Road Trip Guide

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Phase 1 — Southwest Loop#

Home Base: Salt Lake City, UT
Best Season: March–May (spring) or September–November (fall)
Avoid: July–August in AZ/NM (extreme heat, 105–115°F); June–August in southern Utah is doable but hot
Estimated Duration: 3–4 weeks
Estimated Miles: ~2,500–3,000 miles round trip

Why This Phase First#

You're starting from Salt Lake City, which places you in the geographic center of the American Southwest — arguably the most dramatic landscape concentration in the entire country. Utah alone has 5 national parks within a few hours of each other (the "Mighty Five"). This phase is the natural first leg because:

  • It's close to home base (easy to abort and resupply)
  • Spring and fall offer ideal temperatures in the desert
  • High concentration of free BLM camping
  • America the Beautiful Pass gets maximum mileage here
Salt Lake City, UT
  ↓  (I-15 S ~4 hrs)
Zion National Park, UT
  ↓  (UT-9 E / US-89 N / UT-12 ~1.5 hrs)
Bryce Canyon National Park, UT
  ↓  (US-89 S / UT-12 W ~2.5 hrs)
Capitol Reef National Park, UT
  ↓  (UT-24 E / US-191 S ~2 hrs)
Canyonlands National Park, UT
  ↓  (US-191 S ~1 hr)
Arches National Park, UT  [Moab area]
  ↓  (US-191 S / I-70 W / US-163 S ~2 hrs)
Monument Valley, UT/AZ border
  ↓  (US-163 S / US-160 W ~3 hrs)
Grand Canyon South Rim, AZ
  ↓  (AZ-64 S / I-40 W / AZ-89 S ~2.5 hrs)
Sedona, AZ
  ↓  (AZ-89A S / I-17 S ~2 hrs)
Phoenix / Scottsdale area, AZ
  ↓  (US-60 E / US-70 E ~5 hrs)
White Sands National Park, NM
  ↓  (US-70 E / I-25 N ~1 hr)
Albuquerque, NM
  ↓  (I-25 N / US-84 N ~1 hr)
Santa Fe, NM
  ↓  (US-285 N / CO-17 N ~4 hrs)
Taos, NM → Alamosa, CO (Great Sand Dunes)
  ↓  (US-160 W / CO-114 W / US-50 W ~3 hrs)
Gunnison / Black Canyon of the Gunnison, CO
  ↓  (US-50 W / I-70 W ~2.5 hrs)
Grand Junction, CO (Colorado National Monument)
  ↓  (I-70 W / US-6 W / NV-93 N ~4.5 hrs)
Las Vegas, NV
  ↓  (NV-159 / Blue Diamond Rd — Valley of Fire loop)
Valley of Fire State Park, NV
  ↓  (US-93 N / I-15 N ~2.5 hrs)
Salt Lake City, UT

Total approximate driving: ~2,800 miles

State Files in This Phase#

State Key Highlights File
Utah Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Goblin Valley UT-utah.md
Arizona Grand Canyon, Sedona, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, Petrified Forest AZ-arizona.md
New Mexico White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos NM-new-mexico.md
Colorado Great Sand Dunes, Black Canyon, Colorado National Monument, Mesa Verde CO-colorado.md
Nevada Las Vegas, Valley of Fire, Red Rock Canyon, Great Basin NP NV-nevada.md

Phase 1 Camping Strategy#

This phase is BLM camping heaven. The majority of your nights should be free.

Free/dispersed camping zones:

  • BLM land surrounding Moab (abundant, dispersed, legal)
  • Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (massive BLM zone)
  • Coconino National Forest (AZ — near Sedona, free)
  • Carson National Forest (NM — near Taos)
  • Manti-La Sal National Forest (UT — near Moab)

Paid sites to consider booking in advance:

  • Zion: Watchman Campground (reservations essential — books out weeks ahead)
  • Bryce Canyon: North and Sunset campgrounds
  • Grand Canyon: Mather Campground (book months ahead in peak season)

Urban overnight spots:

  • Walmart (confirmed overnight parking): Moab, Flagstaff, Santa Fe, Las Vegas
  • Cracker Barrel: Flagstaff, Albuquerque, Las Vegas

Phase 1 Shower Plan#

  • Planet Fitness locations: Las Vegas (multiple), Albuquerque, Phoenix, Salt Lake City
  • Pilot/Flying J: I-15 corridor, I-40 corridor
  • Recreation centers: Moab (Moab Rec Center ~$5), Flagstaff (YMCA), Santa Fe (Genoveva Chavez Community Center)

Phase 1 Practical Notes#

  • Cell coverage: Spotty in canyon country, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef — download offline maps before entering
  • Fuel gaps: US-163 toward Monument Valley and UT-12 (Scenic Byway) have long gaps — fill up in Moab, Hanksville, or Escalante before heading out
  • Water: Carry extra 5+ gallons in desert phases — water sources can be 60–100 miles apart
  • Heat: If doing this in summer, plan to be at elevation (Bryce, 8,000 ft; San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, 7,000 ft) during midday and descend to canyon floors at golden hour
  • Fire restrictions: Common in summer across AZ/NM/UT — check InciWeb before building any fire

Phase 1 Drone Overview#

Outstanding drone territory — some of the best on the continent.

  • No-fly zones: Inside all 5 Utah national parks, Grand Canyon NP, Petrified Forest NP, White Sands NP, Carlsbad Caverns NP
  • Legal and spectacular: BLM land around Moab (Shafer Trail overlook area), Valley of Fire NV, Red Rock Canyon NV, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Colorado National Monument
  • Tip: In Moab, the Dead Horse Point State Park area on the mesa rim (launch from state park — check UT state park drone rules) offers views nearly as dramatic as Canyonlands without the NPS ban
  • Always check Aloft before flying — some TFRs exist in canyon country due to air tours