landscape of the American Southwest!

READ MORE: What To Expect On Your Trip To Capitol Reef National Park

7. Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park is the sister park to Arches National Park . Canyonlands and Arches are right next to one another, so travelers usually come to the Moab area and visit both parks in one trip.

This park is divided up into three sections: The Island In the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze areas. Island In The Sky is the most accessible for all cars, has amenities like bathrooms and water, and has some of the park’s best overlooks.

If you’re hoping to spend one day in Canyonlands, we suggest coming to the Island In The Sky and leaving the other sections for a longer trip. There is plenty to see in this section, with tons of overlooks, short hikes, and attractions.

This part also includes the famous Mesa Arch , which looks incredible during sunrise!

It’s also important to note that there is little if any cell service in the park. Make sure to pick up a park map, or download an offline map from Google to help you get around.

Camping? Moab can be a good home base if you’re searching for an Airbnb or a hotel. However, if you want to rough it a little bit, there is tons of BLM land around the area where you can camp for free!

Read our complete guide to finding the perfect free camping spot in the USA . We’re sharing researching tips, best practices and so much more!

Highlights of Canyonlands (Must-See Spots In The Park):

• Candlestick Tower
• Grand View Point
• Green River Overlook
• Shafer Canyon Overlook
• Upheaval Dome
• Buck Canyon Overlook
• Dead Horse Point (Outside of the park but accessible from the same main road!)

Click here to find the best spot to watch the sunset in Canyonlands National Park!

8. Arches National Park

Arches National Park is one of the most visited of the “Mighty Five” Utah national parks. We also think it’s an essential stop on your Southwest road trip itinerary!

Here, you can experience iconic American landmarks like Delicate Arch, Double Arch, and the Windows Loop.

It’s possible to experience this park’s main attractions in a day, and the highway is set up to show you all the highlights. We wrote a post about the 10 best hikes to take in Arches National Park, and they are easily accessible and doable in 24 hours!

We suggest coming to this park early – the entrance line can get extremely long starting at 9:00 am!

Best Hikes In Arches National Park (See here for the complete list!) :

• Delicate Arch (least crowded during sunrise)
• Fiery Furnace (permit required)
• Double Arch
• Windows Loop
• Devil’s Garden Loop

Read More: How To Spend One Day In Arches National Park

9. Monument Valley

Monument Valley will be nearly everyone’s iconic assumption of what the landscape of the American Southwest looks like.

Want to reach that famous Forrest Gump Road? It’s a bit outside the official Oljato-Monument Valley area.

Starting from the town of Mexican Hat, drive west on Highway 163 towards Monument Valley to catch a glimpse of the towering pinnacles in the distance.

There are a few spots to pull over and snap a few pics of the road. Just be sure to look out for traffic both ways!

Camping Tip: There is BLM land all around Monument Valley, but do your research before heading out to search for your next spot. Read up on any specific rules for Native American reservation land, and what is allowed in these specific areas.

Read More:  Exactly How To Find Free Camping In The USA

10. Horseshoe Bend & Antelope Canyon

Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon are often coupled together because of how close they are to one another!

The town of Page was just a quick stop on our Southwest Road trip itinerary, but if you’re looking to spend more time here, check out these amazing things to do in Page, Arizona !

It’s important to note the time zone change from Page, Arizona. It’s very confusing – especially if you have tours reserved in the area.

Be sure to confirm any scheduled events or reservations you may have. As a last resort, consider arriving an hour early (rather than being an hour late!).

Antelope Canyon

Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon in Page, Arizona. It’s split into two sections: “Upper Antelope Canyon” and “Lower Antelope Canyon”.

This place is growing in popularity, so it’s important to book Antelope Canyon tours online and reserve your spot in advance.

You can take a sightseeing tour, or spend a little more time in the canyon on a Photographer’s tour. The route is the same, the only difference is that the photography tour is longer.

Horseshoe Bend

Horseshoe Bend is an extremely picturesque bend in the Colorado River, located just outside of the city of Page, Arizona.

There is lots of grief about the Horseshoe Bend area being overcrowded. Yes, in recent years this place has received a lot of social media attention, thus creating a large and fast influx of visitors before the state could build proper infrastructure.

Regardless, we still think it’s an incredible place to see with your own eyes.

We recommend coming during sunset, even though this is by far the most popular and crowded time.

Just know that you will be sharing it with a lot of other people, and arm yourself with patience and grace. And remember, they are coming to experience its beauty just like you!

11. Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park is the quintessential activity for any adventurous southwest road trip.

Spanning 277 miles long and 18 miles wide at some points, the Colorado River has been carving this canyon for thousands of years!

If you are looking to see the highlights of the Grand Canyon, we recommend visiting the South Rim. This area is the most accessible to all vehicles and includes campgrounds, visitors centers, and more accommodations nearby.

Here are some of the best viewpoints in the South Rim of the Grand Canyon:

• Mather Point
• Mohave Viewpoint
• Moran Point
• Desert View Point
• Yavapai Point

Want to stay longer in this amazing part of the southwest? Try planning an unforgettable trip to Havasu Falls ! This incredible backcountry area in the southwest requires permits and quite the hike in, but in the end you’ll be rewarded with some of the most beautiful waterfall views on earth!

Read More: Experience a Grand Canyon National Park Sunset

12. Sedona, Arizona

Love hiking in the desert? This eclectic town in the middle of Red Rock State Park is a perfect place to reconnect with your mind, body, and soul.

We’ve written an incredibly in-depth guide to hikes in Sedona and what to expect on these beautiful trails!

Soldier’s Pass Trail : This hike features lots of interesting attractions. Some highlights include the Seven Sacred Pools, Devil’s Kitchen sinkhole, and cave entrances.

Cathedral Rock Hike : One of the most popular hikes in Sedona, Cathedral Rock trail is a popular location to watch the sunset. Towering spires, sharp cliff edges, and a little climbing will bring you to some of the most incredible desert views!

Devil’s Bridge Trail : Devil’s Bridge is a natural sandstone arch that’s accessible by a 4.2-mile hike. The best time to visit is during sunrise and sunset when the red landscape glows!

The Birthing Cave Trail : This short hike leads you to one of Sedona’s beautiful caves on the side of a mesa!

Trail Tip: These southwest hikes can get really hot in the middle of the day! We recommend taking on these trails in the early morning, or during sunset/late evening for some cooler weather. See our Sedona packing list for seasonal tips and tricks!

Read More: 5+ Incredible Hikes In Sedona, Arizona You Need To Experience

13. Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park has it all – desert vibes, interesting landscape, beautiful cholla gardens, and so much more.

It’s located east of Los Angeles, neighboring with the resort town of Palm Springs.

It’s most well known for its namesake, the Joshua Tree , which cover much of the park’s landscape. Unique boulder piles like Skull Rock (see photo below) combined with the high desert shrub make this place a unique part of any southwest road trip.

There are several types of accommodations near Joshua Tree National Park.

You can find tons of free camping spots around the park, wilderness areas within the park (with the proper permits) and campgrounds to be as close as possible to the attractions.

If you are into glamping, you’ve got to check out the insta-famous Joshua Tree House by Sara and Rich. Their picture-perfect home is close to the park, with all the luxurious amenities of a desert oasis. (Also, get $40 off your first booking with this code!)

Read More: Gorgeous Places To See In The American Southwest

14. San Diego, California

Oh, the options are endless in San Diego! This is where we began our Southwest road trip itinerary, but this is not where we ended it. However, if you want to drive all the way up the coast on a California Coast road trip , this is a great place to start that journey.

With the endless cafes, ice cream shops and restaurants to discover, there’s also a ton of amazing natural beauty to explore around San Diego .

Here are a couple of spots we were lucky to see on our latest trips:

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve (La Jolla, California)

With over 8-miles of trails in this park by the ocean, you can explore as much or as little as you’d like. Torrey Pines is a preserved site with rugged cliffs, rare pine trees, and incredible views of the Pacific Ocean.

You can come to join a 1-hour ranger-guided tour of the park on weekdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Visitors Center. Spaces are limited to 10 people per day!

California State Beaches

What’s a trip to sunny California without visiting the Pacific Ocean? Below are some of our favorite beaches to explore. Call it a last hurrah or celebration on finishing your epic Southwest road trip! Congratulations, you!

• Moonlight State Beach
• Cardiff State Beach
• Torrey Pines State Beach (North and South Shore)
• South Carlsbad Beach
• Coronado Beach and Dog Park

Nearby: How To Spend A Fun Weekend In West Hollywood, California

Our 10-Day Southwest Road Trip Route

Looking for a day-by-day itinerary through the southwestern region of the US? Here’s what our exact southwest road trip itinerary looked like during our last journey around this corner of the USA.

Again, driving around the southwest US can be as short or as long as you want it to be! There are endless things to explore, so if your time is limited here’s a 10-day southwest road trip itinerary we suggest you follow.

This way, you can dip your toes in a ton of different areas, and then return to your favorites on a future trip!

Day 1: Alabama Hills, California

Day 2: Death Valley National Park (See our 24 Hours In Death Valley Itinerary !)

Day 3: Valley of Fire, Nevada

Day 4: Zion National Park

Day 5: Bryce Canyon National Park

Day 6-8: Sedona, Arizona

Day 9: Joshua Tree National Park

Day 10: Torrey Pines, San Diego, California

Frequently Asked Questions About Driving Around The Southwest USA

Still have questions about your upcoming road trip? Here are some of the most common questions around planning a southwest road trip itinerary:

How Do I Get Around On A Trip In The American Southwest?

Unfortunately, we don’t live in any of those Southwest cities listed above. If you’re like us, you’ll probably be flying into the cheapest airport you can find, which will depend on the type of route you want to take!

If you need help finding cheap flight deals, you can track destinations with Skyscanner and buy when tickets are the cheapest!

We suggest flying into large airports to get the best deals on flights. Large airports mean there are more flights coming in per day, which means more people can book and they won’t be in such high demand.

Here are the major cities this mega Southwest itinerary will pass through – all are great starting points for your road trip around the American Southwest.

• Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport – PHX)
• Las Vegas, Nevada (McCarran International Airport – LAS)
• Los Angeles, California (Los Angeles International Airport – LAX)
• San Diego, California (San Diego International Airport – SAN)

RENTAL CARS:

Looking to go camping during your Southwest road trip? We did too! There are TONS of areas in the southwest perfect for free camping , so you can have an epic trip on an epic(ly cheap) budget!

To make your car camping adventure as cozy as possible, we’d suggest renting a car that can fold the backseats down completely flat.

That way, you can pack your sleeping bag and sleeping pad and snuggle up in the back for a cozy (and free) place to sleep on your southwest road trip.

Looking For A Camper Van or RV?

One of our favorite places to look for RVs for rent is a place called Outdoorsy . It’s kind of like Airbnb for recreational vehicles. People will lend their camper vans, mobile homes, and more for travelers like you!

It’s fully insured, and an awesome way to save money on the road and get the full road trip experience. Click here to browse their huge selection!

What’s The Best Time Of Year For A Southwest Road Trip?

In our opinion, we think the best time of year for a perfect Southwest road trip would be between the months of March and April.

This is when most of the snow has melted in the spring (except for in Bryce Canyon !) but the desert weather is not yet too hot.

We also think that between October and November is a good time to plan your southwest road trip itinerary.

The weather is getting cooler from the summer, and most families have children back in school, so crowds are less than the peak summer season.

This Isn’t The End…

Didn’t see your favorite American southwest destination in this blog post? That’s because we haven’t explored there yet!

We can’t wait to do some more driving around the Southwest US. As we explore more destinations, we’ll be updating this post with more information. Keep coming back!

Are you planning your own amazing Southwest road trip? Tell us about the stop you are looking forward to the most!

10 Amazing Destinations in the American Southwest

The Ultimate Utah National Parks Road Trip

How To Spend One Day In Death Valley National Park

5 Amazing Hikes In Sedona, Arizona You Need To Explore

How To Find Movie Road In Alabama Hills, California

The Ultimate Pacific Coast Road Trip Itinerary

How To See Big Sur, California In One Day

After way too many years of working and raising children I have the opportunity to do something I love and travel the country. All back roads and amazing places. Just found your blog and most of my planning is very similar to what you do. After reading about your adventures, my biggest concern is being shut out of places I want to see because my trip will be fluid and I really don’t want to rush to a place. There is no way I can set something up six months in advance. Maybe a month would work do me. I plan on going for two years. Entire country except for the heartland. Any advice? Below you ask for a website. I’m just getting to it.

Hi Eric! Thanks for the comment! What do you meaning being shut out of places?

We are planning on doing part of this in September. So so excited! One thing we did notice is a lot of campsites close from mid/late September for the winter.

Hi Nicola! I hope you have the best time! And depending on the parks, the campsites are generally open through October, especially in the warmer southwest climates. You could also try apps like iOverlander that show you forest roads to camp for free, year-round if the road conditions permit!

3 Day Itinerary for a Unique Southern California Desert Road Trip

The desert is one of my favorite places to explore and in this post, I’m sharing a California desert road trip itinerary for a weekend in the Colorado Desert.

Maybe you haven’t heard of the “Colorado Desert” before (which is part of the larger Sonoran Desert), but it includes places like Palm Springs , Joshua Tree , the Salton Sea , Salvation Mountain , and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park .

My husband and I took this trip and it ended up being so much fun! I have to say that this might be one of the best weekend road trips in California . I had no idea there were so many cool things to see in the Colorado Desert!

We were lucky enough to have the DesertX event (this is what I like to call a “scavenger hunt” of art exhibits throughout the Coachella valley) happening at the same time as our trip, so this made it even more fun!

We planned a very quick trip just to get an idea of what the area is like, so feel free to expand this itinerary and spend more time in some of the places you think you will like the most. Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the journey!

Note: This itinerary will work whether you are leaving from Los Angeles, Orange County or San Diego. The distance and driving time are all calculated as if leaving from Orange County.

Post Contents

This post may contain affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure here .

Day 1: Arrival in Palm Springs

Start your California desert road trip with a quick night in Palm Springs! This section of the itinerary is going to have the most traffic, so if you are doing this road trip over a weekend, it is a good idea to get a head start as early as you can on Friday.

There are so many things to do in Palm Springs that it really deserves a whole weekend on its own, but for the sake of completing this road trip in just a weekend, I’ll just share a few favorites with you below.

Distance from Orange County to Palm Springs: 95 miles

Driving Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Where to Stay in Palm Springs: Check out these Palm Springs Hotels !

Things to Do in Palm Springs:

• The Windmills ( on Garnet Ave west of Indian Canyon Drive)
• Aerial Tramway

Before you leave Palm Springs the following morning, fill up your gas tank and grab some snacks and water. You are about to enter a very remote area and there won’t be many options to do this along the way!

Optional Day:

If you have extra time in your itinerary, spend a day in Joshua Tree National Park , which is just 30 minutes from Palm Springs.

Day 2: Explore the Salton Sea area

During this part of the road trip, you are getting pretty deep in the remote Southern California desert. You may even feel like you are literally the only person on the road. You just might be! There are no stores, restaurants, and only one gas station that I saw driving through the Salton Sea.

Important note: There is a lot to cover on this day and I recommend getting through all of this and driving to Borrego Springs for the night. If you run out of time and find out that you will not be able to make it to Borrego Springs, find a hotel in El Centro , which is the closest city to civilization (kind of kidding but not really) and has several hotel options.

Total Distance: 218 miles

Driving Time: 4 hours

Where to Stay in Borrego Springs: Palm Canyon Hotel & RV Resort

Stop #1, Day 2: The Salton Sea

One of the most recommended stops along the Salton Sea is Bombay Beach. Wow, what an interesting place to visit!

If you don’t already know, the Salton Sea was once a pretty happening place and an escape for Hollywood stars back in the 50’s and 60’s. Now, the lake is full of bacteria, the area looks completely abandoned, and it almost feels post-apocalyptic.

You will see abandoned structures in this area, which make for an interesting photo and story to tell, but that eerie feeling might get you back on the road again sooner than you think.

Stop #2, Day 2: Salvation Mountain

Next up is the Instagram-famous Salvation Mountain. This man-made brightly colored “mountain” took a man named Leonard Knight a whole 25 years or so to build. There is a deep history behind this mountain and if you are interested in learning more about it you can visit the official website of Salvation Mountain, Inc .

Info and tips for visiting Salvation Mountain:

• Salvation Mountain is open 365 days per year from dusk to dawn
• Parking at Salvation Mountain is free
• Cash donations are appreciated; there is a box on-site
• Leashed pets are allowed
• Follow the yellow brick road!

Stop #3, Day 2: East Jesus

Right down the road from Salvation Mountain in this “off-the-grid” community called Slab City, you can find East Jesus. (Slab City is basically a community of people that decided they wanted to live a different way of life – without the pressures of modern life, without modern amenities, even without basic utility services.)

East Jesus has an area of unique art installations made of recycled items. You can walk through the East Jesus art museum for free, but donations are appreciated. While you are there you can learn a little more about the area and the way of life by asking the guide at the entrance.

Stop #4, Day 2: Imperial Sand Dunes

One of the coolest natural sights on this Colorado Desert road trip are the Imperial Sand Dunes (also known as the Algodones Dunes or Glamis). These are the largest mass of sand dunes in the state of California, so it’s worth a quick pit-stop!

Stop at Hugh T. Osborne Lookout Park to check out the views. If you decide to walk out on the dunes just watch out for off-road vehicles because there will probably be a lot of them buzzing around.

Stop #5, Day 2: Borrego Springs

Finally, make your way into the cute town of Borrego Springs for the night. The Palm Canyon Hotel & RV Resort is the perfect place to stay in Borrego Springs!

The resort offers three types of accommodations: standard hotel rooms, glamping in vintage Airstream trailers, and an RV park. All options are budget-friendly and the resort is centrally located right down the street from the entrance to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. It has everything you need (restaurant and saloon, pools, hot tubs, a general store, a fitness center, and even a laundry facility).

Get some rest and prepare yourself for a day in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park!

Day 3: Borrego Springs and Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

For the last day of your Southern California Desert road trip, take some time to get familiar with Borrego Springs and explore some of the popular spots in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the largest state park in California so there is a lot to see. You definitely won’t be able to see everything in one day, so I’ll take you through some of the highlights.

This is another place that deserves an entire weekend trip on its own. Find out how to spend a weekend in Borrego Springs .

Total Distance: 165 miles

Driving Time: 3.5 hours

Stop #1, Day 3: Breakfast in Borrego Springs

Start the day with breakfast in downtown Borrego Springs. Red Ocotillo is a popular option!

Stop #2, Day 3: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center

After that, head to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center to purchase a park pass for $10. While you are there ask any questions that you have about the park and grab a map!

Stop #3, Day 3: Borrego Palm Canyon Trail

Down the street from the Visitor Center is Borrego Palm Canyon Campground, where you can park for hiking Borrego Palm Canyon Trail .

The Borrego Palm Canyon Trail is one of the most popular hikes in Anza-Borrego and just a short 3-mile trek where you can find a beautiful palm tree oasis at the end. This is a great introductory hike for your first time in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Stop #4, Day 3: Downtown Borrego Springs

Stop back in town to have a filling meal at Los Jilberto’s Taco Shop before heading to the next hike.

Stop #5, Day 3: The Slot Canyons

Another super popular Anza-Borrego hike is the Slot Canyon . If you don’t have enough time for both hikes, I would recommend this one!

After parking, start your hike from the right side where you can start making your way down through the narrow canyons. You can either hike for about a half-mile and return back the same way or climb up to the top at the end of the trail and walk back that way, which will be up to two miles. 

Stop #6, Day 3: Galleta Meadows Metal Sculptures

A trip to Borrego Springs is not complete until you have seen at least one of the metal sculptures in Galleta Meadows. My personal favorite is the Serpent. You can get a complete map of all sculptures at the hotel, or google “Borrego Springs sculptures”.

If you are not able to see everything you wanted to see in Borrego Springs and the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, check out this post to plan a weekend trip to Borrego Springs .

After a super long weekend exploring Southern California’s Colorado Desert, it’s time to head home. I hope you enjoy this trip and feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.

Which part of this Southern California Desert road trip do you think you will enjoy the most?

Shop all of my Road Trip Essentials on Amazon !

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16 thoughts on “3 Day Itinerary for a Unique Southern California Desert Road Trip”

Such great shots ! I want to be there ! https://www.shyyshianne.com/

Thank you so much! Really one of the coolest road trips I’ve ever taken 🙂

Great Itinerary! I love Palm Springs and I’ve been visiting the Salton Sea since I was young. It’s such a unique place to travel to.

Thank you! It really is…I did not expect to have as much fun as we did to be honest!

Wow! I’ve lived in OC for three years and I didn’t even know these places were nearby! I’ll make sure to check them out once quarantine is over!

I’m super happy that you found this post then! It was super fun!

I was lucky enough to spend 3 weeks here in 2016. We were on our 18-month RV road-trip and used Borrego Springs as a home base – this was one of the best stays of our trip – such an amazing area!

Wow, that must have been absolutely amazing. An extended road trip like that is a dream of mine!

Wow, Bombay Beach looks so kitsch and fantastic! I love roadside stops that have lost their glory, but that are wonderful because of it!

Bombay is one of the top spots to see, for that reason!

This is great, I’m always looking for more things to do in California!

There are just SO MANY!

Ooh how I would love to take a road trip through California like this! The landscape in the desert looks stunning, I love your photos!

Thank you Lyne! The SoCal desert is so pretty 🙂

Thank you, Heather, for all this information! Especially those Sand Dunes look so stunning! Now will add it to my list

The dunes were AMAZING! Hard to believe my eyes. So happy you enjoyed it!

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Meet That OC Girl

Hi there! I'm Heather, and I started this blog to share my California travel experiences with you. I moved to Orange County in 2015 and have been exploring as much as I can ever since. You might also find me exploring around Mexico too! I absolutely love outdoor adventures, and some of my favorite activities include hiking, mountain biking, yoga, and of course, heading to the beach! Read more about my story here.

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The Best Southern Utah Road Trip Itinerary You Will Find

This article will prepare you for an epic southern Utah road trip, one of the most fascinating landscapes on the planet. I lived in the desert Southwest for a few years and explored this incredible region up and down. 

What makes southern Utah so special? You’ll find out in this post, but it’s really the openness of the land and beauty of the colorful rock formations that form the desert floor. Barely anyone actually lives there, a testament to the harshness of the desert. 

Sandstone rocks of all shapes and sizes dominate the landscape and there are more canyons than humans in some parts. So buckle up and hit the road for one of the best road trips the USA has to offer!

Why Should I Listen to You? 

The main sites you will hit, southern utah road trip – the basics , day 1: las vegas to bryce canyon national park, day 2: bryce canyon to capitol reef national park, day 3: capitol reef to moab, day 4: arches national park , day 5: canyonlands national park, day 6: moab to monument valley , day 7: monument valley to page, az, day 8: page to zion national park, day 9: zion national park, day 10: zion to las vegas, southern utah road trip: faqs, southern utah road trip: the end.

Note: this article contains affiliate links, which means that should you purchase something or get a quote through them I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps keep the site running with up to date information. I do not represent GetYourGuide, Insubuy, Booking.com, or Rentalcars.com. This is information only and not a recommendation to buy the product mentioned in this article.

Anybody can write anything these days. Especially with travel blogs, where you can be an “expert” in something after one visit. But I lived in Las Vegas and extensively explored the desert southwest, so you can be sure you’re getting tips from a local.

While I no longer live in Vegas, my experiences during my time there led me to fall in love with southern Utah. I’ve been to all seven continents, over 60 countries, and southern Utah still remains one of my favorite places on earth. You will fall in love with it too after this road trip!

We will go through all the sites in detail in the itinerary below but let’s start with an outline of all the amazing places you’re going to see. On top of Utah’s 5 incredible national parks, you’ll be exploring some state parks and other landmarks. You’ll also dip into Arizona for a bit to see some of the most Instagrammable places in the US. 

National Parks:

• Bryce Canyon
• Capitol Reef
• Canyonlands
• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

State Parks:

• Dead Horse 
• Valley of Fire (NV)

Other main attractions:

Monument Valley

• Valley of the Gods
• Antelope Canyon
• Horseshoe Bend (part of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area)

This road trip assumes you will start and end in fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada . Las Vegas is the gateway to the southwest and has some amazing natural wonders in its immediate vicinity. You could also start from Salt Lake City, UT or Flagstaff, AZ with a little extra driving. 

To car of campervan? That is the question! 

You will need your own vehicle for this road trip. It’s very easy to do the trip in a normal, 2-wheel-drive car. However, if you want to do some of the more difficult unpaved roads in Canyonlands or some of the other places you’ll need a 4×4. That being said, there’s really not a lot of time for off-road driving in this itinerary so a regular car is just fine. 

You can find the best deals on rental cars from Las Vegas here at rentalcars.com . 

You can also rent a campervan from one of the many providers in Las Vegas that cater to travelers like you.  Most of Utah allows freedom camping, meaning you can park really anywhere that is off the road and spend the night. So it’s a great place to drive a campervan around. The developed campsites in the national and state parks have excellent services though, so car camping is fairly easy. 

The landscape of southern Utah 

Southern Utah and Northern Arizona are classified as high desert. This means that you’re in the desert, but the elevation is actually pretty high. Most of this trip you’ll be over 4000 feet and you’ll get above 8000 in some places.

The landscape is barren and inhospitable. Red sandstone rocks are everywhere and vegetation is few and far between. The earth cracks here and there forming giant canyons every way you look, and distant snow-capped mountains form the background of many of your views.

It’s quite unlike anything else on earth. Not even Petra in Jordan or the Australian Outback can quite compare. 

Total mileage covered on the road trip

This road trip covers about 1200 miles and takes 20 hours over the course of 10 days. But that doesn’t count any side trips or any driving around the parks themselves. All in all plan on spending an average of about 2-3 hours a day in the car. 

Cost of the road trip 

How much does this southern Utah road trip cost? Well that’s entirely up to you and depends on where you want to stay and where you live. If you’re from Southern California you can avoid the flight to Vegas and the rental car by adding a few hundred miles to your road trip. If you’re from New York you’ve gotta fly and rent a car. 

This trip can also be really, really cheap if you camp instead of staying in hotels. Standard tent campsites at national and state parks in Utah will run you $20-$30 per night.

Want to stay in a hotel? Good luck finding something less than $200/night outside the national parks. And I mean like a La Quinta will cost you $200. If you want to stay somewhere nice, well, I hope you have a good job and make good money.

Airbnb has some options between these two extremes. If you’re looking for more like $100/night Airbnb can be a good option in Utah. 

Best time of year for a southern Utah road trip

You will ideally want to make this road trip in either spring or fall. Summer is possible, but southern Utah can get pretty damn hot in the summer and that can make camping uncomfortable.

Winter is also possible – and hotels will be much cheaper – but it can get pretty cold in the high desert in the middle of winter. Spring and fall offer great weather, long days (spring better than fall for that), and ideal conditions all around.  

National Park Pass

You will want the America the Beautiful Interagency Pass for this trip. This pass is more commonly known as the “national park pass” and gets you into any national park, monument, historical site, etc in the US for one year.

The pass, amazingly, still costs only $80 and seems to be inflation-proof. It’s been $80 since the 2000s (and for senior citizens it’s free!). The pass will pay for itself after visiting just three of the five national parks on this itinerary. 

The national park pass will not get you into state parks or parks on Navajo Nation land (i.e. Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley Tribal Park). Be sure to order it well over a month in advance of your trip, as it can take a while to arrive in the mail. 

Popularity and crowds

Make no mistake, the national parks in Utah are incredibly popular with Americans and international tourists alike. Zion and Arches are two of the most visited parks in the US, and you can reasonably expect to encounter massive crowds unless you go in the winter. If you plan on camping within the parks, you will have to reserve campsites months – possibly even up to a year – in advance. 

Of the parks you’ll visit, only Arches requires timed entry permits. This means you have to pre-book entry into the park and is done to control crowds and traffic. But there can still be major backups to get into the other parks. 

Capitol Reef is the anomaly, being much less visited than the other four. Outside the national parks, you probably won’t encounter too many crowds, though the other destinations on this itinerary are becoming more and more popular these days.  

Where to stay

As mentioned before, the cost of the trip varies greatly on whether you plan on camping or staying in hotels. If you do plan on camping, it’s best to download the Campendium app. It has every campsite in Utah mapped and tells you what type of campsite it is.

On top of the campsites in the national parks, there are tons of privately run campsites all over Utah as well as basic campsites in national forests. It even will tell you all the locations of dispersed camping, which is essentially just a flat area with no services that it’s free to camp. The app is vital for this road trip if you’re going to camp. 

If you’re staying in hotels there are quite a lot of options in Moab, Springdale, and Page, AZ but far less options between these main towns. You will want to book hotels in advance, but you don’t need to book months out like a national park campground. Each day of the itinerary below has detailed recommendations for hotels each night.

Travel insurance

Americans, you can skip this section. But if you are an international visitor it is vital that you have travel insurance for your trip to the States. The insurance must cover medical expenses.

If you don’t have medical insurance for your trip, you are putting yourself at risk of great financial consequences should you suffer an accident or have a medical emergency. We don’t have universal healthcare here in the US and an overnight hospital stay can easily cost $100,000 that you probably don’t have. 

Insubuy provides medical travel insurance for international visitors to the US. You can get a quote for travel insurance and book your coverage using the link below.

Get a great deal on travel insurance for the USA here .

The Perfect Southern Utah Desert Road Trip 

Without further ado let’s get into it! You can see a visual of the southern Utah road trip itinerary in the Google Maps view below to follow along with the text.

After an epic buffet breakfast at your Las Vegas hotel, it’s time to say goodbye to that hangover and hit the road. It’s about a four hour drive to Bryce Canyon National Park. Most of the 260 miles are on I-15, so you’ll be moving quickly today. Though once you exit just after Parowan, UT, you’ll wave goodbye to interstate highways. Other than a brief stint near Moab, you won’t see one again till you’re almost back to Las Vegas.

Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the most unique landscapes in the world. Sharp columns of red sandstone rocks – known as “hoodoos” – protrude from the earth like giant needles as the canyon descends from the cliff above.

Bryce Canyon itself is quite small, and if you arrive early in the afternoon you’ll have plenty of time for a hike down into the canyon to admire the hoodoos up close. But first, start with a short stop at the Visitor’s Center to learn a little more about the crazy geology of the area.

There are a few observation points along the canyon rim that are connected by a series of roads. Start by hitting all the viewpoints to find your favorite view of the canyon. When you’re satisfied with the incredible views, it’s time to hike into the canyon.

Park at the end of Sunrise Point Road and embark on a leisurely hike down into the canyons known as the Wall Street and Queen’s Garden Loop Trail. The hike is only a little more than 3 miles, but you’ll stop so many times to admire the hoodoos that it will take a while. 

End your day with dinner in the nearby village of Bryce to celebrate a great first day of the road trip.

Where to stay in Bryce

Camping: There are two campgrounds within the park, North Campground and Sunset Campground. North requires reservations from May 19 – Oct 7 and Sunset is always first come first served, but closed in winter. Tent sites are $20 per night per site. 

Mid Range: There are not a lot of options for hotels outside the park that are not expensive and not downright awful at the same time. Consider the Best Western PLUS Ruby’s Inn or Bryce Canyon Pines . 

High End: For the most comfortable stay, opt for a room at the Lodge at Bryce Canyon in the park. Don’t expect to find a room for under $300 though. Book well in advance. 

If you’re not too tired, wake up for sunrise over Bryce Canyon. Head back to the same sunrise viewpoint you were at yesterday and bask in the beauty. If you’re up for a morning hike, head into the canyon again to catch the morning sun on the hoodoos. 

It’s about a 2.5 hour drive on Utah’s back roads to Capitol Reef National Park with no stops, so allow about 3 hours. Plan to arrive in time for lunch at the Wild Rabbit Cafe just before the entrance to the park.  

Capitol Reef is by far the least visited of Utah’s five national parks. But while it doesn’t hold the same grandeur as the others, it’s still a beautiful region of red sandstone mountains and desolate canyons. If you’ve been to Petra in Jordan, the rock formations are pretty similar, just without the ancient Nabatean buildings carved into the cliffsides. 

There is one scenic drive in the park and it takes you about 10 miles off the main road to the south. It ends at Capital Gorge trailhead, the start of one of the most popular hikes in the park. It’s an easy walk through a gorge so plan on doing the full out and back Capitol Gorge hike in the afternoon. The rocks will help protect you from that desert sun if it’s a hot day. 

If you have time and you’re up for it you can also do the short Cassidy Arch trail on your way back to the main road. After catching the sunset, enjoy a relaxing night in one of the most underrated places in Utah. 

Where to stay at Capitol Reef

Camping: The Fruita campground in the park has 71 sites. The sites are $25/night and must be reserved in advance. 

Mid Range: The nearby town of Torrey has a few lodging options. The Broken Spur is your best bet for affordability if you want a bed to sleep in. 

High End: Cougar Ridge is where you want to stay if you’re looking for a little luxury. 

Take it easy this morning and sleep in. Take your time packing up and hit the road for Moab, Utah’s desert playground. It’s another 2.5 hours drive to Moab.

Spend the afternoon exploring the little city of Moab, which is full of shops where you can buy local arts and crafts. As much as you’re itching to get to Arches, don’t even bother in the middle of the afternoon. It will just be too crowded. 

If you want an afternoon adventure consider a river rafting tour with Moab Adventure Center . If not, take it easy and check into your hotel or campground. 

As evening sets in, the day trippers to Arches leave. This is when you’ll enter. Between April and October Arches requires timed entry passes – since it can get so ridiculously busy – but those are only required between 7 AM and 4 PM. Following this plan here, you won’t need to get a timed entry pass, as you’ll enter after 4 PM today and before 7 AM tomorrow. 

Depending on what time of year it is and when sunset is, you might want to grab dinner in the city first. Make sure to get to the park at least an hour before sunset. Golden Hour in Arches National Park is simply stunning.

The rocks appear shades of orange and red that you didn’t even know existed. Watch the sunset over this magical landscape of giant rock bridges, but don’t stay up too late, because you have an early morning tomorrow. 

Set your alarm for 2 hours before sunrise – yes that’s right 2 hours before sunrise. If you’re visiting in June that’s 4 AM. So better get to bed. 

Where to stay in Moab

Camping: There are literally dozens of independent campsites in and around Moab. There is one campground in Arches National Park and two small campgrounds in Canyonlands. All sites require reservations, however for the campsites outside the parks it’s possible to just show up and book something.  

Mid Range: There are many options in Moab for motels and mid-range hotels, like the Red Stone Inn . 

High End: At the north end of town you’ll find the Springhill Suites by Marriott and the Hyatt Place Moab . I stayed at the Hyatt Place on my most recent trip to Moab and had a lovely stay. 

You’ll awake well before the crack of dawn for one reason and that is to be the first person at Delicate Arch, the most iconic landmark in the park and one of the most iconic places in the United States. 

The Delicate Arch Trail parking lot is about a 30-minute drive from central Moab. Get to the parking lot no later than one hour before sunrise. It will be dark and you’ll need a headlamp or a flashlight for the hike. The Delicate Arch hike itself is pretty relaxed, about 1.6 miles with a mild elevation gain. It should take no more than 45 minutes but a half hour or so if you’re fit. 

You’ll arrive at Delicate Arch right as the sky starts to get light. Relax and watch the sunrise over the arch, one of the highlights of your trip! Just note that to get the famous photo under Delicate Arch, you will have to wait in line. 

Spend the rest of the day exploring Arches National Park. There are many other trails to hike and viewpoints to observe. It’s one of America’s treasures and you’ll want to soak up every last bit of it that you can. 

Spend the night in Moab again. If you like Thai food, be sure to check out Arches Thai just off the main road. 

Today is for canyons. Start the morning by driving about 45 minutes into the northern unit of Canyonlands National Park (there are three separate sections of the park), known as Island in the Sky. 

Canyonlands is mostly known for its collection of epic canyons, mesas, buttes, arches and other rock formations, as well as endless miles of hiking trails and 4×4 roads.

Depending on how much hiking you want to do, getting down to the bottom of one of the canyons can be your goal for the day. A great trail to get into the canyons is the Gooseberry Trail, which drops you about 1500 feet into the canyon before you climb your way back out. 

Be sure to drive the entire length of the paved road down to Grand View Point, stopping at all the other viewpoints on the way. Many viewpoints require short walks along the canyon rim to get to, so you’ll have plenty of time outside the car. 

There are no restaurants or shops in the park so be sure to pack your lunch with you. On your way back to Moab stop at Dead Horse State Park for some epic views – some would say even better than Canyonlands – of the Colorado river as it snakes through the canyons.

Since Dead Horse is a Utah state park you’ll have to pay $20 per vehicle for access. The park is considerably smaller than Canyonlands and there are not many trails, so you really only need less than an hour in Dead Horse to appreciate it. 

Last night in Moab. If you’re a fan of craft beer check out the Moab Brewery on the south side of town. The food is nothing to rave about, but decent pub fare for the middle of the desert.

Today is a choose your own adventure day. There is a lot of good stuff to see between Moab and Monument Valley and it depends on how ambitious you want to be. If you want to hit the Needles District of Canyonlands (the south unit), you’ll want to leave Moab before 7 AM. It’s about a 2-hour drive to the best part of the Needles District, and over an hour of that is off the highway – I.e. out of your way. 

If you do go there though, you’ll be oohed and aahed by the needle-like rock formations. They are different from the hoodoos in Bryce Canyon, more pancake-like with different layers. This part of Canyonlands looks nothing like the Island in the Sky district you were at yesterday. 

Valley of the Gods and Goosenecks State Park

If going out of the way like that is a bit too much then your first stop of the day will be Valley of the Gods, about 2.5 hours south of Moab between Bluff and Mexican Hat. Valley of the Gods is a small valley between high plateaus that has some buttes and other interesting rocks. It’s kind of like a baby Monument Valley. 

There’s a dirt road that forms a loop that spits you out on a side road. The drive will take you about an hour total, including stops. A 2WD drive vehicle is adequate, so long as you don’t mind the car getting a bit dirty. The best thing about Valley of the Gods is that it is not super popular so you will have some solitude. 

Just south of Valley of the Gods you’ll stop by Goosenecks State Park. This is another Utah state park that is worth visiting just to look at the San Juan river “gooseneck” though the canyon. Visiting the park will take no more than a half hour and can literally be done in a few minutes. Admire the views from above the canyon, then continue your drive south. 

After you pass Mexican Hat, a town named after a rock that looks like a sombrero, you’re officially in Monument Valley, one of the most unique places on the planet. The region is essentially a relatively flat high desert with giant sandstone rock buttes that stick out of the desert floor. 

For fans of the movie Forrest Gump, it’s important to stop by Forrest Gump Point to take a photo of yourself running on the road like Forrest did in the movie. From there you’ll head south into Oljato-Monument Valley, what can only be described as a tiny village of a few houses and a grocery store. You’re in Navajo Nation here, a sovereign Native American land. 

The Navajo Nation owns and operates Monument Valley Tribal Park, which is just across the state border in Arizona and contains the most spectacular collection of rock formations in Monument Valley. If you’re there early enough, hit the tribal park before the day is over. If not, you can do it in the morning before heading out. 

There’s only one restaurant in Monument Valley and that’s the Stagecoach Restaurant at Goulding’s Lodge. Many accommodations will come with a kitchen for you to cook yourself though. 

WHERE TO STAY IN MONUMENT VALLEY

Camping: Monument Valley KOA has plenty of sites for your camping needs. Tent sites are not cheap though, at about $60 per night per night. Goulding’s – the only hotel in town – also operates a campsite near their hotel. 

Mid Range: There are only two hotels in town, Gouldings and The View Hotel , the latter which is run by the Navajo Nation at the entrance to Monument Valley Tribal Park. They are no frills accommodations, but they’re not exactly cheap. 

High End: There are various other cabins and Airbnbs available in the region, but nothing really “luxury.”

If you didn’t make it to Monument Valley Tribal Park yesterday, time to hit it this morning. If you did, then you can get going and head towards Page, Arizona, home to some of the most famous sites in the Southwest. You’ll actually be in Arizona all day today, so technically this road trip is not entirely in southern Utah. 

It’s a two hour drive to Page, home to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. Antelope Canyon is a narrow slot canyon with beautiful red colors that has become famous in the Instagram Age. In order to visit Antelope Canyon you must book an organized tour. It is not possible to visit on your own, as the Navajo Nation forbids that.

There are numerous tour operators and you can check out various Antelope Canyon tours on getyourguide here .

After lunch in Page, head to Horseshoe Bend just outside of town. Horseshoe Bend is one of the most iconic locations on the Colorado River and is located in Glen Canyon Recreation Area, which is managed by the National Park Service.

Your national park pass covers Glen Canyon, but the city of Page charges extra for parking at Horseshoe Bend. It’s only about a 20-minute walk from the parking lot to the canyon, so you don’t need too much time there. Horseshoe Bend is an amazing place to watch the sunset though, should you wish to come here for that instead.  

With the rest of your afternoon you can check out Wahweap Bay in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, though you probably won’t have time to get out on a boat. There are also some neat views of the Glen Canyon Dam on the bridge over the river. End the day with some excellent Mexican food at Fiesta Mexicana. 

Where to stay in Page, AZ

Camping: There are numerous campsites in and around Page. Within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area the biggest campsite is Lake Powell Wahweap Marina RV Park and Campground .

Mid Range: There are plenty of mid-range hotels in Page, as the town is really catered to tourists. The Best Western View of Lake Powell is a good option, and where we stayed when we were in town.  

High End: There is a Hyatt Place and a Courtyard by Marriott in Page, but nothing that is overly luxurious. 

Today you’ll head back into Utah to visit Zion National Park, one of the most beautiful places in the United States. It’s only about a 2.5 hour drive from Page, but you also have the option today to catch a glimpse of the Grand Canyon.

If you don’t think you’ll be coming back to the American Southwest any time soon, it’s worth it to add three hours onto your day to see the Grand Canyon. 

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is far less visited than the South Rim, where just about everyone goes. This makes it less crowded, but it’s also much less developed and there is only one viewpoint. It’s also closed yearly from Dec 1 to May 15, so don’t drive all the way there just for it to be closed. 

If you choose the Grand Canyon option, you won’t get to Zion till late in the afternoon most likely. If you’re heading straight from Page, however, you can be there before lunch. With nearly two day in the park you’ll have sufficient time to explore the entire region and go on numerous hikes.

You’ll enter the park from the east entrance, which takes you on a stunning scenic drive through insane red, orange, and white rock formations. This is the only part of the park that you can drive yourself, with the exception of Kolob Canyons, which is a completely separate section of the park not connected by road to the main park. 

The main park road is limited to the Zion shuttle service. You’ll park your car at the visitors center in Springdale and hop on the shuttle from there. It’s first come, first served, and on busy summer days you can expect to have to wait to board the shuttle. 

What to do in Zion

There are endless things to do in Zion National Park and we can’t describe them all in detail here. Spend the afternoon hitting some of the main spots on the Zion Canyon Road and stopping for a few short hikes. Some short hikes to consider:

• Zion Narrows Riverside Walk 
• Emerald Pools Trail
• Lower Emerald Pools Trail
• Kayenta Trail
• Court of the Patriarchs

There are many other viewpoints you’ll see on the side of the road so it never hurts to hop off the shuttle and explore. For sunset, head to Zion Canyon Overlooks Trail on the road leading back to the east entrance. It’s only about a half mile to the viewpoint and it’s mostly flat.

Where to stay in Zion National Park

Camping: There are three designated campsites within Zion National Park. Reserve campsites well in advance. 

Mid Range: There are mid-range holes in Springdale, UT, but they don’t have mid-range prices. Hope you don’t mind paying $300/night for a Holiday Inn Express . If that sounds crazy to you, check options in nearby Hurricane, UT .  

High End: Unlike most of the other stops on this road trip, you can really live in luxury outside of Zion if you want to. Check out LaFave Luxury Rentals , the Cable Mountain Lodge , or the Cliffrose Springdale by Hilton . 

Another day in Zion National Park. If you’re an avid hiker today is your day. And if you’re not an avid hiker, today is the day you become one. There are a few famous hikes in the park. The most notable is the Angels Landing hike, with the Zion Narrows hike being a close second. Both of these hikes require planning. Angels Landing requires permits , as it got so popular in recent years that it became unsafe. 

Zion Narrows is a hike through a narrow gorge with thousand-foot cliffs on either side. The catch here is that most of the hike is on a riverbed and you’re pretty much guaranteed to get your feet wet at some point. It takes careful planning, as after heavy rains the water level can be too high. 

If all that sounds a little daunting then you can opt for my personal favorite hike in the park: Observation Point. Unfortunately the main trail to Observation Point has been closed since 2019 due to a major rockfall.

To reach the viewpoint, you’ll have to drive about 45 minutes to the East Mesa Trailhead and hike about 9 miles round trip from there. It’s worth it, though. The view from up Observation Point is the best view in Utah. 

Your big hike will take up most of the day. Spend the rest of your day stopping at any other viewpoints you want to hit. If a big, strenuous hike doesn’t sound too appealing after a week of desert hiking, consider checking out the other region of Zion, Kolob Canyons, which is about an hour drive from Springdale. 

The final day of the road trip. You’ve seen plenty of Zion National Park and now it’s time to head back to Las Vegas. It’s only about a 2.5 hour drive back to Vegas, but you’ll be stopping in Nevada’s Valley of Fire State Park along the way. 

Valley of Fire is one of the most underrated places in the desert Southwest. The park contains a collection of unique sandstone rock formations. By now you’ve seen a ton of red rocks, but Valley of Fire is special.

While it is certainly loaded with fabulous red rocks, the park contains some of the most colorful sandstone rocks you’ll ever see. Shades of pink, purple, yellow, green, and white rocks dot the landscape. It’s something that you really have to see to believe. 

Spend a solid 4-5 hours in Valley of Fire, stopping at all the viewpoints and doing a few short walks. The best hike in the park is the White Domes Fire Wave trail at the end of the park road. This hike covers about 3 miles through slot canyons and over the colorful rocks I just mentioned. The trail is a bit hard to follow so it’s useful to have AllTrails or Maps.me loaded on your phone for the hike.

Before leaving, be sure to stop at this spot along Mouse Tank Road for the most famous mountain view in Nevada. The road winding through the red rock cliffs with the mountains in the background is truly a sight to behold! From the viewpoint it’s about a 75-minute drive back to Las Vegas, where you can indulge in whatever sort of debauchery your heart desires to celebrate an amazing road trip through southern Utah!

You can read more about Valley of Fire in my guide to the natural side of Las Vegas here .

If you have more time in Vegas consider adding on a day trip to Death Valley National Park in Southern California. Death Valley is a whole different landscape than you’ll see in Utah and one of the most underrated national parks in the US . It’s a 2 hour drive from Las Vegas and east to see the highlights in one day. 

What is the best time of year to visit southern Utah?

The best time of year to visit southern Utah is either spring or fall. This allows for pleasant days while avoiding the summer heat and crowds. Winter can be nice too, but the Moab Desert is often covered in snow and higher elevation places like Bryce Canyon can be difficult to access due to heavy snowfall.

What is the prettiest area of Utah?

The prettiest area of Utah is open to interpretation and could be just about anywhere! The entire state is stunning, from the alpine mountains in the north to the Moab Desert in the south. For many people, the uniqueness of the landscapes in the national parks like Zion and Arches make those the prettiest.

What is the most beautiful park in Utah?

The most beautiful part in Utah from top to bottom is open to debate. Most consider either Zion or Bryce Canyon the most beautiful parks, with Arches and Canyonlands trailing close behind. Capitol Reef is often the afterthought, though in any other state it would be possibly the most beautiful place in the state.

Should I go on a road trip through Utah?

Yes, you absolutely should go on a road trip through Utah! From top to bottom Utah is one of the most, if not the most, beautiful states in the United States and features some of the most impressive and unique landscapes on the planet. Anyone who loves nature and the outdoors will love Utah.

How to see all 5 national parks in Utah?

The easiest way to see all 5 of Utah’s national parks is to drive between them. The closest major airports are Las Vegas or Salt Lake City. Though it’s also possible from Phoenix and a few other smaller regional airports in Utah, Colorado, and Arizona.

That was an epic trip, wasn’t it? You’ve seen the very best that the southwestern United States has to offer on this epic southern Utah road trip. The only downside of this trip is that you’re going to have such an amazing time that returning to your everyday life might be too difficult to handle! 

Chris Heckmann

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Incredible article with all the details I was seeking for planning our trip to Utah from Canada. I can’t thank you enough sharing! We’ve been wondering about driving or camping, where to start, what’s the best stops, etc. and you covered it all. Amazing!

Thanks Candice! Hope you guys enjoy Utah, it really is the best. Feel free to contact me if you have more questions.

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A West Texas and New Mexico National Park Road Trip

Ready for an epic road trip adventure? We’re excited to share our West Texas and New Mexico National Park Road Trip with you. It is a fantastic week on the road through 4 National Parks. Without a doubt, you’ll want to pack your bags for this adventure.

This 7-day itinerary will take you through 4 stunningly beautiful National Parks. You’ll explore Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Big Bend National Park in West Texas. And just over the state line, you’ll visit both of New Mexico’s parks: White Sands National Park and Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Along the way, you’ll discover some of the most stunning landscapes in the Southwest! Each park has its unique charm and offers plenty of things to do and see.

This Desert Road Trip Itinerary

When planning your itinerary, it’s easiest to think of this desert road trip as a lasso (because you know we are in western Texas!). Guadalupe Mountains National Park, White Sands National Park and Carlsbad Caverns National Park create the loop, with Big Bend at the rope’s end.

You can start at either end of the lasso. Our decision to start with the loop was determined by when we could get campground reservations. I was late planning this trip, so I had to be creative in cobbling together available campgrounds. Camping in National Parks continues to be in extremely high demand, so you need to plan as far ahead as possible.

7 Day Itinerary

• Day 1 Guadalupe Mountains National Park
• Day 2 Guadalupe Mountains National Park AM, Travel PM
• Day 3 White Sands National Park AM, Travel PM, Carlsbad Caverns evening
• Day 4 Carlsbad Caverns AM, Travel PM
• Day 5 Big Bend National Park
• Day 6 Big Bend National Park
• Day 7 Big Bend National Park

Day 1 and 2: Guadalupe Mountains National Park

Our first glimpse was a stunning view of El Capitan as we headed towards Guadalupe Mountains National Park along Highway 62. (If you want to capture this fantastic shot, it’s from the roadside picnic area about 4 miles south of the Pine Springs Visitor Center.)

Guadalupe Peak is tucked right behind El Capitan. At 8,751 feet elevation, it’s the highest point in Texas. Many of our camping neighbors were in the park to climb Guadalupe Peak. Although we skipped that hike, reports were a strenuous hike due to the steep switchbacks covering the quick 3,000-foot elevation gain. But all unanimously reported that it was well worth the climb for the spectacular view.

Getting to Guadalupe Mountains NP

We traveled across Interstate 10 from Houston to start our road trip. Oh, my, it is a long way across Texas. We played plenty of road trip games to help pass the time, as you can imagine. After San Antonio, gas and snacks start getting pricey and hard to find. I’m glad we stocked up on our camping food before leaving Houston.

If you are hoping to avoid that long drive, you can fly to San Antonio or Albuquerque, where you can easily rent campers, Or right in the middle of the loop, you’ll find the El Paso airport, where you can grab a rental car.

Where to Stay at Guadalupe Mountains National Park

We spent 2 nights camping in the Pine Springs Campground next to the visitor center. Pine Springs is a small campground and feels a little cramped. The RV spots are just spaces on an asphalt parking lot with picnic areas around the perimeter. Luckily we were in the tent area, which gave individual tent sites a small personal place with brush and cactus breaking the space between other sites.

However, Pine Springs Campground is the perfect spot if you plan to hike Guadalupe Peak , as the trailhead starts at the end of the campground. We also found it convenient for the most popular day hikes. Keep in mind that this is desert camping so expect little shade, hot days and cool nights.

Dog Canyon Campground is another small campground in Guadalupe Mountains NP. It is in a very remote section with only 13 spots for tents or small campers. The higher elevation of Dog Canyon means it is cooler in the summer, making it a great place to tent camp for summer road trips. There are several excellent hikes in this area. However, the remote location makes it difficult to enjoy the most popular parts of the park.

There aren’t many other choices nearby for visitors to the Guadalupe Mountains. For other camping and lodging options, the best bet is to check out the town of Carlsbad. It’s only about an hour away and jam-packed with lodging and dining options. You can check hotel and rental availability in Carlsbad here .

Things to Do in the Guadalupe Mountains

We spent a day and a half in the park, which was about right for a visit that did not include one of the strenuous hikes.

Pine Springs Visitor Center

We first stopped at the Pine Springs Visitor Center. Although small, they did a great job with their educational displays to help visitors understand what is unique in this park.

Hike McKittrick Canyon Trail to Pratt Cabin

We then headed to McKittrick Canyon, about a 15-minute drive to the trailhead from the visitor center. This canyon is the perfect hike to start your visit. Most people, including us, complete the moderate 4.8-mile (round-trip) hike to Pratt Cabin. Some hikers go on to the Grotto, adding another 2 miles. And for a real strenuous push, you can hike into the backcountry, meeting up with multiple other trails.

The hike to Pratt Cabin starts with a tremendous educational kiosk, complete with a recording of Wallace Pratt’s voice about building the cabin. The trail itself is all in full sun so make sure you have plenty of water, a hat and sunscreen no matter what season. Hiking in the heat of the desert can be cruel. We wandered through the cactus and along the dry creek bed. We appreciated the random juniper that had grown tall enough to provide a bit of shade for short breaks.

The trail ends at a beautiful little oasis where the Pratt Cabin sits near the original creek bank. We enjoyed our hiking lunch on the big front porch. During peak seasons, volunteers give tours of the house, but we settled for looking through the windows. Most impressive was they had running water, toilets and electricity in this remote location. This cabin, far from anywhere, was quite luxurious.

Pinery Butterfield Stage Station Ruins

We toured the Pinery Butterfield Stage Station Ruins before going back to the campground. It’s a short interpretive hike documenting the life of the old stagecoach runs. Then we headed back to the campsite for a relaxing evening.

Explore Frijole Ranch and Smith Spring Trail

Since we only had 1/2 day on our second day in the park, we got moving early and headed to the Frijole Ranch History Museum, where we planned to take the Smith Spring Trail Day Hike.

Once again, we spent a lot of time looking through windows as the museum was closed. Outside signage helped explain how this ranch utilized the springs to thrive in the middle of the desert. Using irrigation from the springs, the family had a booming fruit and vegetable business from their little oasis.

The Smith Spring Trail is a 2.3-mile loop that swings by the Manzanita Spring. The family used the Manzanita Spring, near the ranch, to create a large pond where they enjoyed boating and swimming. Hiking on to the Smith Spring was another hot, full sun hike. Shade was hard to find, so we were pretty excited when we found the spring hiding in an oasis of beautiful maple shade trees.

More About the Guadalupe Mountains

This park is primarily a backpacker’s park. The itinerary I listed above is almost everything to do for a casual visitor. There are no roads to take you through or deep into the park. So for a visitor who wants to do some light hiking and explore well-presented informational displays, a day and a half is plenty of time.

If you want to go backpacking deeper into the park, there are a plethora of interesting trails. Just remember this is the desert, so come prepared!

Day 3: White Sands National Park

By early afternoon our road trip moved on to White Sands National Park. You have to see this park to believe it. You’ll find massive dunes of gypsum sand that have engulfed 275 square miles of desert. As the largest gypsum dunefield in the world, it’s hard to imagine the endless sea of white until you experience it yourself.

Getting to White Sands National Park

It was a 3-hour drive between White Sands and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks. We popped over to El Paso and then headed into Southern New Mexico to find White Sands. The drive through the desert felt like it went on forever because the scenery never changed.

The massive amount of litter along the roads near El Paso surprised me. It turns out that this part of the desert is exceptionally windy in the spring, and it’s near impossible to capture a piece of paper once it’s airborne. I found out that the city spends almost $2 million a year trying to keep up with this mess. We stopped to top off the gas tank in El Paso because we heard reports that gas stations can be few and far between around all 4 of these National Parks.

Where to Stay Near White Sands

There is no camping in White Sands, although you’ll find plenty of RV camping and lodging choices nearby in Alamogordo. You can check lodging availability in Alamogordo here . Finding a good tent campsite is a little more challenging. Many tent campers head to the nearby Lincoln National Forest for a spot. However, we were thrilled with our tent site in Oliver Lee State Park .

As expected, it was shadeless arid desert camping. But we were surprised to discover that the campground sits up on a ridge with beautiful views of the sunset over the desert landscapes. The sites in this New Mexico State Park were generous, and the campground included showers.

Let me just take a moment to share that I feared rattlesnakes and scorpions sneaking into our tent this whole trip. So when I drove over a rattlesnake as I entered the campground, it did nothing to alleviate that fear.

Things to Do in White Sands National Park

We spent 1/2 day in White Sands National Park, which is plenty of time unless you plan to hike into the dunes. Established in 1933, White Sands National Monument became one of our National Parks in 2019.

The White Sands National Park Visitor Center

Stopping at the Visitor Center to watch the introductory movie about White Sands is a must. It’s almost impossible to comprehend the significance of this park without seeing that film. For example, did you know the sand is not really “sand” as we usually know it? Beach sand is from silica, while the sand in White Sands NP is gypsum. And gypsum doesn’t absorb heat like silica, so the sand here stays cool to your feet all summer.

Cruising Dunes Drive

The main attraction in White Sands is a cruise down the scenic drive: Dunes Drive. You’ll find an excellent narrated tour on the NPS app that gives information about each stop. I’m glad I thought to download the self-guided tour before we arrived at the park, as there was zero cell service beyond the visitor center. We spent about 3 hours on the drive, stopping along the way to embrace this incredible National Park.

Interdune Boardwalk

You’ll discover about a dozen places to stop and explore along Dunes Drive. Our favorite stop was the Interdune Boardwalk. Situated at the border where the desert and dunes meet, the information walk along the accessible boardwalk is an interesting way to start your foray into the dunes. We kept looking for animal prints with no success. However, you will find various desert plant life hanging on in the arid soil.

Sledding on the Dunes

We regretted skipping out on the sledding when we visited Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado, so we would not miss the opportunity here. You can buy a saucer sled in the gift shop next to the entrance. Warning, the sleds are pricey, but we decided it was our donation to the park that day.

You can sled down the white sand dunes anywhere in the park. We chose to try the steeper inclines near the end of Dunes Drive. It was silly fun, and we definitely got our exercise climbing back up the dunes.

Hiking in Great Sand Dunes

We chose only to follow the short nature trail and climb dunes while sledding. If you want to explore the gypsum sand dunes, make sure you have a clear sight of a landmark to return to. Once you get in the white sand, it all looks the same.

Keep in mind that there is no hiking path like a forest trail. The sand shifts all the time. For a marked hike, many visitors try the Alkali Flat Trail . It’s a strenuous 5-mile loop, going up and down the dunes. In the spring, when winds are high, this trail is extra tricky because of blowing sand that hides the route markers and cuts into your skin.

More About White Sands National Park

First, a word of caution when scheduling your trip to White Sands… the park is surrounded by military bases. When missile testing is going on, the park must close for safety, usually for a couple of hours. The schedule is clear on the White Sands National Park website so give it a check.

Although we didn’t stay to enjoy it, ranger-led sunset strolls and full moon nights are a fantastic way to experience White Sands. So if you happen to visit close to the park, check the schedule.

Day 4: Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Hidden deep under the Chihuahuan Desert is the Carlsbad Cavern, the next stop on our road trip. But that’s not all there is to this amazing National Park.

Getting to Carlsbad Caverns National Park

After grabbing a few groceries in nearby Alamogordo in the afternoon, we headed east, crossing through the Lincoln National Forest. After several days of desert, it was relaxing to drive through real shade trees and fresh green grass.

Along Highway 82, several quaint small towns have lodging and dining opportunities. If you had an extra day, it would be pleasant to spend a night in one of the Bed and Breakfasts or a Forest Service Campground and explore. We were surprised to find a ski slope in Cloudcroft, with the last remnants of snow melting on the mountainside.

Where to Stay When Visiting Carlsbad Caverns

We were surprised at how developed the city of Carlsbad was. It truly looks tiny on the map. However, we saw a large selection of restaurants and motels as we passed through. It is about 1/2 hour north of the park, so a good option for a home base when visiting Carlsbad Caverns. You can check Lodging availability for Carlsbad here .

We moved on to Whites City for the night, where we stayed at Whites City Cavern Inn. Yup, we decided a night with hot showers and comfy beds was in order! The motel room was recently remodeled, and our stay was perfect. Whites City is only a few minutes away from the park entrance. It’s a small town, with limited services, but oh so convenient. A cute restaurant next to the hotel serves breakfast and lunch. And an RV Park sits across the street near a small shopping center.

Things to Do at Carlsbad Caverns National Park

We pulled into the motel at about 6:15 in the evening. As I checked in, the gal at the counter said we should go straight to the park for the 6:30 Bat Flight Program. It had just started for the season the night before because bats had begun to return to the park. Even though we were exhausted, we didn’t think twice about taking her advice. We headed into the park without looking at our room or getting dinner.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park Bat Flight Program

An opportunity to see the evening Bat Flight out of Carlsbad Cavern was quite the surprise. Generally, the bats don’t start returning to the cave until later in May, so we hadn’t planned on this exciting event.

Our ranger shared that the bats we would see are not the regular Carlsbad population. These bats were just passing through on their migration to other locations and using the cave as a “hotel”. Based on the previous night’s activity, they only expected a few dozen bats to emerge from the cave entrance at dusk in search of their dinner. We were all in for a surprise when several thousand bats swarmed out of the cave! The scene was super cool. The population of bats that habitat Carlsbad Cavern is migratory bats, unlike most bats in the US that hibernate for the winter. They return in May, raise their babies and then leave again in the fall.

If we were impressed with 2,000 bats, imagine the experience mid-summer when 400,000 bats emerge at dusk in search of food. Yes, all those zeros are correct.

The Bat Flight Program takes place in a small outdoor theatre near the entrance to the cave. It’s free, and no reservations are required. Park Rangers will talk about the park’s history and share details of bat life in Carlsbad during the most active season. It’s something not to be missed.

Visiting Carlsbad Caverns

Walking through Carlsbad Caverns Big Room is breathtaking. The open cave is enormous. It is the largest single cave chamber in the United States accessible for public tours. As in any cave, you’ll find stalactites, stalagmites and other structures with names to capture your imagination. But what stood out most to me was how open and spacious the cave was. You probably won’t get claustrophobic here!

We choose to walk down into the cave through the Natural Entrance. It’s a 1.25-mile hike that is a pretty good workout. The park service says to plan an hour as you cover the distance of a 75-foot tall building. The good news is the path is paved with a sturdy handrail and includes many switchbacks to reduce your angle of descent. I suspect we took well over an hour because we often stopped to look at the intriguing features in the cave.

If that hike sounds too much for you, feel free to use the elevator that takes you straight to the big room. Part of the big room is wheelchair accessible, and you’ll find shortcuts if you don’t want to walk the whole trail. Currently, there are no ranger-guided tours, and other cavern sections are not open for visitors. Hopefully, those options will open up again soon! Gratefully, we found rangers to be available throughout our walk to answer questions. And you can purchase a self-guided audio tour in the gift shop that many visitors enjoy.

Hiking in Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Although we chose to skip hiking here, there are a dozen desert hiking trails into the Guadalupe Mountains and the Chihuahuan Desert worth exploring if you have extra time in Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Some are short, like the paved trail to Walnut Canyon Overlook and others are long, like the Guadalupe Ridge Trail that spans 100 miles of backcountry.

How Long Should You Stay in Carlsbad Caverns National Park?

We’d suggest an overnight stay if the bats are back in town so you can experience the impressive Bat Flight. Visiting the cave is a full 1/2 day of adventure.

Days 5, 6 and 7: Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park is like no other and was the last stop on our New Mexico and West Texas road trip. Discover everything you love about the desert; gorgeous blooming cactus, endless expanses of sand and a calm feeling of deep isolation. Then toss in amazing views of deep canyons cut by raging water and the tall, stark Chisos mountains in the background. And at the end of all roads, you meet the Rio Grande, which defines the park’s southern boundary for 118 miles.

Hundreds of migratory birds pass through the park each year, making it a nature lovers delight.

Getting to Big Bend National Park

From Carlsbad Caverns, it’s a 4-hour drive on a primarily 2-lane highway to Big Bend National Park. Although we probably shouldn’t have been, we were surprised by the many oil wells we passed. And most of the road traffic was oil company trucks.

Fort Stockton along Interstate 10 is your last chance to stock up on supplies. After this town, gas stations and grocery stores are pretty thin, although not impossible to find if you are willing to pay premium prices.

Best Time to Visit Big Bend National Park

According to the Park Rangers, the best time to visit Big Bend is winter. Why? Because the desert sun is blistering here during the summer with daytime temperatures well over 100 degrees. There is very little shade in the park, especially on the hiking trails.

Even during our visit in early April, we struggled with the heat, and I overheated on one of our short hikes. The visitor centers in the southern points of the park, Rio Grand Village and Castolon, close in the summer due to the heat.

The Chisos Basin stays open as it is a tad cooler due to the higher elevation. But caution, that place was still hot in April. In contrast, friends who have visited in the winter months have found hiking much more comfortable.

Where to Stay in Big Bend National Park

Lodging options are limited because Big Bend National Park is so isolated. However, if you are up for trying new things, this is the place to be.

Big Bend Hotels

Within the park, Chisos Mountains Lodge is the only choice. You can find other lodging options about 45 minutes out of the park: to the north in Marathon and the west in Terlingua, Terlingua Ghost Town and Lajitas. The choices are a mix of unique lodges and rentals. You won’t find chain hotels here! Here are some options to check out in Terlingua which will put you close to the park.

Big Bend Camping

But as you know, tent camping is our thing! We explored the three campgrounds in the park, and for desert camping, they are perfect. The sites were chosen because they are a little oasis in the desert, providing shade in the day’s heat. Unfortunately, all were closed during our visit because of road resurfacing.

Primitive Road Campsites

So we tried something new! Primitive road campsites. Big Bend National Park is the only park we’ve encountered this option, so we were unsure what we would experience. However, we were driving our 4×4 truck on this road trip, so we decided to try it.

These campsites are on dirt or gravel roads that are rarely maintained. So the ruts are deep in many places. It took us over an hour to drive the 7 miles off the main road to our campsite on Old Ore Road. And the park service did not exaggerate the difficulty of navigating the terrain and the need for a high lift heavy-duty 4×4.

Our campsite (La Noria) was amazing! Unlike our night in Guadalupe National Park, where we could clearly hear the bedtime conversation of other campers, we were all alone. It was so peaceful. The sunset was beautiful. And I woke in the night to a sky with millions of stars filling our tent window.

We talked to another camper who spent a week in Big Bend, spending each night at a different Primitive Road Campsite. In hindsight, that would be the way to go if you have the vehicle for it so that you can taste each area of the park.

Camping Outside Big Bend

We spent our other 2 nights camping in a private tent-only campground near Terlingua, Rancho Topanga . The owners were super sweet, and it was convenient to the hiking on the west side of Big Bend.

Keep in mind that all camping will be desert camping with little to no shade. If you plan to be at your campsite during the day, bring along an awning, or you will cook! We tried to be out of camp by 10 am and not return until evening to avoid the hot sun.

A very popular camping option is Big Bend Ranch State Park near Terlingua. You’ll also find many other RV and tent camping options in the Terlingua and Lajitas areas.

Things to do in Big Bend National Park

Keeping in stride with the reputation of the Lone Star State, Big Bend is one huge National Park. The park covers over 800,000 acres which is about twice the size of the city of Houston. So we wanted to make sure we planned plenty of time to explore this park.

We found it easy to divide the park into three sections and spend one day exploring each area:

• The Rio Grande Village area
• Chisos Basin
• The Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to the Rio Grande

This park is big enough to easily write your own adventure plan ranging from 3 days to several weeks. It would be hard to see much in less than 3 days.

Rio Grande Village

Our day started with breakfast at our remote campsite. With the whole place to ourselves, it was hard to leave. But by 9:30 am, the sun was hot, and we found the truck’s air-conditioning calling our name. Since we were close to Rio Grande Village, we spent our first day exploring that area. We found plenty to do for a full day. Rio Grande Village is in the southeast corner of Big Bend. It might just be the hottest part of the park, and in the summer months, the visitor center is closed.

Even in the heat of summer, the campground is open. There is a well-stocked camp store that includes showers and a gas station. Of course, we grabbed a soda and an ice cream!

Daniels Ranch -Rio Grande Village Area

While in the village, wander over to Daniels Ranch. Here you can see an adobe house, part of the original ranch. But we found most interesting here is the irrigation system from the early 20th century that made this large farm possible Today, the irrigation from the river keeps the village area green, supplies water to the campground and helps shade trees survive.

Visiting Boquillas, Mexico – Rio Grande Village Area

Bring your passport, and you can cross the Mexico border to visit the village of Boquillas, Mexico. You can pay a small fee for a rowboat ride across the Rio Grande, or when waters are low, you can wade across. Once on the other side, Mexican vendors offer donkey and horse rides to the village, which sounds quite fun. However, since it’s only 1/2 mile, you can choose to walk. Merchants in the town sell their crafts and food.

We had looked forward to this side trip… however, we messed up on 2 levels. We forgot our passports, and we were there on a wrong day. The hours and days the Boquillas borde r Port of Entry is open are limited.

Boquillas Canyon – Rio Grande Village Area

With its craggy canyon walls and sandy beaches, Boquillas Canyon is a popular hike. The trail is a moderate 1.4-mile round trip walk. While the beginning is relatively steep, it levels out to an easy walk across a sandy beach along the river.

The challenge with this hike is the heat. The hike is full sun, and the canyon gets hot by early afternoon. However, most people jumped in the river to cool off! Brad joined them for a swim while I enjoyed a break in the little bit of shade we found.

We loved seeing wild horses along the river bank. Wild mules also enjoy the waters in Boquillas Canyon.

Hot Springs – Rio Grande Village Area

Our last stop in the Rio Grande Village area was the Hot Springs. Brad is a hot springs junkie, so we couldn’t miss an opportunity to soak in the warm waters!

In 1909 J.O. Langford opened a business on this site, offering healing baths in the 105-degree hot springs for 10 cents per day. Today, you’ll see the remains of some of the original buildings. We were surprised that the giant palm trees he planted to create a resort environment are still thriving. The spring itself is within the foundation walls of the original bathhouse.

It’s a short 1/2 mile walk to the Hot Springs from the nearby parking lot. Hot Springs trail takes you through sand, which makes it a little more work. Wear your bathing suit and enjoy the springs and the stunning view of the Rio Grande.

Chisos Basin Visitor Center

On our second day in Big Bend, we headed to the Chisos Basin. Everything we had read indicated it would be a little cooler here because of the higher elevation. Well… not so much. Maybe because we were there in April, quickly approaching the summer months, but it was still hot as blazes. You’ll find the Visitor Center, camp store, the Chisos Mountains Lodge, and Restaurant in a small village setting. Although it’s a worthwhile stop, there isn’t much to explore. While I waited for Brad to pack for our hike, I was entertained by a busy road runner. He had discovered that bugs on the grills of parked vehicles were an easy lunch!

Hiking Chisos Mountains – Chisos Basin Area

Some of the best hiking in the park takes off from the visitor center. The hikes range from the easy 0.3-mile Window View Trail to the extremely strenuous 14-mile South Rim, leading to stunning desert vistas. With over 3 dozen backcountry hike-in camping sites, it quickly becomes apparent why backpackers love winter hiking in Big Bend.

The Window Trail – Chisos Basin Area

We chose to hike the Window Trail, a 5.6 mile in and out that started at the Visitor Center parking lot. It was amazing! First, the hike was hot and in full sun for much of the trip, so we took our time stopping to cool down any time we found a little shade. But the destination is so worth the effort. You end in a slot canyon with just a split between the rocks looking out over the desert. Stunning!

The April heat drained our energy, so we relaxed for a bit and then headed back to camp for the evening.

Drive the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive

We got an early start on our last day because we needed to be on the road back to Houston by mid-afternoon. Our primary goal was to hike into the Santa Elena Canyon. To get there, we followed the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive.

This scenic drive covers 30 miles, taking you to the Castolon Historic District and Santa Elena Canyon. We chose to drive to the end and then stop along the way back so we could better monitor our limited time. If you have more time, plan to spend a whole day exploring along this road. There is a beautiful scenic overlook and several interesting short historic sites within a short walk.

We stopped at The Sam Nail Ranch, once a working farm in this area. Portions of buildings still exist, and the windmill is turning. We only spent a few minutes in the Castolon Historic District. I wish we had more time to explore.

We also snuck in a quick drive through the Castolon Cottonwood, the tent-only campground, which was a lush green oasis hidden in the desert. If you can get a reservation here, it’s worth a night’s stay.

Santa Elana Canyon – Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive Area

Santa Elana Canyon is not to be missed on your road trip to Big Bend National Park. The Rio Grande River carved a 1,500-foot vertical chasm into the limestone. It is stunning! You can view the canyon from an overlook along the scenic drive. But if you can handle the 1.7-mile round trip hike, it is a highlight of the park. The beginning of the hike is a steep climb up a staircase of switchbacks and then down the other side. But once you get over the cliff, the rest of the hike is level sand.

Along with dozens of other hikers, we waded in the Rio Grande to cool down. As we walked through the deep canyon walls, we couldn’t help but be in awe of mother nature’s ability to create immense beauty! What a perfect way to end our Texas and New Mexico Road Trip!

And Just Like That…Our Road Trip through West Texas and New Mexico National Parks Ends

More Tips for Your Road Trip through New Mexico and West Texas

• Although you will be able to find food and gas on this trip, there is quite a distance between stores. So don’t let yourself run low on either.
• Bring lots of water! We brought gallon jugs of water so we could refill our water bottles in addition to having plenty of cooking water.
• Take it slow. It’s going to be hot. Even in the cooler winter months, it’s going to be hot. Be well prepared for hiking in extremely hot weather conditions.
• We don’t recommend taking your dog camping in Big Bend due to the heat. We were glad we left our pup in Houston with family. She would have struggled with the heat. However, we were surprised to find an air-conditioned kennel available free of charge in Carlsbad Caverns NP. I poked my head in and the dogs were very comfy.
• Hiking in heat takes longer and is more strenuous than hiking in good weather, so make sure you have packed your daypack with all the essentials.

This was a great road trip and we were able to see some amazing scenery in the four national parks we visited. If you’re looking for an adventure, I would definitely recommend taking a West Texas and New Mexico National Park Road Trip. You could easily spend more time in each park if you have the time, or add in some of the amazing state parks for more things to do. There’s something for everyone in West Texas and New Mexico!

For more of our National Park Road Trip Adventures, complete with itineraries and things for you to do check out these posts:

• Utah National Park Road Trip: 5 Parks in 5 Days
• Colorado National Park Road Trip: Explore 4 Parks in 1 Week!

And for extra tips for a successful road tip, here’s exactly what you need.

• Travel Games for Adults to keep you busy on the long road.
• Tips for a Successful Road Trip with Your Dog to keep your puppy happy!
• Best Novels Set in National Parks are a great read on the road.

The Authors: Hey, we are Ladona and Brad, avid campers and hikers. We are crazy about getting outdoors at every possible moment and have decades of experience exploring nature. Our current goal is to visit all 63 US National Parks and just completed #42. WooHoo! Our mission is to help you plan your own adventures and create memories beyond your imagination!

• Liechtenstein
• Itineraries

The Perfect Itinerary for a Road Trip in the Atacama Desert

The Atacama Desert in Chile is the driest place on Earth and a breathtaking place not only because of its altitude! The vast landscapes, brightly colored lakes and high volcanoes make this place a destination not to be missed on a trip through South America or Chile.

• In this article
• Day 1 : Floating in a salty lake
• Day 2 : Vulcanoes, lakes and flamingos
• Day 3 : High altitude geysers

Drive yourself or join a tour?

Renting a car in calama, where to stay in san pedro de atacama, a 3-day roadtrip across the atacama desert.

The Atacama Desert is huge and many of the sights are far from San Pedro de Atacama. There is no public transportation, so for most places you have to rely on organized tours or a rental car. We have chosen the latter option and have mapped out the perfect route for a 3-day road trip through the Atacama Desert.

Day 1: Floating in a salty lake

Whether you are traveling by plane or already staying in San Pedro de Atacama, your road trip is likely to begin in Calama. Pick up your car at the airport, stop at a local supermarket for lunch and some snacks and head toward San Pedro de Atacama on Ruta 23.

Lagunas Baltinache Location

After about an hour’s drive you will come to a fork where you turn right onto a dirt road. From here it is another 45 km or 45 minutes drive to the Lagunas Baltinache.

The Lagunas Baltinache are a series of small lakes in a salt flat in the middle of the desert. The bright blue color of the water is in sharp contrast to the white of the salt flats and the brown and red colors of the surrounding landscape.

There is a trail running between the different pools and in the first and last lake you are allowed to swim. The water is freezing cold (about 12°C in winter) and because the salt content is so high, you stay afloat ! So don’t let the cold stop you, because it is a very fun experience.

A visit to Lagunas Baltinache costs CLP 10,000 ($12.5) per person. At the entrance there are showers where, after a refreshing swim, you can rinse the salt from your body.

The Magic Bus Location

On the way back from Lagunas Baltinache you can turn right onto a small road about 7 km before the junction with the main road. Follow this dirt road for about 9 km and you will come across a rusty bus that looks a bit like Christopher McCandless’ bus 142. The bus was used to transport miners to and from the salt mines in Valle de la Luna, but was abandoned in the desert after the mines closed.

Valle de la Luna Location

Only 10 km away from San Pedro de Atacama you will find the Valle de la Luna. Its jagged, salty rock formations and high sand dunes resemble a lunar landscape . Because of its proximity to the village and its extraordinary scenery, Valle de la Luna is the most popular destination in the Atacama Desert.

A gravel road runs through the park, passing a number of attractions such as the Three Marias rock formation, a salt mine, and the Duna Mayor sand dune. This dune is also the perfect place to end the first day of your Atacama Desert road trip with a beautiful sunset!

A ticket to Valle de la Luna can only be purchased online and will cost you CLP 10,000 ($12.5). The last admission to the park is at 4 p.m . for cars or 1 p.m. if you arrive by bike. The park is closed on Saturdays .

Day 2: Vulcanoes, lakes and flamingos

Today you will explore the area of the Atacama Desert to the south of San Pedro de Atacama. On Ruta 23 you will drive through vast plains surrounded by mountains and volcanoes. On your right you will see the Atacama Salt Flats in the distance. Along the way, somewhere between the villages of Toconao and Socaire, you will cross the Tropic of Capricorn!

Lagunas Miscanti and Miñiques Location

About 20 km after Socaire, turn left onto a dirt road that will take you to the Miscanti and Miñiques Lakes. These two bright blue lakes, the Lagunas Altiplánicas, are at an altitude of 4000m and are connected by underground channels. On a calm day you can see the volcano Miscanti and Miñiques reflected in the water!

Combined tickets for Lagunas Altiplánicas and Piedros Rojas cost CLP 15,000 ($18) and are only available at a small roadside office in Socaire . So be sure to make a stop here before you head out into the middle of nowhere!

Salar de Talar and Piedras Rojas Location

Further to the south, about 50 km away from the Lagunas Altiplánicas, are the salt flats of Talar . Again, the brownish-red hues of the mountains beyond contrast with the greenish-blue waters of the salt flats.

You can leave your car at the brand new visitor center and take a short walk to the water’s edge. A very special feature of this area is the bright red volcanic rock at the edge of the lake. Don’t forget to bring a wind stopper as the wind can be very strong here!

Laguna Tuyajto Location

Can’t get enough of these beautiful lakes? Then keep driving, because less than 10 km away is Laguna Tuyajto. This pale blue salt lake has a maximum depth of just 0.6 meters and is fed only by underground springs.

Laguna Chaxa Location

On the way back to San Pedro de Atacama, you can make a stop at the Salar de Atacama salt flats for what may be the best stop of the day! This is said to be the best place in the Atacama Desert to see flamingos, and it seems to be true. A hiking trail will take you through the salt flats and along the water, where with a bit of luck you can get up close and personal with the animals!

Make sure you get here an hour before sunset , because that’s when Laguna Chaxa is at its most beautiful. The warm glow of the setting sun turns the white salt flats orange and the mountains in the background take on a pink hue.

A ticket to Laguna Chaxa costs CLP 5,000 ($8) and can be purchased at the entrance. In winter, the lake closes at 6 p.m. and the last entry is at 5:30 p.m. Use the B-355 access road near Toconao, it is semi-paved and the fastest way to get there.

Day 3: High altitude geysers

On this final day of your road trip, you will head north to explore one of the Atacama Desert’s most popular destinations: the El Tatio geyser field. Most tours leave before dawn, as the geysers are most active at sunrise. We decided to avoid the crowds (and more importantly, stay in bed a little longer) and had the geyser field to ourselves around 10am!

El Tatio geyser field Location

The El Tatio geyser field is located at an altitude of 4300 meters and is not only one of the highest geyser fields in the world, but with about 80 active geysers it is also one of the largest! Do not expect spectacular eruptions like in Iceland or Yellowstone, but many small bubbling pools of water and mud. The combination of smells, colors and the surrounding landscape make this a special place.

A ticket to El Tatio costs CLP 15,000 (€15). This ticket also gives you access to the local hot springs. The drive from San Pedro de Atacama takes about 1.5 hours . The road is mostly unpaved with some pretty bad sections, but with some caution it is passable with a normal car.

Río Putana and the Puritama hotsprings Location

Perhaps more impressive than El Tatio is the trip to and from the geyser field itself. Just beyond Machuca, at more than 4,100 meters, you will arrive at Mirador Putana . Here you have a beautiful view of the plateau with the wide Putana River in the foreground and some colorful volcanoes in the distance. Wherever you look there are vicuñas grazing, and if you are lucky you might be able to see viscachas or flamingos as well!

On the way back you can stop for lunch in one of the small villages. If you skipped the hot springs at El Tatio, the ones at Puritama might convince you. The water is a little less warm (between 28°C and 31°C), but the surroundings are much more beautiful! The springs are located in a deep canyon surrounded by grass and reeds.

Stargazing in the Atacama desert

With its dry climate and little to no light pollution, the Atacama Desert is one of the best places on Earth for stargazing. Booking a stargazing tour is well worth it, but you can also drive a short distance out of town and look up!

Spending as much time as you want at a volcano or lake is the biggest advantage of having your own car. We often stopped along the way for a photo or to get a closer look at the wandering vicuñas and ostriches! Most tours stop at a sight at the same time, so with a little planning you can easily avoid the crowds .

For an organized tour in the Atacama Desert you can expect to pay between €25 and €40. If you want to visit the main sights in the area, you will quickly book about 4-5 tours anyway. If you are traveling with two or more people, you can share the cost of the rental car and fuel, and traveling with your own car is not much more expensive or even cheaper than organized tours.

It is possible to rent a car in San Pedro de Atacama itself, but there are only a few car rental companies, so availability is limited and prices are a bit higher. We rented our car at the Calama airport through Rentalcars.com . If you come by plane to San Pedro de Atacama, you will land here and can pick up your car right away. If you are arriving from Bolivia or are already staying in San Pedro de Atacama, you can get to Calama by bus in about 1.5 hours.

Buses run daily from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama. Tickets and schedules are available at Busbud.com or at the bus station in San Pedro de Atacama. A single ride costs about €5 and takes 1.5 hours.

We rented a compact SUV from United Rent a Car through Rentalcars.com and paid €60 per day including the full insurance offered by Rentalcars.com . The roads in the Atacama Desert are generally very good. Often you will drive the last stretch to your destination on dirt roads, but even these are passable with a smaller car.

An international driver’s license is recommended, but neither when picking up the car nor at the police check did they ask for one and our Belgian license was sufficient.

There is no shortage of hotels and hostels in San Pedro de Atacama, but because it is a popular starting point for the Atacama Desert, prices are a bit higher than in the rest of South America. We stayed at Hostal Kirckir , which is within walking distance of downtown, but with plenty of space to park our car.

Small, simple rooms without heating. Good breakfast. Small pool and space in front to park car.

Very centrally located. Beautiful garden with swimming pool. Cozy rooms with delicious breakfast.

Very luxurious! Beautifully decorated, excellent breakfast. Located right in the city center. An oasis in the desert!

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Albuquerque to Las Vegas Road Trip Itinerary

Your Albuquerque to Las Vegas road trip will take you through some of the most stunning sections of the American Southwest!

You’ll visit multiple National Parks Service sites, including several national monuments and a national park. You’ll have the option to add on a section national park if you’d like to extend your trip.

You’ll also find rolling desert landscapes, quaint towns along historic Route 66, and easy hikes for the entire family.

Below, I’ve shared my family’s favorite stops between Albuquerque and Las Vegas, including places to stay, our go-to campgrounds, where to eat, and other tips to help your road trip go smoothly.

I’ve also included several places where you can add on a side trip for even more fun in this part of the United States.

So, what are you waiting for? Let’s hit the road!

This post contains affiliates. If you purchase through the links below, I will receive a commission at no charge to you.

What to Expect when Visiting New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada

1) watch your weather..

Since you’re in the desert for the entirety of this road trip, you’ll want to ensure that you are ready for weather.

In the summers, temperatures can easily soar over 90 degrees (and often much higher). Yes, it’s a dry heat, but you can still get dehydrated very quickly. Pack more water than you think you’ll need—and then add a bit more.

While the winters aren’t particularly harsh, and you won’t see substantial snow, you will face cool days and cold nights while in the desert.

If you’re camping at any point in the year, plan ways to stay warm in the evenings and night as the temperatures drop by 15-20 degrees once the sun goes down.

2) Dress for success.

Stay covered on the trails as you won’t have any natural cover. This means you’ll need a long sleeved sun shirt, hat, and plenty of sunscreen.

You’ll want to do so even in the winter months as you can still get burned, both by the sun and wind, when it’s chilly outside.

Layers are key in the desert. You’ll want to be able to regulate your body temperature in response to the constantly changing temperatures.

For more information on my favorite hiking clothes, check out these articles:

Best Kids Hiking Gear + Checklist

Best Hiking Clothes for Women: Building a Capsule Wardrobe

3) Go remote.

Much of this road trip itinerary follows I-40, which is a major interstate through the Southwest.

Even though you’ll have plenty of company on the road, there are several stretches where you won’t have easy access to any gas, snacks, or water.

Unlike on the Denver to Grand Canyon road trip itinerary , you won’t find road signs telling you the number of miles to the next set of facilities.

Stay ahead of your gas tank, and stop whenever you’re near one of the often infrequent exits.

When you get off of I-40, you’ll be following the original Route 66 for much of the way to Las Vegas. While there are small towns on this stretch, they, too, are miles apart, and not all have gas stations.

Albuquerque, NM, to Las Vegas, NV, Road Trip Itinerary

For the purposes of this itinerary, we’re moving west from Albuquerque, but you could just as easily do this road trip in reverse from Las Vegas to Albuquerque.

Regardless of which direction you’re planning to do this trip, you’ll want to tack on at least a day on either end to explore Albuquerque and Las Vegas, which I haven’t focused on here.

Another thing to note is that I’ve organized the following places as individual stops rather than as a day-by-day itinerary.

Going about the road trip itinerary this way means that you have more flexibility in making it your own. Plus, many of these sites are fairly close together, so you can choose how quickly you’d like to move through them.

That being said, you could easily do this road trip in 3-5 days without any of the suggested side trips.

Or, you could linger at each stop, fully exploring them, and completing the side trips for a road trip that lasted 1-2 weeks (or more, depending on how long you want at each place!).

There’s really no wrong way to go about this road trip.

I’ve included drive times between each stop to help you better organize your own version, as well as suggested areas to hike, eat, and/or camp.

Stop 1: Grants, New Mexico

As you set out from Albuquerque, the landscape outside of your car will be filled with rolling red deserts, sagebrush, and craggy cliffs.

However, as you approach Grants, New Mexico, that landscape begins to resemble the surface of the moon.

Huge chunks of a matte black substance push their way past the grass on either side of the road, and you might be left wondering if an asphalt truck blew up on this section of the highway.

But the answer is one that’s far more exciting than a malfunctioning piece of road machinery.

You’re seeing the results of volcanic activity that reshaped this part of western New Mexico between 700,000 and just 3,900 years ago.

You can explore more of this incredible natural wonder at the 2 main sites near Grants, New Mexico.

El Malpais National Monument

This NPS sites allows you to hike through and learn about the lava flows.

You’ll see how the unique geological formations here provided shelter to generations of Native Americans, particularly the Zuni and Acoma tribes, as well as Spanish explorers, the Navajo nation, and pioneers.

There are a variety of surface trails that allow you to access the different lava flow areas. More adventurous visitors can take a self-guided tour into one of the many lava tubes, but you’ll want to bring the appropriate safety gear.

The national monument is open year round, although some of the caves are off limits to the public during the winter to protect resident bats.

Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano

A privately owned site, the Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano is another great way to explore this fascinating landscape.

It’s not as large as the nearby NPS site, but it’s still worth a visit.

Included in the admission cost is a museum filled with Native American artifacts and 2 self-guided hikes. The Ice Cave stays chilly year round with naturally occurring sheets of ice on the walls.

It does close in the winter from November 1-March 1.

Stop 2: Petrified Forest National Park

The next major stop on I-40 West is going to be the exit for the Painted Desert Visitors Center at Petrified Forest National Park.

At the visitors center, you can grab a map of the park, pick up a souvenir, watch the park’s history movie, or have a picnic.

There’s also a gas station here. It’s really expensive, but convenient. There’s no other gas at this exit or anywhere in the park for another 25-30 miles.

Once you’re in the park, you’ll be able to see the southern end of the Painted Desert, which has red, orange, grey, blue, purple, and yellow layers in the worn away rock.

On the end of the park closest to Holbrook, you’ll be able to see fields of petrified trees from the forest that once stood here more than 250 million years ago.

More posts to help you with your time at Petrified Forest National Forest:

1 Day Petrified Forest National Park Itinerary

5 Best Hikes in Petrified Forest National Park

Stop 3: Holbrook, AZ

Although I-40 parallels—and in some places, directly overlays—historic Route 66, Holbrook, Arizona is the first place on this road trip where you can drive or walk along the actual Route 66.

Holbrook isn’t the most exciting place along this stretch of Route 66 (I think Winslow, below, is a much better stop), but it does have a few items to see beyond the handful of large gas stations next to I-40.

The Wigwam Motel in downtown Holbrook was the inspiration for the Cozy Cone Motel in Cars , and it is only 1 of 3 remaining concrete teepee-style motels from the once popular chain.

While we haven’t stayed at the one in Holbrook, we did stay at the sister site, the historic Wigwam Village in Cave City, Kentucky .

Holbrook also has a couple of shops that sell petrified wood and other minerals. It’s illegal to take wood from the national park, so this is a good alternative if you’d like a souvenir.

We used Holbrook as a base for this entire area during our last visit to Arizona. The Holbrook KOA is an excellent choice for families with plenty of amenities and easy on-off from I-40.

>> Full review here: Holbrook, AZ, KOA: Best Camping near Petrified Forest National Park . <<

Stop 4: Winslow, AZ

Less than 30 minutes west of Holbrook is the quaint town of Winslow, AZ.

Also located on Route 66, Winslow has several reasons why you’d want to visit: a fascinating history, a cute downtown area, and a tie-in to classic rock.

Downtown Winslow, Arizona

For fans of ‘70s rock, you won’t want to miss Standin’ on a Corner Park in the heart of downtown Winslow, Arizona.

This little town was immortalized in the second verse of The Eagles’ 1972 hit, “Take It Easy.” Winslow is noted in the song and was inspired by a road trip that the members took as they were trying to finish their debut album.

Fifty years later, people still visit by the bus load to take their picture with the iconic flatbed Ford and the massive Route 66 sign at the park.

Discover what else you can do in this adorable town in my complete guide to Winslow, Arizona, on historic Route 66 .

Homolovi Ruins State Park

About 5 miles to the north of Winslow is another great place to visit: Homolovi Ruins State Park.

Here, you can learn about 2 archeological sites that focus on different native people who called this area home from roughly 1000-1400 CE.

Of the 2, we found that the Homolovi II hike had more to see for our kids, but both are worth a visit if you’re into history.

You can also take a short hike to the Mormon pioneer graveyard behind the visitors center, which is the only remaining part of the small village that existed here in the late 1880s.

Keep an eye out for the park’s many wild burros, which are often found on the rugged hills along the main road.

Stop 5: Meteor Crater

If you’ve ever wanted to feel small, Meteor Crater is an excellent place to do so.

Created by a meteor about 50,000 years ago, this massive site is so much more than just a big hole in the ground.

Of course, the crater itself is a highlight—and you must make time for the 45-minute tour of the crater rim (included in the cost of admission).

You can also see and touch a piece of the meteor, walk through multiple interactive museum areas, experience a 4D ride about space and the crater, and shop for space-themed souvenirs.

Kids should complete the scavenger hunt booklets to receive a free science ranger patch.

There are also picnic tables inside of the property, making this a great stop mid-day between Winslow and Flagstaff.

You’ll find easy RV parking in the back lot.

Stop 6: Flagstaff, AZ

Flagstaff is worth at least a day on your trip—if not longer.

Here, you can hike in Walnut Canyon National Monument, the Kachina Wetlands Preserve, or Picture Canyon.

For those interested in history, the Pioneer Museum and the Museum of Northern Arizona are great choices.

You can learn more about the spooky side of the city with a ghost tour of downtown Flagstaff .

From Flagstaff, you can add on two possible side trips, one north of the city, and one south.

Side trip 1: Sedona, AZ

A short 45 minute drive south of Flagstaff is this quirky city with a New Age vibe. Here, you can find everything from healing crystal shops to hot springs to incredible hiking.

You could easily spend an entire vacation exploring Sedona’s many shopping centers and museums, and hiking the dozens of excellent trails around the city.

Side trip 2: Grand Canyon National Park

You can easily drive to the Grand Canyon in your rental car, or you can join up with a guided tour of the Grand Canyon from Flagstaff .

Either way, expect a full day of sightseeing: you’ll want to be on the road no later than 8 AM to maximize your time in the Grand Canyon.

It’s about an hour and a half from downtown Flagstaff to the South Rim at the Grand Canyon, but the journey is half the fun. There are some beautiful overlooks in the desert along this stretch of Highways 180 and 64.

If you’re visiting the Grand Canyon with kids , don’t forget to note my family’s favorite kid-friendly activities here.

Stop 7: Seligman, AZ

From Flagstaff, you’ll head west on I-40 again.

While you could continue on the way from Flagstaff to Kingman fully on I-40, I highly recommend that you hop onto Route 66 at Seligman.

Not only is Seligman kitschy in the best way possible, the stretch of Route 66 from Seligman through Peach Springs and down to Kingman, Arizona, is breathtaking.

I don’t know about you, but a road trip isn’t a road trip without some backroad driving!

Seligman is small, but it is a great place to stop for lunch and dessert.

Roadkill Cafe and OK Saloon

The oddly named Roadkill Cafe and OK Saloon is Route 66 quirkiness at its peak.

Despite what the menu items might lead you to believe, you can’t actually get an armadillo burger here.

What you will find are fresh cooked diner meals—burgers, chicken fingers, fries, and the like—served up in restaurant where the food and the decor are equal draws.

After you’ve tucked in, browse the gift shop/museum in the back.

And don’t forget to get a few pictures outside at the faux Wild West town on the other side of the parking lot!

Delgadillo’s Snow Cap

About a block east from the Roadkill Cafe is the vintage Delgadillo’s Snow Cap, which offers dozens of milkshake flavors. (They also have burgers, fries, and other drive-in style food, but we have always gone straight for the desserts here!)

A Route 66 staple since the early 1950s, the employees still sling ice cream with a side of sarcasm. Don’t take too long to order, or the window attendant will poke fun of you!

The inside and outside of Delgadillo’s is covered in vintage signs, photos, postcards, and more. Linger a bit as you enjoy your shake.

As you continue west from Seligman towards Kingman, look for the Burma Shave signs that pepper the road side.

These are funny 4-part poems that always end in a Berma Shave shoutout. In addition to advertising this popular hair cream, the signs were also placed along Route 66 to keep drivers alert.

Stop 8: Kingman, AZ

Kingman is the largest town between Flagstaff and Las Vegas on this itinerary, so it’s a great place to stop for gas, groceries, or rest.

If you’re into the history of the Mother Road, you need to plan several hours here.

First, get a picture with the historic Route 66 sign! This is located on the eastern end of the downtown area on Route 66 (also known as Andy Devine Avenue in this section).

If you’d like another photo op, there’s another Route 66 sign in the parking lot to the Arizona Route 66 Museum, also on Andy Devine Avenue near Locomotive Park.

Both the museum and Locomotive Park are worth stops, too, especially if you’d like to learn more about the various forms of transportation that created Kingman and other Route 66 towns.

Once you’re ready to leave Kingman, you’ll want to head northwest on Highway 93, which will ultimately take you directly into Las Vegas through Henderson, Nevada.

But before we can make it to Las Vegas, we’ve still got some more exploring to do.

Along this highway, you’ll find several overlooks, and I encourage you to stop whenever one strikes your fancy.

This road trip is one where the topography changes constantly, and you’ll notice that this stretch of Highway 93 looks quite different than what you just left along Route 66.

The Crane’s Nest Wash Overpass is well marked with an easy, paved access point. It will be on your left about 5 miles south of the Hoover Dam.

Another great place to stop is the trailhead for the Spooky Canyon hike . This is an easy, flat trail that takes you into a slot canyon.

Stop 9: Hoover Dam

To maximize your experience of this area, I recommend downloading the GuideAlong tour for Las Vegas, Hoover Dam and Red Rock Canyon .

We’ve used these tours on many of our road trips, and I love that I can get a fully narrated tour for less than the cost of lunch for my family.

Plus, it doesn’t need wifi once it’s downloaded, and you can start and stop as many times as you need!

You’ll want to stop in the Hoover Dam Visitors Center and get tickets for the guided tour.

The Hoover Dam is an engineering marvel, and it’s worth a few hours of your time even if you’re not particularly interested in engineering history.

The scale of this project can only be appreciated by walking through the structure itself.

You can get another perspective of the Hoover Dam and the Colorado River with a guided rafting tour below the Hoover Dam . Great for all ages, this leisurely water-based tour lets you see the ways that the dam changed the river’s flow and ecosystem forever.

Final Stop: Las Vegas!

Your road trip is over, but the fun doesn’t have to end here.

Las Vegas is well worth a day or two of your time at the end of your trip: see the Bellagio fountains, go shopping along the Strip, and take in a show at the Sphere.

I hope that your family enjoyed this road trip as much as we have.

Happy travels!

Interested in other Southwestern adventures?

Denver to Grand Canyon Road Trip Itinerary

Monument Valley with Kids

KOA in Tucumcari, NM: A Review

Best New Mexico Campgrounds for Families

Santa Fe to White Sands Road Trip

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Changji & Urumqi 4-Day Cultural and Natural Wonders Itinerary

April 16, 2024 · 3 min read

Embark on a 4-day journey through the cultural and natural landscapes of Changji and Urumqi, where history and modernity intertwine. Begin your adventure at the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum, where you'll spend two hours delving into the rich history and diverse cultures of the region. Next, find tranquility amidst the bustling city at Hongshan Park, a serene city park offering three hours of leisurely exploration. Cap off your first day with a visit to the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, a vibrant market where you can immerse yourself in local commerce and craftsmanship for two hours. Day two introduces you to the Xinjiang Ancient Ecological Park, a two-hour journey into the past, followed by the mesmerizing Guhya Salt Lake, where you'll spend another two hours marveling at its unique landscape. The third day is an outdoor enthusiast's dream, with a full day dedicated to exploring the majestic Tianshan Grand Canyon and the exhilarating slopes of the Silk Road International Ski Resort. Your final day in Changji allows you to savor local flavors at ChangJi HuiMin XiaoChi Jie, a characteristic neighborhood known for its culinary delights, before venturing into the vast Gurbantunggut Desert for a day of adventure and discovery. Each day is filled with unique experiences that showcase the beauty and culture of this fascinating region.

• Day 1: Unveiling the Cultural Tapestry of Urumqi

Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum

Begin your Urumqi adventure with a deep dive into the region's rich history at the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum. Located at No. 581, Northwest Road, Shayibake District, this museum is a treasure trove of cultural artifacts that tell the story of the Silk Road and the diverse ethnic groups of Xinjiang. Allocate around 2 hours to explore its extensive collection, which includes well-preserved mummies, vibrant costumes, and intricate tapestries that are sure to captivate your imagination.

Attraction Info

• No. 581, Northwest Road, Shayibake District, Urumqi
• Suggested tour duration: 2-3 hour
• Open on Tue-Sun,10:30am-6:00pm;Closed on Mon;Open from 10:30am-6:00pm during Chinese public holidays

Recommended Nearby Restaurants

Hongshan Park

After immersing yourself in the past, step into the tranquility of Hongshan Park, a lush city oasis nestled at No. 40, North 1st Lane, Hongshan Road, Shuimogou District. Spend about 3 hours wandering through its serene pathways, admiring the traditional Chinese architecture, and perhaps even climbing up to the Red Mountain for a panoramic view of Urumqi. It's the perfect spot to relax and reflect amidst the natural beauty and local life.

• No. 40, North 1st Lane, Hongshan Road, Shuimogou District, Urumqi City
• Suggested tour duration: 3 hour
• Open from 7:30am-11:00pm

Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar

Conclude your day with a sensory feast at the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, situated at No. 8, Jiefang South Road, Tianshan District. With 2 hours to meander through this vibrant marketplace, you'll experience the heartbeat of Urumqi's commerce. Engage with friendly vendors, savor delicious Uygur delicacies, and find the perfect souvenir among the colorful crafts and textiles. The bazaar is not just a shopping destination; it's a cultural experience that encapsulates the spirit of Urumqi.

• No. 8, Jiefang South Road, Tianshan District, Urumqi
• Open 24 hours

Where to Stay Tonight

Waimao hotel, ruby elegant hotel (xinjiang international grand bazaar erdaoqiao subway station).

• Day 2: Time-Travel and Tranquility in Urumqi

Xinjiang Ancient Ecological Park

Begin your second day with a journey back in time at the Xinjiang Ancient Ecological Park, nestled at No.158 Kunming Road in the bustling Xinshi District. Allocate a good two hours to immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of history and nature that this park weaves. As you wander through the park, you'll encounter meticulously reconstructed ancient buildings and a variety of plant species that have been part of Xinjiang's landscape for centuries. The park serves as a living museum, offering a glimpse into the ecological heritage and traditional architecture of the region.

• No.158Kunming Road,Xinshi District,Urumqi City
• Open from 10/16-04/30,10:00am-7:30pm;Open from 5/1-10/15,9:00am-9:00pm

Guhya Salt Lake

After delving into the past, take a serene 70 km drive south to the mesmerizing Guhya Salt Lake, located on Yanhu Street in Daban District. Set aside another two hours to soak in the ethereal beauty of this natural wonder. Often referred to as the 'Mirror of the Sky', the lake's crystal-clear waters reflect the vast blue heavens, creating a surreal and peaceful atmosphere. The unique saline properties of the lake and the surrounding landscape offer a perfect opportunity for contemplation and photography, making it an essential stop in your Urumqi adventure.

• Yanhu Street, Daban District, Urumqi (about 70 km south of Urumqi)
• Suggested tour duration: 2-4 hour
• Open from 4/20-10/31,10:00am-8:30pm;Open from 11/01-04/19,10:00am-7:00pm

Lejia Hotel, Dabancheng, Urumqi

Silk road star inn.

• Day 3: Majestic Mountains and Winter Sports in Urumqi

Tianshan (“Heavenly Mountain”) Grand Canyon, Ürümqi

Starting your third day with the awe-inspiring Tianshan Grand Canyon sets the tone for a day of natural wonders. Nestled in the heart of Xinjiang, this magnificent canyon is a testament to the raw beauty of Urumqi. Carved by the forces of nature over millennia, the Tianshan Grand Canyon boasts towering cliffs, diverse flora, and a palette of earth tones that photographers dream of. Allocate a full day to meander through its vast expanse, as every turn presents a new vista more breathtaking than the last. The canyon is not just a feast for the eyes; it's a sanctuary for the soul, inviting visitors to disconnect from the world and immerse themselves in the tranquility of the mountains.

• Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
• Suggested tour duration: 0.5-1 day
• Open from 05/01-10/06,9:00am-6:30pm;Open from 10/07-04/30,10:00am-6:30pm

Silk Road International Ski Resort

After a day of tranquil exploration, it's time to amp up the excitement at the Silk Road International Ski Resort. This outdoor skiing haven offers a thrilling experience for winter sports enthusiasts. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a beginner eager to learn, the resort's snowy slopes provide the perfect backdrop for an entire day of fun. With state-of-the-art facilities and a variety of runs to suit all skill levels, the Silk Road International Ski Resort is the ideal place to carve out new memories on the powdery trails of Urumqi. As you glide down the slopes, let the crisp mountain air invigorate your senses and cap off an exhilarating Day 3 of your Changji Urumqi adventure.

• Open from 10:00am-7:00pm

Urumqi Jili Homestay Coffee Camping

• Day 4: Culinary Delights and Desert Wonders in Changji

ChangJi HuiMin XiaoChi Jie

Begin your final day in Changji with a flavorful foray into the heart of local culture at ChangJi HuiMin XiaoChi Jie. Nestled along Jianshe Road, this characteristic neighborhood invites you to indulge in a two-hour gastronomic adventure. Savor the authentic tastes of the region as you meander through the bustling street, where the aroma of traditional spices fills the air and vendors showcase an array of local delicacies. It's a perfect spot to collect edible souvenirs and to experience the daily life of Changji's residents.

• Jianshe Road, Changji, China

Gurbantunggut Desert

After treating your taste buds, embark on a journey to the majestic Gurbantunggut Desert. As the second largest desert in China, it offers a stark contrast to the morning's urban escapade. Located east of the Manas River and south of the Ulungu River, the desert's vast expanse of golden sands promises a full day of exploration and adventure. Whether you're captivated by the solitude of the dunes or the unique desert ecosystem, the Gurbantunggut Desert is an unforgettable finale to your Changji itinerary.

• East of Manas River and south of Ulungu River in Changji City, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture

* All user reviews in this article have been translated by machine.

* The information above is subject to change at any time. For the latest information, please check the websites of hotels and attractions.

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What You Need to Know About Taking a Mystery Trip

Travelers typically don’t find out their destination until the last minute for a true surprise.

Sheryl Jean,

All Kaye and Jim Peloquin stipulated before their first “mystery” trip was that they wanted to go somewhere warm for four days and that they liked food and history. When they arrived at the airport, they opened an envelope to learn they were headed to New Orleans .

“The funny thing was that New Orleans was a place we had always talked about wanting to visit,” says Kaye, 59, who lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. “It was like Pack Up + Go was fulfilling a dream of ours.”

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The Peloquins paid that Pittsburgh-based company to plan their mystery trip, which included airfare, hotel, a food tour and tickets to the National WWII Museum . They enjoyed the hassle-free experience so much that they’ve taken two other trips around the country.

They’re not alone. A recent Booking.com survey found that 52 percent of global travelers want to book trips where the destination remains a mystery until arrival.

Mystery or “surprise” vacations where the destination is hidden until the last minute are gaining in popularity as travel continues to rebound to pre-pandemic levels and people seek more spontaneity and less stress in their vacation planning.

At least 15 web-based companies offer mystery travel packages either in the U.S. or internationally.

Vacationers 50-plus comprise a large share of mystery travelers, some companies say. Pack Up + Go notes 33 percent of participants are 50-plus, including empty nesters, people too busy to plan a trip and those celebrating a milestone.

Trusting someone else to plan a trip can be a little scary, but it also provides a sense of freedom and adventure.

“My husband and I were like, ‘What if this is horrible?’ ” Kaye Peloquin says. “But I was really busy in my career, and I just didn’t have the time to plan travel. It’s exhausting, and it takes a lot of research.”

How it works

Although there are small differences between companies, the general concept of mystery travel is similar. You choose how to travel (by plane, train or car) and provide a financial budget based on how many people will travel for how many days. Then you fill out a 10-15-minute survey about past trips (so you aren’t sent somewhere you’ve been), interests, preferences (Do you like the beach or the mountains?) and any dietary or mobility restrictions.

London-based Brown & Hudson uses a psychological-based survey to tailor surprise travel worldwide to each traveler’s personality. Pack Up + Go’s pre-trip survey includes a checklist of about 35 interests. Because of that, “no two trips are the same,” says Lillian Rafson, who founded Pack Up + Go in 2016.

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Travelers usually receive a weather forecast, a packing list and instructions on when to arrive at an airport or train station before departure. They learn their destination at the airport in an Instagram-worthy moment of ripping open an envelope to reveal the place. Most companies provide clues in a series of envelopes mixed with emails to heighten the anticipation. The exact timing of deliverables differs from company to company.

Whym Travel doesn’t reveal departure details until 24 hours beforehand and the destination two to three hours before departure. With Black Tomato, a New York-based luxury travel company that offers Get Lost mystery adventures, travelers don’t learn of their destination until they get there.

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The cost varies — from $30 for a road trip itinerary to tens of thousands of dollars for a multi-week, survival-type adventure overseas. Most trips don’t include food unless they’re billed as all-inclusive.

Pack Up + Go’s average price for a plane trip for two people for four days and three nights is $2,700, Rafson says. That includes airfare, accommodations, a guaranteed activity, dinner reservations and recommendations. If any budget is left over, it goes toward other activities. Train or car trips start at about $1,000 for two nights. All travelers receive printed and digital itineraries.

Another mystery travel company, Guess Where Trips offers one-day digital road trip itineraries for $39, or $65 for a “pretty package” that arrives in the mail, founder Jessica Off says. Prices exclude overnight lodgings but include recommendations. In the mailing, travelers don’t learn their final destination until the last of five envelopes.

What are the options?

Some surprise travel companies focus on shorter domestic trips.

“One day appeals to people because many don’t want to pay for a multiday surprise trip because it’s a little risky,” says Off, whose 2019 Christmas gift to her parents inspired her to start Guess Where Trips a year later.

The Canada-based company offers road trips in that country and certain U.S. cities in about a dozen states plus Washington, D.C. California was added this year, and Michigan, Ohio, Washington and Texas are also on tap for 2024, Off says.

Guess Where Trips’ 50-60-page itineraries include maps, facts, at least one free stop such as a walk, and recommended pay stops such as museums. Off boasts that the company sends someone to test “every single road trip.”

One California Day provides day trip itineraries in that state mapped with four surprise stops. It’s the least expensive option at $30 for a downloadable PDF.

Because Guess Where Trips’ and One California Day’s “itineraries to go” don’t include bookings, travelers can use them whenever it suits them.

Mercedes “Mercy” Mesa, 49, and husband Eduardo, 50, have taken two Guess Where road trips with their 20-something daughters near their home in Miami. She liked the affordability, easy-to-follow directions and the lack of crowds wherever they went.

“The Everglades was fantastic,” Mesa says. “We went to a little store that had so much history, and we got to meet the owner. We also went to the smallest post office in the U.S. [in Ochopee, Florida]. I was born and raised here, and I didn’t even know those places existed.”

Ramping up options

For more adventure, some companies offer mystery mixed with physical challenges similar to The Amazing Race television show.

On Competitours’ worldwide trips, teams compete in daily surprise challenges to win prizes. Most 10-day trips cost about $4,000 per person.

Black Tomato’s Get Lost trips go even farther — into remote areas on every continent. Travelers choose a terrain (polar, jungle, desert, mountain or coastal), and the company might plan trekking in Borneo or navigating the desert in Jordan, including any necessary visas, says Rob Murray-John, head of special projects. The company provides survival-skills training pre-trip and upon arrival, where travelers are outfitted on site with everything needed, including a satellite phone for emergencies, he adds. Trips start around $15,000.

Because of Get Lost’s complexities, travelers should start the process at least six months ahead. With other companies, such as Guess Where Trips, the planning process can take as little as two weeks.

Some companies, including Guess Where Trips and Pack Up + Go, offer wheelchair-accessible options.

Peloquin already is thinking about her next surprise trip — maybe this fall or next year.

“We love to travel, but I can only handle planning one big thing a year,” she says of herself and her husband. “It’s nice to go to places in the U.S. where we haven’t been.”

Sheryl Jean is a contributing writer who covers aging, business, technology, travel, health and human-interest stories. A former reporter for several daily metropolitan newspapers, her work also has appeared in the  Chicago Tribune  and  The Dallas Morning News  and on the American Heart Association’s website.

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I've been to 54 countries and have lived in 10. These 5 underrated places are worth the trip.

• Kate Boardman has visited 54 countries around the world and lived in 10, including the US.
• She's enjoyed spots like France and Bali but says people should visit underrated places like Oman.
• In Ecuador, she climbed an active volcano, and in Guatemala, she swam with hammerhead sharks.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kate Boardman , a 36-year-old former teacher and current content creator from Massachusetts who has lived and traveled all over the world. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I first lived abroad when I was 15, when I participated in an exchange program in Germany. I lived there for a year, attending school and staying with a host family.

That was my first exposure to living overseas and truly immersing myself in other cultures. From there, the travel bug hit me hard. It inspired me to study international business in France while I was at university, and future trips after that.

I've been to 54 countries and lived in 10, including the US. The sense of freedom and self-growth that comes from traveling is unbeatable. I also love being able to see the world in a different way.

The most popular destinations are popular for a reason.

Everyone talks about Paris, London , Bali — all travel destinations that are super popular, in part thanks to social media.

I lived in Bali in early 2012 and saw it expand firsthand. There was a lot of construction — with many beach clubs being built — and it became overcrowded by foreigners. It's led to locals being priced out of their homes.

I also think spots like Cancun are super overrated; there are way cooler places to visit in Mexico. Many tourists spend a week in an all-inclusive resort and think that's fun — but that couldn't be more unattractive to me.

Obviously, there's still beauty in places that are oversaturated and famous. But I think that there's an excitement that comes from experiencing places that are off the beaten track.

It's often in those places that you can have the most surprising experiences.

I was treated like family in Iran

I would say my favorite country that I have visited is Iran. I went in 2018 and was there for 10 days.

Normally, when I'm traveling, I backpack alone and stay in hostels as a solo traveler. However, in Iran, if you're American, Canadian, or from the UK, in order to get permission to enter the country, you need a set itinerary and a licensed travel guide.

It was a very coordinated trip and a bit more challenging to visit, but it was so rewarding because I was welcomed with the warmest hospitality.

One of the unique aspects of this trip was how close my guide and I became. He went above and beyond, inviting me over to his family's house for dinner, where I got to meet and hang out with his friends and family. It was truly special.

Because I had a guide, everything was kind of set for me in Iran. He arranged different accommodations, including a road trip through the country, where we stayed in various cities at different guesthouses.

It only cost me around $1,000.

The nature and landscape of Iran are absolutely beautiful and amazing. The sights, attractions, and history are mind-blowing. You've got these gorgeous mosaics everywhere. All of the architecture had my jaw dropping in awe while walking around.

The food is also delicious, and the markets are incredible, each filled with gorgeous textiles, jewelry, turquoise, and rugs.

I would totally visit there again. I hope the political situation changes because that would definitely be one of my group trip destinations. I think it's just incredible.

Georgia took me by surprise

Georgia is just one of those countries that's not on a lot of people's radar. And then they go there and they're like, 'Whoa, that's awesome. Why didn't I know about this before?'

I knew very little about Georgia before I visited in 2018. I spent only five days in the country, but I was completely blown away.

I stayed in Tbilisi, which is the capital city. It's a really beautiful, trendy, and artsy kind of city. It has amazing wine and incredible food.

Probably one of my favorite things about the trip is that I stayed in this hostel called Fabrika . It was an old Soviet Union sewing factory that they turned into a super cool, industrial, hipster hostel.

In Tbilisi, I also went on a pub crawl throughout the Old Town, which featured a bunch of underground cellars and bunkers that have been turned into trendy nightclubs and bars.

During my time in the country, I took a trip out to the countryside to an area called Kazbegi, which is absolutely stunning. There were gorgeous and breathtaking mountains, hills, and massive churches.

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In the city, I also had a Turkish bath, which is a big thing in Georgia. I got a full scrub down.

Guatemala has something for everyone

When most people from the US think about going to Central America, they're focused on Mexico or Costa Rica. Guatemala seems to be a place that kind of gets overlooked.

But life is great in Guatemala.

You've got beautiful weather all year round, the jungle, rainforests, and the Caribbean's white sand beaches, while the Pacific side has its black sand beaches. It's got a little bit of everything.

I first lived in Guatemala in 2021, where I worked as a teacher at an international school. They provided housing in Guatemala City. However, after I finished working for them, I moved to a beach town on the Pacific coast and lived there for about six months.

I've traveled there on other occasions too, staying for periods of four or five months.

The typical salary for a Guatemalan is about $500 a month, with a good salary being $1,000. I would say that $2,000 a month is more than enough to live there extremely comfortably.

There are a lot of digital nomads moving there, especially to Antigua — an old colonial town with a lot of charm, cobblestone streets, and painted buildings.

There's just so much to do in Guatemala; it's so magical.

The biggest must do is hiking the active volcano called Acatenango . Sometimes, you can see it erupting right from its base camp. There's not many places in the world where you can experience that.

Another good place to visit is El Paredon, a super up-and-coming hippie surf town. The surfing is great, and you've got these black volcanic sand beaches. It's just a really laid-back place.

Lake Atitlan is also an incredible spot. It's surrounded by volcanoes and several Mayan villages, each with its own personality and vibe.

Oman's deserts are magical

Oman is in the Middle East, bordering the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. I've been there three times between 2016 and 2018.

The country is culturally rich, and the capital city, Muscat, is really beautiful. It has old traditional marketplaces and gorgeous architecture — the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is definitely worth checking out.

The deserts there are incredible, so doing a desert trip is a must. I camped out in the desert with the locals, rode camels, and drove Jeeps over the sand dunes.

Having tea and watching the sunset in the desert was magical too.

Oman also has wadis, which are basically big canyons in the middle of the desert with swimming holes. There, you'll find bright turquoise water contrasting with the orange rock.

The country's islands are also beautiful and incredible for snorkeling. They look like you'd be in the Caribbean, but you're in the Middle East.

The Galapagos Islands are truly like nowhere else in the world

I visited Ecuador last year for about six weeks. I was leading a gap year program with a group of high school students. We split our time between the Galapagos Islands and the mainland, which consisted of cities and the Amazon.

Because Ecuador has incredibly unique biodiversity that doesn't exist anywhere else in the world, The Galapagos Islands are an absolute must. I've never seen such incredible wildlife in my life; so many species exist only on those islands.

While visiting The Galapagos, my group went snorkeling with 50 to 100 hammerhead and Blacktip sharks. We also swam with sea lions and saw giant tortoises.

Another amazing aspect of Ecuador is learning about the Aztec or Inca culture. My group did a homestay and lived with a family for about 10 days and learned about their way of life.

We experienced how connected they are with Mother Earth, whom they refer to as Pachamama, and learned about their traditional medicine: They grow their own food and seek out plant medicine when they're sick, rather than relying on processed foods.

Learning about and sharing their way of life was truly special.

I want to show people how to travel the world

There are many beliefs people have about different countries and cultures, sometimes considering them too dangerous, expensive, or unattainable.

I want to inspire more people to explore, step out of their comfort zones, and experience more of the world. In the future, I plan on hosting group trips with the goal of bringing people to these countries and showing them why they are so life-changing.

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