Four Corners Southwest Road Trip

EXPLORING THE FOUR CORNERS REGION AND BEYOND IN COLORADO, UTAH,
NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA

The highlights of this 13 day Southwest itinerary include many of the National Parks located in the Four Corners region of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona and beyond, including Mesa Verde, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Arches, Lake Powell, the Grand Canyon and the Petrified Forest. We also added a narrow-gauge train ride, horseback riding, a float trip on the Colorado River and a boat tour on Lake Powell. Our youngest was 7 when we took this trip. We traveled over 2200 miles in 13 days on this road trip through the Southwest, starting and ending in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
This post was updated January, 2024

Here is the general itinerary for our 13 day Southwest road trip including approximate driving times. Because this was our first big national park road trip, we really packed in a lot. If you are planning a similar trip and time allows, I would extend the stay at some of the larger parks, and definitely add in a stop at Canyonlands National Park. Before planning any road trips for 2024, check the individual national park websites for the most current information about closures within the parks along with reservation information. Visitor centers may have shortened hours. While we have done our best to update information and attractions yearly, some of the tours listed when we originally took this road trip over ten years ago may be unavailable. Family members have visited the area since then and provided some updates as well. Keep reading for more trip details. Drive times are approximate.

Day 1: Take the day to drive the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway from Albuquerque to Santa Fe then on to Chama. (3 hours)
Day 2: All day Train Ride on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad; drive 1 hour to Pagosa Springs
Day 3: Travel to Mesa Verde (2 hour drive); explore Mesa Verde National Park
Day 4: Visit 4 Corners; drive to Moab (drive 2 hours)
Day 5: Arches National Park; drive to Bryce Canyon late in day (4 hour drive)
Day 6: Bryce Canyon National Park; drive to Zion (2 hour drive)
Day 7: Zion National Park; drive to Kanab (1 ½ hour drive)
Day 8: Head to Lake Powell; Rainbow Bridge Cruise
Day 9: Colorado River Discovery Float Trip Glen Canyon Dam; depart for North Rim at Grand Canyon National Park (about 2 ½ hours)
Day 10: Explore North Rim; head to South Rim in late afternoon (4 hour drive)
Day 11: Explore South Rim; drive to Flagstaff (90 minute drive)
Day 12: Explore Sedona/Oak Creek Canyon; Petrified Forest NP on the way back to Albuquerque (we spent the night in Gallup, NM)
Day 13: Depart Albuquerque

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Begin the trip in Albuquerque, NM, and then travel north to Santa Fe. Along the way, follow the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway, passing through several old mining towns. We stopped in Madrid for lunch and shopping, thinking we could eat at Maggie’s Diner, used in the movie Wild Hogs. Turns out the building was just a backdrop left over from the movie!

Continue on to Santa Fe, and be sure to do some shopping in the Plaza area. There are so many great restaurants and outdoor cafes to enjoy. The outdoor market is a wonderful place to shop.

From Santa Fe, continue on to Chama, which is home to the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. It's an amazing 64 mile ride on a historic steam-operated, narrow-gauge railroad, reaching over 10,000 feet in elevation along the way. Plan to spend a full day riding the rails, with lunch included. Our kids wanted to spend a lot of time in the open rail cars, so be sure to bring a hat and sunglasses. Spend the night in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. If you have time, unwind with a soak in some of the local hot springs. In the morning, travel about two hours through Durango to Mesa Verde.

We rode the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad as part of a Southwest US road trip. So cool and the highest steam-operated narrow gauge railroad in the US.

A day in Mesa Verde National Park takes you back to the days of the Ancestral Pueblo people. The park is home to over 600 cliff dwellings. We enjoyed the close up view and walk through some of the more famous dwellings like Cliff Palace. There are several options for tours, both with a guide and on your own. Just book early because they are popular and fill up quickly. If you choose not to stay in the park, overnight in the nearby city of Cortez, where you may be able to catch an Indian dance demonstration at the Cultural Center.

Next, on your way to Moab, Utah, visit the Four Corners Monument, where you can use your hands and feet to be in 4 states at once! It’s in a remote location, but definitely a cool photo opportunity. Note: find the latest information about hours of operation.

When you get near Moab, take a break from hotels and stay in a cabin at the Archview Resort and Campground (now Sun Outdoors Canyonlands Gateway). There is a small pool for kids and views of the surrounding area. The resort is located between Canyonlands and Arches National Park. Spend some time in both of these unique parks, filled with unusual natural beauty. Arches is like nowhere else on earth, featuring natural sandstone arches and rock formations. There are many ways to see the arches up close, including auto touring and hiking. Just remember to try to beat the heat and get out early in the summertime.

Find more National Park Planning Tips and Resources here

The next part of the drive is the longest, over the mountains to, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful parks in the Southwest. Bryce Canyon National Park (although technically not a canyon), at the rim, is between 8,000 and 9,000 feet. There are some amazing trails that take you to the floor, especially the Navajo Trail through some narrower parts of the canyon. On a good day, the sky is the deepest blue that you have ever seen, and star-gazing is some of the best you will find anywhere. This is definitely one of my favorite parks in the Southwest and high on my list to visit again.

After leaving the land of hoodoos at Bryce, travel to Zion National Park. If you are staying in Springdale, you will have to pass through Zion to reach your destination for the night. The hotels literally have the peaks of Zion in their backyards. If you need a larger room, check out the Driftwood Lodge, with outdoor patios and space for the kids to run. We had horses in our backyard and amazing views of Zion from the pool. With the summer heat, we decided to head out for an early morning ranger hike, then took a horse trek to see the famous Patriarchs. There are many levels of hiking trails available in the park for all ages.

Read more details in On The Road in Utah: Visiting Arches, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks

After you visit to Zion, you will head through some classic western scenery on your way to Lake Powell. If you are an animal lover, visit the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in beautiful Angel Canyon. Learn more here about booking a visit. We decided to stay in Kanab, which was a quaint old western movie town. If you stay at the famous Parry Lodge, you might sleep in a room or swim in the pool once frequented by John Wayne or, in our case, Gregory Peck. I really enjoyed watching a classic western movie in the restored theater that once was a stable for famous horses.

Head over to Lake Powell in the morning, part of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. To experience the beauty of Lake Powell, you can either rent your own boat, or go on a guided tour. Be warned, there are over 2000 miles of shoreline, so you could spend days here on a boat. We opted for the full-day tour, which was spectacular. The Rainbow Bridge National Monument is worth seeing, especially as you travel through the smaller canyons to get there (tours to Rainbow Bridge are currently unavailable).

If you want to experience the Colorado River without rafting through the Grand Canyon, then book a float trip (we used Colorado River Discovery). The guides put the rafts in at the base of the Glen Canyon Dam and travel downriver, ending at historic Lees Ferry. As you can see from the picture, the views from the raft in the early morning were pretty amazing. It was a perfect trip with younger kids as there are no rapids. Other popular things to do in the area are to take in the view at Horseshoe Bend, and take a slot canyon tour at Antelope Canyon.

After leaving Page, we decided to visit the less-crowded North Rim of the Grand Canyon first before heading south. Because it is harder to reach by car, the crowds were noticeably less, and the views very different. If you can take the time, it is definitely worth the visit. We were able to experience the sunset, along with the amazing night sky. Spend the next day hiking/driving to various attractions in the park. Lodging is limited so book far in advance. Because of the remote nature of the North Rim, you definitely want to stay in the park.

When you are done, head south to the more popular South Rim. You can spend as many days here as you want, hiking, horseback/mule riding, bus tours, ranger programs and much more. If staying in the park is a priority, book as far ahead as you can. There are more lodging options outside of the park for the South Rim. If you stop at the Cameron Trading Post, be sure to try the Navajo Taco! From the Grand Canyon, head south, enjoying the scenery, and spend the night in Flagstaff.

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It's an easy trip from Flagstaff to beautiful Sedona, the land of the red rocks. Two places to check out in the area are Slide Rock State Park and scenic Oak Creek Canyon. Just be aware that Slide Rock does get crowded in the summer. The whole area is so beautiful, so you could definitely spend more time here. Next time I go back, I want to try one of the popular jeep tours in Sedona!

From here, loop back up towards Flagstaff, then head east back towards Albuquerque. If you travel on the original Route 66, stop at the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, AZ. Even if you don’t spend the night in a teepee, it’s a fun place to take pictures! From there, you can continue on to the Petrified Forest National Park, to see ancient fossils and colorful, petrified logs. Don’t forget about the Junior Ranger Program at all the National Parks, which is a great way to keep the kids involved.

If you need to make an additional overnight stop, Gallup is a good place to stay along the way. Otherwise, continue on to Albuquerque to end your journey. Stop for one last southwestern meal at an outdoor café in Old Town before departing.

Related Posts:
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On The Road in Utah: Visiting Arches, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks
National Park Tips & Resources
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