This is the basic outline of a road trip I'm taking soon.

Can't comment on Colorado/New Mexico, but I did a similar trip in Utah and Arizona. It would be a shame to do that road trip and skip past Canyon de Chelly. I probably enjoyed that place more than the Grand Canyon honestly. Definitely prioritize that over petrified forest. Mesa Verde is another really good place to check out, it has the biggest cliff dwelling in North America.

I would skip Sedona if I were you. It's pretty, but I don't know if it's worth the detour. Same with Monument Valley, entry is $25 (you can't use a parks pass), and all you can do is drive on a shitty road loop - one of the worst roads I've driven on. No hiking allowed. Very scenic, but you won't be able to enjoy it because you're not supposed to leave your car.

I don't know if you're aware, but Canyonlands is fucking huge and can't be explored without a decent time commitment. That said, it's amazing and worth going out of the way for.

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>>1029357

What do you want to do in Sedona? It's a neat little town to stop and have dinner at, stay at one of their cool hotels, and spend a little time, but compared to the other areas you'll be seeing, it's small potatoes in terms of sheer sightseeing.

One change I'd make is in between Santa Fe and Boulder, take a detour to do the drive between Durango and Montrose just for the fact that it's an incredibly scenic (and terrifying, for sections) drive, and when you are around Montrose, you can take a detour to the north to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, which IMO is more spectacular than the Grand Canyon, at least for a stop on a road trip.

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>>1029713

>>1029357
>>I don't know if you're aware, but Canyonlands is fucking huge and can't be explored without a decent time commitment.

Agreed on this. You can see the majority of the famous sights in Arches NP within a day by doing a combination of a driving tour and very short hikes, but the frontcountry of Canyonlands is actually not very spectacular. You really need to either have a thoroughly planned multi-day hike, or be prepared to drive significant distances on gravel 4WD roads to get into the backcountry.

>>1029357

I would take a look at Chaco culture national park in New Mexico. I skiped Petrified forest to spend a day and a half there to fully go around it. Wupakti near flagstaff is a nice way to go between grand canyon and flagstaff/sedona

>>1029713
in Sedona I mostly am just stopping there to spend the night and check out Red Rock National Park for a bit the next morning before heading out to the Grand Canyon to spend the afternoon at and then staying the night in a hogan near Cameron

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>>1030102
>and then staying the night in a hogan near Cameron
Wait, really? I didn't even know this was a thing.

>>1030102
> $150/night to stay in a log cabin in the desert with no air conditioning and no running water
I don't know about where you're staying, but this was the first result in google and it doesn't seem too comfy to me. I might stay there if someone paid me $150/night, though.
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/6376200

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>>1030102
Red Rock -State- Park is alright, there are a few bridges over the creek, some short trails and a good view of Cathedral rock.
If that's all you can do in Sedona its fine but if you have more time the Boynton Canyon, Soldier pass, and Bell rock trails are very scenic and extremely popular.
Just make sure you drive through Oak Creek Canyon going into/out of Sedona

I live between Santa Fe and Chimayo.
Why do you want to go to the Santuario?
What sort of experience are you looking for on this trip? If your goal is to see incredible landscapes, then you are going about it all wrong. But looks like you are planning a mix of incredible landscapes interspersed with touches of civilization. Forget Sedona and Red Rock State Park--the latter will be swamped with people. Have you been out West before? Capitol Reef National Park is amazing--and there is far fewer people there. If you insist on Santa Fe, then think about Kasha-Katuwe Tent ROcks National Monument just south of the city. Really small place, but pretty cool. Can easily do in two hours. If you are starting in Denver, why isn't Rocky Mtn Nat' Park on your agenda? If you are going to Island in the Sky in Canyonlands, then really no need to go to Dead Horse. I've been to Canyonlands around 15 times but only to Dead Horse once. Like I said, I live justoutside Santa Fe, and have been to Southern Utah around 40 times. Give me a time-frame and what you are more interested in seeing and I'd be happy to offer more detailed advice to you. BTW....I never have been able to understand why Santa Fe is such a popular destination for people--saving up all year to go and spend their two weeks vacation there.

>>1029713
>Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, which IMO is more spectacular than the Grand Canyon

seriously, you've lost all credibility with this one

>>1029357
>Same with Monument Valley, entry is $25

No--it's $20 (for up to 4 people, then $6 for each additional)


>all you can do is drive on a shitty road loop - one of the worst roads I've driven on.

I've been to Monument alley numerous times and never once had a problem with the road. I'm guessing you just don't drive on many dirt roads. Many of the visitors are in 2WD passenger cars.

>No hiking allowed
Again, not true. There is ONE hiking trail that begins at the campground and descends down into the alley in the area of the West Mitten.

>not supposed to leave your car.
Don't know if you mean this literally, but I've gotten out of my car at many points along the road and walked around. Overall, MV is not nearly as restrictive as you are making it out to be.


One can also take a guides jeep tour into the back country.

>>1030328
What a convincing argument you've made!

>>1030592
>if I call everyone I don't like "autistic," that makes me right :^)
Another zinger!

>>1030652
Another anon who is not super impressed with grand canyon.
The walls are too far apart.
I am more impressed by deep very narrow canyons.

>>1030338
Dude, I was there a month ago, it's definitely $25. If anything they're probably going to raise the price.

>>1029357


You want to take the 180 north from flagstaff rather than the route you have after Sedona. Trust me.....it's an official scenic drive and flagstaff is comfy as all hell. The other route is boring & ugly and the time difference is negligible. Also full of Skinwalkers for reals

>>1030652
>>1030592
>>1030328
Pure cancer.

>>1030327
Tend to agree with this man. I've been to Santa Fe, but only passing through to hit Pecos Wilderness, and even then, it was because we were planning a late season hike and the northern Rockies had already started to get snowy. The drive between Flagstaff and Santa Fe - or between Santa Fe and anywhere else - is kind of empty. I'd much rather spend more time up in Colorado, southern Utah or northern Arizona.

If you find yourself passing through Mexican Hat, Utah make a stop at Muley Point to see one of the most stunning views in the west.

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>>1031798
Wow you must not have gone north to Taos.
The drive between Santa Fe and I25 in colorado is pretty damn spectacular especially the part where you drop into the rio grande canyon and drive along the river
The interstates in NM miss almost everything and should be avoided at all costs.

Pic related is take right from the highway.

>>1031815
Indeed, I did not. Thank you for pointing that out.

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>>1030809
>Another anon who is not super impressed with grand canyon.The walls are too far apart.I am more impressed by deep very narrow canyons

Because you stood on the rim like 99% of the tourists.

pic related...Deer Creek Narrows in the Grand Canyon...
You do realize that the Grand Canyon is not just one huge canyon. There are hundreds of side canyon, many of which are longer and narrower than the Black Canyon..

>>1032562
Pretty cool, I would be stressed the entire time of flash flooding. I'd still like to go see the Grand Canyon and the narrows though.

>>1032562
You do realize that when I promoted Black Canyon, I did so in the context of a road trip, which the OP is planning, right? You do realize that road trips usually involve shorter stops at destinations, right? Especially when there are half a dozen other stops and only a limited number of days to see everything? Just checking. >>1029713
>you can take a detour to the north to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, which IMO is more spectacular than the Grand Canyon, at least for a stop on a road trip.
>at least for a stop on a road trip
>for a stop on a road trip
It's almost as if some people get triggered halfway through reading a sentence, type out some snark insult based on only how far they read, and just move on with the conversation as if the rest of the sentence that triggered them so badly doesn't exist.

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>>1029357
what >>1029458 said on Canyon de Chelly. It truly is astonishing. Yeah the Grand Canyon is cool but it's super touristy while Chelly is a gem to the few who have seen it.

A quick head up on it however, you cannot go down into Canyon de Chelly without explicit allowance by the Native Americans there. Many still live in it and it is considered sacred.

Also, would not recommend staying on tribal land longer than you need to. The desert is alive anon, you've been warned.

>>1035070
fuck I meant 1029485

>>1035070
>er, you cannot go down into Canyon de Chelly without explicit allowance by the Native Americans there.
>allowance
Fucking ESL.

Why are you taking i25 south instead of going through the San Luis valley or the San Juans? You're going to be relatively close to the Gila Cliff dwellings in NM. You should also hike the La Sal mountains in UT to look down on the vast red plains if Moab. Theres tins your missing because you're taking basic bitch roads

>>1035070
>considered sacred.
What the fuck isnt sacred to those red chubs.
"This is my tribal ford focus. It was given to me by the elders. It is sacreds"

>>1036877
It's a way of pretending Indians are superior instead of the genetic garbage they are