WA - San Antonio TX 10d
Route: Seattle→Portland→The Dalles→Pendleton Driving: 450km, 5.5hrs. Cross Columbia River Gorge.
Day 1 · Seattle to Pendleton
Highlight: Columbia Gorge views. Note: Fill gas in The Dalles.
Seattle Start
Fish throwers & coffee, iconic start
Multnomah Falls
620ft waterfall, quick hike to bridge
The Dalles
Ice Age floods geology & raptor center
Pendleton
Saddle shop & ribeye since 1883
Day 2 · Pendleton to Boise
Highlight: Wild horses at sunset. Note: Early start for heat.
Pendleton
Underground tours or round-up museum
Baker City
Wagon ruts & pioneer dioramas
Ontario
Basque heritage & Japanese internment history
Boise
Pintxos at Bar Gernika, Basque downtown
Day 3 · Boise to Salt Lake
Highlight: Craters of the Moon lava. Note: No services for 40mi.
Boise
Morning coffee at Big City Coffee
Craters of the Moon
Lava tubes & cinder cones, 0.5mi loop
Twin Falls
486ft canyon, base jumpers if lucky
Salt Lake City
Sunset on granite temple & gardens
Day 4 · Salt Lake to Moab
Highlight: Dead Horse Point sunrise. Note: Book Arches timed entry.
Salt Lake City
Great Salt Lake overlook at Antelope Island
Price
Utahraptor skeleton & Fremont petroglyphs
Green River
Green chili burger, river town classic
Moab
Colorado River gooseneck 2000ft down
Day 5 · Moab to Monument Valley
Highlight: The Mittens at golden hour. Note: 17mi dirt loop, high clearance.
Moab
Sunrise at Mesa Arch, 0.5mi hike
Arches
Iconic sandstone arch, 1.5mi if hiking
Mexican Hat
Sombrero rock & San Juan River
Monument Valley
Navajo taco & Mittens sunset
Day 6 · Monument Valley to Santa Fe
Highlight: Shiprock volcanic neck. Note: No gas for 90mi.
Monument Valley
Sunrise on Merrick Butte, 17mi drive
Shiprock
Sacred volcanic plug, photo from highway
Chaco Canyon
Ancestral Puebloan ruins, 800 rooms
Santa Fe
Frito pie & Native artisans under arcade
Day 7 · Santa Fe to Carlsbad
Highlight: White Sands gypsum dunes. Note: Sunglasses essential.
Santa Fe
Morning at Meow Wolf immersive art
White Sands
Sledding on gypsum, 1mi loop
Cloudcroft
Ponderosa pine & 1899 mountain resort
Carlsbad
Green chili cheeseburger pre-bat flight
Day 8 · Carlsbad to Big Bend
Highlight: Bat exodus at dusk. Note: 2hr time zone change.
Carlsbad
Natural Entrance trail, 1.25mi down
Guadalupe Peak
El Capitan view, highest TX peak trailhead
Marathon
Mission revival oasis, cold Shiner Bock
Big Bend
Window View sunset, desert mountains
Day 9 · Big Bend to Hill Country
Highlight: Santa Elena Canyon river. Note: 26mi dirt Ross Maxwell.
Big Bend
Lost Mine trail sunrise, 4.8mi
Santa Elena
Wade into 1500ft canyon walls
Alpine
Mango chamoy raspas, college town
Fredericksburg
Schnitzel & German beer, Main St
Day 10 · Hill Country to San Antonio
Highlight: Alamo at twilight. Note: River Walk dinner reservation.
Fredericksburg
National Museum Pacific War, Nimitz
Luckenbach
Post office & picker circle, live music
Johnson City
Texas White House & ranch tour
San Antonio
Mission trail & puffy tacos at Mi Tierra