30 day, 6500 Mile Western Road Trip - Tentative Route

[Waltz]

Hi Forum,

I have been living in the US for 6 years now getting my Bachelor and Masters. Before I go back to Europe I would like to do one last epic road trip in the Western part of the country. I have road tripped extensively in Europe and have previously done a 7 day 4000 Km (2500 Miles) road trip in the deep south of the US. So I know the trip I am planning is very long and epic, but that is the whole point of it. I want to leave the US with a feeling that I got everything out of it – that I saw all the places I wanted to see and that I have so great stories I can share about this diverse and beautiful country.

I am counting on a 25-30 day trip on a student budget. I am a huge admirer of the diversity and sheer scale that the American nature can offer. I most definitely value the natural destinations over the urban ones, which might help to explain the limited days spent in LA, SF event though I am sure both will knock me off my feet! My brother will join me and left the planning entirely in my hands, neat I know.

Here is my very, very tentative route:

Day 1: Texas – Austin > Carlsbad
Day 2: New Mexico – Carlsbad > Tucson > Yuma
Day 3: Arizona – Yuma > San Diego
Day 4: California – San Diego
Day 5: California – San Diego > Los Angeles
Day 6: California – Los Angeles
Day 7: California – Los Angeles > Death Valley > Yosemite
Day 8: California – Yosemite
Day 9: California – Yosemite > Carson City > Lake Tahoe
Day 10: California – Lake Tahoe > San Francisco
Day 11: California – San Francisco
Day 12: California – San Francisco > Portland
Day 13: Oregon – Portland > Ecola State Park
Day 14: Oregon – Ecola State Park > Seattle
Day 15: Washington – Seattle > Glacier National Park
Day 16: Montana – Glacier National Park
Day 17: Montana – Glacier National Park > Livingston
Day 18: Montana – Livingston > Yellowstone
Day 19: Wyoming – Yellowstone > Grand Teton National Park
Day 20: Wyoming – Grand Teton National Park > Salt Lake City > Moab
Day 21: Utah – Moab > Capitol Reef National Park
Day 22: Utah – Capitol Reef National Park > Grand Staircase > Bryce Canyon
Day 23: Utah – Bryce Canyon > Zion National Park > Oljato, Monument Valley
Day 24: Utah – Oljato, Monument Valley > Four Corners Monument > Durango
Day 25: Colorado – Durango > Albuquerque
Day 26: New Mexico – Albuquerque > Lubbock > Austin


I have earlier driven from Hamburg to Marseilles, Denver to Dallas, Edinburgh to London and Atlanta to New Orleans, Budapest to Berlin in one day, so I know I can make some of these drives even though they undoubtedly will be horrible. So my question is not whether or not I will make it, but more if anyone have some previous experiences with a road trip this long and might have some tips and if anyone had already traveled these parts and would be willing to share some information as to:

Where I should stay longer
Which places I should skip (I am a big western fan so Yuma, Tucson, Carson City, and Monument valley are off limits)
Advice to what sights to see in some of the places
Special road conditions I should be aware of
Wildlife danger in some of these areas - Is it safe to camp in a tent?
Places I have omitted that I shouldn't have (I have already seen Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Flagstaff, Phoenix, Denver, Aspen, Boulder, and Amarillo on other trips so those are off the list).