Ky. To Grand Canyon on route I-40

[Kentucky__Jo]

Heading out west in Sept. by route I-40. Plan on grand canyon, zion,bryce, canyonland, arches. Not going up to Tetons or Yellowstone this time. What other attractions along the way, would you suggest? Can only do short hikes of 1/2 mile or so. Not interested in shopping, places to eat, or fishing. Pulling 5th wheel. Willing to venture off route 40 a couple hours if it is worth it. Suggestions?

[charming]

Good luck with your trip, we're heading out next week, had to delay the big trip a week but we're all set to go now. Hoping we can get back home sometime in the first week of November. We're planning to take I-40 west to CA and back east on I-10 in the spring, so we can cut a few things off the trip this time.

[mittshel]

You have a lot to digest but I must throw this one out. Sedona, AZ is a ways south of Flagstaff, but a pretty spectacular area. Betsy.

[Brent_and_Gina]

Kentucky _Jo wrote:
I can't thank everyone enough for all your help. Feeling a little overwhelmed with all the choices, but am now going to sit down and try to map it all out before we make our way across. Have decided to put Bryce, Zion, Arches, Canyonland, and Garden of the Gods on the "if we still have the energy list" since we have already been to those places. Thanks again.

KJ,

I'd love to hear what you decide on for your itinerary. Gina and I are doing the same thing from the Little Rock area leaving 3rd week of September for 3 weeks. I want to see a bunch of the four corners area, parks, cuisine, and local cultures. The only thing is I have is a fear of heights especially if the roads are narrow and there's no guard rails. I don't want to hijack your thread, but I figure it might be better to solicit from you and others for both our sakes.

Brent

[Kentucky__Jo]

I can't thank everyone enough for all your help. Feeling a little overwhelmed with all the choices, but am now going to sit down and try to map it all out before we make our way across. Have decided to put Bryce, Zion, Arches, Canyonland, and Garden of the Gods on the "if we still have the energy list" since we have already been to those places. Thanks again.

[suprz]

We did that exact route 2 years ago. Went to Mammoth cave National park in KY, then took 40 across, we went to the Meteor Crater in Winslow AZ ( yes THAT winslow AZ, you can take your picture on the corner in town too) then to the Grand Canyon, then to Monument Valley, then to Arches National park

[huachuca]

Lots of good suggestions here. We've traveled this route a number of times form NC to AZ and other western states. Palo Duro Canyon SP is definitely worth an overnight or two and we enjoyed the Plains Museum in nearby Canyon, TX.

Carlsbad Caverns is more than a couple of hours off I40 but is a NP we really enjoy. Brantley Lake SP is a good place to stay in that area.

If you find yourself around Page, AZ, the all day boat trip to Rainbow Bridge is awesome. We like to camp at Lee's Ferry in the Glen Canyon NRA when staying around there. Not a good choice if you need hookups but they do have a dump station.

Have fun.

[jolooote]

A GEM everyone bypasses is the area around FlagStaff. When you turn north onto Rt 89 make sure to take the scenic byway thru Sun Set Crater and Wupatki Nat'l Monuments. Its a fine paved road and not out of the way. The Indian ruins are almost as good as Mesa Verde and each is less than 1/4 mile from the hyway. There are a lot of dry camping sites all along this route also.

[trailertraveler]

Kentucky _Jo wrote:
...Plan on ...zion,bryce, canyonland, arches...Suggestions?

Bryce Canyon/Utah 12-24 area:
Ut-12 Scenic Byway
Fishlake Scenic Byway
Scenic Backways off UT-12
Burr Trail
Hiking
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Escalante Petrified Forest State Park
Kodachrome Basin State Park
Anasazi State Park
Calf Creek Falls
Hells Backbone
Capitol Reef National Park
Goblin Valley State Park

Moab area:
Kane Creek Road
Potash Lower Colorado Byway
Upper Colorado River UT-128 Scenic Byway
Sago Canyon
Dead Horse Point State Park
Arches National Park
Canyonlands National Park
Needles District
Newspaper Rock

US-89 area:
Zion National Park
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

Monument Valley, Bluff, Blanding Area:
Monument Valley
UT-261 the Moki Dugway
Goosenecks State Park
Hovenweep National Monument
Natural Bridges National Monument
Bluff Fort
South Fork of Mule Canyon and House on Fire
The Valley of The Gods
Sand Island Petroglyphs
Edge of the Cedars State Park
Dinosaur Museum

[Kentucky__Jo]

Wow, I'm overwhelmed with things to see. Had no idea all these places existed! You all gave me plenty to research. We aren't new to camping. Been doing so for about 25 years now. Have explored Midwest and east pretty extensively. Been to Black Hills, Yellowstone, Teton area twice.Need to start exploring the west.

[trailertraveler]

There is a lot to see along I-40. In Amarillo, there is Palo Duro Canyon State Park and the Big Texan on Old Route 66. In New Mexico, Tucumcari still has dinners along Historic Route 66 and numerous murals painted on buildings plus other attractions. Santa Rosa is another Route 66 town and has the The Blue Hole and Santa Rosa Lake State Park which has a nice campground. In Albuquerque there is Petroglyph National Monument, the Pueblo Cultural Center, the Turquoise Trail and the Sandia Crest Highway that are worth visiting in my opinion. In Grants, there is the Mining Museum. Just South of I-40 going West from Grants are El Malpais National Monument, El Malpais National Conservation Area, El Moro National Monument and the Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano. Acoma Sky City is said to be the longest occuppied location in the U.S. They give tours of the pueblo and there is an RV park next to the casino.

Homolovi Ruins State Park is near Winslow where you can stand on the corner. Meteor Crater and Petrified Forest National Park are not far from the Arizona/New Mexico border.

In the Flagstaff area are Sunset Crater National Monument, Wupatki National Monument, and Walnut Canyon National Monument. Sedona/Camp Verde/Cottonwood are about an hour South of Flagstaff with Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well National Monuments, Tuzigoot National Monument, Palatki and Honaki Ruins, V-Bar-V Heritage Site, Verde Canyon Railroad, Fort Verde State Park, Cathedral Rock, Gold King Mine, Jerome State Historic Park in the area.

All this before you even get to the Grand Canyon.

[BB_TX]

In Oklahoma City, the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum and the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum are worth a visit.

[ken56]

I go on line and order the travel guides from each state I travel through. It gives the highlights of museums and local attractions by zone and most have good zone specific maps for the area you are in. I have found them to be helpful.

[NMDriver2]

Turn south at Grants, NM and follow NM53 through El Malpais, past Ice Cave/Bandera volcano, and over to El Moro then either turn back north to Gallup or continue west to 191 before turning north to I-40.

El Malpais is geologic sight seeing, El Moro is an inscription rock carved by explorers and settlers headed west. Grants is an old Route 66 and mining town and Gallup is a reservation town. You might take the Acoma Sky city tour at exit 108 (dancing eagle casino) west of Albuquerque, if pueblo culture interests you.

You said you were not interested in places to eat but if you do not try sopapillas and green chili cheese burgers you are missing out.

[TenOC]

You can stand on the corner in Winslow AZ and look for a girl in a red truck and there is free dry camping at the lake out of town.

Petrified Forest NP free dry camping at store at south entrance.

Meteor Crater

Sunset Crater NP

Be sure to see the north rim of Grand Canyon.