Article Overview: Best Road Trips USA

If you’re planning a good old-fashioned American road trip, then you’ve come to the right place. When someone asks me if I’ve driven through a particular scenic area in the USA I’m reminded of the Geoff Mack song I’ve Been Everywhere and his response to the truck driver giving him a lift, “Listen, I’ve traveled every road in this here land”.

Sure there are some left for us to do, but we really have covered nearly every US road trip imaginable… Which means we have some extensive knowledge and great recommendations built on our own experiences.

There is no better way to see the beauty of the great USA than through a road trip. In this article I’ll roll through 15 epic road trip ideas to help inspire your next drive across the USA.

America Road Trip – Table of Contents

USA Road Trip: Best Scenic Drives in America

• Best Road Trips USA
  • Top 15 Best Road Trips in America
    • 1. Utah Mighty 5 Road Trip
    • 2. Historic Route 66
    • 3. Pacific Coast Highway 1
    • 4. Blue Ridge Parkway
    • 5. The Road to Hana
    • 6. Going to the Sun Road
    • 7. Olympic Peninsula Loop
    • 8. Nevada Route 50 (The Loneliest Road in America)
    • 9. Avenue of the Giants (Redwoods)
    • 10. Kancamagus Highway
    • 11. Route 100
    • 12. Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway
    • 13. John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway
    • 14. Natchez Trace Parkway
    • 15. Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow National Scenic Byway
  • Planning Your USA Road Trip
    • Deciding Where to Go & What to See
    • Mapping Out Your USA Road Trip (Creating a Road Trip Map)
    • How Long Will the Road Trip Take & How Much Time Do I Need?
    • Choosing a Starting Point for this US Road Trip
    • Camping on a US Road Trip
    • Road Trip Food Planning
    • Fueling Up
    • Planning a USA Road Trip Budget
    • Helpful Related Articles

Best Road Trips USA

Top 15 Best Road Trips in America

1. Utah Mighty 5 Road Trip

• Location: Utah, USA
• Distance: Approximately 1200 miles (1931 km)
• Suggested Time: 7 days
• Minimum Time: 3 days
• Best Time of Year: March – October

A road trip through Utah’s Mighty Five national parks is an unforgettable journey through some of the most stunning landscapes in the American Southwest. The drive offers a kaleidoscope of breathtaking vistas, with towering sandstone cliffs, vibrant red rock formations, and expansive desert views.

The Utah National Parks Road Trip is great in any season. Sure summer is hot, and winter can be cool but all in all the route stays driveable pretty much year-round and offers sunny and warm escapes even when it’s cold in much of the rest of the country.

Of course there are also quite a few parks, forests, and trails on this trip. If you’re going in the summer expect crowds just about everywhere and skip Zion, it’s not worth it. If this epic road trip sounds like it’s right for you check out our complete guide on it below.

Be sure to check out our article with everything you need to know about the Utah national parks road trip.

2. Historic Route 66

• Location: Illinois to California
• Distance: 2,400 miles
• Suggested Time: 3 weeks
• Minimum Time: 2 weeks
• Best Time of Year: May – October

Historic Route 66 Road Trip Description

As *the* place to “get your kicks”, the Route 66 road trip has long been somewhat of an American road trip right of passage.

I recall my first time on route 66 as an 18 year old the summer I graduated high school feeling alive with hot desert air on my face and not a care in the world.

While the official start of route 66 road trip is in Illinois and the official end of route 66 is near Santa Monica, California, most people drive the iconic stretches out west rather than tackling the whole thing which can take weeks.

The highlights of this trip for me are the sections in Arizona & New Mexico with tumbleweeds rolling by the vast desert landscapes.

If you’re interested in this road I recommend checking out our articles on Arizona’s 24 National Parks & New Mexico’s National Parks.

3. Pacific Coast Highway 1

• Location: California, USA
• Distance: 655 miles (1,055 km)
• Suggested Time: 7 days
• Minimum Time: 1 day
• Best Time of Year: April – October

Driving the Highway 1 Road Trip

California’s Highway 1, or Pacific Coast Highway, is without a doubt one of the most scenic drives in the world. With breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean on one side and sunny California landscapes on the other, it’s easy to see why this is one of the most dreamed-about roadtrips the world over.

The official start just south of Los Angeles and ends just north of San Francisco (but south of the mightiest groves of Redwoods).

If you’re interested in this road I recommend checking out our article on the California National Parks.

4. Blue Ridge Parkway

• Location: Virginia to North Carolina, USA
• Distance: 469 miles
• Suggested Time: 5 days
• Minimum Time: 1 days
• Best Time of Year: October (Fall foliage)

Driving the Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip

Some folks say that the Blue Ridge Parkway is the best road trip in America for fall foliage. I’m not inclined to disagree with them. Having driven the Blue Ridge Parkway in October during peak fall foliage, I have to say it’s spectacularly beautiful.

It’s also a great drive any time of year. In the spring you’ll see wildflowers blooming along the hillsides and and throughout the many waterfall hikes you can take from the road. In the summer the sunsets seem to last forever and cast the most beautiful light on the rolling mountains in distance of every overlook.

Check out our award-winning film featuring the parkway which goes through Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is both a National Parkway and All-American Road meaning it’s a must see.

While you’re on the Blue Ridge Parkway you have to be sure to stop off in America’s most visited national park, Great Smoky Mountains.

5. The Road to Hana

• Location: Maui, USA
• Distance: 64 miles (103km)
• Suggested Time: 2 days
• Minimum Time: 1 day
• Best Time of Year: May – October (when the fruit stands are open)

Driving the Road to Hana

We’re taking this list of the best road trips in the USA tropical. Haleakalā National Park and the island of Maui is home to the world famous Road to Hāna (pictured below).

This famous road follows the Northeastern coast of Maui and is one of the most scenic and precarious in the world.

Yes I mean that both because of the wild ride and the stunning views it has to offer. Wildlife, vivid rain forests, lush meadows, sweeping views of the Pacific, and did I mention the waterfalls? Lots of waterfalls. Buckle up and get ready for the ride of your life!

The entire road is one lane and offers little room for error as one navigates the twists, turns, rock slides and floods that are so common along the route. It’s common for major traffic pileups in the summer as tourists in rented cars try to navigate the road and have to back up for hundreds of yards to make way for passing traffic along the blind turns and narrow bends.

Those who brave the Road to Hāna are rewarded with unparalleled views of the island’s natural splendor and awe-inspiring vistas of the Pacific.

The Road to Hāna will take you along Maui’s southeastern coast and provides access to Oheo Gulch, the Pools of ʻOheʻo, Waimoku Falls, the Pīpīwai Trail, as well as Kīpahulu Campground on the coast.

If you’re looking for more things to do around the Road to Hana, check out the Haleakala National Park! We’ve written about the best things to do in Haleakala as well.

6. Going to the Sun Road

• Location: Montana, USA
• Distance: 50 miles (80km)
• Suggested Time: 2 days
• Minimum Time: 1 day
• Best Time of Year: July – October

Driving Going to the Sun Road

Can you hear the haunting music from The Shining playing in your head already? This is one of the most famous roads in the world for it’s scenic beauty. It’s also been hailed as an engineering marvel, which you’ll appreciate as you wind your way up. You might also remember it from the opening scene of Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of the Stephen King novel The Shining.

You know when a road is the most highly sought after attraction in a park as beautiful and epic as Glacier, it must really be something. It is. Going to the Sun Road is approximately 50 miles long and will take about 2 hours to drive (depending on traffic conditions). The road itself spans the width of Glacier National Park.

In the summer traffic on this road can get pretty bad as everyone wants to soak in the views. It also doesn’t help that the road is very narrow and there are numerous opportunities for accidents and wildlife encounters.

I typically like to minimize my time inside the car in national parks but Going to the Sun Road is a notable exception to this rule. This is a rare drive you never want to end.

If you’re looking for more of the best things to do in Glacier National Park we’ve written about those as well!

7. Olympic Peninsula Loop

• Location: Washington, USA
• Distance: 329 miles (531 km)
• Suggested Time: 5 days
• Minimum Time: 1 day
• Best Time of Year: July – September

Driving the Olympic Peninsula Loop Road Trip

The Olympic Peninsula Loop Drive is probably one of the most underrated scenic drives in America. That’s not to say it never gets any visitors, Olympic National Park is very popular, but the road that surrounds the park is typically considered a means to an end rather than a destination unto itself.

Check out our award-winning film on Olympic National Park below to get excited for this spectacular area.

Olympic National Park is the most diverse national park in America, hands down. This park has everything from lowland forests, glaciated mountain ranges, pristine alpine lakes, sparkling rivers, temperate rain forests (the largest in North America), iconic wildlife, and over 50 miles of rugged wilderness coastline!

You can see it all from the Olympic Peninsula Loop Drive. If you’re interested in visiting this road, I recommend checking out our guide on Olympic National Park.

8. Nevada Route 50 (The Loneliest Road in America)

• Location: Nevada, USA
• Distance: 408 miles (657 km)
• Suggested Time: 2 days
• Minimum Time: 1 day
• Time of Year: October – May

Driving Nevada Route 50

Known as the “loneliest road in America”, Nevada’s Route 50 is a sight to behold and one of the eeriest road trips in America. Seemingly endless stretches of road unspool into the arid Great Basin for miles and miles. Each time you reach a rise another long stretch appears before you.

Route 50 is part of the Lincoln Highway, which dates back to 1913. The route begins in Times Square, New York and ends in Lincoln Park, San Fransisco. The Lincoln Highway was America’s first coast to coast highway and was commonly referred to as “The Main Street Across America”. In fact, it was the Lincoln Highway that inspired President Eisenhower to establish the Interstate Highway System that we all use today.

The Loneliest Road in America predates even the Lincoln Highway though. Long stretches of this route in Nevada are part of the Pony Express National Historic Trail and drivers can stop by the remnants of two historic Pony Express Stations where riders would swap horses in a race to deliver mail from coast to coast.

If you’re headed to Great Basin National Park you might end up on this road. Otherwise it’s probably out of the way but worth the excursion if you’re looking to get away from it all on four wheels.

While you’re in the area be sure to read up on Nevada’s National Parks and National Parks Near Las Vegas.

9. Avenue of the Giants (Redwoods)

• Location: California, USA
• Distance: 31.5 miles
• Suggested Time: 3 days
• Minimum Time: 1 day
• Best Time of Year: May – September

Driving the Avenue of the Giants

The Avenue of the Giants is a magnificent 31.5 mile drive that weaves you through Humboldt Redwoods State Park located about an hour south of Eureka, California. There’s nothing quite like driving through a vast forest of 1,000+ year old trees. I recommend stopping at various points of interest and exploring the forest. Make sure you stay on the trails – walking off the trail, while tempting, is extremely detrimental to the health of these precious trees and their shallow roots.

Interestingly, in my experience the redwoods here take on a more vivid shade of red than their counterparts closer to the coast and the national park.

If you’re interested in this road trip I recommend checking out our article on the best things to do in Redwood National Park.

10. Kancamagus Highway

• Location: New Hampshire, USA
• Distance: 34.5 miles (90 km)
• Suggested Time: 2 days
• Minimum Time: 3 hours
• Best Time of Year: October (Fall Foliage)

Driving the Kancamagus Highway

Every year nearly a million people drive this scenic, 34 mile stretch of highway to see its spectacular displays of fall foliage. Peak foliage here is typically in the first two weeks of October but can vary each year.

If you have to choose between seeing it too early or too late, I recommend erring on the early side as it’s better to see the area with leaves (albeit greener than you’d like) rather than with no leaves at all.

Be advised that this is not a hidden gem. Travelers from all over the country and particularly the northeast flock to the “Kanc”, as its known locally, every fall to take in the colors. So be prepared for traffic and pricey lodging.

Early morning is the best time to take in the views on this beautiful stretch of mountain road.

While you’re in the area be sure to check out the spectacular Green Mountains over in Vermont!

11. Route 100

• Location: Vermont, USA
• Distance: 216 miles (348.7 km)
• Suggested Time: 5 days
• Minimum Time: 1 day
• Best Time of Year: October

Driving Vermont’s Route 100

Every year millions of people all over the world look forward to fall to seeing the leaves of the eastern United States’ vast hardwood forests change color – and there are few better places to see this happen than Vermont’s Green Mountain National Forest.

There are many incredible drives through the Green Mountain National Forest. Of them, Highway 100 is a stand out for exceptional fall viewing.

Mountains pop up on either side of the road throughout the drive along with vast hardwood forests full of color in the fall.

Highlights along the way include the world-famous Vermont Country Store in Weston, the charming cities of Stowe & Waterbury, & the Green Mountain National Forest.

Check out this helpful page for more festive things to do in Vermont in the fall.

12. Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway

• Location: South Dakota, USA
• Distance: 70 miles (112 km)
• Suggested Time: 3 days
• Minimum Time: 1 day
• Best Time of Year: June & October

Driving the Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway

The Black Hills of South Dakota is one of the most unique and beautiful areas in all of America. There are a number of ways to take in the sights here, but to really get the best views you’ll want to drive the Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway.

Maybe it’s the dazzling rock formations, beautiful pine forests, incredible wildlife, mesmerizing magic hour, and wild amount of recreation opportunities that exist here. Or maybe it’s something else.

Whatever it is there’s something almost spiritual about this place. To the Sioux and Cheyenne tribes this is a very real feeling as they have long considered the Black Hills to be the sacred center of the world.

I recommend taking your time, driving slow, stopping at the viewpoints you come across, and enjoying the incredible scenic beauty of this special place. Along the way you’ll find the beautiful Black Hills National Forest and the iconic Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

RELATED: 15 HELPFUL Tips for Visiting Mount Rushmore (Things to Do + Photos)

13. John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway

• Location: Wyoming, USA
• Distance: 27 miles (43 km)
• Suggested Time: 7 days (including visits to Yellowstone & Grand Teton)
• Minimum Time: 30 minutes
• Best Time of Year: June, July, & September

Driving the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway

While the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway parkway itself is only 27 miles long, it happens to connect two of the most iconic national parks in America, Grand Teton & Yellowstone.

I recommend taking a week and splitting time between Yellowstone National Park (3 days) & Grand Teton National Park (4 days). Despite being so near to each other, these are totally different & unique parks with incredible natural scenery.

Personally, I favor Grand Teton because it’s far less crowded than Yellowstone but you can’t go wrong with either of these famous parks.

If you’re looking for the best things to do in Yellowstone National Park or the best things to do in Grand Teton National Park we’ve got you covered!

14. Natchez Trace Parkway

• Location: Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, USA
• Distance: 444 miles (715 km)
• Suggested Time: 5 days
• Minimum Time: 1 day
• Best Time of Year: October – November

Driving the National Trace Parkway Road Trip, USA

At 444 miles, the Natchez Trace Parkway winds like a scenic river through the heart of the South. The quiet beauty of the area is marked by wooded hills, tranquil streams, and numerous historic sites. Starting in Mississippi and crossing through Alabama and Tennessee, the Natchez Trace traverses quintessential southern beauty.

If you’ve got the time I recommend spending several days driving this route and soaking in the sites. Along the way you can visit the Meriwether Lewis Museum, Emerald Mound, Chickasaw Village, Jackson Falls, and many other points of interest.

The road is managed and maintained by the National Park Service and holds the highest scenic designation from the Federal Highway Administration as an All-American Road.

15. Trail Ridge Road/Beaver Meadow National Scenic Byway

• Location: Colorado, USA
• Distance: 48 miles (77km)
• Suggested Time: 1 day
• Minimum Time: 2 hours

Driving Trail Ridge Road

At 12,183 ft elevation (over 2 miles high), Trail Ridge Road is the highest road in the state of Colorado and one of the highest in the United States. While the road may be relatively short compared to many of the others on this list, it packs a breathtaking punch.

As you ascend to over 12,000 feet, panoramic views of rugged peaks and alpine meadows unfold before you. Along the way, wildlife sightings are common, with elk, marmots, and bighorn sheep making appearances.

The road itself is a marvel, winding through forests and tundra, revealing the park’s diverse ecosystems. Each overlook provides a chance to pause and absorb the majesty of the Rockies and the scenery spreading out below you.

If you’re interested in this road I recommend checking out our article on the best things to do in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Planning Your USA Road Trip

Deciding Where to Go & What to See

Step 1 of planning a US road trip is deciding where to go and what to see. Are you in the mood for the desert? Maybe a Utah or southwest road trip is right for you. Or maybe you’re thinking something a bit greener, like a Pacific Northwest road trip.

We recommend making your decision around either a singular must see destination (“I’ve got to see Yellowstone!”) or a type of scenery (“I’m dying to see red rock country”). Having one of these in mind will help shape the rest of your trip.

Finally, check for closures of sites and roads to make sure the main things you want to see are open and accessible!

Best to check ahead of time and save yourself the disappointment.

Mapping Out Your USA Road Trip (Creating a Road Trip Map)

One of the most fun parts of planning a US road trip (at least for us anyway) is plotting it all out on a map. Seeing all those little points come together and the significance of each one gets us every time.

There’s just nothing like the feeling of seeing the map points come to life when you finally arrive.

Best Road Trip Map Tool

We always use google maps for this as the interface is hard to beat. However, they do currently have a 10 destination limit on the regular one.

If you want/need to add more points to your map than the 10 destination limit, google also has a “my maps” tool which is free and even savable right to your google account.

We’ve ranked the 15 BEST Road Trip Planning Tools if you’re looking for more!

Tips for Creating a US Road Trip Map

• Try changing the order of the destinations. We find that often time what might seem the most logical route to us, in fact is not. Changing the order of your map points around can (and has for us) save you precious hours of drive time in between destinations
• It’s easy to get carried away adding pins to the map (we do this every time). “What’s an extra 5 hours on the trip of a lifetime!” or “When are we ever going to be out that way again?” can be dangerous questions that lead to trip stress. We recommend spending taking a good hard look at your map and eliminating extra time draining stops. You’d probably rather spend an extra few hours soaking in grand canyon views than fighting over bathroom stops with the back seat.
• Check the drive times between stops and determine approximately what time you will be arriving at each destination. Say you’ve always wanted to see a sunrise at Monument Valley, but you don’t calculate your drive and you end up getting there at 9am instead of the sunrise you always dreamed of. Not an ideal situation. This part can be a bit cumbersome but is well worth the effort.

How Long Will the Road Trip Take & How Much Time Do I Need?

Next step is determining how much time you have vs how much you “need”. On average, we recommend allowing for at least 1-2 days per major destination on your trip.

That means if you’ve got a week (5-7 days) to do your road trip, the most major destinations you should include is probably about 5.

You want to be able to give yourself time to appreciate and enjoy each destination and not feel rushed.

Choosing a Starting Point for this US Road Trip

One of the toughest parts of planning a USA road trip can be choosing the right starting point. If you’re driving your own car and starting from your residence then feel free to skip on to the next part. For everyone else, especially if you plan on flying to your destination and renting a car, there’s a bit of a decision matrix to consider.

The question we always ask ourselves which makes it easier for us is: what is the cheapest price we can pay combined for rental car + airfare? Price is easily our biggest determining factor when choosing a starting point.

If you’re interested in a National Parks Road Trip, you might want to look over our post on Best US National Parks Road Trips that lists all of the best national road trips.

Getting the Best Price for Rental Car + Airfare

Consider the following example. You’re doing a Utah National Parks Road Trip to see the Mighty 5. The most convenient airport options are Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. Say you find amazing flight deals to Salt Lake City – great, we fly into salt lake, right? Maybe.

Sometimes the rental car prices in one airport are so bad that it makes flying into another destination more worthwhile despite a great flight deal and vice versa. Always check both the flight price and rental car price at each destination before booking.

Choosing the Right Lodging Options

We’ve all been there before… arriving at the campsite late at night praying we there’s an open spot only to find nothing. Or pulling into town after a 4 hour cell-service blackout only to find that all the hotels are all booked up.

Or realizing upon arriving to your destination that you didn’t make reservations anywhere and the prices are astronomical (we’re looking at you, Yellowstone).

Like way more than a national park should ever cost seeing that it’s a tax-payer funded, publicly owned resource managed for the benefit and enjoyment of the people (all people).

The point is, planning ahead of time on lodging and deciding on the right accommodations for your budget is important. I recommend starting early and scanning what hotel prices are like during the time of year you want to visit (covered below). This will give you an idea of what availability looks like and how expensive it is.

Camping on a US Road Trip

If you plan on camping, check out recreation.gov to see if you can reserve a site ahead of time. One pro-tip we recommend is seeing if there are any nearby national forests where you might be able to camp.

National forest campgrounds are amazing for a number of reasons, two of them being price (they’re usually cheaper if not free) and availability (they’re usually way less crowded than national park campgrounds).

With that being said, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan for each night that you are unable to book something in advance.

Road Trip Food Planning

Ah, nothing says US road trip quite like the smell of glistening hot dogs rotating over an open warming pan at Love’s gas station at 2 in the morning… With that being said, planning out your road trip food is absolutely essential.

We’ve all seen the beloved road trip companion turn Mr. Hyde after being forced to miss their self-appointed feeding hour. Avoiding this doomsday scenario can mean the difference between a warm ride home full of fond reminisces or an unscheduled stop at the Twin Falls airport conducted in total silence.

We recommend a budget friendly mix of dining at local eateries and “cooler food”. Feeling the fatigue of too much fast food can tank a day in a hurry so we highly recommend finding a cooler for the trip to pack something on the healthier side.

Pro-Tip #1: We often pack a soft cooler (this is our current go-to) full of clothes on the way over (if flying) that can be removed upon arrival and replaced with ice and lunch food/snacks (sandwich fixings, dips, greens, drinks, etc).

Road Trip Groceries

Typically our first stop after the airport is to a Trader Joe’s (who is not paying us to say so) to stock up on essentials. We often end up in places during dining hours that either have no food options or very limited unhealthy options and so it’s nice to have an alternative in the car.

Making food stops also slows down trip momentum and can mean the difference between “making it there before sundown”.

Pro-Tip #2: A few years back we (finally) started packing a small, inexpensive one burner stove (this one) and it has made all the difference. Having the option to make hot food (we camp/car camp a lot) can make all the difference after a long day in the parks.

Finally, in the dining category of this post, comes the topic of coffee (should’ve been #1, I know). We are hopeless caffeine junkies and need our morning fix.

Jim swears by this piñon coffee that he always packs with us (I’ll admit, it’s pretty good). We use this gadget to heat the water and this metal pour over tin to do the job (usually with good results I must say).

Fueling Up

I’ll never forget running out of gas in the middle of the Mojave desert near Baker, California in 110 degree weather and no shade for miles…

Or the subsequent ride into town with my brothers and the sailor-mouthed tow-truck driver whose vernacular was completely free from the typical societal constraints one might expect with a 12 year-old (my youngest brother) present.

Good news is there was service, we lived, and Tom (youngest brother) went on to become the wisest of the bunch! And while I’d like to say I learned my lesson from that experience, sadly it took several more extremely close terribly inconvenient calls for me to remember to plan fuel stops and check the old fuel gauge regularly.

Planning a USA Road Trip Budget

It’s a good idea to come up with an overall budget at the outset of planning your road trip. A budget makes it easy to remove unnecessary stops and keep everyone in check. A sample budget breakdown for one of our trips looks something like this:

Sample USA Road Trip Budget

• Food – $50/person/day
• Lodging – $150/day if hotels per two people
• Gas – $30/day (this is pretty variable depending on what kind of car you’re driving)
• Rental Car – $70/day (this is fluctuating wildly given the current vehicle shortages)
• Flights – $300 round trip/person (extremely variable)
• Fees/Attractions – $100 total (park pass, etc)
• Miscellaneous – $300 total (the unforeseen expenses)
• SAMPLE TOTAL for 7 Day Trip for 2 People = $3300 ($700/food + $900/lodging + $210/gas + $490/rental car + $600/flights + $100/fees + $300/miscellaneous)

*this is very fungible up or down depending on how many nights are spent in hotels (if any), if you can get cheap flight deals vs gauging prices, driving your own car vs renting, if you eat at nicer places vs average & groceries, how fuel efficient your vehicle is, etc

Flexibility Is The Key To A Happy Road Trip

The whole reason we take road trips is to see new sights, experience new things, and most importantly to have a good time. Being flexible is the most important factor we’ve found in overall trip happiness (and life).

A few tips based on many years of experience and running the whole gamut of trip emotions:

Tips for a Happy Trip

• Don’t plan out every second of your road trip. Leave free space to either leave places early, linger longer, or just relax.
• There’s no such thing as being late on a road trip. If you miss a sunset it’s not the end of the world. If you have to nix a destination there’s always next time.
• Hydrate well and have plenty of snacks on hand. Hungry ≠ happy and neither does thirsty.
• Take time to enjoy the moment rather than always being concerned about making it to what’s next.

And Finally, The Weather

The most unpredictable factor and potentially biggest damper (intended was the pun) on any trip is the weather.

If you have a plan beforehand for how to spend your time or alternative routes if specific places have bad weather you won’t be as disappointed when it inevitably rains on your parade.

We like to check monthly forecasts to see average temperatures and precipitation before making plans.

Map of the Best Road Trips in the USA

Summary of the Best Road Trips in the USA

1. Utah Mighty Five Road Trip
2. Historic Route 66
3. California Highway 1
4. Blue Ridge Parkway
5. Road to Hana
6. Going to the Sun Road
7. Olympic Penninsula
8. Nevada Route 50
9. Avenue of the Giants
10. Kancamangus Highway
11. Route 100 Vermont
12. Peter Norbeck National Scenic Byway
13. John D Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway
14. Natchez Trace Parkway
15. Trail Ridge Road

Pin Road Trips America

Helpful Related Articles

Road Trip Planning: 15 Best Free Road Trip Planning Tools

Road Trip Essentials: 35 Must Have Road Trip Essentials

Utah Mighty 5 Road Trip: Ultimate Utah Mighty 5 National Parks Road Trip

Arizona Road Trips: Ultimate Arizona Road Trip

Oregon Road Trips: Ultimate Oregon Road Trip

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The post 15 BEST USA Road Trips of a Lifetime appeared first on More Than Just Parks | National Parks Guides.

As someone who spends about 100 days of the year on the beautiful open road for my “work”, I’ve used all sorts of road trip planning tools to try and perfect this wonderful art. It’s been a bit of a process to say the least. I, along with my brother, am lucky enough to call shooting films on our beloved national parks, forests, and beyond my work. As part of this “job” I get to spend countless days on the road.

Along the way I’ve tried all sorts of different road trip planning tools & apps to try to make our trips more enjoyable (and efficient!). In this article I’ve rank my favorite tools to plan a road trip including apps, sites, & other resources to make your next road trip the best yet. And what’s great is the best road trip planning tools in this guide are free!

Road Trip Planning Tools

Top 5 Best Road Trip Planning Tools

1. Google Maps + My Maps

• Price: Free
• Link: Google Maps
• Best For: Map Creator, Navigation

The best road trip planning tool and map creator out there is Google Maps with an incredible suite of features – many of them you probably don’t even know about. This is typically the first tool I start with when planning a road trip.

Google Maps gives you the ability to plot out directions between 10 different points with a variety of map options and live traffic updates. You can also choose alternative routes and when using on the road, Google Maps will update you if there’s a faster route due to traffic or other reasons.

What’s more is Google Maps has a separate feature to create, save, and share your own custom maps called My Maps.

In My Maps, you can customize map points and create custom layers as seen in the example below from our 10 Epic National Park Road Trips (+ Stops You’ll Love) article.

You can add relevant information, edit headings, add photos, and more to each individual map point and/or get directions between them. The possibilities are endless.

2. Roadtrippers App

• Price: Free
• Link: Roadtrippers
• Best For: Planner, Maps, Navigation

An increasingly popular app (and website) for mapping and planning a road trip is the aptly named Roadtrippers. Utilizing this tool, users can create road trip maps similar to those found in google maps.

My favorite feature is the ability to sort popular destinations along the route by category such as camping, entertainment, landmarks, and more. There is also a handy RV mode for those of us driving Recreational Vehicles which highlights spots specifically of interest to RV adventurers.

We plotted our Utah National Parks Road Trip article with help from this app.

Free Road Trip Planning Apps

3. Travel Blogs

• Price: Free
• Link: Embrace Someplace
• Best For: Inspiration, Planning

The web is full of incredible travel blogs and bloggers alike that have a wealth of road trip experience. We (may be biased) love tapping into this great online planning resource.

These sites offer helpful resources like specific trip itineraries, road trip routes, inspirational road trip photos, and lots of other tips from first-hand experience that you might not have even thought of.

Often we’ll google something like “best things to do in redwood national park” and the best results are typically from travel blogs.

We like to give credit where it’s due – one of our favorite go-to travel blogs is Embrace Someplace which has some great tips and amazing imagery.

4. Google Images

• Price: Free
• Link: Google Images
• Best For: Inspiration, Planning

One of the first tools I use when planning a road trip is, in order to get an idea of what a place might look like and what I might expect to see there, Google Images.

As a very easy to use and basic tool, google images is great for everyone and nearly everything.

For example, I visited Death Valley National Park earlier this year and wanted to know what Artists Palette might look like. The first thing I did was search “Artists Palette Death Valley” on google, then click “images” at the top of the page.

Here you’ll see a plethora of images of most destinations you’re looking for. As a photographer, if I find a particular vantage of a destination that I like I’ll click on the image and go to the originating website to find out more.

More Road Trip Planning Apps

5. Waze

• Price: Free
• Link: iOS | Android
• Best For: Navigation

If you’re one of those rare folks out there that sometimes finds themselves accidentally exceeding the posted speed limit then Waze is a must-have road trip app for you.

The reason that Waze is such a beloved and excellent road trip app is because users are encouraged to post updates on road conditions around them (passengers, not drivers).

Using the Waze app you can notify and be notified when there are such things as “obstacle in the road on the right shoulder”, “traffic slowdown ahead”, and my personal favorite which is speed trap notifications.

6. Pinterest

• Price: Free
• Link: Pinterest

If you love endless road trip inspiration rabbit holes then Pinterest is the place for you.

Specially designed to keep feeding your wanderlust, Pinterest is a great app to see what places look like and explore potential trip itineraries.

Simply type in a point of interest or trip idea into the search bar and they’ll handle the rest. You can save your favorites as “pins” on different travel “boards”.

Beware, endless hours of wanderlust will most assuredly ensue your clicking the link above.

7. Tripadvisor

• Price: Free
• Link: Tripadvisor
• Best for: Hotels, Reviews

My go-to site for road trip hotels (don’t worry, I’m not on the payroll) as well as reviews of miscellaneous, non-food related places is Tripadvisor. As of the writing of this piece Tripadvisor boasts nearly a billion reviews and opinions – that’s a lot of feedback.

Many folks use the site/app for road trip inspiration as well but I mostly use it to double check a place is well-reviewed once found. It’s also a very reliable organization to book hotels through in my experience offering pretty generous cancellation windows & competitive prices.

Best Road Trip Planning Sites

8. Yelp

• Price: Free
• Link: Yelp
• Best for: Food, Reviews

We’ve all heard of Yelp by this point but *the* time to use this app is when looking for food on a road trip.

Ever see that cute sidewalk restaurant that you’d really love to give a try but just aren’t sure about the food? Or arrive at the only game in town late enough to forgo searching reviews and just wing it?

The latter I tried last year and my brother can attest to the faults there withstanding (let’s leave that one at a rough go that night).

Yelp is what we should’ve used then and have used ever since to find well-reviewed restaurants in a new town and more importantly avoid the ones that flirt too closely with the health code.

9. Notes App (by Apple)

• Price: Free
• Link: Notes
• Best for: Planning, Sharing

I must confess I’m an avid Notes user for everything from grocery lists to planning a national parks road trip. If you’re an android user, skip down to the next item.

My favorite parts of the Notes app for planning a Road Trip is the ability to share it with friends/family and for them to be able to add to / edit the note. It’s a living document this way for everyone in the road trip group.

You can add photos of places & things, create lists, call out specific people, and more.

Premium National Parks Maps

• Price: Varies but starting at $19.99
• Link: Notes
• Best for: Planning

If you’re a fan of the national parks then what better a souvenir than a premium national parks checklist map? This one is printed on quality stock and comes with some different options including framing, etc. We may be biased but we love it – maybe you or someone you know might as well.

National Parks Checklist: This beautiful National Parks Checklist can be ordered to your house.

Framed National Parks Map: We’re a sucker for maps, this framed national parks map is the best.

Check out this page for more purchasable national parks maps. If you don’t see the right size map for you above feel free to shoot them an email and they’ll be happy to create a customized one just for you!

10. Google Docs & Sheets

• Price: Free
• Link: Google Docs
• Best for: Planning

Google Docs & Sheets is great for road trip planning because, similar to Notes by Apple, it is a living document that can be shared and edited by everyone in the group.

You can add photos, links, details, and more about different points of interest for the road trip. I particularly love the sheets application (similar to Excel) for organizing road trip planning by day.

More Road Trip Planning Apps

11. AllTrails

• Price: Free
• Link: All Trails
• Best for: Planning, Hiking

We rated AllTrails as the best hiking app earlier this year and for this same reason it is a great road trip planning tool. Through AllTrails users can easily find and save hikes all over the US.

Complete with trail guides, trail photos, trail reviews, and more, if your road trip includes hiking then AllTrails is a great companion.

RELATED: 20 Great Hiking Apps (For ALL Skill Levels)

12. Photos App (Apple or Google)

• Price: Free
• Link: (search in phone)
• Best for: Memories, Shared Photo Albums

Every single time I go on a road trip I create a shared album and invite everyone in the group to join so that we can all have access to the photos. The good news is that you can do this with both apple & android via Apple Photos or Google Photos.

Simply go into your respective Photos app and create a new shared album, then invite whoever you want. It’s also great for folks unable to make the trip but who are still interested in seeing photos from it.

I like to share the albums from our national park trips with my parents so they can follow along! Another perk is being able to search through the photos by location, person, or activity.

13. Airbnb

• Price: Free
• Link: Airbnb
• Best for: Hotels, Planning

Airbnb has come in handy all over the world for us booking accommodations while planning road trips in both places on and off the proverbial “beaten path.”

User reviews guide the way telling you what sort of quality to expect with your accommodations with helpful photos, amenities listings, and a speedy booking process. You can also book all sorts of interesting places from luxurious homes to tree houses, camper vans to beach side condos, and more.

14. Gasbuddy

• Price: Free
• Link: Gasbuddy
• Best for: Planning, Route Planner

The premise of gasbuddy is very simple – estimate how much fuel will cost when planning your road trip. The interface of this website is just as simple – plug in your way points, choose your fuel type, and voila! Gasbuddy may be a somewhat old school road trip planner but it’s still as effective as ever.

15. RecGovCamp App

• Price: Free
• Link: iOS | Android
• Best for: Camping, Reservations

As a national park & public lands nut, Recreation.gov has been on my radar for a long time. Their app is relatively new to the block though and brings added convenience to booking pretty much anything that needs booking on federal lands making them essential for road trip planning.

This can be camp sites, road permits, timed-entry reservations, the Denali road lottery tickets, and more.

16. The Weather Channel App

• Price: Free (also paid version)
• Link: iOS | Android
• Best for: Planning, Weather

Nobody tops The Weather Channel when it comes to road trip planning for weather in my book. I use this app religiously on road trips (and at home). It’s loaded with a weather radar, forecasts, and more – everything you need when planning a road trip.

List of Best Road Trip Planning Tools & Apps

1. Google Maps + My Maps
2. Roadtrippers App
3. Travel Blogs
4. Google Images
5. Waze App
6. Pinterest
7. TripAdvisor (hotels)
8. Yelp (food)
9. Apple Notes
10. Google Docs (Creating a Visual List)
11. All Trails
12. Photos App (Shared Albums)
13. Airbnb App
14. GasBuddy
15. The Weather Channel App
16. RecGovCamp

Why Trust Me About Road Trip Planning Tools?

I’m Will Pattiz and along with my brother, Jim, I’ve spent practically my entire adult life out in the national parks and on public lands. That includes an incredible amount of time on the road trying to plan the best routes.

I’ve traveled on nearly every interstate in the country and have been to 47 states and counting. Over the years I’ve become expert on road trip planning and efficiency.

Pin Road Trip Planning Tools & Apps

Click for Pins!

Road Trip Planning Tools Summary

Hope you’ve enjoyed this post and found at least one of these road trip planning tools helpful for your next adventure. If there’s any great tools or resources I’ve left out please leave a comment below so I can improve the list!

If You Like Road Trip Planning Tools…

Then you’ll love these articles!

• 20 Great Hiking Apps (For All Skill Levels)
• 10+ Epic National Park Road Trips (+ Stops You’ll Love)
• Utah National Parks Road Trip
• 35+ Road Trip Essentials (You’ll Love + Packing List)

The post 15 BEST FREE Road Trip Planning Tools (& Apps) 2024 appeared first on More Than Just Parks | National Parks Guides.

Article Overview: Utah National Parks Road Trip

Utah is home to *the best* road trip in all of America known by most as simply “The Utah National Parks Road Trip” or “Mighty 5 Road Trip.”

Better than the California coast road trip or Route 66 road trip, you say?

Yes, the More Than Just Parks team recently ranked it the #1 national park road trip via our national park road trips ranking (more on that later) – here’s why.

The Utah national parks road trip is great in any season. Sure summer is hot, and winter can be cool but all in all the route stays drive-able pretty much year-round and offers sunny and warm escapes even when it’s cold where I live.

The scenery is unlike anything you’ll see on this earth. I absolutely love red rock country and find myself really pining for it in late winter.

The desert has a way of calling me back (especially when it’s cold).

PLUS, there are plenty of parks and trails on this route, where you will find hardly another soul despite the recent uptick in crowds – even in Zion!

Utah National Parks Road Trip FAQ

Utah National Park Road Trip Breakdown

This post is broken up into two parts (feel free to skip ahead to the road trip itself by clicking the Part II link below):

• Part I – The Utah National Park Road Trip (itineraries, stops, details, etc)
• Part II – Trip Planning & Road Trip Pro Tips (budgeting, groceries, creating a road trip map, etc)

Ready to hit the road? Let’s go!

About My Travels On the Utah National Park Road Trip

I have done the Utah national park road trip route more times than I can count, including this past year and there are new things to explore every time.

In fact, I’ve worked (along with my brother) with the state of Utah for the past 7 years to film different pieces of public lands along the route.

I’ve created films on 7 different Utah national parks & forests, some of which are featured below, and have more in production now.

This past year I did this road trip with my wife for the first time and it was even more fun than the first time I did it many, many years ago.

I’ll be headed back to Utah again later this year and will plan to update this post regularly as conditions change and new attractions emerge.

Things to Know Before Your Epic Mighty 5 Road Trip

Entrance Fees

Expect $30 per vehicle OR I suggest you go ahead and purchase the America the Beautiful Pass (which can be found at the entrance gates to most national parks or purchased in advance). This pass gets you into all National Parks, Forests, Monuments, and more including 2,000 sites for free after a one time $80 fee.

Sunscreen

For many of us visiting Utah’s parks in the summer or almost any other time means lots of sun. Seriously, these parks will zap you if you don’t wear sunscreen. So take it from us and lather up. We happen to like this one because it works AND it’s not full of a bunch of chemicals.

Leave No Trace

We’re big fans of Leave No Trace here at MTJP. Want to learn more? Read about the seven principals of Leave No Trace here.

Dogs

Dogs are not allowed on trails in most national parks due to their potentially disruptive presence with the natural ecosystem. The basic rule is they are allowed where cars can go so be sure to check the rules before bringing along your furry friend.

Desert Clothing

Wearing/packing the right clothes in the desert is essential. We highly recommend you check out this article about what to wear/pack for a trip to the desert.

Insect Repellent

You hope not to need it, but you want to have it. We typically bring an Eco-Friendly Insect Repellent with us just in case.

Guidebooks

The following are our favorite guides for each of Utah’s mighty five national parks:

Arches | Bryce Canyon | Capitol Reef | Canyonlands | Zion

Maps

The following are the maps we use for each of Utah’s mighty five national parks:

Arches | Bryce Canyon | Capitol Reef | Canyonlands | Zion

Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary

Utah National Park Road Trip Overview

Total Drive Time: 20 hours

Recommended Trip Time: 8 days

Our recommended route is a round trip loop that starts in Salt Lake City and takes you through the heart of red rock country.

Featuring 5 stunning desert national parks, this Utah national parks road trip is hard to beat!

Destinations: Utah National Parks (All Five)

1. Arches National Park (3.5hrs from SLC)
2. Canyonlands National Park (30mins from Arches)
3. Capitol Reef National Park (3hrs from Canyonlands)
4. Bryce Canyon National Park (2hrs from Capitol Reef)
5. Zion National Park (1.5hrs from Bryce)

Utah National Park Road Trip Map

8 Day Utah National Parks Itinerary

This route is a basic loop with a terminus in Salt Lake City and a first stop of the Moab parks (Arches & Canyonlands).

Day 1 Itinerary: Salt Lake City to Moab + Arches Sunset (3.5hrs drive)

• National Parks: Arches
• Sunset: Lower Delicate Arch Viewpoint (Arches)

Day 1 of your itinerary will largely be spent driving from Salt Lake City to Moab which will be your home base for day trips into Arches & Canyonlands.

Depending on what time your flight gets in and what time you get to the park you’ll hopefully have time to see a sunset.

I recommend Lower Delicate Arch viewpoint in Arches National Park for your Day 1 sunset. It’s far less crowded than Delicate Arch which is better to hike to in the morning.

Spend the night at a hotel in Moab (see above) or camp outside the national park in one of the many beautiful campgrounds along the Colorado River.

Day 2 Itinerary: Arches & Canyonlands

• National Parks: Arches & Canyonlands
• Sunrise: Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint (Arches)
• Sunset: Green River Overlook (Canyonlands)

Day 2 of your itinerary starts with a sunrise at Upper Delicate Arch viewpoint in Arches National Park. I recommend packing a lunch to maximize your time in the park!

Morning

Check what time the sunrise is in Moab beforehand and start the hike at least 45 minutes before the sun is set to rise (I recommend an hour).

Bring headlamps and watch closely for the easy to miss signs.

After the sunrise continue toward the far end of the park and check out the Fiery Furnace, Sand Dune Arch, and Skyline Arch before stopping for lunch (if you packed one) at the Devils Garden Trailhead (in the car or on benches).

Afternoon

After lunch check out the Devils Garden area and be sure to see Landscape Arch (hard to miss) before heading back toward the park entrance.

On your way back out of the park check out Double Arch & Turret Arch, as well as Park Avenue.

If you’re feeling up to it (and have time) I highly recommend heading over to Green River Overlook in Canyonlands National Park for sunset (50 minute drive).

Green River Overlook is one of the most mesmerizing national park views I’ve seen.

Day 3 Itinerary: Canyonlands to Capitol Reef (3hrs)

• National Parks: Canyonlands & Capitol Reef
• Sunrise: Mesa Arch (Canyonlands)
• Sunset: Sunset Point (Capitol Reef)

Day 3 starts with one of the best sunrises in Utah – the world famous Mesa Arch sunrise.

The trail is short but be sure to get to the arch at least 30 minutes early for a good spot (it will be crowded).

After Mesa Arch I recommend the Upheaval Dome hike to the first overlook. On your way back out of the park be sure to stop off and check out the epic Shafer Trail Viewpoint.

Drive to Capitol Reef

After Canyonlands you’ll drive back the way you came (lame, I know but trust me, it’s worth it) and head on to Capitol Reef National Park.

The route to Capitol Reef is pretty cool, especially as you get closer to the park itself.

Pro-tip: Pack a lunch and eat along the way to Capitol Reef National Park. Otherwise you’ll have to drive back in to Moab or get food in Torrey which is a 3 hour drive. There’s not much along the way.

If you have time, catch a sunset at Sunset Point in Capitol Reef. Epic views at the beginning of the park.

Capitol Reef National Park has Fruita Campground where you can camp (if they have spots). Alternatively there is a great car camping spot just outside of the park which I’ve pinned here.

If you’re looking for hotels, Torrey is the spot and I’ve listed them above.

Day 4 Itinerary: Capitol Reef & Bryce Canyon

• National Parks: Capitol Reef & Bryce Canyon
• Sunrise: Panorama Point
• Sunset: Fruita Barn

Day 4 of your Utah National Park road trip starts with a sunrise at Panorma Point. If you’re tired, this is an OK one to skip.

I LOVE Capitol Reef National Park because it is the least crowded which is why I recommend spending nearly a full day here.

Hikes to check out include (in order of best to least):

1. Cassidy Arch
2. Hickman Bridge
3. Grand Wash
4. Cohab Canyon

Capitol Reef to Bryce Canyon (2hrs)

From Capitol Reef I recommend you take the scenic route, Utah’s Hwy 12 which is one of the most spectacular highways in America.

This drive is one of the absolute highlights of the trip and is not to be missed but it is not the natural way your GPS will route you. Be sure to add Escalante, Utah as a pin to your route or risk missing this stunner.

Sunset & Sleep

If you arrive at Bryce Canyon with enough time for sunset then check out the aptly named Sunset Point.

Bryce Canyon has a beautiful lodge if you’re looking to splurge (book way in advance), also plenty of hotel options in Bryce, Utah.

Bryce Canyon also has 2 big campgrounds inside the park (book in advance).

Day 5 Itinerary: Bryce Canyon National Park

• National Parks: Bryce Canyon & Zion
• Sunrise: Inspiration Point (not Sunrise Point)
• Sunset: Canyon Junction Bridge

Day 5 starts in beautiful Bryce Canyon National Park which is quite compact compared to some of the others. It is also the coolest in temperature as the visitor center sits at 9100 feet elevation so pack a jacket!

Start your morning with a brisk sunrise at Inspiration Point which is superior to Sunrise Point in my humble opinion (also less crowded).

From there, hike the Navajo Loop Trail in reverse ending with the impressive Wall Street section (wow). If you feel like extending this hike then I highly recommend adding the Queens Garden loop or a piece of the Peekaboo Canyon Trail.

Afternoon

After this you can either exit the park to get a head start on Zion if you’re short for time or continue on in to Bryce. I find the complex of trails nearest the visitor center to be the best by far so it’s totally fine to leave it here in my opinion.

If you want to see more then continue down N Bryce Canyon Road past Bryce Natural Bridge (roadside stop) to the end of the road (30 minute drive).

Here you’ll find the Bristlecone Pine Trail which I was thrilled to discover and dissapointed to hike. The Bristlecones here are hard to spot and mostly dead (nothing like what you’ll see at Great Basin).

Bryce Canyon to Zion (1.5hrs)

From Bryce Canyon the drive continues through the Dixie National Forest (which is well worth the visit in its own right – a fraction of the visitors and equally stunning scenery) and the beautiful Red Canyon area (featured in our film below) to the east entrance of Zion National Park.

Along the way there’s a great spot for lunch/dinner in Kanab Utah – the Rocking V Cafe. The owner is super friendly and the food is really nice!

WATCH: Our award-winning Dixie National Forest Video made in collaboration with the US Forest Service & Visit Utah.

Upon entering the east entrance of Zion via the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway the scenery changes drastically in a wonderful way. Watch out for Bighorn sheep as you near the third tunnel!

Sunset

After passing through this tunnel visitors are given their first look at the epic canyons of Zion. If you make it to Zion in time, catch a sunset from around the Canyon Junction Bridge (famous view of the Watchman).

You can either stay in a hotel in Springdale (the closest city) or camp in the park (extremely limited and hot) or car camp/boondock outside the park off Smithsonian Butte Road (BLM).

Day 6 Itinerary: Zion National Park

• National Parks: Zion
• Sunrise: Skip or Canyon Overlook
• Sunset: Canyon Junction Bridge

Morning

Day 6 starts with a great opportunity to skip the sunrise (Zion is not full of epic sunrises). I recommend starting the day early with the epic Narrows hike (one of my all time favorites).

If you don’t pack water shoes then you can rent some in Springdale. This will slow you down and add expense so I recommend bringing something.

In order to hike the Narrows you need to take the Zion shuttle all the way to the last stop. The first shuttle leaves the visitor center at 6 am during the spring & summer (8am in the winter).

In spring/summer at the shuttle station at least 30 minutes early at 5:30 (I know, woof). It will be shockingly crowded at this hour.Making the first shuttle makes a big difference (or at least one of the first).

After The Narrows I recommend popping right over to Angels Landing (if you’re up for it) as it will still be early enough to get in before most of the crowds.

Afternoon

After Angels Landing, eat lunch (packed or at the Zion Lodge). Big Bend is great for a quick stop and the Grotto is great although many of the trails here are currently closed.

Once you’re back at the visitor center I recommend heading over to Zion-Mt Carmel Highway and exploring the trails over here, especially Canyon Overlook.

From here drive over to the lesser-traveled Kolob Terrace region of the park for late afternoon exploring & sunset.

For sunset I recommend my favorite sunset in the park, Lava Point Overlook.

If possible, try and grab a site at Lava Point Campground which only has 6 sites and is the best in the park. Otherwise you’ll have to head back to La Verkin or Springdale for a hotel.

Day 7 Itinerary: Zion National Park

• National Parks: Zion
• Sunrise: Kolob Terrace
• Sunset: Timber Creek Overlook

Day 7 starts in Kolob Terrace for sunrise (if you’re tired this is an OK one to skip. Kolob Terrace Road offers great chances to explore Zion National Park without the crowds.

Things to explore in Kolob Terrace include:

• Hop Valley Trail
• Lava Point Overlook
• Hoodoo City
• Pine Valley Peak

Afternoon

After a morning of exploring Kolob Terrace head over to Kolob Canyon for afternoon activities and another epic sunset. You’ll have an option to grab a bite to eat in La Verkin on the way to Kolob Canyon.

Kolob Canyon is another lesser-traveled section of Zion that is worth a visit. I recommend hiking Taylor Creek before making your way to the “top” of this section.

Timber Creek Overlook is oen of the best places in Zion to catch a sunset. The trail is short and epic.

After sunset head over to Cedar City for a relatively inexpensive hotel.

Day 8 Itinerary: Cedar City to Salt Lake City (3.5 hours)

The last day is basically just making your way back to Salt Lake City to return the rental car and flying home. Ah but the memories!

Utah National Park Road Trip Highlights

Arches National Park

• Delicate Arch is on the Utah license plate for a reason. This arch is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful natural arches on the planet and is much bigger in person than in photos (at least we thought so!)
• Landscape Arch/Devils Garden Trail – Behold, Landscape Arch, the longest arch in the world at over 300ft. By the look of it, this arch seems like it could collapse any day which is why folks are no longer allowed to walk under it.
• Sand Dune Arch – Take off your sandals and walk barefoot about a quarter of a mile through sandstone corridors to reach this beautiful arch.

Canyonlands National Park

• Mesa Arch is one of the most heavily photographed spots in the entire national park system. Get there for sunrise and you won’t be sorry (except for the crowds).
• Shafer Canyon 4WD Road is a world class four-wheel adventure featuring spectacular views and all the solitude you could hope for.

Capitol Reef National Park

• Hickman Bridge is a beautiful natural bridge at the end of a short and rewarding trail.
• Grand Wash is a great and flat hike that follows a dry wash through a steep canyon.

Bryce Canyon National Park

• Wall Street Trail is one of my personal all time favorite trails in the national parks. The trail descends steeply down mesmerizing switchbacks into a golden tunnel of light up through which ancient pines ascend toward the sky.
• Inspiration Point Sunrise is one of the best places to see a sunrise in Utah. This spot is typically not very crowded as there is a nearby spot called “Sunrise Point” which seems to have folks fooled.

For the best things to do at Bryce Canyon: 20 Epic Things to Do in Bryce Canyon National Park

Zion National Park

• Angels Landing is the first of two main hikes in the canyon. The hike features a steep ascent, switchbacks, a chain link railing to hold onto for dear life, and breathtaking views of Zion Canyon.
• The Narrows is the other of two major hikes everyone wants to do at Zion. This hike features a watery walk through a breathtaking canyon. Get in line as early as possible.

RELATED: 12 AMAZING Things to Do in Zion National Park

Watch the Award-Winning Zion National Park Video

WATCH: We created an award-winning video on Zion National Park.

Alternate Utah Road Trip Routes

The shortest route for the road trip loop is the one featured above that starts and ends in Salt Lake City.

However there are alternate routes that are equally if not more interesting drives.

Starting in Las Vegas

Starting & ending in Las Vegas is another great option. This route is sometimes is cheaper depending on flights/rental cars.

Starting in Las Vegas, this route goes through Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and then Canyonlands.

I recommend returning through Page, Arizona (not the fastest but definitely worthwhile). Add Horseshoe Bend (literally on the way) before returning to Las Vegas.

This trip can also easily be reversed with a first stop of Canyonlands (but it’s a whopping 7 hours further than Zion from Las Vegas).

One Way – Las Vegas to Salt Lake City or Salt Lake City to Las Vegas

Another potential option worth considering is starting in either Salt Lake City & ending in Las Vegas or vice versa. This is the shortest route by 2 hours but can result in a significant increase in price due to flights & rental car.

When is the Best Time of Year to Drive the Utah National Parks Road Trip?

The best time to drive the Utah National Parks Road Trip is in the Fall – think October.

Most folks don’t realize but the Utah National parks have a lot of deciduous trees, particularly the vibrant cottonwood.

During the fall you’ll see bright yellows and far fewer tourists as the shoulder season is on.

Alternatively, Spring is a great time as crowds are down and weather is nice (and not yet scorching).

8 Extra Stops Worth Considering on the Utah National Park Road Trip

1. Grand Canyon National Park North Rim

Time Added: extra 4 hours driving on SLC route or extra 2 hours on Las Vegas route

I refer to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon as “the good rim”. The views are just about as good and there is no one there. This is a good post on what to do at the Grand Canyon.

2. Death Valley National Park

Time Added: extra 4 hours driving on Las Vegas route or 8 hours driving on SLC route

This stop is out of the way and will add at least an extra day to the trip unless you just want to see the park from the car.

If you’ve got the time and energy it’s one of the best parks in the system – here’s why.

3. Antelope Canyon

Time Added: no time added (depending on route)

Antelope Canyon is a bit pricy ($20 to park then $70 per person). Not my cup of tea because of what I consider to to be gauging prices and cattle-like experience but there’s no question this location’s beauty.

4. Horseshoe Bend

Time Added: No Time Added

This stop is a no-brainier. Do it and thank me later. One of the most beautiful views in the world.

5. Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument via Escalante, Utah

Time Added: potentially on route

Between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef, instead of going through Koosharem consider a drive through Escalante instead.

Highway 12 is considered one of the most beautiful drives in the west. You won’t regret it.

National Forests to Consider Visiting

• Dixie National Forest (on route). An absolute stunning place with none of the visitors you’ll find in the parks (save maybe Capitol Reef).
• Fishlake National Forest (extra 30 – 60 minutes driving). An easy stop near Bryce Canyon that is spectacular with aspens groves and no tourists.
• Manti-La Sal National Forest (extra 30 – 60 minutes driving). Located right outside of Moab with no tourists and some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen.

Planning Your Mighty 5 National Parks Road Trip

Utah Road Trip Basics

Step 1 of planning your Utah national parks road trip is deciding which parks to see (we’re assuming all 5 here but that’s not always possible) and what parks at which to spend the most time.

We recommend making your decision around either a singular must see destination (“I’ve always wanted to see Natural Arch at Arches National Park!”).

Having a #1 must see place and activity in mind is really helpful in guiding the trip.

Finally, check for closures on the official nps.gov website for the parks you want to visit.

Rock slides (looking at you Zion), down trees, in-climate weather, toxic algae blooms, government shutdowns, global pandemics, and especially wildfires are just some of the things that lead to favorite Utah parks and trails closing.

Best to check ahead of time and save yourself the disappointment.

Utah National Parks Road Trip Essentials

• Remember to bring cash for campgrounds and other random places that are cash only (there will be some)
• I’m a coffee addict and these are our go-to beans, Jim got me hooked on them.
• I like to boil water for tea, coffee, etc. and we like it to happen quickly.
• When we started packing a stove it totally changed the game for me. I love this single burner which packs small.
• I always have things to charge via a regular A/C outlet and highly recommend this adapter after going through a series of lesser quality ones.
• Be sure to pack a portable USB battery. There’s nothing worse than getting to the scenic overlook you’ve driven across the country to see only to realize you’re phone is dead.
• Wipes and sanitizer always come in handy. If I forget to pack them they’re the first thing we get at the store upon arrival.

Mapping Out Your Utah National Parks Road Trip (Creating a Road Trip Map)

One of the most fun parts of planning the Utah national parks road trip (at least for us anyway) is plotting it all out on a map.

Seeing all those little points come together and the significance of each one gets us every time.

There’s just nothing like the feeling of seeing the map points come to life when you finally arrive.

Best Utah Road Trip Map Tool

We always use google maps for this as the interface is hard to beat.

However, they do currently have a 10 destination limit on the regular one.

If you want/need to add more points to your map than the 10 destination limit, google also has a “my maps” tool which is free and even savable right to your google account.

We’ve ranked the 15 BEST Road Trip Planning Tools if you’re looking for more!

Tips for Creating a Utah Road Trip Map

• Try changing the order of the destinations. We find that often time what might seem the most logical route to us, in fact is not. Changing the order of your map points around can (and has for us) save you precious hours of drive time in between destinations
• It’s easy to get carried away adding pins to the map (we do this every time). “What’s an extra 5 hours on the trip of a lifetime!” or “When are we ever going to be out that way again?” can be dangerous questions that lead to trip stress. We recommend taking a good hard look at your map and eliminating extra time draining stops. You’d probably rather spend an extra few hours soaking in grand canyon views than fighting over bathroom stops with the back seat.
• Check the drive times between stops and determine approximately what time you will be arriving at each destination. Say you’ve always wanted to see a sunrise at Bryce Canyon, but you don’t calculate your drive and you end up getting there at 9am instead of the sunrise you always dreamed of. Not an ideal situation. This part can be a bit cumbersome but is well worth the effort.

How Long Will the Utah Road Trip Take?

Next step is determining how much time you have vs how much you “need”.

On average, we recommend allowing for at least 1-2 days per park on your trip.

That means if you’ve got a week (5-7 days) to do your road trip, the most parks you should include is probably 5.

You want to be able to give yourself time to appreciate and enjoy each destination and not feel rushed.

Further below we’ll cover a sample Utah National Parks Road Trip Itinerary.

Choosing a Starting Point for a Mighty 5 Road Trip

One of the toughest parts of planning a national park road can be choosing the right starting point.

If you’re driving your own car and starting from your residence then feel free to skip on to the next part.

For everyone else, especially if you plan on flying to your destination and renting a car, there’s a bit of a decision matrix to consider.

The question we always ask ourselves which makes it easier for us is: what is the cheapest price we can pay combined for rental car + airfare?

Price is easily our biggest determining factor when choosing a starting point.

If you’re interested in other National Parks Road Trips, you might want to look over our article ranking the best National Park Road Trips.

You also might be interested in our ALL 63 National Parks Ranked post that lists all of the national parks. We ranked them from best to worst based on our comprehensive 50 point rating system.

Getting the Best Price for Rental Car + Airfare

Consider the following example: You’re doing a Utah National Parks Road Trip to see the Mighty 5.

The most convenient airport options are Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. Say you find amazing flight deals to Salt Lake City – great, we fly into salt lake, right? Maybe.

Sometimes the rental car prices in one airport are so bad that it makes flying into another destination more worthwhile despite a great flight deal and vice versa.

Always check both the flight price and rental car price at each destination before booking.

Choosing the Right Utah Road Trip Lodging Options

We’ve all been there before… arriving at the campsite late at night praying there’s an open spot only to find nothing.

Or pulling into town after a 4 hour cell-service blackout only to find that all the hotels are all booked up.

Or realizing upon arriving to your destination that you didn’t make reservations anywhere and the prices are astronomical (we’re looking at you, Zion).

Like way more than a national park should ever cost seeing that it’s a tax-payer funded, publicly owned resource managed benefit and enjoyment of the people (all people).

The point is, planning ahead of time on lodging and deciding on the right accommodations for your budget is important. We recommend starting early and scanning what hotel prices are like during the time of year you want to visit (covered below).

This will give you an idea of what availability looks like and how expensive it is.

Where to Stay – Utah National Parks Road Trip Hotels

Having traveled all over the state of Utah over the past decade staying in a wide variety of hotels/motels from budget to luxury, these are the ones I currently endorse for each national park. Just so you know, my preferences tend toward cleanliness, updated, & affordability:

• Arches: Luxury | Regular
• Bryce Canyon: Regular
• Capitol Reef: Regular
• Canyonlands: Luxury | Regular
• Zion: Luxury | Regular | Budget (located in Virgin just outside Springdale)

Camping on the Utah National Park Road Trip

If you plan on camping, check out recreation.gov to see if you can reserve a site ahead of time.

One pro-tip we recommend is seeing if there are any nearby national forests where you might be able to camp.

National forest campgrounds are amazing for a number of reasons, two of them being price (they’re usually cheaper if not free) and availability (they’re usually way less crowded than national park campgrounds).

With that being said, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan for each night that you are unable to book something in advance.

Road Trip Food Planning

Ah, nothing says national park road trip quite like the smell of glistening hot dogs rotating over an open warming pan at Love’s gas station at 2 in the morning…

With that being said, planning out your road trip food is absolutely essential.

We’ve all seen the beloved road trip companion turn Mr. Hyde after being forced to miss their self-appointed feeding hour.

Avoiding this doomsday scenario can mean the difference between a warm ride home full of fond reminisces or an unscheduled stop at the Cedar City airport conducted in total silence.

We recommend a budget friendly mix of dining at local eateries and “cooler food”.

Feeling the fatigue of too much fast food can tank a day in a hurry so we highly recommend finding a cooler for the trip to pack something on the healthier side.

Pro-Tip #1: We often pack a soft cooler (this is our current go-to) full of clothes on the way over (if flying) that can be removed upon arrival and replaced with ice and lunch food/snacks (sandwich fixings, dips, greens, drinks, etc).

Groceries for Your Utah Road Trip

Typically our first stop after the airport is to a Trader Joe’s (who is not paying us to say so) to stock up on essentials.

We often end up in places during dining hours that either have no food options or very limited unhealthy options.

With that being said, it’s nice to have an alternative in the car.

Making food stops during your Utah road trip slows down momentum and can mean the difference between “making it there before sundown”.

Pro-Tip #2: A few years back we (finally) started packing a small, inexpensive one burner stove (this one) and it has made all the difference. Having the option to make hot food (we camp/car camp a lot) can make all the difference after a long day in the parks.

Finally, in the dining category of this post, comes the topic of coffee (should’ve been #1, I know).

We are hopeless caffeine junkies and need our morning fix.

Jim swears by this incredible coffee that he always packs with us (I’ll admit, I’m addicted now).

We use this gadget to heat the water and this metal pour over tin to do the job (they’ve never let us down).

Getting Gas During Your Utah Parks Road Trip

I’ll never forget running out of gas in the middle of the Mojave desert near Baker, California in 110 degree weather and no shade for miles…

Or the subsequent ride into town with my brothers and the sailor-mouthed tow-truck driver whose vernacular was completely free from the typical societal constraints one might expect with a 12 year-old (my youngest brother) present.

Good news is there was service, we lived, and Tom (youngest brother) went on to become the wisest of the bunch!

And while I’d like to say I learned my lesson from that experience, sadly it took several more extremely close terribly inconvenient calls for me to remember to plan fuel stops and check the old fuel gauge regularly.

Planning a Utah National Park Road Trip Budget

It’s a good idea to come up with an overall budget at the outset of planning your national parks road trip.

A budget makes it easy to remove unnecessary stops and keep everyone in check.

A sample budget breakdown for one of our trips looks something like this:

Sample Trip Budget

• Food – $50/person/day
• Lodging – $150/day if hotels per two people
• Gas – $30/day (this is pretty variable depending on what kind of car you’re driving)
• Rental Car – $70/day (this is fluctuating wildly given the current vehicle shortages)
• Flights – $300 round trip/person (extremely variable)
• Fees/Attractions – $100 total (park pass, etc)
• Miscellaneous – $300 total (the unforeseen expenses)
• SAMPLE TOTAL for 7 Day Trip for 2 People = $3300 ($700/food + $900/lodging + $210/gas + $490/rental car + $600/flights + $100/fees + $300/miscellaneous)

*this is very fungible up or down depending on how many nights are spent in hotels (if any), if you can get cheap flight deals vs gauging prices, driving your own car vs renting, if you eat at nicer places vs average & groceries, how fuel efficient your vehicle is, etc

Flexibility Is The Key To A Happy Road Trip

The whole reason we take road trips is to see new sights, experience new things, and most importantly to have a good time.

Being flexible is the most important factor we’ve found in overall trip happiness (and life).

A few tips based on many years of experience and running the whole gamut of trip emotions:

Tips for a Happy Trip

• Don’t plan out every second of your national parks road trip. Leave free space to either leave places early, linger longer, or just relax.
• There’s no such thing as being late on a road trip. If you miss a sunset it’s not the end of the world. If you have to nix a destination there’s always next time.
• Hydrate well and have plenty of snacks on hand. Hungry ≠ happy and neither does thirsty.
• Take time to enjoy the moment rather than always being concerned about making it to what’s next.

And Finally, The Weather in Utah

The most unpredictable factor and potentially biggest damper (intended was the pun) on any trip is the weather.

Plan ways to spend your time or alternative routes if specific places have bad weather. This way you won’t be as disappointed when it inevitably rains on your parade.

We like to check monthly forecasts to see average temperatures and precipitation before making plans.

List of Utah National Park Road Trip Stops

1. Zion National Park
2. Bryce Canyon National Park
3. Capitol Reef National Park
4. Arches National Park
5. Canyonlands National Park
6. Grand Canyon National Park
7. Horseshoe Bend
8. Dixie National Forest
9. Fishlake National Forest
10. Ashley National Forest
11. Manti-La Sal National Forest
12. Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest

Map of Utah National Parks Road Trip

Summary – Leave us a Comment!

Well folks, that’s a wrap! Let us know what we missed and what else we should include. We plan on updating this post with more road trip additions and tips in the future. If you’ve got any suggestions please let us know!

Helpful Related Articles

Things to Do Canyonlands: 20 Epic Things to Do in Canyonlands National Park

Things to Do Bryce Canyon: 20 Epic Things to Do in Bryce Canyon National Park

Things to Do Capitol Reef: 15 Best Things to Do in Capitol Reef National Park

Road Trip Essentials: 35+ ROAD TRIP ESSENTIALS (You’ll Love + Packing List)

Road Trip Planning Tools: 15 BEST FREE ROAD TRIP PLANNING Tools (& Apps) 2022

National Park Road Trips: 10 BEST National Park Road Trips

Zion National Park Guide: Ultimate Guide to Zion National Park

Things to Do in Zion: 18 EPIC Things to Do in Zion National Park

Best Hikes in Zion: 16 EPIC Hikes in Zion National Park

Things to Do in Arches: 16 EPIC Things to Do in Arches National Park

Utah National Parks Guide: 5 MIGHTY Utah National Parks Guide

Utah National Parks Road Trips: 5 Best Utah National Park Road Trips

Arizona Road Trips: 10 BEST Arizona Road Trips

National Parks Rankings: ALL 63 US National Parks Ranked By Experts

Most Visited National Parks: Top 10 Most Visited National Parks

Least Visited National Parks: Top 10 Least Visited National Parks

Best National Monuments: All 128 US National Monuments Ranked (Best to Worst)

The post UTAH National Parks ROAD TRIP of a Lifetime (Photos + Itinerary) appeared first on More Than Just Parks | National Parks Guides.

I’ll cut to the chase about road trip essentials – I spend 100+ days each year on the beautiful open road for my “work”, shooting films on our beloved national parks, forests, and public lands.

I’ve traveled on nearly every interstate in the country, and have done nearly every road trip combination you can imagine. Along the way I’ve tried to perfect the road trip essentials including a great list of what to pack for a road trip.

In this article I’ll detail all of my favorite road trip essentials that you should consider for your next adventure on the open road.

Why Trust Us When It Comes to Road Trip Essentials (Packing List)?

I (along with my brother, Jim) have spent practically my entire adult life out in the national parks and on public lands. That includes an incredible amount of time on the road trying to hone down road trip essentials.

I’ve traveled on nearly every interstate in the country and have been to 47 states (& counting). Over the years I’ve become an expert on road trip planning and efficiency.

Road Trip Essentials – Packing List

1. Car Chargers

Link: USB Car Adapter

A dead phone equals a dead road trip these days which is why packing a car charger (or 6) is a top road trip essential to pack.

If you’ve got a fancy newer model car or a rental car then you’ll likely have a USB or even USB-C outlet built-in. Otherwise you’ll need a USB car adapter for your car like this one.

2. Snacks

When it comes to the essentials you can forget flat tires or car troubles, if there’s one thing above all else you want to avoid on a road trip – it’s hanger.

I’m lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe’s where I do nearly all my road trip snack shopping but the basics can be found at most grocery stores. Personally I tend toward the healthier side but with some guilty pleasures.

10 Essential Road Trip Snacks

• Mixed Nuts
• Dried Fruits
• Fresh Fruit (Apples, bananas, avocados, oranges)
• *Fresh Veggies (carrots, radishes)
• Potato Chips
• Pretzels
• *Cheese (individually packaged is best)
• Jerky (I recommend this one)
• Mochi Nuggets
• Sour Gummy Worms (I know…)

* requires cooler

3. Chapstick

• Link: Chapstick

I don’t know what about road trips causes this phenomenon but it happens every time, the dreaded crusty, dried lips. Don’t be like me every single time I head out on the open road for a nice long trip.

Pack some chapstick! I’m not too picky but if you want to go for something earth-friendly then this is a great choice.

4. Physical Map

Call me old-school, but one of my all time favorite road trip essentials is an actual map that you can hold in your hands and write on with a sharpy.

Just about every single time I go on a road trip I bring a physical map, whether it’s just a quicky I printed myself or a fancy weatherproof one like the NatGeo series etc.

You never know when your phone might act up etc and there’s just something about holding a genuine map that completes the road trip aesthetic.

5. Cozy Blanket

• Link: Cozy | Sturdy

A cozy blanket is a must-have for any real road trip. Whether it’s folks in the back or the co-pilot getting some shut-eye, a blanket is a nice touch that brings your home into the car.

There’s two routes to go here – either something sturdy and outdoors capable if you’re going hiking (like this) etc OR something soft & plush that stays in the car (like this).

6. Cooler

• Link: Soft Cooler | Hard Cooler

If you’re looking to really class-up your travels and go the extra mile to make it more enjoyable (and healthier), I highly recommend a cooler as a road essential.

All of a sudden cold drinks, cut-fruits, cheese, veggies, sandwich meats, spreads like hummus, and more are on the table.

For myself, I like a soft cooler because I can more easily wedge it into a convenient nook and squish it down when not using it. If you’ve got a big enough road trip vehicle with extra space then a hard cooler is even better as it keeps items more secure and colder longer.

7. A/C Inverter

• Link: Car Outlet | Battery Clamps (for serious power)

I always find myself needing to plug in a laptop, charge camera batteries, or something that requires (or is best) with a regular A/C power outlet while on a road trip.

Perhaps my methods are a bit dated here but I keep one of these in the back of my car at all times just in case.

8. Jumper Cables

A good set of jumper cables are one of those road trip essentials you hope to never have to use but don’t want to be without.

You can find them a bunch of places these days whether it be a local car parts store or online. Be sure to watch a video or read instructions prior to trying for your first time.

Getting it wrong can be a real jolt to the system!

9. Tire Inflator (for Flat Tires)

• Link: Tire Inflator

This is something that I wish I’d included in my own road trip essentials list many, many years before I did. It is now a really handy tool in my arsenal which I’ve had to use more than once and really saved me in a pinch.

Flat tire inflators are a lifesaver whether you’re out in the middle of nowhere with no options or on the side of the interstate. They’re inexpensive these days, easy to use, and run off of your car’s battery.

It’s also a good idea to know how to change a tire – I’ve had to change my fair share out on the road.

10. Car Battery Jump Starter

• Link: Car Battery Jump Starter

A car battery jump starter is an innovation that has saved many a road trip from certain disaster. Just be sure it’s charged before leaving on your trip and your all set.

Nothing is worse than getting down the trail from a long hike only to realize you left your lights on and now have a dead car batter. Jump starter’s take all the worry out of the equation and make for a handy road trip essential.

11. Offline Google Maps

I do a lot of traveling in places that have very limited cell service as part of my job. To avoid not having navigation capabilities I download offline google maps prior to any road trip so that I can navigate even if I lose service.

Offline maps is a free feature by google and should be done over wifi (so it doesn’t take all day). If you’re going to a specific area then you can download that area’s map or if you’re going through several low-service areas you can download each one.

12. First Aid

• Link: Road Trip First Aid Kit

Packing some bandages and antibiotic ointment is always a good idea when heading out on a road trip. There’s plenty of great kits available online or you can inventory your at-home first aid and take the essentials.

Road Trip First Aid Essentials

• Bandages / Gauze
• Bandaids
• Antibiotic Ointment (cuts & scrapes)
• Tourniquet (serious injuries)
• Ibuprofen (inflamation)
• Acetemetophin (headaches)
• Moleskin (blisters)
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Alcohol Wipes

13. Headlamp / Flashlight

Whether or not you’re planning to be out after dark on your road trip, I always like to have a flashlight and headlamp in the car somewhere. You never know where the road might take you!

Headlamps are particularly handy for hiking and setting up camp sites etc late at night or early in the morning. Flashlights are always great and typically more powerful and directional than headlamps.

14. Water Bottle

As an avid hiker I have gotten into the habit of carrying a lightweight water bottle on me. I find that it makes for a great road trip essential as well as a space (and planet) saver.

These days there are plenty of great and inexpensive water bottle brands to choose from both online and in stores.

15. Water / Drinks

Water and or some form of a hydration is an absolute road trip essential (but don’t drink too much!). Whether you’re planning on doing some hiking, cooking at a campsite, or just driving, you’ll need to stay hydrated.

Typically I pack some big jugs of water and use them to fill up my water bottle and for cooking etc.

16. Cash

Even in this day and age there are still places in America that are cash only – I think it’s kind of cool and adds to the adventure of the road trip.

Outdoor recreation sites such as campgrounds are often are cash-only so best to have some on hand. I recommend at least $100 and half of it in smaller, easy to change bills.

If you’re planning on being out for a week or longer then I’d double that amount at least.

17. Comfy Pillows

A key road trip essential that I almost always forget to pack is a comfy pillow. Pillows can be make or break when it comes to getting some decent shut-eye on the road (or just about anywhere).

Depending on how much space you have you can opt for a full-size bed pillow or something more travel sized.

18. Headphones

If you’re traveling with more than two people then packing headphones is a really good idea for a road trip. You might love the DJ’s playlist, or you might not.

It’s always good to have options on the road.

19. Road Trip Playlist

Everybody has their own personal music tastes for road trips whether it’s the classics like “Going Up the Country” or something more contemporary like “Ends of the Earth“.

If you’ve got the time then creating and downloading your favorite songs for offline use is a great idea for a road trip.

My favorite road trip XM radio channel is “The Bridge” which features 70s soft rock & classics and has been made into a Spotify playlist as well.

20. Podcasts / Audio Books

I’m a big audio book guy but tend to prefer podcasts while on the road. Perhaps it’s the more episodic nature of the podcast where you can tune in to more bite-size pieces of information.

My favorite road trip podcast is “Stuff You Should Know” which has a massive amount of great content, perfect for conversation starters.

21. Shoes / Hiking Boots

Despite being a more obvious road trip packing list item, I have forgotten proper footwear on multiple occasions which can really throw a wrench into plans.

I recall one specific instance arriving at Mount Rainier in the winter and realizing that I was wearing flip flops and had no hiking shoes packed.

Don’t be me – pack the right shoes whether it be sandals for the beach, snow boots for the mountains, or anything in between.

22. Portable USB Battery

• Link: Portable USB Battery

Packing a portable USB battery on a road trip is a game-changer allowing you to take extra phone charges anywhere you want to go. These batteries have become incredibly inexpensive for what they are over the years.

I bring these things every time I hit the road and frequently bring them on trails, into restaurants, and anywhere that I find myself low on battery. They can also charge all sorts of other USB related items as well.

23. Sunglasses

It goes without saying why you need sunglasses on a road trip but it seems no amount of reminding is enough for these.

When you’re on the road the sun has a tendency to always find your eyes in the most inconvenient and annoying ways, especially while driving.

24. Tissues, Napkins, & Wipes

Achoo! If you’re traveling with at least two people odds are that one of you are going to have a use for a tissue (within the first hour) during your road trip.

You can literally never have enough napkins especially if you have any salt snacks or sandwich fixings, etc.

Wipes are a great addition for keeping both the car and it’s occupants clean. Sanitizing wipes are the way to go here.

25. Hand Sanitizer

In these times hand sanitizer is our little omnipresent friend. It’s an absolute road trip essential that you’re sure to use early and often.

Use it for yourself and those around you.

26. Waze

We wrote an article on the 15 Best Road Trip Planning Tools & Apps and Waze was high on that list.

Not only does Waze have a great navigation system (powered by Google) but it also has useful features that allow you to notify others and be notified when there’s something in the road, traffic, police activity, and more.

27. Clothes

One of those ones that goes without saying until you realize you forgot a jacket and are in the mountains. It happens to the best of us.

Make sure to check the weather in your destinations and pack accordingly!

28. Jetboil

• Link: Jetboil

My primary use of the jetboil these days is to get a decent cup of coffee where there are none to be had. I’ve become a bit of a (major) coffee snob over the years and don’t really like settling for that 3 day old cup of gas station brew.

As an alternative to gas station brews, I pack a jetboil. If I need coffee but don’t like the options, I pull over and take a 5 minute stop to brew myself a superior cup.

It’s also great for boiling water for camping uses. Consider it on your road trip packing list!

29. Dry Shampoo

• Link: Dry Shampoo

If you’re anything like me, you probably never leave the house without dry shampoo. As such, no list outlining road trip essentials would be complete without this handy companion.

If you’re new to dry shampoo, here’s the brand I’ve been using for the past 6+ years. It’s inexpensive and effective, which makes it a no-brainer on a road trip!

30. Socks

Yes, my feet are those dreaded ones that everyone immediately comes to the same horrible realization when they are no longer “with sock” in the car. What can I say!

As someone whose feet have been the ire of many road trip companions I highly recommend packing some extra socks, like a lot of them. And changing your socks outside the vehicle, or at least with a window down.

31. Books

Personally I get car sick when reading books on a road trip but some folks consider these sources of knowledge and entertainment one of their road trip must haves.

If you’re one of those people then don’t forget a good book for the road!

32. Tote Bag

Tote bags are one of those things you never pack enough of on a road trip (at least for me). They are so handy whether it’s containing dirty boots, organizing trip snacks, doing some grocery shopping, using for blankets, etc.

Bring a few empty totes as part of your road trip kit and realize the joy when you find uses for them.

33. Sunscreen

• Link: Reef-safe sunscreen

If you’re someone (like me) that burns easily then a high SPF sunscreen is your friend and one of the road trip must haves. I have become very good at remembering to pack sunscreen on road trips after becoming the dreaded lobster-back one time too many.

If you’re going anywhere near the ocean or a body of water, opt for an eco-friendly and reef-safe sunscreen. The planet thanks you.

34. Caffeine / Pick-me-ups

It’s late in the day (or night) and the eyes start to droop. Pull over! It’s not worth it!

Once you’ve pulled over, if you feel you’re up for continuing on it’s a good idea to indulge in a pick-me-up.

For me that’s where a cup of coffee (or coffee beverage, cold or otherwise) OR my favorite guilty pleasure on road trips comes into play – sour gummy worms.

35. Camera

Link: Sony A7RIII

For most of us out there, smart phones have far eclipsed the quality and ease of use that most other cameras can offer. If you consider yourself a photographer then a professional camera is a road trip must have!

We love the Sony A7RII, A7RIII, & Sony A7RIV.

36. Games

If you’re traveling with your family or have friends who are up for it, road trip games can be a great social activity to pass the time on the road.

5 Great Road Trip Games

• I Spy
• 20 Questions
• License Plate Game
• Alphabet Game
• Road Trip Scavenger Hunt

Road Trip Packing List Summary (The Essentials)

1. Car Chargers
2. Snacks
3. Chapstick
4. Physical Map
5. Blanket
6. Download Google Maps
7. Cooler
8. A/C Adapter
9. Jumper Cables
10. Flat Tire Pump
11. Car Battery Jumper
12. First Aid
13. Headlamp / Flashlight
14. Bottle
15. Road Trip Playlist
16. Water / Drinks
17. Comfy Pillows
18. Shoes / Hiking Boots
19. Headphones
20. USB Battery
21. Sunglasses
22. Tissues & Wipes
23. Hand Sanitizer
24. Waze
25. Clothes
26. Cash
27. Dry Shampoo
28. Socks
29. Podcasts / Audiobooks / Comedy Acts
30. Books
31. Tote Bag
32. Sunscreen
33. Games
34. Caffeine / Pick-me-ups
35. Camera

Summary of Road Trip Essentials

That’s a wrap folks! If you enjoyed this article about what to pack for a road trip and road trip essentials then please leave us a comment.

If we left something out that you like then let us know – we’d love to improve our list!

What are your road trip must haves?

Road Trip Essentials Further Reading

• EXPERT GUIDE: 20 EPIC HIKING APPS (For ALL Skill Levels)
• 10+ EPIC National Park Road Trips (+ Stops You’ll Love)
• EXPERT GUIDE: Utah National Parks Road Trip
• 15 BEST Road Trip Planning Tools (+Apps)

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Article Overview: National Park Road Trips

I don’t know about you, but when I think “Arizona road trip” I imagine driving a sun-drenched highway surrounded by incredible scenery while listening to Gordon Lightfoot’s classic song Carefree Highway.

The song’s title definitely captures the feeling one gets while cruising along on an Arizona road trip with nothing but the warm desert wind at your face and a bucket list of beautiful places to see ahead of you.

As a matter of fact, Lightfoot wrote that song about Arizona’s State Route 74 just north of Phoenix. Okay, it’s really about lost love, but the Arizona road that helped inspire it has since been renamed the Carefree Highway in honor of Lightfoot’s iconic easy-listening hit.

Now that I’ve thoroughly sidetracked this article about Arizona’s most scenic drives, lets get back to talking about why you absolutely have to take an Arizona road trip if you live in the U.S. (and even if you don’t).

Yes the state is home to one of the 7 natural wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon, a place so unfathomably beautiful and staggeringly grand that it can’t possibly be adequately described by our woefully inadequate human languages. Arizona is also home to numerous spectacular Native American ruins, magnificent red rock formations, three national parks, and several national forests.

With so much natural beauty, the Grand Canyon state simply has to be at or near the top of your road trip bucket list. So let’s start making plans for your next visit to the grand canyon state!

Arizona Road Trip

Arizona Road Trip Overview

National Forests: 7 (yes 7!)

National Parks: 3

National Scenic Byways: 5 (including 4 All-American Roads)

Arizona has 7 national forests and 3 iconic national parks spread throughout the state making for fantastic road trip destinations. Alongside its forests and parks Arizona is also home to a multitude of other National Park Service sites and various other federal lands that are well worth visiting.

1. Red Rock Scenic Byway
2. Historic Route 66 Scenic Byway
3. Kaibab Plateau–North Rim Parkway
4. Sky Island Scenic Byway
5. Coronado Trail Scenic Byway
6. Sedona to Grand Canyon
7. Flagstaff to Sedona

Arizona Road Trip Map

Above is a map of Arizona with its scenic roads highlighted. Each of these highlighted routes represents a possible adventure taking you through some of the most spectacular scenery in the country.

1. Phoenix to Sedona

This is a very popular Arizona road trip route for good reason. Not only is Sedona one of the most naturally beautiful parts of the state, but the drive getting there is incredibly scenic as well.

Driving from Phoenix to Sedona is relatively easy and incredibly beautiful. The drive from Phoenix to Sedona is only 2 hours. You’ll take I-17 northbound much of the way before exiting onto the Red Rock National Scenic Byway, a federally designated All-American Road (the highest designation a road can receive in the U.S.).

Distance from Phoenix to Sedona

The distance from Phoenix to Sedona is about 115 miles driving and takes approximately 2 hours. Of course you’ll want to build in extra time for taking in the spectacular sights along the way, more on that below.

The Red Rock Scenic Byway

After taking exit 298 off of I-17 North you’ll begin the world famous Red Rock Scenic Byway and the views do not disappoint. The byway winds it’s way through Sedona’s iconic red rock formations with their dazzling striped beauty on full display.

The Red Rock Scenic Byway is only 7.5 miles long, making it one of the shortest national scenic byways in the country, but that doesn’t mean you’ll breeze right through it. With lots of steep winding curves and so much to see you’ll be taking plenty of time to soak in the red rock beauty all around you.

Sedona Pink Jeep Tours

Once in Sedona, a popular tourist activity is the Sedona Pink Jeep Tours, which take visitors on an off-road ride into the beautiful red rock desert surroundings of Sedona. Whether it’s the Sedona pink jeep tours, or one of the many other vendors offering Sedona jeep tours, this can be a fun planned family activity once there.

The great thing about the Sedona pink jeep tours is that they get you deep into the heart of the beautiful red rock country without the need for a multi-day backpacking trip. Once out there you can take in the serenity of the place far beyond the reach of city life.

If you plan on spending some time here with family or friends I recommend going in on a Sedona pink jeep tour, you’ll be telling those stories for a long time afterwards.

Sedona Vortex

Many people come to Sedona to practice meditative healing and engage in spiritual exercises amidst the surrounding red rock beauty. Some believe that the area around Sedona, with its red rock towers and incredible scenery are home to vortices (plural of vortex), which are said to be swirling centers of energy which contain restorative powers.

Now if that sounds like a bit much for you, fear not, people who come to experience these restorative powers are lovely and fascinating people (I’ve met many on trips there) and typically practice various forms of yoga and meditation while immersed in the beauty of Sedona.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Sedona vortex theory, I’d encourage you to visit Sedona’s tourism website here, where they explain the Sedona Vortex and what it means to some people.

2. Historic Route 66 Scenic Byway

• Location: Northern Arizona
• Drive Time: 8-10 hours
• Distance: 300+ miles
• Best Time to Visit: May – September

While the world famous Route 66 begins in Chicago, IL, and ends in Santa Monica, CA, perhaps the most famous stretch of The Mother Road is the portion that winds through the heart of Arizona.

There’s something about cruising along Route 66 in Arizona that makes you feel like you’re really living. I don’t know whether it’s the storied road’s history, the incredible scenery, the nostalgic diners and neon signs, or perhaps all of it, but it’s just something you have to do.

Of course no Route 66 trip is complete until you’ve stood on the corner in Winslow, Arizona where you’ll find a statue of Eagles lead singer Glenn Frey standing next to a vintage flat bed Ford truck.

Historic Route 66 actually crossed through Petrified Forest National Park at one time. Today that part of the road is gone, but visiting the park you can still see the old road bed and weathered telephone poles from America’s Main Street.

Petrified Forest National Park is well worth the stop and is so much more than petrified wood. In fact, the best part of the park are the views of Arizona’s beautiful Painted Desert. If you’re lucky you might get to see a summer storm building in the distance – a truly beautiful sight.

3. Kaibab Plateau–North Rim Parkway

• Location: Northern Arizona
• Drive Time: 2 hours
• Distance: 42 miles
• Best Time to Visit: Fall

If it’s breathtaking sites you want then this is the drive for you. The drive takes visitors through a mixed forest of pine and aspen with opportunities to see wildlife around every bend. Eventually you’ll reach the north rim of the Grand Canyon.

There is no doubt that the north rim of the Grand Canyon provides visitors with some of the most spectacular views found anywhere on earth. from here you can marvel at this magnificent natural wonder in relative seclusion.

Ponder its depths and drink in the views enveloping you – there’s simply no place like it on earth.

The best time to take this drive is in the fall when the aspens display their brilliant fall colors and long after the tourist season has died down. The second best time to visit is in the late Spring when temperatures have warmed, but before summer tourist crush has begun.

4. Sky Island Scenic Byway

• Location: Southern Arizona
• Drive Time: 1 hour
• Distance: 27 miles
• Best Time to Visit: Spring or Fall

Beginning in the Sonoran desert near Tucson, you’ll wind your way past Saguaro Cacti before climbing nearly 9,000 feet into vast pine forests where snow is common in winter.

As the Federal Highway Administration puts it, you’ll pass through “biological diversity equivalent to a drive from Mexico to Canada in just 27 miles.” Sold yet?

The map above makes it seem kind of small, but trust me this is such an incredible drive. I recommend heading up just before sunset and then taking in the sun’s swan song from Windy Point where you’ll have panoramic veiws of the mountains and desert below.

This is a great trip to pair with a visit to Saguaro National Park. The Tucson area is filled with all kinds of great outdoor recreation opportunities and can make a great jumping off point for your desert adventures.

Further Reading: 11 Incredible Things To Do Saguaro National Park

5. Coronado Trail Scenic Byway

• Location: Southeastern Arizona
• Drive Time: 4-5 hours
• Distance: 123 miles
• Best Time to Visit: Spring or Fall

This scenic drives gives visitors an opportunity to walk (or drive) in the footsteps of Arizona’s native peoples as well as the Spanish conquistadors who were among the first Europeans to visit the United States.

Timing can mean a great deal when planning a visit to the Coronado Trail. Summers are hot and the weather can be unpredictable with storms moving in with little warning. Spring is generally mild, but temperatures at the higher elevations can get cold. Fall is a great time as the higher elevations will display brilliant autumn colors and the tourist season has died down.

The above map highlights the Coronado Trail Scenic Byway. There are a number of Forest Service campgrounds and recreational sights to help you get the most out of this scenic area.

6. Sedona to Grand Canyon Drive

• Location: Northern Arizona
• Drive Time: 2 hours
• Distance: 114 miles
• Best Time to Visit: Spring or Fall

Heading north from Sedona takes you through the beautiful Coconino National Forest. Vast stands of ponderosa pines dominate the landscape as you follow Oak Creek through a canyon and make your way up onto a plateau.

Eventually you’ll reach the outskirts of Flagstaff where it’s usually a good idea to fuel up and get any provisions you want for your Grand Canyon adventure. Grand Canyon Village has plenty of options, but typically prices are a bit higher and Flagstaff will have more options.

Once at the Grand Canyon, well it’s the Grand Canyon. There’s plenty of parking and I recommend staying for sunset to truly get the most out of your Grand Canyon visit.

Though the South Rim of the Grand Canyon tends to be quite crowded, if you bother to walk away from the major overlooks (here’s looking at you Mather Point) you can actually find yourself a spot that’s all your own. It is a massive canyon after all!

From there you can soak in the breathtaking views and watch the golden light sweep through canyon as the sun sets. Make sure to stay for magic hour!

Magic hour is my favorite time to be at the rim of the Grand Canyon. When the light on the horizon glows a deep reddish orange and lights up the canyon with a spectacular warm glow one last time for the day.

7. Flagstaff to Sedona Drive

• Location: Northern Arizona
• Drive Time: 50 minutes
• Distance: 30 miles
• Best Time to Visit: April – November

The Flagstaff to Sedona drive is a short and easy drive that offers incredible scenery. Whether you live in Arizona or are planning a trip there, you definitely need to make this drive.

Heading south from Flagstaff you’ll drive through vast stands of ponderosa pine forest before you begin to descend into Oak Creek Canyon as you approach Sedona. Red rock towers and vibrantly colored mesas will greet you as you arrive in Sedona.

Once in Sedona I’d recommend taking the Red Rock Scenic Byway (covered earlier) when you get a chance to truly soak in the incredible views of the area.

When is the Best Time of Year to Plan Your Arizona Road Trip?

The best time to embark on your Arizona road trip is in the fall or late spring. Going in the off-season offers fewer crowds and much more pleasant weather. This can be a huge benefit when comparing it with other national park destinations that inversely have their best weather in the summer.

Planning Your Arizona Road Trip

Things to Know Before Your Arizona Road Trip

Weather

Summers are exceedingly hot in this desert state with temperatures routinely reaching triple digits in much of the state. Late summer (July & August) brings monsoon season and unpredictable storms that are also a delight to see from a distance. Winter varies, but is very mild and pleasant from Phoenix southwards.

Gas

The desert heat can tend to make your gas disappear a little quicker so be mindful of that fuel gauge and make sure to fill up when you have opportunities as there some long stretches of road without the chance to do so.

Sunscreen

You’ll definitely want to bring sunscreen to Arizona. We happen to like this one because it works AND it’s not full of a bunch of chemicals.

Leave No Trace

That’s right, as you visit Arizona’s parks and green spaces remember to leave these places beautiful. We’re big fans of Leave No Trace here at MTJP. Want to learn more? Read about the seven principals of Leave No Trace here.

Clothing

Depending on the time of year and where you’re going you may want a range of options. Suffice to say if it’s the summer bring lightweight and breathable clothing and things that will protect you from the sun.

Insect Repellent

You hope not to need it, but you want to have it. We typically bring an Eco-Friendly Insect Repellent with us just in case.

Mapping Out Your Arizona Road Trip

An Arizona road trip can go any number of ways depending on where you’re starting. As you browse this article and find byways and points of interest that you want to check out we recommend using Google Maps “My Maps” tool to add POI’s, formulate a route, and share it with your copilots – more on this below.

Best Arizona Road Trip Map Tool

We always use google maps for this as the interface is hard to beat. However, they do currently have a 10 destination limit on the regular one.

If you want/need to add more points to your map than the 10 destination limit, google also has a “my maps” tool which is free and even savable right to your google account.

We’ve ranked the 15 BEST Road Trip Planning Tools if you’re looking for more!

If you’re interested in other National Parks Road Trips, you might want to look over our post ranking the National Park Road Trips. You also might be interested in our ALL 63 National Parks Ranked post that lists all of the national parks. We ranked them from best to worst based on our comprehensive 50 point rating system.

Arizona Road Trip – Camping

There are more camping options along the scenic byways of Arizona than we could possibly have time to mention. From private RV-friendly campgrounds to primitive tent-only campsites and everything in between, with it’s vast network of federal and state lands Oregon has something for everybody in terms of camping.

Tips to Avoid Camping Headaches

Now I should note that just because Arizona has bountiful camping opportunities doesn’t mean they don’t fill up fast! Believe me, I’ve been on road trips here where I couldn’t find an open campsite to save my life and had to sleep in the car.

• Avoid holiday weekends if possible. You wouldn’t believe how fast and how far in advance campgrounds fill up for holiday weekends. As sad as it sounds it’s best to avoid these weekends if you’re wanting a hassle-free road trip.
• Reserve your campsites ahead of time. Gone are the days of rolling up to Forest Service campgrounds on a summer evening and picking amongst plentiful available sites for a peaceful night under the stars. Use recreation.gov to book your campsites in advance and avoid massive headaches.
• Don’t forget about privately run campgrounds. A beautiful Forest Service or National Park Service campground sounds postcard perfect for your camping weekend, but the reality is it’s extremely competitive to get a campsite on our federal lands these days. If you’re looking for a place to lie your head down for the night do sleep on private campgrounds!

Choosing a Starting Point for the Road Trip

One of the toughest parts of planning a road trip can be choosing the right starting point. If you’re driving your own car and starting from your residence then feel free to skip on to the next part. For everyone else, especially if you plan on flying to your destination and renting a car, there’s a bit of a decision matrix to consider.

The question we always ask ourselves which makes it easier for us is: what is the cheapest price we can pay combined for rental car + airfare? Price is easily our biggest determining factor when choosing a starting point.

If you’re interested in a National Parks Road Trip, you might want to look over our post on Best US National Parks Road Trips that lists all of the best national road trips.

Getting the Best Price for Rental Car + Airfare

Consider the following example. You’re doing a Utah National Parks Road Trip to see the Mighty 5. The most convenient airport options are Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. Say you find amazing flight deals to Salt Lake City – great, we fly into salt lake, right? Maybe.

Sometimes the rental car prices in one airport are so bad that it makes flying into another destination more worthwhile despite a great flight deal and vice versa. Always check both the flight price and rental car price at each destination before booking.

Choosing the Right Lodging Options

We’ve all been there before… arriving at the campsite late at night praying we there’s an open spot only to find nothing. Or pulling into town after a 4 hour cell-service blackout only to find that all the hotels are all booked up.

Or realizing upon arriving to your destination that you didn’t make reservations anywhere and the prices are astronomical (we’re looking at you, Yellowstone). Like way more than a national park should ever cost seeing that it’s a tax-payer funded, publicly owned resource managed for the benefit and enjoyment of the people (all people).

The point is, planning ahead of time on lodging and deciding on the right accommodations for your budget is important. I recommend starting early and scanning what hotel prices are like during the time of year you want to visit (covered below). This will give you an idea of what availability looks like and how expensive it is.

Road Trip Food Planning

Ah, nothing says US road trip quite like the smell of glistening hot dogs rotating over an open warming pan at Love’s gas station at 2 in the morning… With that being said, planning out your road trip food is absolutely essential.

We’ve all seen the beloved road trip companion turn Mr. Hyde after being forced to miss their self-appointed feeding hour. Avoiding this doomsday scenario can mean the difference between a warm ride home full of fond reminisces or an unscheduled stop at the Twin Falls airport conducted in total silence.

We recommend a budget friendly mix of dining at local eateries and “cooler food”. Feeling the fatigue of too much fast food can tank a day in a hurry so we highly recommend finding a cooler for the trip to pack something on the healthier side.

Pro-Tip #1: We often pack a soft cooler (this is our current go-to) full of clothes on the way over (if flying) that can be removed upon arrival and replaced with ice and lunch food/snacks (sandwich fixings, dips, greens, drinks, etc).

Road Trip Groceries

Typically our first stop after the airport is to a Trader Joe’s (who is not paying us to say so) to stock up on essentials. If there’s no Trader’s then head to a solid all-around grocery store and go from there. We often end up in places during dining hours that either have no food options or very limited unhealthy options and so it’s nice to have an alternative in the car.

Making food stops also slows down trip momentum and can mean the difference between “making it there before sundown”.

Pro-Tip #2: A few years back we (finally) started packing a small, inexpensive one burner stove (this one) and it has made all the difference. Having the option to make hot food (we camp/car camp a lot) can make all the difference after a long day in the parks.

Finally, in the dining category of this post, comes the topic of coffee (should’ve been #1, I know). We are hopeless caffeine junkies and need our morning fix. New Mexico piñon coffee is my favorite and I try to always pack some. We use this gadget to heat the water and this metal pour over tin to do the job (usually with good results I must say).

Planning Your Arizona Road Trip Budget

It’s a good idea to come up with an overall budget at the outset of planning your road trip. A budget makes it easy to remove unnecessary stops and keep everyone in check. A sample budget breakdown for one of our trips looks something like this:

Sample Arizona Road Trip Budget

• Food – $50/person/day
• Lodging – $150/day if hotels per two people
• Gas – $30/day (this is pretty variable depending on what kind of car you’re driving)
• Rental Car – $70/day (this is fluctuating wildly given the current vehicle shortages)
• Flights – $300 round trip/person (extremely variable)
• Fees/Attractions – $100 total (park pass, etc)
• Miscellaneous – $300 total (the unforeseen expenses)
• SAMPLE TOTAL for 7 Day Trip for 2 People = $3300 ($700/food + $900/lodging + $210/gas + $490/rental car + $600/flights + $100/fees + $300/miscellaneous)

*this is very fungible up or down depending on how many nights are spent in hotels (if any), if you can get cheap flight deals vs gauging prices, driving your own car vs renting, if you eat at nicer places vs average & groceries, how fuel efficient your vehicle is, etc

Flexibility Is The Key To A Happy Road Trip

The whole reason we take road trips is to see new sights, experience new things, and most importantly to have a good time. Being flexible is the most important factor we’ve found in overall trip happiness (and life).

A few tips based on many years of experience and running the whole gamut of trip emotions:

Tips for a Happy Trip

• Don’t plan out every second of your road trip. Leave free space to either leave places early, linger longer, or just relax.
• There’s no such thing as being late on a road trip. If you miss a sunset it’s not the end of the world. If you have to nix a destination there’s always next time.
• Hydrate well and have plenty of snacks on hand. Hungry ≠ happy and neither does thirsty.
• Take time to enjoy the moment rather than always being concerned about making it to what’s next.

And Finally, The Weather

The most unpredictable factor and potentially biggest damper (intended was the pun) on any trip is the weather.

If you have a plan beforehand for how to spend your time or alternative routes if specific places have bad weather you won’t be as disappointed when it inevitably rains on your parade.

We like to check monthly forecasts to see average temperatures and precipitation before making plans.

List of Arizona Road Trip Scenic Byways

1. Red Rock Scenic Byway
2. Historic Route 66 Scenic Byway
3. Kaibab Plateau–North Rim Parkway
4. Sky Island Scenic Byway
5. Coronado Trail Scenic Byway

Summary – Leave us a Comment!

That’s all I’ve got for you to plan your next great Arizona road trip. I hope you’ll let us know what we missed and what else we should include. And please drop us a note if there’s a road trip that we haven’t written about that your interested in knowing more about!

Pin Arizona Road Trip

Further Reading

• 20 EPIC Things to Do at the Grand Canyon
• 15 JAW-DROPPING Things to Do in SAGUARO National Park
• These 29 EPIC Arizona National Parks & Monuments Will Blow Your Mind
• 10 INCREDIBLE Saguaro National Park Hikes
• UTAH National Parks ROAD TRIP: An Epic Guide + Overlooked Spots
• ALL 63 National Parks Ranked from Best to Worst 2021
• 10 Best National Parks Road Trips in America
• 35+ ROAD TRIP ESSENTIALS (You’ll Love + Packing List)
• 15 BEST FREE ROAD TRIP PLANNING Tools (& Apps) 2022

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ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Grand Teton to Yellowstone National Park

Visiting Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park seems easy enough looking at a map, with a 17-mile road connecting the two. However, much more goes into enjoying the time at each park than just a quick drive.

The road between the parks closes in winter, but don’t rule out going to both parks in one trip. We’ve visited these two parks in almost every season and want to help you plan the trip that maximizes your time without wearing you out.

Whether you’re going from Yellowstone to Grand Teton or Grand Teton to Yellowstone, bookmark this link to help you during trip planning and along the way.

5 Quick Things to Know About Traveling Between Grand Teton and Yellowstone

1. You’ll pay separate admission fees for each park. Each park is $35 per car for seven days of access. If you plan on visiting any other public land (more than 2,000 nationwide) that year, consider the America the Beautiful interagency pass, which is just $80 and covers the same carload.
2. The south entrance to Yellowstone closes between November 1 and early May. That’s the road that takes you between Yellowstone and Grand Teton and back. You’ll need to take a detour if you’re visiting during that time.
3. Between Yellowstone and Grand Teton, several road access closures happen throughout winter and spring. These don’t always align with the same timeframe. Check park conditions before your visit through the NPS app.
4. We recommend staying in West Yellowstone for the best access from Yellowstone to Grand Teton. Looking for a place to stay near Grand Teton? Our favorite hotel offers great service.
5. Always carry a map of the park with you, as mobile service is spotty and GPS can’t always be relied on. Ideally, your map covers both parks.

The Seasons of Grand Teton and Yellowstone

The seasonal oddities of each park come into play when planning a trip from Grand Teton to Yellowstone. While most people think of the four seasons – winter, spring, summer, and fall, these parks have slightly different definitions.

Some might call it the worst time to visit Grand Teton or Yellowstone National Parks, but I prefer to call it the least desirable time. Those times are late October through mid-December and mid-March through April.

At least in winter you know the park roads that are closed, so you can navigate to the open areas by yourself or through the use of a tour. These “mini-seasons” caught between two big seasons lead to the most closures, lack of amenities, and general confusion.

• The Yellowstone anchor towns, like West Yellowstone and Gardiner (both in Montana), are more likely to close down for a break between fall and winter or winter and late spring. That means even outside the park, hotels and attractions go on hiatus.

• Grand Teton’s anchor town of Jackson thrives a bit more thanks to the ski resort and surrounding area being more a destination than just “the place closest to Grand Teton National Park.”

Getting to Yellowstone National Park

Whether you choose to fly to Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Park, airport options are plentiful. We put together this guide to the best airports near Yellowstone National Park.

In summary:

• Closest Airport to Yellowstone: Yellowstone Airport (WYS)
• Best Airport Near West Yellowstone: Yellowstone Airport (WYS)
• Best Airport Near East Yellowstone: Yellowstone Regional Airport (YRA)
• Closest International Airport Near Yellowstone: Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN)
• Closest Major Airport Near Yellowstone: Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
• Most Affordable Airport Near Yellowstone: Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)

Keep in mind for budget purposes that Salt Lake City’s airport offers more flights and generally cheaper rates; you need to drive about five hours to get to Yellowstone National Park.

Getting to Grand Teton National Park

The fastest way to get to Grand Teton National Park is by plane, flying into Jackson Hole Airport (JAC). The airport is basically in the park and offers sweeping views of the Tetons.

If money is no issue and time is paramount, this is the way to go. Major airlines such as Delta, United and American service this airport. Finding a flight shouldn’t be a problem, but routes change depending on the season. Be prepared for higher prices for this convenient stop.

The cheapest way to get to Grand Teton is by simply driving to the park. This is a great, budget-friendly option. Depending on your access to a car and the distance you’re willing to drive (see our national park road trips post), you may want to fly somewhere more affordable and rent a car from there.

Our recommendation is to check both rental car prices and flight prices at other nearby airports like Salt Lake City (SLC) – 5 hours away, and Twin Falls (TWF) – 4.5 hours away. The savings for finding an alternative airport to fly into and rent a car from can sometimes be in the thousands.

Plus, driving up from SLC offers the possibility of swinging by Craters of the Moon National Monument. And just like that, the interagency pass pays for itself.

Driving Between Yellowstone and Grand Teton

When John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway is open, drive through the Yellowstone south entrance to Grand Teton. It’s worth noting there is no entrance station at Grand Teton National Park’s northern edge. You still need a park pass at either Moran Junction or Moose Entrance.

When the Parkway closes for the season (or just to avoid Yellowstone traffic during peak season), take the 140-mile route through Idaho on US 20 to ID 32. Veer onto WY 22, Teton Pass Highway, and then turn north on US 191. That takes you right to the park entrances.

If you look at the map below, check out the opportunity to drive a lollipop loop from Grand Teton to Yellowstone or Yellowstone to Grand Teton.

From West Yellowstone, follow US 89 around to Mammoth Hot Springs, then to Devils Den, taking Grand Loop Road south around the edge of the lake. Then, it drops you off on the road to the south entrance and Yellowstone. On the way back, pick up the continuation of US 191 to the thermal basin with Old Faithful.

Grand Teton to Yellowstone Map

How Many Days Do You Need for a Grand Teton and Yellowstone Trip?

If you want to explore the highlights of both parks without feeling rushed, a minimum of 3 to 5 days would be ideal. This would allow you to spend at least a day or two in each park, with some flexibility for travel and leisure. Planning for 5 to 7 days offers a more ideal time frame.

As you piece together your itinerary, consider adding Yellowstone Lake and West Thumb to the second half of your last day in Grand Teton. That section of Yellowstone is closest to Grand Teton National Park.

When Is the Best Time to Visit Grand Teton and Yellowstone?

Mid-to-late summer offers the most access to all areas of the park and the least snow on trails, even at higher elevations. However, that time also brings the largest crowds. By the week before Memorial Day, all roads open for the season in Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

The roads inside Grand Teton National Park generally open by May 1, while Yellowstone still faces road closures from the South Entrance through mid-May and near Mount Washburn through late May.

Yellowstone repeatedly makes the Top 5 list of most visited national parks, and Grand Teton usually hits the Top 10. Try to plan to visit the busiest locations in either park during weekdays and not on a holiday weekend. I like to pick the busy weekend days for the more remote backcountry or longer hikes where crowds won’t be an issue anyway.

The best months to visit Grand Teton to Yellowstone are June, July, August, September, and early October. Should you want to ski or snowmobile, then arrive after mid-December but before mid-March.

Planning Your Yellowstone andGrand Teton Itinerary

Each park on this epic adventure comes with certain “must-see” spots. Of course, those largely depend on your interest level in different aspects. Hikers might want to include longer hikes to more remote places, or you might literally want to chase waterfalls instead of hunting down thermal features.

Either way, let’s look at the top spots in each park.

Must See Spots in Yellowstone

Did you know there was another Grand Canyon here? How about the fall elk rut that brings these majestic creatures closer than you might expect? Some of our top picks for places to visit in Yellowstone include:

1. Old Faithful: Witness the iconic geyser’s regular eruptions and explore the surrounding geothermal features.
2. Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone: Marvel at the stunning canyon walls and the powerful Lower Falls.
3. Mammoth Hot Springs: Explore the terraces of colorful mineral deposits created by hot springs.
4. Yellowstone Lake: Enjoy the scenic beauty of the largest high-altitude lake in North America.
5. Norris Geyser Basin: Walk the boardwalks and witness the dynamic geothermal activity, including steam vents and hot springs.
6. Grand Prismatic Spring: See one of the world’s largest hot springs, known for its vibrant colors.
7. Lamar Valley: Experience prime wildlife-watching opportunities, including bison, wolves, and bears.
8. Artist Point: Capture stunning views of the Lower Falls and the canyon from this popular overlook.
9. Hayden Valley: Another excellent area for wildlife viewing, particularly bison, elk, and grizzly bears.
10. Fountain Paint Pot: Explore a geothermal area featuring bubbling mud pots and colorful hot springs.

Must See Spots in Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton’s name comes from the trio of peaks on the horizon, but this park is also about lake life. Consider adding any of these spots to your itinerary.

1. Teton Range: Marvel at the rugged beauty of the iconic mountain range that dominates the park’s skyline.
2. Jenny Lake: Take a scenic boat ride or hike around this picturesque glacial lake with stunning views of the Tetons.
3. Cascade Canyon: Hike this classic trail for breathtaking views of the Tetons, waterfalls, and pristine alpine lakes.
4. String Lake: Enjoy swimming, kayaking, or picnicking at this tranquil lake with views of the Tetons.
5. Schwabacher Landing: Capture iconic reflections of the Tetons in the calm waters of the Snake River.
6. Snake River Overlook: Photograph the sweeping panorama made famous by Ansel Adams.
7. Taggart and Bradley Lakes: Hike to these serene alpine lakes for stunning reflections of the Tetons.
8. Oxbow Bend: Look for wildlife and capture reflections of the Tetons in the winding Snake River.
9. Mormon Row: Explore historic homesteads with the Tetons as a backdrop, perfect for photography.
10. Signal Mountain Summit: Drive or hike to the summit for panoramic views of the Tetons, Jackson Hole, and the Snake River.

Need More Help Planning?

If you have additional questions about taking the Grand Teton to Yellowstone or Yellowstone to Grand Teton National Park trip, please leave a comment below, and we’ll respond as soon as we’re back from our next adventure. If you’ve done this adventure already, your advice can also help our readers.

DID YOU KNOW? The Grand Tetons, French for “large teats,” were named by (lonely) French fur trappers in the early 19th century, inspired by the distinctive jagged peaks resembling breasts. The name stuck, immortalizing the awe-inspiring beauty of these iconic mountains towering over the landscape of Grand Teton National Park.

Yellowstone and Grand Teton Resources from More Than Just Parks

Our Favorite Yellowstone National Park Resources: Map | Guide | Facts | Where to Stay | Park Conditions | Best Hikes | Yellowstone in May | Full List of Yellowstone National Park Stories

Our Favorite Grand Teton National Park Resources: Guide | Maps | Guidebook | Hikes | Things to Do | Where to Stay | Video | Facts | Full List of Grand Teton National Park Stories

Pin Grand Teton to Yellowstone

Helpful Related Links

Grand Teton Hikes: 18 Epic Grand Teton National Park Hikes (Photos + Guide)

Grand Teton Guide: Grand Teton National Park Ultimate Guide

Things to Do Grand Teton: 17 Epic Things to Do Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton Maps: The Best Maps for Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton Facts: 15 Amazing Facts About Grand Teton National Park

Oxbow Bend: Oxbow Bend: Tips on Visiting Grand Teton’s Best Viewpoint

Phelps Lake: Phelps Lake: Expert Visiting Tips

Schwabacher Landing: Visiting Schwabacher Landing – What You Should Know

Snake River Overlook: Visiting Snake River Overlook

Things to Do Yellowstone: 15 Best Things to Do Yellowstone National Park

The Lamar Valley: Lamar Valley: A Trip to Yellowstone’s Best Wildlife Viewing Spot

Where to Stay in Yellowstone: Where to Stay in Yellowstone – Best Hotels + Helpful Guide

Yellowstone Facts: 10 Amazing Yellowstone National Park Facts

Best Airports Near Yellowstone: The Best Airports Near Yellowstone National Park

The Wyoming National Parks: 10 Epic Wyoming National Parks: The Complete Guide (+ Photos)

Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone: Driving Mount Rushmore to Yellowstone National Park Road Trip

The post Grand Teton to Yellowstone EPIC Planning Guide appeared first on More Than Just Parks | National Parks Guides.

ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Yosemite to Sequoia National Park Majestic Mountain Loop

The Majestic Mountain Loop in California covers a scenic road trip from Yosemite to Sequoia National Park, with an added bonus of Kings Canyon National Park along the way. It’s an adventure that can be tackled in anywhere from three days to three weeks.

Father of National Parks John Muir wrote about his trip through the “wild mountain region between the two great Yosemites.” An early version of the epic national park road trip from Yosemite to Sequoia National Park. Plus, see if Muir was right when he stated that Kings Canyon was “a yet grander valley” than Yosemite Valley.

I am blessed to spend about half of my adult life in or near the Sierra Nevadas. My guide includes secret stops or add-ons to the Majestic Mountain Loop from Yosemite to Sequoia and beyond. In its simplest form, plan for one day at Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon for a three-day trip. However, I want to show you the options as you piece together the perfect adventure in the Sierra Nevadas.

5 Quick Things to Know About the Majestic Mountain Loop

1. Investing in the America the Beautiful interagency pass makes the most sense for this road trip to Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The pass costs $80, and the entrance fee to the two parks would be $70. However, the interagency pass gets you access to all the national forests nearby, plus public lands nationwide for a full year.
2. Check requirements for reservations at Yosemite, as different tiers are in place between mid-April through late October. Reservations costs are separate from entrance fees.
3. Bear spray is not allowed in Yosemite, Sequoia or Kings Canyon. Read more about Black Bear Safety in Yosemite.
4. Those visiting between September and May should bring snow chains, even if you have a four-wheel drive vehicle. Also, not all car rental agencies allow the use of chains. Here’s more information about snow chain requirements in California’s mountains.
5. If you want to extend your road trip, here are some of my favorite California Road Trip routes across the state.

Where to Start the Yosemite to Sequoia Road Trip

I’ll admit I’m a fan of the backroads, the “always take the scenic route” person. So, I want to present two options when it comes to driving between these three parks on the Majestic Mountain Loop and a third to make you think. While Sequoia to Yosemite is just 90 miles as the crow flies, you need to navigate around the southern crest of the Sierra Nevadas. I’m also going to throw a curve ball in.

Fly Into Fresno

Fresno Yosemite Airport (FAT) sits perfectly positioned between Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon. This creates a perfect pole position to start and finish at the parks of your choice. A Going report in April 2024 shows that these three parks are among the most affordable to fly to.

From FAT to Yosemite is 96 miles and 64 miles to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Fly Into the Bay Area

If the price is right, flying into the San Francisco Bay area is worth considering. Plus, that opens the door to the possibility of taking the Pacific Coast Highway on the way back. I strongly recommend choosing Oakland or San Jose’s airport to avoid the San Mateo Bridge traffic.

You can also consider Sacramento International Airport or Stockton Metropolitan Airport, but the latter only offers flights to and from Las Vegas or Phoenix.

Fly Into Las Vegas

My curveball of flying into Las Vegas comes with a bit of explanation. If you choose this route, you can tackle Death Valley National Park in addition to the Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite Majestic Mountain Loop. Here’s why I think that’s special – at Death Valley, you stand at the lowest point in the United States, Badwater Basin. Just 85 miles away, at the backside of Sequoia National Park, stands Mount Whitey, the highest peak in the Lower 48. The High/Low difference in this part of California has always been a jaw-dropper for me.

Regardless of what airport suits your trip plans, be sure you get a rental car with all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. You’ll appreciate it in the mountain summers and need it in the winters.

When Is the Best Time for a Sequoia to Yosemite Road Trip?

To make the most of a trip to Kings Canyon, plan for a trip in July, August, or September. That’s due to the road closure of Highway 180 past Hume Lake Road. To appreciate the Majestic Mountain Loop section of Kings Canyon, you need to see the Kings Canyon National Park Scenic Byway. Highway 180 can be closed well into June of each year. Come November, the road closes again for winter.

Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park typically stays closed through late May or early June. The same goes for Glacier Point Road. Mariposa Grove Road usually opens in mid-April. On the other side of summer, the roads all close around mid-November.

National Park Crowds

It’s not a revelation that national parks get crowded in summer, but Yosemite is the 5th Most Visited National Park, and summer makes up a good chunk of the 3.9 million who visited in 2023. That’s why the reservation system started.

I put together this glimpse of the parks from spring through fall.

Whichever way you choose to start the Majestic Mountain Loop, plan to visit Yosemite during the weekdays for the smallest crowds.

Shuttles & Transportation

Yosemite and Sequoia National Park offer shuttle services for those trying to avoid driving through traffic. Sequoia National Park’s Shuttle runs from late May through early September.

Five routes cover the main attractions within Sequoia National Park. In addition, the round-trip cost is $20. Each shuttle fits 16 passengers, and two bikes are allowed per trip.

Shuttle ticket reservations must be made in advance. You also need to have your park entrance pass or America the Beautiful Pass.

Yosemite National Park’s Yarts service runs year-round on the Merced Route and seasonally from Sonora or Fresno. Those using Yarts to access the park won’t need a Yosemite reservation. Route prices depend on where you are going, if it’s one-way or round trip, or if you’re eligible for a discounted rate. Ticket prices range from $2 to $44.

The only hiccup comes with trying to visit Kings Canyon National Park without a personal vehicle. No shuttle service or public transportation connects there.

Travel Distances on Majestic Mountain Loop

Taking the Yosemite to Sequoia National Park road trip with Kings Canyon in the mix extends about 400 miles – maximum – to go to the outer points of each park’s roadway.

From the Foothills Visitor Center in Sequoia National Park to Road’s End in Kings Canyon, drive 81 miles through winding mountain roads. Expect this to take about three hours.

Also, from Road’s End in Kings Canyon – about as remote as you’ll get in the twin parks – it’s 182 miles and about four hours to Yosemite Valley, which does take you through Wawona on the way.

If you want to add Mammoth Lakes to this California Road Trip, plan to drive 102 miles from Yosemite Valley to Mammoth Lakes. You’ll go through Tenaya Lake, Tuolumne Meadows, and Tioga Pass to get there.

National Forests Near Yosemite and Sequoia National Park

Whether park crowds, traffic, or curiosity leads your mind and map to nearby locations, plenty of national forests are along the route of the Yosemite to Sequoia National Park road trip.

• Inyo National Forest
• Sequoia National Forest
• Sierra National Forest
• Stanislaus National Forest

Things to Do at Yosemite National Park

Ideally, you’ll have five days to take the Majestic Mountain Loop from Yosemite National Park to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Two of those should be used at Yosemite. We put together a list of 20 things to do at Yosemite. You might also find our suggested Yosemite 1 to 5 day itinerary helpful.

My favorite hike in Yosemite is Clouds Rest, especially since it looks 1,000 feet down on the crowds of Half Dome. Will and Jim put together this list of their favorite Yosemite hikes.

Yosemite Must-See Locations

• Yosemite Valley: This iconic area features towering granite cliffs, stunning waterfalls like Yosemite Falls and Bridalveil Fall, lush meadows, and the Merced River winding through. It’s also the heart of Yosemite and offers numerous viewpoints and trails.
• Glacier Point: Offering some of the most spectacular panoramic views of Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point is accessible by car during the warmer months and offers views of Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and the high country. Plus, it’s also a fantastic spot for stargazing.
• Tuolumne Meadows: Located at a higher elevation, Tuolumne Meadows offers a different perspective of Yosemite’s beauty. It features vast, open, grassy expanses surrounded by granite domes and peaks. In addition, there are also numerous hiking trails and opportunities for wildlife viewing in this area.
• Tenaya Lake: Nestled amidst granite peaks, Tenaya Lake is a pristine alpine lake known for its crystal-clear waters and stunning scenery. At the same time, it’s a great spot for picnicking, swimming (in summer, when water temperatures allow), kayaking, or simply enjoying the serene beauty of the High Sierra.

If there’s one part of Yosemite to skip in this specific adventure, it’s Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. You’re about to see the largest tree by volume on the planet at the next stop.

Yosemite Resources: Map / Guidebook / Facts / Where to Stay / Best Hikes

Sequoia National Park Things to Do

In Sequoia National Park, marvel at the iconic General Sherman Tree, the largest living organism on Earth, and hike through the breathtaking Giant Forest, home to towering sequoias. Then, venture to Moro Rock (the Half Dome of Sequoia National Park) for panoramic vistas of the Sierra Nevada.

Don’t miss the picturesque Crescent Meadow, renowned for its tranquil beauty and abundant wildlife. For history buffs, a visit to the historic Giant Forest Museum offers insights into the park’s rich natural and cultural heritage.

My Favorite Resources: Map / Guidebook / Things to Do / Facts / Where to Stay / Best Hikes

Kings Canyon National Park Things to Do

In Kings Canyon National Park, experience the awe-inspiring depths of Kings Canyon, carved by the powerful forces of nature, and hike along the scenic Rae Lakes Loop for stunning alpine vistas. Discover the majestic beauty of Grizzly Falls and marvel at the towering granite cliffs of the Grand Sentinel.

Not to be “out-tree’d,” Kings Canyon is also home to the Nation’s Christmas Tree.

DID YOU KNOW? Kings Canyon is deeper than the Grand Canyon by 2,200 feet! The Grand Canyon’s deepest point is 6,000 feet, while Kings Canyon is 8,200 feet deep.

Explore the tranquil Zumwalt Meadow, a haven for wildlife and wildflowers, and immerse yourself in the park’s rich Native American history at the Cedar Grove Visitor Center. Don’t forget to take a scenic drive along the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway for breathtaking views at every turn.

Resources: Things to Do | Facts | Map | Guide | Park Conditions

Yosemite to Sequoia National Park Itinerary

As noted earlier, start the trip in whichever park you prefer, leaning into the one that you will spend the least time visiting. Nobody wants to rush through their bucket list park!

Day 1: Sequoia

For this example, we’re going to start at Sequoia National Park, considering you can easily see the giant trees and General Sherman in one day. Be sure to include the Giant Forest Museum during this day. The 1.6-mile trail to Sunset Rock offers a great spot to end the day and watch the sun go down before soaking in the night skies.

Day 2: Kings Canyon

Stay overnight at John Muir Lodge, which is in Kings Canyon, offering a great starting point for Day 2. If you prefer to camp, this map helps you plan the perfect spot for your trip. The nearest community is Visalia, with plenty of places to visit, eat, and enjoy nightlife. While it’s 50 miles away from Sequoia National Park, the scenic drive to and from the park is an attraction all its own.

Day 3: Yosemite

Another option is to end Day 2 in Oakhurst, but not until you’re ready to leave Kings Canyon and Sequoia behind for Yosemite’s wonders. Oakhurst offers a free trolly around town, so give yourself a morning or evening to explore. Early birds should plan to arrive at Yosemite before 5:00 am, as reservation requirements aren’t in effect them, and you can see the sunrise in the park.

Ideally, get to Yosemite Valley as early as possible and park your car. Finding a spot is half the crowd’s frustration. From there, you get access to El Capitan, Lower and Upper Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, and Glacier Point. Half Dome hikers need a permit while the chains are up, usually from late May through early October.

If you have four or five days, use one of them to explore Big Oak Flat Road and Tioga Road from Tuolumne Grove to Tenaya Lake and Tuolumne Meadows. One of my favorite day hikes (and a great way to avoid crowds) is the Waterwheel Falls Trail.

Peak Bagging Near Yosemite to Sequoia National Park

This peak-bagging paradise comes with the highest point in the Lower 48, the highest point in Yosemite, and sneaking in the highest peak in Nevada. It just happens to share a border with California.

Mount Lyell | 13,114 Feet

The highest peak in Yosemite requires a long, ideally backpacking overnight trip beginning at the Tuolumne Meadows. This strenuous trek spans approximately 26 miles round trip. Hikers traverse diverse terrain, including alpine meadows, rocky slopes, and glacially-carved valleys, showcasing breathtaking vistas of the surrounding Sierra Nevada mountains.

The first nine miles are flat, but then you’ll need Class 3-4 climbing skills to tackle the summit. The Lyell Glacier is one of two that remain in Yosemite National Park, and it’s a mere fraction of the footprint first discovered 140 or so years ago.

Boundary Peak | 13,147 Feet

Take a 67-mile detour across the Nevada state line to summit Boundary Peak. The highest peak in Nevada flanks this western edge, and the second highest peak is across the state at Great Basin National Park. Boundary Peak Wilderness is part of Inyo National Forest.

This adventure begins at the Queen Mine Trailhead. Hikers navigate through varied landscapes, from desert terrain to alpine meadows, ascending approximately 4,000 feet about seven miles round trip. The trail offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding Great Basin and White Mountains.

However, the hike demands proper preparation due to its high elevation, unpredictable weather, and rugged terrain.

Mount Whitney | 14,505 Feet

The Mount Whitney hike is a legendary adventure in California’s Sierra Nevada, renowned as the tallest peak in the contiguous United States, standing at 14,505 feet. Only Denali at Denali National Park in Alaska stands taller and towers another 5,800 feet over Mount Whitney.

Starting at Whitney Portal, the trail spans approximately 22 miles round trip, featuring diverse landscapes from lush forests to barren alpine terrain. Hikers ascend over 6,100 feet, encountering iconic landmarks like the “99 Switchbacks” and Trail Crest.

Plan ahead – you’ll need to get a Mount Whitney lottery permit to make this epic trek.

Yosemite to Sequoia National Park Map

Is Yosemite to Sequoia National Park Road Trip Worth It?

The Sierra Nevada mountains just take your breath away, and any trip providing more time in the Sierras is beyond worth it. I felt like I was getting away with something every time I drove over to Donner Pass for work. Also, all that driving time gives your body a chance to adapt to the higher altitudes, which will ripple effect to make all your hikes that much easier.

Especially for those traveling longer distances, see as much as you can while you are there. Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite have sequoia trees, so pick which location is most important and save time at the other two parks. Maybe you focus on the trees at Sequoia National Park, then turn to hiking at Kings Canyon and parlay a Yosemite trip into a river rafting day.

You can learn more information at the Majestic Mountain Loop website with additional information. The parks perfectly line up for an easy driving distance trip with some of the best scenic views in America. My best advice is don’t pack too much time in, but also don’t try to sleep in because there’s just so much to see!

Pin Yosemite to Sequoia National Park

Helpful Related Links

Things to Do in Yosemite: 20 Epic Things to Do in Yosemite National Park

Clouds Rest Hike: Hike Clouds Rest in Yosemite, NOT Half Dome (Honest Guide)

Half Dome Hike: Here’s Why You May Want to Reconsider the Half Dome Hike

Best Hikes in Yosemite: 20 Best Hikes in Yosemite National Park

Yosemite Facts: 10 Shocking Yosemite National Park Facts

Hetch Hetchy: Hetch Hetchy – The Epic Enviro Battle That Changed America

Things to Do Sequoia: 15 Amazing Things to Do in Sequoia National Park

Redwood National Park: Redwood National Park Ultimate Guide

Things to Do Redwood National Park: 15 EPIC Things to Do in Redwood National Park

Death Valley National Park Guide: Death Valley National Park Ultimate Guide

Things to Do Death Valley: 18 EPIC Things to Do in Death Valley National Park

Joshua Tree Guide: Joshua Tree National Park Ultimate Guide

Best Hikes Joshua Tree: 15 Epic Hikes in Joshua Tree National Park

Things to Do Pinnacles National Park: 10 Epic Things to Do in Pinnacles National Park

Redwoods Near San Francisco: 15 BEST Places to See Redwoods Near San Francisco

Los Angeles National Parks: 7 Epic National Parks Near Los Angeles

San Francisco National Parks: 8 BEST National Parks Near San Francisco

San Diego National Parks: 6 AMAZING National Parks Near San Diego

Sequoia Facts: 10 GIANT Sequoia Tree & National Park Facts

Channel Islands Facts: 10 Amazing Channel Islands National Park Facts

West Coast Parks: 20 BEST West Coast National Parks Ranked by Experts

The post EPIC Road Trip | Yosemite to Sequoia National Park (Trip Planner) appeared first on More Than Just Parks | National Parks Guides.

ARTICLE OVERVIEW: East Coast National Park Road Trips

An East Coast road trip to national parks mixes the beauty of nature with some of the largest cities, best beaches, and most impressive Appalachian Mountains views. This side of the country holds the most popular National Park Service site of them all, Blue Ridge Parkway, running between two national parks.

Whether you’re trying to knock all eleven East Coast National parks off your list in one fell swoop or trying to piece together a trip by a certain region, I’m thrilled that the mileage I’ve put on my Subaru can help.

Without burying the lead – there isn’t an easy path to tackle all 11. I’ve mapped out four options along with the “Great Road Trip of All Time” along the East Coast that can help you tackle the park(s) most important to you without missing any others in that region.

Details of seasonal weather concerns and benefits help you choose the time of year, and our massive collection of first-hand experiences with the national parks helps you make the best choice for your East Coast road trip.

Online Editor & Social Media Coordinator

Jennifer Hardy

Where National Parks are Located on the East Coast

For the purposes of this article, we’re sticking with the parks east of the Mississippi River. That includes states like Indiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky, which proverbially might fit better in designations such as the Midwest, South, or Appalachia.

As you can see in the map below, the adventure will take us from offshore Florida, as far west as Indiana, and as far north as Maine. Of the 63 NPS sites designated as National Parks, 11 of them group into the East Coast region.

3 Quick Helpful Tips for East Coast Road Trips

1. Buying an America the Beautiful interagency pass for the best value. For just $80, the pass offers access to more than 2,000 public lands, including national forests, all NPS sites, and BLM sites along your east coast road trip route. That includes admission for the passholder and three additional people in a passenger car over the age of 16. Anyone under 16 gets in free anyway.
2. Our list includes the majority of parks in the Eastern Time Zone. However, both Mammoth Cave and Indiana Dunes National Park are in Central Time, one hour behind. Keep this in mind when making reservations or booking tours – you will book in the time zone of the park, not where you’re located.
3. Download the National Park Service mobile app to have all the parks in the palm of your hand. As you plan the trip, save the locations you like best, check off the parks you’ll visit, and download offline maps to use in the park. Google Maps also allows you to download offline maps – just be sure to do so when you have a strong internet connection.

East Coast Road Trip Weather Planning

The season of travel greatly impacts your East Coast national parks road trip. For the most part, the “warm” states will be south of the 33rd Parallel. That includes South Carolina and Florida for our group of states. The rest are “cold” states, meaning winter can include snow and/or ice. Higher elevations get more winter weather than lower-lying areas.

Hurricanes

Hurricane Season runs from June 1 through November 30 across the Atlantic Seaboard. The most active part of the season ranges from August through October. If you’re traveling during that time, always keep an eye on the National Hurricane Center.

A few things to note here for your safety:

• The storm surge, not wind, accounts for the most hurricane deaths.
• Once hurricanes move over land, the tropical remnants impact as far inland as the Midwest. This manifests in ways like heavy rain, severe thunderstorms, and even tornadoes.
• Offshore hurricanes, nicknamed “fish storms,” can still cause rough surf and dangerous rip currents along the coast.

Severe Weather

Many people associate severe weather and tornadoes with places like Oklahoma and Kansas, but Dixie Alley in the South and the Upper Midwest face severe weather season, usually from March through May.

As a storm chaser, I must emphasize that if you are caught in a severe storm or tornado on the road, do NOT park under an overpass.

In New England, the nor’easter season runs from November through April. These storms build as powerful storms or rainmakers with hefty winds. In January 2024, Acadia National Park lost part of Ocean Path and Seawall to a fierce storm.

WHY DOES THIS MATTER?: National Parks impacted by storms could be closed for days or weeks to clean up the post-storm damage. All parks post updates on the Park Conditions section (found on the website or app) and on social media pages.

Red Tide/Blue Green Algae

I lived in Florida for many years, and people still ask, “How could you leave such a beautiful place?” My main answer persists – Red Tide.

Red Tide is a harmful algae bloom that comes in off the coast and kills fish. Much like its freshwater cousin, blue-green algae, it peaks during the summer heat. If the algae stench at the beach doesn’t get to you, the tons of dead, rotting fish smell will.

Blue-green algae in freshwater is a growing problem across America due to global warming. While it might make you itch, it can kill a pet who swam in algae waters within hours.

Heat Index/Wind Chill

As someone who lived in Florida and Nevada, I say with 100% conviction – “It (the desert) really is a dry heat!” Any East Coast road trip brings higher humidity levels than places like Yellowstone or the Utah Mighty 5.

Humidity affects how our bodies perceive temperature, either making it feel colder in windy conditions (wind chill) or hotter in calm conditions (heat index).

• Mount Washington, New Hampshire, stands as the highest peak in the northeast but famously makes headlines for its wind and bitter cold. In February 2023, the mountain reached the coldest wind chill ever recorded in the United States – -108.4°F.
• On the flip side, Miami saw the hottest July that same year, with the heat index reaching about 100°F for 46 days in a row. At the same time, the water at Manatee Bay in Everglades National Park reached 101.2°F.
• The humid late spring and summer months bring bugs that can ruin an adventure for those unprepared with bug spray. Even then, you still risk being miserable in places like the Everglades or Congaree.

Top 5 East Coast National Park Road Trips

We’ve collected our favorite road trips to offer you some groupings of national parks and other public land to maximize your experience.

1. Blue Ridge Parkway: “America’s Favorite Drive”

Length: 469 Miles

Travel Time: 10-12 Hours (without stops)

Visitation: 16,757,635 (2023)

Elevation: Highest Point is 6,053 feet. Lowest Point is 650 feet.

About The Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway starts from Skyline Drive at the southern end of Shenandoah National Park. Mile markers start there with 0 and grow in size as you get closer to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, almost 470 miles away. For the most part, it parallels the Appalachian Trail.

I’d recommend starting this East Coast road trip from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, as then you’ll be on the right side of the road with incredible views along the way. The best and busiest time to take the Blue Ridge Parkway is autumn, when colors explode through the elevations. Spring ranks high as well for the abundant waterfalls along the way.

Winter can lead to closures along the road, but posted updates help you see what’s open or closed.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Blue Ridge Parkway meets Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Cherokee, North Carolina. You’ll need a parking tag to stop longer than 15 minutes inside the park. Newfound Gap Road cuts across the park north/south and is the easiest way to access Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the Smokies.

Our favorite spots in the Smokies include:

• Andrews Bald
• Cades Cove
• Mount LeConte
• Roaring Fork Motor Trail
• Chimney Tops

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Resources: Map | Guide | Visitor’s Guide | Facts | Park Conditions

Shenandoah National Park

The Blue Ridge Parkway starts at Shenandoah National Park, but at either end, you’ll want to add the 105 miles of Skyline Drive to the list. The mountains here don’t come higher than 4,050 feet, but unlike the Great Smoky Mountains, the main road through Shenandoah rides the ridgeline.

Shenandoah National Park’s size is less than twice that of the Smokies, but it’s a long, narrow expanse instead of an oblong shape. Plus, Skyline Road can take you to some of the best spots in Shenandoah. At the Great Smoky Mountains, you’re hoofing it a good distance to many of the best peaks and views.

In addition, Shenandoah sees about 1.5 million visitors a year. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited of all parks, bringing in 13.3 million in 2023.

Must-see spots in Shenandoah include:

• Old Rag (day-use tickets required)
• Hawksbill Loop (highest point)
• Stony Man Mountain
• Rose River Falls
• Dark Hallow Falls

Shenandoah National Park Resources: Things to Do | Map | Guide | Where to Stay | Park Conditions | Best Hikes

Final Thoughts on Blue Ridge Parkway East Coast Road Trip

For those who want to spend more time in national parks and less time on the meandering no-faster-than-45-miles-per-hour Blue Ridge Parkway, add New River Gorge National Park to this East Coast road trip.

Some of the country’s best rafting and rock climbing await at the newest national park. From Shenandoah National Park, a stop at New River Gorge adds about three hours to the trip.

Bears live in the entire stretch of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains, so stay bear-aware and be careful on trails. Leave the bears alone. As we saw during peak foliage of 2023, an eight-mile section of the parkway was closed after some people tried to feed and hold a bear.

2. The South Route East Coast Road Trip

Length: 1,396 Miles

Travel Time: 23 Hours

States: North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky

Parks: Great Smoky Mountains, Congaree, Shenandoah, New River Gorge, Mammoth Cave

The South Route: 5 National Parks

If you like your road trips like the South loves sweet tea, this trip offers a great dose of Dixie. Full disclosure – I made up this route. However, the loop makes sense no matter where you start. You get the three aforementioned parks plus two more.

With Congaree National Park and Mammoth Cave National Park sitting off on their own in separate states, finding the easy way to loop them in is rather hard. As a bonus, most of my South Route mapping includes interstate driving.

South Carolina’s Congaree is renowned for its old-growth bottomland hardwood forest, which contains some of the tallest trees in the eastern United States. The park’s vast floodplain ecosystem includes towering cypress and tupelo trees. Hiking, canoeing, and birdwatching rank as the most popular activities.

Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave boasts the world’s longest-known cave system, with over 400 miles of explored passageways. Explore the underground labyrinth on guided tours, showcasing the park’s unique geological and historical significance.

One thing I would recommend on the South Route is taking the Blue Ridge Parkway from Great Smoky Mountains National Park for 76 miles until it meets up with I-26 south of Asheville. That stretch of waterfalls overlooks, and roadside hikes through Pisgah National Forest dazzle every time.

3. Florida East Coast Road Trip

Length: 229 Miles

Travel Time: 6 Hours (without stops)

Visitation: 1,465,716 between three national parks (2023)

Elevation: At or near sea level.

About Florida National Parks

One of the easiest East Coast road trips sits at the bottom of Florida. Here, you’ll find Dry Tortugas National Park, Everglades National Park, and Biscayne National Park. I’d recommend four to five days to see it all, but practically, you could see them all in three.

The best part about this section of an East Coast road trip is that all parks are south of Miami and its traffic. Biscayne National Park sits just 33 miles from Miami International Airport. As a former Floridian, I assure you the best time to visit these parks is in the winter or early spring. Maybe late fall if a hurricane isn’t building offshore.

Let’s do a brief overview of each park.

Biscayne National Park

Biscayne National Park encompasses aquamarine waters, vibrant coral reefs, and a diverse array of marine life. Its underwater wonders make it a paradise for snorkelers and divers. Explore colorful coral gardens, underwater archaeological sites, and thriving fish populations.

Above the surface, visitors can kayak through mangrove forests, spot manatees and sea turtles, or relax on pristine beaches. As the northernmost keys of the Florida Keys, consider exploring Boca Chita, Elliott, and Adams Keys, or just stay on the mainland.

Biscayne National Park Resources: Things to Do | Facts | Guidebook | Hotel | Park Conditions

Everglades National Park

Everglades National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve is the largest tropical wilderness of any kind in the United States.

Its expansive wetlands, mangrove forests, and sawgrass prairies provide crucial habitat for a diverse array of plant and animal species, including endangered species like the Florida panther and the American crocodile. Alligators (native) and Burmese Pythons (not native) roam the waters and wetlands, too.

Everglades National Park hosts three entrances – Miami, Homestead, and Everglades City. The drive between the three of them falls just short of 100 miles, with Everglades City being the farthest. Before heading to Everglades City, check the status of the new visitor center being built.

Everglades National Park Resources: Things to Do | Facts | Map | Guidebook | Hotel | Park Conditions

Dry Tortugas National Park

Let me grab my soapbox to tell you why Dry Tortugas might be one of the least visited national parks, but it’s also one of the most in-demand locations across the board. Unless you have a boat, a ferry on the Yankee Freedom or a seaplane ride marks your only way to get there.

The park is 99% water and sits 70 miles west of Key West. The remote and pristine archipelago offers several islands, including the historic Fort Jefferson. Dive down to shipwrecks or watch the seabirds. Tortugas means turtle in Spanish, and you’ll see some of those, too.

With limited camping and no resources on the islands, a day trip makes the most sense. Again, without a boat, you won’t have a choice.

Dry Tortugas National Park Resources: Things to Do | Dry Tortugas Ferry | Park Conditions | Guidebook | Hotel (Key West)

4. The “Go North” East Coast Road Trip

Length: 1,219 Miles

Travel Time: 19 Hours (without stops)

Park Covered: Indiana Dunes, Cuyahoga Valley, Acadia National Park

Cities on Route: Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo (Niagara Falls), Boston, Portland (ME)

“Go North” Route Details

We still have three national parks to explore on the East Coast road trip, and they’re all well north of the Mason-Dixon Line. In addition, this route easily starts in Chicago and rides the Lake Erie shoreline until Niagara Falls. You’ll skirt the Adirondacks of New York before crossing the Berkshires of Massachusetts.

If you’re up for it, take a 110-mile detour to Cape Cod National Seashore before heading north to Downeast Maine, where you’ll get the best coastline views long before you’re on Mount Desert Island. Explore the Maine outlets in Kittery or Freeport (also home to L.L. Bean Flagship Store) or spend a night in Portland.

Before we devour that lobster roll, let’s check out the parks along the way.

Indiana Dunes National Park

Indiana Dunes National Park pairs with Indiana Dunes State Park on the southern shore of Lake Michigan. Renowned for its towering sand dunes, pristine beaches, and diverse ecosystems, this is a beach and birders paradise. With over 15,000 acres of protected natural areas, the park encompasses habitats such as dune fields, wetlands, and oak savannas.

Indiana Dunes Resources: Things to Do | Indiana Dunes State Park | Geology of Indiana Dunes | Park Conditions

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, urbanly between Akron and Cleveland in Ohio, showcases natural and cultural heritage along the Cuyahoga River. Spanning over 33,000 acres, the park features lush forests, rolling hills, and picturesque waterfalls. Visitors can hike or bike along scenic trails, paddle down the winding river, and explore historic sites such as the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail and the Stanford House.

Cuyahoga Valley Resources: Things to Do | Facts | Park Conditions

Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park, located along the rugged coast of Maine, offers a stunning blend of rocky shorelines, dense forests, and granite peaks. As the oldest national park east of the Mississippi River, Acadia is renowned for its breathtaking scenery, including the iconic Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the U.S. Atlantic seaboard. Acadia National Park provides a quintessential New England outdoor experience.

Acadia National Park Resources: Map | Guide | Epic Visitor’s Guide | Facts | Video Tour |Park Conditions

5. Route 1 East Coast Road Trip

Length: 2,369 Miles

Travel Time:

Park Covered: Dry Tortugas, Everglades, Biscayne, Acadia, numerous national seashores, and

Cities on Route: Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo (Niagara Falls), Boston, Portland (ME)

Must-Have Planning Tool: The Great American Road Trip: U.S. 1, Maine to Florida

“America’s First Highway” Route 1

While most minds go to the Pacific Coast Highway when hearing “Route 1,” this East Coast road trip takes you from Fort Kent, Maine, to Key West, Florida, on one of the oldest and longest highways. Also, the “other” Route 1 is actually Highway 1, a California highway.

This national highway spans nearly 2,300 miles, riding the coastline for a chunk of the East Coast road trip way. Plan for at least two weeks on the road for this epic adventure.

Route 1 offers fewer scenic views than roads like the Blue Ridge Parkway, but the places to stop along the way would rival Route 66. Check out this sample of stops:

• Maine: Fort Kent, Houlton (also the end of I-95), Machias, Rockland, Brunswick, Portland
• New Hampshire Portsmouth, Seabrook
• Massachusetts: Newburyport, Boston
• Rhode Island: Providence, Narragansett Pier
• Connecticut: New London, New Haven, Bridgeport
• New York: New York City
• New Jersey: Jersey City, Newark, Trenton
• Pennsylvania: Morrisville, South Langhorne, Philadelphia, Oxford
• Maryland: Bel Air, Baltimore
• Washington, D.C.
• Virginia: Alexandria, Fredericksburg, Richmond, Petersburg
• North Carolina: Henderson, Raleigh, Rockingham
• South Carolina: Cheraw, Columbia (Congaree National Park!), Aiken
• Georgia: Augusta, Swainsboro, Waycross
• Florida: Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Miami, Key West

Search for the National Park Service sites near the places you’d like to stop. This helpful tool from NPS allows you to search more than just national parks – it includes monuments, historical parks, seashores, etc., along the way.

East Coast Road Trip Map

List of East Coast Road Trip National Parks

Here’s a full list of the East Coast national parks to consider for your road trip.

1. Dry Tortugas National Park
2. Everglades National Park
3. Biscayne National Park
4. Congaree National Park
5. Great Smoky Mountains National Park
6. Shenandoah National Park
7. New River Gorge National Park
8. Mammoth Cave National Park
9. Indiana Dunes National Park
10. Cuyahoga Valley National Park
11. Acadia National Park

Pin East Coast National Park Road Trip

Helpful Related Links

Road Trip Essentials: 35+ ROAD TRIP ESSENTIALS (You’ll Love + Packing List)

Road Trip Planning Tools: 15 BEST FREE ROAD TRIP PLANNING Tools (& Apps) 2022

National Park Road Trip: 10 BEST National Park Road Trips

West Coast Road Trip: The ULTIMATE Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip

Arizona Road Trips: 10 BEST Arizona Road Trips

Oregon Road Trip: The Ultimate Oregon Road Trip

Utah National Parks Road Trips: 5 Best Utah National Park Road Trips

Best National Parks to Visit: 20 Best National Parks to Visit 2023

Largest National Parks: 15 Largest National Parks in the United States (+ Full List)

Largest National Parks: 15 Largest National Parks in the United States (+ Full List)

The post 5 ULTIMATE East Coast National Park Road Trip (+Maps and Pics) appeared first on More Than Just Parks | National Parks Guides.

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Jennifer Hardy

ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Dark Sky Park Road Trip from Las Vegas

One of the hottest travel trends of 2024 focuses on nightlife, but you won’t find a nightclub nearby. Since light pollution steals the spectacle of stargazing in most communities, Dark Sky Park road trips are the new after-hours party.

The Park to Park in the Dark Road Trip between Death Valley National Park and Great Basin National Park showers you with celestial showcases you just can’t get by Googling “stargazing near me.”

You need a cocktail of pristine night skies, low changes of clouds, and remote areas to get the most out of this after-hours extravaganza. The best part? The trip easily includes a start/stop in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Of all my outdoor experiences shared with you, this ranks as my favorite. Home means Nevada to me (IYKYK), and the desert skies blanketed with layers of stars, sparks of comets, and those elusive UFOs deserve the attention they area starting to get.

If you’ve ever wondered about Area 51, we’ll be driving right by there on this virtual Dark Sky Park road trip.

6 Quick Planning Tips for the Dark Sky Park Road Trip

1. You’ll pass plenty of public lands on the way. It makes sense to purchase the America the Beautiful Interagency Pass so you can get access to any location.
2. This road trip redefines the word remote. You’ll spend hours on empty roads without passing another car. The longest stretch without gas stations spans 170 miles. Stock up with water, food, blankets, a first aid kit, a spare (inflated) tire, and flares for roadside assistance.
3. The main Dark Sky Park Road Trip is on paved roads, but several off-roading options await in the desert. The average Corolla won’t be able to handle it. If you plan to go off-road, get a high-clearance four-wheel drive vehicle.
4. Bring extra lights with you in the form of a red flashlight for stargazing and a black light to spot scorpions in the dark. For those taking photos with a mobile device, try this telescope that fits over the camera.
5. The extremes of the desert mean everything from scorching hot daytime highs to chilly nights. Pack layers of clothing and bring a blanket. Mosquitoes are usually not a problem in the desert, but you might want an added lay of bug spray anyway. Sunscreen is a must for daytime activities.
6. Those not used to the arid desert climate should apply lotion and lip balm often, with Vaseline or some type of lubricant in your nose to avoid nosebleeds. As someone who lived in the desert for decades, I tried just about everything out there. Forget the scented goodies and go with a deep moisturizing option like Nivea.

What is Astrotourism?

Astrotourism involves travel to destinations with exceptionally clear night skies for the purpose of stargazing or experiencing other astronomical phenomena. You want more than just seeing the stars; you want an immersive experience with stars wrapping around you like glitter.

Popular astrotourism destinations include deserts, mountains, and islands, as these locations typically have low levels of light pollution and unobstructed views of the night sky.

Some of the most popular activities for astrotourists include stargazing, meteor watching, aurora borealis (Northern Lights) viewing, and astronomy events.

But it’s more than that…

Reports vary but still offer a crushing statistic that anywhere from 80% to 99% of Americans either can’t see the Milky Way in the sky or live in a place affected by light pollution. Seeing the night sky through astrotourism or stargazing is a luxury requiring travel.

What is a Dark Sky Park?

A dark sky park is a designated area that actively protects and preserves the quality of the night sky by minimizing light pollution. These areas offer incredible opportunities for stargazing and experiencing the natural night sky, something becoming increasingly rare in our light-saturated world.

Certain criteria need to be met to get the International Dark Sky designation.

• Restricted lighting: They have regulations and policies in place to control artificial light sources, often using shielded lights or requiring a downward direction to minimize upward light leakage.
• Natural environment: They are typically located in remote areas with minimal development, further reducing potential sources of light pollution.
• Public education: They promote the importance of preserving dark skies and educate visitors about the negative impacts of light pollution on wildlife, humans, and the astronomical experience.
• Designated viewing areas: Many parks offer dedicated spaces with minimal light interference, often equipped with information boards and telescopes for optimal stargazing.

On the Park to Park in the Dark stargazing road trip, the path goes through Death Valley National Park, which was designated as an International Dark Sky Park in 2013. Its vast arid landscapes and low elevation naturally offer exceptional darkness.

Great Basin National Park earned its title in 2016. This eastern Nevada national park’s remote location and high mountains contribute to its pristine night skies.

These designations recognize the parks’ efforts to preserve darkness and provide visitors with unforgettable celestial experiences.

The Park to Park in the Dark Road Trip

This map shows an overview of the Park to Park in the Dark road trip from Death Valley National Park to Great Basin National Park, with marked stop options in between.

How to Start the Dark Sky Road Trip

You can fly into Las Vegas’s Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), formerly known as McCarran International Airport. From there, rent a car and start driving toward Death Valley.

Red Rock Canyon offers an incredible outdoor experience, with surprising dark skies considering how close it is to Las Vegas. Take the scenic 13-mile drive; just be sure to get a timed entry permit.

My favorite stargazing spot is the Late Night Trail, along the “hump to Pahrump” in Cottonwood Valley. The drive from LAS to Pahrump takes an hour. Stop for supplies and gas up here. Death Valley National Park is the next stop, about another hour away.

A potential side trip could involve Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, home to the endangered pupfish and the largest Mojave Desert oasis. Devil’s Hole, where the pupfish live, snows a small opening over a hole at least 500 feet deep in a series of winding and unchartered underwater caves.

STAR TIP: If you’re really into astronomy, reach out to the Las Vegas Astronomical Society. They host Star Parties at the top of Mount Potosi throughout the year.

Stargazing at Death Valley National Park

TRAVEL GUIDES: Death Valley National Park Overview | Things to Do in Death Valley | 1 to 3 Day Itinerary

The official western end of the Dark Sky Park road trip is Death Valley National Park. Despite the intimidating name, the beauty beyond the blistering head and the famous low point in the country offer lively activities.

Death Valley boasts the title of a Gold Tier International Dark Sky Park, a testament to its unparalleled nighttime beauty. Unpolluted by artificial light, the heavens unfurl in their raw, breathtaking splendor. The Milky Way, a swirling river of stars, paints the darkness with its luminous dust, while constellations like Orion and Scorpius etch their familiar shapes against the velvet backdrop.

The best stargazing locations in Death Valley National Park are as follows.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

Wide-open skies and mountain vistas create a breathtaking backdrop for stargazing.

Harmony Borax Works

The ruins of an old borax processing plant add an eerie charm to the stargazing experience.

Badwater Basin

The lowest point in North America offers a unique perspective of the night sky.

Ubehebe Crater

A massive volcanic crater that provides a secluded spot for stargazing.

Death Valley Dark Sky Festival: March is one of the best times of the year to visit Death Valley, and that’s also when the annual Dark Sky Festival is held.

WATCH: Death Valley Film

Death Valley National Park Camping

Staying at a campsite in the park offers the most extended form of stargazing. Death Valley offers campgrounds and primitive backcountry sites. Between May and September, extreme heat limits the availability of campsites. Temperatures can easily stay in the upper 90s to triple digits for the daily low.

October through April brings the largest crowds and the most available campsites. Furnace Creek Campground accepts reservations; all others are first-come, first-served.

Enjoy climate control at the Inn at Death Valley, one of our favorite places.

Dark Sky Park Road Trip: Beatty to Tonopah

After exploring Death Valley, you’ll take the 20-minute drive to Beatty (BAIT-ee) and pass some ghost towns along the way.

Ghost Towns

Explore the eerie ruins of Rhyolite Ghost Town, where art installations like the Bottle House stand amidst crumbling buildings. The Goldwell Museum near the site displays art in an “open-air” museum.

You might find some of the buildings seem familiar. That’s because this setting appeared in several movies, including The Island with Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johannsen.

About 50 miles up the highway, Gold Point echoes tales of its gold rush boom and bust. The town has some (living) residents and a bed & breakfast, which offers more access to historic buildings. The remote location makes the stargazing epic among the unique landscape.

Goldfield’s Treasures

Some might say the road between Las Vegas and Tonopah is boring, but I’m here to set the record straight. Plus, I’m going to tell you about some hidden treasures (including literally hidden treasures, if you can find them).

Goldfield History

Goldfield boomed as a gold mining town, the largest in the state in 1909. Within 10 years, just 200 people lived there, and that’s about the population today. Driving through this ghost town takes you past one of the so-called “Scariest Places on Earth” at the Goldfield Hotel. You can’t tour it, but driving by might just give you goosebumps.

It’s worth noting that Goldfield is nearly 5,700 feet above sea level, much cooler than Death Valley. If you’re taking the Park to Park in the Dark road trip, Goldfield holds its annual festival each August. However, that’s a less-than-ideal time to visit Death Valley with the summer heat.

International Car Forest of the Last Church

Another thing that draws people to Goldfield is the International Car Forest of the Last Church. You’ll need to drive a dirt road to get there.

Stop by the Esmerelda County Visitor Center in Goldfield to get more information.

Gemfield, Nevada

Head off the beaten path down the gravel road to Gemfield, where rockhounding is ridiculously sparkly. This public dig site boasts the title of America’s largest deposit of gemstone-quality chalcedony. But that’s just the tip of the geode!

Unlike many rockhounding sites, Gemfield operates on a pay-to-dig system. For a small fee per pound of rocks collected, you can spend the day sifting through volcanic debris and uncovering your own personal stash of gems: no fancy equipment is needed, just a bucket, a hammer, and a keen eye.

If you don’t want to dig, check out the shop with chalcedony stones to admire or purchase. If you’re wondering “What is chalcedony,” I get it – I didn’t know either until I came here. Chalcedony is a beautiful, semi-precious stone made of tiny quartz crystals all clumped together.

Tonopah

By the time the Dark Sky road trip brings you to Tonopah, you’ve traveled 103 miles and seen some pretty awesome sites in Nye and Esmerelda Counties. This is a great place to stop for the night, and a special astrotourism spot was built just for stargazing.

The Clair Blackburn Memorial Stargazing Park allows you to safely see the skies, with a concrete pavilion, benches, and room for telescopes. A dirt road goes beyond that, allowing for more space and seclusion if you prefer.

Tonopah’s (“TONE-uh-paw”) claim to fame came from a wayward donkey. A prospector, frustrated that his donkey wandered off, finally found the animal and threw a rock in frustration. Noticing the rock was heavier than he expected. That was the start of a giant ore mining industry that would now be worth more than $1.2 billion.

You can tour the Tonopah Mining Park on your Park to Park in the Dark road trip. Go even further back in time at the Central Nevada Museum, with pre-historic finds through modern times.

Where to Stay in Tonopah

If you know anything about Tonopah, you know I’m smirking when I say it’s a great idea to stay at the Clown Motel. Whether it’s the creepy vibes of being “America’s Scariest Motel” right next to a graveyard or the impressive collection of 5,000 clowns in the museum, it warrants at least a quick visit.

The historic Mizpah Hotel makes for one of the most authentic Tonopah overnight experiences. Long before the Las Vegas Strip normalized luxury hotels, The Mizpah was the fanciest place around.

On the Road to Ely

Be sure to gas up and get snacks in Tonopah because a long road ahead without amenities unfolds in the Great Basin desert. You start east on Route 6, known as the Grand Army of the Republic Highway. It stretches from the tip of Cape Cod to Bishop, California – making it the second-longest highway in the country.

Highway 6 on the Dark Sky Park Road Trip

The 50-mile stretch is surrounded by raw, primal desert. For the adventure seekers reading this, know that this area is largely public land, ripe for isolation hiking, rock climbing, and mountain biking. Check out this map of OHV trails to explore in the remote desert.

To the north, explore the roads and peaks of Toiyabe Humboldt National Forest, including Mount Jefferson, the third-highest peak in the state and the tallest for 90 miles around. To the south is BLM land, with Kawich Peak being the tallest on the horizon.

Most lands allow primitive camping anywhere you please, making the night skies that much more of an intimate and exclusive experience.

TRAVEL TIP: These wilderness mountain roads will require a high-clearance vehicle. This offers a great time to learn about the Nevada Dirt Road Code.

The Stargazing Fork in the Road

When you travel those 50 miles to Warm Springs, the Park to Park in the Dark road trip continues on Route 6. However, another road marked “Extraterrestial Highway” might pique your interest. On the loop I’m laying out for you to get back to Las Vegas, you’ll have a second opportunity on the ET Highway, so let’s talk about that quickly.

Extraterrestrial Highway in Nevada

Between Warm Springs and Crystal Springs, the 100-mile ET Highway runs through Rachel, Nevada.

Whether you’re a believer in extraterrestrial life or simply enjoy a good mystery, Rachel offers a unique and fascinating experience. With its proximity to Area 51, its rich history of UFO sightings, and its quirky alien-themed culture, Rachel is a place where imagination runs wild, and the stars seem just a little bit closer.

No, I am not going to tell you how to get to Area 51, and I strongly recommend you stay off any government property. Guards wait at every gate, and all boundaries are monitored with pretty intimidating warning signs.

That said, you’ll find plenty of businesses and people willing to talk about the mysteries of UFOs, odd night sky sightings, and Area 51 security close-call stories. Camping is available throughout this region.

Warm Springs to Ely on Dark Park Road Trip

You’ll face another 120 miles of highway ahead of you when you stay on Highway 6 at the ET Highway. However, just 30 miles on the road, the surface of the moon awaits.

Lunar Crater Volcanic Field

Well, figuratively speaking, that is. The Lunar Crater Volcanic Field National Natural Landmark is on BLM land. In the late 1960s, NASA used the Lunar Crater Volcanic Field to train astronauts for the Apollo missions.

The terrain’s resemblance to the Moon’s surface made it an ideal training ground for lunar exploration. Astronauts practiced recognizing geological features and even conducted simulated rover traverses.

Dispersed camping and boondocking are allowed. I can’t think of a more unique place to enjoy the night skies than where astronauts trained to walk on the moon. For those who want to stick close to Route 6, the Black Rock Lava Flow is less than a mile from the highway.

The Lunar Crater Backcountry Byway, a 24-mile scenic loop, takes visitors past the main crater and other interesting formations. The byway is suitable for most vehicles, but high-clearance vehicles are recommended for some sections.

More Wildlife, Rock Climbing, and Hiking

A rock climbing spot known as “The Wall” is in this region as well. Wildlife fans will find a surprising oasis at Railroad Valley Wildlife Management Area a few miles closer to Ely.

Ely Dark Sky Park Road Trip Stop Options

The longest part of the journey ends with the arrival in Ely, where more stargazing and dark sky activities begin. Ely’s connecting road to Great Basin National Park takes about an hour, but don’t drive through this unique town.

Ely (“Eee-lee”) sits at the eastern edge of the Loneliest Road in America, sarcastically named by Life magazine in the 80s, but the tourism teams ran with it.

ELEVATION: Ely sits at 6,437 feet above sea level, and that’s before you climb any of the hills and mountains around. Weather will be drastically different here compared to Death Valley National Park.

Best Stargazing Locations in Ely

Ely is a mining town, and the Nevada Northern Railway is its pride and joy.

The railroad offers Dark Sky rides on the Great Basin Star Train. These rides book up to a year ahead of time, so don’t expect day-of tickets.

Visit White Pine Public Museum to get a dose of history before heading out for one of the great night sky viewing locations in and around Ely.

Cave Lake State Park includes four seasons of recreation with some great trout fishing. Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park also offers unique photo opportunities under the night skies.

Things to Do in Ely

During the day, Ely’s small-town Western vibe brings big opportunities. Rockhounders head to Garnet Hill in the BLM Ely District, the only designated place to leave a trace. Among the volcanic remnants, the shiny red minerals can be dug from the earth using hand tools.

With January being a great month to visit Death Valley National Park, time your Park to Park in the Dark road trip to get to Ely during the Fire & Ice Winter Festival. Runners should visit in September, another great month to drive across Nevada for the Race the Trails event, where you run alongside a steam engine.

Walk through the charming downtown area and see the public art and specialty shops. Even if you can’t get a night train ride, the Nevada Northern Railway Museum is a must-see.

Baker: Gateway to Great Basin National Park

About an hour from Ely on the Great Basin Highway, you’ll reach Baker. If you go past the exit, turn around at the state line to Utah, four miles up the road.

Great Basin National Park Visitor Center sits just outside Baker, and you want to stop by for a few reasons:

• Those traveling with kids should get a Junior Ranger Night Explorer Booklet to complete. Once all the tasks are accomplished, the child gets a badge.
• Explore the sun during the daytime at the Solar Scopes. Rangers help guests use the solar telescope to get a closer look at the massive ball of fire we call the Sun.
• Check the calendar for astronomy programs and get an update from the rangers on the event while you’re there. Between Memorial Day and Labor, events are held several times a week.

STAR PROGRAMS: Astronomy programs are free at Great Basin National Park, but you can’t reserve a spot. Once capacity is filled (if it gets filled), the gates to the program location are closed.

Baker Archeological Site is nearby, and you can learn more about that before deciding if you want to add it to the Great Basin National Park itinerary. BLM manages that land. Stargazing is allowed here.

We put together an overview of how things to do at Great Basin National Park. Tap on the photo below for more information.

Stargazing at Great Basin National Park

Great Basin National Park ranks among the Top 10 Least Visited Parks in the country and the second-least visited when you take away Alaska parks and island parks. That means you’ll have plenty of room to soak in the night skies.

The Great Basin Astronomy Festival happens annually in September.

One of the best stargazing locations in Great Basin National Park is the Lehman Caves Visitor Center, where an astronomy amphitheater is located. Even when a program isn’t being held, you can still enjoy the views. Mather Overlook on Wheeler Peak is another star-studded stopping point.

No fees are charged to enter Great Basin National Park. Lehman Caves is the only area that requires a fee to access for day-use. Cave access restrictions prevent you from touring on your own. Book a ranger tour well ahead of time, as these often sell out. Prices range from $5-$15.

Camping Under the Stars at Great Basin National Park

Campsites offer another great way to get unlimited views of the sky, with Great Basin National Park hosting five development camping locations. No more than three tents or 24 people can be at any campsite location, providing an even more intimate stargazing experience. Between October and May, Lower Lehman Creek is the only open campground.

CAMPING TIP: Don’t let the “least-visited” status fool you – campsites here can fill up quickly. Make a reservation at your preferred site as soon as you plan your Dark Sky Park road trip. Check out these backup camping options nearby as well.

Should you wish to stick with the astrotourism theme, Baker is home to the Stargazer Inn.

Best Time for Park to Park in the Dark Road Trip

The nuance of this trip comes with balancing the heat of Death Valley and the winter of Great Basin National Park. Then there are the monsoons of summer to consider, which can cause road and park closures.

All things considered, mid-to-late May and September would be the ideal months to enjoy moderate weather on each end of the Dark Sky Park Road Trip.

Other factors to consider include:

• New Moon: The absolute best time for stargazing in Nevada is during a new moon phase when the moon’s light is completely absent. This allows for the faintest stars and constellations to shine through, revealing the Milky Way in all its glory. 
• Clear Skies: Unlike some other locations in the country, storms and cloud cover in Nevada rarely stay around long. That said, spring and fall bring the best chances for clear skies. However, check the Clear Dark Sky website to route out the best stops for pristine skies during your trip.
• Meteor Showers: Check out NASA’s latest guide for when peak meteor showers will happen. The Geminid Meteor Shower (late summer) and Geminids Meteor Shower (December) are two of the most impressive in Nevada.

Enjoying this trip means more than just nighttime activities. It’s worth noting that both Death Valley and Great Basin display stunning wildflowers throughout late spring. Great Basin’s bloom goes well into the summer.

Maybe you’ll spot some purple-hued flowers called Jeffrey’s Shooting Stars.

Dark Sky Park Road Trip Return Trip

Once completed, the Park to Park in the Dark road trip official itinerary stops. However, let’s explore the options that come with taking the Great Basin Highway back to Las Vegas.

Panaca Moon Cave

You’ll only need to backtrack 35 miles to reach the longest stretch of Highway 93. For 130 miles, you’ll have unobstructed views day and night. Keeping with our “Out of this World” theme, stop in Panaca (“puh-KNOCK-uh”) at Cathedral Gorge State Park.

Walk through the otherwordly Moon Caves, which are unique and narrow slot canyons.

Caliente

Fans of Western author Zane Gray will recognize this town as Caliente inspired him time and time again. Impressive roses line the main drag through town, while outdoor trails lead in all directions. Five state parks are within 50 miles, and mountain bikers flock to this nook of Lincoln County.

Rock climbers can mix in stunning night skies with daytime climbing at Big Rocks Wilderness, nicknamed “The Mecca.” Plenty of big boulders make scrambling fun, too. Campsites and fire rings are available, but don’t expect amenities or facilities.

Dark Sky Park Road Trip Final Stretch

Less than 45 minutes west of Caliente is Crystal Springs and Hiko, where you can opt to take the southern leg of the ET Highway to Rachel.

However, Hiko is home to the Alien Research Center, so you still get a fill of UFO novelties. The center doubles as a stargazing spot. You’ll hear many conspiracy theories here, as one entrance to Area 51 is just 20 miles away. No, I’m still not going to tell you how to get there.

From there, you’re just 90 minutes until you’re back in Las Vegas, under the neon lights.

Pin Dark Sky Park Road Trip

Helpful Related Links

More Time in Vegas?: 9 BEST National Parks Near Las Vegas, Nevada (Helpful Guide + Photos)

Love Landmarks?: 15 MUST-SEE Las Vegas Landmarks (Expert Guide + Photos)

National Parks Near Nevada: 7 AMAZING Nevada National Parks to Visit (Photos + Helpful Guide)

Historic Sites in Nevada: 10 MUST-SEE Historic Sites In Nevada (Guide + Photos)

Best National Parks Ranked: ALL 63 US NATIONAL PARKS RANKED By Experts

Free Downloadable National Parks Map & List: LIST & MAP of National Parks By State (+ Printable Checklist)

Best National Monuments: All 128 US National Monuments Ranked (Best to Worst)

Best National Parks to Visit: 20 Best National Parks to Visit 2023

Largest National Parks: 15 Largest National Parks in the United States (+ Full List)

Most Visited National Parks: Top 10 Most Visited US National Parks

Least Visited National Parks: Top 10 Least Visited National Parks

The post A LIT Stargazing Road Trip from Las Vegas to 2 Dark Sky Parks appeared first on More Than Just Parks | National Parks Guides.

I’ve spent the past decade in the national parks and have done just about every national park road trip imaginable. There’s just nothing quite like that feeling of hitting the old open road, music on, windows down, breathing in that fresh air, without a care in the world. From the southwest national park road trip to the California parks road trip, east coast national park road trip, southeast national park road trip, and the granddaddy of them all –all 63 national parks in a single(ish) swing. Now, in the words of Andy Dufresne, “if you’ve come this far, maybe you’re willing to come a little further…”

National Parks Road Trips

I’ve included the basics at the top of the article and the more detailed stuff for the discerning road tripper after our list of the best road trips toward the bottom.

Deciding Where to Go & Which Parks to See

Step one of planning a national park road trip is deciding where to go and what parks to see. Are you in the mood for the desert? Maybe a Utah or southwest road trip is right for you. Or maybe you’re feeling something a bit greener, like a Pacific Northwest national parks trip.

I recommend making your decision around either a singular must see destination (“I’ve got to see Yellowstone!”) or a type of scenery (“I’m dying to see red rock country”). Having one of these in mind will help shape the rest of your trip.

Finally, check for closures on the official nps.gov website for the parks you want to visit. Rock slides, down trees, in-climate weather, broken elevators, government shutdowns, active lava flows, global pandemics, and especially wildfires are just some of the things that lead to favorite parks and trails closing. Best to check ahead of time and save yourself the disappointment.

Mapping Out Your National Parks Road Trip (Creating a Road Trip Map)

One of the most fun parts of planning a national park road trip (at least for us anyway) is plotting it all out on a map. Seeing all those little points come together and the significance of each one gets us every time. There’s just nothing like the feeling of seeing the map points come to life when you finally arrive. Below I’ve included links to our downloadable national parks checklist & national park checklist you can order to your house. I also have framed maps and other goodies in our store.

Best National Parks Road Trip Map Tool

I always use google maps for this as the interface is hard to beat. However, they do currently have a 10 destination limit on the regular one. If you want/need to add more points to your map than the 10 destination limit, google also has a “my maps” tool which is free and even savable right to your google account.

We’ve ranked the 15 BEST Road Trip Planning Tools if you’re looking for more!

Tips for Creating a National Parks Road Trip Map

• Try changing the order of the destinations. We find that often time what might seem the most logical route to us, in fact is not. Changing the order of your map points around can (and has for us) save you precious hours of drive time in between destinations
• It’s easy to get carried away adding pins to the map (we do this every time). “What’s an extra 5 hours on the trip of a lifetime!” or “When are we ever going to be out that way again?” can be dangerous questions that lead to trip stress. We recommend spending taking a good hard look at your map and eliminating extra time draining stops. You’d probably rather spend an extra few hours soaking in grand canyon views than fighting over bathroom stops with the back seat.
• Check the drive times between stops and determine approximately what time you will be arriving at each destination. Say you’ve always wanted to see a sunrise at Bryce Canyon, but you don’t calculate your drive and you end up getting there at 9am instead of the sunrise you always dreamed of. Not an ideal situation. This part can be a bit cumbersome but is well worth the effort.

How Long Will the National Parks Road Trip Take & How Much Time Do You Need?

Next step is determining how much time you have vs how much you “need”. On average, we recommend allowing for at least 1-2 days per park on your trip. That means if you’ve got a week (5-7 days) to do your road trip, the most parks you should include is probably 5. You want to be able to give yourself time to appreciate and enjoy each destination and not feel rushed.

Top 5 Best National Parks Road Trips

1. Utah National Parks Road Trip

• Total Drive Time: 15hrs
• Recommended Trip Time: 5-7 days

Utah National Park Road Trip Overview

Utah is home to one of the all-time most popular national park road trips out there. This route is a round trip that starts in Salt Lake City and takes you through the heart of red rock country. Featuring the five stunning Utah national parks, this road trip is hard to beat!

If this is the road trip for you be sure to check out our detailed article: 8 Day Utah National Parks Road Trip of a Lifetime

Destinations: Utah National Parks (All Five)

1. Arches National Park (3.5hrs from SLC)
2. Canyonlands National Park (30mins from Arches)
3. Capitol Reef National Park (3hrs from Canyonlands)
4. Bryce Canyon National Park (2hrs from Capitol Reef)
5. Zion National Park (1.5hrs from Bryce)

Utah National Park Road Trip Map

Utah National Parks Road Trip Route

Salt Lake City to Moab (3.5hrs) > Moab to Capitol Reef (3hrs)

This route is a basic loop with a terminus in Salt Lake City and a first stop of the Moab parks (Arches & Canyonlands). After Arches & Canyonlands you’ll drive back the way you came (boring, I know but trust me, it’s worth it) and head on to Capitol Reef National Park. The route to Capitol Reef is pretty cool, especially as you get closer to the park itself.

Capitol Reef to Bryce Canyon (2hrs)

From Capitol Reef we recommend you take the scenic route, Utah’s Hwy 12 which is one of the most spectacular highways in America. This drive is one of the absolute highlights of the trip and is not to be missed but it is not the natural way your GPS will route you. Be sure to add Escalante, Utah as a pin to your route or risk missing this stunner.

Bryce Canyon to Zion (1.5hrs)

From Bryce Canyon the drive continues through the Dixie National Forest (which is well worth the visit in its own right – a fraction of the visitors and equally stunning scenery) and the beautiful Red Canyon area to the east entrance of Zion National Park.

Zion National Park Drive (1.5hrs)

Upon entering the east entrance of Zion via the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway the scenery changes drastically in a wonderful way. Watch out for Bighorn sheep as you near the third tunnel! After passing through this tunnel visitors are given their first look at the epic canyons of Zion.

Zion to Salt Lake City (4.5hrs)

After exiting Zion, jump onto I-15 and make tracks to Salt Lake City! Along the way there’s another Zion entrance that you should definitely check out if you’ve got an extra hour or so called Kolob Canyon. Its a jaw-dropper and totally worth the time if you’ve got it (did I mention no crowds?).

Utah National Park Road Trip Highlights

Arches National Park Road Trip

• Delicate Arch is on the Utah license plate for a reason. This arch is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful natural arches on the planet and is much bigger in person than in photos (at least we thought so!)
• Landscape Arch/Devils Garden Trail Behold, Landscape Arch is the longest arch in the world at over 300ft and by the look of it, seems like it could collapse any day which is why folks are no longer allowed to walk under it.
• Sand Dune Arch Take off your sandals and walk barefoot about a quarter of a mile through sandstone corridors to reach this beautiful arch.

Check out our article for more of the best things to do at Arches National Park.

Canyonlands National Park Road Trip

• Mesa Arch is one of the most heavily photographed spots in the entire national park system. Get there for sunrise and you won’t be sorry (except for the crowds).
• Shafer Canyon 4WD Road is a world class four-wheel adventure featuring spectacular views and all the solitude you could hope for.

Capitol Reef National Park Road Trip

• Hickman Bridge is a beautiful natural bridge at the end of a short and rewarding trail.
• Grand Wash is a great and flat hike that follows a dry wash through a steep canyon.

Check out our article for more of the best things to do at Capitol Reef National Park.

Bryce Canyon National Park: Road Trip Through Utah

• Wall Street Trail is one of my personal all time favorite trails in the national parks. The trail descends steeply down mesmerizing switchbacks into a golden tunnel of light up through which ancient pines ascend toward the sky.
• Inspiration Point Sunrise is one of the best places to see a sunrise in Utah and typically not very crowded as there is a nearby spot called “Sunrise Point” which seems to have folks fooled.

Zion National Park: Mighty Five Road Trip

• Angels Landing is the first of two main hikes in the canyon and features a steep ascent, switchbacks, a chain link railing to hold onto for dear life, and breathtaking views of Zion Canyon.
• The Narrows is the other of two major hikes everyone wants to do at Zion and features a watery walk through a breathtaking canyon. Get in line as early as possible.

Check out our article for more of the best things to do at Zion National Park.

Alternate Utah Road Trip Routes

• The shortest route for this road trip starts and ends in Salt Lake City. However, starting & ending in Las Vegas is another great option and sometimes is cheaper depending on flights/rental cars.
• Another potential option worth considering is starting in either Salt Lake City & ending in Las Vegas or vice versa. This is the shortest route by 2 hours but can result in a significant increase in price due to flights & rental car.

2. California National Parks Road Trip

• Drive Time: 36hrs
• Recommended Trip Time: 8-14 days

California National Parks Road Trip Overview

Everyone has dreamed of the ultimate California road trip at some point in their lives. Cruising down the 101 with the top down, gazing out to see from the world’s most beautiful coastline, with not a care in the world. Well, imagine all that but way, way better.

In this road trip, not only do you get to see some California coastline but every single one of California’s 9 epic national parks. We’re talking things like the hottest place on earth, tallest trees in the world, largest trees in the world (different park), the grandest natural cathedral on the planet, California’s own Yellowstone, and so much more.

Destinations: California National Parks (All Nine!)

1. Death Valley National Park (2hrs from Las Vegas)
2. Joshua Tree National Park (4.5hrs from Death Valley)
3. Channel Islands National Park (3.5hrs from Joshua Tree)
4. Sequoia National Park (5hrs from Channel Islands)
5. Kings Canyon National Park (45mins from Sequoia)
6. Yosemite National Park (3hrs from Kings Canyon)
7. Pinnacles National Park (3.5hrs from Yosemite)
8. Lassen Volcanic National Park (6.5hrs from Yosemite, woof)
9. Redwood National Park (5hrs from Lassen – really 3.5hrs until you get to the first part though)

California National Parks Road Trip Map

Summary | California Road Trip Route

This route might look a bit wild (ok, really wild) but it’s actually the fastest route through the parks and is absolutely gorgeous. For this trip we recommend starting in Las Vegas (usually great rental & flight prices) with a first stop of Death Valley National Park and final stop of Redwood National Park before flying out of Crescent City. Logistically this is tricky (and pricey) with flights and the rental car but worth it if you can split between friends or splurge.

Las Vegas to Death Valley (2hrs)

Believe it or not Las Vegas is the closest major city to Death Valley National Park. A fast and hot drive takes you into the park through Death Valley Junction. If you’ve got some extra time I highly recommend a stop at Ash Meadows wildlife refuge where you can see the endemic pupfish, shockingly crystal blue waters, and Devils Hole (google it).

Death Valley Drive (1.5hrs with no route additions, boo)

If you choose to not see the lowest point in North America (Badwater Basin – just an extra 40mins round trip, come on) …or the kaleidoscopic colored hills of Artists Palette (just 60mins more round trip) or Ubehebe Crater (extra 1.5hrs round trip) …or Eureka Dunes (requires 4WD – just 5hrs extra round trip), and so much more, then you can make it through the park in an hour and a half. But what’s the fun in that?

It’s actually a lot of fun with great stops including (in order) Zabriskie Point (spectacular view of the valley), Furnace Creek (hottest place on the planet), Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes (most popular dune field in the park), Darwin Falls (a year-round waterfall in Death Valley), and more.

With that being said, it’s very easy to lose track of time in Death Valley (unless it’s summer and you’re flying through to stay alive) so be sure to plan accordingly!

Death Valley to Joshua Tree (4.5hrs)

Might seem wild to do the drive this way but it’s the fastest route. Doing Joshua Tree before Death Valley adds 2 hours and doing Sequoia & Kings Canyon before Joshua Tree & Channel Islands adds 3hrs.

One cool possible addition here is adding Whitney Portal & Alabama Hills to your route which adds 3 hours round trip and some Swiss Alps type scenery – your call. We feel like the drive to Joshua Tree is one of the less scenic parts of this road trip so buckle in and crank up the tunes.

Joshua Tree to Channel Islands (5hrs through the park)

This drive is a fun one (so long as you don’t run into infamous LA Traffic) as it takes you through Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Los Angeles, Pasadena, and Malibu (with a 30 minute detour). Soak it in and enjoy. Have some good zen music in case you get caught in traffic. Once you arrive you’ll have to park the car and take the ferry (or fly) over the islands.

Channel Islands to Sequoia & Kings Canyon (5hrs)

Once you leave the coast the overall scenery declines in a hurry. While Bakersfield isn’t known for it’s scenic beauty a lot of the country’s citrus fruit comes from this region. Upon approaching Three Rivers the scenery dramatically improves as the forests return and the impressive Sierra Nevada mountains come into focus.

The drive up into Sequoia feels like something out of Gran Turismo (on a difficult setting) with winding switchbacks that ascend 6,000ft to an elevation over 7,000ft. Often time the temperature at the bottom is downright hot while the temperature at the top is snowy so pack a jacket!

Kings Canyon to Yosemite (3hrs)

Descending the Sierras from the Kings Canyon side is much more gradual than the Sequoia side. While passing through Fresno be sure to grab some snacks and drinks before ascending the Sierras once again on your way to Yosemite. There is no moment quite like driving through the tunnel and getting your first view of Yosemite Valley from the Tunnel View viewpoint. Take your time and soak it in before heading into the valley.

Yosemite to Pinnacles (3.5hrs)

Once back down into the valley the drive is fairly scenic with Tuscan-looking countryside through Mariposa. Arriving at Pinnacles one can appreciate why it achieved national park status. Skipping this stop will save you two hours drive time. At this point in the trip you might be considering it and we aren’t here to blame you.

Pinnacles to Lassen (5.5hrs)

Settle in for the longest drive of the trip. Don’t worry, it’s a pretty nice one driving through San Jose and if you’re up for it why not cross the Golden Gate bridge into San Francisco? Live a little. From San Francisco the drive is pretty straightforward up the I-5. Once you exit the scenery shifts rapidly from dry valley to coniferous forest with snowy mountain peaks.

Lassen to Redwood (5 hours – really 3.5 till you start seeing the mighty trees)

My personal favorite part of the drive begins just north of Trinidad and continues through to Jedediah Smith Redwoods north of Crescent City. There’s just nothing like the sight of those massive trees flanking either side of the road, the cool coastal breeze, and the smell of the forest. From Jedediah Smith to the Crescent City airport is just a half hour drive.

California National Parks Road Trip Highlights

Death Valley National Park: California National Parks Road Trip

• Experience Badwater Basin: The lowest point in North America features dazzling geometric shapes made out of salt.
• Catch sunrise at Zabriskie Point: A beautiful overlook of Death Valley proper and the most popular place to see a sunrise in the park.
• Explore Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes: The most popular dune field in Death Valley located next to Stovepipe Wells.

Check out our article for more of the best things to do at Death Valley National Park.

Joshua Tree National Park: Road Trip California

• Hike to Arch Rock: A heavily photographed natural arch near White Tank campground.
• Explore Hidden Valley: One of the most beautiful groves of Joshua Trees in the park.
• See Skull Rock: A popular skull shaped rock located near the main road.

Check out our article for more of the best things to do at Joshua Tree National Park.

Channel Islands National Park: California Road Trip

• Hike Inspiration Point
• Scuba Dive amongst the kelp belds
• Kayak around the islands

Sequoia National Park: California National Parks Road Trip

• Scale Moro Rock
• Hike the Congress Trail
• Walk along the Big Trees Trail

Check out our article for more of the best things to do at Sequoia National Park.

Kings Canyon National Park

• See the second tallest tree in the world, the General Grant Tree
• Explore the magnificent Grant Grove

Best California Road Trip: Yosemite National Park

• Yosemite Valley is one of the most breathtaking and iconic natural destinations in the world. John Muir had this to say about it “It is by far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter.”
• Glacier Point is another incredibly scenic viewpoint of Yosemite Valley and one of the most heavily photographed spots in the park.
• Mariposa Grove is the largest grove of Giant Sequoias in Yosemite National Park with several hundred ancient trees on display.

Pinnacles National Park: California National Parks Road Trip

• Bear Gulch Cave Trail is a beautiful hiking trail and cave tour that winds through narrow canyons and has a creek running through it.

Lassen Volcanic National Park: California National Parks Road Trip

• Bumpass Hell is an otherworldly landscape reminiscent of some of the thermal areas found in Yellowstone National Park. Boardwalks here wind through sulfurous, boiling, steaming pools.
• Manzanita Lake is a one of Northern California’s most beautiful lakes complete with a volcanic mountain view of Lassen Peak and Chaos Crags.

Redwood National Park: California National Parks Road Trip

• Stout Grove
• Lady Bird Johnson Grove
• Redwood Creek Overlook

Check out our article for more of the best things to do at Redwood National Park.

3. See Every National Park Road Trip (ALL 63!)

• Drive Time: Varies widely
• Trip Duration: 6-12 months (depending on how long you spend in each park)

Who hasn’t imagined what it would be like to take on the ultimate national park road trip – seeing every single one of them. Well we sure have and while it’s impossible to drive to all of them given their locations, it is possible to see them all in one swing but be prepared to put everything else on hold for at least half a year to do so.

We’ve outlined the general route here and recommend choosing your starting point based on whichever park is closest to you and hopping on the loop from there. Who’s ready to dive in!?

Destinations: Every Single National Park (All 63!!!)

Top 10 Best National Parks

1. Olympic National Park
2. Grand Teton National Park
3. Mt Rainier National Park
4. Yosemite National Park
5. Redwood National Park
6. Glacier National Park
7. Sequoia National Park
8. Rocky Mountain National Park
9. Voyageurs National Park
10. Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Top 10 Worst National Parks (in case you’re looking for ones to skip)

1. Gateway Arch National Park
2. Hot Springs National Park
3. Kobuk Valley National Park
4. Carlsbad Caverns National Park
5. Indiana Dunes National Park National Park
6. Cuyahoga Valley National Park
7. Gates of the Arctic National Park
8. Pinnacles National Park
9. American Samoa National Park
10. Mammoth Cave National Park

Every National Park Road Trip Map

4. East Coast National Parks Road Trip + Virgin Islands

This route starts at Acadia National Park in the northeast corner of America and works in a clockwise manner heading south covering the east coast national parks first.

After visiting Dry Tortugas National Park, we recommend catching a round trip flight from Miami to St Thomas (STT) in order to add Virgin Islands National Park.

5. Southwest National Parks Road Trip | Texas, Colorado, Utah, & Arizona

From Florida the route heads west along I-20 all the way to Big Bend National Park where the route heads North up to Rocky Mountain National Park just west of Denver.

From here we head West once again on an epic road trip through Utah’s Mighty 5 National Parks. After Zion National Park the route turns to the Southwestern National Parks from Grand Canyon all the way down to Tucson’s Saguaro National Park.

6. California & Pacific National Parks Road Trip

After Arizona it’s time to head into California to see the state’s nine national parks (we’ve ranked them here). Starting with Joshua Tree the route heads to Death Valley then back toward Los Angeles.

Before continuing on to the rest of California’s parks (and beyond) we recommend flying from Los Angeles to Hawaii’s national parks (Haleakala & Hawai’i Volcanoes) on a round trip flight. From Hawaii you’ll book another round trip flight to Pago Pago to see American Samoa National Park!

Once you return from this Pacific leg of the trip, you’ll head north again to round out the rest of the California national parks and then on to the Pacific Northwest (where our #1 best national park is located).

7. Pacific Northwest National Parks Road Trip

From Crater Lake you’ll cruise north through Mt Rainier, Olympic and finally the American Alps, North Cascades National Park. From here you’ll have a big choice to make whether or not to fly.

8. Alaska National Parks Road Trip

From Seattle you have the option of either continuing your drive (only in summer) north through the cascades and onto Alaska or just hopping on a flight. If you opt to drive (you adventurous devil, you…) you should know that the leg of the trip from Seattle to Juneau (the jumping off point to Glacier Bay National Park) is 37 hours.

For reference, the driving time from Atlanta to Seattle is 39 hours. From Juneau it’s another 19 hours to Anchorage which means we’re talking a near 60 hour drive back to the states when you decide it’s time to return… See our full Alaska National Parks Guide including how to get there, planning tips, maps, and more.

8. Glacier, Yellowstone, & Grand Teton National Parks Road Trip

North Cascades to Glacier National Park is a 10 hour haul and marks the first eastward turn of the trip. From Glacier we head South to grand old Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.

9. Great Plains National Parks Road Trip

From Grand Teton the route heads east once more to the great plains of the Dakotas. Wind Cave, Badlands, and then onto Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota (where a lot of folks get their 50th state!).

10. Great Lakes National Parks Road Trip

Finally the route heads to the watery wonderlands of the Great Lakes starting with Voyageurs National Park in Minnesota. From Voyageurs you’ll head to Isle Royale, Indiana Dunes, Gateway Arch, and then Cuyahoga Valley. That’s a wrap!

11. Grand Circle National Parks Road Trip

• Grand Canyon NP
• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
• Canyonlands NP
• Arches NP
• Capitol Reef NP
• Bryce Canyon NP
• Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
• Zion NP

National Parks Road Trip Planning Tips

Choosing a Starting Point

One of the toughest parts of planning a national park road can be choosing the right starting point. If you’re driving your own car and starting from your residence then feel free to skip on to the next part. For everyone else, especially if you plan on flying to your destination and renting a car, there’s a bit of a decision matrix to consider.

The question we always ask ourselves which makes it easier for us is: what is the cheapest price we can pay combined for rental car + airfare? We’ve outlined some more tips on how to do this towards the bottom of the article. Price is easily our biggest determining factor when choosing a starting point.

If you’re interested in a National Parks Road Trip, you might want to look over our post on ALL 63 National Parks Ranked that lists all of the national parks from best to worst based on our comprehensive 50 point rating system.

Getting the Best Price for Rental Car + Airfare

Consider the following example. You’re doing a Utah National Parks Road Trip to see the Mighty 5. The most convenient airport options are Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. Say you find amazing flight deals to Salt Lake City – great, we fly into salt lake, right? Maybe.

Sometimes the rental car prices in one airport are so bad that it makes flying into another destination more worthwhile despite a great flight deal and vice versa. Always check both the flight price and rental car price at each destination before booking.

Choosing the Right Lodging Options

We’ve all been there before… arriving at the campsite late at night praying we there’s an open spot only to find nothing. Or pulling into town after a 4 hour cell-service blackout only to find that all the hotels are all booked up.

Or realizing upon arriving to your destination that you didn’t make reservations anywhere and the prices are astronomical (we’re looking at you, Yellowstone). Like way more than a national park should ever cost seeing that it’s a tax-payer funded, publicly owned resource managed benefit and enjoyment of the people (all people).

The point is, planning ahead of time on lodging and deciding on the right accommodations for your budget is important. I recommend starting early and scanning what hotel prices are like during the time of year you want to visit (covered below). This will give you an idea of what availability looks like and how expensive it is.

Camping on a National Parks Road Trip

If you plan on camping, check out recreation.gov to see if you can reserve a site ahead of time. One pro-tip we recommend is seeing if there are any nearby national forests where you might be able to camp. National forest campgrounds are amazing for a number of reasons, two of them being price (they’re usually cheaper if not free) and availability (they’re usually way less crowded than national park campgrounds). With that being said, it’s a good idea to have a backup plan for each night that you are unable to book something in advance.

Road Trip Food Planning

Ah, nothing says national park road trip quite like the smell of glistening hot dogs rotating over an open warming pan at Love’s gas station at 2 in the morning… With that being said, planning out your road trip food is absolutely essential.

We’ve all seen the beloved road trip companion turn Mr. Hyde after being forced to miss their self-appointed feeding hour.

Avoiding this doomsday scenario can mean the difference between a warm ride home full of fond reminisces or an unscheduled stop at the Twin Falls airport conducted in total silence.

We recommend a budget friendly mix of dining at local eateries and “cooler food”. Feeling the fatigue of too much fast food can tank a day in a hurry so we highly recommend finding a cooler for the trip to pack something on the healthier side.

Pro-Tip #1: We often pack a soft cooler (this is our current go-to) full of clothes on the way over (if flying) that can be removed upon arrival and replaced with ice and lunch food/snacks (sandwich fixings, dips, greens, drinks, etc).

Road Trip Groceries

Typically our first stop after the airport is to a Trader Joe’s (who is not paying us to say so) to stock up on essentials. We often end up in places during dining hours that either have no food options or very limited unhealthy options and so it’s nice to have an alternative in the car. Making food stops also slows down trip momentum and can mean the difference between “making it there before sundown”.

Pro-Tip #2: A few years back we (finally) started packing a small, inexpensive one burner stove (this one) and it has made all the difference. Having the option to make hot food (we camp/car camp a lot) can make all the difference after a long day in the parks.

Finally, in the dining category of this post, comes the topic of coffee (should’ve been #1, I know). We are hopeless caffeine junkies and need our morning fix. Jim swears by this piñon coffee that he always packs with us (I’ll admit, it’s pretty good). We use this gadget to heat the water and this metal pour over tin to do the job (usually with good results I must say).

Fueling Up – National Parks Road Trip

I’ll never forget running out of gas in the middle of the Mojave desert near Baker, California in 110 degree weather and no shade for miles… Or the subsequent ride into town with my brothers and the sailor-mouthed tow-truck driver whose vernacular was completely free from the typical societal constraints one might expect with a 12 year-old (my youngest brother) present.

Good news is there was service, we lived, and Tom (youngest brother) went on to become the wisest of the bunch! And while I’d like to say I learned my lesson from that experience, sadly it took several more extremely close terribly inconvenient calls for me to remember to plan fuel stops and check the old fuel gauge regularly.

Planning a National Park Road Trip – Budget

It’s a good idea to come up with an overall budget at the outset of planning your national parks road trip. A budget makes it easy to remove unnecessary stops and keep everyone in check. A sample budget breakdown for one of our trips looks something like this:

Sample Road Trip Budget

• Food – $50/person/day
• Lodging – $150/day if hotels per two people
• Gas – $30/day (this is pretty variable depending on what kind of car you’re driving)
• Rental Car – $70/day (this is fluctuating wildly given the current vehicle shortages)
• Flights – $300 round trip/person (extremely variable)
• Fees/Attractions – $100 total (park pass, etc)
• Miscellaneous – $300 total (the unforeseen expenses)
• SAMPLE TOTAL for 7 Day Trip for 2 People = $3300 ($700/food + $900/lodging + $210/gas + $490/rental car + $600/flights + $100/fees + $300/miscellaneous)

*this is very fungible up or down depending on how many nights are spent in hotels (if any), if you can get cheap flight deals vs gauging prices, driving your own car vs renting, if you eat at nicer places vs average & groceries, how fuel efficient your vehicle is, etc

Flexibility Is The Key To A Happy Road Trip

The whole reason we take road trips is to see new sights, experience new things, and most importantly to have a good time. Being flexible is the most important factor we’ve found in overall trip happiness (and life).

A few tips based on many years of experience and running the whole gamut of trip emotions:

Tips for a Happy Trip

• Don’t plan out every second of your national parks road trip. Leave free space to either leave places early, linger longer, or just relax.
• There’s no such thing as being late on a road trip. If you miss a sunset it’s not the end of the world. If you have to nix a destination there’s always next time.
• Hydrate well and have plenty of snacks on hand. Hungry ≠ happy and neither does thirsty.
• Take time to enjoy the moment rather than always being concerned about making it to what’s next.

And Finally, The Weather

The most unpredictable factor and potentially biggest damper (intended was the pun) on any trip is the weather. If you have a plan beforehand for how to spend your time or alternative routes if specific places have bad weather you won’t be as disappointed when it inevitably rains on your parade. We like to check monthly forecasts to see average temperatures and precipitation before making plans. Now who’s excited to look at some road trip itineraries? (we are!)

National Parks Road Trips FAQ

National Parks Road Trip Map (ALL 63)

National Park Road Trips List

1. All 63 National Parks Trip
2. Utah National Parks Road Trip
3. East Coast National Parks Road Trip
4. Southwest National Parks Road Trip
5. California National Parks Road Trip
6. Pacific Northwest Road Trip
7. Alaska National Parks Road Trip
8. Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Parks Road Trip
9. Great Plains National Parks Road Trip
10. Great Lakes National Park Road Trip
11. Grand Circle National Parks Road Trip

National Park Road Trip Essentials

• Remember to bring cash for campgrounds and other random places that are cash only.
• We’re hooked on coffee and these are our go-to beans, Jim got us hooked on them.
• We like to boil water for tea, coffee, etc. and we like it to happen quickly.
• When we started packing a stove it totally changed the game for us. We love this single burner which packs small.
• We always have things to charge via a regular A/C outlet and highly recommend this adapter after going through a series of lesser quality ones.
• Be sure to pack a portable USB battery. There’s nothing worse than getting to the scenic overlook you’ve driven across the country to see only to realize you’re phone is dead.
• Wipes and sanitizer always come in handy for us. If we forget to pack them they’re the first thing we get at the store upon arrival.

Check out our article for the full list of: Road Trip Essentials

National Parks Road Trip Summary | What Did We Miss?

Well folks, that’s a wrap! Let us know what we missed and which road trips we should include. We plan on updating this post with more road trip itineraries in the future. If you’ve got any suggestions please let us know!

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