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Taking a trip in July...need sight seeing suggestions


RC K9
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Alright CR, my dad booked a guided fly fishing tour on the Snake River in Swan Valley, ID. We will be fly fishing on the Snake River with some guides for a couple days, the the other days we are on our own, (which I am fine with since I prefer doing my own exploring on smaller streams).

 

That being said, my wife (Amanda) and I are dumping the kids with the grand parents back in Columbus, my sister is house sitting and keeping an eye on our dog, and Amanda and I are making a road trip of it. She does photography as a hobby and I am trying to make sure she gets put into situations where she can get some great pics.

 

1st day we will drive from Ft Worth, TX to Glorieta, NM, (just outside Santa Fe).

 

2nd day we will be exploring Santa Fe National Forest, more specifically, Holy Ghost Creek area as I have wanted to take a stab at fishing this small stream since I read the book about it as a kid.

 

3rd day leave Glorieta, NM and arrive in Fruita, CO, not far from Grand Junction. Well, obviously while i'm in CO, I am going to enjoy taking advantage of some of their more recently passed legislation. :)

 

4th day explore Grand Junction Area. This is where we need suggestions. What should we see while we are there pertaining to the outdoors?

 

5th-7th day take off from GJ in the morning and late morning/early afternoon wind up in Park City, UT. I have a buddy that lives not far from SLC so we will be meeting up with him. He does a lot a biking and hiking, and his buddy gives fishing tours. I'm not looking for a tour, but I asked if he could provide some suggestions on where to look for smaller streams to fish. At some point I have to eat/drink at High West Distillery as I LOVE their Whiskeys, and i'm sure he will have some suggestions on things to do outside of drinking/fishing/hiking, but i'd also like CR's opinion if you guys have suggestions on things to see. Prefer outdoor related as opposed to civilization related, but am open to any suggestion you feel strong enough about.

 

So basically, 1 Full day in NM that I have planned.

 

1 Full Day in Grand Junction, CO

 

2 Full Days in Park City, UT

 

End up at Swan Valley, ID for 5 days.

 

And a whole lot of driving.

 

So bring on the suggestions!

 

Also, side note, we are giving this whole Air BnB thing a try. Hoping to not get raped and/or murdered by anyone.

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I would highly recommend you visit Sedona. I've been a lot of places but those were the best views I've seen. The winding roads going up through the red rocks are amazing. I know you saw my thread with pics. Those don't remotely do it justice. You won't be disappointed :thumbup:

 

I'm already in the works for planning another trip out there next year and I cannot wait!

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Do some downhill mountain biking in Park City! It's only like $100 a day for a full DH bike and lift pass. I'd recommend Deer Valley. They have all different levels of trails...

 

I'm actually going to be having your brother show us around. I plan on doing some fishing there as Utah has some amazing trout fishing streams among other things.

 

Also definitely going to High West Distillery to eat and drink while i'm there.

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I'm actually going to be having your brother show us around. I plan on doing some fishing there as Utah has some amazing trout fishing streams among other things.

 

Also definitely going to High West Distillery to eat and drink while i'm there.

 

Ah okay, well he knows where all the good shit is. There are some cool, short, hikes to a few really neat waterfalls in that area if you're down with that too. Donut hole was pretty cool!

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Sounds like you'll be taking U.S. 550 in Colorado south of Grand Junction, this alone will be worth the trip. I can't offer specifics to help but have been through the region many times and it is amazing, you're going to have a great time and I'm jealous.
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Sounds like you'll be taking U.S. 550 in Colorado south of Grand Junction, this alone will be worth the trip. I can't offer specifics to help but have been through the region many times and it is amazing, you're going to have a great time and I'm jealous.

 

So I have our trip there mapped out.

 

Fort Worth to Glorieta, NM (Not far from Santa Fe) will be 287 to 40)

 

Glorieta to Fruita, CO (just outside Grand Junction) actually has me taking 285 N to 70W. I debated taking the 550 route, but I kind of wanted to reach a little further north in CO, and this will take my up close to Breckenridge. I have a feeling CO is going to be a state I have to revisit several times in my future if I am blessed with the ability to do so. It looks like there is just so much to see there.

 

 

Fruita to Park City, UT will be 70w to US-6 W. Only about a 4.5hr drive so should have plenty of time to stop and see anything that looks intriguing along the way. I am excited to check out High West Distillery, and we are spending 2 full days here to hike and fish as Utah has some amazing small stream trout fishing.

 

Then from Park City we will take 89N on up to Swan Valley, ID where we will be for 5 days.

 

I am still trying to decide on our route back. I basically have 5 days available to me to get from Swan Valley to home. The quickest route being through the SW corner of Wyoming, through Denver, small section of OK, Amarillo, etc. About 20hrs of driving, or 2 days. I am debating on going from Swan Valley to Flagstaff, see the Grand Canyon as i'd have always thought pictures can never do something like that justice. That's about 12hr drive. Spend a full day or two, then go from Flagstaff through Albuquerque and on home, which is about 13.5hrs.

 

I debated going from SV to Vegas for a day, then over to Flagstaff, but I don't know that I want to do all that just to spend one day in Vegas. I'd rather just make that a dedicated trip sometime.

 

I've been checking out that road trippers app and there is some pretty neat stuff on it.

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I debated going from SV to Vegas for a day, then over to Flagstaff, but I don't know that I want to do all that just to spend one day in Vegas. I'd rather just make that a dedicated trip sometime.

 

In my experience, Vegas isn't worth going to just by itself, at least not from all the way in Ohio. I wouldn't recommend anyone stay in Vegas longer than 2 nights honestly. It's best to pair Vegas up with another trip IMO.

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So I have our trip there mapped out.

 

Fort Worth to Glorieta, NM (Not far from Santa Fe) will be 287 to 40)

 

Glorieta to Fruita, CO (just outside Grand Junction) actually has me taking 285 N to 70W. I debated taking the 550 route, but I kind of wanted to reach a little further north in CO, and this will take my up close to Breckenridge. I have a feeling CO is going to be a state I have to revisit several times in my future if I am blessed with the ability to do so. It looks like there is just so much to see there.

 

 

Fruita to Park City, UT will be 70w to US-6 W. Only about a 4.5hr drive so should have plenty of time to stop and see anything that looks intriguing along the way. I am excited to check out High West Distillery, and we are spending 2 full days here to hike and fish as Utah has some amazing small stream trout fishing.

 

Then from Park City we will take 89N on up to Swan Valley, ID where we will be for 5 days.

 

I am still trying to decide on our route back. I basically have 5 days available to me to get from Swan Valley to home. The quickest route being through the SW corner of Wyoming, through Denver, small section of OK, Amarillo, etc. About 20hrs of driving, or 2 days. I am debating on going from Swan Valley to Flagstaff, see the Grand Canyon as i'd have always thought pictures can never do something like that justice. That's about 12hr drive. Spend a full day or two, then go from Flagstaff through Albuquerque and on home, which is about 13.5hrs.

 

I debated going from SV to Vegas for a day, then over to Flagstaff, but I don't know that I want to do all that just to spend one day in Vegas. I'd rather just make that a dedicated trip sometime.

 

I've been checking out that road trippers app and there is some pretty neat stuff on it.

 

The good part of U.S.550 is south of Grand Junction so that would be a detour for you.

 

I-70 west of Denver from Breckenridge to Eagle Creek is amazing, you'll see what I mean.

 

Once in Utah you're going to be so damn close to Moab, worth the detour if you ask me, nothing else like it.

 

On the way back, come down through Utah and catch 89 in Logan, UT. Logan is a nice town but 89 from there up to Bear Lake is one hell of a road. From there you could drop back down 30 through Kemmerer to I-80 in Wyoming. Taken this route many times and love it...

 

or from Swan Valley you're just a few mins from the Grand Tetons, take 31 to 33 and over to 191 in Jackson, again the scenery is nothing short of amazing in the Tetons.

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So I have our trip there mapped out.

 

Fort Worth to Glorieta, NM (Not far from Santa Fe) will be 287 to 40)

 

Glorieta to Fruita, CO (just outside Grand Junction) actually has me taking 285 N to 70W. I debated taking the 550 route, but I kind of wanted to reach a little further north in CO, and this will take my up close to Breckenridge. I have a feeling CO is going to be a state I have to revisit several times in my future if I am blessed with the ability to do so. It looks like there is just so much to see there.

 

 

Fruita to Park City, UT will be 70w to US-6 W. Only about a 4.5hr drive so should have plenty of time to stop and see anything that looks intriguing along the way. I am excited to check out High West Distillery, and we are spending 2 full days here to hike and fish as Utah has some amazing small stream trout fishing.

 

Then from Park City we will take 89N on up to Swan Valley, ID where we will be for 5 days.

 

I am still trying to decide on our route back. I basically have 5 days available to me to get from Swan Valley to home. The quickest route being through the SW corner of Wyoming, through Denver, small section of OK, Amarillo, etc. About 20hrs of driving, or 2 days. I am debating on going from Swan Valley to Flagstaff, see the Grand Canyon as i'd have always thought pictures can never do something like that justice. That's about 12hr drive. Spend a full day or two, then go from Flagstaff through Albuquerque and on home, which is about 13.5hrs.

 

I debated going from SV to Vegas for a day, then over to Flagstaff, but I don't know that I want to do all that just to spend one day in Vegas. I'd rather just make that a dedicated trip sometime.

 

I've been checking out that road trippers app and there is some pretty neat stuff on it.

 

Grand Canyon gets my vote for sure. We did the rim to rim hike through the canyon but even just seeing it was a lifetime experience it's so massive pictures don't do it justice at all.

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The good part of U.S.550 is south of Grand Junction so that would be a detour for you.

 

I-70 west of Denver from Breckenridge to Eagle Creek is amazing, you'll see what I mean.

 

Once in Utah you're going to be so damn close to Moab, worth the detour if you ask me, nothing else like it.

 

On the way back, come down through Utah and catch 89 in Logan, UT. Logan is a nice town but 89 from there up to Bear Lake is one hell of a road. From there you could drop back down 30 through Kemmerer to I-80 in Wyoming. Taken this route many times and love it...

 

or from Swan Valley you're just a few mins from the Grand Tetons, take 31 to 33 and over to 191 in Jackson, again the scenery is nothing short of amazing in the Tetons.

 

My buddy, Shannon, suggested we go to Moab while we are there.

 

I've also thought about the Tetons.

 

Grand Canyon gets my vote for sure. We did the rim to rim hike through the canyon but even just seeing it was a lifetime experience it's so massive pictures don't do it justice at all.

 

Yeah, I am really thinking about trying to see this on our way back.

 

There is just so much awesome stuff to see "out west" that i'm kind of losing my mind trying to pick what to see on this trip and what to try to save for another trip. I want to win the lotto just so I can buy an RV and spend 6mo travelling the US. I suppose one has to actually play the lottery in order to win it though. :/

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My dad drove out here last fall and we visited the Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion national parks, stopped at Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon and went to Monument valley. My dad went on to Yosemite, then back into Utah for Capitol Reef park and the parks around Moab, took him almost 3 weeks to get it all in!!

 

Antelope Canyon: http://i1381.photobucket.com/albums/ah230/bsenft78/IMG_1830_zpsepqc2nyv.jpg

 

Horseshoe Bend: http://i1381.photobucket.com/albums/ah230/bsenft78/IMG_1764_zps2drkktir.jpg

 

Monument Valley: http://i1381.photobucket.com/albums/ah230/bsenft78/IMG_1764_zps2drkktir.jpg

 

Bryce Canyon: http://i1381.photobucket.com/albums/ah230/bsenft78/IMG_1764_zps2drkktir.jpg

 

Zion: http://i1381.photobucket.com/albums/ah230/bsenft78/IMG_1764_zps2drkktir.jpg

 

Grand Canyon: http://i1381.photobucket.com/albums/ah230/bsenft78/IMG_1764_zps2drkktir.jpg

 

There's so much out here its just unreal, you need weeks if not more to start to see it all.

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My buddy, Shannon, suggested we go to Moab while we are there.

 

I've also thought about the Tetons.

 

 

 

Yeah, I am really thinking about trying to see this on our way back.

 

There is just so much awesome stuff to see "out west" that i'm kind of losing my mind trying to pick what to see on this trip and what to try to save for another trip. I want to win the lotto just so I can buy an RV and spend 6mo travelling the US. I suppose one has to actually play the lottery in order to win it though. :/

 

If you end up going to Moab, which is epic BTW, be sure to do the Jeep tour with Dan Mick! I've never been wheeling before but it was the best tour I've ever done! Definitely worth the money.

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