road trip from los angeles to arches
The 932-acre park is most famous for its spectacular rock formations that have been the backdrop numerous Hollywood movies and TV shows over the years, such as Blazing Saddles, Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure, and Star Trek! If youre an early riser, some good sunrise spots include Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes (which we chose for one morning) and Zabriskie Point. Where to sleep RV trailer Canyoneer boots, Keen sandals, or old tennis shoes for Narrows hike? When youre ready, head to Las Vegas for the nearest major airport option to Death Valley National Park. This viewpoint is majestic, and the canyon you can see from here is not something you will soon forget. If you're planning a road trip to Arches National Park, you can research locations to stop along the way. Any tips for traveling during the pandemic? We visited in September, when the temperatures are much more mild, so it was easy enough to visit during the middle of the day. When is the best time to visit/hike Zion national park? restaurants around Las Vegas: This volcanic crater is 600 feet deep and half a mile across. There are very, very limited options once you enter Navajo Territory, especially right now. but you don't need to do the entire trek to enjoy! The vista from here is just overwhelming, and they have a few pit toilets as well. The 1,980-mile road trip from St Louis to Los Angeles takes 31 hours to drive. or Sydney, and get inspired for your dream trip around the world. Again, this one was new as well, so it was another nice place with a good location in town. At only 10 minutes drive and 15 minutes walk, Horseshoe Bend is a fantastic sunrise spot in the area. If you started in the morning as I did, then I recommend stopping about an hour and a half in at the, Since it is most likely lunchtime, I would recommend stopping at. most talked about places recommended by Trippy members. There are very few restaurants or services in the Monument Valley area, especially right now as the entire Navajo Nation is on lockdown. It can get busy and can be slow though, so if you are in a rush note that. 7:12 pm Green River (Utah) stay for about 1 hour. Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. This post is the first in an eventual series of posts about weekend road trips you can take outside of California. or Sydney, and get inspired for your dream trip around the world. We go to Palm Springs at least a couple of times a year, you can see more of our experiences in the desert, Stop at one of the big grocery stores here to reload your snacks for the next couple of days - there aren't as many near the Grand Canyon and along Monument Valley. I left at around 7:30 AM. 2023 California Through My Lens About Privacy Policy, After leaving from Los Angeles, you will be driving on Highway 15 towards Vegas. Our goal was to focus on Utah, so this was a quick lunch stop. Death Valley has so many iconic photo spots, its hard to pick what to see in Death Valley if your time there is short. Its so scenic & a great way to get a feel for the park! rent a one-way rental car and fly home). Best road trip for desert tranquility. Sunset: Drive up to the Grand Canyon South Rim, and first stop at the Visitor's center for the first viewpoint. Joshua Tree, California. . Its an excellent place to stretch your legs before the last push into Moab. We include the most popular starting points and show you the routes and points of interest on the way to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National . Day 7 is a long one, but one of my favorites! My favorite is Sand Bench. Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Great spot for a cheap breakfast and friendly service. From here, we just drove the rest of the way to Page, AZ. Make sure to sample a local beer while you are exploring downtown as Denver is famous for its local breweries. For dinner, we ate at the Canyon King in Page, which is an old steamboat that was landlocked and turned into a pizza place. We spent a total of day in Arches and will definitely need to come back. To learn more about what we did in the park, learn here. If youre visiting in the summer, go as early as possible, as it is dangerous to walk out onto the flats in the afternoon when temperatures soar above 100 degrees and the sun beats down on you. I loved Zabriskie Point so much that I think we went back there three times in total during the two days we visited the park. What's the best neighborhood in Barstow for a first time visitor? As the famous canyon is on Navajo land, it was completely closed to visitors. Canyon hikes are different from most hikes because you're climbing down instead of up - so the most difficult part of the hike is the second half. Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation Since this is a bit out of the way, you can choose to skip this part and instead head straight up towards Highway 190 and Death Valley for the fastest route to the national park. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 4:57 pmdrive for about 2 hours, 7:01 pm Green River (Utah) This section could be endless, so rather than trying to because there's an entire community of travelers talking by calculating the distance from Los Angeles to Arches National Park. Morning: Rent an electric bike! However, traffic congestion and hotel prices tend to increase during this peak period. Maybe try typing in a faraway location like London, Hong Kong, It is a fantastic spot with great food and unique charm. Or 3. start working your way back to Los Angeles. Arches National Park, located in Moab deserves 2 days at least. Explore the beauty of Palm Springs and make your first National Park stop at Joshua Tree National Park. Since you will have to drive through the town again on your way to Page, I would recommend stopping at Milts Burgers on the way out of town. You can buy this right at the entrance gate. Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino After you visit Moab, follow the same route back to get back on I-70 and continue following the interstate. Valley of Fire State Park (15 mentions) It was super close to Arches National Park, had just been redone with fake wood floors in the room, and had AC and a pool. This legendary hotel, seen in movies more than most actors, offers the best of the best when it comes to a stay in Sin City. Once you reach Lone Pine, depending how much time you have, you can drive 20 minutes up Whitney Portal Road to reach the Mount Whitney Trailhead. Especially if you plan to detour to one of the many national parks along the way. 6. Enjoy your mornings, spend the hottest, harshest mid-day hours driving to the next destination and arrive at the ideal times. If youve visited Salvation Mountain in California and loved it, this is along those lines. You can take a tour of you would like, but I didnt do that. 5 Best Road Trips. Start with a drive through the park up to Devils Garden. 45 hours. Wynn Hotel Las Vegas When is the best time to visit/hike Zion national park? If you haven't had enough of the Southwest parks and geology. The area, located about 130 miles from Los . Hoodoos are according toNational Geographicare a spire of rock that has an easily eroded column and a more resistant cap. Seeing these in person, its hard to believe that they were created by nature! The dusk light over the Hoodoos is so photogenic and just magical! This is a beautiful, massive, side of the road arch you can photograph or hike to if you have time. This drive is BEAUTIFUL. because it is some of the most stunning geology youll find in Southern California. The whole day is spent in the park and in the town of Moab, which is right next to it. , Hike to Delicate Arch (opt to do this early in the morning or late in the day) , Stop to check out the Three Gossips rock formation & the La Sal Mountains Viewpoint. Top things to do in Las Vegas that don't include gambling? })(document, 'script', '//cf.bstatic.com/static/affiliate_base/js/flexiproduct.js'); Yay, youve made it to Death Valley! Haley is the blogger behind Ready Set Jet Set, a travel blog based out of Austin, Texas featuring all the best in solo female travel, adventure travel, weekend getaways, and so much more. questions about Barstow: Here, you can take Exit 257 for US-34 to visit the fantastic Rocky Mountain National Park. They even have a free museum you can go to and see the areas history as well as a lot of the films that were made here. How long do you need? Contact hotels in advance to ask about their COVID safety precautions. Add a Day: Page, Arizona and Antelope Canyon Once you're up, you could go straight for an early morning hike, or head back to your lodge for breakfast. Learn more. Turning left onto US-89A past Freedonia will take you to this magnificent national park. Rent e-bikes in the morning to explore Zion's scenic route. Located in the heart of downtown, you will be able to visit Larimer Square, the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver Confluence Park, and the Centennial Gardens on foot for an easy-going day of stimulating activities. This is important for disinfecting your hotel room, shoes (after visiting public bathrooms), etc. Keep your outfit neutral to not conflict with the colors! Go to the Navajo Trail and the Wall Street path. next trip! This was my first time to T, Lets go visit a real elephant sanctuary just ou, Lets go check out the newest addition to @ausai, Scenes from exploring Thailand with @efultimatebre, Lets go to Thailand! We took a road trip in our 2022 Volkswagen ID4 Pro yearlong tester over the holidays to see family in Sacramento, California. This 2850-mile route is more focused on big cities and natural landscapes. If you want photos clean of footprints in the sand, youll have to spend 30 minutes to an hour hiking out to where its pristine. There is the iconic Red Rock lined road, but beyond that there are incredible hiking trails, pastel colored painted hills, and so much more. With the soaring temperatures in the summer, the viable times to be in the park if youre hiking are early morning and late afternoon. Los Angeles-South Rim, 502 miles (808km) Yes, a trip from Los Angeles to the South Rim is doable in about eight hours. Once youre done at the park, head to Ridgecrest to spend the night. I wore sandals and wished that I had regular shoes on the walk. Relax and stay at the bridge until the sun starts to go down, then head back down before it gets too dark. Camping along the way? Beware, it is HOT here - on a short, flat 2 mile hike I found myself with heat exhaustion, something that never happens to me. who wants the trip to end? I would say that if you are a professional, then you should do that, but if you arent, you should get good enough photos from the regular tour. Del Taco Delicate Arch needs no introduction, and I highly recommend visiting at dawn as it was much less busy. questions about Bryce Canyon National Park: That said, you can get great shots from just off the parking lot, but the trade off is tons of footprints from other visitors. Day 3: Drive to Bryce Canyon NP 2 hour drive. . Let me know what spots I left off in the comments, and be sure to ask any questions you have about this trip as well. I already knew we need to go back soon and explore these areas more! Just make sure to make reservations! During the winter visitor numbers will be significantly lower, though adverse weather conditions like snow could make parts of the route dangerous to traverse. Not everyone has the same precautions and you want to make sure youre safe! Drive, make stops, and enjoy the views! Drive time without stops (or traffic): 1 hour, 45 mins. The sunset painted colors over the landscape, and it was the perfect way to end the day. After dusk you could stay at one of the local hotels or campgrounds here (very few were currently open) OR head back West to Page, Az to set you up for the following day. On an impromptu road trip from Los Angeles to Sacramento, their past comes into focus and questions their future. If you're taking this trip in the spring, you might encounter some gorgeous Superblooms on this route. So please keep reading until the end to find out all you can see and do on this fabulous drive. One of my regrets on this trip was not getting up early to see Bryce Canyon at sunrise. Green River (Utah). Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the Stay at Bryce Canyon for a bit after the sun goes down. If you're planning a road trip to Arches National Park, you can research locations to stop along the way. Its a little pricey, but it is a super fun location, and they even have photos of the boat on the walls. drive for about 1 hour. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 2:51 pmdrive for about 1 hour, 3:57 pm Fishlake National Forest It is a popular area,and there are a lot of Native American roadside jewelry spots set up around there as well. Badwater Basin is home to the famous saltwater flats of Death Valley, and is the lowest point in North America, coming in at 282 feet below sea level! Canyon King Pizza Fun pizza spot that is actually in an old boat that used to be used on the lake. Drive through Thunder Basin National Grassland and follow US 16-E past Newcastle to reach your destination at Mount Rushmore through Black Hills National Forest. Your email will not be provided to third parties. Mon Ami Gabi Visit the Moorton botanical garden and walk through the cactatorium or take a short hike to Taquitz Canyon and a dip in the waterfall here. Have you ever heard of this luxury spa resort? Our trip was a bit aggressive, so looking back 10-12 days would be more ideal. There are plenty more fantastic things to do and points of interest to explore on this trip. If you have time however, you can easily spend a day here. Take Exit 17 for US-85 past Ranchettes. restaurants around Barstow: Take Exit 211 as you approach Rawlins in Wyoming. Located in Southern Utah, Bryce Canyon is most well-known for its bright colored red hoodoos. Hopefully, this guide was helpful for you and provided a few ideas on how to have a good long weekend adventure outside of CA. Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino I even got to meet my new favorite dinosaur as well, which you can see a photo of above. Southwest, Canyonlands National Park features mesas and buttes carved by the Green and Colorado rivers . Wicked Spoon There is usually a lot of people here for sunset, so be warned. You can take a longer loop on the trail and make it a big morning hike, or turn back earlier to make this a quick stop. It is a good cheap lunch spot. If you are looking for something different to do with your day, you can take a short drive to the Red Rock Canyon National Park. But, along the primarily Interstate 40 stretch, you'll want to make a few stops, so prepare for a long day or overnight journey. Shuttles required buying passes the day before, and the scenic drive was only open to bikers, walkers, and the shuttles. From the parking lot, you can choose several path options to walk up or down for views along the edge. . and your hotel. Camping is on a first come, first serve basis. Of course, Trippy is the perfect place to ask questions In better times it's only 3 hours! You will not run out of things to see and do. Neon Museum (8 mentions) Quick Links: Zion National Park. Welcome to Ready Set Jet Set. I would eat here every day if I could. This is by far the best way to see the Scenic Drive inside Zion National Park in a fast, fun, and freeing way. Youll probably recognize this Movie Road shot (below) from all over Instagram, and it is especially popular as a sunrise photo spot. People get stuck here often! day 2 driving 9.5 hours. Day 4: Grand Canyon to Monument Valley. After a nap and lunch, we hit the road to Page, AZ, which is about 4 hours away, but there are lots of places to stop along the way, including Monument Valley. The best time to visit Mount Rushmore is between April and May, or September and October when the weather is pleasant with temperatures around 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit. The Trona Pinnacles are made up of 500 oddly shaped spires that rise up to 140 feet above Searles Dry Lake, making for a bizarre landscape that has featured in vintage sci-fi flicks, and more recently, the HBO TV show Westworld. However, the stunning sights and attractions you will enjoy will make up for the relatively longer drive. This post is my five-day road trip to some of Utahs and Arizonas best spots, and it has all of the details for you to do it as well. Click the button below to explore more questions Maybe try typing in a faraway location like London, Hong Kong, You can rent ATVs or sand sleds if you arrive early enough (they get booked pretty quickly). Crystal Ice Cream You must go here when in Moab, they have a Caramel cashew ice cream and a home-made pretzel cone you can have it served in. A note on Zion during the pandemic: We visited Zion over the fourth of July weekend, shortly after they re-opened. Rushmore Advice Needed. Day: In the summer, check out Slide Rock State Park or Oak Creak Canyon for red rock natural swimming pools and a great place for photos or to take a dip on a hot day. Day One: LA to Lancaster. The drive from Los Angeles usually takes around six hours in a gas . (function(d, sc, u) { Top things to do in Las Vegas that don't include gambling? OR another option for this day would be to spend an entire day at Lake Powell. Since it was the summer, we headed back to the hotel to swim and relax after this, then went back out again for sunset. We didnt have time to do anything other than take a photo here. If you have time, then you should pay the 20 dollar entrance fee and drive the 17-mile dirt road that takes you to all the spots. Arches National Park to Los Angeles drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip. Day 7: Zion to Valley of Fire. If you have an extra day or more time, drive farther East and check out Mexican Hat, The Valley of the Gods, and Gooseneck Park. If you're going on a road trip from Los Angeles to Denver, we did the research for you and compiled some great stops along the way with Las Vegas, Greater Palm . Or get a full Los Angeles to Arches National Park flight plan. I didn't feel any energy particularly, but it was very windy. Day 3 Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point & Driving $10, Moab to Page 4 Hours of Driving(Route 191, Route 163, Route 160, Route 98). Many links on my site are affiliate links, which mean I may earn a commission, at no cost to you. Zion National Park (83 mentions) 1 year ago. For the first day, start from LA (we flew into LAX and went straight from there after picking up our rental car) and take State Highway 14 up to Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park near Agua Dulce. Our only regret is not having spent more time in Escalante. Day 1: Los Angeles to Palm Springs. If you passed up the dessert and are looking for a pit stop, I would recommend some ice cream at thefamous mid-west spot called Culvers. This spot provides a fantastic view of Monument Valley, as well as being the spot that Forrest Gump stopped running at in the movie of the same name. What's the best neighborhood in Barstow for a first time visitor?