Route from San Francisco to Monument Valley

[jenko]

Hello,
I'm just planning a car route for next week. We have a total of 15 days and are thinking of doing the following:
- Day 1 - Arrival in San Francisco
- Day 2,3 - Visit San Francisco
- Days 4,5 - Trip to Las Vegas passing from Death Valley
- Day 6 - Visit Las Vegas
- Days 7, 8, 9 - Trip to Flagstaff and Grand Canyon (staying in Flagstaff)
- Days 10, 11, 12 - From Flagstaff to Monument Valley
- Days 13, 14, 15 - Return to San Francisco

I would like your help to check if my planning makes sense and your suggestions on the places to stay along the route, specifically from San Francisco to Death Valley (Day 4), from Flagstaff to Monument Valley (Days 10 to 12) and from Monument Valley back to San Francisco (days 13 to 15).

Thank you very much for your help.

Bye,
Jenko

[PNW Judy]

Welcome to the Roadtrip America forum.

This post has links to discussions that should answer the great majority of your questions.

I think the days you've allotted to each leg of your trip gives you a lot of time to enjoy the places you'll be seeing. You really don't need three days for the Flagstaff-Monument Valley leg. You might consider taking one of those days and either adding it to your time in Las Vegas or to the Monument Valley-San Francisco leg so you can enjoy the coast a bit more.

[jenko]

Thanks for your reply. I will read the other posts...

Regards,
Jenko

[PNW Judy]

Come on back and keep asking questions as you're planning so we can help you tweak things and create a great trip!

[huskylives]

Sounds like a nice, relaxing trip. I would recommend, as long as you're already visiting Monument Valley, to take some time to see some of the fantastic parks in southern Utah. Zion isn't far from the northern rim of the Grand Canyon and is a really beautiful park. Escalante Staircase National Monument is another great place, or so I here -- haven't made it to that one yet.

[jenko]

Yes, I have seen Zion in my guide, but I was thinking that maybe I prefer to have more time to feel the atmosphere of the places rather than seeing more things... but maybe when we are there we will change our mind and visit Zion too.. it really looks nice indeed.

Thanks for your help. If you need help for routes in Spain and Italy just ask.

Bye,
Jenko

[Mark Sedenquist]

In December, I spent about a week in one small section of Monument Valley, and was quite content. The museum at the Gouldings Lodge is actually quite good.

Here is a possible route in the Monument Valley area that you would find helpful.

And if you want a really great experience -- I stayed in a native American-built Hogan when I was in Monument Valley -- it's not inexpensive -- but it is very, very, cool. More information here about the FireTree Inn. The hosts are incredibly welcoming and you will never have a similar experience anywhere else.

Mark

[Southwest Dave]

Hello,
I'm just planning a car route for next week. We have a total of 15 days and are thinking of doing the following:
- Day 1 - Arrival in San Francisco
- Day 2,3 - Visit San Francisco
- Days 4,5 - Trip to Las Vegas passing from Death Valley
- Day 6 - Visit Las Vegas
- Days 7, 8, 9 - Trip to Flagstaff and Grand Canyon (staying in Flagstaff)
- Days 10, 11, 12 - From Flagstaff to Monument Valley
- Days 13, 14, 15 - Return to San Francisco

I would like your help to check if my planning makes sense and your suggestions on the places to stay along the route, specifically from San Francisco to Death Valley (Day 4), from Flagstaff to Monument Valley (Days 10 to 12) and from Monument Valley back to San Francisco (days 13 to 15).

Thank you very much for your help.

Bye,
Jenko

Hi there, it looks like a lovely trip you have planned.

Firstly i would definately recommend stopping at least one night in yosemite n.p. between San Fran and Death valley.

From M/V back to San Fran,other than back tracking, i would say the two options would be to either go through Page and head for zion n.p. [i see it has been mentioned] and get on hwy 15 through St George before heading northerly to Tonopah via the E.T. highway and Warm springs which would then take you back through yosemite to San Fran.

Or you could head back to Flagstaff and get on hwy 40 [possibly diverting onto part of the original route '66] to Barstow and onto Bakersfield [or take the mountain drive through the lovely kern valley as an option]. From Bakersfield a trip up hwy 65 to Exeter and onto the 198 through Lemon cove and Three rivers will lead you onto the Generals highway and a lovely drive to the Giants forest and the massive sequoia trees,including the "General" the largest living thing on earth.

Have a great trip!

[jenko]

head back to flagstaff and get on hwy 40 [possibly divert onto part of the original route '66] to barstow and onto bakersfield [or take the mountain drive through the lovely kern valley as an option]. from bakersfield a trip up hwy 65 to exeter and onto the 198 through lemon cove and three rivers will lead you onto the generals highway and a lovely drive to the giants forest and the massive sequoia trees,including the "general" the largest living thing on earth.

Thanks for the suggestions. I have changed a little bit my route and now it is the following.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=e...1,6.240234&z=8

Bye,
Jenko

[Southwest Dave]

I have looked at your route and you are in for a truly wonderfull time! We done a 15day trip starting and finishing in San Francisco over the same time period. If you are still looking for ideas then our trip report may help as it covers a lot of the same ground.

If your trip is still at the planning stage,I personally think it would be worth considering going from vegas to zion/bryce and then through Page to Monument Valley before Flagstaff and the Grand canyon which would give you a good run on HWY 40 towards Bakersfield, as opposed to going up and down through Vegas twice.

Another thought is that once you have visited Grand canyon from flagstaff it will save time by leaving from the East entrance to visit M/V rather than returning to Flagstaff. [Or enter this way if you change your route].This is the Desert view drive which is a big part of the south rim experience and has great views all the way along,it will also leave you a lot less miles to cover as opposed to doubling back before setting off to m/v. We stayed here between these places.

As you are visting a number of National parks it would almost certainly benefit you financially to purchase one of their yearly passes which allows you access to all the parks for a one off fee. These can be obtained from the park entrance,or as you are spending time in San Fran, they have a store on Pier '39 [which is worth visiting anyway]where you can get lots of info and purchase your pass. they are very helpfull and will tell you if thats best for you. While we are on the subject of National parks, if you can find an extra night i personally would head East from San Fran to Yosemite and down HWY 395 to Death valley, it is a stunning place to see.

Which ever way you choose, you will be in for a fantastic time and we'd love to here how your trip turned out on your return. :-)