Trip Overview
This last post covers the a wonderful adventure – 17 days of camping, 7 day interlude in Denver, 7 national parks, 3 state parks, 10 states, 5,300 miles (8,530 km), ∞ memories.
“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
J.R.Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring.
Pro tips
- Make National Park campground reservations through Recreation.gov as soon as feasible (usually 6 months before your travel date), as they sell fast.
- For Arches and Zion, if you don’t stay in the respective National Park’s campgrounds, the entrance to the park can take a significant amount of time each day.
- Some trails require special passes through a lottery – e.g., Angel’s Landing at Zion.
- Entry into many of the parks, without a campground reservation requires an additional day pass – unless you are over 60 and have an Interagency pass
The Original Plan
What Actually Happened
April 25, 2025 – Cincinnati to Starved Rock
The three of us (Mario, Sandra and Frida) left Cincinnati around 8 am, heading west on our first big day of the trip. Drive to Starved Rock State Park in Illinois was uneventful – just the way road trips should be. After setting up at our campsite, Sandra and I took our first hike of the journey while Frida got some well-deserved rest. We followed the Pontiac Canyon, Wildcat Canyon and Beehive Overlook, a short (2.7 miles) trail along the Illinois River on a well-maintained wooden boardwalk. The highlight was spotting several cliff swallow nests at Pontiac Falls – fascinating to watch them zip in and out of their mud homes on the rock face. Dinner was a campfire triumph: chicken with mushrooms and potatoes cooked in our trusty cast iron pots. Nothing beats the flavor you get from cooking over an open fire. Perfect start to our adventure!
Sandra, Frida and I spent most of the day on the road, driving from Starved Rock to Lake Anita State Park. Not going to sugarcoat it – the drive through Illinois and Iowa isn’t winning any scenic beauty contests. Flat farmland for miles and miles. Lake Anita itself is just a small man-made lake with a paved trail circling it – nothing spectacular, but it serves its purpose as a stopping point. The campground facilities were surprisingly clean and well-maintained, which was a plus after a long day on the road. We’ve got our Frida walking system down to a science: load her into the wagon, pull her a couple hundred yards from the camper, then watch her eagerly trot back to her bed in the camper. The bulldog has spoken – outside is overrated! The highlight was definitely dinner – we prepared an eggplant lasagna over the campfire that turned out absolutely delicious.
April 27, 2025 – Lake Anita to Pal’s Brewing, North Platte
Started the day with the mandatory latte before heading out from Lake Anita. Our journey to North Platte took a detour when one of our camper’s tail lights burnt out, taking us through Iowa farmlands and windmills. Frida discovered the joy of sitting directly in front of the small fan we propped next to her in the car for the drive. Made a stop in Omaha at Archetype Coffee and explored the Old Market Historic District – Omaha was honestly a pleasant surprise with more character than I expected. Finally made it to our Harvest Host, Pal’s Brewing in North Platte. The food good, but the beer was the real star, particularly the Heiferweizen, the Session Belgian White Ale and Irish Porter. Definitely a very nice day.
April 28, 2025 – North Platte to Curt Gowdy State Park
Left North Platte at the crack of dawn with a quick coffee stop to fuel up. Made a detour to Lake McConaughy, Nebraska’s largest reservoir, hoping to spot some wildlife. Frida couldn’t resist the water – no surprise there – and went for a quick splash despite the cool morning. Drove on to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where we stopped at Paramount Cafe downtown. The city was pretty quiet with it being Sunday morning. Finally arrived at Curt Gowdy State Park, which has easily been the highlight of our trip so far. Took a beautiful hike on the Crow Creek to Hidden Falls trail – the scenery was spectacular with granite formations and pine forests. The weather turned on us by evening, getting blustery and rainy, so we retreated to the camper for dinner. Cooked salmon with couscous inside instead of over the campfire. Even with the weather, this place is special – can’t wait to visit again.
May 4, 2025 – Denver to Capitol Reef National Park
Hit the road at 6 am after a final stop at Bardo, our favorite coffee spot in Denver. It was hard saying goodbye to our family, after our wonderful six days together. The drive from Denver to Capitol Reef was nothing short of spectacular – from alpine mountains to red rock desert, the landscape transformed completely over those 8 hours. Our system of switching drivers every two hours kept us fresh and alert for the journey. Capitol Reef absolutely took our breath away as soon as we arrived. After getting settled at our campsite (Fruita Campground, site 39) and taking Frida for her obligatory exploratory walk, we hiked the Ream Overlook path. The panoramic views of colorful rock formations stretching for miles were incredible – photos can’t do this place justice. Dinner was a feast: Mexican-style chicken in tomatillo sauce with zucchini, fresh corn tortillas and avocados. Had high hopes of breaking out the telescope for some stargazing, but the rain had other plans. The scope will have to wait another day, but even with the weather turning, this place feels magical.
Woke to steady rain that continued from overnight, so we decided to get an early start toward Zion. Had planned to stop at Escalante and the Kiva Koffeehouse along the way, but a passing driver warned us about deep snow on that route. Reluctantly scratched that off our list – there’s always next time. Arrived in Springdale just outside Zion and nearly got ourselves a parking ticket while grabbing lunch – made it back to the car just as an officer was writing us up. Talk about timing! Finally made it to Watchman campground (D015) inside the park and got settled. Simply put, Zion is jaw-dropping. The massive red canyon walls towering around us are unlike anything we’ve seen before. Managed to squeeze in a short hike on the Watchman Trail before darkness fell, and were amazed by the incredible variety of wildflowers in bloom – seemed like every few steps brought a different species with new colors and shapes. Then headed back to the campground where Frida was waiting. Dinner tonight was Palak Paneer, Bartha andd Nan bread – our little camper kitchen is turning out some pretty impressive meals. The stunning backdrop of Zion’s cliffs made for an unforgettable dinner setting.
📸 More Pictures of Capitol Reef in Photo Gallery
May 6, 2025 – Zion National Park
Up at the crack of dawn (5:30) to catch the 7am shuttle to Angels Landing trailhead – lucky I secured that lottery permit six months ago. While not particularly long, climbing 1,800 feet definitely qualifies as a serious workout. Sandra decided to wait at Scout Lookout while I tackled the final nerve-wracking stretch with the chains. The panoramic views from the top were absolutely worth every drop of sweat – simply unbelievable. On our descent, we had an incredible stroke of luck spotting a Spotted Owl hidden in plain sight, just perched on a tree branch next to the trail in Refrigerator Canyon. Continued our lucky streak when we shuttled to Big Bend stop and saw a pair of California Condors soaring above – bagging both endangered species on my wishlist in one day! Afternoon hike to Emerald Pools via Keyanta trail was a bit too crowded for our taste. Being an ambitious hiking day, we’d arranged for a pet sitter to take Frida out while we were gone. Back at the campground, we revisited the Visitor Center with Frida in her wagon – she was quite the celebrity with other visitors. Capped off the day with sunset at Zion Canyon Overlook Trail, which in hindsight was probably pushing it after such a strenuous day. The views were gorgeous regardless, though our knees were definitely feeling it.
📸 More Pictures of Zion in Photo Gallery
May 7, 2025 – Zion to Bryce Canyon
Had to shelve our plans for hiking The Narrows due to time constraints with the campground’s 11 AM checkout. Instead, we enjoyed a leisurely morning hike along the Virgin River from the Big Bend stop, hoping for a repeat performance from yesterday’s condors. No such luck with the birds, but the easy walk with spectacular canyon views was a perfect way to wrap up our Zion visit.
Made it back to pack up the camper and hit the road to Bryce Canyon. Thankfully, our reconnaissance from yesterday’s Zion Overlook trip showed us that the Zion-Mount Carmel highway would be a nightmare with our trailer – steep climbs and tight switchbacks that would have tested both vehicle and marriage. Opted for the longer but flatter route, which rewarded us with a drive through Red Canyon. Those formations were so intensely red they almost looked artificial – like someone cranked up the color saturation to impossible levels.
Finally arrived at Ruby’s Inn a private campground outside Bryce. After lunch and Frida’s walk, we took advantage of our electric hookup to set up the slow cooker with Italian lentil soup with chicken from Healthy Gourmet Kitchen – perfect to return to after hiking.
Then it was off to Bryce Canyon for the Navajo Loop and Queen’s Garden trail. My first thought upon seeing Bryce: “Now you’re just showing off.” Absolutely nothing prepares you for this landscape. The hoodoos and walls looking like nature’s cathedrals and castles put anything human-made to shame. The oranges, reds and whites of the rock formations against the cloudy sky were simply mesmerizing.
Rain chased us back to camp once again. The comfortable facilities at Ruby’s Inn were a welcome change – hot showers and laundry feeling like absolute luxuries after days of more rustic camping. Sometimes civilization has its perks!
📸 More Pictures of Bryce Canyon in Photo Gallery
May 8, 2025 – Bryce Canyon to Arches National Park
Every trip has its low points, and today seemed determined to be ours. Started with great excitement, rising at 5:15 AM to catch the sunrise at Bryce’s aptly named Sunrise Point. The early morning light on the hoodoos promised to be magical for photography. Everything was going perfectly until disaster struck – dropped my camera, and while the tether saved it from hitting the ground, the flip screen smacked against the tripod. Just like that, I’m camera-less for the rest of our journey. Devastating.
To compound matters, Frida started having GI issues and our pet sitter plans for tomorrow fell through. Not exactly how we envisioned the day going.
On the bright side, we made it to Arches, and what an impressive place it is. We stopped no the way for breakfast and coffee at The Flying Goat which helped lift our spirits. The moment you enter Arches National Park, you get a sense of the sheer scale and beauty that awaits. The drive to Devils Garden campground is like flipping through a series of postcards, each view more stunning than the last. We had site 51, which was on the end of the campground, meaning less traffic, but there are really no bad sites there.
Things started looking up when we hiked the Devils Garden trail to Double Arch in the afternoon. There’s something about the desert environment, the towering rocks, and the sheer vastness that simultaneously makes you feel tiny and fills you with immense joy.
Ended the day with dinner under a perfectly clear sky and bright waxing moon, which gave us our first chance to use the telescope. The moonlight was too bright for deep-sky objects, so we focused on lunar craters and some planets instead.
By day’s end, things had turned around considerably. The camera will be fixed (thank goodness for that protection plan), Frida is feeling much better, and honestly, I couldn’t think of anywhere I’d rather be sharing with Sandra. Even the challenging days in places this beautiful are better than good days most anywhere else.
📸 More Pictures of Arches in Photo Gallery
May 9, 2025 – Arches and Canyonlands National Parks
Got up a bit later than usual, around 7am. Enjoyed our morning latte and cereal in the clear desert air, surrounded by the stunning rock formations of Devils Garden campground. After giving Frida her morning walk, Sandra and I took a short hike to see Broken Arch.
Then drove toward Moab, making the mandatory stop at the Arches Visitor Center on our way out. In town, we hit the Moab Garage Company for our second coffee of the day along with some pastries – highly recommend this place if you’re ever in Moab. Walked around downtown with Frida in her wagon (always a hit with passersby) and browsed several shops with cool merchandise. The limited space in our car and camper forces us to be very judicious about what we buy, which is probably a good thing for our bank account!
Picked up salads and a baguette at Bonjour Bakery and headed to Dead Horse State Park. The scenery transformed dramatically from the towering rocks of Arches to flatter terrain ending in spectacular canyons. Lunch with stunning views of the Colorado River 200 meters below was nothing short of spectacular.
From there, we ventured to Canyonlands National Park. On the drive, we were treated to a mesmerizing sky – bright blue with puffy white clouds that had a distinct pinkish hue to them, likely reflecting the red soil from above. Canyonlands seemed to say to Dead Horse “hold my beer.” With the day getting hotter and Frida with us in the car, we couldn’t do any meaningful hiking, so we drove the scenic routes and made short excursions to various viewpoints.
One downside of the Arches campground is the lack of showers, so on our way back, we stopped at Sun Outdoors campground in Moab for public showers. Feeling clean and refreshed, we stopped at City Market (apparently part of Kroger) to replenish our pantry, particularly looking forward to Saturday when we’ll be camping with Nuria, Paul and Penélope back in Colorado.
Returned to the campground and started preparing for an early departure tomorrow, followed by a simple but satisfying pasta dinner. Overall, a lovely day with less hiking but still experiencing a wide range of places. We’re already planning our next trip back to the Utah parks, especially Zion and Arches, and extending west and south… but that’s for another day.
May 10, 2025 – Arches to BLM Campsite
Left Arches at 6am with the firm conviction of coming back soon. I simply didn’t get enough of those incredible rock formations. Headed east to a beautiful Bureau of Land Management site where we planned to celebrate Mother’s Day with Sandra and our daughter Nuria and her family. The spot was selected by Nuria, using the app TheDyrt and it was perfect – nestled at the foot of hills with a lovely creek running through it, surrounded by evergreens and interesting rock formations.
For dinner, we prepared chicken in tomato sauce with potatoes, asparagus and corn using our trusty cast iron pot. Since this was a pretty rustic site with no facilities, we had to improvise a support for the pot over the fire using rocks and a grilling basket – worked surprisingly well for our makeshift kitchen. The dinner turned out great, complemented by delicious pastries that Paul and Nuria brought.
Perfect day celebrating the mothers in our family while surrounded by Colorado’s beautiful wilderness. These are the moments that make all the planning and driving worthwhile.
May 11, 2025 – BLM Site to Mancos Brewery
Sandra had thoughtfully left steel-cut oats soaking overnight, so we started with a delicious breakfast. After packing up, we drove down the hill to plan our next move, but since the baby had fallen asleep, Nuria decided to head back to Denver. Goodbyes are always the hardest part, but we’ll see them again soon.
Headed towards Newspaper Rock Historic Monument, stopping for a second coffee at Coffee Shack – nothing memorable but did the job. Getting to Newspaper Rock and then Mesa Verde meant retracing our journey from yesterday through Moab, which gave us another chance to enjoy those unique desert landscapes (though this doesn’t count against our commitment to return to Arches!). Made a quick stop at Hole In The Rock, drawn in by the wonderfully eccentric merchandise and displays – I’d seen references to this place while planning the trip and it definitely lived up to its reputation for weirdness.
As we approached Newspaper Rock, we were shocked to realize it was about 20 miles from Canyonlands despite having driven over an hour from the US 191 junction where we’d accessed Canyonlands a couple days ago. Really gives you a sense of the massive scale of these parks – they’re absolutely enormous.
Newspaper Rock itself is a fascinating site with ancient petroglyphs, some thousands of years old. According to the interpretation signs, it’s not entirely clear what purpose they served, so I’ll offer my own hypothesis: this was the beta version of Facebook, where people told their friends what they were up to!
Since we couldn’t secure a spot at Mesa Verde’s campground, we stayed at Mancos Brewery in Mancos, CO – our first Harvest Host in a while. Initial impression wasn’t great, but the folks were actually very nice and the menu surprisingly varied. Had the beet salad and tofu teriyaki, plus I tried their porter which was quite good.
Note: If you can, I would highly recommend staying at the Morefield Campground inside Mesa Verde, as it is extremely nice and much closer to the archeological sites.
Finally called it a day, looking forward to visiting Mesa Verde first thing in the morning.
May 12, 2025 – Mesa Verde to Great Sand Dunes
Since we hadn’t unhitched the camper, we left promptly in search of coffee and found a great place – Fahrenheit Coffee in Mancos. Well-caffeinated, we headed to Mesa Verde National Park. We’d made reservations for the ranger-guided tour of Cliff Palace, but faced a new challenge when Frida had another bout of diarrhea the night before. Called off the pet sitter and Sandra stayed at Morefield Campground, which offers free showers and other services.
The drive to Cliff Palace was about 45 minutes through winding but well-maintained roads. The tour was fascinating and informative. The “Palace,” which wasn’t actually a palace but a village, consists of interconnected dwellings built with sandstone in a cliff crevice around the 1100s. The site is extremely well-maintained by the park service, and the only current inhabitants are cliff swallows (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) that have made it their home.
Made my way back promptly to Morefield, took a quick shower, and we headed toward Great Sand Dunes. As we approached, the snow-capped Sangre de Cristo mountains loomed larger and larger, with that massive field of golden sand dunes at their feet. The air was crisp and the views spectacular in every direction.
Set up camp and walked Frida, who seemed to be feeling much better. In the evening, we hiked the Dunes Overlook Trail, which takes you partway up the mountainside with spectacular views of both the dunes and the valley beyond, as well as the towering mountain range. Returned to camp to prepare dinner and watch the sunset over the dunes. Honestly, doesn’t get any better than this!
May 13, 2025 – Great Sand Dunes National Park
Woke up and treated ourselves to banana pancakes and the mandatory latte. After walking Frida, who was thankfully feeling much better, we headed for a morning hike to High Dune on First Ridge. As you get closer to the dunes, what hits you is their sheer size – they’re apparently the tallest in North America, reaching up to 230 meters (750 feet). Climbing and moving through the sand is exhausting, but we discovered that the ridges usually had darker sand that seemed more moist and therefore firmer to walk on.
The wind picked up as the day went on, and at one point it knocked my hat clean off, carrying it a good distance to a small depression between dunes. We figured we’d grab it on the way back. The views from the highest dunes were absolutely spectacular, though by that point the wind was so fierce it felt like standing in front of a sandblaster. Spotted lots of crows and even a golden eagle soaring overhead.
As we headed back down, I walked – or more accurately tumbled – down to retrieve my hat. Rejoined Sandra outside the depression, and a few hundred yards later I reached for my phone to take one last photo (since my camera is still out of commission), only to discover my iPhone was gone. We retraced our steps all the way back up to the hat area and beyond, but with no luck. Since there was no signal, we couldn’t use Sandra’s phone to locate it. Eventually gave up and headed to the Visitor Center to file a lost item report. The FindMy app on my iPad still showed the phone at the campground since that was the last place with signal. Used the Lost feature to lock it and display Sandra’s number for anyone who might find it – fingers crossed.
Returned to camp and lit a fire for dinner. Roasted corn over the flames and prepared tortellini with chicken – everything tasted fantastic after our sandy adventure. To close the day, we decided to hike along Medano Creek that runs alongside the dunes. It was a pleasant walk, sometimes wading through the cold water, sometimes walking along the banks. The wind was so strong against the current it created a curious phenomenon where the water flowed in small waves rather than continuously – fascinating to watch.
Headed back to the camper as the sun was setting, getting ready for our journey home tomorrow. Despite losing my phone, this was a truly beautiful day, and I’m grateful to have shared it with Sandra (and Frida). I think retirement is giving me a more zen outlook on these little setbacks.
📸 More Pictures of Great Sand Dunes in Photo Gallery
May 13, 2025 – Great Sand Dunes National Park
Woke up and treated ourselves to banana pancakes and the mandatory latte. After walking Frida, who was thankfully feeling much better, we headed for a morning hike to High Dune on First Ridge. As you get closer to the dunes, what hits you is their sheer size – they’re apparently the tallest in North America, reaching up to 230 meters (750 feet). Climbing and moving through the sand is exhausting, but we discovered that the ridges usually had darker sand that seemed more moist and therefore firmer to walk on.
The wind picked up as the day went on, and at one point it knocked my hat clean off, carrying it a good distance to a small depression between dunes. We figured we’d grab it on the way back. The views from the highest dunes were absolutely spectacular, though by that point the wind was so fierce it felt like standing in front of a sandblaster. Spotted lots of crows and even a golden eagle soaring overhead.
As we headed back down, I walked – or more accurately tumbled – down to retrieve my hat. Rejoined Sandra outside the depression, and a few hundred yards later I reached for my phone to take one last photo (since my camera is still out of commission), only to discover my iPhone was gone. We retraced our steps all the way back up to the hat area and beyond, but with no luck. Since there was no signal, we couldn’t use Sandra’s phone to locate it. Eventually gave up and headed to the Visitor Center to file a lost item report. The FindMy app on my iPad still showed the phone at the campground since that was the last place with signal. Used the Lost feature to lock it and display Sandra’s number for anyone who might find it – fingers crossed.
Returned to camp and lit a fire for dinner. Roasted corn over the flames and prepared tortellini with chicken – everything tasted fantastic after our sandy adventure. To close the day, we decided to hike along Medano Creek that runs alongside the dunes. It was a pleasant walk, sometimes wading through the cold water, sometimes walking along the banks. The wind was so strong against the current it created a curious phenomenon where the water flowed in small waves rather than continuously – fascinating to watch.
Headed back to the camper as the sun was setting, getting ready for our journey home tomorrow. Despite losing my phone, this was a truly beautiful day, and I’m grateful to have shared it with Sandra (and Frida). I think retirement is giving me a more zen outlook on these little setbacks.
May 14, 2025 – Great Sand Dunes to Russell, KS
Still no word about my phone, so we headed out from the campground after breakfast. Our first stop was a place called Serendipity in Alamosa, CO for what turned out to be excellent coffee. Later had lunch at The Cafe in Winona, KS – the staff there were incredibly friendly and even brought Frida some steak trims (though we had to return most of them given her recent GI sensitivity). For us humans, the only non-fried option was grilled chicken breast, so chicken it was. We’d aimed to keep our driving to no more than 8 hours, so decided to stop at Triple J RV Park in Russell, KS. Nothing fancy, but it had everything we needed – a place to park our camper and a clean shower. Sometimes that’s all you need after a long day on the road.
May 15, 2025 – Russell, KS to Rush Acres Alpaca Farm
Left the trailer park early and had breakfast at a local coffee shop called Espresso Etc, which was quite good. Made a stop in Kansas City for lunch at Slaps BBQ – absolutely delicious, though we completely overestimated our appetites and now have tomorrow’s lunch sorted. Also popped across the street to Splitlog Espresso for cortados – both places were excellent! For the evening, we’re staying at Rush Acres Alpaca Farm through Harvest Host. The farm is absolutely beautiful, populated with alpacas, goats, chickens, ducks, and miniature donkeys. Bought some gifts and spent a peaceful afternoon – me reading, Sandra knitting, and Frida keeping a watchful eye on the alpacas from a safe distance. Sometimes the best parts of traveling are these quiet moments.
May 16, 2025 – Final stretch home to Cincinnati
Left the alpaca farm around 6:30 AM for the final push home to Cincinnati. Made it back without anything of note – sometimes an uneventful drive home is exactly what you want after weeks of adventure. Home sweet home, with memories that will last a lifetime and already planning our return to Utah’s incredible national parks.
Looking 4 Nature 
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