Update on Southwest Summer 2021 Ultimate Road Trip

I already shared our plans to take about a two week long road trip in the southwest U.S. Well, we did that road trip and are back and I am ready to share the updated itinerary that we followed! We left the evening of Mon June 21st and got back the evening of July 4th. We stuck to our original plans for the most part, but there were times when we were spontaneous and changed up our plans completely! For example, we originally planned to go to Pike's Peak but ended up going to Great Sand Dunes National Park instead. We loved every bit of our road trip and I would definitely recommend it (or even just part of it) to others, so I am excited to share what we did and include our own pictures below! 

• Day 1 (Mon June 21st)

• At 5pm CO time, get timed entry permit for the next day at Rocky Mountain National Park

• Leave in the evening around 6; drive 13.5 hrs to Estes Park, CO

• Time Zone Note: CO is 1 hr behind AR (lose an hour)

• Day 2

• Arrive at Estes Park near Rocky Mountain National Park before noon 

• Explore city of Estes Park

• Go to Rocky Mountain National Park and hike Emerald Lake Trail (3.2 miles)

• Spend the night in Estes Park (Estes Park Campground at Mary's Lake)

• Day 3

• Go through entrance stations around 4:30am and park on Bear Lake Rd at Rocky Mountain National Park

• Hike to the Loch via Glacier Gorge Trail (5.4 miles), hike to Andrew’s Glacier (2 miles further in; an alternative is hiking to Sky Pond)

• Drive Trail Ridge Road and stop at the Alpine Visitor Center

• Spend the night in Estes Park

• Day 4

• 8am horseback ride in Rocky Mountain National Park

• Ride the tram in Estes Park

• Leave by 1:00 and drive 2.5 hrs to Garden of the Gods

• Ride Garden of the Gods trolley

• Spend night in Colorado Springs area (Lone Duck Campground)

• Day 5

• Drive to Royal Gorge in Canon City

• Ride the zipline and skycoaster

• Drive to Great Sand Dunes National Park

• Cross the Medano River and walk to a sand dune

• Spend night in Monte Vista area

• Day 6

• Drive about 4 hrs to Black Canyon of the Gunnison

• Get first come first serve campsite at Black Canyon of the Gunnison 

• Drive South Rim Rd/Black Canyon Scenic Drive and stop at overlooks

• Hike Warner Point Nature Trail (1.5 - 2 miles) at the back of South Rim Rd 

• Spend night at Black Canyon of the Gunnison

• Day 7

• See the sunrise at Black Canyon of the Gunnison

• Drive 3.5 hours to Mesa Verde National Park

• Do the loop drive with stops at the pithouses and overlooks of the cliff houses

• Hike the Petroglyph Point Trail (2.4 miles, has views of canyons and petroglyphs)

• Drive 40 minutes to Durango and stay the night

• Day 8

• Float the Animas River at Durango (Mild to Wild Half Day Kayaking Trip)

• Explore and eat in downtown Durango

• Stay the night in Durango

• Day 9

• Start driving west (6-7 hrs) to Bryce Canyon

• Stop at Horseshoe Bend near Page, AZ and walk to the overlook

• At Bryce Canyon, visit the different overlooks and then hike the Navajo Loop Trail (takes 1-2 hrs) 

• Spend the night near Zion in Springdale, UT

• Day 10

• Drive into Zion National Park around 6am to get parking inside the park near the visitor center

• Hike Angel’s Landing (5 miles) at Zion 

• Spend night near Zion

• Day 11

• Drive into Zion National Park early and get parking inside the park near the visitor center

• Hike the Riverside Walk (2 mi roundtrip) and some of the Narrows. Check the weather, flash flooding potential! (2-2.5 hrs) 

• Do some of the scenic drive at Zion

• Drive to Kanab, UT - get lunch and then head to the Grand Canyon North Rim

• Time Zone Note: AZ is 1 hr behind UT (lose an hour)

• Visit overlooks and do the Cape Royal Drive at the Grand Canyon North Rim

• Spend night in Kanab, UT

• Day 12

• Drive from Kanab to Grand Canyon South Rim

• Visit Desert View Watchtower and overlooks

• Check out the Grand Canyon Village and walk some of the Rim Trail

• Ride the Hermit Road Shuttle Bus (red) - See Hopi Point, Powell Point, Mohave Point, and others. See sunset at Hopi Point.

• Spend the night in or near Grand Canyon (Mather Campground)

• Day 13

• Ride the Kaibab Rim Route (orange) shuttle. Hike the South Kaibab Trail - hike 0.8 miles to Ooh Aah Point and then come back (1.5-2 hrs round trip)

• Drive 6-7 hrs to Albuquerque, NM and spend the night there

• Day 14 (Sun July 4th)

• Drive from Albuquerque to home

Southwest Summer 2021 Ultimate Road Trip

We are very excited about getting to go on an adventure of a lifetime in less than 2 months!  We are going to be road tripping across the southwest from June 22nd through July 4th. We rarely treat ourselves like this, but it is definitely time with me graduating from graduate school and our four year anniversary falling within the trip. I am sharing what we have planned in our itinerary below! (We are not planning some things, such as where to eat and sometimes where to stay.)

Day 1

• Leave home and head to Estes Park near Rocky Mountain National Park
• Spend the night at Estes Park Campground at Mary’s Lake 

Day 2

• Hike the Loch via Glacier Gorge Trail (5.4 miles) at Rocky Mountain National Park
• Drive Trail Ridge Road at Rocky Mountain National Park
• Spend the night at Estes Park Campground at Mary’s Lake 

Day 3

• Hike Emerald Lake Trail (3.2 miles) at Rocky Mountain National Park
• See the sunrise at Dream Lake on the Emerald Lake Trail
• Leave by noon and drive 2.5 hrs to Garden of the Gods
• Spend a couple hours until they close at 5
• Spend night at Lone Duck Campground 

Dream Lake at Rocky Mountain National Park

Day 4

• Pike’s Peak (3 hr long cog train)
• Drive 1 hr 20 min to Royal Gorge in Canon City
• Zipline and/or skycoaster
• Stay the night near Royal Gorge

Day 5

• Drive 3 hr 40 min to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
• Drive South Rim Rd/Black Canyon Scenic Drive and stop at overlooks
• Hike Warner Point Nature Trail (1.5 - 2 miles) at the back of South Rim Rd if time
• See the sunset at Sunset View Overlook from Sunset View Trail at Black Canyon of the Gunnison
• Spend the night near Black Canyon of the Gunnison 

The Painted Wall at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Day 6

• See the sunrise at Cedar Point (⅔ mile trip) with the Painted Wall at Black Canyon of the Gunnison if possible
• Drive 1.5 hours to Telluride 
• Ride the Telluride Gondola
• Drive two hours to Mesa Verde
• At Mesa Verde National Park: 
• Spruce Tree House Overlook
• Hike the Soda Canyon Overlook Trail (1.2 miles, has views of Balcony House) or Petroglyph Point Trail (2.4 miles, has views of canyons and petroglyphs)
• Drive the Cliff Palace/Balcony House Loop Drive (if road work is finished and it is open again)
• Drive 40 minutes to Durango and stay the night

Day 7

• Float the Animas River at Durango 
• Maybe: Horseback ride
• Stay the night in Durango

Day 8

• Start driving west (7 hrs) to Bryce Canyon
• Stop at Four Corners Monument between CO, UT, AZ, and NM
• Have breakfast/lunch at The View Restaurant of Monument Valley
• Try to get 2 shuttle tickets to go into Zion National Park the next day
• Hike at Bryce Canyon - Hike the Navajo Loop Trail that starts at Inspiration Point (takes 1-2 hrs) 
• If time, can connect that trail to the Navajo Loop Trail and Queens Garden Trail for a longer trip (2.9 mi roundtrip)
• See sunset at Inspiration Point or Sunset Point at Bryce Canyon
• Spend the night near Zion or Bryce

Inspiration Point at Bryce Canyon National Park

Day 9

• Spend the day at Bryce Canyon and/or Zion 
• If we were able to get shuttle tickets, do Angel’s Landing at Zion 
• If we were not able to get shuttle tickets, hike at Bryce Canyon and/or head to Zion to explore and hike
• Hike Canyon Overlook Trail at Zion – 1 mile roundtrip; need to drive there on Hwy 9 
• Try to get 2 shuttle tickets to go into Zion National Park the next day
• Spend night at Zion Canyon Campground

Canyon Overlook Trail at Zion National Park

Day 10

• If we do get shuttle tickets and have not done it already, do Angel’s Landing at Zion
• Other hiking options if we get shuttle tickets:
• Riverside Walk (2 mi roundtrip) & the Narrows - Start from the Temple of Sinawava via the Riverside Walk, walk upstream, turn around and hike back to the Temple of Sinawava (2-2.5 hrs) 
• Emerald Pools Trail - round trip distances are 1.2 miles to lower, 2 miles to middle and 3 miles to upper
• Hidden Canyon trail - likely to be closed due to rockfall; 2.2 miles roundtrip but steep and strenuous (requires chains in places) 
• If we don’t get shuttle tickets, hike West Rim trail to Scout lookout and beyond at Zion or do Canyon Overlook Trail if not done previously
• Spend night at Zion Canyon Campground

Angel's Landing at Zion National Park

Day 11

• Drive from Zion to Grand Canyon National Park (about 5 hrs)
• Ride the Kaibab Rim Route shuttle (orange) - See Mather Point, Yavapai Point, Yaki Point, and Ooh Ahh Point
• Ride the Hermit Road shuttle (red) - See Hopi Point, Powell Point, Mohave Point, and Pima Point
• Stop to walk the Trail of Time (1.7 flat miles, takes about an hr)
• See sunset at Grand Canyon at Hopi Point (or Yaki, Pima, or Yavapai Pts) 
• Maybe: Go to the Grand Canyon National Geographic Visitor Center to see the 34 minute IMAX Grand Canyon film around 9pm
• Spend the night at Mather Campground

Day 12

• See the sunrise at Mather Point at the Grand Canyon 
• Hike
• Bright Angel Trail - goes into the canyon, hike just part of it OR
• South Kaibab Trail - is farther back and goes into the canyon; hike 0.8 miles to Ooh Aah Point (1.5-2 hrs round trip) or walk farther: 1.5 miles to Cedar Ridge (takes 2.5+ hrs round trip)
• If wanting souvenirs: visit the Hopi House near the Verkamps Visitor Center
• Drive Desert View Road and see Shoshone Point (short hike), Grand View Point, Moran Point, and watchtower at Desert View Point
• Drive through the night to Albuquerque or Santa Fe, stop to rest

Desert View Watchtower at the Grand Canyon

Day 13

• After resting at Albuquerque or Santa Fe, continue the drive home
• Optional: Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument in Jemez Springs, NM or Bandelier National Monument in Los Alamos, NM

And that completes our adventure plan! Stay tuned to see how our road trip goes in a couple months!