Road Trip Help In AZ,NM, and Southern Utah

[1bigpaddle]

My wife and I are taking a last minuet road trip next week to Arizona, New Mexico, Utah. we have 6 day, for exploring. But we have never been to this area. SO ANY TIPS, SUGGESTIONS, OR IDEAS would be appreciated.
We will be in hammocks.
How much change in weather is there. and is this time of year in the 50-60s range?
What are some good State Parks, or National Forests to camp at.
Some good hiking trails?
Road conditions?
Other that park passes, are there special permits we will need?
Any unique places to see, or explore?

And and recommended dinning places along the way?
Thanks!

[kwpapke]

Wow, you haven't done much homework, have you? People who have never been to the desert SW often have naive ideas about the weather. You will likely hit snow and below-freezing temperatures in Utah and northern AZ and NM, especially at higher elevations. Temperature variations can be extreme.

Many of the best places are in national parks: Zion, Grand Canyon, Saguaro, etc. and all require park passes and backcountry camping permits.

Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon (near Page, AZ), Sedona AZ are all must-see spots in addition to the National Parks. National Forests are everywhere, camping varies wildly. As you travel you can use this website to find free hanging spots (with no facilities of any kind) near you:

https://freecampsites.net/

Roads are typically excellent unless you are on forest roads, though if you hit snow it can get slippery as the DOT in these states doesn't cope with it very well.

Good luck. You better get busy, you don't seem to appreciate just how big and varied the territory is you are heading into.

--Kurt

[OCDave]

My family spent a week in Utah a few years ago. We hit the 5 National parks, (though Capital Reef was just a drive through), a few State Parks, some BLM land and Little Wild Horse Canyon. We stretched every day, up earlier and to bed late to squeeze in as many hikes and sights as possible. By mid week my oldest and I would leat my wife and youngest sleep in while we added our own AM adventures.

If I were adding a small slice of Utah to NM and AZ I'd choose Zion NP and Bryce NP. Bryce because is is other-worldly: there is nothing like the Hoodoos of Bryce. Zion because of the hikes.

He were there ihe first week of April and there was still snow patches in Bryce. But our days were glorious. I expect next week will still be cold in southern Utah.

If choose Moab area rather than Zion, I highly recommend hiking Little Wild Horse canyon.

Good Luck

[ObdewlaX]

First off, 6 days won't be enough! Add to the suggestions above, the Moab area & Mesa Verde Nat'l Park.

[slugbait]

If I were to do this trip I would concentrate on one or two places- driving distances are long and you're going to want to stop and explore frequently. My girlfriend and I ditch our husbands every spring for 2 weeks and head to southern Utah- this will be our 11th year to do so. We have barely scratched the surface of things to do. My favorite is Cedar Mesa/Natural Bridges but at 6500 feet it may be cold this early in the year. You can't go wrong no matter what you choose. Have fun!

[1bigpaddle]

Thanks, Im definitely working on my homework. I am prepared for cold nights. I remote camping is not an issue. Like I said It is a last second idea as we both lined up with a few days off to explore.. I figured this would be a good starting point for ideas as what to expect.. Ive never been west of the Big Horns in Wyoming.. Thanks for the site.

[1bigpaddle]

Thanks or the starting points, now we can narrow down and get an idea of where we want to end up! thanks

[swoody126]

the above comments are correct, you don't have enough time to even make a quick loop w/o sight seeing at all

distances aren't your problem it's the road conditions etc that are going to cut you short

in much of that country point to point travel is not measured in miles butt hours & minutes

if you make a bee line to southern Colorado you can spend your entire 6 allotted days in northern NM/southern Colorado and still not make a dent into just that area

a quick loop down thru Raton, Cimmaron, Red River, Questa, Taos, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Farmington, NM and back up thru Durango, Silverton, Montrose, Buena Vista, Golden, Boulder & Ft collins, Colorado will spend your time and then some

short distances butt somewhat time consuming

Cimmeron has the eastern fort/base camp of Kit Carson

Red River is a somewhat sleepy little ski town

Taos is Carson's western home base and at least one meal @ Michale's Kitchen((304 N Pueblo Rd # C, Taos, NM 87571)) is required by Federal Law as is a walk over the Rio Grande bridge at the western edge of town

on your way to Santa Fe take the less traveled roads thru Chimayo and have lunch @ Rancho de Chimayo(300 Juan Medina Rd, Chimayo, NM 87522) which dates back the the historic Spanish Land Grant days

Santa Fe could hold you for at least a week or 2 and there is a CG up on Ski Valley rd if it is open

ABQQ has a huge amount of native culture spots and a really cool Old Town Plaza area as well as a really good REI & Sportsman's Warehouse(1450 Renaissance Boulevard NE Albuquerque, NM) within a coupla blocks of each other NW corner of the Montgomery Blvd exit off I-25

in ABQQ an evening meal @ Los Cuates(4901 Lomas Blvd NE, Albuquerque) a family restaurant that wont set you back $$ and their food is great

on the way back north/NW swing up US 550 and goto Durango, Co where a breakfast @ the Durango Diner(957 Main Ave, Durango, CO 81301) is ALWAYS on my 2do list and if you have any time left in your schedule take the train ride http://www.durangotrain.com

on up US 550 lunch(buffalo burger & peach cobbler w/ ice cream on top) in Silverton, Co @ HandleBars(Big BLUE Building on the corner of 13th & Greene Street Silverton, Colorado)

supper @ the True Grit Cafe (123 N Lena St, Ridgway, CO 81432) is also on our list (yes John was there butt b4 the cafe was built on the site across the street from the park where the hangings were staged)

Golden & Ft Collins, Co both have prominent breweries

denver has the US Mint

Cheyenne has a nice Sierra Trading Post(5025 Campstool Rd, Cheyenne)

this list could keep you hoppin for a month or more

enjoy your trip and be ready for weather differences that wil require everything from shorts n flip flops to down outerwear

sw

[kwpapke]

butt hours & minutes

Your Freudian Slip made me laugh - yes, they are "butt hours"!!

OP: FWIW we are having a winter storm at the moment, snow and rain all over the area you are headed to. The 10-day forecast suggests you should have clear sailing, but the remnants of this storm may still be present at high elevations.

--Kurt

[swoody126]

Your Freudian Slip made me laugh - yes, they are "butt hours"!!

...
--Kurt

Kurt, ya gotz2 love modern technology!!!

this app came w/ my new laptop

The Spelling Chequer (or poet tree without mist takes)

Eye have a spelling chequer
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– Author Unknown