Need Suggestions for Road Trip from Portland, OR to Austin, TX

[snarula003]

I plan to drive my 2015 Toyota Corolla and thinking of giving 5 days to the trip. My plan is to start the trip on 26th June 2016 and planning to reach Austin on 30th June 2016. With 2 drivers for this road trip, do you think it's a reasonable time frame or should I add one more day? Which cities I should have an overnight stay? My friend and myself (both of us in our 20s) would like to explore a little bit of the states we will cross (esp. Utah's national parks), so any tips/suggestions for not-to-miss places/things will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Shweta

[Midwest Michael]

5 days will give you enough time to make the drive, and do a little bit of exploring. You'd need 4 solid days to cover the miles on what works out to be roughly a 2,000 mile trip.

For overnights, I'd spend the first night in Twin Falls, ID, with the goal of making Moab on day 2. I'd spend all of day 3 exploring the Moab area, either spending a second night there, or possibly making your way a bit farther south towards Monument Valley or Cortez CO. Day 4, you'd need to get to at least Santa Rosa, NM, to make it to Austin on Day 5.

[landmariner]

Driving along MM's suggesting routing takes you right by Mesa Verde National Park (near Cortez, CO), a jewel of a park and indigenous historical site.

Taking an elbow route west from Monticello, UT, can take you on a nice round detour via Natural Bridges National Monument (take a short 2-3 hr hike while you are there), to the Moki Dugway, down through Monument Valley (point towards Kayenta, AZ) and then head towards Cortez, CO or to New Mexico and Austin. If you are planning a round-trip than you can do a snippet of those routes in both directions. Not a boring drive!

Santa Rosa has a nice inexpensive motel, La Mesa Motel. Basic, but spotless and inexpensive.