Road trip through the great American West - Anyone have Ideas for locations, areas, or activities?
This summer I am heading out with three friends to galavant through the American west on little more than gas money and a dream. The trip is looking like 2 weeks or so. Assuming I already know about major attractions (national parks and such) and that I'd like to avoid commercial experiences, does anyone have any unmissable places we should hit?
We're mainly looking for natural beauty. Hot springs, mountains, favorite trails, cool lookouts, small towns, communities, geological oddities, caves, ruins, forests, canyons! Looking for it all! Even if you know an area or a forest or a stretch of road that's just pretty, Do tell! While I want to avoid over-planning (road trip ruiner), I'd also like to avoid missing out on good scenery!
Here is the VERY tentative map: Mid colorado, through the mountains to lower colorado, into the four corners area, Run all around utah, hit the north rim of the grand canyon, maybe go as far south as flagstaff, az, up to northern-ish new mexico and done.
Depending on the amazingness of the idea, 100 miles out of the way is not out of the question. The plan is to mold the route around areas and destinations.
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Gas Money and Dream will not get you into Grand Canyon NP. With some exceptions it is $30 per vehicle to visit the most popular areas.
FREE ENTRANCE PARK DAYS TO KEEP IN MIND FOR 2017:
Does not include other fees such as tours, lodging, reservations, etc.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 16th
National Park Week, April 15-16 and 22-23
National Park Service’s Birthday, August 25
National Public Lands Day, September 30
Veteran’s Day, November 11-12
GENERAL ENTRANCE FEES FOR NORTH & SOUTH RIM:
Private Vehicle-$30
Motorcycle-$25
Bicycle, On Foot, or Shuttle-$15
REMINDER: No refunds for weather conditions Source
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Here are some points of interest you should definitely include, based on your rough proposed area:
- Arches National Monument. It's at least worth a day trip thru there. There are some natural arches in other places in the general region, but there is nothing like Arches.
- Bryce Canyon. The highest concentration of the best hoodoos anywhere. It's also a nice and comfortable place to stay, being about 7000 feet up.
- Grand Canyon, of course.
- Grand Staircase - Escalante. There are slot canyons all over the region you intend to explore, but this place has some great ones, and they are accessible. It's also still fairly wild. I'd stay off the beaten track in the adjacent National Forest. The campground in Capitol Reef is overrun with tourists, screaming kids, and drunken yahoos being rowdy until 2:00 in the morning.
- Bisti De Na Zin Wilderness. This is a amazing but little-known place (Shh, don't tell anyone). It's about 35 miles south of Farmington NM in the Four Corners area, a little east of the north-south road. It's very primitive. There is just a parking area and a fence to keep cattle out. You walk in and at first it looks like nothing special. Poke around in the side canyons to the right (south), and you'll see a whole bunch of other-worldly rock formations. If NASA ever needs to fake a landing on a different planet, this is where they'll go.
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