Our National Parks Road Trip Itinerary

Planning an epic road trip through the Western U.S. National Parks? We’ve done it twice!

This post outlines our tried-and-true one-month National Parks road trip itinerary through Yellowstone, the Utah Mighty 5, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Redwoods, and more – covering eight States. We’re sharing our route, travel tips, and firsthand insights to help you prepare your own unforgettable National Parks adventure.

About our first epic National Parks Road Trip

Last updated: October 2025. Originally published: April 2014.

When we quit our jobs back in April 2011, before our departure into Peace Corps service, we planned a massive road trip to see the National Parks of the West.

We loaded up our Subaru with camping gear. Our phones were loaded with audiobooks and podcasts to get us through the drives.

Many of our campsite reservations had to be made almost a year in advance because summer is peak season in the National Parks.

My goal was to make sure we had access to a shower and internet at least every third night.

Sometimes showers were available in a campsite or when we stayed with friends. Other times it meant we “splurged” for a night in a budget hotel room to break up a week of camping with a few more amenities.

After Peace Corps, our second month-long National Parks road trip focused on the Rocky Mountains region.
 

Quick Look: Our 1-Month National Parks Road Trip

• Duration: ~4 weeks
• Route: Oregon → Yellowstone → Grand Tetons → Utah Parks → Grand Canyon → Sequoia → Yosemite → Redwoods → Oregon Coast
• Ideal season: May-September
• Accommodations: Tent camping & occasional motels

See the videos and photos from our road trip here:

Yellowstone National Park

Here’s a video montage of our times in the super volcano! We spent five days/four nights in a cute little budget cabin just steps from Old Faithful, and enjoyed a range of weather conditions from pleasantly sunny to blustery snow.

Yellowstone is an unbelievable place with so many things to see. We especially enjoyed geyser chasing for exercise (checking the ranger forecasts for geyser eruptions and hiking around to see as many as possible) and seeing all the buffalo everywhere!

• 🏕 Stayed: Budget cabin near Old Faithful (book early)

• 📆 Duration: 4 nights

• 🥾 Favorite activity: Geyser chasing via ranger eruption forecasts

• 🧳 Weather prep: Pack for snow, sun, and wind (even in summer)

Jackson, Wyoming

We passed through Grand Tetons National Park and spent the weekend in Jackson, Wyoming with a good friend from college before continuing through Grand Tetons National Park.

Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef National Parks, Utah

After Salt Lake City, we started our big tour of Utah’s National Parks.

Since the weather didn’t permit camping in Yellowstone, the parks in Utah ended up being our first chance to camp. From one of the most unique camping sites in Arches National Park I’ve ever seen, we were able to explore areas that seemed to be from another planet.

This video is a look at our time in Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef National Parks.

• 🏕 Stayed: Campsite inside Arches

• 📆 Duration: 2 nights

• 🥾 Favorite activity: Finding fun rock formations

• 🌅 Pro tip: Capitol Reef has fewer crowds

Bryce and Zion National Parks, Utah

Bryce and Zion were certainly two of the most spectacular parks we’ve seen- so unique and intriguing. We loved our hikes on the Navajo/Queen’s Trail (Bryce) and Angel’s Landing (Zion).

• 🏕 Stayed: Campsites in Bryce and Zion National Parks

• 📆 Duration: 2 nights each

• 🥾 Favorite activity: Scenic hiking trails

• ⏰ Timing tip: Start hikes early to avoid crowds

New: Utah National Parks 2020 Road Trip (1 minute)

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

While, yes, the Grand Canyon is in fact very grand, it doesn’t quite stand up to the footage we’ve gotten from some of the other places on our trip.

Highlights of our stay at the North Rim included scoring a sweet camping spot near the rim and encountering some interesting wildlife while out on our hike. Can you identify the large reptile on the trail?

• 🏕 Stayed: Campsites near the North and South Rim

• 📆 Duration: 3 nights

Sequoia and King’s Canyon National Parks, California

We had a great three nights camping in King’s Canyon where we could explore the canyon, rivers, lakes, huge trees, neighboring Sequoia National Park, and–of course–encounter more wildlife!

The highlight of this part of the road trip was definitely the bear on our hiking trail.

• 🏕 Stayed: Campsite in King’s Canyon

• 📆 Duration: 3 nights

• 🥾 Favorite activity: Spotting impressive trees and wildlife

Yosemite National Park, California

Many say Yosemite is one of the most beautiful places in the country, so we decided to spend five nights there.

After an arduous hike, the view from the top of Yosemite Falls was well worth the climb. Another hike took us to an unforgettable waterfall at Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in a section of the park that has fewer visitors and allowed us to escape the weekend crowds.

One of Jedd’s college friends, Tyler, was able to fly out to meet us to experience this leg of the epic road trip together. We’re appreciative that he made the effort to join us!

As in many of the other parks, we also took advantage of the Ranger programs, which always provides deeper insight to our experience (and usually good laughs from the cute things enthusiastic children contribute to the talks).

• 🏕 Stayed: Yosemite campgrounds

• 📆 Duration: 4 nights

• 🎓 Bonus: Join free Ranger talks in the evening

Redwoods State Park and the Oregon Coast

After Yosemite, we had one of our longer driving days to get to the Redwoods. We decided to spend only one night in the Redwoods area so we could join family who were camping in Honeyman State Park, Oregon. 

As you’ll see in the video, Jedd was very excited to end the trip catching two fish back to back since his other catches the week beforehand were too small to keep.

• 🏕 Stayed: Campsite in Redwoods and Oregon Coast

• 📆 Duration: 1 night, 2 nights

• 🥾 Favorite activity: Enjoying nature with family

National Parks Road Trip FAQ

How long should you spend in each park?

It depends on your pace and interests, but we found that 2-4 days per park gives enough time to hike, see the major sights, and enjoy a rest day. Larger parks like Yellowstone and Yosemite easily deserve 4-5 days, while smaller parks such as Bryce or Arches can be experienced in one to two full days.

What time of year is best for a Western U.S. parks road trip?

Late spring through early fall (May-September) have the best conditions for a long road trip through the Western parks. Expect snow at higher elevations in early spring and crowds throughout the summer. We personally liked May and September for fewer crowds and comfortable temperatures.

How far in advance should you reserve campsites?

Book 6-12 months ahead for popular parks, especially if traveling during summer. Some campgrounds fill up the day reservations open. If you prefer flexibility, look for first-come, first-served campgrounds or use Recreation.gov to monitor cancellations closer to your dates.

You might also like:
– Our Rockies Road Trip Itinerary (One Month)
– Utah 7 Day Road Trip Itinerary
– Best Oregon Road Trip Destinations and Itineraries
– Packing List for an Epic Car Camping Road Trip

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