Road Expedition: To Grand Canyon and Back

Parks, parks, and more parks.  Enjoy national, state, and amusement parks on your way to and from the Grand Canyon!!  (Buy a year long National Park Service pass, if you haven't already).

ITINERARY:

Washington, D.C. (Point A) to the Grand Canyon (Point N)

Day 1

• Leave early in the morning (before 7:00 a.m.)
• Drive to Limestone, TN (425 miles, 6 hours 42 minutes)
• Visit the Davy Crockett Birthplace State Historic Park (visitor center and museum close at 4:30 p.m.)
• Drive to Pigeon Forge, TN (68 miles, 1 hour 40 minutes)

Day 2

• Enjoy the day at Dollywood

Day 3

• Drive to Clingmans Dome at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (33 miles, 1 hour 1 minute)
• On the way and as time permits, drive the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, hike to Grotto Falls, and visit the Sugarlands Visitors Center
• Drive to Nashville, TN (243 miles, 4 hours 23 minutes)

Day 4

• If time and interest, consider driving past the Grand Ole Opry, the Parthenon, and the AT&T Building (known affectionately to locals as the "Batman Building") on the way out of town
• Drive to Little Rock, AR (349 miles, 5 hours 13 minutes)
• Go to the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site (closes at 4:30 p.m.)

Day 5

• Drive to Hot Springs, AR (55 miles, 59 minutes)
• Visit the Hot Springs National Park and take the 11:00 a.m. tour
• Drive to Oklahoma City, OK (311 miles, 5 hours 22 minutes)
• Visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial (the memorial is free and beautiful - rangers are available at the memorial until 10:00 p.m. during the summer; the museum has a cost and closes at 6:00 p.m.)

Day 6

• Drive to Albuquerque, NM (541 miles, 8 hours 2 minutes)
• Along the way, stop in Amarillo, TX for lunch and to see Cadillac Ranch

Day 7

• Drive to McKinley, NM (157 miles, 3 hours 15 minutes)
• Visit Chaco Culture National Historical Park
• Drive to Cortez, CO (144 miles, 3 hours 17 minutes)

Day 8

• Visit Mesa Verde National Park (make reservations for a guided tour before you arrive to ensure you see what you want)

Day 9

• Drive to Teec Nos Pos, UT (50 miles, 58 minutes)
• Stand in UT, CO, NM, and AZ at the same time at the Four Corners Monument
• Drive to Grand Canyon Village (South Rim), AZ (228 miles, 3 hours 49 minutes)

Day 10

• Day at the Grand Canyon (lodging books a year in advance at the park, so plan ahead if you want to stay there)
• If you have kids, do the Junior Ranger Program

Grand Canyon (Point A) to Washington, D.C. (Point O)

Day 11

• Drive to St. George, UT (271 miles, 5 hours 1 minute)
• Get a shake at the Iceberg Drive-inn and rest

Day 12

• Drive to and visit Zion National Park (43 miles, 1 hour 1 minute)
• Take the Ride with a Ranger Shuttle Tour in the morning (seating limited)
• Consider hiking to the Emerald Pools (across from Zion Lodge) or to Weeping Rock
• Drive the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway before leaving
• Drive to Bryce Canyon, UT (84 miles, 1 hour 46 minutes)

Day 13

• Visit Bryce Canyon National Park
• At a minimum, drive to and see Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration, and Bryce viewpoints
• Drive to Orem, UT (233 miles, 3 hours 38 minutes)

Day 14

• Like trains?  Drive to Corinne, UT (124 miles, 2 hours 12 minutes) and visit the Golden Spike National Historic Site
• See the replica locomotives in the Engine House (if visiting on Saturday during the summer, reenactments are at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.)
• If time, take one of the auto tours
• Drive to Arco, ID (304 miles, 4 hours 45 minutes)
• See Craters of the Moon National Monument (best if visited early morning or late in the day, so if you are running late that is actually good)
• Take advantage of the programs offered at the Monument to best understand the park
• Late night drive to Idaho Falls, ID (91 miles, 1 hour 39 minutes)

Day 15

• Leave early
• Drive to and spend the day in Yellowstone National Park (159 miles, 3 hours 9 minutes)
• Stop at Midway Geyser Basin to see Grand Prismatic Basin
• Stop at Upper Geyser Basin to see Old Faithful Geyser and take the Firehole River Walk
• Drive to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and see the Upper and Lower Falls

Day 16

• Drive to Rapid City, SD (485 miles, 8 hours)
• Go to Mount Rushmore National Memorial's evening program at 9:00 p.m.

Day 17

• Hike the Presidential Trail at Mount Rushmore National Memorial to get an up-close view
• Drive to Jackson, SD (98 miles, 1 hour 39 minutes)
• Take a tour of a nuclear weapon launch control facility at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
• Rest up for some long day drives

Day 18

• Drive to Harpers Ferry, IA (583 miles, 9 hours 3 minutes)

Day 19

• Explore the sacred grounds of Effigy Mounds National Monument
• Begin drive to Dearborn, MI (533 miles, 8 hours 38 minutes)
• See Chicago, IL along the way

Day 20

• If necessary, complete the drive to Dearborn, MI
• Visit the Ford Rouge Factory watching the assembly of Ford F-150s, visiting the multi-sensory Art of Manufacturing Theatre, learning about the Rouge at the Legacy Theatre, viewing historic vehicles, etc.
• Drive to Sandusky, OH (114 miles, 2 hours 6 minutes)

Day 21

• Celebrate 3 weeks of vacation at the roller coaster capital of the world, Cedar Point

Day 22

• Drive home (420 miles, 6 hours 56 minutes)