Just thinking, help me out a little

[fla-gypsy]

Sitting here contemplating my first big retirement trip in a few years from now and just tying to get some general knowledge and understanding of a proposed route to do a western loop of the U.S. Having lived my entire life in the deep south on the east coast I have wanted to see some of the west. It is so vast and varied that I couldn't possibly see everything I think is important. Considering I have never been west of the Mississippi except in a plane what would you consider the most important natural sites to see? I know I want to see the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. I must see the giant Redwoods and I would even be interested in a trip across some of the desert lands. I love the natural heritage our nation has to offer and want to see as much as I can but do not drive more than 6 hours a day and enjoy seeing the area at each stop for at least a day or two. Hiking is out of the question due to health issues so vehicle access is a must.

Given these parameters what would you add to a trip of 10 weeks? Is such a trip even possible in 10 weeks? Where and what months of the year would you cross the southern and/or the northern rockies?

[EricLynnAllison]

I did a similar trip in 18 days from Ohio (5000 mi.). The route we took included long driving days of course, but here is what we saw.

St. Louis - the Arch
Rapid City, ND - Mount Rushmore, The Needles, Custer National Park
Yellowstone Area - Grand Tetons - Jackson Hole
Las Vegas - Hoover Dam
Grand Canyon
Durango - Silverton
Colorado Springs - Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak

If I would have had time, I would have included Salt Lake City, Lake Tahoe and Sequoia NP.

It worth the time, but its a lot of driving. The west is a lot bigger than the East.

[Jim W]

I would rethink your agenda and do several trips out west instead of just one 10 week trip. In my humble opinion you just can’t see everything in 10 weeks time. I have been out west three times since I retired and have done between two and three week trips to different parts of the west.

Such as one trip was to Rocky Mountain Park in CO and then up to Yellowstone then on to lower Montana to see Little Big Horn battlefield. This was three weeks of travel and sightseeing. The next trip was two weeks to Mount Rushmore and the Bad Lands of SD; this was two weeks in length. We have spent three weeks in Missouri, Iowa and Minnesota traveling to little towns and state parks on one of the great river roads which run along the Mississippi river. Our next trip out west is too see the Grand Canyon, Sedona Arizona then on to New Mexico with a run thru Oklahoma and maybe Texas. I still need to do the trip too Glacier National Park in Montana and to Oregon and Washington state.
Jim W.

[Terrydactile]

While I haven't been to most of the places already mentioned, I would love to see those, but Glacier and Yosemite are definitely on my short list.

[MarkS]

You could easily fill up 10 Weeks.

While near Rushmore, Devil's Tower.

While near Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, Moab. Do this area in the fall or spring. Summers are Hot. Go stay a night or two at one of the Snow Bird RV Parks in Arizona. 1000 RV Sites!

Texas, see the Alamo. South Padre Island.

New Orleans.

Montana, Washingon....

[gearhead]

If you go to Yellowstone you really should go to The Buffalo Bill Center in nearby Cody Wyoming. I went on a lark expecting some hokey souvineer shop. Oh no! Incredible art and Indian artifacts. Remington and Russell art collection. I had to go back the next day. I could spend a week in there! But...that was 20 years ago. I'm overdue!
And 2x on Rocky Mt. Nat. Park. Breathtaking.

[hankaye]

fla-gypsy, Howdy;

Don't let anyone try to tell ya the West is bigger than the East.
It just isn't as crowded, and there is a huge amount of empty
you will occasionally have to traverse to get to anywhere ...
Most of the West has a lot fewer trees than the East so you
really can see a lot further and a lot more. One can truly see
the forest, it's just over yonder ... that-a-way -> -> ->

hankaye