In this post, I share photos from my cross-country road trip which took place the summer of 2022.
Goodbye, Suzie
In June 2022, my friend had her wedding in California, where she lives and where we grew up. Instead of flying over for the wedding from my home in Michigan, I decided to take an extended to vacation to slowly drive across the country. The round-trip road trip lasted from May 26 to June 18, 2022.
I am writing this article over a year after my trip, in part, to document my favorite places and photos. I also wanted to show off my 2010 Subaru Outback, Suzie, who took me on this adventure with zero issues. Last month I made the difficult decision to sell her, but she was always a reliable companion on my road trips (until she wasn’t).
Driving to Utah
Day 1 - On the I-80 W
My car-camping setup was unnecessarily heavy this trip because I was carrying everything I needed for the next month and a half, as I was in between leases. I also didn’t own a rooftop carrier, which may have been helpful. I enjoy sleeping in my car for trips like this, and laid two pieces of 4" x 24" x 72" upholstery foam side by side in the back of my Outback and covered it with a sheet for sleeping.
After leaving my apartment keys for my landlord in my unit, I left Michigan at 4am and drove out past Lincoln, Nebraska on I-80 W. This was probably my most high-mileage day, and I remember driving about 850 miles over 13 hours. I prefer free, dispersed camping when possible, and use Campendium to find campsites. The first “campsite” that I picked was essentially a small park a ways off the freeway surrounded by farms, and I did not feel comfortable camping somewhere so seemingly isolated. After continuing to drive west on the freeway for another 30 minutes, I found a free, first-come-first-served campsite in a small town which felt very safe.
Day 2 - Denver
The goal for the next day was to make it to Denver and meet up my friend who would join me for the next leg of the trip. After this, getting her to the Las Vegas airport 8 days later would be the only to-do item on my calendar, as I had made no concrete itinerary or campsite reservations.
I made it to Denver by early afternoon where she and I stocked up on a week’s worth of groceries. For non-perishables, we packed mostly bars and nuts; for lunches, wraps with hummus, lettuce, and deli meats; and for dinner, sausages and vegetables which we cooked with my butane camping stove. This portable stove has gotten its money’s worth many many times over. After spending the night at a mutual friend’s apartment in Denver, we set out early the next morning for the mountains.
Day 3 - Lost Lake
The following day, we drove straight for the trail head for Lost Lake via the Hessie trail, which AllTrails describes as a moderate 4-mile out and back. It was a short and beautiful hike. There was still some snow on the ground, but I warmed up quickly under the sun.
I was hoping to spend the evening at a remote or dispersed campsite, but many of the off-road mountain passes were still difficult to traverse or closed due to snow. We ended up finding a nice campsite in Frisco, although there were slim pickings as we had no prior reservation.
Utah
Day 4 - Valley of the Gods
Given that there was snow on the forecast in the mountains, we decided to drive straight to Arches National Park the next day (280 miles / 450 km). The weather was still overcast and a little rainy in Moab when we arrived, so we decided to head south another 130 miles (210 km) to the Valley of the Gods. After driving south, but before heading to the valley to camp, we hiked into a nearby canyon. I do not remember the specific hike, but there was no one else on the trail and we enjoyed a dip in the Sun Juan river (a tributary of the Colorado river) at the bottom.
I wasn’t sure what to expect at the Valley of the Gods; it was an offhand recommendation from an acquaintance, and I could not get the idea out of my mind. I found the drive through the valley to be expansive, isolated, and fascinating. There were wind warnings in this area the entire day, and by the time we got to a clearing off the road that would serve as our campsite, red clouds of dust were in the air.
The openness of the valley, combined with the my feeling of helplessness in the wind storm, made me quite stressed. Our best option was to wait it out in the car, where we ended up sleeping instead of pitching the tent. My makeshift mattress was surprisingly comfortable for both of us, and we ended up sleeping in the car for the majority of the rest of the trip. It made our camping options much more flexible.
Day 5 - Moab
We woke up the next morning to one of the most beautiful sunrises I have ever experienced. The air was completely calm, and the anxieties of the previous day fell away.
We drove back to Moab with the intention of going to Arches National Park, but we found that the park was utilizing a timed-entry system. The only way to circumvent the lack of a timed reservation was to enter the park before 6am, so we once again pushed our Arches visit back one day back. Instead, we headed to a nearby off-road vehicle trail and hiked 10 miles through the Moab wilderness.
The rock formations here were incredible, and I enjoyed seeing people in their outfitted vintage 4Runners traversing the rocks.
In the evening, we drove to a remote dispersed campsite over some incredibly rocky roads to sleep. This drive made me realize that Suzie was way more capable of handling difficult terrain than I had been previously aware, and I enjoyed the experience of driving to the campsite. The camping spot was fantastic, and it was a shame that we had to leave before sunrise at 5:30am the next morning to make it to Arches in time.
Day 6 - Arches
The benefit of getting to Arches before sunrise the next morning was that we were able to view the sunrise at the park.
We hiked one loop that allowed us to view many of the arches.
We ended up only spending about half a day at Arches National Park before driving to Dixie National Forest to camp. While the sunrise view and arch formations were incredible, the park was very crowded and smaller than I expected. I found our campsite this evening on Campendium, and it was my favorite campsite of the trip. We were completely secluded and enjoyed a beautiful sunset.
Day 7 - Bryce Canyon
The next morning, we drove to Bryce Canyon National Park. We arrived when it was still very early and enjoyed an incredible view of the canyon from Inspiration Point.
We decided to spend the day hiking the Fairyland Loop trail, which is a fun 8-mile loop along the rim and through the “hoodoos”, which are the unique columns of rock observed in the canyon.
Unlike Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon was not crowded. We were easily able to reserve a campsite in the park, and after our hike, we took the first shower that we had taken in 5 days. Bryce Canyon gets my highest recommendation as a park to visit.
Day 8 - Zion Day 1
We woke up early the next morning to see the sunrise over Bryce Canyon. The view from Sunrise Point was breathtaking, and I was so grateful that I had chosen to camp in the park the previous night.
We then started our drive to Zion National Park, but we ended up in a one-hour standstill on the freeway behind a truck that had jackknifed (no one was hurt). I remember having fun conversations with all kinds of people on the freeway. Everyone brought out their camping chairs and brewed coffee on the road.
The road delay was only the beginning of a very hectic day. While my lack of planning was not a hindrance for the majority of the trip, I learned quickly that Zion required careful planning. The park is busy, campsites fill up quickly, and the dispersed campsites outside the park are over a 40 minutes’ drive from the central areas. We parked in Springdale, the town outside Zion’s south entrance, and shuttled into the park. Utilizing the shuttle system within the park is a must, and parking at the the park is limited. I don’t have many pictures from this day, but my friend and I ended up walking through the beginning of the Narrows before turning around due to lack of gear and time. That evening, we camped at a great spot outside the east entrance, but the drive in and out of the park from this area is long.
Day 9 - Zion Day 2
We planned more appropriately the next day, and we were able to park the car in the park after getting up early. While campsites in Zion fill up quickly, we snagged a cancelled reservation for a single site that evening. This alleviated the logistical burden that day. My friend was seeking a relaxed day in town while I was craving a challenging hike, so we split up and chose our own adventures.
I did not have a permit to hike to Angel’s Landing, so I first hiked to Scout’s Lookout (a lookout point right before the ridge that branches off to Angel’s Landing) which is open without a permit. The views along this hike were phenomenal. Having grown up visiting Yosemite multiple times, I am partial to Huge Rocks and loved the grandeur of the rocks in Zion.
I found the views from Scout’s Lookout to be impressive, and I did not feel like I was missing out by not making it to Angel’s Landing. At this point, the trail branches off to Angel’s Landing or the West Rim Trail, and I continued on the West Rim Trail. While the hike to Scout’s Lookout was crowded, the continued hike on West Rim Trail was almost empty. I appreciated this part of the hike immensely.
Once I got to the upper ridge, I ate lunch and began my descent. At the bottom of the mountain, I thought “what is 3 more miles?” and walked through the Emerald Pools. My feet and body were spent and exhausted by this point. I was so happy to have a in-park campsite that evening, and I took a cold plunge in the Virgin River.
Driving to California
Day 10 - Las Vegas
The next day, we drove to Las Vegas where my friend was dropped off for her flight out. In the evening, I met up with another friend from San Diego, and we stayed in Las Vegas.
Day 11 - Red Rocks Canyon
The next morning, we drove to Red Rocks Canyon for a beautiful hike. I was surprised at how close the area was to the city of Las Vegas, and was excited to learn that my National Parks Annual Access Pass could be use for Conservation Areas as well.
The afternoon was spent enjoying my time in Las Vegas and resting before the final leg of my outbound roadtrip the next day.
Day 12 - Eastern Sierras
The next morning, my friend returned to San Diego, and I began my drive back to the San Francisco Bay Area. I was planning to camp outside the eastern entrance of Yosemite, but upon hearing from my family that my brother was actually camping that night in Yosemite, I drove all the way into the Valley. First, I stopped at the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, California. The views of the Eastern Sierras from this portion of U.S. 395 are magnificent.
I visited Yosemite frequently growing up, and as always, I was in awe of the beauty of the park.
As I did not have an overnight pass for my vehicle, I ended up driving out the west entrance of the park after having dinner with my brother and his friends. I ended up sleeping this evening at a truck stop, extremely tired after an unexpectedly long day of driving. For sleeping at truck stops, I cover my backdoor windows with over-door screens and leave them open a crack for air. Further, I cover my front window with a blanket and I also park my vehicle so that it is easy for me to make a quick exit. I tend to feel very safe at truck stops due to the traffic, lights, and people around, but out of principle I use most of these precautions whenever I am camping alone.
A week in California
I was only two hours away from the Bay Area when I woke up in the morning, and I drove straight to Berkeley for a 9am cup of coffee. I then drove south to meet with my friend, who I would stay with for the next 4 days. I was not far from the Mission Peak trail head, and I made sure to hike it before I left.
After attending my friend’s beautiful wedding, I visited another friend in San Francisco before heading up to the North Bay and spending time with my family.
After spending a few days with my family in Sonoma County, I began my drive back to Michigan.
Driving to Michigan
Day 13 - On the I-80 E
I left early in the morning and drove all the way to Idaho Falls. I stopped in Twin Falls for food, and when I turned around in the parking lot, I saw this view!
I slept this evening at a truck stop in Idaho Falls, about 2 hours from the Grant Tetons.
Day 14 - Grand Tetons Day 1
The next morning I hiked in Grand Teton National Park, and I was completely blown away. Of all the National Parks that I visited this trip, it was my favorite. The mountains were impressive, I enjoyed beautiful weather, and I loved the lush green colors. I hope to visit in the fall and enjoy more hikes.
Jenny Lake could be viewed from the mountain for the majority of the hike to Amphitheater Lake.
I had no idea what to expect from Amphitheater Lake, but hiking boots, poles, and microspikes were necessary to complete this hike. I met a few people hiking with no gear besides their tennis shoes, but I would not have felt safe descending the slushy terrain without my spikes. Luckily, I had picked up everything I needed at REI that morning.
The Tetons are incredible.
Day 15 - Grand Tetons Day 2
I slept the night at a beautiful campsite in the park, and took a ferry across Jenny Lake the next morning to do a small hike in the valley.
On this hike, I enjoyed more views of Jenny Lake. No other national park has come close to dethroning my favorite (Yosemite) but Grant Teton National Park is definitely a special place.
With more time, I would have spent another full day in the park. As I needed to be back in Michigan by June 18th, I decided to keep driving east, and I ended up spending the night in South Dakota in Black Hills National Forest near Custer State Park. All the dispersed camping was occupied, so I pulled off the side of a logging road and slept in my car.
Day 16 - Badlands
The next day, I spent an hour in the morning in Custer State Park, which was a pleasant surprise, as I did not know what to expect in South Dakota. I then started driving east and detoured through Badlands National Park.
I was especially enamored with the cute mountain goats.
I recall this day to be very exhausting and boring after driving through the Badlands. I stopped at a truck stop in South Dakota for a shower, and then drove all the way across Minnesota on the I-90E before sleeping at a truck stop near Madison, Wisconsin. I drove through La Crosse, Wisconsin right around sunset, and I was awed by the beautiful pink skies reflecting on the water.
Day 17 - Michigan
I spent the next morning at Madison’s farmers’ market, “Saturday on the Square”, and then I completed the last few hours of driving to southeast Michigan! I arrived around noon with my trip odometer clocking in at exactly 6420 miles.
Trip Data
I spent the most nights sleeping with friends and family, which is skewed by the week that I spent in California. After this, I spend the most nights sleeping at dispersed campsites, National Park campsites, truck stops, and lastly hotels. My two hotel nights were those that I spent in Las Vegas.
I spent $1161 on gas, so my average spending was $5.53/gallon. The lowest price I saw was $4.19/gallon in Nebraska on my way west, and the highest price I saw was over $7.00/gallon in California. I took a picture of the most expensive tank I filled on June 8.
Below is a summary of the route that I mapped in Google maps after the trip.
My favorite park was the Grand Tetons, although my favorite overall area was south Utah. This may be in part because I got to enjoy the experience with my friend, as I traveled solo for the entire trip east. The driving was much less tiring than I expected it to be, although I think I was fueled by the novelty of the experience. I would certainly go on a similar trip again if I have the time and new places to visit.