10 National Parks in 2 Weeks: Ultimate Road Trip Experience

National Park Road Trip

It all started with four friends chatting it up one day. One said, "Let's go on a trip." The other said, "Yes, a road trip!" Another said, "The ultimate road trip!" and the fourth said, "Let it be said, let it be done!" And so, the plan for the ultimate road trip to visit national parks in the United States was born!

Before we knew it, we were dividing up responsibilities. One would be in charge of mapping and the itinerary. Another would be in charge of lodging. The third would be responsible for healthy eating. And the fourth friend? He would be in charge of making sure the other three fulfilled their duties!

We would leave in just six days. Our loose plan was to drive west from St. Louis and see as much as possible in 14 days, or before we all killed each other! The days before our trip flew by with packing (for two seasons), shopping, booking the lodging, planning the itinerary, and getting our vehicles serviced just to be sure all was good from a mechanical point of view.

10 National Parks

1. Rocky Mountain National Park
2. Mesa Verde National Park
3. Zion National Park
4. Bryce Canyon National Park
5. Capitol Reef National Park
6. Grand Canyon National Park
7. Grand Teton National Park
8. Yellowstone National Park
9. Wind Cave National Park
10. Badlands National Park

What Else Did We See?

• Colorado: Grand Lake, Placerville, Estes Park, Independence Pass, Aspen, Salt Lake City
• The Four Corners (Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico)
• Wyoming: Jackson Hole, Old Faithful
• South Dakota: Mount Rushmore, Wall Drug Store

The Beginning of the Trip

The day of departure quickly arrived! Leaving out of St. Louis, we decided it would be best to take two vehicles: a Toyota 4 Runner and a Lincoln MKZ. Two cars would allow us time to enjoy some time away from friends but also, depending on road conditions in the parks, we thought we could always leave the Lincoln behind at entrances and all pile into the 4 Runner. (That part didn't happen since, as it turns out, the MKZs are more versatile off-road than one would think!)

The first day was just driving and we ended up in Hayes, Kansas, in time to eat and sleep. The real adventure would begin the next day as we headed west towards Colorado on Interstate 70.

Tradition Was Born in Grand Lake, Colorado

After a full day of driving, we arrived in Grand Lake, Colorado, late in the afternoon. Our hotel was beautiful, offering a fabulous dinner, and was located right on the lake. We dutifully took care of business, going over the plan for the next day. (This trip was pretty large-scale, and especially when traveling with others, it's crucial to communicate to make sure everyone is good with the plan.)

Seated on the deck overlooking Rocky Mountain National Park, a tradition was born. From that evening forward, we played a progressive game of Yahtzee, the winner taking all at the end of the trip. This tradition eventually made its way onto future trips. We set a limit of three games per evening and a per evening buy-in of $5.00 a person.

At the end of the evening, we all agreed to wake up before sunrise, grab a coffee, and drive to a lookout point a short distance from the hotel. This spot had garnered a reputation for glorious sunrises, and none of us wanted to miss out on what was touted to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience! With all expectations met, we headed out for our first national park adventure.

Rocky Mountain National Park

The west entrance to the park was only about one mile from the hotel. It was here that we learned we could buy a pass that was good for a year and offered unlimited access to all the United States National Parks. Done deal! We weren't eligible, but there is a reduced rate for seniors aged 62 and over.

With our first park of the trip, we drove with high anticipation, knowing that Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the highest national parks in the country. We had read that the elevations ranged from 7,860 feet to 14,259 feet and that there are 60 mountain peaks over 12,000 feet high. I had learned about the continental divide in school but never dreamed that I would drive through it. It runs north to south through the park marking a climatic division that is palpable.

Rocky Mountain National Park is known for its hiking trails, lakes and waterfalls, animals (elk, wolverines, grizzly bears, bison, and bobcats), scenery, trees, and seasonal wildflowers. But did you know that within the park are cirque glaciers (small glacier that occupies a bowl-shaped basin)? None of us had any idea about the glaciers, thinking the climate in the park wasn't cold enough.

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Pro Travel Tip

With the high elevations in Rocky Mountain National Park, you need to be aware of the possibility of altitude sickness, which is caused by not allowing the body enough time to adjust to reduced oxygen and changes in air pressure when reaching high elevations. Symptoms can include headache, vomiting, and impaired coordination. There were a few times we felt a bit out of sorts.

Visiting This Park

At each entrance of the park sits well-stocked visitor centers. There are snacks and drinks available, but more importantly, there are maps, brochures, and videos to watch. We took full advantage of each visitor center, picking up brochures and maps. Trails and lookout points are well mapped so these items were essential for our purposes.

On the maps and brochures, the trails are marked with a difficulty level. Of the four of us, only one was an experienced and skilled hiker which made these markings very pertinent to our overall safety. The last thing we wanted was to become the focus of a search and rescue operation!

We took our time, but we were also cognizant of our schedule (as many parks as we could see in 14 days). Spending the better part of one day in the park, we experienced the grandest of vistas, hiked, and one of us spent part of the drive time on the floorboard of the car since some of the roads were scary and it always seemed like the edge was on the passenger side! (That might have been me.)

Independence Pass

We spent the night in Lakewood, Colorado, heading out of Rocky Mountain National Park, Yahtzee at the ready. The next day we would experience the incredible adventure of Independence Pass, have lunch in Aspen, and on to Durango, where we saw a portion of the Million Dollar Highway, and ultimately, Mesa Verde National Park.

Independence Pass was incredible. Fortunately, we were prepared for the higher elevation (12,095 feet) and the drop in temperature associated with that! Arriving at the parking area, we donned our winter coats, hats, and gloves and set it out on the paved path for the infamous scenic overlook.

While we were caught up in the glory of our stop, it started snowing and sleeting. It seems our homework had paid off! Here we had views of Mount Elbert, Colorado's highest peak, and La Plata Peak, the state's fifth-highest at 14,336 feet. To the west, we saw the Maroon Bells, Snowmass Mountain, and Capitol Peak, which are all over 14,000 feet.

Shedding our winter outerwear, off we went down the mountain to lunch in sunny and much warmer Aspen. From winter gear to shorts and tee shirts in one hour!

Utilizing US 285, we had about four and a half hours to reach Durango, our next stop.

Durango and the Million Dollar Highway

Beginning as a railroad town in the 1880s, today, Durango is known for its historical significance, exemplified in the town center. We found great shops, restaurants, and museums that were all geared towards a "western theme" and the great outdoors. The Animas River runs through downtown Durango and is known for spectacular fly-fishing and whitewater rafting.

Arriving late in the day, we decided to have dinner at a courtyard western-themed restaurant and explore the next morning. Plus, we had a very close Yahtzee competition waiting.

After a great night's sleep and with cars loaded, we made our way to the riverwalk. We then decided to hike for an hour or so—the Million Dollar Highway was on the day's itinerary.

The Million Dollar Highway

Running out of Durango, this stretch of US Highway 550, which is about 25 miles, connects Durango, Silverton, and Ouray. Said to be one of the most spectacular drives in the world, it does not disappoint.

There seems to be some disagreement over the name of this stretch of roadway ranging from the fact that it cost so much to build, the amount of gold ore that remained in the roadway's fill, or the price for those incredible views of the San Juan Mountain. Taking in these views took us out of our way but feeling like we were so close to this iconic drive, we didn't want to miss it. Road trips like this should have flexibility; it's part of the fun!

Mesa Verde National Park

Next on the itinerary was Mesa Verde National Park, which in my opinion, is not your typical park. Offering amazing canyon views, the park is known for its cliff dwellings. This area has been inhabited since prehistoric times by Paleo-Indians. It is noted that the cliff dwellings are amazingly intact (because of their very nature, they are protected from the elements). Established in 1906 by Teddy Roosevelt as a National Park, it was also placed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1978.

Cliff Palace, not only the largest cliff dwelling in the park but the largest in North America, gives visitors a glimpse into what life was like over seven hundred years ago.

Cliff dwelling

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We spent about four hours in Mesa Verde National Park, although the recommended time is about six hours. I felt like the time we spent there was quite adequate. I found the cave dwellings to be really interesting and enjoyed this park a lot; I found it unique. One memory I have is what seemed like giant black birds everywhere. Realistically, I know they weren't stalking us, but for the rest of the road trip, it seemed as if these birds were following us!

Grand Canyon, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Parks

From here, the itinerary got a bit convoluted, with the next few days resembling the "Evelyn Woods" road trip. The four of us were determined to see as much as we could see in the time we had allotted. Looking back, it seems we did some back-tracking with our maps looking like swirls of dizzying circles. We knew we were off course but having a great time, so that didn't matter. With four alpha personalities on the trip, none of us wanted to admit our planning wasn't quite up to snuff. Spontaneous, impromptu, and laissez-faire all come to mind when describing those days!

Four Corners Monument

From Mesa Verde National Park, we headed to the Four Corners Monument in Utah. Managed by the Navajo Nation, the monument was erected in 1912 to mark the spot where the corners of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico come together.

Vaguely remembering this from geography lessons in grade school, this extremely remote spot was definitely worth the stop! When I say remote, don't take that lightly; the closest town is about 10 miles away, and there is only a gas station and a few people living there. The area of the monument does have a visitor center and some vendor stalls. As close as we were to this landmark, it didn't seem right not to take a break from the drive and step into all four states!

Four corners, four states, four friends!

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Grand Canyon National Park

Entering from the Southern Rim, this 1.2 million acre canyon is spectacular! Created over millions of years, this is the largest canyon on the planet. The Grand Canyon is often considered one of the Wonders of the World and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, celebrating its 100th anniversary on February 26, 2019.

Views from the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

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We took the Rim Trail walking tour, which runs west from the Pipe Creek lookout point for about eight miles of paved road and is then followed by seven miles unpaved to Hermit's Rest.

Taking us about six hours, I would say that parts of the hike were easy and other parts moderate. The views were heavenly, and when you consider that the canyon was carved out by the Colorado River, it's pretty darn incredible! I'm glad, however, that we saw the Grand Canyon before seeing Zion and Bryce Canyon...keep reading.

The Adventure Continues

To say the least, we were exhausted after our six-hour hike. (And, I was getting creeped out from those giant blackbirds which seemed to have followed us from Mesa Verde!) What we thought was a well-thought-out plan that included a specific itinerary and hotels booked in advance was becoming a distant memory.

We decided to find a hotel, grab some dinner and play the next installment of our Yahtzee tournament. It seemed the Yahtzee tourney was the only thing in our original plan that had stuck! Getting a good night's sleep, Bryce Canyon National Park would be first on the agenda the next morning as the four alphas were learning all about flexibility!

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park is best known to have the greatest concentration of "hoodoos" on Earth. What in the world is a "hoodoo"? Taking thousands of years to form, they are natural columns of rock that form bridges, pillars to natural amphitheaters, and other fabulous rock formations.

Bryce Canyon is also known for canyoneering and rappelling, which we did not do. Instead, we drove through the park stopping at the numerous lookout points and taking several mini-hikes out on the rock formations. It is often said that the best way to see this park, is to view it from the top down. Zion National Park, on the other hand, according to the experts, should be viewed from the bottom up. Taking this advice, we had an awesome experience.

Zion National Park is only about 70 miles and we wanted to get there the same day. We arrived early in the morning and spent about three hours in Bryce Canyon. Stopping for lunch and Starbucks, we headed out to the next natural wonder!

Zion National Park

Arriving mid-afternoon, we had a beautiful sunny day and moderate temperatures. Bear in mind that in Bryce and Zion, there isn't a tremendous amount of shade, so it's best to time your visit based on seasonal temperature trends. Being there is the fall season, the temperatures were perfect; it was cool in the mornings and evenings with moderate afternoon temperatures.

After spending about four hours in Zion National Park, our initial drive-through and the obligatory stop at the visitor center, we decided to hike Zion Canyon. As stated earlier, the best way to experience Zion National Park is from the bottom up, so we all agreed that hiking the canyon would give us the best opportunities. The trails are well marked, and the descriptions of each trail are spot on.

Based on our varying hiking abilities, we opted for a moderate trail. One of the four of us was an extremely experienced hiker, which made those of us with lesser ability feel more confident in our adventure. Wearing partially open hiking sandals, loose-fit long pants, and long-sleeved tee shirts, we headed out.

The Narrows of Zion National Park

One of the most popular hikes in Zion is the Narrows. To hike the entire trail is said to take most of the day. We didn't have that kind of time, so we hiked for about two hours and then back again to our starting point. The Virgin River runs through this part of the canyon, enabling us to hike through the river bed yet see spectacular flora and fauna. This was a fantastic journey through one of the most popular parks in the country. And yes, we were still being stalked by those giant blackbirds!

After a Full Day of Hiking and Driving

After a long but adventurous day, we spent the night in Springdale. Partaking in a fantastic dinner, a highly energetic round of Yahtzee, and a great night's sleep, we woke to a drive that I will describe as, "Where the heck are we going?!?" A last-minute entry into the itinerary, we were headed for Capitol Reef National Park. With about a three-and-a-half hour drive in front of us, we headed north then east, arriving late morning.

Capitol Reef National Park and The Lincoln

The drive to Capitol Reef was uneventful, but this changed upon reaching the entrance to the park. Offering a desert landscape and features such as canyons, monoliths, buttes, and rock ridges, the terrain was rugged. One of the main features of this location is Canyon Gorge. And, my friends, it is exactly that: a gorge!

As stated earlier, I was in a Toyota 4-Runner appropriately named "The Beast!" Our friends were driving a Lincoln MKZ. But boys will be boys and don't take kindly to being outdone. Pulling over to the side of the road, we called an impromptu "planning meeting," suggesting the Lincoln be temporarily left behind and that we all continued through the Gorge in "The Beast." It was three votes to one, but undemocratically, the one vote to drive the Lincoln through the gorge trumped all. Onward we went: four friends, two cars!

Canyon Gorge was everything you would expect a gorge to be: rocky, rough, and uneven terrain, perfect for a heavy SUV with 4-wheel drive. But, a Lincoln? Driving through, we quickly decided this off-road adventure required the four wheels to be engaged. Looking in the rearview mirror, we expected to see a catastrophic disaster, but the Lincoln was right behind us!

Onward we went through the river bed, over the rocks, and up what seemed to be a steep hill. Having the time of our lives, we experienced the raw land of Capitol Reef National Park with enthusiasm and the need for an adventure like you'd find in teenagers. (Admittingly, at one point, we chose routes that we thought would stall the Lincoln but surprisingly, she kept up with us the entire time!)

Hiking the Canyon Gorge

Once deep into the canyon, we stopped for our hike. Capitol Reef is a bit remote and raw, not having a lot of "touristy spots." It's a park known for camping and for those who want to be off the beaten path. Never crowded, the out-of-doors experience is truly authentic. Without the benefits of a map or good signage, we began our climb up the walls and over the rocks of the gorge.

Feeling confident with our improving hiking skills, we continued taking routes that seemed to make sense. I will have to admit that this was a bit scary, but at the same time, it was exhilarating. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the giant blackbirds hovering. Were we their dinner, or were they our guardian angels? This question is still being debated!

After a few hours of hiking, we made our way back to the vehicles and decided to drive for a couple of hours north to our next destination, Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We were about eight-and-a-half hours away and felt if we could drive about three hours, the next day would be a shorter driving experience. Onward we went!

Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the Grand Tetons, and a Two-Day Rest

After about a 4-hour drive, we stopped in Ogden, Utah, for the night. Our plan for finding a hotel, dinner, and the continuation of the Yahtzee tournament was flawless. During dinner that evening, we all weighed in with opinions on the itinerary and where we saw the following days taking us. Since the trip had been somewhat of a whirlwind with a "broken plan," it was the consensus to stay in Jackson Hole for a two-day rest and re-group. The following day we would have the rest of the drive to Jackson Hole.

Arriving late morning, we were able to check in early at the hotel, grab some lunch and have the vehicles checked out.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

It should be noted at this point that the hotel we had booked in Jackson Hole was at that point, the only part of the original itinerary that had held up. The fact that they could extend our booking for another night was a huge bonus! What a lovely town Jackson is! It should also be noted that the town is named Jackson. Jackson Hole refers to Jackson and the surrounding area.

We were having a great time as we spent the day exploring the area, enjoying a great dinner, and more Yahtzee. We had that the next morning, I would stay behind with "The Beast," sleep in and do some shopping. The other three would take off in the Lincoln and do some hiking and exploring, meeting me back in the Town Square. Admittingly, I was a bit car-weary and just wanted some time on my feet that wasn't hiking.

Town Square

Feeling like an area out of the old west, complete with some raised wooden sidewalks, I enjoyed walking the area referred to as "Town Square." The four corners of the square are designated by fabulous arches made of hundreds of elk antlers. While I wandered the streets of Jackson, imagining what life would have been like in the days of the old west, the other three were exploring the southern end of Grand Teton National Park.

Grand Teton National Park

In my humble opinion, there are three pinnacles to this park: the wildlife roaming freely, the Cathedral Group of the Grand Teton Mountains, and Jenny Lake. The three had great adventures without me but were happy to repeat their time from the day before and share the awesomeness of the area with me.