New York City to Grand Canyon National Park, AZ!

[vladcocos]

Afternoon all,
Me and my wife are planning a camping trip this coming August, from NYC to Grand Canyon, AZ. It will be a 2 weeks trip, with 4 days going, 4 days returning and the remaining 6 days to do trails in Grand Canyon National Park, and Monument Valley, UT (about 3 hours drive from Grand Canyon). The car I'm driving is a 2007 Honda Fit with 70k miles on it, but in very good shape with all the maintenance done on time, and most of the miles are highway miles. I'm planning to drive around 600 miles a day, and mostly camp at nigh, if the weather permits it, and if not maybe a motel. I'm a 33 years old, and the longest trip I've done so far driving, is this passed summer a camping trip from Acadia National Park, ME, to Okefenokee Wildlife Reserve, GA, around 1500 miles one way and we did it in 12 days. I would be the only driver, since the car is manual, and my wife doesn't drive manual, and I'm just a bit concerned that 600 miles/day may be too much for 4 consecutive days. Since this trip is around 2000 miles longer then the one I did last year, and with only 2 days extra, I would very much appreciate some input and thoughts from those more experienced. Thank you kindly.

[Southwest Dave]

Hello and welcome to RTA !

Six hundred miles a day for multiple days is right on the limit of what would be deemed safe, but having to set up camp and break it down every day is going to make it real tough.

I would plan on at least an extra day each way to slow the pace and make the journey a more enjoyable affair instead of a job. I think it would make for a much better trip as a whole. One way you could go into Utah along scenic I70 and camp in Arches NP for example and then drive through Monument valley to [or from] Grand canyon. You could possibly get to Denver in 3 days with one or two hotel stays and then slow up. Taking another route on the way home you could spend a little time around Albuquerque and/or St Louis, but there are many other options.

You might just end up arriving at GC to tired to enjoy it for a day or 2, so pacing yourselves is a better option imo. Four days at Grand canyon would be a good amount of time [longer than most ] and if you wanted to, you could cut it down more and see some of the other great areas you will be driving through.