The Southwest US has so much to offer. This three day road trip itinerary hits all of the best hikes, campgrounds and things to do in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah.
Alstrom Point - Lake Powell, UT
Lone Rock Beach Camping - Glen Canyon NRA, AZ
Camping and Dune Boarding at Coral Pink Sand Dunes SP, UT
Coral Pink Sand Dunes is a small state park off the beaten path that is worth staying a night, or more if you have any dune toys like buggies, motor bikes, or ATVs. The campground had the nicest facilities of any park I've stayed at, and the pink dunes were impressive to see in the middle of the desert.
North Fork Big Pine Creek (Summer) - Inyo NF, CA
North Fork Big Pine Creek (Spring) - Inyo NF, CA
For our first backpacking trip of the season, we decided on the North Fork of Big Pine Creek - a beautiful basin of glacier-fed lakes that I have been eagerly waiting to do. Once we got there, I could see why this was a popular destination - the impressive snow-capped peaks towering above all 9 beautiful lakes, great fishing, and ease of access make the North Fork the ideal Sierra hike.
General Sherman Tree & Moro Rock - Sequoia Kings Canyon, CA
Mitchell Peak Day Hike — Sequoia and Kings Canyon, CA
Fish Creek Wash & Wind Caves — Anza Borrego SP, CA
Anza-Borrego is the largest CA state park and has tons of its own unique features. Mainly for 4WD, offroading, and dirt biking enthusiasts, we still had a lot of fun on foot and with just 2WD. Fish Creek Is just a tiny portion of the park, but the wind caves are truly unique and offer an amazing view for sunset. Hint - if you camp at Fish Creek Primitive Campground nearby, it's free and there are fire rings and a very clean toilet.
