Upstate SC to Grand Canyon; 4 weeks - what would you do?

Just passed by your area about an hour ago heading to Easley to visit the in-law and meet up with other family over the holidays. I could give you an hour or two full if you want to meet up and you have an Atlas handing. We homeschooled our two also and made it wonderful giving us the opportunity to make two long trips.

Make sure you check out the Junior Ranger program. Special activities for the kids and the badge for completing it. Will make the kids learn more about the park then they could by just walking around. My girls would sow them on a vest. They eventually had so many we had to add material to handle more. It was something to see Rangers wanting to have their picture taken with the girls.

When you get to Grants, NM there is a KOA right on the interstate which makes a nice late pull in. In the morning, don't get on the interstate but head to El Malpais and spend an hour or two. Then head over to El Morro. You can either spend the rest of the day and spend the night in the campground, or just a couple of hours. Finally swing by the Petrified Forest and drive all the way through the park before getting back on the interstate. There are some areas in the park that will remind someone of the Badlands if they have been there. Even if you don't do El Morro and El Malpais, make sure to do Petriefied forest as it will only add an hour or two versus stuck on the interstate.

Just a few different Sites & Sights one might consider in New Mexico:

I-40 Through New Mexico - Things To See:
Near Santa Rosa just Off I-40, Santa Rosa Lake State Park would be a nice place to overnight. Never been there myself.

NM State Parks are a good bargain. $10 without electric, $4 more for electric. Most have nice showers (no extra cost) & no entry fee or day fee on top of camping fee as in TX & CO.

Easy to get to Santa Fe by taking US 298 at Cline's Corner ( Exit 218) to I-25 then South on 25 to Santa Fe & on to ABQ & I-40. At I-25, this is the Glorieta Pass & Pecos Area: Civil War Battlefield and Pecos Nat'l Historic Park, the remains of an Indian pueblo.

Santa Fe & Bandelier Nat'l Mon't area of New Mexico -A Trip Report 2012.

Santa Fe Hiking & Ditto

Los Alamos is a very neat small city in itself. Free bus system with very neat buses. Very pretty setting up in the high country. Somewhat of a gated community as well. We only drove through & stopped at a SuperMarket. A nice town. http://www.visit.losalamos.com/
http://www.losalamosnm.us/transit/Pages/default.aspx Between Santa Fe & Taos as well.

More on the Santa Fe Area Expanded & ABQ.

Just minutes north of Albuquerque (off of I-25, exit 242) in Bernalillo, is Coronado State Monument where Francisco Vásquez de Coronado—with 300 soldiers and 800 Indian allies from New Spain—entered the valley while looking for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold. http://www.nmmonuments.org/coronado

Also: Coronado Campground, a city of Bernalillo campground, just out side of Rio Rancho & ABQ: http://www.passportamerica.com...ronadocampground2469 is a Passport America CG -1.7 miles west on 550 off Interstate 25, exit 242 in Bernalillo (12 miles north of Albuquerque). North and west of Rio Grande on 550, turn at sign, Coronado State Monument. Coronado Campground is located in the historic town of Bernalillo. It was a nice place to see ABQ when it was a State Park, have stayed there since.

Santa Fe (Eating):
We had very good Asian from Jinja Bar & Bistro in Santa Fe last summer. Just stumbled onto it in a thunder/rain storm. We did carry out, but it was a very nice restaurant. Went back this summer & ate in the restaurant with our daughter & grandson. All enjoyed the food.

Someone at the AAA office recommended Tortilla Flats in Santa Fe; it prove to be very good as well.

Normally, we would eat on the Plaza, from Cart Vendors, such as Roque's Carnitas. Cart Cuisine, but they were not there that week-end. Due to the 'Santa Fe Indian Market', "a 91-year-old Native art market", we didn't find the normal street food venders on the Plaza. We did eat once at one of the 'Indian' vendors, but the lines were extremely long. Also at a roasted corn vendor.

North of Santa Fe, almost into Colorado & on the way to Durango & on to Mesa Verde: Chama Area. The very neat Cumbres Toltec Steam Train runs from & to Chama & Antonito (Colorado); turns soon after Cumbres Pass Station & head cross country to Antonito. One can do a halfway trip (which we did a few years ago), a 'free' meal at halfway point (price included in tickets). Good food there & plenty of it. Cumbres Toltec Steam Train Depending on the time of the year, one might be able disperse camp above Cumbres Pass in Nat'l Forest (in Colorado). There is a campground there called: Trujillo Meadows. Not sure if it will be open when you need it or not.

Or Going North from ABQ toward Mesa Verde: Two neat stops, north of Abiquiu, worth a see would be the Echo Amphitheater, a Natural rock formation, and the Ghost Ranch Piedra Lumbre Education and Visitor Center, located on U.S. Highway 84 just one mile north of the main Ghost Ranch entrance, has exhibits and a gift shop. A very nice museum in "O´Keefe Country." The Echo Amphitheater is past the visitor center some miles.

Chaco Canyon is neat to see as well in New Mexico off US 550 from ABQ. Our Chaco Canyon Trip Part One in 2012. A hard one to get back into at times. Part Two Why we wanted to do the trip only in the pickup. One could see a good part in one day if get there early enough. If not in an RV. Chaco: Hikes & Information
Ditto

Some other ruins in the Aztec area as well.

Between Grand Canyon & Mesa Verde as well as Monument Valley: Off US 191 in Arizona, Canyon de Chelly by Chinle is neat with a Navajo Trip campground. Been there when it was a free campground years ago. Hubbell Trading Post NHS is off 191 as well, maybe a small detour to get to it. Interesting. In Arizona.

Navajo National Monument is located at the end of State Highway 564 off of US Highway 160. Which connects with US 191, north of Chinle. We have not been to this one, but sounds very interesting. Two campgrounds, one open all year, somewhat isolated but no fees are charged. Navajo Nat'l Mon't In Arizona.

An old post Flagstaff - Gallup - Grants- Albuquerque - Santa Fe - Plus

El Morro National Monument is neat to see & has a small campground; there is a private campgound near by as well. Near Grants or can be reached from Gallup. We went from Gallup to Zuni Pueblo then to El Morro (we lingered too long at the Pueblo and didn't get to hike the trial at El Morro, got there too late in the day; its a neat trail too, we had hiked it before). Of course one could go to it from Grants as well.
http://www.nps.gov/elmo/index.htm

Grand Canyon Plus

Not sure if you will be camping or not. If tent camping, most of these places in New Mexico & Colorado will be at higher elevations, expect some cool to cold nights at times.

Hyde Memorial State Park above Santa Fe (most of the state parks have free showers, but none there).

Find a Park Map. NM State Parks: $10 no hookup, $4 for electric, not entry fee on top of camping fee.

Cochiti COE Campground & Tent Rocks Nat'l Park in Northern New Mexico Off I-25: Near Santa Fe - Very Neat Area. Could be hot in summer.

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument neat place to hike: Hikes and Ditto

New Mexico Scenic ByWays

Over by Grants (I-40 W from ABQ): El Morro National Monument is neat to see & has a small campground; there is a private campgound near by as well. Near Grants or can be reached from Gallup. We went from Gallup to Zuni Pueblo then to El Morro (we lingered too long at the Pueblo and didn't get to hike the trial at El Morro, got there too late in the day; its a neat trail too, we had hiked it before). Of course one could go to it from Grants as well.

Oh, yes, in most of the western states, even in the hot southwest states, normally one does not to run the A/C at night to cool off. It usually cools down greatly at night out this way. Higher elevations & low humidity are factors. Therefore, one does need to have electrical hookups as one does back east.

An old post Flagstaff - Gallup - Grants- Albuquerque - Santa Fe - Plus

Grand Canyon Plus

Grand Canyon Railway

Grand Canyon North Rim & Utah

Petrified Forest can be seen in a few hours driving through it. I have two places I would recommend near the Petrified Forest if needing to spend a night:
Homolovi Ruins and Lyman Lake State Parks of AZ. Homolovi Ruins State PARK, Winslow, Arizona -not too far from the Nat'l Park. On I-40 Take exit 257 for AZ-87 toward Second Mesa 0.4 mi; Turn left at AZ-87/I-40 Bus/E Second St (signs for AZ-87/Second Mesa) Continue to follow AZ-87 1.5 mi; Turn left at Honani Rd. Never been to this one. The other one we have stayed at (after a visit to PFNP) is Lyman Lake State PARK. It is not too far from PF Nat'l Park, but off the interstate some miles.

Just in case:

This was a neat place to camp and visit (have not been to in it many years), even with a museum nearby, all close to Gallup at Red Rock/Churchrock just off of I-40 east of town. It was a state park when we used it.
http://www.campingroadtrip.com/campgrounds/campground/campground/11212/new-mexico/red-rock-state-park

Blue Water Lake State Park, by Grants, west of Albu'que on I-40. Bluewater not a bad area, but more of a fishing site. But not at all bad for an overnight, even some hiking trails. http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SPD/bluewaterlakestatepark.html

El Morro National Monument is neat to see & has a small campground; there is a private campgound near by as well. Near Grants or can be reached from Gallup. We went from Gallup to Zuni Pueblo then to El Morro (we lingered too long at the Pueblo and didn't get to hike the trial at El Morro, got there too late in the day; its a neat trail too, we had hiked it before). Of course one could go to it from Grants as well.
http://www.nps.gov/elmo/index.htm

Wife and I are also interested in this type of trip in about two years. Good info, thanks to all to include the cycling information.

Hello neighbor! We just made a trip to the area and I've spent a good deal of time making a trip report here.

Our trip!

We had the time of our lives (literally)! You will too!

ken56 wrote:
Late September weather may be quite cool. The elevation of the Grand Canyon plateau is like 6700 feet above sea level. Its even possible to get snow at that time of year there.

Generally the south rim doesn't see snow until mid-late October. The average temp in early October is around 70 in the daytime and 40 at night.

Even in CO, snow is rare in September except at the highest elevations. Many consider September to be the ideal time of year to camp.

ken56 wrote:
We are also big road and mountain bike riders and I expect by then the kids will be into trail riding with us. Moab or something like that would be on the list.

For a recent post I made on mountain biking, check out this link. Look at the links for Moab and Salida for great riding opportunities. Moab is simply world class when it comes to mountain biking, and I'm not talking just about technical trails, but also the great easy to moderate trails (Klonzo, Brand, and Klondike Bluffs areas). Also, check out Thunder Mountain near Bryce if you have the time.

Use a weather website like "Weather Underground" to look at historical average, high, and low temps for the place and month you contemplate traveling. For example, if you look at Moab UT and scroll down, on the left you'll see (what this month says) "December Calendar View"... click on that. Then use the arrows to change to the month you want to be there, and see what the weather was like last year plus the record highs/lows. If you do this for several cities along your trip route (keeping in mind that elevation changes will play a big role in temps), you can figure out what your weather is likely to be like for your trip. Don't like what you see? Map out a different month, earlier or later.

Short daily drives with plenty of stops for scenery, museums, and other fun things will make the trip pleasant and memorable. Don't be like my dad, who had to drive nonstop from MI to FL and nonstop back, with the idea of maximizing the time spent in FL; that travel style was not fun!

On your way, I'd recommend some leisure time in Arkansas at Petit Jean State Park; the bear cave, the turtle rocks, the big waterfall, the high overlooks, some great hiking trails, and educational evening ranger talks in the amphitheater will make the kids think this IS the destination. Here are my granddaughters at Petit Jean on the Bear Cave trail.


You can see a ton of different places in Utah without feeling like you are doing a ton of driving. Zion to Bryce to Capitol Reef to Goblin Valley SP (your kids will love playing in this state park!) to Arches to Canyonlands. And from there you are not far from Telluride, Ouray and the Million Dollar Highway to Durango; if you have to drive out or back, why not take the scenic route! Weather permitting, of course... snows come early in those mountains.

The Grand Canyon is impressive. But Bryce Canyon is spectacular!

Wow you guys have given me a ton to think about! I'm going to be busy the next week just researching all you've told me thus far. Thank you!

I admit to my southeastern weather "calibration" and that it is nothing like these places I'm thinking about. Around here, Sept is still really hot and Oct is best for being outside (IMHO).

Maybe we need to start earlier and go a bit north (CO) and then end at the GC. But I do see the recommendations to start there first. Will see what I can work out.

We are also big road and mountain bike riders and I expect by then the kids will be into trail riding with us. Moab or something like that would be on the list.

I'm glad no one said I'm crazy for trying to do this in 4 weeks. I would like to leave Yellowstone and Tetons for another trip. Hopefully in the years to come we get acclimated to longer trips on the road together and have some know-how going in. Right now our longest time on the road is 10 days, but that's staying in one or two places in the 5er. I'm sure exploring in a TC or class C will take some adjustment.

Next year or so I plan to get an older TC for my current truck to test the waters... a few weekend trips together to see how we take to the wandering side of RVing. Fingers crossed that it will lay the groundwork for a bigger rig and travels.

The railroad is a great suggestion. I've always loved trains and my youngest (boy) can't get enough of them either. Will take a look.

Many years ago my parents took my brother and I on an Amtrak tour from VA to San Fran and then back from LA on the southern route. What we saw from the train is still vivid in my mind 30 years later. Here's hoping I can do the same for ours and get out there a bit too.

Late September weather may be quite cool. The elevation of the Grand Canyon plateau is like 6700 feet above sea level. Its even possible to get snow at that time of year there. Now granted, I-40 is fairly flat with no real bad grades, some mild ones around Albuquerque, but nothing too bad for the most part. If you all really like the cold/cool weather then by all means go have fun. Research things to do along I-40 because there are a lot of them and you will have to be selective if you want to reach your destination in your time allotted.

TriumphGuy wrote:
I don't want to pack a thousand things into the trip. The drive is long enough as it is, don't need added stress.

I'm hoping this is the first trip of many before they grow up and leave the house.

Thoughts?

My first thought is that you are a wise man. Too many people try to see too much in too little time. Kids usually aren't thrilled with the driving but rather with the experiences once they're out of the vehicle.

Based on what you've written, I'd stick to some sightseeing on the way out and back to break up the trip and spend most of your time in the four corners area. Plan another trip in the future with a loop through Yellowstone and Glacier NP's. That's another four weeks right there.

With that in mind, the NP's of southern Utah can occupy a lot of your time. Hiking is great in Zion and Bryce, more so than the GC IMHO. Kid's will love to climb and play in Arches NP. We usually spend two weeks in the Moab area every year.

While you're in the area, stop at Mesa Verde NP in SW CO. Plan on one or two of the guided hikes there. Take the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. It goes through some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the country. If you go in mid to late September, the aspen will be changing. Silverton is a real old west town with wooden sidewalks and dirt streets. I'm a Colorado native and Silverton is one place I try to get to every year. Another area in CO I highly recommend is the Upper Arkansas River Valley between Leadville and Salida. Lots of different things to do. Click here for activities. We've been taking our nieces there since they were 7 or 8 and even now in their mid-teens, they love going back.

Four weeks will go by like a blur, but the scenery your kids will experience will be so much different than what they usually see they will remember it for a lifetime.