This article is a work in progress and will be regularly updated
Route 66 has been on my bucket list for many years. Being an avid photographer I look forward to take pictures of the history and iconic items along the way.
Having previously lived in California I plan to skip the last part of the route, and instead turn north somewhere around Flagstaff, and visit several national parks. I will then drive north-east to Denver and fly home from there.
Here are links to some of the resources I’ve used.
- A complete guide is a good start: https://livingwiththewolf.co.uk/the-ultimate-guide-to-route-66/
- After reading the guide and picking a time of year I focus on the main items: Flights, car rental, and lodging
- For flights, good resources are Skyscanner and Google flights. From previous experience I also know that Icelandair is a good option from Europe to the US, especially since they offer open jaw flights, and also a possible stopover in Iceland
The National Parks
The Route 66 part of the trip is well documented and it is fairly easy to estimate the time needed. To calculate the total length of the trip I need to add in time for the national parks. Using ChatGPT, here’s a suggested schedule.
Day 1: Flagstaff to Grand Canyon National Park
• Drive Time: 1.5 hours
• Activity: Arrive at the South Rim and explore short hikes such as the Rim Trail. Consider a sunset view at Mather Point.
• Accommodation: Mather Campground (if camping) or Red Feather Lodge in Tusayan.Day 2: Grand Canyon National Park
• Activity: Hike a portion of the Bright Angel Trail or South Kaibab Trail. Spend the night in or near the park.
• Accommodation: Same as previous night.Day 3: Grand Canyon to Zion National Park
• Drive Time: 4.5 hours
• Activity: Drive to Zion, arriving in the afternoon. Explore the park’s visitor center and take a short hike like the Pa’rus Trail.
• Accommodation: Watchman Campground (if camping) or Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort (budget cabins).Day 4: Zion National Park
• Activity: Hike Angels Landing (permit required) or The Narrows. Spend the night near Zion.
• Accommodation: Same as previous night.Day 5: Zion to Bryce Canyon National Park
• Drive Time: 1.5 hours
• Activity: Drive to Bryce Canyon. Hike the Queen’s Garden/Navajo Loop Trail. Overnight near Bryce Canyon.
• Accommodation: Ruby’s Inn Campground (if camping) or Bryce View Lodge.Day 6: Bryce Canyon to Capitol Reef National Park
• Drive Time: 2.5 hours
• Activity: Drive to Capitol Reef. Hike the Capitol Gorge Trail or Grand Wash Trail. Overnight near Capitol Reef.
• Accommodation: Fruita Campground (if camping) or Capitol Reef Resort (budget options available).Day 7: Capitol Reef to Arches National Park
• Drive Time: 2.5 hours
• Activity: Drive to Arches. Take an afternoon hike to Delicate Arch or the Windows section. Overnight in Moab.
• Accommodation: Moab Valley RV Resort & Campground (if camping) or Adventure Inn Moab.Day 8: Arches National Park
• Activity: Hike the Devil’s Garden Trail (full loop if possible). Spend another night in Moab.
• Accommodation: Same as previous night.Day 9: Arches to Denver
• Drive Time: 5.5 hours
• Activity: Drive to Denver, arriving by afternoon.
• Accommodation: Hostel Fish (budget-friendly hostel in DenverThis itinerary takes 9 days. I will add one day to account for possible delays, snow closures, etc, so 10 days from Flagstaff to Denver.