Road Trip to the West (Route 66)

[Justbo1901]

Hello folk, I am going to be driving from Nashville, Tn to Phoenix AZ next summer. I have a fraternity conference next August. I will be on the road for about 11 days four of which will be in Phoenix. I was looking for interesting things/places to stop at and visit. I will be spending two days as well at the Grand Canyon. This is my only stop for sure I will be doing. If anyone has any suggestion or Ideas let me know.

[Justbo1901]

Oh also I will be carrying my Gun with me along the way as well, Should have posted that too, but then again its a gun forum so should be a given.

[Guest mustangdave]

If you're going to hop on Rt66...your first chance will be just EAST of OKLAHOMA City...that is IF you're just rolling west on I-40...you can pull off in Amarillo and check out The BIG TEXAN Steakhouse (on Rt 66)...I've done pretty much the same run all the way to California since 2005 in the summer.

[TGO David]

My wife and I just got back from a tour of the high desert and about 80% of the drive was I40 / Route 66.

I'd only waste a day on the grand canyon (if that) and instead spend time at the Petrified National Forest and maybe run down to Sedona and see the red rocks. The Canyon is impressive but neither of us thought it was worth the drive or dealing with the tourists.

Depending on how far off of 40/66 you can venture, I've got plenty of other suggestions.

Oh, and having spent as much time driving out there as I did, I can honestly say "F#%& a whole big bunch of New Mexico". What a god forsaken state.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[monkeylizard]

<<Former Oklahoma City and Tucson resident checking in>>

First of all, who scheduled a conference in Phoenix in August? You should haze them.

Arkansas - Stop for gas...keep going

Oklahoma - OKC now has the memorial for the federal building bombing. Other than that, stop for gas...keep going.

Definitely hit the Big Texan in Amarillo. It's a classic. Amarillo is also a good midpoint if you're trying to do the drive in 2 days. If you want to do it in 3, stop in OKC and Albuquerque.

New Mexico: There's Trinity Site out in the middle of nowhere. Other than that, what David said. Oh wait...that's the reason it has Trinity Site. Stop for gas....keep going.

Arizona:

• +1 for Sedona. Very cool.
  
• I like Montezuma's Castle and the nearby Monetzuma's Well for something a bit different. It's still in the desert floor, so it will be hot. Montezuma Castle National Monument (U.S. National Park Service)
  
• http://www.nps.gov/sucr is really neat. It's out of the way, but very unique.
  
• It may be too late, but if there's availability, book the El Tovar in the Grand Canyon. Otherwise, the closest decent lodging is Flagstaff, and most of that's iffy at best.
  

www.TripAdvisor.com has been a great resource for finding places to stay that don't include complimentary urine stained matresses.

To get to the Canyon from Flagstaff, you can take I-40 West to Hwy 64. or US 180 to Hwy 64. 180 is a much prettier drive than 40/64, but sometimes you'll go for long periods of time without seeing another car. Time wise, I think they're about the same.

The Park Service's Grand Canyon page says it's remote, so gas up. It's not kidding. Fill up in Flagstaff and have some sunscreen and plenty of water with you. You do NOT want to run out of gas/water in August out there. There's a crossroads (180 and 64) about halfway from Flagstaff to the GC that used to have one gas station that had a monopoly (and prices to match), and a questionable hotel. Could be more there now. It has been about 10 years since I was there last. There's nothing else until you reach a small town at the entrance of the park called Tusayan. the IMAX show is pretty cool there. Sad to say, but McDonald's is probably your best dining option there besides the restaurant at El Tovar. There's a steakhouse in Tusayan, but it's overpriced for what it is. Think Shoney's steaks on a Longhorn price.

Edited November 8, 2010 by monkeylizard

[hipower]

Sedona for sure! Beautiful hills, lots of color, woodlands, and desert trails available. If you have a rental, consider a ragtop for the trip. It's a little warm and dusty...but the scenery is worth it.

[Will Carry]

Get a Navajo Taco! Just ask any ranger at the Grand Canyon. When you go to the Grand Canyon go in by the EAST entrance. Do not go in by the south entrance. You will not regret it. By going in by the EAST entrance you get to see the Little Colorado River Canyon and you get a view of the canyon as it is forming. You see desert and awsome panoramic views in a wild setting. If you go in through the south entrance to will see hotels, woods, then canyon. Arizona is awesome for us Tennessee boys. The people are freindly and the scenery is spectacular! There is so much to see in Arizona that you can only scratch the surface in just a few days. All I can say is rent a good car, get a tank of gas and just go where you will. You will only want to come back for more! The Grand Canyon will put you in a trance, you just can't take your eyes off of it. But the forest to the south of the canyon is like being on another planet. Very few people venture in to that forest. The Mountain Lions are Elk fed and big as tigers.

You can run up to Monument Valley, the Escalante Staircase, Zion Canyon, Bryce Canyon, The Mojave Desert!

My wife and I are going back next spring, if we get our bonus at work. Did I say the people were friendly! They are great!

The Navajo Taco: After paying $120 on a "gourmet" meal at El Travor resturant at the Grand Canyon, it was the worst meal I have ever payed for, I asked a park ranger where we could get a good meal for a good price. The all said "Navajo Taco" There is a place on the Navajo Reservation that serves a Navajo Taco. You drive back out the EAST entrance but instead of turning right to go back to Flagstaff you turn left into the desert. I thought this was going to be a dive, but it was truely a first class resturant. $10 for a simple flat bread taco with fresh ingrediance that was the size of your plate. If you look on my avatar, you will see what I could not eat. Very cool place! Out in the middle of the dessert.

Did I say the people were frindly? Arizona is awesome!

Edited November 9, 2010 by Will Carry

[monkeylizard]

Doh!. I forgot about the east entrance. +1 to that. It also puts Sunset Crater on the way, instead of out of the way. You'd take US 89 out of Flagstaff past Sunset Crater and pick up AZ 64.

[Will Carry]

I forgot about Sunset Crater! +1. The drive from the Flagstaff to the EAST entrance in wonderful.

Edited November 9, 2010 by Will Carry

[TGO David]

Oh also I will be carrying my Gun with me along the way as well, Should have posted that too, but then again its a gun forum so should be a given.

You'll be OK there provided you drive TN to AR to OK to TX to NM to AZ. All of those states honor Tennessee's permit, but do yourself a favor and check the gun laws to familiarize yourself with their peculiarities. For example, New Mexico has an absurd clause to the effect that it is illegal to carry more than one firearm on your person under their HCP law. If you typically carry a backup gun, as do I, you're breaking the law by carrying it in addition to your main piece. Yet another reason that New Mexico blows.

Oklahoma allows carry in restaurants that serve alcohol provided they do not post, however there is no standard for how to post. Basically the sign can be 20yds from the front entrance and written in Braille and it's still technically posted. I honestly have no idea if or how many times I broke that law while I was in Oklahoma simply because I quit looking after a while. It was utterly absurd and pointless.

Arizona has their s#!* together when it comes to gun laws. If you don't have one, they issue a loaner to you at the border. If the day comes that you guys notice I have picked up and moved away from our great state of Tennessee, odds are you'll either find me in Arizona or Colorado. Loved both of those states!

And seriously, skip the Grand Canyon. Watch a documentary on it on Discovery and look at people's photos on the 'net. I'll send you mine and you can even tell people you took them. It's really not worth the drive out into the middle of nowhere and totally not worth dealing with the abundance of European tourists. The Grand Canyon is the National Park Service's version of a Disney theme park. A person should only do it once in their life and even then only after ignoring people like me who warned them to skip it.

One problem you're going to have with a visit to the Canyon in the summer is smog. The rangers told us several times how privileged we were to be there on a day when it was cold, raining and sleeting, because the cold crappy-ass weather was giving us a clear view of the canyon floor. Apparently the smog from Vegas and Los Angeles is so bad during the summer that you can't see bottom a lot of the time. They said that February is bar none the best time to be there for clear viewing in all directions.

If you can swing it, take a few days and drive up from Flagstaff to Moab, Utah and enjoy Arches National Park. It's absolutely breathtaking and far more enjoyable than a big ole ditch in the ground.

[Mike.357]

Painted Desert, Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest and stand on a corner in Winslow,

[TGO David]

Here, I'll save you some time... now seriously, skip the Canyon.

And this is why Moab trumps the Grand Canyon...

[TGO David]

Painted Desert, Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest and stand on a corner in Winslow,

Did it. Have the picture to prove it. Sadly there wasn't really such a fine sight to see. No girls, my Lord, in a flatbed ford, slowin' to take a look at me.

[mav]

Those pics are awesome. Will they still allow you to hike down to the bottom of the canyon?

[TGO David]

Those pics are awesome. Will they still allow you to hike down to the bottom of the canyon?

Yes, there are plenty of trails where you can hike down. They strongly urge you to take provisions to camp overnight as it's "not recommended to attempt to hike down and back up in the same day".

[Will Carry]

TGO David

And seriously, skip the Grand Canyon. Watch a documentary on it on Discovery and look at people's photos on the 'net. I'll send you mine and you can even tell people you took them. It's really not worth the drive out into the middle of nowhere and totally not worth dealing with the abundance of European tourists. The Grand Canyon is the National Park Service's version of a Disney theme park. A person should only do it once in their life and even then only after ignoring people like me who warned them to skip it.

I cannot believe you. The Grand Canyon is top natural wonder of the world. The drive alone is worth it. The forest south of the canyon is worth it. There is so much to see out there. You have a problem with Europeans! They are our ancestors! Hell the Japs will out number the Europeans two to one! But the Japs are polite and respectful! There is a great big world out there to see and very little time to see it. The Grand Canyon should not be missed. Every American should see it at least once. It is a National Legacy. One of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. I have been there three times. North Rim , South Rim and I've paddled the Colorado River through the canyon in a kayak. I hope to go back again soon. The Eurpoeans, Japs, Germans, French and Chicoms are a lot more polite and respectful than a lot of us Americans.

Edited November 9, 2010 by Will Carry

[TGO David]

TGO David

I cannot believe you. The Grand Canyon is top natural wonder of the world. The drive alone is worth it. The forest south of the canyon is worth it. There is so much to see out there. You have a problem with Europeans! They are our ancestors! Hell the Japs will out number the Europeans two to one! But the Japs are polite and respectful! There is a great big world out there to see and very little time to see it. The Grand Canyon should not be missed. Every American should see it at least once. It is a National Legacy. One of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. I have been there three times. North Rim , South Rim and I've paddled the Colorado River through the canyon in a kayak. I hope to go back again soon. The Eurpoeans, Japs, Germans, French and Chicoms are a lot more polite and respectful than a lot of us Americans.

Whatever. It wasn't worth the drive out. And "Japs" is a pejorative term bordering on racist depending on who you talk to about it.

[Warbird]

Rte 66 has some neat stuff still just passing through towns. Much of what made it great is now gone. When I was a kid I always enjoyed that trip. Arkansas is a place to stop for gas, as long as you don't stop in Little Rock. Pass right on through there. OK doesn't have much close to the freeway. Personally I really like New Mexico, but not off of I-40. The best part of NM is north of I-40 in Taos, Raton (Whittington Center), Angel Fire and that part of the state. Southern Colorado is also quite beautiful, driving to Durango. To me the drive from Flagstaff to Phoenix is enjoyable. In the Phoenix area, a trip toward Globe is not too far and it is kind of neat.

The Grand Canyon is worth saying you have been there. The best way to enjoy it is really gong in from another more rural direction than from I40. The tourist traffic and crap is for the birds. I do agree the Petrified Forrest and Moab, Arches, and Books Cliffs of Colorado are great and far less congested.

[Mike.357]

my wife agrees with David. She went to the canyon last time out in AZ and was very underwhelmed by it.

[TGO David]

Actually if you want to see an amazing canyon without all of the tourist nonsense, drive up to the Gunnison National Park in Colorado [link] and check out the Black Canyon. It isn't as massive as the Grand Canyon but it is beautiful country up there, and as a bonus you're only about 40 miles from my most favorite town in the country: Ouray, Colorado.

[Guest mustangdave]

Looks like its pretty much covered for ya...there is a MUST SEE for me at the GRAND CANYON....the WEST RIM...SKY WALK...check it out on the interwebz...and New Mexico...if you're driving a car that requires PREMIUM petrol...as mine does...in NM its only 90 octane. Have a good trip

[Warbird]

I agree TGO David, wonderful country. I think oftentimes people are underwhelmed by places like the Canyon because of the views for tourists and the hassle of all of the people. I seek places or views where the number of people can be counted on my hand. In other words me and the friends I am with. The very best views are those not easily attained. For many this isn't convenient or possible. Often my views out there come at a pause on a hunt. A spot to stop and eat lunch and soak in the immense view.

I love the west, have lived there and spent considerable time there.

Wherever you go though just try and enjoy the beauty or uniqueness of that place.

[Justbo1901]

I will be seeing the grand canyon from a helicopter ride and boat ride as well so the argue of all the tourist will not be factor as for both the rides only hold 6 people and there will be 3 of us so half of the tourist will be me and mom and friend. Thanks for the information.

[Warbird]

You WILL have a great time. Enjoy!

[TGO David]

Looks like its pretty much covered for ya...there is a MUST SEE for me at the GRAND CANYON....the WEST RIM...SKY WALK...check it out on the interwebz...and New Mexico...if you're driving a car that requires PREMIUM petrol...as mine does...in NM its only 90 octane. Have a good trip

The sky walk is on the Las Vegas side of the Canyon. Sounds like he'll be visiting from the Flagstaff side. There's about 1.5 - 2 hrs drive time between those two sides.