LAST UPDATED: 8/27/26 – Summer Trip to National Parks
I planned a summer road trip through the American West to create a clear, practical itinerary for travelers interested in exploring national parks across the Rockies, Southwest, and high desert regions. With several long‑distance trips postponed, mapping out a route that relied on driving and outdoor exploration became the most straightforward way to build a safe and rewarding adventure. I’m sharing the full itinerary here so anyone planning a similar national‑park road trip can use it as a guide.
The route covered roughly 4,233 miles across twelve states and included stops in Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, and South Dakota. The plan combined mountain summits, canyon hikes, desert photography, cave exploration, and waterfall viewing, organized to maximize time in each destination while keeping the daily schedule manageable.
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Itinerary
This route was organized to balance long driving days with meaningful time in each park, creating a steady rhythm of hiking, photography, and exploration across the American West. The structure made it easy to experience a wide range of landscapes while keeping the trip efficient, and it serves as a practical template for anyone planning a similar national‑park adventure.
| DAY 1: | Driving to Colorado |
| DAY 2: | Visiting Rocky Mountain National Park |
| DAY 3: | Climbing Gray’s Peak |
| DAY 4: | Visit The Great Sand Dunes National Park |
| DAY 5: | Drive to Southern Utah |
| DAY 6: | Visit Canyonlands National Park |
| DAY 7: | Drive to Monument Valley |
| DAY 8: | Drive to Great Basin National Park |
| DAY 9: | Drive to Shoshone Falls |
| DAY 10: | Drive to Yellowstone National Park |
| DAY 11: | Visit Wind Cave and Badlands National Parks |
| DAY 12: | Drive Home |
DAY 1 – Driving to Colorado
The trip began with a long drive from Milwaukee to the eastern edge of Rocky Mountain National Park. Covering roughly 1,050 miles required an early start and a full day on the road, but reaching Colorado positioned the itinerary to begin exploring immediately the following morning.
DAY 2 – Visiting Rocky Mountain National Park
The second day was dedicated entirely to Rocky Mountain National Park. The plan included several hikes, visits to major viewpoints, and time for photography throughout the park. After exploring, the route continued toward Silver Plume to stage for the next day’s summit attempt.
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| Rocky Mountain National Park Guide |
DAY 3 – Climbing Gray’s Peak
Day three focused on climbing Gray’s Peak, a 14,000‑foot summit selected for its accessibility and rewarding views. The hike offered a challenging ascent and a chance to experience one of Colorado’s classic fourteeners before continuing the road trip.
DAY 4 – Visit The Great Sand Dunes National Park
The itinerary then moved south toward Great Sand Dunes National Park. The plan included photographing the dunes and, if energy allowed, hiking to the top of the tallest dune in North America. This stop added a dramatic desert landscape to the trip’s mix of environments.
DAY 5 – Drive to Southern Utah
After several days in Colorado, the route continued into Southern Utah. The plan included a short hike to Corona Arch, Bowtie Arch, and Pinto Arch near Moab, offering a chance to photograph one of the region’s most striking natural arches.
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| The Ultimate Corona Arch Trail Hiking Guide |
DAY 6 – Visit Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park filled the sixth day. With its vast canyons and expansive viewpoints, the park offered numerous hiking and photography opportunities. The itinerary allowed a full day to explore new areas and revisit favorite locations.
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| Canyonlands National Park Visitor Guide |
DAY 7 – Drive to Monument Valley
The next leg of the trip headed south to Monument Valley, one of the most iconic landscapes in the American Southwest. The plan included exploring the valley’s viewpoints and potentially joining a guided tour of Hunt’s Mesa for elevated photographic perspectives.
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| Monument Valley Visitor’s Guide |
DAY 8 – Drive to Great Basin National Park
Day eight shifted the route north into Nevada to visit Great Basin National Park. The plan included hiking in the South Snake Range and photographing the park’s desert‑mountain scenery, which contrasts sharply with the red rock landscapes earlier in the trip.
Day 9 – Drive to Shoshone Falls
The ninth day featured a stop at Shoshone Falls in Southern Idaho. Known for its impressive drop and wide cascade, the falls provided a dramatic photography location before continuing toward Wyoming.
| READ MORE: |
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| Shoshone Falls Visitor Guide |
DAY 10 – Drive to Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park anchored day ten. The itinerary included time to explore geothermal features, wildlife areas, and major viewpoints before continuing east toward South Dakota for the final day of park visits.
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| Yellowstone and Grand Teton Visitor Guide |
DAY 11 – Visit Wind Cave and Badlands National Parks
The eleventh day included two parks near Rapid City: Wind Cave National Park and Badlands National Park. Wind Cave offered cave formations and prairie landscapes, while Badlands provided striking eroded formations ideal for photography. Splitting the day between both parks allowed time to experience their distinct environments.
DAY 12 – Drive Home
The final day was reserved for the return drive to Milwaukee, concluding a twelve‑day route through some of the most diverse landscapes in the American West.
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Looks incredible! The scenery is breathtaking and your schedule seems packed but achievable. Good luck with it! I think you’re right to use this time to plan an adventure.
Thanks Anna! I am excited! 😃
Wow! That’s an exciting and action-packed trip you have planned in a short space of time! I can’t imagine driving 1000 miles in one day but I guess American roads must be very straight?? I’m from Scotland and you could not drive that far in one day on our roads. And if you did you’d probably end up in France 😂
I haven’t been to the states yet but always fancied starting in California and heading to Colorado/ Utah after that. Seeing your plan has definitely confirmed that. Looks like such a range of landscapes and scenery all in one trip. Can’t wait to see how your adventure goes. Have fun!
Thank you so much for reading! My first and last days driving will be boring 12 hour drives, but other than that it will be only 4-5 hours a day driving. The beautiful scenery makes it a bit easier.
That is awesome that you are planning to visit the states! California, Utah, Arizona, and Colorado are among the prettiest. Best of luck in your travels!! 😄👍
Looks amazing!
Thank you so much Chris!!
This sounds amazing! I can’t wait to follow along with you, especially Great Basin which is high on my list of parks to visit.
For what it’s worth, here’s my two cents on the Colorado part of the trip:
-Grays Peak and neighboring Torrey’s Peak are often climbed together. I’ve not personally summited either one but just something to keep in mind if you have the energy!
-I’ve stood on top of that tallest sand dune and to this day it’s the most difficult hike of my life (and I’ve climbed a 14er!). Worth it. But killer. Have fun!
Thank you for reading and for the feedback Diana!! I read that about Grays and Torrey’s Peaks. If I have the time, I am definitely going to do both! Also, I totally believe it regarding climbing the dune. I did some hiking on the dunes in Indiana Dunes NP (fraction of the size) and it was exhausting!
That’s quite an ambitious plan for 12 days! We keep talking about heading out west in lieu of our European trip (which has yet to be officially cancelled). Maybe I’ll see you out there! Maybe I’ll see you at the top of Gray’s! 😉
I can’t get enough of the Western US. That would be awesome if we bumped into you! I am sure you’d fly by me on the trail though 😂
I doubt it, but even if I did, you be shocked by my deterioration on the way down. After climbing a 14er, I can barely function the rest of the day, as in totally useless – can barely stand. Maybe not after Sherman, but the rest, definitely.
That looks like quite the adventure! I just moved to Idaho and am hoping to explore some of these nearby places in the near future! Thank you for sharing and happy exploring!
Thank you so much for reading and for the kind words! Idaho is a beautiful state. I am very much looking forward to exploring it dome more this summer. Best of luck and happy exploring to you as well!
Looks like an incredible adventure. It’s a good time to focus on hikes and traveling domestically. Hopefully Greece and Portugal will be worth the wait too 🙂
Thanks so much Jason!! I agree, it’s a great time to hit up some more parks locally. Hope the wait isn’t too long for international travel though 🙂
The places look amazing, will definitely try to visit whenever we can travel again.
It’s an amazing road trip! Safe travels!!