Check out this 3-Day Epic Road Trip through Southwest trip by katherinebeard on Steller!

3-Day Epic Road Trip through Southwestwelcome to the southwest! from iconic stops like the four corners to monument valley, or tsé biiʼ ndzisgaii, and more hidden gems like the moki dugway and goosenecks, a trip here will be filled with photo-taking, road trip stops, delicious southwestern food, and so much more!Authorskatherinebeard
Andrewthekook
DestinationsOljato-Monument ValleyItinerary

Sunday: Valley of the Gods, Moki, & MV Camping

Valley of the Gods Road
TONS of amazing dispersed camping here (primitive AKA no toilets, picnic areas, etc.).
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Highway 261
AKA the moki dugway, this winding, dirt road climbs up the mesa face behind valley of the gods. the views along the way are stunning! P.S. take it slow, the road is gravelly and you shouldn't be in a rush here anyway... it's too beautiful! no RVs, large trailers, or trucks, can make it up the winding road.
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Muley Point East
one of the best-kept secrets of this area... at the top of the mesa, there is a well-maintained dirt road that leads you out to a viewpoint (where you can camp) overlooking the foothills below: goosenecks of the river, a winding dirt road, the red rock formations, & more. i took a long nap up here, and if we had more time, i would've wanted to camp and hang out here for a few days. truly wonderful.
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Mexican Hat Rock
famously named the town of the mexican hat, there is a 5 mile drive on a dirt road to the base or a hike up to it as well. there are free campsites around here. we just drove past, but it is a fun little sight to see & totally looks like a sombrero!
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Goosenecks State Park
driving up to this state park, we weren't super sure it was worth it... but it was a small detour that ended up being a huge surprise! reminiscent of the horseshoe bend in arizona and one of the deepest carved canyons of the san juan river. snap a photo above the snaking river below and if no one is at the fee window, make sure to bring $5 cash for your visit.
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Forrest Gump Point
we got here around 6 p.m. and boy oh boy it was PACKED. the view is gorgeous in the evening light, but BUSY. be SUPER careful driving down the road as it is lined with tourists sitting, running, and wandering around the highway.
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The View Campground
camping here was one of the best decisions, making it easy for us to get up and be some of the first people on the MV loop the next morning. we booked the sunset RV site for $60, but there are also cabins, campsites, and hotel rooms. check in by 9 at the latest and check in starts at 4 p.m. the view from our car camping set up was over the entire monument, with the iconic "film" view and was a great spot to take photos in the evening and the morning. there is also a restaurant here, along with a gift shop that has postcards, bathrooms, & so much more.
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Monday: Western Films, 4 Corners, & Mesa Verde

Monument Valley Tribal Park Visitor Center
make sure to check in and pay the $8 pp fee, grabbing a map, and planning your route before you head out. remember to be respectful!! you are on the sacred land of the navajo people. make sure to fill up your tank before entering too! the drive takes about (depending on how long and how many stops you make) and used up less than 1/4 of my tank, but always be prepared on the road!
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Monument Valley
a 17 mile dirt and sand road winds through and around the jutting, orange buttes of monument valley. one of our favorite stops was the view from navajo code talkers point! pro tip: starting at sunrise means there were barely any cars on the road, but as the day gets later, more and more people arrive making the drive even slower. if you want to see more of the valley or get off the main road, you can take a tour with Navajo guides to more sites. there is an entrance fee of $8 pp.
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Wildcat Trail
a 3 mile trail around the famous monument valley viewpoint of the "mittens." with photo-stops and taking it leisurely, this trail takes about an hour to an hour and a half to complete. come at sunset for the best lighting!
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John Ford Point
a MUST STOP along the monument valley road. famous viewpoint named after the famous director who shot several movies here! pro tip: if you get here early, around sunrise you can avoid waiting in line to take a photo! lots of tours stop here and it gets crowded quick.
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Teec Nos Pos Trading Post
stopped here for a snack and some bathrooms (both super nice). this little trading post has an assortment of pickles (weird but alright), turquoise jewelry, navajo rugs and other goods, as well as, fresh foods and cold drinks. when we were here, there was a local pop-up/fundraiser for fry bread too!
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Four Corners Monument
this is just one of those must-see once road trip stops. beware, there is a line to get a photo with the iconic state lines and an $8 pp entrance fee. the line moves fast though! while someone in your party waits you can putter around to the different storefronts selling magnets, t-shirts, postcards, jewelry, and more.
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Mesa Verde National Park
this may just be my new favorite NP. home to the impressive cliff dwellings and homes of the pueblo people, this park needs 2-3 days IMO. i wish we had more time, but we were there for a half-day of exploration. we saw many of the dwellings from viewpoints and drive loops. you should also plan ahead and book tours to hike through the dwellings on a guided ranger tour.
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Mesa Verde Visitor & Research Center
before heading out stop at the visitor center for bathrooms, a cute gift shop, and ranger advice for what to see. they can help you plan your trip, depending on how much time you have, or even make you (or your kids) a junior ranger.
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Mesa Top Loop
a 6 mile loop with views of spruce tree house, square tower house, oak tree house, sun point pueblo, sun point view, the sun temple. defintitely download the NPS audio guide to listen to as you drive along (it is free on apple podcasts).
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Cliff Palace Loop
a mile loop cliff palace overlook, house of many windows overlook, and hemenway house overlook. if we had more time, we would've opted to do the Soda Canyon Overrail (1.2 miles) out to see balcony house as well.
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Columbine Bar & Grill
after a long day, we were starving!! the food here came out quick and was overall, pretty good. we tried the potstickers to start, paired with their mesa verde burger (covered in NM chiles) and the hot honey chicken which has a real kick to it!
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La Plata Canyon
for dispersed or fee campgrounds outside of durango, this is the spot. nestled along the la plata river, a drive up the road (which is mostly dirt, but in great condition) leads you to plentiful options for camping. the snowslide and kroeger campgrounds are developed with toilets, picnic areas, and fire pits, but require a payment.
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San Juan National Forest
we stayed at madden, a more primitive option, but free! it gets chillier at night up here, so pack layers.
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Tuesday: Durango for the Day!

Durango Coffee Company
only about 25-30 minutes from our campsite, the blueberry muffin here paired with a drip coffee is the way to get your day going! the interior has a sort of vintage, mountain chic feel with lots of seating and remote workers (and reliable wifi).
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R G P's Flame Grilled Wraps
a unique joint in downtown durango known for their filling grilled wraps. the superman and chicken cesar were our favorites!
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Mountain Marketplace
great spot for durango souvenirs and postcards (per ususal!)
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Durango Antique Market
curated, cool, vintage antique shop. the glassware, turuoise jewelry, and old signs were all super unique and cool. they had some sick western wear too!
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Perimeter Trail
a stop in ouray for this 6 mile, 1700 ft. elevation gain trail run was necessary after so many days on the road! we completed in about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
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Taco Del Gnar Ridgway CO
combining all kinds of global flavors in taco form, come try their one-of-a-kind options!
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