St Louis to Hays, KS (no e in Hays) is easily done. You'll need some cash for the brief section of turnpike on the eastern side of Kansas...I think it was around $3 this past summer. Hays has a lot of hotels in every budget. The last time we stayed in Hays, it was at Choice's Sleep Inn. This past summer we enjoyed a delicious breakfast (but not socially distant) at Pheasant Run. It's been around for years.

I'm voting with Mark over the beauty of I-70. It's definitely our favorite way of traveling between our current home in San Diego County, and our daughter's place in mid-Missouri. If the weather will permit you to travel through Colorado and Utah on I-70, it's worth it!

As far as the Utah parks are concerned -- they're not called "the Mighty Five" for no reason! From Moab you could easily get to Arches and the northern end of Canyonlands NP. Capitol Reef is along UT-24. Zion and Bryce are in the other end of the state. Are you planning to stop at the Grand Canyon's South Rim on the way back, since it's only an hour from I-40? (The North Rim is usually closed by this time of year anyway, but had its troubles this past summer due to aging facilities, construction, and COVID-19.)

This year, you might want to take the precautions of bringing your own masks, hand sanitizer, and either wear gloves while fueling up or use hand sanitizer right afterward.


Donna