🚗 Outbound Journey — June 20–26
Seven days heading west — push hard to Albuquerque on Day 1, scenic Million Dollar Highway into Moab on Day 2, a full Moab day for trails and Arches, then north to Jackson for Yellowstone, and south through Page to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas on Day 7. Arrive Vegas the evening of June 26.
Day
1
June 20
Saturday
The Long Haul West — Sheridan to Albuquerque
Sheridan, AR → Oklahoma City, OK → Amarillo, TX → Albuquerque, NM
The longest driving day of the trip — push hard and get it done. Leave at 8am Central and rotate drivers all day. Oklahoma City around noon for fuel and a swap, then push across the Texas panhandle to Amarillo for a late lunch break. West of Amarillo, cross into New Mexico at the state line near Tucumcari — clocks go back one hour to Mountain Time, so you gain an hour on the road. The scenery picks up considerably through New Mexico: volcanic mesas, red rock formations, and the Sandia Mountains rising above Albuquerque on the final approach. Arrive around 9pm Mountain / 10pm Central. Get food delivered or hit whatever's still open, and get to bed — Day 2 is another full drive.
8:00 AM CTDepart Sheridan, AR
~12:00 PM CTOklahoma City — fuel, driver swap, quick lunch (~290 mi, ~4 hrs)
~3:30 PM CTAmarillo, TX — fuel, driver swap, late lunch or snacks (~260 mi, ~3.5 hrs)
~4:30 PM CTCross into New Mexico — clocks back 1 hr → now 3:30 PM MT. Gain an hour.
~9:00 PM MTArrive Albuquerque, NM — 10pm Central Time. Check in, eat, sleep.
🏨 Overnight: Albuquerque, NM
🗺 Day 1 Route — Sheridan → OKC → Amarillo → Albuquerque →
~880 miles total
~13 hrs driving · ~15 hrs door to door
Gain 1 hr crossing into NM — clocks to Mountain Time at the state line
3 rotating drivers — no single person drives more than 4–5 hrs
⚠ Push to Albuquerque if at all possible — Amarillo puts Day 2 behind by 4+ hours
Day
2
June 21
Sunday
Million Dollar Highway — Albuquerque to Moab
Albuquerque, NM → Durango, CO → Silverton → Ouray → Moab, UT
The scenic highlight of the outbound journey. US-550 north from Albuquerque climbs through Farmington and into the San Juan Mountains at Durango. From Durango, the real show begins: US-550 through Silverton and into Ouray is the Million Dollar Highway — 50 miles of cliff-edge switchbacks, exposed ridgelines, and no guardrails. The MDH section is slow by design — figure 25 to 35 mph through the technical stretches. Give yourself time to pull over and actually look at it. Pass through Ouray and head north to Ridgway, then west through canyon country to Moab. Target arriving Moab by 6:30pm.
8:00 AM MTDepart Albuquerque — north on US-550
~11:30 AMArrive Durango, CO — ~215 mi, ~3.5–4 hrs. Fuel and lunch stop (~45 min).
~12:15 PMDepart Durango — Million Dollar Highway begins, north on US-550
~1:45 PMSilverton, CO — ~50 mi, ~1.5 hrs (mountain road, 25–35 mph). Short stop, 9,318 ft.
~2:45 PMOuray, CO — ~24 mi, ~1 hr (most dramatic section). Drive through, photo stop.
~3:00 PMDepart Ouray — north to Ridgway, then CO-62 west over Dallas Divide toward Moab
~6:30 PMArrive Moab, UT — ~165 mi via CO-62 / Dallas Divide / CO-145 / US-191, ~3.5 hrs. Check in, dinner.
🏨 Overnight: Moab, UT — Night 1 of 2
🗺 Day 2 Route — Albuquerque → Durango → MDH → Ouray → Dallas Divide → Moab →
~450 miles total
~9.5 hrs driving · ~12 hrs door to door with stops
⚠ MDH section runs 25–35 mph — budget 2.5 hrs for the 74-mile Durango-to-Ouray stretch
⚠ No guardrails — stunning but take it slow, use pullouts
MDH section driven in full daylight ~12:15–3:00pm ✓
CO-62 over Dallas Divide to Moab is faster and more scenic than going through Grand Junction
Day
3
June 22
Monday
Moab — Full Day Jeep Rental + Arches NP
Moab, UT — Full Day Jeep · Slickrock Trails · Arches National Park
Full day Jeep rental through Canyonlands Jeep Adventures (inside Moab Adventure Center, 225 S Main St). Pick up 8am, return by 6pm — full of fuel and washed. Bring your full-coverage insurance copy, driver's license, and credit card. Two trails plus a full Arches afternoon. Trail 1: Fins N' Things (Sand Flats Road, ~7 miles, 2 hrs) — dramatic red rock fins, ridge views, good slickrock. Trail 2: Gemini Bridges (off US-313, ~14 miles round trip, 2.5 hrs) — two massive natural stone bridges arching over a canyon, free BLM land. Arches afternoon: 5 stops — Balanced Rock, Windows Section, Double Arch, Delicate Arch Lower Viewpoint, Sand Dune Arch (~3 hrs). Return Jeep ~5:40pm with ~20 min to spare. See the separate Moab Day Plan for the full trail-by-trail route. Note: Hell's Revenge, Moab Rim, Poison Spider, and about 15 other trails are explicitly prohibited — $1,000 fine if caught on any of them.
8:00 AM MTPick up Jeep — Moab Adventure Center, 225 S Main St. Bring insurance copy, DL, credit card.
~8:30 AMTrail 1: Fins N' Things — Sand Flats Road, ~7 miles, 2 hrs. $5 day-use fee at Sand Flats kiosk.
~10:30 AMDrive to Gemini Bridges — Sand Flats → US-191 N → US-313 W, ~30 min. Eat lunch from cooler on the drive.
~11:00 AMTrail 2: Gemini Bridges — ~14 mi round trip, 2.5 hrs. Free BLM land. Two stone bridges over canyon.
~1:30 PMDrive to Arches NP — US-313 E → US-191 S, ~15 min. Show ATB Pass at gate (Marty must be present).
~2:00 PMBalanced Rock — 0.3-mi loop, 20 min
~2:41 PMWindows Section — 1.0-mi paved loop, 45 min (Turret Arch, North + South Windows)
~3:26 PMDouble Arch — same parking lot as Windows, 0.3-mi walk, 20 min
~3:51 PMDelicate Arch Lower Viewpoint — 0.5-mi easy walk, 30 min
~4:27 PMSand Dune Arch — 0.3-mi walk through soft red sand, 15 min
~4:42 PMDrive out of Arches — 16.5 miles to exit, ~28 min. No stops.
~5:15 PMGas up + car wash — both required before return. Car wash next to Moab Adventure Center.
~5:40 PMReturn Jeep — full of fuel, washed. Order #2585024 ✓ (~20 min before 6pm deadline)
🏨 Overnight: Moab, UT — Night 2 of 2 (last night)
🗺 Moab Adventure Center →
✓ ATB Pass: already purchased — Marty must be present at every park entrance
✓ Jeep booked: Order #2585024 · 8am–6pm · Moab Adventure Center
Trail 1: Fins N' Things (Sand Flats Rd, ~7 mi, 2 hrs, $5 day-use)
Trail 2: Gemini Bridges (US-313, ~14 mi RT, 2.5 hrs, free BLM)
Arches: 5 stops — Balanced Rock · Windows · Double Arch · Delicate Arch viewpoint · Sand Dune Arch
⚠ Prohibited trails: Hell's Revenge, Moab Rim, Poison Spider + others — $1,000 fine
⚠ Bring: full-coverage insurance copy, driver's license, major credit card
⚠ Return ~5:40pm — gas + wash first. Car wash is right next to Moab Adventure Center.
All drivers must be 25+ · No pets in the Jeep
⚠ Moab in June hits 95–100°F — carry extra water, start trails early
Day
4
June 23
Tuesday
Moab to Jackson — Through Salt Lake City
Moab, UT → Salt Lake City, UT → Jackson, WY
A solid but very manageable drive north — about 530 miles and 10 hours with stops. The canyon country around Moab gives way to the Great Salt Lake basin approaching SLC. Stop in Salt Lake City around 11am for fuel and a real lunch break. The final leg north from SLC follows I-15 north then drops onto US-89 through the Snake River Canyon — the road runs right along the river through a limestone gorge before opening into the Jackson Hole valley with the Teton Range standing straight up ahead of you. Arrive Jackson by late afternoon. Two nights here — tomorrow is Yellowstone.
7:30 AM MTDepart Moab
~11:00 AMSalt Lake City — ~235 mi, ~3.5 hrs. Lunch, fuel, driver swap (~45 min).
~11:45 AMDepart SLC — I-15 north, then US-89 toward Jackson
~4:30 PMArrive Jackson, WY — ~295 mi from SLC, ~4.5 hrs. Check in, dinner, set early alarm.
🏨 Overnight: Jackson, WY — Night 1 of 2
🗺 Day 4 Route — Moab → Salt Lake City → Jackson →
~530 miles total
~8.5 hrs driving · ~10 hrs with stops
US-89 into Jackson follows the Snake River Canyon — great final stretch
⚠ Set a 5:30am alarm tonight — Yellowstone requires an early start
Day
5
June 24
Wednesday
Grand Teton at Sunrise → Yellowstone
Jackson → Grand Teton NP → Yellowstone → Jackson
Leave Jackson at 5:30am. The drive north through Grand Teton National Park at sunrise — the Teton Range reflected in Jackson Lake at first light — is one of the great drives in America and requires nothing more than pointing the car north. Hit the Yellowstone south entrance by 7am. Check geysertimes.org the night before and morning of to find the next predicted Old Faithful eruption window, then time your drive from the south entrance (~30 min to Old Faithful) to arrive 20–30 minutes before the eruption. It erupts roughly every 60–110 minutes and the NPS posts predicted windows on the board at the Visitor Center. After Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring is ~5 miles north — turquoise water ringed in orange and yellow bacterial mats, unlike anything else on the trip. Mammoth Hot Springs rounds out the day with dramatic limestone terraces. All three stops are easy boardwalk walks. Return to Jackson in the evening.
5:30 AMDepart Jackson — check geysertimes.org before leaving, time your drive accordingly
~6:15 AMGrand Teton NP — Teton Range at sunrise reflecting off Jackson Lake
7:00 AMEnter Yellowstone — South Entrance, ahead of the crowds
~7:30 AMArrive Old Faithful area — check eruption board at Visitor Center for next predicted window
~8:00–9:00 AMOld Faithful erupts — timing depends on prediction; plan to arrive 20–30 min early
~9:45 AMGrand Prismatic Spring — ~5 miles north, short boardwalk, unmissable
~12:30 PMMammoth Hot Springs — ~50 mi north at park speeds, limestone terraces, easy walks
~2:30 PMBegin return south toward Jackson — ~150 mi, allow 3–3.5 hrs
~5:30–6:00 PMBack in Jackson — dinner, rest
🏨 Overnight: Jackson, WY — Night 2 of 2 (last night)
🗺 Day 5 Route — Jackson → Grand Teton → Yellowstone → Jackson →
⚠ Check geysertimes.org the night before — time your drive to arrive at Old Faithful ~30 min before the predicted eruption
✓ Both Grand Teton + Yellowstone covered by ATB Pass
Old Faithful → Grand Prismatic Spring → Mammoth Hot Springs (south-to-north order)
All stops are short boardwalk walks — no strenuous hiking required
Day
6
June 25
Thursday
Jackson to Page — The Big Southern Push
Jackson, WY → Salt Lake City, UT → Page, AZ
A serious driving day — ~635 miles and about 12.5 hours door to door (Day 1 is the only longer one). With 3 rotating drivers and an early start it's very manageable. Leave Jackson by 7am. The SLC stretch on I-15 is fast interstate miles. After SLC, US-89 south through central Utah is the better part — red rock canyon country appearing gradually as you drop in elevation. Note: when you cross from Utah into Arizona near the Kanab area, clocks go back 1 hour (Arizona doesn't observe DST, so it runs 1 hour behind Utah in summer). You gain an hour on the clock heading into Page. Arrive Page by 6:30–7pm local Arizona time. One night here.
7:00 AM MTDepart Jackson
~11:30 AM MTSalt Lake City — ~290 mi, ~4.5 hrs. Lunch, fuel, driver swap (~45 min).
~12:15 PM MTDepart SLC — south on I-15 then US-89 through Utah
~6:30 PM MT / 5:30 PM AZCross into Arizona / Check in Page, AZ — clocks back 1 hr (gain an hour). Utah/AZ border is within a mile of Page on US-89. Dinner, rest.
🏨 Overnight: Page, AZ — Night 1 of 1
🗺 Day 6 Route — Jackson → Salt Lake City → Page →
~635 miles total
~10.5 hrs driving · ~12.5 hrs with stops
Gain 1 hr crossing into Arizona — AZ doesn't observe DST in summer
⚠ Leave Jackson by 7am
Day
7
June 26
Friday
Horseshoe Bend → Grand Canyon → Las Vegas Tonight
Page, AZ → Horseshoe Bend → Grand Canyon South Rim → Las Vegas, NV
A great day — three iconic stops and you're in Vegas by early evening. Start with Horseshoe Bend right outside your hotel door: a 10-minute paved walk to a viewpoint where the Colorado River makes a 270-degree bend 1,000 feet below. Free to see, about $10 to park. Then drive 2 hours south to the Grand Canyon South Rim. You have a few hours here — Mather Point and Yavapai Point are both short walks from parking and give you the full canyon experience. Pack lunch from a cooler or grab something near the entrance. Depart early afternoon and drive west to Las Vegas on US-93. Page, Grand Canyon, and Las Vegas are all on the same UTC-7 clock in summer (Arizona doesn't observe DST; Las Vegas runs Pacific Daylight), so no time change at all today. Arrive Las Vegas around 5:30–6pm. Two full days before the birthday.
8:00 AM AZDepart Page
~8:15 AMHorseshoe Bend — 3 miles from hotel, 45 min total. Easy paved walk.
~9:00 AMDepart Horseshoe Bend — south on US-89 toward Grand Canyon
~11:00 AMArrive Grand Canyon South Rim — ~130 mi, ~2 hrs
11:00 AM–2:00 PMRim time — Mather Point, Yavapai Point, free shuttle, lunch
~2:00 PMDepart Grand Canyon — US-93 west toward Las Vegas
~5:30 PM PDTArrive Las Vegas — check in, freshen up, Fremont Street tonight
🏨 Overnight: Las Vegas, NV — Night 1 of 5
🗺 Day 7 Route — Page → Horseshoe Bend → Grand Canyon → Las Vegas →
~415 miles total · ~5.5 hrs driving · ~9 hrs with sightseeing
Horseshoe Bend: FREE to see, ~$10 parking, 10-min easy paved walk
✓ Grand Canyon covered by ATB Pass
No time change today — Arizona is on MST (no DST, UTC-7 year-round); Las Vegas is on PDT (UTC-7 in summer). Different named zones, same clock. ✓
🎂 Las Vegas — June 26–July 1
Five Vegas nights plus a Sequoia weekend — arrive June 26 evening, depart June 27 morning for Micro Center + Sequoia, return June 28 evening. Cassidy's birthday + Dream Racing June 29. Flex days June 30 and July 1. Depart July 2.
Day
8
June 27
Saturday
SoCal Day — Micro Center Tustin + Seal Beach → Visalia
Las Vegas, NV → Micro Center Tustin, CA → Seal Beach, CA → Visalia, CA
Leave Las Vegas early and head south on I-15 into Southern California. Saturday traffic through the Cajon Pass and into the LA basin is real — Google shows 3:40 to 5:10 hours for this leg depending on traffic, so budget 4.5 hours and arrive Micro Center Tustin around noon-1pm. Spend an hour there, then hop 20 minutes to Seal Beach — a relaxed Orange County beach with a classic pier, free street parking, and a fraction of the crowds at Huntington Beach. Get back on the road around 3:30pm for the I-5/CA-99 north run to Visalia, which takes roughly 3:30 to 4:50 hours on a Saturday afternoon. Arrive Visalia around 7-8pm. Early night — 6am departure tomorrow to make the Crystal Cave tour.
8:00 AM PDTDepart Las Vegas — I-15 south toward Southern California
~12:30 PM PDTMicro Center — Tustin, CA — 268 miles, allow 4–5 hrs for Saturday I-15 traffic through LA
~1:30 PMDepart Micro Center — 20 min to Seal Beach
~1:50–3:30 PMSeal Beach — pier, ocean, easy street parking near downtown
~3:30 PMDepart Seal Beach — I-5 N then CA-99 N toward Visalia
~7:00–8:00 PM PDTArrive Visalia, CA — 223 miles, 3:30–4:50 hrs from Tustin. Check in, dinner, set a 6am alarm.
🏨 Overnight: Visalia, CA
🗺 Day 8 Route — Las Vegas → Tustin → Seal Beach → Visalia →
~511 miles total (LV→Tustin 268 + Tustin→Seal 20 + Seal→Visalia 223)
⚠ Saturday I-15 traffic through LA — Google shows 3:40 to 5:10 hrs for the LV→Tustin leg
Seal Beach: easier parking + less crowded than Huntington Beach, 20 min from Tustin
⚠ 6am departure tomorrow — set the alarm tonight. Crystal Cave waits for no one.
⚠ Vegas hotel note: notify your hotel you'll be away tonight. Confirm how they handle a skip night for a multi-day reservation.
Day
9
June 28
Sunday
Sequoia National Park — Crystal Cave + General Sherman → Back to Vegas
Visalia, CA → Sequoia NP → Las Vegas, NV
Early start — 6am is non-negotiable. The Sequoia Parks Conservancy advises allowing 1 hour of entrance wait on weekends, then 1 hour 30 minutes to drive from the Ash Mountain entrance to Crystal Cave. You need to arrive at the cave 15 minutes before your 9:30am tour. That puts you at the entrance by 6:45am, and departing Visalia by 6:00am. Crystal Cave is Sequoia's only publicly accessible cave — marble formations, 50°F inside, and a proper 2-hour guided tour (Booking #355693561, 5 guests). Bring a light jacket. After the cave, General Sherman Tree is a short drive back through the Giant Forest — the world's largest living tree by volume, 274 feet tall. Then it's CA-198 west out of the park and east across California via CA-58 and I-15 back to Las Vegas. Tonight is Vegas Night 2 — Cassidy's birthday is tomorrow.
6:00 AM PDTDepart Visalia — CA-198 east toward Sequoia. Non-negotiable start time.
~6:45 AMArrive Ash Mountain entrance (~35 mi, ~45 min) — enter the queue
~7:45 AMThrough the gate — allow ~1 hour wait on Sunday
~9:15 AMArrive Crystal Cave parking — 1.5 hrs from entrance, arrive 15 min early as instructed
9:30 AMCrystal Cave tour begins — BOOKED ✓ Booking #355693561 · 5 General Admission · 50°F inside
11:30 AMCrystal Cave tour ends — 2 hours
~12:00 PMGeneral Sherman Tree — short drive back toward Giant Forest, 0.8-mile round trip walk
~12:45 PMBegin drive out of park — CA-198 west toward Visalia
~1:30 PMExit Ash Mountain entrance — CA-99 south → CA-58 east → Barstow → I-15 north
~6:30–7:30 PM PDTArrive Las Vegas — ~380 mi from park entrance, ~5.5–6 hrs. Check in, dinner, rest.
🏨 Overnight: Las Vegas, NV — Night 2 of 5
🗺 Day 9 Route — Visalia → Sequoia → Las Vegas →
⚠ 6:00am departure is non-negotiable — 1-hr entrance wait + 1.5 hrs to cave = arrive 9:15am
✓ Crystal Cave booked: 9:30am, 5 guests, Booking #355693561
⚠ Cave is 50°F — bring a light jacket for everyone
✓ Park admission covered by ATB Pass
Use restrooms before leaving Crystal Cave parking — none inside the cave
Store all food and scented items in parking lot lockers (bear country)
No vehicles over 22 ft on Crystal Cave Road — Buick Envista is fine ✓
Day
10
June 29
Monday
🎂 Happy Birthday Cassidy! + Dream Racing
Las Vegas — Birthday + Dream Racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Start the morning at Dream Racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway — get behind the wheel of an actual exotic supercar (Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren) and drive it on a real race track with a professional instructor in the passenger seat. Book in advance at dreamracing.com. After the track, the rest of the day belongs entirely to Cassidy — lunch, the Strip, pool time, and a real birthday dinner. Fremont Street at night. Las Vegas does birthdays right, and this is the one day of the trip with zero schedule pressure.
~9:00 AMDream Racing — Las Vegas Motor Speedway
~11:30 AMOff the track — back to the Strip
AfternoonBirthday lunch + pool or Strip time
EveningBirthday dinner — make a reservation, celebrate properly
~9:00 PMFremont Street Experience or Strip nightlife
🏨 Overnight: Las Vegas, NV — Night 3 of 5
🗺 Las Vegas Motor Speedway →
⚠ Book Dream Racing now — dreamracing.com
Packages from ~$200–$300+/person · Ferrari, Lambo, McLaren options
Fremont Street Experience: FREE at night
Day
11
June 30
Tuesday
Free Day in Vegas
Las Vegas — Flex Day
Unscheduled day. Sleep in, pool, Strip, or find something Cassidy wants to do before the trip winds down. The Neon Museum is about a 10-minute drive or rideshare from the Strip — a walkable outdoor collection of restored vintage casino signs, quirky and genuinely interesting, with guided tours running about 90 minutes. Or just do nothing. You've driven a long way and a slow day in Vegas isn't wasted. Good night for a final Strip dinner together.
MorningSleep in — no agenda
AfternoonPool, Strip, or Neon Museum — whatever sounds right
EveningDinner together — one more night before the optional day trip tomorrow
🏨 Overnight: Las Vegas, NV — Night 4 of 5
🗺 Las Vegas, NV →
Rest day — no driving
Neon Museum: ~$25/person, 90 min, great Vegas history
Day
12
July 1
Wednesday
Optional Day Trip — Valley of Fire, Zion, or Joshua Tree
Las Vegas — Optional Day Trip
Last Vegas day — pick your level of ambition. Valley of Fire State Park is the easy call: 50 minutes northeast of the Strip, Nevada's oldest state park with dramatic red sandstone formations and ancient petroglyphs, back in Vegas by lunch for $15. Zion National Park (2.5 hrs northeast) is more of a commitment but covered by the ATB Pass and genuinely worth it. Joshua Tree (3.5 hrs south) is also ATB Pass covered. Note: Death Valley is close but hits 120°F+ in early July — genuinely dangerous, skip it. Or stay in Vegas entirely — the home run starts tomorrow either way.
~8:00 AM PDTValley of Fire option: Depart Vegas — 50 min northeast, arrive ~8:50am, back by lunch
~7:00 AM PDTZion option: Depart Vegas — ~2.5 hrs northeast, arrive ~9:30am, back ~4pm
~7:00 AM PDTJoshua Tree option: Depart Vegas — ~3.5 hrs south, arrive ~10:30am, back ~6pm
Or skip entirely and enjoy one last Vegas day — home run starts tomorrow either way
🏨 Overnight: Las Vegas, NV — Night 5 of 5 (last night)
🗺 Valley of Fire State Park →
Valley of Fire: 50 min from Strip, ~$15 day-use, back by lunch — easiest option
✓ Zion and Joshua Tree both covered by ATB Pass
Zion: 2.5 hrs northeast · Joshua Tree: 3.5 hrs south
⚠ Death Valley hits 120°F+ in early July — genuinely dangerous, skip it
🏠 The Road Home — July 2–5
Four days home — Santa Fe for dinner, Carlsbad Caverns overnight, then west Texas and Fort Worth for 4th of July fireworks. Home July 5.
Day
13
July 2
Thursday
Vegas → Santa Fe
Las Vegas, NV → Santa Fe, NM
Head east on I-40 toward Santa Fe — about 535 miles and 9.5 hours with stops. Arizona is a large state; plan on crossing the New Mexico border around mid-afternoon after nearly 6 hours of driving. Note the time zone change: crossing from Arizona into New Mexico, clocks jump forward one hour to Mountain Daylight Time. Arizona runs on MST (no DST, UTC-7 year-round) — the same offset as Las Vegas PDT in summer — while New Mexico runs on MDT (UTC-6). That 1-hour gain comes early in the drive. Leave Las Vegas at 8am PDT and plan to arrive Santa Fe around 6:00–6:30pm MDT local time. Walk the historic Plaza for dinner — adobe architecture, art galleries, and the best New Mexican food anywhere. Order anything "Christmas" style: red and green chile on the same plate.
8:00 AM PDTDepart Las Vegas — I-40 East
~9:30 AM PDTKingman, AZ — fuel stop (~100 mi, ~1.5 hrs)
~11:30 AM PDTFlagstaff, AZ — lunch stop (~250 mi, ~3.5 hrs from LV)
~1:30 PM PDTCross into New Mexico near Gallup — clocks forward 1 hr → now 2:30 PM MDT (~435 mi, ~6 hrs from LV)
~4:30 PM MDTAlbuquerque — fuel, driver swap, stretch (~140 mi from Gallup, ~2 hrs)
~6:00 PM MDTArrive Santa Fe — check in, walk the Plaza, dinner (~65 mi from Albuquerque, ~1 hr)
EveningHistoric Plaza dinner — order anything "Christmas" style
🏨 Overnight: Santa Fe, NM
🗺 Las Vegas → Santa Fe →
~535 miles · ~9.5 hrs with stops
Lose 1 hr entering New Mexico near Gallup — clocks to Mountain Daylight Time
Arizona is huge on I-40 — Flagstaff is 3.5 hrs from Vegas, NM border is ~6 hrs
Dinner: order "Christmas" style — red + green chile on the same plate
Day
14
July 3
Friday
Carlsbad Caverns — Overnight Carlsbad
Santa Fe, NM → Carlsbad Caverns NP → Carlsbad, NM
Leave Santa Fe by 8am and head southeast to Carlsbad Caverns — about 280 miles and 4.5 hours. Arrive by 12:30pm with comfortable time before the elevator cutoff. Take the elevator down to the Big Room — a cathedral-like cave chamber with a 255-ft ceiling on a flat 1.25-mile paved loop. The cave stays 56°F year-round; bring a light layer. Book timed entry in advance at Recreation.gov ($1/ticket) — the elevator shuts in the early-to-mid afternoon, typically 3:00–3:30 PM. After the cave, it's a short drive into Carlsbad, NM for the night. Done early, no brutal push to Amarillo — save that energy for tomorrow's Fort Worth run.
8:00 AMDepart Santa Fe
~12:30 PMArrive Carlsbad Caverns NP — ~280 mi, ~4.5 hrs
1:00–3:30 PMBig Room via elevator — flat 1.25-mi paved loop, 56°F inside (elevator closes ~3:00–3:30 PM)
~3:30 PMDepart caverns — short drive into Carlsbad, NM (~25 mi)
~4:30 PMCheck in Carlsbad, NM — dinner, early night before Fort Worth tomorrow
🏨 Overnight: Carlsbad, NM
🗺 Day 14 Route — Santa Fe → Carlsbad Caverns → Carlsbad →
~305 miles total / easy day
✓ Carlsbad Caverns covered by ATB Pass
⚠ Book timed entry at Recreation.gov — elevator closes ~3:00–3:30 PM
Bring a light layer — 56°F inside year-round
Take the ELEVATOR down — Big Room is flat paved loop, easy for everyone
Day
15
July 4 🎆
Saturday
4th of July — West Texas → Fort Worth Stockyards
Carlsbad, NM → Midland, TX → Abilene, TX → Fort Worth, TX
About 485 miles total from Carlsbad to Fort Worth, roughly 7 hours of driving plus the time zone hit. The Texas state line is only about 50 miles east of Carlsbad — you cross into Central Daylight Time within the first hour, so that lost hour comes early in the day. From the border it's a straightforward run: ~100 miles to Midland for fuel, then ~155 miles to Abilene for lunch, then the final ~180 miles into Fort Worth. The mileage is spread evenly and the roads are flat and fast the whole way. Arrive Fort Worth mid-to-late afternoon for the Fort Worth Stockyards Historic District — working stockyards, excellent Texas barbecue, and the most authentic cowboy atmosphere anywhere. Fort Worth's 4th of July is massive — Panther Island Pavilion fireworks are one of the biggest shows in Texas. July 4 is a Saturday in 2026 — the hotel should already be booked. Last night on the road.
8:00 AM MDTDepart Carlsbad — east on US-285
~8:50 AM MDTCross into Texas — clocks forward 1 hr → now 9:50 AM CDT. Lose an hour. (~50 mi, ~50 min from Carlsbad)
~11:00 AM CDTMidland, TX — fuel, driver swap (~100 mi from TX border, ~1 hr)
~1:30 PM CDTAbilene, TX — lunch stop (~155 mi from Midland, ~2.5 hrs)
~4:00 PM CDTArrive Fort Worth Stockyards area — ~180 mi from Abilene, ~2.5 hrs
~4:00–4:15 PM CDTPark and walk to Exchange Ave — the 4pm cattle drive is starting; you'll catch it if parking is quick, or catch the tail end
~5:30 PM CDTTexas BBQ dinner in the Stockyards district
~9:30 PM CDTPanther Island Pavilion fireworks — one of the biggest 4th of July shows in Texas 🎆
🏨 Overnight: Fort Worth, TX (last night on the road)
🗺 Day 15 Route — Carlsbad → Midland → Abilene → Fort Worth →
~485 miles · ~7 hrs driving · ~9–10 hrs with stops
Lose 1 hr entering Texas — CDT kicks in ~50 miles east of Carlsbad, within the first hour
Stockyards: cattle drives at 11:30am + 4pm CDT — arriving ~4pm puts you right at the start; you'll likely catch most or all of it if parking is quick
🎆 Panther Island Pavilion: Fort Worth's main 4th of July fireworks show
⚠ July 4 is a Saturday in 2026 — holiday + weekend. Book Fort Worth hotel now.
Day
16
July 5
Sunday
🏠 Welcome Home!
Fort Worth, TX → Texarkana, TX → Sheridan, AR
Final stretch — I-30 East through Dallas, across East Texas, through Texarkana, and home. About 355 miles and 6.5 hours with stops. Leave by 8am and you're home early-to-mid afternoon. 16 days, ~5,700 miles, 10 major destinations, one birthday, one 4th of July on a Saturday, and the Million Dollar Highway.
8:00 AM CDTDepart Fort Worth — I-30 East through Dallas
~9:00 AM CDTDallas area — fuel stop if needed (~30 mi, ~45 min)
~12:00 PM CDTTexarkana — lunch stop (~180 mi from Dallas, ~2.5 hrs)
~2:30 PM CDT🏠 Arrive Sheridan, AR — welcome home! (~140 mi from Texarkana, ~2 hrs)
🏠 Home — Sheridan, AR
🗺 Fort Worth → Texarkana → Sheridan →
~355 miles · ~6.5 hrs with stops
Home by early-to-mid afternoon July 5 ✓
📋 Book These Now
Several stops fill fast in peak summer — especially Jackson and Vegas. Don't wait on the red items.
Dream Racing — Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Book for June 29 morning. dreamracing.com — fills up for peak dates.
🔴 Book now
Las Vegas Hotel (June 26–July 2 checkout)
Two peak weekend nights: Friday June 26 + Saturday June 27 (even though you'll be in Visalia June 27 — confirm with hotel how they handle a skip night on multi-day bookings). Actual Vegas nights: June 26, 28, 29, 30, July 1 = 5 nights.
🔴 Book now
Visalia, CA Hotel (June 27 — Saturday)
Saturday night in peak summer — book now. Hampton Inn, Marriott Courtyard, and Homewood Suites all have good Visalia locations. Need an early 6am checkout vibe.
🔴 Book now
Crystal Cave Tour — June 28, 9:30am ✓ BOOKED
Booking #355693561 · 5 General Admission · Sequoia Parks Conservancy · $128.26 total paid. Meet at Crystal Cave Trailhead. Arrive 15 min early. Cave is 50°F — bring jackets.
🟢 Booked ✓
Yellowstone gateway in peak summer — fills fast and expensive.
🔴 Book now
Moab Hotel (2 nights — June 21 & 22)
Moab fills in June — especially around Arches NP. Book soon.
🟡 Book soon
Moab Full Day Jeep Rental — June 22 ✓ BOOKED
Order #2585024 · Canyonlands Jeep Adventures / Moab Adventure Center · 225 S Main St · 8am–6pm · $392.21 paid. Bring: insurance copy, DL, credit card. Return: full fuel + washed.
🟢 Booked ✓
Fort Worth Hotel (July 4)
July 4 is a Saturday in 2026 — holiday + weekend in a major city. This will sell out and get expensive fast. Book now alongside Las Vegas.
🔴 Book now
Page, AZ Hotel (1 night — June 25)
One night only — arriving end of Day 6's big drive, departing morning of Day 7 for Horseshoe Bend and Grand Canyon.
🟡 Book soon
Carlsbad Caverns Timed Entry (July 3)
Reserve at Recreation.gov — $1/ticket. Elevator entry closes mid-afternoon (~3:00–3:30 PM). Don't skip this reservation.
🟡 Book before you go
Carlsbad, NM Hotel (July 3)
Friday night going into July 4th weekend — could fill faster than expected. Book alongside Carlsbad Caverns timed entry.
🟡 Book soon
Santa Fe, NM Hotel (July 2)
Thursday night — not a peak night, but Santa Fe is a popular destination. Flexible, but don't leave it to the last minute.
🟢 Book when ready
America the Beautiful Annual Pass ✓ PURCHASED
Pass ID: 1dcdc431 · Marty Allison · Issued 06/15/2026 · Valid through 06/30/2027. Marty must be physically present at every park entrance. Digital pass — must show on phone, no copies.
🟢 Done ✓
Albuquerque Hotel (June 20)
One night, flexible. Not urgent but grab something near Old Town or the freeway corridor for easy morning departure.
🟢 Book when ready