Advice please

[GoldenOrb]

Ladies and Gents,
Ive booked a flight to LA for next year and plan to do the drive from there to see some friends in MN.
Now Im planning to go through Vegas, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Colorado, Mt Rushmore, Sioux Falls, well in that general direction...

Can anyone think of any places along that line that would be a "must do" on my trip??

If anyone is in or near those areas (in Sept) and wants to catch up for a coffee let me know

Thanks

[Killjoy]

As long as you're already driving through Arizona, and past The Grand Canyon, there are a couple other things you should plan on seeing.
In Page Arizona, you can see Horseshoe Bend. This was taken from the rim, 1000 feet above the waterline.


And a little further into town you must see Antelope Canyon.

[GoldenOrb]

Thanks Alan, I did contemplate Horseshoe Bend to start with but hesitated that it may take me to long to get there and back on track. Must say it definitely looks worth it though. Damn it you've got me thinking again ;)

[danchez]

Arches National Park

[lfmerrell]

Valley of Fire State Park about 30 miles from Las Vegas. Truly awesome equal to and also surpasses many national parks. Is on the way toward Zion as I recall.

[lfmerrell]

Driving from L.A. To Las Vegas you should possibly be able to route through Death Valley.

If you are heading toward Monument Valley heading south from Bryce Canyon and findyourself on Highway 95 a very interesting shortcut to Monument Valley is Utah 261 the Moki-Dugway a descent of 1,100 feet in three miles. You can see the eastern orations of Valley.

My serious suggestion is download Google Earth plot your trip segments on that then use the Fly to Feature to appreciate the landform in 3D. Also, there are links to embedded fotos of scenery along the way. Also the highway driving has spectacular vistas especially between Bryce Canyon and Monument .
A daughter and I did the Dallas- Death Valley - Valley of Fire - Zion - Bryce - Moki Dugway - Monument Valley and then back to the Dallas, Tx this past September as total drive of seven days.


The highest altitude I recall on that drive was around 9,800 feet ASL.

[studiocygnet]

I always respond to this question by saying one of my all time favorite places to photograph is Great Sand Dunes Ntl. Park, in southern Colorado.

[GoldenOrb]

Guys you have given me some great places to consider. Thanks.

Ive been trying to get around to doing this trip for about the last 2 years so appreciate anything you can offer me

[snydersnapshots]

+1 on the Arches suggestion.

Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs is a good one if you're passing through the area. And of course there's Pikes Peak.

As you drive down around the west side of Mount Rushmore, there's a turnout that allows you to see the profile of George Washington. In the evening they put on a program and light the monument (the program itself is well worth an evening visit). The night we were there it was clear with a full moon. I pulled off and got this shot of George Washington's profile in the moonlight.

They shut the lights off at 10:30, just as I was getting set up, so this is shot with moonlight only (Unfortunately I was new to digital and didn't understand the concept of noise, so I shot it at the highest ISO. A retake is on my list of things to do).

And...if it doesn't take you more than 5 or 10 miles out of your way, don't forget the world's largest ball of twine in Cawker City, Kansas. (Yes, we stopped. No, it wasn't more than 5 miles out of our way...)

[Buddha]

I'm not sure if you can pass through Mesa Verde in Southern Colorado. If you do, then go 1 hour to Durango and take Co 550, the Million Dollar Highway north to Gunnison. Its a beautiful drive.
If you decide to do that, try to get a room on the Mesa. Otherwise the nearest town, Cortez is an hour away with a half hour drive up to the mesa at the end. Rooms in parks are reasonable for the area the park is in because they are price controlled so don't dismiss them outright. A room on the mesa where you can see 50 miles in the starlight is awesome.
To keep this going, if you need to make time from Gunnison, there is an interstate north of there that can take to one going north to Wyoming where you can head east to Mt. Rushmore.
Just ideas to consider, but I've travelled most of that area on a bike so I'm familiar with it that way.

[GoldenOrb]

Thanks everyone, you all have given me some great options on places to see. Really really looking forward to it

[z-monster]

Originally Posted by snydersnapshots

Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs is a good one if you're passing through the area. And of course there's Pikes Peak.

Agreed!

[GoldenOrb]

Nice shot Justin!

[SCone]

Might work better if you post your route. Doesn't need to be specific, but enough to see where you'll be passing. Then we can try to keep you on course.

[lfmerrell]

Just a caution if he is a sea level Australian it may be fair to have him adjust to the heights as he travels. The basic is sleep low visit high. Couple days at 6,000 ft before hitting the 14,000+ of Pikes Peak or the 11,600
or so of Molmas Pass and Silverton.
Density altitudes may be considerably lower in the winter than the physical measured above sea level.

Just a caution I tend to be a worrier and get worried when there is nothing to cause concern.

Altitude Sickness – Symptoms and Prevention | Colorado Outing.com
>>>When visiting areas in Colorado 8,000 ft. or higher, about 25% of vacationers may experience high altitude effects. For those not accustomed to high altitude, extended exposure may increase your chances of acquiring altitude sickness.<<<