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The Ultimate Western National Parks Road Trip
Western national parks like Yellowstone, Zion, and Joshua Tree are among our most iconic, but it’s the journeys road-tripping in between them that provide the greatest opportunities for adventure. From Montana to Southern California, here’s how to make the most of this itinerary and avoid the crowds.
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From Yellowstone in Montana to Joshua Tree in Southern California, this road trip tags seven national parks, covers 1,270 miles, and offers epic adventures all along the way. We’ve come up with a fun-packed plan that includes hiking, mountain biking, paddling, and stargazing detours—but not in the places you might think. Because our national parks get so crowded come summer, this itinerary celebrates all the spectacular terrain in between the parks, the places to see as you’re road-tripping from one to another.
Do the whole drive, or pick off one portion of it and save the rest for another time.
Route: Big Sky, Montana, to Jackson, Wyoming
Park: yellowstone.
Yellowstone is best known for its valley-level sights—roaming wildlife and hydrothermal features—but the park’s mountains, which rise to 11,000 feet, are just as astounding. Many of the tallest lack established trails to the top, but 10,574-foot Avalanche Peak, on the quieter eastern border, is an exception. A 2.1-mile trail affords views of the Absaroka Range, Yellowstone Lake, and even the Grand Teton. You will likely have those views to yourself, but you’ll have to work for them, as the route ascends more than 2,000 feet. Need to know: You can climb Avalanche Peak without a permit.
Adventure: Teton Pass
Highway 22 connects the towns of Jackson and Victor, Idaho, and tops out at Teton Pass, where crews built a world-class mountain-bike trail system that traverses the roadway into Bridger-Teton National Forest. It’s a 12-mile pedal from either town, or you can hire a shuttle, then connect Fuzzy Bunny, Powerline, and Parallel for a downhill route that promises tight, rocky singletrack, epic scenery, and too many jumps to count.
Stay: Montage Big Sky
The Spanish Peaks provide the backdrop for this new alpine lodge, which opened in December with 139 rooms and suites, a worthy addition to Big Sky Resort’s 5,850-acre property. In winter that means ski-in, ski-out access; in summer you get lift-assisted hiking and mountain biking. Bonus: The resort is within striking distance of five blue-ribbon trout streams. From $1,399
Eat and Drink: The Riverhouse
The food at this homey joint in Gallatin, Montana, is exactly what you need after a big day in the mountains: authentic Texas barbecue, with a menu full of brisket, smoked sausage, and mac and cheese (which you can load with fried chicken, bacon, and broccoli, if you’re into that).
Detour: St. Anthony Sand Dunes
Dip into eastern Idaho to check out this otherworldly landscape: 10,600 acres of fine white quartz ridges, some of which are 400 feet high. Rent a dirt bike or an off-road vehicle in the town of St. Anthony to explore the site, most of it accessible from April to January.
Route: Jackson, Wyoming, to Moab, Utah
Park: grand teton.
This park is all about the skyline—dominated by 13,000-foot peaks—but there are also a hundred stunning bodies of water within its boundaries, ten of which are open for boating. Bring a fly rod and an inflatable paddleboard and hike 2.5 miles to Taggart and Bradley Lakes, a pair of small, glacier-fed ponds that offer some of the most incredible views of the Tetons. Need to know: A $17 permit lets you take a boat onto any of the park’s waters, and with a Wyoming fishing license you can keep up to six lake trout per day.
Adventure: Evo’s Campus in Salt Lake
Outfitter, hotel, climbing gym, bike shop, art gallery—the gear retailer’s new Salt Lake City complex is all these things, which makes it the perfect base for exploring the nearby outdoor scene. Stock up on road-trip supplies, get your bike tuned, send lines in the 26,000-square-foot climbing area, and wind down in one of 50 artsy rooms (from $175).
Stay: The Virginian Lodge
The motor lodge is back in all the best ways, and they’re on full display at this renovated sixties-era hotel. Most rooms surround a heated pool, but there are also eight-person bunk rooms and an RV resort. The property revived Billy’s Burgers, an old-school Jackson staple, and boasts its own saloon—so you can stumble in after a packed day and never leave. From $139
Eat and Drink: The Bistro
At this yummy spot in Jackson, located within the new Cloudveil Hotel facing the town square, you’ll find elevated French fare without the pretension. There’s a great raw bar, but save room for hearty entrées like the bison tenderloin with huckleberry sauce.
Detour: The Plunge
Moab has long been the epicenter of desert mountain biking, but the newly built Palisades Plunge is drawing riders some 120 miles east to shred 32 miles’ worth of epic technical singletrack. The route, reached by shuttle, begins at the edge of 10,700-foot Grand Mesa and unravels in an undulating ribbon interspersed with plenty of slickrock, hairpin switchbacks, and the occasional stretch of nerve-racking exposure, and ends in downtown Palisade, where breweries and dispensaries abound.
Route: Moab, Utah, to Bryce, Utah
Park: canyonlands.
Want to get deeper into this backcountry paradise and ditch the crowds? You’ll need a boat. The 52-mile Stillwater Canyon section of the Green River is mellow, breathtaking, and canoe-friendly. Plan for at least four days, during which you’ll be flanked by red sandstone cliffs and camp on sandy beaches or slickrock ledges, depending on the water level. Organize a jet-boat shuttle with Tex’s Waterways to bring you from the take-out at Spanish Bottom back to Moab (from $60). Need to know: Book a flatwater overnight permit ($36), sold on a first-come, first-served basis, at least two days in advance.
Park: Arches
This park has gotten so packed in recent years that it adopted timed entry to spread visitors out. You can help by heading to the northern section, home to the Tower Arch. To get to the 92-foot-long formation, drive the gravel Salt Valley Road, then hike the Tower Arch Trail (2.5 miles out and back). Along the way, admire views of the Klondike Cliffs, a collection of towers known as the Marching Men, and the smaller Parallel Arch, all seldom-seen treasures. Need to know: Reserve a time slot at least three months before your trip.
Adventure: Capitol Reef National Park
It would be silly to drive past Capitol Reef and not drop in. The park protects the bizarre Waterpocket Fold, a 100-mile-long wrinkle in the earth’s crust. Unless you’re toting technical climbing gear, focus on slot-canyon hikes like Sheets Gulch. This remote, nine-mile out-and-back trek winds through narrow Navajo sandstone walls before opening up at a wide wash surrounded by Douglas fir.
Stay: The Moab Resort
It’s hard to beat the location of this new property, which is only a few miles south of Arches National Park. But the digs are just as scenic: adobe buildings that blend in perfectly with the surrounding red-rock canyon. You have your choice of a standard hotel room or a three-bedroom condominium with a kitchen. From $368
Eat and Drink: 98 Center
The happy side effect of Moab becoming an adventure epicenter? The food just keeps getting better. Case in point: this hot spot of Vietnamese fusion serves inventive dishes like kimchi deviled eggs and banh mi nachos.
Detour: The Rocky Mountaineer
This luxury train company, which got its start running multiday routes in the Canadian Rockies, recently debuted its first U.S. itinerary: the Rockies to Red Rocks. The two-day journey, which connects Moab with Denver, has you overnighting in Glenwood Springs. You’ll take in dramatic panoramas of canyons that carve up the Continental Divide (some of which can only be seen from a train car or a boat) and enjoy three-course meals and sweeping views from glass-domed coach cars. From $1,375 for two people
Route: Bryce, Utah, to Joshua Tree, California
Park: bryce canyon.
Bryce is known for its high-desert landscape, with towering hoodoos that rise like exclamation points from the amphitheater-like canyon. The park is blessed with a relative abundance of water and a rain-catchment system, which yields an interior full of fir, spruce, and aspen forests. Backpack the 23-mile (one-way) Under the Rim Trail through surprisingly lush meadows, which burst into blue from columbine flowers in late summer. Need to know: Secure a $10 backcountry permit at the visitor center, camp in one of seven designated sites, and arrange a shuttle. There are springs along the trail, but check with the ranger station about water availability before you set out.
Stay: Under Canvas
Perched on 750 acres of high plains, the newest property from this glamping operator is just 15 minutes from the park and located at 7,600 feet of elevation (which means summer temperatures in the seventies and eighties). Each tent has a bathroom, a king-size bed, a wood-burning stove, and views of John’s Valley. From $329
Detour: Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
This underappreciated preserve on the Arizona-Utah border features Zion-quality slot canyons without the throngs. The site’s signature adventure—backpacking Paria Canyon—guarantees solitude: only 20 permits are granted each day. The 38-mile, nontechnical hike follows a riverbed deep into the canyon, delivering you to narrows where rock walls rise 200 feet. You’ll need a four-wheel-drive rig with high clearance to really explore.
This sandstone stunner is a road cyclist’s dream, starting with the main thoroughfare, Zion Scenic Drive, which is closed to all vehicles except shuttle buses. The real gem is Kolob Terrace Road, a remote two-lane blacktop that traverses the park’s western edge for 25 miles, gaining 5,000 feet of elevation. If you have a gravel bike, you can add on Smith Mesa Road, a hardpack dirt track that forms a 25-mile loop around Smith Mesa. Need to know: Reserve a spot on the park’s free shuttle to explore Zion Scenic Drive.
Adventure: Lake Mohave
You’ve been in the desert for a stretch, and you’re heading into more of it, so a dip in a lake is mandatory. While Lake Mead is the busy backyard pool of Las Vegas, the lesser-known Lake Mohave, farther down the Colorado River, is ideally suited to paddlers. Launch at Willow Beach and head upriver along the Black Canyon National Water Trail to look for quiet coves that reveal hot springs, waterfalls, and caves. If you can, plan your trip for a Sunday or Monday, when motorboats aren’t allowed in certain stretches.
Stay: Zion Spirit
This wilderness retreat, recently opened on 1,100 acres in the Clear Creek Mountains, is just a mile from Zion’s eastern border. It’s outfitted with 40 suites and small cabins, all of which focus on sustainability—think solar-paneled roofs shaped like leaves—and each cabin has a wellness studio and wraparound terrace. Other amenities include a restaurant, a pool, and an aquaponics greenhouse. From $3,000
Eat and Drink: River Rock Roasting Company
This café in the tiny town of La Verkin might have the best coffee and most enviable views in southern Utah. Seek out a spot on the patio—it overlooks a basalt canyon carved by the Virgin River—and enjoy a morning breakfast burrito, then come back at night for a pint and a kale and sausage pizza.
Park: Joshua Tree
There are plenty of remote stretches you can reach by foot in this nearly 800,000-acre park, but triple-digit temperatures in the summer make any big adventure foolish at best, deadly at worst. The solution? Go underground and check out a handful of small caves and rock shelters that few visitors know about. Most dramatic is a quarter-mile passageway called Chasm of Doom. Technical climbing gear isn’t required, but you’ll be scrambling into cathedral-like rooms and squeezing through narrow corridors, so come mentally prepared. Need to know: Even if you’re hanging out in a cave, heat is no joke. Bring lots of water and, for the dark, a headlamp.
Stay: The Bungalows
Embrace the desert landscape at these new digs on the 152-acre campus of the Joshua Tree Retreat Center , designed by the late architect Lloyd Wright (who was almost as accomplished as his dad, Frank). The 14 rooms are decked out in mid-century modern furnishings, and the grounds feature hiking trails, a pool, and enough wellness activities to satisfy your inner yogi. It’s all just three miles from Joshua Tree’s entrance and village. From $250
Eat and Drink: Sam’s Indian Food and Pizza
The gateway town of Joshua Tree buzzes with an eclectic dining and cocktail scene, thanks to its proximity to Los Angeles. A Sam’s, you can get authentic chicken tikka masala and a curry pizza. After dinner, head to the Restaurant at 29 Palms Inn, where you can drink prickly pear margaritas by the pool.
- National Parks
- Public Lands
- United States
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Utah's "Mighty 5" makes for a classic western US road trip, one that is on the bucket lists of many outdoor enthusiasts. It includes Utah's five national parks: Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce, and Zion. You can start the itinerary in Salt Lake City and end in Las Vegas, or vice versa.
The entrance fee for Antelope Canyon costs between $55 to $75 USD depending on the tour you choose. Antelope Canyon is a must on your western road trip itinerary. For us, the best time to visit Horseshoe Bend is right before sunset to enjoy the rich colors of the sky. Please take a lot of water as it can get super hot!
Our 10-Day Western United States Road Trip Itinerary. Here is our exact day-to-day road trip itinerary from San Francisco: Day 1: Drive from San Francisco to Stanley, Idaho (~12 hours) Day 2: Stanley, Idaho Day 3: Salmon, Idaho & Missoula, Montana Day 4: Drive from Missoula to Big Sky, Montana Day 5: Big Sky, Montana & Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming Day 6: Livingston, Montana
Day 5: Grand Canyon, a must-visit place on the West Coast. Day 6: Mojave National Preserve + Death Valley, the best of our 10-day West Coast Itinerary. Day 7: Yosemite Valley, the best attraction in the Western USA. Day 8: Upper Yosemite Falls, the best hike of our West Coast America road trip. Day 9: Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias.
The West Coast is also called the Pacific Coast and it is the coastline along which the continental Western United States meets the North Pacific Ocean. The West Coast of the USA comprises the coastal states of California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska.. The west coast road trip itineraries listed below have routes, trip highlights, and duration of travel ranging from a short weekend trip to ...
Introduction. The American west was made for road trips. We spent the better part of 10 weeks exploring this wonderland of big skies, open roads and small towns. Our early summer trek, first through the mountains and later along the coast, kept us in temperatures that peaked in the 70s. Such a difference from the summers of our recent past ...
Next up on your west coast road trip itinerary is Mount Rainier National Park. Drive here via the 123 and Steven's Canyon Road (also closed in winter) and spend a day or two exploring this amazing National Park. Nice hiking trails are the Skyline Trail (8.4 miles round trip) and the short but beautiful Alta Vista trail (1.8 mile).
The southwestern state is one of the best places in the United States for a culturally immersive trip, incredible food, and beautiful desert landscapes. ... the western part of the state does-and a Big Bend Country road trip is among the best road trips in the Southwest USA. ... Zion National Park to Sedona Southwest Road Trip Itinerary.
Distance: Varies. 5. Portland to Seattle. West coast road trips from Portland to Seattle are a fantastic way to explore the Pacific Northwest and take in the natural beauty of the region. The drive covers about 175 miles and takes approximately three hours, depending on traffic and the route you choose.
The route starts from US 101 and runs through Washington, Oregon, and parts of California. It then joins onto California Highway 1, which shows off most of California. In total, the journey is 1,675 miles. If you are hoping to do the entire route, you can budget about 10 days for your travels.
In this Ultimate Western USA Road Trip video, we share with you the perfect itinerary to spend a couple of weeks traveling around the most beautiful area in ...
Day 7: New Mexico - Four Corners is a really fun, quirky stop where you can say you've stood in four different states all at one time, including New Mexico. You won't spend too long here, though, so plan it as a mid-day stop. It will take about 2 hours 40 minutes (150 miles) to this mid-day stop, then continue on to the Grand Canyon.
Stock up on road-trip supplies, get your bike tuned, send lines in the 26,000-square-foot climbing area, and wind down in one of 50 artsy rooms (from $175). Stay: The Virginian Lodge
Onto Las Vegas. From Sequoia National Park, it's a 6 hour drive to Las Vegas. You can get a perfectly good hotel room for very little money during the week; think around $60 a night for 5 star luxury. You can spend the extra money on something exciting like a Las Vegas Helicopter Tour (click here to book).
Sommaire. USA West Coast Itinerary 3 Weeks: the Perfect 20-21 Days Road Trip. Renting a car for your 3-week road trip in the USA (West Coast) Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3 - Los Angeles. Accommodation in Los Angeles. Day 4 - Route 66 from LA to Kingman. Accommodation in Kingman. Day 5 - Route 66 from Kingman to Grand Canyon.
The seasons greatly affect travel in the national parks of the western United States. During the summer months between May and September, temperatures in desert parks like Death Valley can soar to 110 degrees and higher. These months are also the busiest times for visitors to national parks like Yosemite National Park and Crater Lake National Park.
Pacific Coast Scenic Byway, Highway 101, Oregon. Following the Oregon coastline along Highway 101, the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway is one of the best road trips in the United States, thanks to its breathtaking scenic beauty. As the state of Oregon owns the entire coast, drivers can soak up amazing unobstructed natural vistas along the roughly ...
Authentik USA specializes in custom road trip itinerary to the American west coast for families and couples. Western USA road trips and 1, 2 or 3-week RV itineraries in the western United States and California with budget and luxury options. 2024 packages available for April, May, June, July, August, September and October.
A road trip through the Western United States is an incredible experience filled with endless possibilities and stunning landscapes. This vast, diverse region offers a treasure trove of majestic national parks, bustling cities, and charming small towns waiting to be explored. ... Each itinerary will cater to different tastes, ...
Encompassing parts of three states, it is among the largest of the national parks. Not surprisingly, there is a wealth of exploring to do, but a chock-full road trip necessitates picking some highlights. Wildlife is abundant throughout the park, and you are likely to see bison near--or even on--the main road through the park.
Try rock climbing right in the city at Ross Park. When you're ready to leave, go south on Interstate 15 to Highway 30, where your next stop is a wet one. 58 km. 1 hour by car. 08. Experience the Yellowstone National Park region on a road trip that showcases what the area has to offer.
Plan a rough road trip itinerary with your preferred route and stops. The western coast of the USA comprises 13 states of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Many travelers focus on California predominantly and then add Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, and then Oregon ...
Authentik USA specializes in tailor-made road trips itinerary on the USA west coast for families or couples. Take a 14-days car or RV road trip across the Western USA and check this 2-weeks trip ideas with map and photos ; budget or luxury option. 2024 prices with all-inclusive packages available for April, May, June, July, August, September and October.
Hello Everyone, and thank you in advance for your advice! I am planning my first trip to Ireland with my best friend from Oct 3 - 18th, and would like your thoughts on the itinerary.. A bit of background - my friend and I are both in our 50s, active and fit, preferring casual atmospheres to formal.