2022 Cross Country Road Trip Itinerary: Week 3
Crossing the midpoint of a road trip is always a little bit sad, but it has to happen. Week two of my 2022 cross country road trip has zoomed right by, and I couldn’t ask for a better week. Brockie and I drove up from Texas through Arizona, stopping in Sedona and the Grand Canyon. Then we beelined for the California coast, driving overnight from the Grand Canyon to get as much time as we could in California’s cool and moist coastal climate. You can click here to see the full itinerary for our past week.
My ‘Week 3’ cross country road trip itinerary
Brockie and I left the West Coast yesterday and are now in Utah, getting ready to fit in as much as we can! We are spending almost all of week three in southern Utah, and I’m already wishing we had more time here. Southern Utah is a goldmine of National Parks, known collectively as the Mighty 5. The Big Five National Parks include Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion.
We will be stopping by three of the five National Parks, which is a lot!
Stop 8: Arches National Park
Arches is one of the most beautiful National Parks in Utah, with colorful red sandstone walls and arches rising from the desert. I visited Arches back in 2016, so I’m hoping the park hasn’t changed too much since then. Apparently, Arches has become much busier in the recent years, because you now have to reserve a timed ticket for entry into the park. Although I don’t mind paying the $2 for my entry ticket, having timeslots is a big indicator that the park will be very crowded. I’m hoping that the crowds won’t be too large, but we’ll see.
Stop 9: Canyonlands National Park
After a day in Arches, Brockie and I will go next-door to Canyonlands National Park. In all my times visiting Utah, Canyonlands is the one park I’ve missed every time. There are simply too many National Parks in southern Utah to visit them all in one trip! I’m eager to finally add Canyonlands to my list of visited places. At least now I can say I’ve done all of Utah’s Mighty 5.
There are two main roads into Canyonlands; one from the north that leads to the Island in the Sky area, and another more southerly route that leads to the Needles area. Since we will only be there for one day, Brockie and I will probably just visit the Isle of the Sky area, which has plenty of hiking trails and viewpoints to choose from. I can save the Needles for another trip.
Stop 10: Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef is probably my favorite Utah National Park. (It’s hard to choose!) Capitol Reef is further from the interstate than the other Utah parks, so it’s usually far less crowded. Although the drive is a little bit out-of-the-way, the route winds through beautiful scenic landscapes and is worth driving just for the roadside views, let alone ending up at a National Park.
Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef has a fun mix of canyons and arches, so there is plenty to do. During my last stay in Capitol Reef, we explored Cohab Canyon and hiked out to Hickman Bridge. This time I am hoping to do the Cassidy Arch hike. For a full rundown of what Capitol Reef has to offer, click here to read my blog on hiking Capitol Reef.
Stop 11: Natural Bridges & Fry Canyon
With all of these National Parks, I decided to branch out and explore some of Utah’s beauty outside the National Parks. Naturally, I looked to one of Utah’s coolest features: slot canyons. Fry Canyon is a small slot canyon south of Canyonlands, near the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Nearby, Natural Bridges National Monument features three stone arches that you can hike to or view from overlooks. I’m hoping the area won’t be as crowded as the National Parks, so we can get some beautiful hikes in with less people on the trails.
Stop 12: Bayfield, CO
After a week of looping through the Utah desert, Brockie and I will be tired and ready to get off the road for a day! We’re going to crash with some friends in Bayfield, Colorado for at least one night. Then we will slowly start working our way back east in week four, hitting some highlights in Colorado.
