Road Trip out West, Help! (long)

In My Humble Opinion
1

My partner and I will be taking a month-long road trip out west (U.S.) in May. Each time I pull out the maps, I’m struck by how really, really vast it is out there. We have been using MS MapPoint North America 2004 to plan the trip, but I am doubting some of MapPoint’s estimated travel times. Also any thoughts or comments on destination choices would be appreciated.

We are mostly interested in seeing national parks, wild life, scenic areas, etc., and are aiming for a “best of” approach.

Destinations include

  1. Grand Canyon, AZ
  2. Zion National Park, UT
  3. Bryce Canyon, UT
  4. Yosemite NP, CA
  5. Monterey, CA (California coast)
  6. Oregon coast
  7. Olympic National Park, WA
  8. Hell’s Canyon, ID
  9. Yellowstone NP, WY
  10. Rapid City, SD (Rushmore, WindCave, Badlands)
    Since we haven’t scheduled very long for any location, feel free to chime in, “If you only see one thing, see X here” type comments.

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.

Grand Canyon/Utah area:

  1. Is it only a 3 hr drive from St. George, UT to Tuweep, Grand Canyon? Is this a hard drive?
  2. What’s the drive time from St. George, Ut to Zion National Park? (Mappoint guesses 1:15 hrs.)
  3. Mappoint estimates 4:15 hrs from St. George to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Does this sound right?
  4. Will the North Rim be accessible May 14?

Yosemite, Ca:

  1. Trip time from Cedar City, UT to Ahwahnee Lodge, Yosemite NP, CA? (MP est. 12 hours.)
  2. How likely is it the Tioga Pass Road will open mid-May? (opened May 11 in 2007)
  3. If Tioga Road is closed, how long/difficult is it to get from east of Yosemite to the Yosemite Valley/Ahwahnee Lodge?
  4. What’s all this about tire chains??? I’m from south Alabama, is this gonna freak me out/be necessary (May 16)?

California coast:

  1. What’s the drive time from Yosemite NP to Monterey, CA? (MP est. 5:15 hrs)
  2. We will drive south down Highway 1 and then back to Monterey. We planned a day drive. How far South to drive before we turn around and go back to Monterey?
  3. Monterey, CA to Bandon, OR, How long? MapPoint estimates 10 hrs and sends us up 1 to US 101 then up Interstate 680 to I505 to I5. Is that the route you recommend?

All other areas:

  1. Any must sees along the Oregon coast given that we spend 2 days driving along the coast from Bandon, OR to Seaside, OR stopping when we find something interesting.
  2. We are spending 3 days in the Seattle area. What do you recommend? (mostly nature oriented but I’m thinking we may have had a little too much nature by now, so I’m open to other suggestions too).
  3. Is a day long enough to get a feel for Hell’s Canyon, ID?
  4. We are spending 4 nights at Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, Yellowstone NP, WY. Should we try to drive to Grand Teton NP during this time, or stay at Yellowstone?

BTW, we are starting from South Alabama. —If you made it this far, thanks for reading.

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Tioga Pass will almost for sure be closed. I didn’t realize it, but I guess Sonora Pass is also seasonal. Highway 50 will be open. I don’t think you have to worry about chains in May. If you are in St. George, you may as well drive south of the Sierras and head up the 5. I think 120 is the fastest way to Yosemite valley, but wait for someone who knows what they are talking about.

Both the Oregon coast and PCH in California are stunning. However, to me, they are quite similar. If i were you, I’d drive from Monterey and then camp for the night near San Luis Obispo, maybe at Montana Del Oro and then shoot back up the 101 which is way faster and quite scenic in its own right.

3

1) Is it only a 3 hr drive from St. George, UT to Tuweep, Grand Canyon? Is this a hard drive?

You’ll be WAY out in the boonies if you decide to visit Tuweep. Depending on when the road was last graded, you could probably make it out there with a non-4WD/AWD/high clearance vehicle, though I wouldn’t recommend it. You’ll likely encounter sandy, washboarded and very rocky stretches, especially near the rim. Make sure you check the road conditions before attempting to make that trip!

Heed these words from the NPS:

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We used Google Maps for our trip from Calgary to Las Vegas, and it was surprisingly accurate with road information and times. We plan to use it again for our upcoming trip to Ohio.

Definitely go to Bryce Canyon. It’s spectacular. Yellowstone is also very cool. We saw a bison giving birth while we were there.

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I definitely recommend Arches, since you’re going to be in Utah. I’ve been to quite a few of the National Parks, and that’s up there with the most beautiful of them.

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If you’re headed along southern UT and northern AZ from Alabama, you might consider a day stop at Mesa Verde (extreme SW Colorado).

Black Hills (SD) on your way back home, I would presume. One of my favorited places in the world. I recommend staying in Custer, Hill City or Keystone, in the actual hills. Hill City and Keystone have some nice shops to wander through, a fossil museum in Hill City.

Mt. Rushmore is near Keystone. From Mt. Rushmore, drive south on 16A (Iron Mountain Road, my favorite road anywhere) over the cool pig-tail bridges and through the two narrow tunnels. Note as you drive through the tunnels that Rushmore is framed by them as you drive south. Very cool. Stop at Iron Mountain Scenic Overlook. Then head into Custer State Park and drive the Wildlife loop for Buffalo, Antelope, Prairie Dogs and the Begging Burros. You can drop off the SW end of the loop and head down to Wind Cave, then down to Hot Springs if you want to go that way.

When I drove through northern CA many years ago, camping as I went, it was recommended to me by friends that I stop at Patrick’s Point state park. I would recommend it, even just for an hour or so, if you’re passing through.

Then in Oregon, consider going a little out of your way to Crater Lake. Definitely a Wow spot. My camera just didn’t do the color justice.

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You’re scaring me! And it’s a bit confusing because on one hand I read admonitions like yours, but then I’ve read a blog about this guy who drove an RV to Tuweep. He said it wasn’t too bad. I live on a dirt road that occasionally becomes washboarded. I figured it would be like my road only miles and miles longer.

I had wondered about this, that is whether it would be better to go south and then up.

featherlou, how much time did you alot for Bryce Canyon?

Thanks for the help, ya’ll. It’s very appreciated.

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Up around Seaside, there’s an old shipwreck on the beach. No gold doubloons left, but it is a spectacular beach, and this skeletal ship just makes it all the cooler…

There are several, and I only know of one specifically, stores that deal in products of the myrtle tree. Centered on Coos Bay, IIRC. Only if you’re rich, and still worth a look if you’re not. I shall demand that you do your own homework and decide for yourself if you want to bother.

South of that, there’s something weird.

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I agree it a “worth seeing”, but the roads may not be open in May. Last time I was there, the South road had only been open a couple weeks and the North road was still closed at the end of June. That was 8 years ago.

If you plan to stay overnight around Olympic NP, may I suggest Lake Quinault Lodge. It’s in the Ho Rainforest. Here is a picture I took about a block abway from the lodge.

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Sounds like an ambitious trip, hope you have fun.
Mappoint estimates 4:15 hrs from St. George to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Does this sound right? Yes, but it might be worth it to take a little more time on the way. Not really a hard drive (caveat: I’ve only done it in summer), but it’s not Interstate either (which I see as a positive). There are some twisty-turny parts, some fantastic views, and some towns along the way if you need to rest or eat fuel up. You’ll pass near Hilldale UT/Colorado City AZ, which are main the Fundamentalist LDS communities. Not places to visit (they are pretty distrustful of outsiders) but a point of interest.
Will the North Rim be accessible May 14? Probably, though you may see snow. Weather and Road Conditions - Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service). Lovely place, the North Rim.

Zion my favorite national park, I’ve visited a number of times. Check the NPS web page for Zion. One hint: park outside the park (lots of free parking in the town of Springdale), and take the shuttle to the park entry, you’ll save a few bucks.
If you are ambitious hikers, try Angel’s Landing and Riverwalk (at the end of an easy trail, you can hike in the riverbed for as far as you feel like going). For less- ambitious hikes, the Emerald Pools and Weeping Rock are great.
For a really good lunch, Springdale Fruit Company makes sandwiches, and will pack them to go if you want them for hiking. They also are a good place to stock up on water, energy bars, fruit, etc.
Check out some of the Mormon history sites in St. George. They are small and quick tours, plus lots of friendly volunteers if you have any questions about the church (I’m not a Mormon, nor do I play one on TV, but have some friends who are members of the church).

We are spending 3 days in the Seattle area. What do you recommend? (mostly nature oriented but I’m thinking we may have had a little too much nature by now, so I’m open to other suggestions too).

Non-nature:
If you like planes, see the Museum of Flight south of downtown or the Boeing plant tour in Everett.
Seattle Art Museum has a nice small collection and is right in the heart of downtown and is close to Pike Place Market.
It’s touristy but the view from the Space Needle is fantastic (weather permitting).
I send all my out-of-town visitors to Archie McPhee (check their website to see if they would appeal to you) and they are close to the Ballard Locks, which is a good place to spend a couple hours watching boats.
If you feel like a walk, Greenlake has 3-mile path with good people-watching, with a good number of restaurants nearby for post-walk refreshment. The nearby Woodland Park Zoo is decent too.
Take a ferry ride. Bainbridge Island is a good destination, 30 minutes each way. Leave your car in Seattle and walk on the boat, and spend a little time on the island. If you run into my pal Rob tell him I said hi. The downtown (half a mile from the ferry dock) has some good places to eat, a nice bookstore, and is pleasant.
The Seattle Aquarium is a good place to learn about the Puget Sound ecosystem. Plus you can touch some undersea critters (a great thing if you have kids with you).
If you are a foodie, there are lots of interesting restaurants to check out. If you want a list of suggested places, send me a message and I’ll respond.
Have some salmon while you are here. Mmm, salmon…
If you want to see some local music, check the listings in The Seattle Weekly or The Stranger.

Nature:
For hiking, try West Tiger Mountain peak trail (near the city of Issaquah). Five mile round trip, pretty steep, but a great view at the peak. Or Mt Si (two trails, one about 5 miles round trip, one about 8). They both start at the same trailhead, also have great views (esp the longer trail), and are near the city of North Bend, if you are a Twin Peaks fan, stop for some pie and a damn fine cup of joe at the cafe that was the diner in the show.

There’s plenty more places to see/things to do but these are the ones I like or send people to. If you have questions about anything please let me know.

11

Yeah, it’s important to note that you can’t drive your car up into the main canyon (unless you’re staying at Zion Park Lodge). Plan accordingly…you can’t just pop in for a quick look around or a short hike. The trails are most enjoyable early in the day, and get crowded by late morning.

If you feel like splurging for a couple of nights in a really nice hotel, I highly recommend The Desert Pearl in Springdale. That said, you can’t beat a campsite at either of the two campgrounds in the park.

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People are way insane. I’ve got a 4 wheel drive vehicle and wouldn’t go places where some people will drive an RV. Of course, there are people with Uni-Mog based RV’s, so I’d take any commentary like that with a grain of salt

Bryce is a tiny park. You can do it in a day.

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I didn’t mean to scare you about Tuweep, just make you aware. I’m sure people drive that road in “normal” cars when the conditions are good. If you’re careful, you might not have any problem. If you go unprepared, though, you’re asking for trouble.

14

On the Oregon Coast, stop at the Sea Lion Caves to see them in a cave for $, or drive to Newport to see them lolling on the docks. Anywhere on the coast that’s a little marshy, you’re likely to see herons and plovers.

15

Thanks for the clarification. We’ll check the road conditions before we attempt the trek. If they aren’t good we’ll just chuck the whole idea and do something else with that day. I understand that Tuweep is out in the boonies. That’s the appeal of it; isn’t it?

I’ve been mulling over all of the great suggestions here. I wish there was a way we could work in Mesa Verde as Chimera has suggested. We had originally allocated three days driving to get to Grand Canyon, AZ and that was taking Interstate 40. When I try to alter the route, the additional time needed messes up the reservations that we have later in the month. Bummer!

Take shuttle bus to Zion NP—noted.

The shipwreck in Seaside sounds intriguing and like great photography fodder.

Will be googling more info on those suggestion in Seattle.

Thanks again for all the help and well wishes.

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Zion is one of my favorite parks as well, and I heartily second Angel’s Landing. It’s a tough hike, and the top can be kind of harrowing if you’re at all afraid of heights (you have a chain to hold onto as you negotiate some pretty narrow ledges), but it’s well worth it. The last time I hiked up there, I walked over to the ledge and found myself looking down on a hawk that was circling the valley.

I definitely wouldn’t count on Tioga Pass - or any of the High Sierra passes - until June. I agree with Darryl Lict that you’re better off taking I5 (or 99) up west of the mountains. You’ll miss out on a potentially beautiful drive (395 and the high passes can be spectacular), but you’ll be more likely to get where you’re going without trouble.

A lot of your destinations are still going to be pretty cold in May. If you’re hiking or camping, make sure you’re prepared for that - not just cold, but wind and snow. Being cold and wet on a summer camping trip is uncomfortable - being cold and wet in the mountains is downright dangerous.

That being said… that’s one hell of an ambitious itinerary for a month. You’re going through some really amazing places - make sure you take the time to enjoy them!

Now I’ve got the bug - I’ve got to go figure out when I can take a month off. Good luck!

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Yeah, I’d say about a day for Bryce Canyon. We didn’t climb down into the canyon because I had just hurt my leg, but I would have liked to). If you’re going near Salt Lake City, I also recommend taking the tour of the Mormon conference centre there. It has some astounding architecture, including massive non-supported vaulted ceilings and a huge rooftop garden (the roof is a green roof with dirt and plants).

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Thanks for the recommendation of Angel’s Landing. That trail looks fantastic! As far as Tioga Pass, we’ll hope for the best but plan on driving around. I was wondering about the weather, will pack accordingly.

We knew that it was an ambitious plan. I’m glad to see that no one has said yet that it’s crazy and can’t be done effectively. We figured that we can do one good hike per destination. Anything else would be gravy---- a few overlooks, maybe a short hike or two— So we really appreciate input on picking the right trail at each location.

Any suggestions for Yosemite? Looking at the NP brochure the hike past Columbia Rock, Lower and Upper Yosemite Falls to Yosemite Point looks doable. I’d really like to hike half-dome but realize that hiking half-dome isn’t feasible with this schedule.

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If you don’t already have a reservation in Yosemite you may be shit out of luck. Even though you are there before Memorial Day, reservations in the valley can be taken up a year in advance. There is a drop in list that reserves a small number of campgrounds. I think the office opens at 8AM or something. You should try to get there at some ridiculous early hour. I think I was there at 6:30AM and managed to get a spot. This was in October.

All the trails out of the valley are very steep. I’ve hiked to the top of Yosemite Falls maybe 6 times. You have to be in decent shape. Half Dome is pretty much a bitch, I think it’s about 17 miles round trip. It is however, really special. Make sure that you don’t have any fear of heights if you are attempting this. A very good hike is going to the top of Nevada Falls. You can turn back at any point in time if you get pooped out. Vernal and Nevada Falls will be spectacular this time of year.

20

Darryl Lict, thanks for all your help. We do have reservations at Yosemite. At first we were going to try one of those tent-cabins but after reading how they just upgraded to bear-proof food containers, we decided that was a little to wild for us and elected to stay in the Ahwahnee Lodge. The same sort of reasoning influenced our choice of stay at Yellowstone.

There aren’t any bears or wolves or any other animals wandering the woods of south Alabama that will eat you —only creatures running around in our woods are those you eat and some small predators.

I’ll google some photos of the two trails proposed. I jog 2 miles daily which includes going up a hill with about 120 ft elevation change. Will I be able to handle the hike to the top of Yosemite Falls? I also walk an additional 2.5 miles daily.