Las Vegas - July 2008

[beforethirty]

Hello all

I haven't posted on this site since September 06 when I was asking for advice on a roadtrip from Vegas to San Fran for our honeymoon. We had a fantastic time and although Vegas and San Fran were excellent, the roadtrip (which was a bit of an afterthought) turned out to be the real highlight of the trip.

As we had the post-xmas and new year blues today, and are having to go back to work tomorrow morning, we decided to be a bit impulsive and plan another roadtrip. We loved this area of the US, and really enjoyed Vegas, so we've decided to use that as a base. We've booked flights out to Vegas on the 1st July and return two weeks later on the 15th July. We'll rent a car (with air conditioning...) for the entire two weeks. We'd like to spend maybe three days at the start and three days at the end of the trip staying in Vegas (and will probably day trip to places like Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam etc.

I won't ask what the weather is like (hot, I imagine...) but I was wondering what you seasoned roadtrippers would do with the 7 or so days as a roadtrip? The 'must dos' are the Grand Canyon, Death Valley (fell in love with that place last time) and possibly Yosomite again.

But as for other areas, every national park just looks spectacular: Joshua, Mojave, Anza-Borrego, Zion, Glen Canyon... the list seems endless. I believe I posted a quick thank you last September after our last holiday but it's worth telling you guys again that the advice we got from here really made our trip, so any more nuggests of information would be very gratefully received.

So sorry for all the questions, but:

What type of round trip would you guys take to start in Vegas and end in Vegas around seven days later?
Any must sees on the way?
Any great hotels? (the Amargosa Hotel in Shoshone looks a rather wonderful place)
Any bits that actually are not worth going to?
Should we just spend 14 days eating buffets in Vegas?! (think I know the answer to that one).

Thanks in advance!
John

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome Back to the RTA Forum!

Since your last trip focused on the highlights to the west of Vegas, I think I'd head east this time. I'd be looking at a loop that might include some or all of the following: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Mesa Verde, Monument Valley, and the Grand Canyon.

With two weeks you could fit most those places into a very nice trip, and even through in a Daytrip to Death Valley from Las Vegas if you so desired.

Of course, if you decided to just pig out on the Vegas buffets, I know I wouldn't blame you.

[gretchen01]

John -- Welcome back! I'd second the motion to go east this time. We live in Los Angeles and visit the National Parks in Utah nearly every year, and there's no more dramatic scenery on earth. But two cautions -- July is a busy vacation time, so you will probably want to make reservations. And it's very, very, very hot in the desert in July, so carry at least a gallon of fluids per person in your trunk.

Here's how I'd spend a week.

Day 1: I-15 to St. George, Utah. Stop here at the Wal-Mart for supplies -- it's just the right distance for a stretch break. Then pick up Hwy 9 to Springdale, at the west edge of Zion National Park. Stay in Springdale for the night.

Day 2: Hwy 9 east through Zion -- stunning view of red rock country right from the road. Then US 89 north to Hwy 12 east, passing through a small slice of Bryce Canyon National Park, into Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, to Boulder, Utah. Boulder was the last place in America to receive its mail by mule train (back in the 1940's), and it's still very remote, with no ATMs or cell phone coverage. Stay at the Boulder Mountain Lodge and eat at the Hell's Backbone Grill on the property -- both very luxurious and tailor-made for a second honeymoon!

Day 3: North on 89 to Torrey, then Hwy 24 east through Capitol Reef National Park, one of our newest, most scenic, and least crowded NPs. Pick up I-70 east to US-191 south to Moab, and stay there. Moab is a mecca for outdoor sports. In town, you'll pick up all the crowds you didn't see at Capitol Reef, but the parks are so big that they don't seem crowded to me.

Day 4: Driving tour or hike in Arches National Park; stay another night in Moab.

Day 5: Driving tour or hike in Canyonlands National Park; stay one more night in Moab.

Day 6: US-191 south, to US-160 west, to US-89 south, to Hwy 64 to Grand Canyon. Stay nearby.

Day 7: Return to Las Vegas via US-180 south, I-40 west, US-93 north.

Enjoy your trip! It's one of our favorites. -- Gretchen

[Midwest Michael]

That's a great itinerary Gretchen, thanks for sharing it! The intel on Boulder is exceptionally cool.

[beforethirty]

A big thank you for your advice on this. We have spent the past few weeks looking at maps and towns and I’ve come to the conclusion that planning roadtrips is almost as fun as the actually holiday. I know it is clichéd, but it’s weird looking back at travel before the internet isn’t it? Google earth, Google maps, tripadvisor, forums like this… all so useful.

Anyway, I thought I would share our itinerary for our two weeks at the beginning of July. Feel free to comment and it’d be fantastic if anyone could recommend fun places to eat, stock up etc. on the way.

July 1st – 3rd.
Staying at a cheapy hotel in Vegas and do day trips – Red Rock Canyon on the 2nd, then up to Valley of Fire national park on the 3rd with a drive down Highway 167 on the way back.

July 4th
Check out of Vegas, spend the day mooching around the Mojave National Preserve and stay the night in a rather cowboy-esq place in Twentynine Palms.

July 5th
Get up nice and early, spend the day looking around the Joshua Tree park, come back up Highway 10 through LA but then take the winding Sunset Blvd all the way to the coast and drive up the Pacific Coast highway, ending up rather late in the cheapest motel in the world in Lompoc.

July 6th
Spend the day driving up Highway 1, Big Sur road and stay the night in Gilroy. This is probably one our shortest driving days, so I just wondered if people had any recommendations of places to stop on the way up this rather fantastic looking road? Good place to stop for lunch?

July 7th
Set off very early from Gilroy for a rather long drive over to Yosemite, over the Tioga Pass. Maybe stop in Bishop for a bit of dinner then take the 168 / 266 / 95 all the way over to Beatty to stay in a ridiculously cheap, casino hotel in Beatty. We realise that this 500-odd mile day will be a bit of a long one!

July 8th
Spend the day going from North to South in Death Valley. When we went through DV on our honeymoon for one day we had never done any type of road trip before and we quite nervous about getting lost, getting stranded and not knowing how long it would take us from one side to the other. So we ended up not exploring DV as much as we would have liked.

Just wondered whether people could advise on definite things that we would want to see?

We will then drive back down and stay in Vegas on the night of the 8th.

July 9th
Spend the day lounging by the pool in Vegas and getting fleeced at various blackjack tables.

July 10th
Set off very early from Vegas and drive up to Zion National park for the day. Maybe do a bit of hiking and spend the night at Cedar City.

July 11th
Get up at the crack of dawn and head over to Bryce Canyon via 14, 89 then 12. Spend the day driving down then back up the park then spend the evening driving the long way to Grand Canyon on the 89 then the 64.

July 12th
Day at the Grand Canyon.

July 13th
Morning at Grand Canyon then travel back over to Vegas via the 180, 64 and through Hoover Dam.

July 14th
Day in Vegas

July 15th
Fly home and be depressed.

Any comments, recommendations, warnings most welcome!

John

[Matt_UK]

Hi

I have no information or useful hints to add but just want to say thanks to everyone for posting up all your great tips. I'm planning to visit a few of the sites mentioned this summer and its such a help being able to read all your itineries and helpful hints. This is the first trip i've planned myself an I really am enjoying every minute of it. This site is an absolute God send. Just cant wait to get on the road now. I'm literally buzzing after reading through all these posts, I cant bloody wait! Hope you have a great roadtrip John. Thanks once again...

Matt

[beforethirty]

Just wondered if they were any Death Valley experts on the forum? Or non-experts on Death Valley for that matter!

I posted up the roadtrip me and the missus have booked in the first two weeks of July here and we're pretty happy with our route, although as I said in that post any advice or recommendations are more than welcome!

I just wondered whether there was anyone on here who could kindly answer a couple of questions about days 7 and 8 of our trip around Death Valley. On day 7 we're going to get up at the crack of dawn and leave our hotel in Gilroy, CA and make our way directly to Yosemite and plan to get in to the park for around 10am and spend a good chunk of the day there before going pretty much non-stop to our hotel in Beatty, NV ready to spend the next day in Death Valley (day 8). On that day we're going to do all the 'normal' death valley sights, from Scotty's Castle and Ubehebe at the top then driving south checking out sights, through Shoshone and back down to Vegas for the night. So, the questions...

1) Once we get out of Yosemite there seems to be two options across to Beatty. There's the 120, then the 6, then picking up the 95 down to Beatty. Or there is the route down to Big Pine, then the 168, 266 then joining the 95 again. I know both or much of a muchness distance and time-wise, but how about scenary-wise? We will also be on this road in the evening time and is either 'safer' than the other in terms of breaking down We're there early July and I have visions of us being eaten by vultures on a deserted road. The safety tips on here have been very useful though and we took enough water to fill a small swimming pool last time in Death Valley.

2) We really fancy a beer at the Santa Fe Saloon in Goldfield just north of Beatty. Is it going to live up to my expectations?!

3) We've read about the temps in Death Valley at this time and we will be prepared. But the one thing I have read about is cars that are not equiped for that type of heat and simply will not restart once the engine has been turned off. We have reserved a Jeep Liberty for the whole trip, so I presume this will be okay? We're not planning on leaving any of the major roads (aside from the place in question 4) so would I be right in thinking that the park won't exactly be deserted during the first two weeks of July?

4) I really fancy a visit to the Keane Wonder Mill. I imagine that our Jeep will be able to make it to the parking lot, but is it a long trek to the actual remains of the mill? Again, I have images of vultures when I think of trekking anywhere...

5) Our hotel in Beatty is, obviously, only a few miles from Ryholite and I'd love to take a quick trip over there in the car during the night to see this fantastic place in the moonlight. Is this a rather foolish idea?

Thanks in advance for any help! If anyone ever wants ideas and advice for a roadtrip around Salford, UK I'd be more than happy to help, but I can't really see that situation arising.

John

[Mark Sedenquist]

Just wondered if they were any Death Valley experts on the forum?

I will try and drop in later -- but here are some of our field reports from this area.

Mark

[Midwest Michael]

leave our hotel in Gilroy, CA and make our way directly to Yosemite and plan to get in to the park for around 10am and spend a good chunk of the day there before going pretty much non-stop to our hotel in Beatty, NV

I really don't think step one is going to be possible, and even if it were, it just doesn't make much sense.

Gilroy to Beatty, via Yosemite is 450 miles, and none of it is freeway. In fact the vast majority is going to be curvy, 2 lane roads, including a trek across the Sierra where you are going to be stuck behind RVs and other slow moving vehicles. If you can cover the distance, I don't see any way that you'll have time to spend any time in the Yosemite Valley.

Regardless, going all the way to Beatty is kind of silly, since it takes you essentially have to bypass Death Valley to get there. Even if you weren't already pushing daylight, it simply makes a lot more sense to stay somewhere along US-395.

2) We really fancy a beer at the Santa Fe Saloon in Goldfield just north of Beatty. Is it going to live up to my expectations?!

I don't really know anything about this place, but I guess the obvious question here is: what are your expectations?

one thing I have read about is cars that are not equiped for that type of heat and simply will not restart once the engine has been turned off.

I've never heard of this, and unless you've overheated the car to the point where you've cracked the engine block, I don't see this as a likely problem. If you are driving a rental car, you really shouldn't have any issues.

[beforethirty]

I really don't think step one is going to be possible, and even if it were, it just doesn't make much sense.

Gilroy to Beatty, via Yosemite is 450 miles, and none of it is freeway. In fact the vast majority is going to be curvy, 2 lane roads, including a trek across the Sierra where you are going to be stuck behind RVs and other slow moving vehicles. If you can cover the distance, I don't see any way that you'll have time to spend any time in the Yosemite Valley.

You make a valid point and we will have a rethink on this, possibly spending the night in somewhere like Independence and enter Death Valley through the West side.

With regard to our original plan, our idea was to leave Gilroy at about 6.30am and aim to get to Yosemite at around 10am. Yosemite is the one place on our trip that we've been to before so we simply planned to drive through and stop for somewhere for lunch, maybe spending up to 5 hours there, coming out the other side at around 4pm. Then we were thinking (perhaps wrongly!) that we could then travel over to Beatty by 8pm / 9pm and then have the whole day in Death Valley the following day. Are those timescales slightly optomistic?