October 2020 Trip Report: NM, Utah, AZ Road Trip

(Be sure to hit the arrow on some of the photos to scroll through for photos of the whole experience!)

Fri, Oct. 16th:

After a long day at the clinic, I got off work, finished packing the car, and drove from Fort Worth to near the Texas-New Mexico border. Driving through Texas is miserable so it was nice to get most of that out of the way when it’s dark. Unfortunately this meant that I had gone through all the podcasts I had saved by the first day. Thank goodness for Audiobooks. Spent the night boondocking at a rest stop (it had security - no worries Mom!).

Sat, Oct. 17th:

Woke up and drove a few more hours to Albuquerque where I explored Petroglyph National Monument, a NPS unit that protects one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America. There are thousands of petroglyphs carved by both the Puebloan peoples as well as early Spanish settlers. I hiked the 2.2 mile trail within the Rinconada Canyon section of the park, enjoying trying to figure out what each carving signified, imagining the area’s inhabitants painstakingly carving out each detail. I wonder if they knew that people would still see them centuries later?

I then made my way to Chaco Canyon, an unplanned but incredible stop. Home of the famous Pueblo Bonito, this site contains massive stone buildings several stories tall with hundreds of rooms. It was built by the Ancestral Puebloans starting in the 800s and was clearly a place of great cultural significance. Because I didn’t plan this stop, I mostly walked around marveling at the architecture, but when I go back, I will definitely purchase some sort of guide to help explain some of the things I was seeing.

That night I crossed into Utah and spent a lovely night boondocking at Muley Point where the stars were endless.

Sun, Oct. 18th:

Sunday was a productive day. That morning I watched a gorgeous sunrise over the canyon at Muley Point (I could see Monument Valley in the distance!) before making my way down the slightly sketchy Moki Dugway.

At the bottom of the canyon I made a quick stop at Goosenecks State Park, a place with an incredible example of entrenched meandering.

Next was a quick stop to see the “Mexican Hat” rock formation before taking a drive through the Valley of the Gods, a landscape similar to that of Monument Valley, dotted with various buttes and red rock formations.

Afterwards I made my way up towards the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, stopping at Newspaper Rock along the way.

The Needles District was absolutely incredible and it’s a shame (or maybe not?) that it’s not as well-visited as the Island in the Sky District. I started off by checking out the “Roadside Ruin,” a small, hidden stone structure that likely would’ve been used as some sort of storage.

I spent the rest of the day hiking the Chesler Park Loop Trail, a beautiful trail that took me right into the heart of the Needles. Look for a blog post soon going into more details about this amazing experience!

Mon, Oct. 19th:

Woke up super early to capture the iconic sunrise shot at Mesa Arch in the Island of the Sky District of Canyonlands. It was pretty crowded but still worth it to get to experience that moment in person.

I spent the rest of the day taking short hikes to places like Upheaval Dome, Elephant Rock, and the Aztec Butte granaries, and stopping at a few overlooks that were stunning.

I really enjoyed my somewhat treacherous drive down the Shafer Trail, a dirt road that winds its way 1500 feet to the bottom of the canyon. It was fun, it was sketchy, and it had some pretty views!

I ended the day with a 3.5 mile hike on the Murphy Point Trail, spending the afternoon hanging out and reading a book at an incredible overlook. The sunset there was nothing short of spectacular.

Tues, Oct. 20th:

This day was spent exploring Arches National Park. I entered the park at sunrise and saw the Windows Section of arches, including the North and South Window Arches, Turret Arch, and Double Arch.

I then spent most of the day hiking the Devil’s Garden Loop, which you can read more about here.

I also got to see a few other arches, like the roadside Skyline Arch and the Sand Dune Arch, which was a quick jaunt from the car. I ended the day in the park with a sunset stroll down the Park Avenue Trail.

Afterwards I made my way into Moab where I finally was able to take a shower and enjoyed a delicious dinner at Thai Bella.

Wed, Oct. 21st:

I began this day by heading south out of Moab to check out a bucket list item. I finally got the chance to hike to the famous “House on Fire,” an Ancestral Puebloan structure that has stood the test of time and has been featured on National Geographic. If visited in the late morning, the light reflects off the canyon and causes the rock around the ruins to glow, giving it it’s namesake appearance. The immediate surrounding area was really interesting as well. I saw marks gouged into the rocks that signified where tools were likely sharpened, and even came across a small shard of pottery (left where it was found of course because Leave No Trace).

Afterwards I made a quick trip to see the Butler Wash Ruins, which were somewhat similar in style to the cave dwellings of Mesa Verde.

On my way back towards Moab, I stopped to visit the Edge of the Cedars State Park, a museum containing a collection of Ancestral Puebloan artifacts. The collection was absolutely incredible. They also featured a restored kiva that visitors could go down into which was very special.

That afternoon I headed back into Arches National Park to watch the sunset at the famous Delicate Arch. Even though I was sharing the view with a few hundred other people, I still really enjoyed myself. The glow that the arch takes on as the sun sets is something else. After leaving the park, I started making my way towards Bryce Canyon National Park.

Thurs, Oct. 22nd:

I headed into Bryce Canyon early that morning (notice a pattern here?), hoping to capture the morning sun’s glow on the hoodoos. Sunrise is probably the most magical time to be in this park.

Naturally I hiked the entire day, combining the Navajo, Queen’s Garden, and the Peekaboo Trails for a 6.5 mile hike. Definitely an all-time favorite!

I managed to squeeze in some more exploring after my big hike, with a few overlook stops like the Natural Bridge and a short hike along the Bristlecone Loop.

I didn’t feel like cooking that night so I stopped for dinner at the Outlaw Saloon which surprised me on how tasty it was! I had worked up quite an appetite after all the hiking I had been doing and managed to eat an entire 12 ounce Ribeye, a salad, a baked potato, and a dinner roll. Highly recommend!

Fri, Oct. 23rd:

The next morning I managed to squeeze in another sunrise at the overlooks before heading out of the park. For an full day's itinerary at Bryce Canyon, check out my post here!

As it was close by, I stopped in at Kodachrome Basin State Park and took a hike along the Angel’s Palace Trail. Honestly, the park was okay, but nothing super special after experiencing Bryce Canyon.

I then headed north to check out Cedar Breaks National Monument and had a cool hike on the Spectra Point Trail. You can read more about this monument here.

After leaving Cedar Breaks, I knew it was time to start making my way back towards Texas, so I started heading towards Kanab, UT. After realizing that I was going to pass right by the Kolob Canyon entrance of Zion National Park, I made a spontaneous decision to stop and check it out, and I’m so glad I did! I picked a random trail called the Taylor Creek Trail, which led to the Double Arch Alcove. The alcove was cool, but I was blown away by the intensity of the fall colors! It was a great reminder of why spontaneity and flexibility on road trips is key!

Sat, Oct. 24th:

After a fun night boondocking on the pink sands outside of Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, I headed into the state park and had a blast running up and down the pink-colored sand dunes before the noisy ATVs got going.

Before leaving the Kanab area, I made a few more stops to check out some sand caves and a neat, man-made tunnel called the Belly of the Dragon.

Now heading towards Page, AZ, I popped into another NPS site called Pipe Spring National Monument. Once one of the few areas with consistent water, it was the home of a diverse group of people, including various Native American tribes and Mormon settlers. Lots of interesting history here and definitely worth a visit!

Nearby within the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, I hiked to a collection of hoodoos known as Toadstools. The landscape was almost moon-like and I had a great time exploring the area! Check out my post on this here!

I finished out the day by driving into the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, getting to see Lake Powell for the first time as well as see the Glen Canyon Dam. It was a short stop; there are lots of other places I‘d like to see in and around Page — next time!

Sun, Oct. 25th:

My last vacation day was full of driving, but you know I still had to throw in a few NPS sites along the way. That morning I visited my 100th National Park Service Site: Aztec Ruins National Monument in Aztec, NM! This meant that I had officially earned a “Bronze-Level” Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Parks Travelers Club!!! I have fully embraced my nerdiness, it’s fine. This monument featured an Ancestral Puebloan Great House which was enormous and impressive. There was also a reconstructed Great Kiva which featured music that may have been heard during spiritual rituals. It was very moving.

Bored of driving, I also stopped at Pecos National Historical Park near Santa Fe, NM. This is another place rich in history and culture. Due to its location near the Glorieta Pass of the Sangre de Cristos mountains, Pecos Valley was geographically ideal for various cultures and groups of people to pass through or settle in throughout the centuries. It also represents a clash between the indigenous peoples and the Spanish missionaries that colonized the area.

Many hours later, I finally made it back home after an incredible 9 days of exploring and getting to know my country. I got the chance to see even more than I had planned, and managed to check a few items off my bucket list along the way. The states of Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona are so full of amazing wonders that I can’t wait to take another road trip out there!

If you liked this trip report and are interested in checking out some unique places in the area, check out this post about some of my favorite off-the-beaten path spots in Utah!