Page Contents
Taking a roadtrip across the USA has been on my bucket list since forever! One moment you are surrounded by sand dunes as white as snow, the next you find yourself in a desert environment encompassed by red sandstone cliffs.
The USA has so many different, unique landscapes to discover. There is something about the vastness and immensely diverse landscape in the USA that simply screams out for a roadtrip! I have never been to anywhere else where the landscape can change so quickly and so drastically. Our roadtrip through the USA took 3 months in total. Determined to take in as much as we could, we were pretty much on the move every single day. During one of our longer riding days, we even crossed three time zones in a single day!
Overall, our USA roadtrip was even more incredible than either of us could have imagined! We hiked across untouched sand dunes, squeezed through beautiful slot canyons and even visited some pretty impressive cultural sites of Native American tribes.
If you want to make the most of your USA Roadtrip, make sure you don’t miss our Top 15 recommendations!
1. Crater Lake National Park (Oregon)
Crater Lake is the deepest lake in America and one of the most pristine in the world! Why? Because there are no rivers flowing into or out of it. The entire volume of water consists only of rain and snow!
Fiona and I felt incredibly lucky that we made it here on a sunny and virtually cloudless day! We spend a while sat in the snow, watching the crater’s perfect reflection in the water. Although we were not the only visitors, it was somehow pretty quiet as everyone was captivated by the magical views.
Crater Lake is certainly the biggest highlight but the ride up to it was pretty spectacular too! Imagine yourself driving up some bending roads with a two meters high snow wall to each side. It certainly gets a little colder with the gradual elevation so make sure to layer up. You should also check for closures online before visiting as opening times can be effected heavily depending on the weather. Make sure this magical place features on your USA roadtrip itinerary!
2. Redwood National & State Parks (California, USA)
After visiting Crater Lake, Fiona and I continued on Highway 101 which goes directly through Redwoods National and State Parks. They run along the north coast of California and feature old-growth rain forests. What makes it so unique are its humongous trees. They are so gigantic that they made us feel like tiny ants. The highest tree is about 115 meters (379 feet) high. The trees are among the oldest in the world and the tallest which can be found on earth!
The weather changed rapidly as we drove into Redwoods National Park and it got very foggy. But we kept driving and it eventually cleared up. It’s actually very common to be foggy and misty here. But I felt it added to the sense of mystery and quite liked it!
It also feels slightly cooler inside the woods so we felt very comfortable walking in our motorbike gear for once. You don’t need to wander far to completely surround yourself by trees and forest. And what we loved most is that it’s easy to pick a trail where you won’t bump into anyone else and have it all to yourself!
3. Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, USA)
Do you want to explore a world of erupting geysers, colourful hot springs, bursting mudpots and hissing steam vents? Then make sure Yellowstone features on your USA roadtrip itinerary! In fact, 50% of the world’s geysers are located right here – inside an ancient volcano caldera.
As we rode through we saw loads of wildlife and thermal features. We enjoyed stopping for all the bisons crossing the road but the main draw were the geysers of course! Walking around we’d pick up the most bizzare, odd smells, followed by steam suddenly shooting out from somewhere in the ground. The colours of the water and ground surrounding the geothermal areas are really vivid and fascinating too. Even on a dull, cloudy day!
Apart from wildlife and thermal features, you can also find lakes, canyons, rivers and stunning mountain ranges all around. Unfortunately, we were a little unlucky with the weather when visiting though. We ran into very cold weather, a ton of rain and even a little snow. As a result, we didn’t explore as much of the park as we had wanted to. However, if the weather cooperates it’s truly a hiker’s paradise.
4. Zion National Park (Utah, USA)
Zion was for me personally the most beautiful and scenic National Park to ride through! Get ready for this twisty road leading you past beautiful, red, rugged sandstone cliffs centred around the Zion Canyon. We found the red, tan-coloured canyon walls really impressive and truly stunning! Hike up to Angels Landing and it will reward you with one of the most spectacular sunsets overlooking Zion Canyon.
Zion is the fourth most popular National Park in the USA and can get pretty busy if you are planning your USA roadtrip anywhere from February to November. We visited in May and were lucky to find it wasn’t too busy though.
5. Bryce Canyon National Park (Utah)
Fiona and I visited Bryce directly after Zion National Park. If you start early and don’t have the luxury of time, it’s very easy to combine. For some odd reasons it receives far less visitors than Zion. We found this surprising as it is quite different but every bit as impressive. DON’T MISS IT!
We loved the distinct, giant rock formations and its vivid, red, orange and white colours. Bryce is significantly smaller than Zion and there are many hikes that will reward you with stunning views. However, the most spectacular is no doubt from Sunrise Point overlooking Bryce Ampitheatre.
6. Peekaboo & Spooky Slot Canyons (Utah)
Peekaboo & Spooky were our absolute favourite slot canyons! And, brace yourself, far more scenic and enjoyable than our expensive and highly commercial visit of Antelope Canyon. Why? Well, first of all getting here is super fun! Then the hike to the slot canyons itself is absolutely breathtaking. Last but not least, you don’t require a guide to visit (let alone pay an entrance fee). And the best part yet, you don’t need to queue or squeeze past anyone else. We bumped into very few people out here. So how do you get here?
The Hole-In-The-Rock-Trail, is a super fun and scenic gravel road! There is quite a lot of washboard and a few sandy patches but otherwise it’s a pretty easy ride. It has many different trailheads but to discover Peekaboo & Spooky head to the Dry Fork Overlook. From here it’s a 3.5 miles circular hike through stunning landscape.
Click here if you want to find out more about our visit of Antelope Canyon !
7. Arches National Park (Utah)
North of Moab in Utah lies Arches National Park featuring 2,000 natural sandstone arches. By now Fiona and I had spent quite a bit of time in Utah and seen many stunning red sandstone rocks and features, which are so common for this state. Still, the arch formations make this National Park very unique! It actually has the highest density of natural arches in the world, including the well-known Delicate Arch. We found the drive-through very scenic with many beautiful viewpoints across the way. However, if you want to get really close up to the arches you need to hike. It’s by far the best way to truly appreciate this stunning National Park.
8. Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park (Utah/Arizona)
Many Western Movies have been filmed across Utah but no other location has been imprinted into my mind like Monument Valley. So naturally it was pretty high on my list of must-see places during a USA Roadtrip. The desert like landscape with its deep red sandstone rock formations are like something straight out of a Western movie. And Monument Valley makes you feel like you are right in it! There are many different shapes and sizes of rock formations, some as high as 300 meters (1,000 feet). Even the drive itself to get to Monument Valley is super scenic and offers breathtaking views. But the highlight was of course riding on our motorbike straight through the valley!
Monument Valley is a tribal park, owned by the Navajo Nation – the largest American Indian tribe. Unlike most other National Parks you cannot just walk or drive wherever you please. So to avoid disappointment make sure to check out our Monument Valley: Know Before you Go guide.
9. Spider Rock, Canyon de Chelly (Arizona)
Spider Rock is located inside the Canyon de Chelly National Monument which also belongs to the Navajo Nation! There are currently about 40 Navajo families living in the park. This means you might only be able to access certain parts with a Navajo guide or park ranger. The exception to this is the White House Ruin Trail which Fiona and I hiked during our visit.
Spider Rock and the White House ruins were the absolute highlight of our visit to Canyon de Chelly. Imagine standing on top of the valley overlooking a sandstone spire that rises 229m (750 feet) up from the ground. Fiona and I felt absolutely spoilt being the only ones here, sat on the cliffs and taking in the views.
The White House Ruin Trail leads through the valley of Canyon de Chelly and descends nearly 600 feet down the cliffs. At the bottom of the valley, you’ll need to cross the muddy waters of the Chinle Wash via a footbridge. You should see the ruins by this point. We found the ancient dwellings 50 feet up in the alcove most impressive.
This was one of our favourite hikes we did during our USA Roadtrip too!
10. Grand Canyon (Arizona)
You can’t go on a USA roadtrip and not visit the Grand Canyon! Crazy as it may sound, my first impression was a little underwhelming. The National Park was completely overrun by tourists lingering along the viewing platforms to take in the views and take photographs. Given that we had just visited a bunch of breathtaking places across Utah and Arizona which we had largely to ourselves, this felt like such a let-down!
It didn’t take long for us to break free from the crowds though. After a little hike we found a cliff edge awarding us the most spectacular views of the canyon. Our initial disappointment was quickly forgotten about!
The South Rim is much busier than the North Rim! It caters way more to tourism and is closer to the airport and larger cities. The lower elevation also provides better views of the canyon walls of the opposite rim. The North Rim is much more rugged, unspoilt and more popular with campers and hikers.
Getting from the South Rim to the North Rim is a 5 hours ride (or 2-3 days hike). So most people choose to visit either the North or South Rim. We only visited the South Rim, but next time we really want to check out the North Rim. I suspect the smaller crowds and trails instead of perfect footpaths would be more enjoyable for us. Besides, it’s easier to set off for longer hikes as the temperature is much cooler on the North Rim.
11. Horseshoe Bend (Arizona)
Horseshoe Bend has become so popular on social media that you’ve probably seen countless pictures of it. So it’s barely surprising that it’s the most visited place in Glen Canyon National Recreational Area!
We’ve been dying to see it and were surprised to discover just how easy it is to access. The parking lot and trail is located just off US Highway 89. Pay for parking, take a 5 min. walk and you will be standing right in front of it! We always thought we’d be needing to hike up to it and didn’t expect such a commercial welcome. To tell the truth, the ease of access did take from it a little!
Nonetheless it’s undeniably breathtaking to stand right in front of it. Sure, it can get pretty busy but there is no barrier separating you from the 1,000 foot drop, so you can still get a completely unspoilt view! An absolute must-visit for any USA roadtrip!
12. Death Valley National Park (California)
Death Valley … the hottest place on Earth! It’s probably already high on your USA Roadtrip List, right? It lies in the northern Mojave Desert, borders the Great Basin desert and is less than a two hours ride from Las Vegas.
I recommend you time your visit better than us. Riding through it at 46 degrees Celsius was extremely challenging! When we reached the Badwater Basin salt flats, the heat was really unbearable! Upon arrival we encountered a red STOP SIGN: “WARNING. EXTREME HEAT DANGER. Walking after 10 am not recommended!”
It was about 2pm and we were exhausted from the ride. But there was nothing going to stop us from exploring the salt flats. We barely walked 50 meters when I suddenly felt really sick from the heat. I had never experienced this feeling before, turned around immediately and walked back towards the car park. With no shade in sight Fiona asked another visitor if we could sit for a moment in their air conditioned car. Those two minutes with air con felt like such a relief!
We continued towards the Mesquite Sand Dunes next. They are located at the northern end of the valley floor surrounded by mountains from all sides. You can access them easily from the road and the heat was much more bearable here.
There are around 25 places of interest to visit in the Death Valley area. One of our favourite things was how quickly the landscapes kept changing. It offers everything from sand dunes, salt flats, colourful rocks, tall mountains and rugged canyons! Make sure you bring plenty of water when visiting, start early in the morning and avoid the hottest months. If you don’t want to suffer as much as we did that means avoiding June – September.
13. McWay Falls, Big Sur (California)
We discovered McWay Falls by accident as we were riding along the Big Sur coast. An absolute stunning stretch of coastline with breathtaking views! This part of our USA Roadtrip was just about riding down the coast and stopping off to take in the views. Oh and unfortunately also quite a few traffic related stops due to ongoing building works (that part was annoying)!
Then we stumbled across McWay Falls. I have never seen a waterfall pouring straight into the sea before! It’s incredibly BEAUTIFUL! We parked up the bike to get closer and soon discovered that you can’t actually access the beach.
And that’s exactly why it’s so PICTURE-PERFECT. I actually appreciated that we couldn’t access the beach, in order to have this magnificent unspoilt view! Swipe right to see the actual viewing point. It’s located just 5 min. walk from where we had parked the bike.
14. Taos Pueblo World Heritage Site (New Mexico)
Do you want to find out more about Native Americans? Then visit Taos Pueblo and meet one of the oldest communities in the United States! A Native American guide will show you around and you’ll learn some super interesting things about their fascinating culture, traditions and architecture.
Speaking of which, have you ever come across a 100% organic house? Believe it or not, but all houses in this community consist of only 3 ingredients: water, mud and straw! This also means that the outer layer of the adobe houses needs to be rebuilt every single year. But that’s only one of many interesting facts you’ll learn during your visit.
Visiting Taos Pueblo is a privilege! The Taos community is considered one of the most private, secretive and conservative pueblos. Even their native Taos language has never been written down. Therefore much of their culture remains unknown to the rest of the world! There are still many Native Americans living in Taos Pueblo today. This means that you cannot roam around wherever you want. Instead, a local guide will show you around, teach you a lot of interesting things and answer any questions you might have. You’ll even be able to try their local cuisine. Don’t underestimate the unpretentious food stand – the food was absolutely delicious!
15. White Sands National Park (New Mexico)
White Sands National Park was definitely out of the way but we were both dying to see it! The snow-white sand dunes are unlike anywhere else on earth and were a huge highlight of our USA roadtrip. They are also considered the world’s largest gypsum dunefield!
This place gets SERIOUSLY HOT with temperatures exceeding 100°F (38°C) in the summer. You should generally plan your hikes in the morning or late afternoon. Starting a hike around 2pm can be pretty dangerous as we discovered first hand. No one will stop you, but it’s not recommended and seriously … WE SUFFERED!
Once you pass the entrance you’ll ride mainly on sand (and some washboard) to one of various parking lots. It’s an incredibly beautiful ride! From here you can go on a short boardwalk across the dunes or ride further in for longer hikes. Despite our poorly timed visit, we decided to ride further in as we really wanted to experience walking on the dunes!
Timing aside we were soon caught up by our SECOND BIG MISTAKE! Lack of water! We hugely underestimated how much water we may need, carrying only 2 liters for two people. Significantly less than the 4 liters (one gallon) per person the National Park recommends. We got really thirsty on our walk, feeling quite unwell halfway through and a little worried too. When you can just see desert all around you, following some sticks in the sand for directions, and no other hikers, you’ll quickly question your sense of direction!
So please be smarter than us but don’t miss out on the wonderful White Sands during your USA roadtrip. It really is SPECTACULAR! Just remember to time your visit better than we did and bring way more water than you think you might need 🙂
Planning your USA Roadtrip yet?
Hopefully this blog-post provided some inspiration to explore the Western part of the USA. Or perhaps you found some tips for your upcoming USA roadtrip? If you enjoyed this blog-post or have any questions let us know in the comments below please. What are your favourite places to see in the USA? We’d love to hear from you 🙂
