If you are looking for stunning Southwest road trip ideas, then this list is for you! The Southwest is a beautiful part of the United States that is full of natural wonders, unique towns and cities, and so much more.
There is so much to do and see, so we’ve come up with 15 epic road trip ideas. The Southwest is a vast part of the United States, so keep that in mind when you are planning your American Southwest itinerary.
You probably won’t be able to see everything the area has to offer in one road trip. Instead, use these different itineraries to plan separate trips, or combine a few of them into one epic trip. No matter how you choose to explore the Southwest, you’re sure to have a good time.
So, lets take a look at 15 of the best Southwest road trip itineraries for your bucket list!
15 Epic Southwest Road Trip Itineraries For Your Bucket List (5 Days To 2 Weeks!)
Where To Begin Your Southwest Road Trip
Your starting point really depends on which road trip itinerary you’ll be doing. Some of the most popular starting points are Las Vegas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Albuquerque. Really, any big airport in the Southwest is going to be a great starting point. Most of the road trips in the Southwest start in Las Vegas as it is pretty centrally located.
Especially if you are looking to explore the more southern areas, you’ll want to consider flying into the McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. If you are wanting to explore more of the northern areas of the Southwest, Salt Lake City International Airport is a great option to fly into. Again, it really just depends on where you’re looking to explore!
Best Time Of Year For Road Tripping The Southwest
It really depends on what you’d like to do and see and how you’d like to see it. We really love traveling in the Southwest during the Winter, depending on where you go. When it is cooler, you can expect smaller crowd and less heat.
March through May and September and October are particularly great if you want to go when the weather is cooler. In the Summer months it is very hot depending on where you go. You may also see large crowd sizes. But, when you are in the higher elevation areas, it will be cooler.
So really, pick the time of year that seems to work best for you and match the kind of experience you are looking for.
Las Vegas To Bryce Canyon
Highlights
- Las Vegas
- Valley of Fire State Park
- Zion National Park
- Bryce Canyon
Start your Southwest road trip itinerary in Las Vegas. If you haven’t, or really even if you have visited Las Vegas before, make sure you take some time to explore the famous city. Once you’ve had your fill of the neon lights, head to Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada.
It is a stunning park full of amazing massive red sandstone rock formations. You can also find 2000 year old petroglyphs carved into these Mojave desert rocks. Next, head to Zion National Park in Utah. Zion is known for its beautiful sandstone cliffs. The cliffs are pink, red, and cream, and scattered with trees. They look especially beautiful on a sunny day with a clear blue sky.
Outside of Zion National Park, you can choose to check out the Transition Zones as well. These are areas where the geology, geography, and even weather change drastically. If not, continue onto Bryce Canyon National Park where you’ll finish your road trip. It is known for its dark red hoodoos, which are rock formations.
On this road trip, you’ll be sure to see some of the most interesting rock formations of the Southwest.
This is also one of our favorite Summer Trips in The USA!!
Utah Mighty 5 Road Trip
Highlights
- Arches National Park
- Canyonlands National Park
- Capitol Reef National Park
- Bryce Canyon National Park
- Zion National Park
On this Southwest road trip, you’ll hit Utah’s five biggest National Parks. Begin your Southwest National Parks road trip at Arches National Park.
Arches National Park is known for its many strange rock formations, and over 2,000 naturally occurring arch rock formations. There are a ton of hiking trails you can take where you’ll be able to get up close to many of these remarkable natural wonders.
From there, head to Canyonlands National Park for over 330,000 acres of rugged Utah wilderness. It also has arches, as well as canyons, mesa, buttes, and more. It’s a perfect example of some of Utah’s more wild landscapes. Continue on to Capitol Reef National Park, where you’ll find white sandstone cliffs.
Capitol Reef National Park is great if you don’t love hiking but still want to experience beautiful views because of its Scenic Drive. It has stops along some of the park’s most stunning vistas, and is easily worth the $20 entrance fee or for free on Highway 24.
Next, head to Bryce Canyon National Park. You can admire the crimson hoodoo rock formations and excellent hiking trails before heading to your final destination. You’ll end your epic Utah road trip itinerary at Zion National Park. Enjoy the sandstone cliffs and bright blue skies before you head back home.
Las Vegas To The Grand Canyon
Highlights
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Valley of Fire State Park
- The Hoover Dam
- Flagstaff, Arizona
- The Grand Canyon
If you are looking for the best Grand Canyon road trip, this is it. Start your road trip by exploring Las Vegas before heading to Valley of Fire State Park. At Valley of Fire, make sure you explore some of the hiking trails. On your hikes, you’ll be able to see some of the 2000 year old petroglyphs.
From there, stop at the Hoover Dam. The Hoover Dam is a really impressive manmade structure on the border of Nevada and Arizona. We definitely recommended stopping to take a tour and learning about its important history. Once you’ve learned a little bit more about this manmade wonder, head to Flagstaff, Arizona.
Flagstaff is a really cool city nestled in the mountains near the Grand Canyon. It’s a great spot to enjoy one of the many delicious restaurants or bars, but don’t stay out too late. You’ll be heading to the Grand Canyon, and you’ll want to get there pretty early to beat the crowds. End your Southwest road trip hiking through one of the Southwest USA’s most iconic National Parks.
Highlights Of New Mexico
Highlights
- Albuquerque
- Bandelier National Monument
- Santa Fe
- International UFO Museum and Research Center
- White Sands National Monument
We love this Ultimate New Mexico road trip itinerary. It is a beautiful state in the Southwest USA with so much to do and see. Start your itinerary in Albuquerque and explore New Mexico’s artistic city before heading to Bandelier National Monument. You’ll especially want to stop by the Santa Fe National Forest area of the National Monument.
After enjoying the great outdoors, head to the city of Santa Fe. Explore New Mexico’s capital city and it’s many historic buildings and plazas. Once you’ve soaked in the sights, you’ll want to do one of the most iconic New Mexico activities. You can’t visit New Mexico and not see the International UFO Museum and Research Center.
New Mexico is known for being the site of one of the most famous supposed alien craft crashes, Roswell. At the UFO Museum, you’ll learn all about alien activity in the world and more. It’s a really fun Southwest road trip pit stop. From there, head to White Sands National Monument, your last stop. Explore the perfect white sand against the expanse of bright blue skies before you make your way back home.
Highlights Of Arizona Road Trip
Highlights
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Flagstaff
- The Grand Canyon Loop
- Sedona
You can start this epic Arizona road trip by flying into Las Vegas and driving to Flagstaff. Las Vegas is typically cheaper to fly into, and it’s pretty centrally located. While you drive from Las Vegas to Flagstaff, we suggest making stops at the Hoover Dam and the Flagstaff Mountains.
In Flagstaff, you’ll get a break from the heat because it is high up in the mountains. It is a charming city full of things to do like exploring unique shops, restaurants, and bars. Next, you’ll drive the Loop that takes you from Flagstaff and around the Grand Canyon. While on the Loop, there are several stops you can make to get great views of the Grand Canyon or to get out and hike.
You’ll end the night back in Flagstaff before you head to your final stop on your Arizona road trip. The last stop is the city of Sedona. There you can hike, tour the city, or just relax. Places to explore include Oak Creek Canyon, Slide Rock State Park, or Cathedral Rock. When you are ready to end your road trip, head back to Las Vegas to fly home.
10 Day Southwest Road Trip
Highlights
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Zion National Park
- Grand Staircase Escalante National Park
- Page, Arizona
- The Grand Canyon
Like most Southwest road trips, you’ll want to start your journey in Las Vegas. You can choose to spend some time there, or head to Zion National Park. At Zion National Park you’ll find great hiking opportunities amongst the pink and cream sandstone cliffs. From there, head to Grand Staircase Escalante National Park.
Grand Staircase Escalante National Park is full of slot canyons, unique hiking trails, and even arches. It is not a typically crowded park, so it’s a great stop if you don’t love crowds. Continue on to Page, a city in Arizona. Page is just outside several smaller parks like Antelope Canyon and Lake Powell. They are very pretty and worth the stop.
End your Southwest road trip at the Grand Canyon before heading back to Las Vegas. You can’t visit this part of the country without seeing it’s most iconic site. So you definitely want to take the time to explore the Grand Canyon. It is a perfect way to end your tour of the Southwest USA.
Southwest California Road Trip
Highlights
- Death Valley National Park
- The Trona Pinnacles
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Mohave National Preserve
Start your Southwest California road trip in Death Valley National Park. Death Valley is the hottest, driest, and lowest National Park in the country and it is stunning. It is a beautiful park with desert landscapes and hidden oasis scattered throughout the park.
From there, head to the Trona Pinnacles. They are a unique geological feature in the middle of the California desert and are definitely worth a stop. Next, head to Joshua Tree National Park. Joshua Tree National Park is one of the most iconic parks in California.
Joshua Tree is where the Mojave and Colorado desert meet to create a unique and beautiful landscape. After exploring this vast desert landscape, head to Mohave National Preserve, where you’ll end your road trip. Mohave National Preserve is full of canyons, mesas, mountains, and even abandoned mines. It’s a great way to end your Southwest road trip.
Central Utah Road Trip
Highlights
- Moab
- Dead Horse Point State Park
- Canyonlands National Park
- Arches National Park
- Castle Valley
To start your Central Utah road trip, head to the city of Moab. Moab is centrally located to some of the areas best National and State Parks. So it’s a perfect starting point. Take some time to enjoy the city before heading to Dead Horse Point State Park.
Dead Horse Point State Park is just outside of Moab and is known for its breathtaking lookout of the Colorado River and even Canyonlands National Park. After getting a view of Canyonlands National Park, head over to the beautiful National Park to enjoy even more stunning views, great hikes, and more.
From Canyonlands, make your way to Arches National Park. Arches National Park is north of Moab and is very unique. It has over 2000 natural rock formed arches that you can get up close to on various hikes and drives. End your road trip in the Southwest in Castle Valley.
Castle Valley is a small town named for all the unique castle-like rock formations that surround it. It is a super unique way to finish your road trip to Central Utah.
Arizona + New Mexico
Highlights
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Tucson, Arizona
- Silver City, Arizona
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Taos, New Mexico
This road trip focuses on some of the bigger cities in Arizona and New Mexico, for those who don’t necessarily love hiking or outdoor adventures. Start in Scottsdale Arizona. Scottsdale is a beautiful city and you can enjoy sites like The Phoenix Art Museum of the Desert Botanical Gardens. Once you’ve had your fill of Scottsdale, head to Tuscon.
Along the way to Tucson, we suggest stopping by Saguaro National Park to see the large Saguaro cacti. The city itself is full of Spanish and Native American history, so make sure you take some time exploring the historic sites. From there, continue on to Silver City. You’ll travel through the Gila National Forest on your way there, and if you have the time, it’s worth a stop.
In Silver City, explore the old city streets. It was a 19th-century mining town, and many of the buildings are from that time period and a part of the area’s mining history. Silver City is a pretty cool city to explore, so make sure you give yourself some time there. Next, you’ll head into New Mexico and stop in the city of Albuquerque.
Albuquerque is great for seeing some live shows, enjoying a good meal, and exploring the city streets. From Albuquerque you’ll head to Santa Fe, New Mexico’s capital city. It is one of the USA’s oldest cities and full of fun and unique things to do. Like historical sites, fun boutiques, delicious restaurants, and more.
End your road trip in Taos, one of the most popular cities in New Mexico. Taos is near some of the USA’s Ancestral Puebloan dwelling sites, which are a must-see. In Taos, learn about Native American history, explore Adobe buildings, and more. Taos is a perfect ending to your Southwest USA road trip.
Four States Southwest Road Trip
Highlights
- Valley of the Gods, Utah
- Monument Valley Tribal Park, Utah
- Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
- Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona
- Horseshoe Bend, Arizona
- Antelope Canyon, Arizona
The name of this road trip is the Four States because it is all near the area known as the Four Corners, but we’ll be focusing on three of the four states. Start the road trip in Utah at Valley of the Gods. Valley of the Gods is a scenic sandstone valley full of unique rock formations.
It’s the perfect stop before heading to Monument Valley, which is a Navajo Tribal Park. You can take tours of the 16 million-acre Navajo Reservation, but please remember to be respectful of the land and its people. From there, head to Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado. Mesa Verde is known for its Ancestral Pubelan cliff dwellings which have been very well preserved.
The most popular of these is the Cliff Palace. Mesa Verde is a really cool National Park and a must see on this Southwest itinerary. Next, head to the Petrified Forest National Park. The Petrified Forest is a landscape full of trees that have become petrified and turned to stone over millions of years. Its a great place to admire one of nature’s most unique affects from time.
Continue on to Horseshoe Bend, a horseshoe shaped curve in the Colorado River. Its just outside of Page, Arizona, and is often considered the East Rim of the Grand Canyon. End your road trip at Antelope Canyon. Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon that is also near Page. It is located on Navajo land, and is a unique rock formation that is perfect for ending your road trip.
Phoenix To Grand Canyon
Highlights
- Phoenix
- Montezuma Castle National Monument
- Sedona
- Flagstaff
- The Grand Canyon
- Wupatki National Monument
The Phoenix to the Grand Canyon road trip is the second most popular Grand Canyon road trip. For this one, start in Phoenix and explore the unique city before you head out onto the road. Your first stop on the Southwest itinerary is the Montezuma Castle National Monument.
Montezuma Castle National Monument is a historic area that is surrounded by National parks and forests and a historic site that marks the preserved cliff dwellings of the Sinagua people. Take your time exploring the area on hikes, strolling through the historic museums, and stopping along the drive. Next, head to the city of Sedona.
Sedona is a great city in Arizona to stop in. While there, we suggest exploring Red Rock State Park and hike to the gorgeous Cathedral Rock. Once you’re done exploring Sedona, head on to Flagstaff, an Arizona city nestled in the mountains.
In Flagstaff, you’ll be near the Grand Canyon and its a great place to stop and take a break before heading to the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is where we suggest spending most of your time. Explore as much of the area and hikes that you’d like to before heading home.
On the way home, make one last stop at the Wupatki National Monument. It has five prehistoric pueblos and is worth the brief day trip from Flagstaff. The National Monument perfectly rounds out your trip as you head home and back to Phoenix.
Northern Nevada Road trip
Highlights
- Reno
- Pyramid Lake
- Gerlach
- Black Rock Desert
On this road trip you’ll be exploring Northern Nevada. Start in the ‘Biggest Little City in the World’, Reno. In Reno, you’ll find tons of things to do, like the Riverwalk, over 120 murals in Midtown and Downtown Reno, and more. Its a really cool city with an endless amount of things to do and see. From Reno, head to Pyramid Lake.
Pyramid Lake is a beautiful large lake North of Reno. We suggest stopping by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Museum and Visitor Center to learn more about the area’s Native peoples. You should also take some time to walk around the lake and enjoy the epic views.
Continue on to Gerlach, and see the Fly Geyser and admire the folk art on Guru Road. Its the last space of civilization before you head into the Black Rock Desert. The Black Rock Desert is your final stop, and is where the Burning Man Festival is held every year.
At Black Rock Desert you’ll find a beautiful desert landscape full of large black rock formations, the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, and more. Black Rock Desert is a great way to end your exploration of northern Nevada.
Arizona + Utah Loop Road Trip
Highlights
- Zion National Park, Utah
- The Wave, Utah
- Buckskin Gulch, Utah
- Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, Utah
- Moqui Cave, Utah
- Antelope Canyon, Arizona
- Horseshoe Bend, Arizona
- Valley of the Gods, Utah
- Flagstaff, Arizona
- The Grand Canyon, Arizona
This is the longest road trip on our list of Southwest road trip itineraries, and there are a ton of awesome stops. First head to Zion National Park. It’s a beautiful park filled with cream and pink sandstone cliffs.
Continue from there to The Wave, a red sandstone rock formation that genuinely looks like a wave in the middle of the desert. Then head to Buckskin Gulch, which is a slot canyon that is technically in Utah, right on the border to Arizona.
Next, you’ll head further into Utah to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. This State Park is full of miles of reddish-pink sand that you can explore for as long as you’d like. Near the sand dunes is the Moqui Cave, a really cool sandstone erosion cave that is worth a stop.
After that, head to Arizona and the Antelope Canyon. The Antelope Canyon is the home of two unique slot canyons on Navajo land. In addition to seeing the slot canyons, because you have to have a certified Navajo guide to tour it, you’ll learn a little bit about the Native history of the area as well.
From Antelope Canyon, make your way to Horseshoe Bend, which is a horseshoe-shaped bend in the Colorado River. Its often considered the easternmost point of the Grand Canyon. Near Horseshoe Bend is the Valley of Gods, just over the border in Utah. It’s a valley full of unique rock formations that is definitely worth a stop.
For the last leg of your trip, head to Flagstaff Arizona. It’s a great place to stop and catch your breath before heading to the Grand Canyon. Spend as long as you’d like exploring the Grand Canyon before heading home.
The Extraterrestrial Highway
Highlights
- Extraterrestrial Highway Sign
- Alien Research Center
- The Black Mailbox
- Little A’le’inn
- Area 51
This is easily one of the most unique road trips in the Southwest. If you love all things extraterrestrial, then you have to do the Extraterrestrial Highway in Nevada. Jump on the Extraterrestrial Highway in Alamo and head to your first stop, the Extraterrestrial Highway Sign.
You’ll find a handful of these signs along the highway, some are rather untouched, others are covered in stickers and fun graffiti. The one near Alamo is covered in stickers, and is fun stop to take a picture to commemorate your trip. After that brief stop, head to the Alien Research Center.
The Alien Research Center is a large airplane hanger and right next to it is the Area 51 container. Also in front of the Research Center is a large silver alien statue. Next, head The Black Mailbox, which used to be the spot of a small mailbox for aliens. It was stolen, but you can find a little shrine created by alien enthusiasts in its place.
After that, you’ll head to the Little A’le’inn. The Little A’le’inn is a hotel, bar, and restaurant all wrapped into one. Its a fun alien themed pit stop to grab a bite to eat before you finish your trip. You’ll end this unique road trip in the Southwest outside of Area 51.
You obviously can not go on the property, but alien lovers are allowed to drive the 12-mile dirt road and at least see the gates – if you’re feeling brave. This is a truly unique road trip that is a ton of fun.
Trail Of The Ancients
Highlights
- Cedar Mesa, Utah
- House on Fire Ruins, Utah
- Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Colorado
- Hovenweep National Monument, Uath
The Trail of the Ancients is a popular route in the Southwest USA for those who’d like to see ancient artifacts. First head to Cedar Mesa Utah where you can find plenty of petroglyphs, ruins, and pictographs on any of the hikes you choose to take in the area.
Next, head to the House on Fire Ruins, which are a set of ruins set into red sandstone. On the hike to see the ruins, there are eight total you can see. But you don’t have to walk the entire 10 miles to see a few of them.
From there head to Cortez, Colorado. Now, Colorado isn’t typically considered the Southwest, but it is fairly close to the Utah border, so it works. In Cortez, you’ll find the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.
At the monument, you’ll find over 6000 ruin sites that were the homes and lives of ancient peoples in the area. It’s a great way to learn more about the area and the Native peoples who called the area home thousands of years ago. After that, you’ll head to your last stop.
End your road trip at the Hovenweep National Monument. Hovenweep is another spot where you can find ruins from ancient Native peoples that once called the are home. There are a few really cool ruins. The trail continues further if you have the time to see it, but this is also a great stopping point if you don’t have time.
The Southwest USA is such a diverse and unique area of the country. It is full of stunning State and National Parks, cool cities, and fun tourist attractions. We are pretty confident that there is the perfect Southwest road trip on this list for just about every type of traveler. So let us know which one you like the best, or if you’ve done any of these yourself!
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