"Western States National Parks & more" United States of America Travelogue by pedroswift

United States of America Travel Guide: 282,301 reviews and 646,082 photos

Three Weeks On The Road
Road Trip - L.A. – Western States National Parks – Las Vegas

Overnight stops :Los Angeles, CA.; Anaheim, CA.; Ventura, CA.; San Simeon, CA.; Monterey, CA.; San Francisco, CA.; Bass lake CA.; Fernley, NV.; Twin falls, ID.; West Yellowstone, MT.; Mammoth Springs, WY.; Jackson, WY.; Green river, WY.; Moab, UT.; Escalante, UT.; Cedar City, UT.; Page, AZ.; Williams, AZ.; Las Vegas, NV.

day --miles driven -- Depart-Destination ---Notes-o/nite accom. dining. Hilite in bold type -- H/way # eg.66 italic.

Day 1 -- local – Los Angeles, CA. – arrived early evening. Hotel Shuttle to Travelode Viscount. Ate at hotel.

Day 2 -- local -- Los Angeles, CA. Anaheim CA. - Shuttle to airport& shuttle to car hire place. Drove to Manhattan Beach for a walk then to Rendondo Beach; Rancho Palos Verdes; Garden Grove. Hotel - Ramada. Drove to Crystal Cathedral then Ate at Coco’s - not bad for chain.

Day 3 --local – Disneyland all day. Ramada. Ate El Torito.

Day 4 -- 100 miles – Anaheim – Ventura, CA. City Shopping Centre then 1.5 hours drive to Santa Monica then Harbour Town Marina Resort, Ventura for overnite.Dined in Hotel Rest. Good views of yacht harbour.

Day 5 -- 170 miles – Ventura, CA. – San Simeon, CA. Via Freeway 101 .Stop Solvang. Buy fudge & had lunch. Maison Deutz Winery. MorroBay & Natural History Museum. Drove out to Morro Rock. Then to San Simeon Holiday Inn. Dined San Simeon Rest.

Day 6 -- 100 miles – San Simeon, CA. – Monterey, CA. Drove to Hearst Castle Visitors Centre. Bus & 1.5 hour guided tour. Drove to Carmel and to Days Inn Monterey. Visit Aquarium - walk Cannery Row. 17 mile drive to Pebble Beach and Del Monte State Forest. Dined “Fishwife” calamari (Calamari Festival at Weekend)

Day7 -- 170miles – Monterey, CA. – San Francisco, CA.. North on HWay 1 to Santa Cruz. Thence to Eighth St. Civic Centre & Holiday Inn.

Day 8 -- local – San Francisco, CA…. walked to Union Square. Walked to top of hill and got a cable car to Fishermans Wharf. Boat tour of harbour. Oligitory clam chowder in sourdough roll + shrimp cocktail for lunch. Walked off lunch up Hyde Road, Lombard Street (crookedest street). P.m. drive to Santa Rosa.. on way back to hotel, Dined Petaluma Cattlemen’s – good steak.

Day 9 -- local – San Fransisco, CA.... Drove to Sausalito via Golden gate Bridge. Returned via Richmond & Bay bridges. Dined Fishermans Wharf – Number 9 Fisherman’s Grotto –good.

San Francisco-Yosemite-Craters of Moon-Yellowstone

Day 10 -- 260 miles –San Francisco, CA. – Bass Lake... drove via Oakland Bay Bridge & H/way 580 to Tracey for B/fast. Route 120 Oakdale and into Yosemite National Park IMO the best in the US. Nature centre. Visitor Centre. Gob smackingly beautiful granite landforms. Drove to glacier point snow at 7,200 ft. Mariposa grove. Exit Southern Park entry then to Pines Resort, Bass Lake 14 miles from south boundary of Park. Dined Ducey’s on the Lake. which was extra good.{Tip: never let a travel agent who has never visited the area you wish to visit sell you accom. because of it’s beautiful location and amenities. In this case, our primary objective was Yosemite. I would have rather stayed in a tent in/near the valley than have to drive the 53 miles to/from Bass Lake.}

Day 11 – local 110 miles -- Yosemite NP 2 hour guided tram tour. Walked to base of Yosemite Falls –cold, misty, noisy. Great. Drove back to Hotel at bass lake & dined Ducey’s on the Lake –top class.

Day 12 -- 300 miles – Bass lake, CA – Fernley, NV... Drove north to Yosemite valley for lunch then via 120 to Tioga Pass. Tenaya lake still frozen (late May). Tuolumne Meadows, Tioga pass snow, snow snow, First vehicles through pass after ploughing. Absolutely delighted by the Glacial Features everywhere. Drove into our first snow storm. Before crossing into Nevada on 395 .Coffee at Topaz lake. Thence Carson City, Reno east to Sparkes and Fernley Super 8 Motel. Dined casino next door.

Day 13 -- 420 miles – Fernley, NV. - Twin falls, ID.... north west on on I 80E b/fast at Lovelock.coffee at Elko.Jackpot. Super 8 at Twin Falls

Day 14 -- 285 miles – Twin Falls, ID. - West Yellowstone, MT... To Shoshone Falls lookout Snake river Canyon. Cross lava beds to Craters of the Moon National Monument A must-see for students of our earth’s landforms. Arco nearby western worlds first nuclear powered town.& grafitti central??US 20 to Idaho Falls. Then north on US20 to West Yellowstone Brandin’ Iron Motel - ate down town.

Day 15 – 95 miles – W.Yellowstone, MT to, Mammoth Springs WY via Madison, Canyon Village, Visitors Centre – Tower, Roosevelt to Hotel Mammoth Springs in private cabin. Dined in hotel- fair.

Yellowstone- Jackson - Dinosaur - Moab - Escalante

day --miles driven -- Depart-Destination ---Notes-o/nite accom. dining. Hilite in bold type -- H/way # eg.66 italic.

Day 16 -- 170 miles - Mammoth Springs, WY to Jackson, WY... after b/fast at Springs Grill, checked out calcite terraces & Obsidian Cliff. Plenty of wildlife. Firehole Canyon Drive. Old Faithful. Lakes still frozen plenty of snow around (early June).Drove south into Grand Teton National Park. Stop at Colter Bay Visitor Centre. Indian Museum. Thru’ Moose to Jackson. Parkway Motel – best Western dined at Silver Dollar Grill.

Day 17 -- 190 miles -- Jackson, WY. to Green River, WY... photos & shopping in Jackson followed by lunch at Drugstore. Drove south on the Snake River Canyon. Then US189 & US191 Beers at Pinedale. Farson, Rock Springs to Coachman Inn, Green River. Ate at Pizza Hut –unremarkable..

Day 18 – 315 miles – Green River, WY – Moab, UT.... via route 530 to stop at Flaming Gorge…great example of tilted sandstone, differential erosion & pinnacles.Thence visitor Centre at Flaming Gorge Lake. Great. Vernal, UT. Great views showing 12 ages of creation. Natural History Museum. East on 40 to Dinosaur National Monument. Shuttle from Visitor Centre to fossil face (enclosed working site- fantastic). Then south thru Colorado on Hwy139, Douglas Pass (8,268 ft) Mesa Country west on 70 south on 128. Cross Colorado River and followed river to Moab. Motel 8. dined at Mi Vida with fine view.

Day 19 (big day probably best covered by taking 2 days) -- 220 miles -- Moab, UT – Escalante, UT... Drive to Arches National Park. Visitor Info Centre. Took 5 hours to check out the park. Then back to Hwy 70 and to Capital Reef N.P. – Dixie National Forest (ponderosa pines, climb to 9,400 ft) This Section of Highway one of the best drives anywhere to Circle Motel Escalante.

Escalante- Bryce - Zion - Grand Canyon - Las Vegas

Day 20 -- 120 miles -- Escalante, UT – Cedar City, UT. Early start to Bryce Canyon National Park Visitors Centre. Stopped Inspiration Point (8100ft) to look down on Bryce Amphitheatre. Bryce Point Natural bridge, Rainbow Point. Walked Bristlecone Loop trail. (2000 year old pines). Drive to Cedar Breaks National Monument, Chessmen Ridge overlook at 10,460 ft lots of snow). Stayed at Cedar City Super 7 & ate at Sizzler (both only so so).

Day 21 – 160 miles – Cedar City, UT. – Page, AZ..... via route 15 exit 40 to stop at Kolob Canyon area of Zion National Park…(finger canyons in area run e/w.Thought afternoon may be more suitable for photography), Drove to Springdale at entrance to Zion NP.Stopped for bumbleberry pie and icecream –gimmicky but tasted good. Walked up Narrows through water in creek bed. Cold. Exited the park via two interesting tunnels thence to Kenab, Wahweap on Lake Powell. Interesting to see boats, blue water in desert/mesa country. To Page & Cactus lodge dined Inn at Page. Good.

Day 22 -- 170 miles -- Page, AZ – Williams, AZ. Early start Golden Arches only thing open.. Drove south on 89 through Navajo Reservation .. turn at Cameron to Grand Canyon. Desert View then GC Village Shuttle Bus along rim. Extremely hot. “Canyoned-out” retired hurt to lunch at Bright Angel Hotel & drove south to Williams Super 8. Dined at Rod’s Steakhouse. Prime ribs – best ever. I'd drive across the state to get to Rod's!!!

Day 23 -- 220 miles – Williams, AZ to Las Vegas, NV., Drive west descending from 6,762 ft alt. Kingman thence 93 to Las Vegas via Lake Mead / Hoover Dam to stay at Bally’s. Diner & show at Riviera and walk after. Dropped off hire car.

Day 22 -- local Las Vegas, NV Toured town...hot. Shops and Casinos. Diner and Show at Sahara Hotel..
Day 23 -- Las Vegas, NV. – Los Angeles, CA. - Hawaii, Late afternoon flight West.

Summary

3600 miles approx
23 days +/- in easy stages
To see: Mighty National Parks and Monuments, Big Sur Coast Line California , 7 US States, the flesh pots of Nevada including Las Vegas.

More than a dozen National Parks/State Parks/ Forests/Recreational Areas:

Note : If you intend to visit more than two National Parks or Federal Recreational Lands you may wish to purchase an annual or lifetime pass

Los Padres National Forest

Pebble Beach and Del Monte Forest
Yosemite National Park
Craters of the Moon National Monument
Yellowstone National Park
Don't forget to take the oportunity to photograph your better half standing next to the Sign: "OLD FAITHFUL GEYSER"
I'd suggest seeing the BBC produced video "Yellowstone: Battle for Life " before any visit to Yellowstone N.P.
Grand Teton National Park
Bridger-Teton National Forest
Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
Ashley National Forest
Dinosaur National Monument
Arches National Park
Capitol Reef National Park
Anasazi Indian Village State Park
Escalante State Park
Kodachrome Basin State Reservation
Bryce Canyon National Park
Dixie National Forest
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Zion National Park
Kalibab National Forest
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Grand Canyon National Park
Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Words of Wisdom

The benefit of hindsight. I would never try to do this road trip again in the time taken. Next time, I'd want a motor-home and a couple of months.
I would not advise you to do such a long haul in one go especially if it is your first trip to USA. Just too many Parks in one go.
I'd recommend a wider scope of interests. For example a mixture of parks, coastal places, major cities, theme parks, wine areas just in California for your first visit.
To see National Parks inland, I'd fly into & out of a suitable city (eg Salt Lake City) hire a car there and drop off at another city (eg Las Vegas). A great way to reduce the number of miles driven.

Happy Trails to You