A Road Trip Through the American Southwest

highway 89, american southwest — Traveling Highway 89 towards the north rim of the Grand Canyon I was blown away by the landscape. Of all the sights I was looking forward to on this trip, I didn't realize I was going to go straight through the painted desert. It's a badlands area that covers about 120 miles. Most of the desert is sandstone that's been affected over time by climate and erosion. Some of the rocks also contain iron and manganese that can oxidize. It's truly amazing.

In this time of limited travel, once a month we're going to pull shots from our destination theme weeks on Instagram that provide a very different view of a destination than we share in our regular posts.

On Instagram I can meander a bit off topic and onto a theme. It's a very different kind of writing that can be quite fun.

Join us on Instagram. Each Saturday I propose two destinations for the following week's theme and let you vote on which I'll feature.

Enjoy this month's featured destination: the American Southwest.

Sedona is the land of red rock, crystals, healing centers, and multiple vortexes where spiritual and metaphysical energy are heightened. Christianity coexists with it all. This is the Chapel of the Holy Cross Sedona. It's built right into the mountain and uses the cross as a structural element. It's absolutely beautiful and worth the walk up the road.

The American Southwest edged out the Arctic as this week's featured destination by just one vote. Don't worry. Perhaps the Arctic will win next week. This is a view of the Colorado River that I took on route to the north rim of the Grand Canyon. This was part of my road trip through Arizona, Utah, and Colorado.

For more great photos of the American landscape, see Solo Travel in the United States: Photos by Readers.

On my way north from Sedona I bypassed the Grand Canyon's South Rim option and went straight to the North Rim where it is less commercial and there are fewer people. The North Rim is better for hiking, photography, or just kicking back and enjoying nature, You can pop into The Grand Canyon Lodge which is the only in-park hotel. It's typically booked a year in advance. There are a few options outside of the park as well. I stayed in an RV park and used it as my base to visit both the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park. It took almost a day to get there. I left the desert, passed the Vermillion Cliffs and started to climb into the Kaibab Forest toward the north rim. I found myself relaxing into the new landscape. I experienced an emotional response that ran through my body as the landscape changed to something more familiar to me. Being amongst the forest with Ponderosa Pine and Quaking Aspen was like going home after a long trip of fine food to a plate of macaroni and cheese.

Ok. This is not a great shot but I have to share because this is a section of the Million Dollar Mile in Colorado. I took this through the windshield when the drop was on the other side of the road. Believe me, driving an RV, even a smallish one, along this section of the road was stressful, especially when the drop was on my right. It was built in the 1880s. It runs for about 25 miles from Durango to Ouray. It's considered one of the nation’s most spectacular drives. The 25 miles takes about 45 minutes to drive. I left very early in the morning to avoid traffic. While it was spectacular, I was glad to get to the other side.

For more road trip inspiration and itineraries, check out our Road Trip Category.

monument valley, american southwest — Monument Valley

Monument Valley, Utah. Route 163 goes right through Monument Valley. On one side of the main crossroad, Monument Valley Road, is Goulding's Lodge. On the other side is a Navajo market and, further up the road, Monument Valley Tribal Park run by the Diné (commonly called the Navajo, but they refer to themselves as Diné.) The Monument Valley Tribal Park museum expands on the history of the Diné in terms of social values, legal structure, governmental organization, and more, none of which were represented in the western films by John Ford and others. To this day, the tribe works to correct the misunderstandings of their culture perpetuated in film.

Driving the American Southwest

I LOVE a road trip! I love driving. I love moving from town to town, from city to countryside, listening to local radio and seeing the landscape change along the way.

It was the same on my trip through Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. The stunning red mountains, buttes, mesas, canyons, and cliffs, and the gorgeous desert and tumbleweed (tumbleweed!) tumbling was all so novel for me. It was dramatic, stunning! The landscape was like nothing I had ever seen before.

It was just me, the open road, and the big-sky landscapes of the American Southwest. But when I felt my emotional response to the Kaibab Forest, I wondered: what is it about a landscape? How much is the landscape of central Canada part of who I am. Can one change their landscape as easily as changing a city? Does one ultimately find a new landscape relaxing? How long does it take?

People who immigrate must face this issue. They travel to a new country, often with a very different landscape. But, unlike travelers, they may not have the opportunity to go home to the familiar. I have always admired people who take the brave decision to emigrate and that admiration was amplified on this trip.

sedona, american southwest — Sedona with its stunning red buttes was my first destination on my trip. This view is from Marg's Draw Trail 64.

zion national park, american southwest — There's fabulous hiking for all levels in Zion National Park in Utah, USA.

Regardless of how much I marveled at the desert, red buttes, mesas, canyons, and cliffs, I still love a pine forest.

Have you explored the American Southwest? Please share some of your favorite stops or road trip routes in the comments section below.

Last updated: 20th August, 2020

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A Road Trip Through the American Southwest

Driving the American Southwest

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