Texas to SD to Cali

[LOLA0904]

Hi all,
Wow what a great forum. I'm glad to have joined. I'm planning on taking the family from El Paso, Texas to see Mt. Rushmore and then head to Orange County California. I had wanted to take the kids to see the Four Corners monument but I can't figure out if it's better to go thru there on the way up or on the way back. Our time frame is about a week starting from this Friday. Any suggestions on how best to get there or even any good attractions along the way? Thanks in advance to all.

Dolores

[Southwest Dave]

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

On the way up is the smaller diversion but even then I don't think you have the time to do it with a week, as it is you will have very little time at Mt Rushmore or Orange county.
With approx 3300 miles to cover you are already going to be driving 8 hours plus per day with time only for short stops for Gas, food and bathroom breaks and a stretch of the legs so I am not sure where you will find time to add a Four corners diversion. With just one week I would choose either Mt R or Orange county, but not both, and take a slightly different route each way, Mt Rushmore for Four corners.

[Midwest Michael]

I completely agree with Dave, with a week there just is no way that you can see both of those places and have any time to do anything other than to drive all day every day. Even if you pushed your week out to 10 days by taking advantage of both weekends, you'd still be looking at way too much driving to do both.

If you really want to do 4 corners, then I'd do a trip out to California and work it into your route. Since the direct out to Orange County is about a day and a half trip, you'd have time for the detour and still have time to enjoy California. If you go this way, then it would make sense to stop at the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, and/or Mesa Verde - all of which in my opinion are far more interesting than the 4 corners. Since the 4 corners really is just a novelty stop to mark an other wise unremarkable stop, I'd find it to be something to do while in the area, but personally, I wouldn't make a special trip just for that.

Since Mount Rushmore is a solid 2-3 trip each way, that's not going to leave you with as much room for a detour all the way over to 4 corners. However, between the black hills and the badlands, and if you want to spend a little time in Colorado like Pikes Peak or Rocky Mnt NP as you work your way north/south, you'd have no problem filling up a week with that trip either.