emergency kit<\/a>, flashlight, spare tire, and tire-changing tools. All of this can help you out in the event of an unexpected “speed bump” on your scenic drive. <\/p>\n\n\n\nPlaces to Visit on Your Southwest Road Trip <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ultimately, where you begin and end is up to you. We are starting this itinerary at Four Corners, which has an address in Arizona, but affords to opportunity to head mostly south and west afterwards. You\u2019ll end in Death Valley, CA \u2013 which does seem like a fitting place to call it a day! However, you can always Google it to find your complete guide to a custom path. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Four Corners National Monument <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Four Corners makes the prefect starting point. You can say your Southwestern journey started in four states since this is where Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah meet. There is a small entrance fee of $5 per person and you can actually stand in all 4 states at the same time. When you leave Four Corners, take a short drive west for about 93 miles to be amazed by Monument Valley. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Monument Valley <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you want to see a monumental view of the desert southwest, this is one place to do it. Monument Valley is so named due to a variety of towering buttes with descriptive names, such as the Mittens, Three Sisters and Ear of the Wind. You can hire a Navajo guide to take you deeper into the desert if you wish, or explore by horseback. There\u2019s a dirt road to drive around and see the wild beauty of a place untouched by progress. When you leave Monument Valley, you\u2019ll drive 316 miles (about 5 hours) to hit Phoenix. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Phoenix, Arizona <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
By the time you get to Phoenix, you\u2019ll be ready for night in a desert hacienda. Enjoy some shopping and southwest-style food in Scottsdale or take advantage of one of numerous beautiful golf courses before leaving the next day for Sedona (116 miles north). Be sure to take the time to check out the Lost Dutchman State Park outside Phoenix first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sedona, Arizona <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Head due north to reach Sedona, a mystical place that features natural beauty and great hiking opportunities. Sedona is known as one of the most beautiful small towns in America. Be sure to check out Devil’s Bridge and Cathedral Rock while you are there. Devil\u2019s Bridge has a free parking lot and no entrance fee, but come prepared with lots of water for your hike in. From Sedona, head to the Grand Canyon, just a short 114 miles west and north. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grand Canyon National Park <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Grand Canyon is even bigger and more beautiful than you imagined. Take as much time as you need to check this out. In fact, don\u2019t be afraid to spend your whole day there. If you like to hike, the Grand Canyon offers several trails down to the Colorado River \u2013 just remember, you will be hiking back up to get out. The Grand Canyon also offers a mule train down and up, maybe the best way to explore this canyon. There is an entrance fee to get in to the Grand Canyon. Head NE for 133 miles to get to Horseshoe Bend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Horseshoe Bend <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Horseshoe Bend is perhaps the most beautiful area of the Colorado River. Be sure to snap some selfies in this great spot while you\u2019re here. If you decide to get adventurous and kayak Horseshoe Bend, the best starting point is Petroglyph Beach. After that, it\u2019s only a short 61 miles to your next stop, Grand Staircase-Escalante. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Destinations don\u2019t get much bigger than the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. There are nearly 2 million acres for you to explore, which is great for the pioneers at heart. It\u2019s only 20 miles from here to Bryce Canyon, your next stop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bryce Canyon National Park <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bryce Canyon, located in Utah, is a quick stop on your trip and looks more like a surrealist painting than a desert landscape. Called \u201choodoos\u201d, this is the largest collection of \u201cirregular columns of rocks\u201d anywhere on earth. Truly, you\u2019ll have to see it to believe it. As with all national parks, there is an entrance fee. Your next stop is Zion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zion National Park <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Veteran hikers speak of Zion in hushed tones, and there\u2019s a good reason for that. This is, simply put, the best hiking location in the country. Zion is only 73 miles, give or take, from Bryce Canyon, so if you want, you can hit them both easily in one day. Zion is surrounded by true southwestern charm, with canyons and a wide array of biodiversity. You can choose to spend the night at one of Zion\u2019s well-known resorts if you want to indulge in a popular hike before making the trip to Las Vegas the next day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Las Vegas, Nevada <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Head southeast for 167 miles to hit Sin City. There are plenty of things to see and do inside Las Vegas itself. However, the best thing for adventure and nature lovers in Las Vegas to do is take a trip to Antelope Canyon, about 275 miles. You\u2019ll be backtracking but since you can only see it with a guided tour, it should be on your list for your time in Vegas. Before you do that, take some time in Las Vegas to check out some of the attractions, such as the Fremont Street Experience, a great place for visitors to see the glitz and the glam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Antelope Canyon <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Located on private land on the Navajo Nation, visitors may only access Antelope Canyon on a guided tour. However, the experience is well worth the price (4.5 to 5 on Trip Advisor\u2019s rating) \u2013 you won\u2019t see such breathtaking views in other places. It\u2019s less than a day\u2019s trip from Vegas but has an early start. You\u2019ll be returning to Sin City, so spend the night, have some fun and get an early start the next day for Joshua Tree, a 198 miles trip due south and slightly west. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joshua Tree <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Joshua Tree is known for its unique and somewhat brutalist beauty. When the Mojave and Colorado desert systems meet, you get this unforgettable national treasure. There is an entrance fee, but it\u2019s well worth it when you see this massive desert firsthand. You can camp here, if you dare (maybe even in a VW bus<\/a> for some real nostalgia). There\u2019s no services (at all) and sketchy cell reception. But if you\u2019ve got a little bit of a wild side, this might be the experience for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\nDeath Valley <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ll end our journey at the door of Death Valley National Park, a drive of 228 miles from Joshua Tree. Death Valley is famous all over the world for its stark and isolated vistas. The hottest and driest national park, Death Valley is home to such mysteries as the sailing stones, ghost towns, wildlife and much more. You should plan to stay for at least a day to end your southwestern journey on a pensive note among the spectacular views of desert and dunes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Get the Right Insurance for Your Southwest Road Trip <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Now you know how to plan the perfect Southwest adventure, but do you know who can protect your car as you cruise down these beautiful roads and exotic locations? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here at Freeway Insurance, we protect your journey by protecting your ride. Get started with a low-cost auto<\/a> insurance quote online<\/a>, or if you\u2019d like to work through an agent, you can come and visit us at a local office<\/a> near you or give us a call at (800) 777-5620 for a quote. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When is the journey more important than the destination? Simple … when you\u2019re taking a road trip through the Southwest! The Southwest is full of many scenic destinations, but where will your own journey through the Southwest take you? To Utah, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, or even further than that? As you can tell, the perfect […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1002599,"featured_media":7554,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[78,5],"tags":[],"importance":[],"type-content":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7552"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1002599"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7552"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7552\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9509,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7552\/revisions\/9509"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7554"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7552"},{"taxonomy":"importance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/importance?post=7552"},{"taxonomy":"type-content","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.freeway.com\/knowledge-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/type-content?post=7552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}