Southwest Roadtrip
An overview of my Arizona and Utah road and hiking trip.
I started this trip by spectacularly spilling an entire 16 oz. cup of coffee all over the ground between gates C10 and C11 at ORD Airport.
I’m not one to fully buy into luck and the like but I considered the ordeal fortuitous. I figured if I experienced any bad luck and mojo, it might as well be now and out of the way — and lucky for me and this trip — it was.
Backstory
This trip was born from a few things:
- I’m between jobs and I wanted to take advantage of the time off.
- I love being outdoors — especially if hiking and climbing.
- I got to check off a few bucket list things to see and experience.
That’s basically it. Added (and exceptional) bonuses were the vast photo opportunities, chances to meet new people, driving through some beautiful parts of the country, and spending some quality time with myself.
Overview
I allocated 10 days to drive across two states: Arizona and Utah. I flew into Phoenix, rented a car, drove North, and flew out of Salt Lake City. 10 days was great for me since I don’t like being rushed and I got to see/do most of what I wanted during that time.
Here’s a breakdown of my itinerary:
- Days 1–3: Sedona, Arizona
- Days 3–6: Page, Arizona
- Days 6–8: Escalante, Utah
- Days 8–9: Moab, Utah
- Days 9–10: Salt Lake City, Utah
Here’s a list of my accommodations (in order of my trip):
I was able to see six parks across BLM and NPS:
I also visited a handful of State Parks and sites on Navajo lands but I’ll get to those in more detail in follow up posts.
Total cost of this trip was ~$5000, your mileage may vary. I have gold status with United and Platinum with Marriott, so I was able to take advantage on discounted flights and stays but I also opted in for premium insurance for my car rental and nicer hotels. Either way and for me, money well spent.
As for pre-planning, besides flights, car rental, and accommodations, I only purchased my National Parks Annual Pass and reserved a timed entrance to Arches National Park. Everything else, I figured out the day or night before.
Gear
A lot of people have been asking me questions on how and what I packed. And I’m happy to discuss more details on clothing if people are interested but here are some hiking essentials worth calling out:
- Military issued 3L Camelbak — I prefer to be hands free when hiking. I’m also fairly minimalistic. This pack is no fuss or muss. (Thanks Kate for the gift!)
- Black Diamond Headlamp — Early/late hiking essential.
- Lola Sunglasses from Roka — The only sunglasses that I’ve found that don’t slip on my flat Asian face.
- Women’s Newton Ridge Waterproof Hiking Boots from Columbia — My second pair of hiking boots that I’ve purchased. I have been completely satisfied with the fit, price point, and aesthetics.
- AllTrails subscription — A lot of the trails I hiked were in dead zones. Having a reliable way to navigate is of upmost importance for safety. AllTrails is the best and most accurate hiking data source available.
That’s about it. I don’t hike with poles and I didn’t bring rope for technical climbs/hikes. I didn’t do any camping (one glamping experience) so there wasn’t too much that I had to bring with me. Everything fit in a carry-on and my Atlas Supply backpack.
And that’s about it for a decent overview of my trip. I’ll probably follow up soon with more details on specific hikes, things to do/see, and other recommendations for the areas that I was at. Stay tuned!
