Recommend travel stops for western states

[Nick1994]

Glad Monument Valley is part of your route. It's beautiful.

There's a hotel right there at Monument Valley with a restaurant. Other than that, down the road there's 1 crummy gas station and no other services. So pack supplies ahead of time.

 

[leadcounsel]

It's a drive that could easily take you 4 weeks if you stop everywhere! Not knowing how much time you have available, here's a few things I would recommend. NOTE, bring water, food, and fuel. The distances in the west are 10x more than you will expect. VASTNESS.

I90 gives you the opportunity to see the Badlands and Mt. Rushmore. But might be too far out of your way.
I80 is going to be flat fields from Iowa to Denver. There are some car and military museums, but I forget where. I think Nebraska.
I70 is going to be flat fields between Denver and Iowa/Missouri.

Here's the trip I would take based on my experiences.
*North to I80, then west, if you have the time. See the Badlands and Mt. Rushmore. (Otherwise your drive across Kansas and Nebraska will be very dull).
*From Wyoming, S. to Denver, then west on I70 to Moab Utah. There, check out Delicate Arch, Canyonlands, and Needles National Parks.
* Alternately, shoot west to Jackson Wyoming. The Grand Tetons and Yellowstone are a must see. Then shoot directly to Reno shortest route is thru SE Idaho. Hit Moab on your way back after Vegas, you'll have to backtrack a bit.

* From Moab area, North thru Salt Lake City, then West to Reno. Reno has a cool car museum. You'll be very close to Lake Tahoe California, Sierras, which is a breathtaking area worth checking out, along with Truckee the infamous Donner Pass. Beware of California very strict gun laws if you have guns with you.

* From Reno, get yourself to Vegas and the Hoover Dam as you wanted.
* From S. Nevada, scoot over to SW Utah and see Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park. Both are amazing.
* From S. Utah, scoot South to N. Arizona to see the N. Rim of the Grand Canyon and Lake Powell, Arizona. Make sure to see famous Buffalo Canyon. These are must see.
* (Might be out of the way but 4 Corners is unique, and Mesa Verde in S. Colorado is very interesting. Probably too far away)
* From NE Arizona, it's a shot SE to El Paso. From there I'm not familiar with anything en route to Missouri. Perhaps the Ozarks of Eastern Oklahoma?

I love the USA and road trips. Plan plenty of time and bring supplies.

 

[DirectRejection]

Sedona.

 

[vavavroom]

Reno to Vegas. You have several route options. Interesting locations along the different routes include

Virginia City
Lake Tahoe
Mammoth Lakes
Devils Postpile Monument
Bodie
Mono Lake
Ancient Bristle Pine Cone Forest
Alabama Hills
Alkali Flat Hot Springs
Rachel/Groom Lake/Area 51/Alien Highway
Death Valley

I listed the areas I see enjoy. You may find done if them boring and out of the way. I love the desert and don't mind driving for hours to get to an obscure or whimsucal location.

 

[bbhero]

On I-80, the Gateway Arch museum is well worth the visit, plus you can't miss it because you drive under it.

Personally, I would strongly consider taking I-80 to I-76 and go to Denver, then west on I-70 into Utah. I've done both I-80 and I-70 more than a few times and the scenery and National parks on the I-70 route is orders of magnitude better, my opinion of course. There are five national parks in Utah and each of them is amazing.

I agree ^^^^^

Interstate 70 going west and through the Eisenhower tunnel and then through Glenwood Canyon is an amazingly beautiful drive.

I memorized the entire US Interstate system by the time I was 8 years old. I always wondered why through the 1980s and into the 90s interstate 70 disappeared and became US Rte 6…. Then it was finally completed. Well I saw a History channel about the Eisenhower interstate system and it had a sizable story about that section of Glenwood Canyon. Then… I understood why it took so long…. Tunnels a fair amount of them… many elevated bridges for miles.. . And the construction was made extremely difficult by the terrain, Colorado river nearby in close proximity ,and US Rte 6 needing to still usable as well.

The other section of interstate that was very, very difficult was interstate 77 and 64 from Beckley WV to Charleston WV. My grandfather told me 14 people died building that section of interstate. When I finally went through that section of road I understood why it was so hazardous to build. Numerous sections where there are reduced speed zones because of tight turns.

 

[UG_Passat]

I'll be staying on 80 for business in Davenport IA is the reason for taking that route west, plus I've never seen it past the western Iowa line

You could technically go down I-35 south to hit up I-70

Other than the quad cities, there’s nothing much in Iowa. The week of July 23 is RAGBRAI.

 

[wwillson]

Other than the quad cities, there’s nothing much in Iowa.

As a native Iowan, I'm a bit offended by this slight. There are over 26,000,000 of acres of corn and soybeans, millions of hogs, hundreds of thousands of dairy cows, and over 65,000 miles of gravel roads to see. How can you say there is nothing in Iowa?

 

[LDB]

I'm leaving in a few days on a road trip to see some of the western states. Plan to run I-80 west from Iowa to Reno, NV, south to Vegas, Hoover Dam, Monument Valley, 1 stop in El Paso and then winding my way back up to SW Missouri(home).

Any places you would recommend I stop or things to see along any of these routes?

I always make a way to stop by Lambert's for some "throwed rolls".

 

[Vorlauf]

Gila NF, White Sands NP, Carlsbad Caverns, Ruidoso/Cloud Croft Lincoln NF area & anything with or smothered in green & red chile around Hatch/Las Cruces/Old Mesilla, NM. Stop by Wet N Wild outside of El Paso for water slides, & to cool off. I grew up in El Paso, & hear they have a gondola up to the top of the Franklin Mt's now. That would be neat. Chicos Tacos, KiKi's brisket machaca, Avila's picadillo gorditas, The State Line bbq beef ribs, Cattleman's Steakhouse are all popular eats in El Paso among others. Stop by El Paso Saddlery for a quality hand made gun holster if you are a firearm collector.

 

[weaponoffreedom]

I'm leaving in a few days on a road trip to see some of the western states. Plan to run I-80 west from Iowa to Reno, NV, south to Vegas, Hoover Dam, Monument Valley, 1 stop in El Paso and then winding my way back up to SW Missouri(home).

Any places you would recommend I stop or things to see along any of these routes?

Red Rock Canyon

 

[LDB]

If you're passing anywhere near North Platte check out the Bailey Yard. Largest train yard in the world and pretty impressive how it's all automated.