Made a Discord for anyone going to Riot Fest 2026. Figured it could be a good place to talk lineup rumors, set times, meetups, travel, and generally obsess over the festival before September rolls around.
Come hang out 🤘
Hey everyone,
I’m planning a 2.5 week solo road trip in the US Southwest (late Aug → mid Sep) and would love feedback on the actual structure of the route.
I’ve built it as a day-by-day plan, focusing on hiking + scenery, and I’m trying to avoid overpacking days or missing better alternatives.
DAY 1–2: LOS ANGELES
- Arrival + food + recovery
- Light city time only (no beaches/hiking planned)
DAY 3: DRIVE TO YOSEMITE
- Travel day into the Sierra Nevada
- Overnight near Yosemite entrance
DAY 4: YOSEMITE – VALLEY DAY
- Yosemite Valley exploration:
Tunnel View, El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, Glacier Point area
DAY 5: YOSEMITE – BIG HIKE DAY
- Clouds Rest hike (main full-day hike)
DAY 6: YOSEMITE – WATERFALL HIKE DAY
- Mist Trail (Vernal + Nevada Falls)
- Optional Glacier Point if time/energy allows
DAY 7: TIOGA ROAD CROSSING
- Drive through Tioga Pass
- Stops at Tuolumne Meadows + Mono Lake
- Overnight in Eastern Sierra
DAY 8: SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK
- General Sherman Tree, Congress Trail, Moro Rock
- Overnight nearby
DAY 9: TRANSITION DAY
- Long drive south toward desert / Nevada direction
- Flexible day depending on timing
DAY 10: OPTIONAL JOSHUA TREE STOP
- Only if worth it: short sunset visit
- Otherwise continue toward Vegas
DAY 11–12: LAS VEGAS
- Staying in the city, relaxing, walking around, food, recovery days
DAY 13: DRIVE TO ZION
- Stop at Valley of Fire on the way
- Arrive Springdale (Zion)
DAY 14: ZION – THE NARROWS
- Full-day Narrows hike
DAY 15: ZION – ANGELS LANDING DAY
- Angels Landing (if permit)
- Otherwise Scout Lookout / West Rim Trail
DAY 16: BRYCE CANYON
- Sunrise + main amphitheater hikes (Navajo Loop / Queens Garden)
- Overnight near Bryce
DAY 17: CAPITOL REEF
- Scenic drive + Cassidy Arch + Hickman Bridge
- Overnight in Torrey area
DAY 18: TRAVEL TO FESTIVAL CITY
- Drive to Salt Lake City (or nearby)
- Fly to either Chicago or Louisville for a music festival
QUESTIONS FOR YOU:
- Is Yosemite structured correctly or am I overloading those 3 days?
- Would you change the order of Zion / Bryce / Capitol Reef?
- Is Joshua Tree worth it at all in this itinerary or should I skip it completely?
- Am I missing any must-do hikes or better alternatives along this route?
- Is Grand Canyon North Rim worth adding given I’ve already done Arches + Canyonlands?
- Any general improvements you’d make to balance driving vs hiking?
I’m prioritizing:
- Best hikes possible (up to hard level)
- Scenic driving routes
- A few key food experiences in cities
Appreciate any feedback