TWO WEEK NATIONAL PARK ROAD TRIP ITINERARY AND TOP TIPS
One of our favorite things to do is road trip and visit national parks. So far we’ve visited twenty three parks. That’s not counting the times we’ve visited some national parks more than once because you just can’t see the Grand Canyon only once in your life.
This two week road trip was taken in the month of July and our starting point was the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas area. You can start your trip from anywhere and adjust the parks and cities to how much time you have.
This was a big family road trip for us. We road tripped with my sister and her family so we had three cars and nine people total.
At a Glance:
Day 1: Ft. Worth to Albuquerque; Cadillac Ranch/Route 66
Day 2: Mesa Verde National Park
Day 3: Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend
Day 4: Zion National Park
Day 5: Bryce Canyon NP
Day 6: Arches NP
Day 7: Salt Lake City to Grand Tetons NP
Day 8-10: Yellowstone National Park
Day 11-12: Mount Rushmore National Memorial/Badlands NP/Wind Cave NP
Day 13-14: Drive home
We planned two to three long driving days at the beginning and end of our road trip. The other drives were on average between 2-4 hours in between the parks. We pre-booked every hotel and in hindsight, there were days we could have driven longer but we were afraid rooms would be sold out. Do what makes you comfortable.
Our road trip route
BEFORE YOU GO
National park entrance requirements: You can pre-purchase the America the Beautiful Pass before your trip or just purchase it at the first park you enter. The pass is $80 and gives you unlimited access to national parks for twelve months from date of first use.
FREE AND/OR REDUCED ANNUAL PARK PASSES
The Parks Pass is provided at no cost for the following groups. You can pick up the card at any National Park entrance:
Active duty military, Veterans and Gold Star Families - see this link for more info.
Free Lifetime Pass for individuals with permanent disability (does not have to be 100% disabled) - learn about requirements and how to apply here.
Fourth Grade Students can get a FREE parks pass through the “Every Kid Outdoors” program. Apply for your paper pass here.
Seniors age 62 and older have two options for a reduced Parks Pass purchase:
Keep in mind that some of the parks we visited are on Navajo Nation Tribal land where the national park pass is not accepted.
Cadillac Ranch outside of Amarillo, Texas
DAY ONE: FT. WORTH, TX TO ALBUQUERQUE, NM (9 HR DRIVE)
Sights to see along the way:
Amarillo, TX: Cadillac Ranch
Adrian, TX: Midpoint of Route 66 (photo op)
Tucumcari: NM: Drive part of old Route 66 - cool old hotels and restaurants
DAY TWO: ALBUQUERQUE, NM TO MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK (4 HR DRIVE)
Mesa Verde NP is located in the Southwestern corner of Colorado. Nearby towns are Durango and Cortez.
The park is huge and the drive from the main entrance to the ruins is about 45 minutes so make sure to stop at the Visitor’s Center at the entrance and grab maps and use the bathroom before you head in.
All cliff dwelling tours require a reservation and can only be purchased fourteen days in advance. Set a reminder as they sell out very quickly.
Cliff dwelling at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado
Must see and do:
Spruce Tree House (near dining and bathrooms)
Mesa Top Loop (1-2 hours drive with stops)
Cliff Palace Dwelling Tour
Balcony House dwelling tour
Where to sleep:
We booked in-park lodging at the Far View Lodge and it was beautiful. We had a wonderful dinner and great views from our room. There is no tv or wifi and the lodge is located 30 minutes from the park entrance. If we did it again, we’d stay in Cortez and have a shorter drive the next day.
DAY THREE: MESA VERDE NP PAGE, AZ (4 HR DRIVE)
This was such a fun driving day with lots of stops along the way. Gas up and reload the ice cooler (and the kids) in Cortez, CO before heading out as food and gas are few and far between on this route.
Sights worth stopping at:
Four Corners Monument: The Four Corners Monument is the only place where four states meet, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. Entry is $8 (credit cards only) and the national parks pass is not accepted here. The line to take your photo can get long. There are many artisan shops around the monument, so we took turns shopping and getting out of the sun until it was our turn.
Also, be a good tourist. Take a few, quick photos and move on. We saw many people taking so much time with multiple poses while so many people were waiting in line in the heat.
Forrest Gump Point: Mexican Hat, UT: You’ll remember this sight from the Forrest Gump movie. It’s where he’s running across America and decides he’s done running. We had an idea of the photo we wanted to take (remember there were nine of us). Just be careful, it’s on a busy highway.
Our attempt to recreate the Forrest Gump scene
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park: Entry fee is $8 per person and can be purchased in advance online. The National park pass is not accepted here. We saw so many people turning around at the entrance once they saw the price and let me tell you. It’s worth the price of admission.
This was just a quick stop for lunch, bathrooms, shopping and taking in the view. If you have more time, stay the night in the park and drive or tour the loop around the towers. It looks amazing.
Monument Valley view from the visitor’s center
Page, Arizona: This was our final destination this day and where we would stay the night. We had two things we really wanted to see here.
Antelope Canyon - book this the minute you know you’ll be visiting and keep in mind that Arizona does not participate in daylight savings time (we showed up an hour early). Antelope Canyon is also on Navajo Nation land - you must reserve your tour online in advance.
Horseshoe Bend - We headed up an hour or so before sunset and it did not disappoint.
Antelope Canyon in Page, Arizona
Read my Guide to visiting Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe bend Here.
DAY FOUR: PAGE, AZ TO BRYCE CANYON NP
First Stop: Zion National Park (2 hr drive)
Zion NP is one of my favorite places on earth. This trip, we just spent one full day here. I returned later and stayed three nights. Prepare to have your breath taken away.
A lot has changed since the pandemic so make sure to check the NP website while you’re planning your trip. Long gone are the days of showing up and hiking. During peak season, a large portion of the park is only accessible by a free in-park shuttle bus.
Views from The Watchman’s Trail hike
Must see and do in Zion NP:
Lower Emerald Pools (easy) Upper Emerald Pools (mod)
Canyon Overlook (easy)
Riverside Walk to the Narrows (easy)
Angel’s Landing - You must now apply for a permit through a lottery system. Click here for more info.
You can read my Complete Guide to Zion National Park here.
Next stop: Zion NP to Bryce Canyon NP (1.5 hr drive)
We got to Bryce, Utah in the early evening. It was still light out, so we checked into our hotel, ate dinner and let the kids recover from a busy day at Zion NP. There was a laundromat here - so we spent a few hours doing laundry. It’s so hot in the summer that we really needed a refresh on our clothes and kids needed a chill night.
DAY FIVE: BRYCE CANYON NP TO MOAB, UT (4 HR DRIVE)
We woke early this morning and headed out to explore Bryce Canyon. The park is much smaller than Zion and although they also have a shuttle bus, traffic was light so we decided just to drive up. With a few people in our group exhausted from hiking Angel’s Landing, we took it pretty easy this day.
Must see and do in Bryce Canyon NP:
Sunset to Sunrise walk (easy)
Queen’s Garden (steep incline on the return)
Hiking the Queen’s Garden Trail
We headed to Moab, UT after hiking where we would sleep for the night.
DAY SIX: MOAB, UT TO SALT LAKE CITY (UNDER 4 HRS)
Arches National Park
Advanced timed entry tickets are now required to enter Arches National Park if you’re visiting between April 1st and October 31st. Try to get the very first time slot in the morning if you’re visiting in the summertime as it can be over 90 degrees at 0700 there.
Must see and do in Arches NP:
The Windows Hike (easy)
Double Arches (easy)
Delicate Arch Trail (strenuous - 2-3 hours) - This is the hike with the famous Arch from the Utah license plates. We did not do this one. There is an overlook just a short walk from the parking where you can see the Arch in the distance.
After spending most of the morning in the park, we headed to Salt Lake City in just under a four hour drive. We arrived in the early evening and because my sister is a history teacher, we headed down to Temple Square for a little history lesson on the Mormon Trail and Brigham Young. Kids enjoyed swimming in the pool and relaxing tonight.
Day 7: SALT LAKE CITY TO YELLOWSTONE NP
We woke up early this morning and headed north through Idaho towards Jackson, Wyo. (5 hour drive). Some of our group stopped off at the Idaho Potato Museum to visit and eat all things made with potatoes. The group met up for lunch in Jackson, Wyo for lunch and sightseeing, then off to Grand Tetons NP.
Must see and do in Grand Tetons NP:
Taggart Lake hike
Lunch Tree Hill (under an hour)
Jenny Lake Loop (3-5 hours) - this is the hike our group did. It was a beautiful hike that led to a waterfall. Rated easy to moderate.
If you are planning on hiking in GTNP, you can purchase bear spray in Jackson or stores in the area.
We drove through Yellowstone Park in the evening as it was getting dark and were treated to a bison traffic jam which was the coolest introduction to the park. The next two nights are spent in West Yellowstone, MT.
Day 8 -10: YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
If you want to stay in in-park lodging, make sure that you book at least six months early. We stayed in West Yellowstone which was about a 30 minute drive to the park. There are minimal hotels here too, so book early.
Yellowstone NP is huge - don’t be deceived by the map. It takes hours to drive each loop. Prepare for lots of traffic and wildlife traffic jams. We had three days here, so we broke the park into sections. We did the southern loop on day one, the northern Loop on day two and the rest of the loop on day three as we exited via the Eastern Entrance. We had a few targeted stops and then just pulled over anytime we saw something cool.
Day 1: Yellowstone NP - Southern Loop
Old Faithful Geyser- we wanted to do this first thing to beat the heat and the crowds. It erupts roughly every 90 minutes but you can check the clock inside the Visitor’s Center for its expected eruption time. Grab a spot on the benches surrounding it. It does not disappoint. Make sure to go inside the Old Faithful Inn (built in 1903) to take a look around - it’s pretty cool
Upper Geyser Basin - after Old Faithful erupts - follow the loop around to see the various geysers in this area. It’s pretty long, so you can turn back anytime.
West Geyser Basin/Grant Village
Continental Divide photo op
Grand Prismatic Spring - wow, wow!
Grand Prismatic Spring
We would return to hotel in afternoon to rest/do laundry/eat lunch and then head back out to the park close to dusk to search for wildlife.
Day 2: Yellowstone NP - Northern Loop
Norris Geyser Basin - get out and hike a little here, feels like you’re on another planet
Mammoth Hot Springs - Very cool area; parking can be hard. Afterwards, explore small town, visit the museum which is well done (bathroom and food stop), visit Historic Ft. Yellowstone. If you want a photo at the famous Arch - head to the north entrance from this point before continuing on the loop
Canyon Falls - Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is where Yellowstone got its name. There are several viewpoints of the falls - so refer to your map. Parking can be very busy through here.
Norris Geyser Basin hike is unreal
Day 3: Yellowstone NP to Cody, Wyo
Today was our last day in the park. We headed towards Cody, Wyoming, but spent the day exploring the rest of the loop up to Norris Geyser and out through the Heyden Valley and out the East Entrance. We pulled into Cody, Wyo in the early evening, checked into our hotel and ate dinner. It was a beautiful drive out of the park.
DAY 11-12: CODY, WYOMING TO KEYSTONE, SD (6.5 HR DRIVE)
Today was a long driving day but a beautiful drive. Western South Dakota is a well kept secret because it is absolutely beautiful and you never hear of anyone going there. We drove straight through, but if you’re not in a hurry and have time for a few stops, here’s what I recommend:
Devil’s Tower - Wyoming. This will be about a 2 hr detour. I really wanted to stop here, but we just didn’t have time.
Deadwood, SD - We are huge fans of the HBO show and it looked absolutely gorgeous.
Sturgis, SD - It’s right off the highway, if you have time, pop down for a look
Devil’s Tower
We stayed the night in Keystone, SD which is south of Rapid City. Keystone is a cute town, but very, very touristy. If I had it to do over again, I would have stayed in Rapid City. If I could recreate this trip, I’d spend 2-3 nights here - so much to do in this area.
Mt. Rushmore National Memorial - we chose to visit in the evening to avoid the heat and because we heard that the nighttime show was pretty cool. No fee to enter, but you will pay $10 per car to park.
Snap a photo at the entrance in front of the Avenue of the Flags
Pop inside Carver’s Restaurant and grab an ice cream cone - it’s Thomas Jefferson’s recipe and so yummy!
You can walk along the trail if you have time. We sat in the amphitheater and waited for the show to begin. It was pretty cool, they showed a little video and played patriotic music. Beware of the bugs if you’re visiting at dusk like we did.
If you have more time, add:
Badlands National Park
Wind Cave National Park
Crazy Horse Memorial
DAY 13-14: DRIVE HOME - KEYSTONE, SD TO FT. WORTH (16 HRS)
Ya’ll. My husband tried to kill me that day. He was determined to get us home in one day. I think this may be the longest anyone of us has ever driven in one day.
ROAD TRIP TIPS:
Vehicle: Make sure that your vehicle is in great working order before you head out. We had our oil changed, fluids topped off and tires checked before we headed out. Also make sure you have a spare tire and equipment to change a flat just in case.
Food: We each had a cooler in our car packed with sandwich bread, deli meat, chips, fruit, snacks, etc. We replenished the ice at each gas stop and every morning. We loved having a picnic in the parks and having our own food saved us a bit of money.
Drinks: It’s less expensive to purchase cases of water, soda, and gatorades at a grocery store than to buy it at each gas station. Pack it in the cooler so it’s always cold.
First Aid: Pack a little first aid kit and carry it with you on hikes. Saline spray, gauze, bandaids, etc. I always pack a small pharmacy with me when we travel just in case anyone starts feeling bad. I always add: ibuprofen, imodium, dayquil/nyquil, pepto, etc. Don’t forget prescription medicine, extra contacts, saline, etc.
Entertainment: We’re old school road trippers and still have the DVD players for the car. If you have an iPad make sure you download lots of games and movies that you can watch off-line to keep everyone entertained on the road. We also like to download podcasts to listen to in the car.
Stop at the Visitor’s Center: Park Rangers are invaluable for trip planning. If you’re not sure what to do, go in and get suggestions.
Grab a map: Make sure to download and print or pick up a map at the visitors center. Cellular service can be spotty in many parks.
Passport Stamps: If you have little ones, they will love getting their national parks passport stamped at each park.
Hiking: It’s hot in the summer. Wear moisture wicking clothes, anti-chafing cream, hats to block sun, sunscreen, good hiking shoes, plenty of socks, shoes that can get wet, backpack, cooling towels. Pack high energy snacks and enough water for the length of your hike. We like to pack powder packets like Liquid IV when we’re hiking.
Laundry: I knew we would be doing laundry at least once or twice and packed a ziplock bag with a couple of Tide pods and dryer sheets.
Get up early: I can’t say this enough. Get into the parks before they open. You’ll not only beat the crowds, but you’ll beat the heat too. We hike early, spend the heat of the day in the pool, then go back in late afternoon. This is especially true in Zion and Yellowstone.
Allow for downtime: There were some days where we didn’t do any big hikes. This was a long trip and the kids would not have been happy to do big hikes every day. Break it up with times to relax and swim. For kids, just being in a hotel is a vacation.
Earn Points: Ok, you know I had to throw this in there somewhere. We booked as many hotels as we could on points to save money. Those we didn’t (like the Best Western and some Holiday Inns) we made sure to register for the hotel bonus promo so that we could earn as many points as possible. Also use a credit card that earns at least 3x-4x on gas and dining and at least 2x and up for hotel stays (you’ll earn more if you use a hotel credit card and have status).
Have you visited any national parks on this list? What are your favorite road trip tips?
Happy Travels!