u/LexiHiker

I’m starting to think about my next national park road trip. I’m based in the Bay Area now, so the obvious options seem to be heading north toward the Pacific Northwest, south through California, or inland toward Utah and Colorado.

I could probably take a week or two, but I’m not necessarily trying to check off every park along the way. I’d rather choose a few that feel different from each other and have enough time to actually enjoy them.

For anyone who’s done these routes, which direction would you choose, and which parks would you prioritize? I’m open to flying east too if there’s a trip worth building around.

Follow Odysseus’ footsteps on his epic journey home:

1. The Fall of Troy / Aït Benhaddou, Morocco
2. The Trojan Horse Coast / Essaouira, Morocco
3. Ithaca Above the Sea / Favignana, Italy
4. The Bay of the Cyclops / Voidokilia Beach, Greece
5. Polyphemus’ Cave / Nestor’s Cave, Greece
6. The Underworld Shore / Hjörleifshöfði, Iceland
7. The Giants’ Forest / Culbin Forest, Scotland
8. Circe’s Cliff / Findlater Castle, Scotland

Which stop would you visit first?

The real-world landscapes behind Game of Thrones:

1. King's Landing / Fort Lovrijenac, Dubrovnik
2. Dragonstone / San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, Spain
3. The Kingsroad / The Dark Hedges, Northern Ireland
4. The Water Gardens of Dorne / Royal Alcázar, Seville
5. Winterfell / Castle Ward, Northern Ireland
6. The Haunted Forest / Tollymore Forest Park, Northern Ireland

Which one is your favorite?

The landscapes behind The Lord of the Rings:

1. Hobbiton / The Shire
2. Rivendell
3. Edoras
4. The Paths of the Dead
5. Isengard
6. Fangorn Forest

Which one would you visit first? 🧭

We stayed in Farmington the night before, then started the day at Bisti Badlands and stopped by Valley of Dreams before heading south to Chaco.

The drive became much rougher and more isolated than I expected. We had downloaded offline maps, which definitely helped, and I was very glad we had an SUV with decent ground clearance.

We got to Chaco with only a little time left before closing, so we mostly saw Pueblo Bonito and a couple of nearby sites. I also missed the visitor center and never got my National Park Passport stamp, which I’m still a little annoyed about.

After that, we took the southern route out and drove all the way to Albuquerque that night.

Chaco itself was absolutely worth seeing, especially Pueblo Bonito, but getting there (and getting out of there) was probably the hardest part of the whole day. I definitely wouldn’t attempt those dirt roads in wet weather.

Has anyone ever managed to get a missed passport stamp afterward?