Via | Mar+Apr 2024

Hidden gem road trips

Scenic drives with off-thebeaten-path treasures to discover, from Alaska to Arizona.

AAA members: Make every journey special and enjoy everyday savings up to 20% off base rates with exclusive benefits. Plus, save $5 per day up to $25 off the base rate of daily, weekend and weekly rentals.*

Include your AAA Discount Code (CDP# 005 and PC 211249 in your reservation.

*Save $5 per day off the base rate on daily rentals, $15 off the base rate on weekend rentals and up to $25 off the base rate on weekly rentals. Applies to pay later base rate only. Taxes, fees and options excluded. Discount will vary depending on location, date, length of rental, car class and other factors. Promotion Code 211249 and AAA CDP# 177 must be provided at time of reservation for full offer discounts. This offer is available at participating Hertz locations in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Age, driver, credit and qualifying rate restrictions for the renting location apply. Advance reservation required. Offer not valid and rate change or additional fees may apply in the event of reservation modification, early/late vehicle return or if not returning vehicle to renting location. Valid on all car classes except minivans, large SUVs and Dream cars. Offer has no cash value, and may not be used with other discounts, promotions or special rates. Offer valid for bookings and pickups through 12/31/2024. Subject to availability, blackout periods and additional restrictions. At the time of rental, present your AAA membership card for identification. © 2023 Hertz System, Inc. All rights reserved. CS 1123022

A sculpture called Tarpon by John Jagger at Sculpterra Winery in Paso Robles, Calif. Page 14.

On to the next adventure

↘ Discover all the perks of being a AAA Member.

With the newness of springtime upon us and the days getting longer, it’s time to get on the road for new adventures. I’m thinking about the trips I’d like to take this spring and even looking ahead to summer. As you know as a loyal reader, Via has you covered with inspiring stories about where to go and what to do this year—in your backyard and beyond.

When reading these Via articles, I’m reminded of the old adage “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey,” attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson. The feature about road-tripping around the Southwest’s magnificent Four Corners will have you ready to fill up the tank and go for a leisurely drive. Via’s other feature, “8 hidden gem road trips in the West,” takes you through some of the best day trips in key states, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. Your AAA Membership will come in handy when you’re on the road, offering you a variety of ways to save.

You’re most likely aware of our excellent roadside assistance, where you can count on us for towing and flat tire services, and we’ll test your battery, jump-start your car, or replace the battery— right on the spot. But are you also aware that we offer emergency fuel delivery and car lockout services, or that you’re covered with all these benefits 24/7 in anyone’s car, whether you’re the driver or a passenger?

Before heading out for your trip, consider a stop at one of our local branches where you can take advantage of any last-minute DMV/MVD services. Ensure your car is in tip-top shape and the oil is fresh by taking it to the pros at one of our AAA Auto Repair Centers; Members save 10 percent on labor costs and receive a 24-month/24,000-mile warranty.

While you’re out of town, enjoy the peace of mind that comes from AAA Smart Home’s affordable security systems. You’ll be able to keep tabs on your house anytime through a single mobile app that controls all your cameras and devices. AAA Members save up to $60 per year on AAA Smart Home Security Monitoring.

There’s even more to share, but I think I’ll leave some of that for future issues of Via. You can find out more by visiting AAA.com, the AAA Mobile App, or your local branch.

Be sure to take the time to enjoy all that spring has to offer, and as always, thanks for allowing us to serve you. ba

TIM CONDON, PRESIDENT & CEO

Smart Life

The marvels of mulch

↘ 6 reasons why it’s a gardener’s best friend.

Often overlooked and underestimated, mulch plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy and thriving garden. Beyond its aesthetically pleasing appearance, mulch offers a multitude of benefits that contribute to the well-being of plants, soil, and the environment. Here’s why:

Moisture retention

One of the primary advantages of using mulch is its ability to retain moisture in the soil. Mulch acts as a protective barrier, reducing water evaporation and shielding the soil from the drying effects of the sun. This moisture retention is especially beneficial during hot summer months or in regions with erratic rainfall. By keeping the soil consistently moist, mulch provides a stable environment for plants to absorb water, promoting healthy growth and minimizing the risk of drought stress.

Weed suppression

Gardeners often find themselves engaged in an ongoing battle against weeds. Fortunately, mulch proves to be an effective ally in this fight. A thick layer of mulch creates a physical barrier that inhibits weed growth by preventing sunlight from reaching the soil surface. Additionally, certain types of organic mulch, such as wood chips or straw, release natural compounds as they decompose, further suppressing weed germination and growth. This weed-controlling feature not only saves time and effort but helps maintain a garden’s neat and tidy appearance.

smart tip If you live in a fire zone, or any locale where your home might be impacted by wildfire, be sure to maintain a five-foot zone between your home and any areas with mulch. Using rock or gravel as ground covering near your home is a good option.

Temperature regulation

Mulch acts as a natural insulator, regulating soil temperatures throughout the year. In colder seasons, mulch provides a protective layer that helps prevent soil from freezing and safeguards plant roots from temperature extremes. Conversely, during hot summer

months, mulch shields the soil from excessive heat, maintaining a more stable and moderate environment for plant roots. This is particularly beneficial for plants with shallow roots that are sensitive to temperature fluctuations.

Soil enrichment and nutrient recycling

As organic mulch breaks down over time, it contributes valuable organic matter to the soil. This decomposition process increases microbial activity, enhances soil structure, and encourages the release of essential nutrients. In addition to improving fertility, certain types of organic mulch, such as compost or leaf litter, serve as a means of nutrient recycling. The nutrients released during decomposition are made available to plants, creating a sustainable self-renewing system that fosters a nutrient-rich soil environment.

Erosion prevention

A significant threat to the health of soil and plants, erosion is especially likely in areas with sloping terrain or heavy rainfall. Mulch plays a crucial role in preventing this by providing a protective layer that absorbs the impact of raindrops and minimizes surface runoff. The roots of plants growing beneath the mulch further anchor the soil, reducing the risk of erosion. Mulch helps maintain the integrity of the garden by ensuring that valuable topsoil and nutrients remain in place.

Enhanced aesthetic appeal

Beyond its functional benefits, mulch contributes to a garden’s visual beauty. The wide variety of mulch materials available, from decorative stones to vibrant-colored wood chips, allows gardeners to choose options that complement the overall design of their landscape. A well-mulched garden not only looks more polished and organized but also creates a visually cohesive and inviting outdoor space.

johanna silver

4 tips for buying a car in 2024

↘ Don’t be caught off guard while searching for your next car.

If you were to sum up the car market over the last few years in just one word, it would be “weird.” Between shortages of both new and used vehicles, interest rate hikes, and a nohaggle market, buying a car has become a frustrating and often confusing experience.

Luckily, all signs are pointing to relief in 2024 for both car inventories and interest rates. That should make the car-buying ordeal a little easier, though it’s certainly not back to its pre-pandemic days. Instead, it’s best to brace yourself for the new normal.

With a little flexibility, plenty of advance notice, and a solid negotiation strategy, you’ll still be able to buy the car you want;

it just might cost you more than you expected. Now, more than ever, it’s critical to spend time researching and organizing your thoughts before heading to the dealership.

1. Be flexible.

Flexibility is crucial if you’re trying to get the best car for your money. “Inventories are low compared to pre-pandemic levels,” says Portia Meneau, vice president of the AAA Smart Mobility division, which focuses on AAA Members’ transportation needs. There might only be a few Toyota Rav4 Hybrids available on the lot, for example, and they might not have every feature, trim, or package that you’re looking for.

Meneau suggests focusing on your must-haves and remaining flexible on your wants, particularly things like exterior paint and interior upholstery color, especially if you’re price sensitive. Many add-ons, including winter floor mats, ceramic coatings, and hitches, can be installed after you buy the car, often at a fraction of what the dealership charges, helping you stretch your budget a little further.

SMART LIFE

2. Consider new vs used vs leased.

Old adages about always buying used or never leasing might not be as relevant or critical today as they once were. If you’re looking for a used car that’s only a few years old, be sure to compare the price and value to a new model prior to settling on the used vehicle. Cars that hold their value well, such as Subarus, might not offer the substantial savings you’re expecting by buying used.

If you’re in the market for an electric vehicle, consider whether the one you’re planning to buy will suit your needs in the long term or if leasing might offer an attractive alternative. With EV technology rapidly evolving and an influx of new models annually, the EV you want today might no longer fit your needs three years down the line.

3. Give yourself time.

Due to the continued shortages, particularly on popular models, the sooner you start shopping, the better—regardless of whether you’re buying new or used. If you’ve been on the fence about replacing your car or you might be ready for an upgrade in the near future, start your research now.

“When you’re in a rush,” says Meneau, “you’re at the mercy of whatever is in inventory at that point, sitting on someone’s lot, and you’re going to have to be super flexible about your wants and needs.”

Discovering that the car or trim you’ve settled on will require ordering and take months to receive, or that you can’t actually afford the version you want, just adds to the overall stress of car buying. You’ll also want to compare the out-the-door cost from multiple dealers, as it’s common to encounter add-ons such as paint protection that stealthily

bump up the sticker price. By planning ahead, you’ll get a better picture of what’s available and reduce sticker shock, which “gives you the chance to get the car that you really want at the price you want,” says Meneau.

Electric vehicles and especially hybrids are susceptible to lengthy delays, so you’ll likely need to put a deposit down sooner rather than later, if there is a waiting period.

4. Bargain for more than dollars.

Negotiating a car deal has always been a fraught process, but with limited inventory, higher interest rates, and added fees, it’s harder than ever to get a deal. Looking at the negotiation process holistically is the recipe for the best results. Instead of just focusing on the dollars and cents you can save off the car price, consider negotiating for added benefits, perhaps a maintenance package, extras such as floor mats or a roof rack, or a lower interest rate.

Your current car is also an excellent bargaining chip and very important in getting the best overall deal. Determine what your car is worth using an online quoter before you try to trade it in.

“Get a minimum of three quotes,” says Meneau. Companies, including CarMax and Carvana will provide you with an actual number they’re willing to pay for the car, which you can use as leverage when negotiating the value with the dealership.

Armed with an open mind and dedicated research, you’re sure to find a car that suits your needs and your budget. chaya milchtein

AAA Car Buying

Exclusive to Members in Arizona, AAA Car Buying is a great tool to help you figure out this often-confusing car market. Our Member Advisors can help you find a new or pre-owned vehicle.

Learn more

On the Road

The Gates of Hell and other Rodin sculptures reside at Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University.

Public art in California

↘ Find historic murals and gorgeous sculptures scattered throughout the state.

“The Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University in Palo Alto is marvelous. There are amazing Rodin sculptures inside, including The Gates of Hell and Burghers of Calais, and other Rodins outside are lit up at night. Collections change periodically, so there’s often something new to see.”

sharilyn parmeter

“With a population of 325 and a size of less than three square miles, Sand City has over 50 colorful murals, created throughout the town since 2020. The third weekend in August, Sand City hosts the annual West End Celebration, which features over 100 local artists. It’s a family-friendly event, with live music on four stages, food, and open studio tours from local artists. Afterwards, you can go to the beach!”

emily nicholl

“The city of Berkeley abounds with public art, and some of the most amazing ones are located on the University of California, Berkeley campus. The school even offers a Campus Public Art and Architecture Map. Among the many treasures are statues, sculptures, and elaborate columns on historic buildings. Off campus, the city showcases framed artworks in public buildings as well as outdoor installations such as painted murals on Telegraph Avenue.”

alfred jay spielmann

MELISSA BARNES

ON THE ROAD

“I highly recommend visiting the San Francisco Mission District murals and the San Francisco staircases, which both provide so many beautiful art pieces. The Mission District murals—famous for their vibrant colors and variety of subjects and themes, including social inclusiveness, community concerns, and economic and environmental justice—are spread throughout the unique neighborhood, which also has great shops and restaurants. There are also many beautiful, tiled staircases worth seeing. They’re not only functional and artistically beautiful, but a great way to [see] stunning views and unique parts of the city.” katie petcavich

“The city of Sunnyvale has over 150 public art pieces throughout the city. To make it easy for people to find each

piece, Sunnyvale has an online walking tour map that shows the art by location in each section of the city. There are many inventive and intriguing pieces; something for everyone to appreciate.”

joan decesare

“Midtown Sacramento is full of colorful, artistic expression. Murals and public art pieces by local and well known international artists adorn the streets and alleys. Guided tours and self-guided maps are the perfect way to discover this vibrant art scene, and a 10-day festival, Wide Open Walls, is held almost every September.”

karen migliori

“

San Francisco has several amazing murals including Coit Tower’s socialist realist art from the 1930s and the “scandalous” murals of Rincon Center that were considered so unAmerican that legislators tried to have them removed in the 1950s and ’60s. San Francisco City Guides has free walking tours of all of these murals.” audrey west

You can visit a collection of Greg Brown’s trompe l’oeill art in downtown Palo Alto. A walking tour down University Avenue and its cross streets is the best way to see them.”

carol gilbert

Moraga Steps, one of San Francisco’s mosaic staircases.

A mural in Emeryville painted by artist Elio Mercado.

“I love walking by this poignant mural of a boy and three birds, (at left) painted by artist Elio Mercado, which is visible from 40th Street and Emery Street in Emeryville. This mural was a part of the 2022 Sea Walls Artists for Oceans mural festival that transformed blank walls across the city to encourage ocean stewardship.”

taryn walker

“The best place in the West to experience public art is Sculpterra Winery in Paso Robles. Sculpterra

has very nice wines, fine art, and a multimillion-dollar sculpture garden that greets you upon arrival. It is truly remarkable.”

NEXT QUESTION

What are your favorite iconic roadside attractions in the West, and why?

Email us at otr@viamagazine .com. You may be quoted in a future issue. ?

The Women’s Building in San Francisco wrapped in MaestraPeace Mural, painted in 1994 by various muralists.

july p ratley

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: TARYN WALKER; MELISSA BARNES; MEGA FOCUS BY DALE EVERS / COURTESY SCULPTERRA VINEYARD; MARIUSZ S. JURGIELEWICZ / SHUTTERSTOCK

Sculpterra Winery in Paso Robles.

ON THE ROAD

DAY

Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona

↘ The Wonderland of Rocks turns 100.

With Chiricahua National Monument in Willcox, Arizona, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, now may be the best time to explore what’s often called a Wonderland of Rocks. Not because of the centennial, but because it may be our next national park, thanks to federal legislation that’s been introduced to redesignate this public land from national monument to national park.

This legislation is still working its way through Congress, but Tiffany Powers, chief of Interpretation Services, says that the bill has already “created a lot of buzz,” as have special centennial activities such as geology and living history programs. If Chiricahua does indeed become Arizona’s fourth national park, visitation numbers are expected to

skyrocket as eager parkgoers turn up to get coveted stamps in their National Parks Passports for the newest one of all.

Set in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeast Arizona, the monument is best known for its geological features, including rhyolite rock spires and soaring hoodoos, created by a volcanic eruption 27 million years ago.

As you enter the park, make the visitor center your first stop for the scoop on the day’s park programs: ranger-led hikes, wilderness talks, and guided bird walks, to name a few, could be on the bill. A new Centennial Junior Ranger activity booklet lets children earn a special patch upon completion. From the visitor center, parkgoers can pick up the Lower Rhyolite Canyon Trail, which con-

A balanced rock at Chiricahua National Monument.

nects with several others, including the Sarah Deming Trail and Upper Rhyolite Canyon Trail.

But to get your first taste of the towering spires and natural geologic features that make up Chiricahua National Monument, hop in your car and slowly motor along eight-mile Bonita Canyon Drive. Stop at pullouts to ogle unusual rock formations with names such as Sea Captain and Organ Pipe. Continue all the way to the top to hike the 0.5-mile Massai Point Nature Trail for mountain vistas, valley views, and placards that educate visitors on canyon forests, balanced rocks, and the unusual landscape. From Massai Point, “you can see as far as 100 miles in every direction,” says Powers.

More than 17 miles of hiking trails allow visitors to immerse themselves in rock formations and moonlike landscapes. There are hikes for all levels, from the easy 0.5-mile Bonita Creek Trail, which winds along (often dry) Bonita Creek, to the strenuous 9.5-mile Big Loop, which cobbles together several scenic trails and viewpoints, including Echo Canyon, Big Balanced Rock, and Inspiration Point. As if physical activity, solitude, and fresh air aren’t enough, hikers who trek at least five miles at Chiricahua National Monument can earn an i hike for health pin.

Chiricahua National Monument is one of several “sky islands” in Arizona. These isolated mountain ranges curiously seem to sprout up from the desert floor, and thanks to a wide range of elevation and altitude, they boast an impressive diversity of native plant and animal species, ecosystems, and habitats including grasslands, desert scrub, riparian woodlands, and pine forests.

Keep your eyes open for wildlife, from western box turtles and cactus wrens to turkey vultures and tiger salamanders. The white-nosed coati, also known as a Mexican raccoon, is rare in the United States, but can be seen at

A manmade lookout at Chiricahua National Monument. below: A white-nosed Coatimundi.

ON THE ROAD

Chiricahua, often in the early morning and late afternoon. A bumper crop of babies last year nearly doubled the park’s population to around 50 to 60 white-nosed coatis, according to Powers.

Stargazing is impressive at Chiricahua National Monument, which earned International Dark Sky Park designation in April 2021. In April and October, the park hosts dark-sky parties, setting up telescopes and inviting local astronomers from the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association to help visitors see the stars and wrangle with a few of the infinite mysteries of our massive universe.

Bring a picnic lunch when you visit.

There are several picnic areas, but more importantly, the park is quite remote. There is no on-site restaurant, and the closest stop for a meal is miles away (though light snacks are for sale in the visitor center). The small town of Willcox is a good bet to grab a bite, since it’s on the route to and from Tucson. It’s about 45 minutes from the visitor center and has several restaurants, including Big Tex Bar-B-Que and La Unica Restaurant & Tortilleria, as well as a Dairy Queen.

As you drive out, pull off Bonita Canyon Drive for Faraway Ranch, a one-time guest ranch and family homestead that sits in the shadow of this Wonderland of Rocks. The ranch,

now a part of Chiricahua National Monument, is closed for renovations at least through 2025, but guided walks of the grounds are typically offered from September to May.

Chiricahua is best in the fall and spring, when the temperatures are more manageable. “Our busiest season is always going to be February, March, and April,” says Powers, noting the spring migration of such birds as the orange-crowned warbler and gray flycatcher. You’re wise to bring extra layers. In winter, you may get a snowfall, even so close to Tucson.”

Hiking a path through a Chiricahua National Monument.

ON THE ROAD

Helena, Mont.

↘ For vibrant art and culture, historic buildings, and hot springs, visit Montana’s capital city at the base of the Rocky Mountains.

A small town with outsize charm in southwestern Montana, Helena offers visitors glimpses of its gold rush mining past with impressive stone and brick architecture, as well as a lively arts scene, outings in the foothills of the Rockies, and plenty of bakeries and watering holes within a walkable downtown.

Things to see and do

● For the perfect selfie with Mount Helena as a backdrop, Reeder’s Alley is a charming row of tiny red brick houses built for workers in the 1870s,

currently hosting shops and the city’s helpful visitor center. For considerably more stately homes, take a selfled drive or walking tour through the Mansion District, its homes designed in massive stone and brick before the turn of the 20th century for the city’s industrial elite. (From June through September don’t miss the Last Chance Tour Train, a trolley tour with historical interpretation of these areas and more.)

● A great place to start exploring downtown is the pedestrian-only Walking Mall, a two-block district

where you can meander, shop, and take in historic buildings that lend their names to blocks within the city streets. Look for the 1889 vintage structure that the Power Block is named for: It’s the great stone edifice on the corner, a five-story commercial building. You can also see one of Helena’s original horse-drawn streetcars on display on Last Chance Gulch, a street named for the miners who gave the area one more go before striking gold in 1864.

● Outdoor fun in the area satisfies most skill levels and interests. For a

The Cathedral of St. Helena is one of the structures that dominates Helena’s skyline.

ON THE ROAD

lower-elevation hike or cycling outing that isn’t too muddy in springtime, try the mostly flat Waterline Trail, which runs along an old water supply line. In late spring and early summer, try one of the more challenging hikes on Mt. Helena, including the Powerline Trail, for an array of wildflowers and panoramic views. If you’d rather soak and steam, relax in the geothermally heated pools at Broadwater Hot Springs, a 10-minute drive west of downtown Helena. One features a waterfall, and there’s dining on-site.

Things to experience

● Two imposing structures, the Cathedral of St. Helena and Montana’s State Capitol, dominate the skyline. The limestone Gothic revival cathedral—which took about 20 years to build, completed in 1924— is open daily, and visitors can stop by any time services are not being held to admire the stained glass imported from Munich. Although the Montana Historical Society is closed until 2025 for renovations, self-guided tours of the turn-of-the-century Capitol allow visitors to linger at numerous paintings of important moments in Montana history. The neoclassical sandstone-and-granite structure sits on 10 landscaped acres; look for Lady Liberty atop the copper dome.

● Helena’s robust art and theater scenes offer quite a few options for those who appreciate culture. Take in a performance at the Grandstreet Theater or the Myrna Loy, where you can go to daily film showings, myriad concerts, and events, or check out the rotating exhibits at the attached Jailhouse Gallery, where you can still see features such as barred windows and a massive metal door from the building’s previous life as a house of corrections.

Biking

South Hills Trail

the

System. above: Last Chance Tour Train. below: Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts.

TOP TO BOTTOM: ELIZA WILEY / VISIT HELENA MONTANA; JASON O’NEIL / VISIT HELENA MONTANA (2)

ON THE ROAD

● Art lovers shouldn’t miss the local and regional art exhibits at the Holter Museum, just a few blocks from the Walking Mall. On the outskirts of Helena, the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts gives visitors an education in clay arts, with 26 acres of open studios, an inviting brick-walled gallery, historic brick kilns, and sculptures everywhere the eye can see. The grounds are open nearly every day; check the website for events and studio and gallery hours.

Where to eat

● For excellent wedge salads and bison steaks in the Great Northern Town Center, the Silver Star Steak Co. is a Helena favorite, down the street from the vintage carousel. The bar section has cozy fireplace seating in the back. You don’t need to drink to enjoy the taproom at Lewis & Clark Brewing, with a solid menu of pub favorites, live music, and a new adults-only pinball room, but its craft brews and hard seltzers are certainly worth a visit. The Windbag Saloon and Grill, housed in a former brothel with a pressed-tin ceiling, chandeliers, and a nearly 150-year-old rough-hewn stone wall, is an excellent stop for weekend brunch with a Bloody Mary, or six kinds of mac and cheese served all day. Next door, the new Dorothy’s Lounge & Gaming Parlor is named for Dorothea Putnam, or Big Dorothy, who ran the brothel above both establishments. The cocktail bar features swank velvet wallpaper, house-made infusions and pickles, and seasonal mixed drinks.

● In a town that loves its bakeries, Dear Potato, a sparkly pink vegetarian option newly opened downtown in late 2023, adds a new twist. Co-owner Shea Conley trained at a Russian bakery in Seattle, so you’ll find a healthy selection of piroshki

and hearty soups such as borscht, as well as cakes and pastries. Nearby, find locally raised grass-fed beef burgers and beef fat–fried potatoes at the Old Salt Outpost, which shares quarters with the Gold Bar and is a rancher-owned co-op. For a great breakfast or slice of pie, familyfriendly Shellie’s Country Café, open 24/7 near the airport, can’t be beat.

Where to shop

● Helena’s downtown offers a lively mix of boutiques, vintage shops, and home goods stores for Montana-made spe-

cialties. For classic candy, board games, funny greeting cards, colorful socks, and a range of custom teas, devote some time to browsing the shelves of the General Mercantile. Better yet, order a chai or latte and sit a spell while kids play in the treehouse overhead. You’ll find hiking and wildlife guides, elegant German-made journals, and friendly staff at the Montana Book Co. Looking for a gift or cute sweatshirt? Wild Child Collective is one of many options. For vintage shopping, explore 10,000 square feet of nooks and crannies at Golden Girls Antique Mall jennifer

TOP: THOM BRIDGE; BOTTOM: MAT WILLDER / VISIT HELENA MONTANA

Old Salt Outpost. below: Wild Child Collective.

Train track running along Wind River Canyon near Thermopolis, Wyo.

ROAD TRIPS in the west

It’s all about the journey on these scenic drives.

by erin griffith and jenna schnuer

If you haven’t gone on a leisurely road trip in a while, now’s the time to start planning one. There’s so much beauty in the West to enjoy that it’s hard to know where to start, so try one of these off-thebeaten-path routes—most doable in a day—that offer stargazing, wildlife, and quirky roadside attractions.

WITOLD SKRYPCZAK / ALAMY

Anchorage to Hope

88.39 MILES

Whether it’s the start of a drive down Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula or a day trip after a cruise, this road trip ventures from Alaska’s largest city to one of Alaska’s first gold-rush towns. Along the way, hike mountain trails, photograph eagles diving for dinner, and watch Dall sheep traverse the steep mountains along the route. (Tip: If you’re driving between mid-July and August, consider stopping along the Turnagain Arm waterway to spot beluga whales.)

You’ll head south on the Seward Highway (State Hwy. 1)—the Chugach Mountains on your left, the glittering waters of Turnagain Arm (fingers crossed for sun) on your right—but first, spend some time with the Anchorage Museum’s art collection to see how the state’s raw beauty has inspired artists for centuries.

Drive south about 20 minutes to Potter Marsh, where migratory birds take up temporary residence each summer. Continue south and, since the morning has probably left you hungry, go 11.9 miles to Birch & Alder for bagels. Back on the road, make use of any and all pull-offs along the water to sightsee. There’s plenty of life along the way, from wildlife to surfers.

Turn right on Hope Highway, which winds 17 miles into town. While the village of Hope has become a go-to spot for local music, it’s far more of a standout during its quieter moments. A stroll through Hope offers an instant understanding of why the town’s locals choose to call it home. Walk out along the water and enjoy its panoramic views. Explore the collection at the Hope and Sunrise Historical and Mining Museum. And, before leaving town, make sure to stop by Sourdough Dru’s Gold & Gifts to pick up souvenirs and meet the owner, who, when it’s not too busy, takes the time to share some top-notch stories of local life. j s

far left: A curvy, scenic drive on Hope Highway.

above: Potter Marsh under the Chugach Mountains.

left: Whimsical statue of moose as people by sculptor Rachelle Dowdy in the sculpture garden at the Anchorage Museum in downtown Anchorage. below: Dall sheep ewe and lamb near McHugh Creek in the Chugach Mountains, South of Anchorage.

Arizona

Phoenix loop

403 MILES

Of course, it’s hardly unheard-of to road-trip between Arizona’s two biggest cities, Phoenix and Tucson. But with our route’s under-the-radar stops it can feel brand-new. From Phoenix, drive one hour southeast to Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Coolidge. This lesser-known sacred site was home to the ancestral Sonoran Desert people and includes a Great House that dates to the 1200s.

Continue on to Tucson and pedal across town with Tucson Bike Tours, which offers three different guide-led bike tours focused on city history, colorful murals, and delicious tacos. From here, it’s a one-hour drive to Dos Cabezas WineWorks, a winery and tasting room located in Arizona’s Sonoita wine region. Settle in with a glass of wine and a wood-fired pizza. You can even spend the night across the street at the Sonoita Inn.

Next, head three hours West to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. Designated a monument in 1937 to protect a stretch of Sonoran Desert wilderness, it’s home to 31 species of cactus, 36 resident bird species (along with several hundred more during migration in the spring and fall), and some of the craziest-looking lizards you’ll ever see. Experience everything the park has to offer along scenic drives and miles of trails for all levels and abilities. One of the easiest hikes, the 1.2-mile Arch Canyon Trail, offers up a must-see—a double arch that formed millions of years ago in the rhyolite, a reddish-brown volcanic rock.

Take the long way back to Phoenix, stopping by Apache Junction for the Superstition Mountain Museum, which features a model railroad, a geology exhibit, and a replica of an Old West town. Continue on two miles to Lost Dutchman State Park, with its scenic hiking trails, camping sites, dark sky star parties, and legendary lost gold mine. e g

above: Organ pipe cactus and the Ajo mountains in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

bottom left: A 1914 Cossack 20-Stamp Ore Mill used to crush ore from gold and silver mines at Superstition Mountain Museum.

bottom right: A group enjoying a pedal across town with Tucson Bike Tours.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: GRANT ORDELHEIDE / TANDEM STOCK; COURTESY VISIT

Wyoming

Thermopolis to Saratoga

218 MILES

While there’s nothing wrong with planning a trip centered around sitting in hot springs, this route from Thermopolis to Saratoga could also be the perfect add-on after days of hiking at nearby Grand Teton or Yellowstone National Parks, or the many nearby national forests. Or drive it in reverse after exhausting yourself at Rocky Mountain National Park.

Start your soaking in Thermopolis at Hot Springs State Park, where the therapeutic waters run a constant 104°F. Explore the grounds to spot bison herds and take in a 360-degree view from the park’s suspension bridge over the Bighorn River. Stay in a wellness state of mind by grabbing a salad and smoothie at Nature’s Corner, a local spot downtown.

Then head south down U.S. Route 20 and on to U.S. Route 26, which crosses into the Wind River Reservation of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes. Spend time learning about the tribes’ history and cultures at the Northern Arapaho Experience Room.

Continue south on Highway 135 to Sweetwater Station, where U.S. 287 takes you to Whiskey Peak, a ridge trail that tops out at 9,225 feet and serves up loads of wildflowers along the way. If hot springs remain the driving force for the trip, though, continue on to Saratoga, which offers soaks both free—at Hobo Hot Springs—and for a fee—at the casualleaning Saratoga Hot Springs Resort. j s

World's largest mineral hot springs at Hot Springs State Park in Thermopolis, Wyo.

top left: Klamath River near the Bluff Creek Bridge in Six Rivers National Forest. top right: Shops on Miner Steet in Downtown Yreka. below: Morning coastal fog and wildflowers over the mouth of the Klamath River at dawn in Redwood National Park.

California

Yreka to Willow Creek

152 MILES

A history trip spanning Northern California’s industrial past and an exploration of nature’s abundance, this route provides plenty of chances to stretch both your mind and your legs. Along the way, trails in Klamath National Forest and float trips in Six Rivers National Forest will tempt you to extend it just one more day.

Kick off the trip in Yreka by meeting some dearly departed characters of mining days long past. The Siskiyou County Historical Society’s by-appointment cemetery walking tours are lively affairs that will put a sepia filter over the miles ahead.

Then head north on State Route 263 for 8.4 miles before turning left on State Route 96, which follows the Klamath River. The Klamath is California’s longest designated Wild and Scenic River with tributaries that flow from Mount Shasta in the Cascades, among other sources, before exiting into the Pacific Ocean near Crescent City.

Along the way, the river supports trees from pines to redwoods, and a storybook-worthy range of wildlife including owls, salamanders, antelope, and more. Watch for waterfalls tumbling down the mountains. If you’re looking for an outdoor adventure, park the car in Happy Camp for a multiday guided raft trip. With rapids that tend to be more like ripples, the lower Klamath is a solid beginners’ trip.

One of the greatest tales told about this area concerns a rather hairy figure named Bigfoot. The center of all things Sasquatch is Willow Creek, the last town on State Route 96 before you turn off onto State Route 299 toward Eureka on the California Coast. j s

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ZACK / CORA FRANK; CINDY SHEBLEY / ALAMY ; GARY CRABBE / ENLIGHTENED IMAGES / ALAMY

Nevada

Las Vegas to Ely

383 MILES

Great Basin National Park in Nevada ranks among the least-visited national parks in the country, despite being home to the second-tallest peak in the state, a curious cave system, pristine alpine lakes, and a grove of ancient bristlecone pine trees. This route starts in Las Vegas and logs most of its miles on U.S. Route 93.

Make E.T. Fresh Jerky in Hiko your first stop. It’s nearly two hours north of Las Vegas and lures visitors with a supersize alien mural and a dozen varieties of beef jerky, including hickory and honey teriyaki. Continue on to Kershaw-Ryan State Park to hike the 1.4-mile Canyon Overlook Loop, with striking views of lush green canyons. Make a pit stop in Caliente, which is home to a ghost town and a historic railroad depot, to refuel at the Barrow Brew Co., a local coffee truck.

From Caliente, it’s 20 minutes by car to Cathedral Gorge State Park, which awes with its otherworldly rock spires and cave-like rock formations, including Moon Caves and Cathedral Caves. There are several short hiking trails, including the Miller Point Trail, with views of the scenic gorge at the top. Stop for lunch in historic Pioche at the rustic Gunslingers, which serves up subs, sandwiches, salads, and milkshakes.

Great Basin National Park is another two hours and a short detour off U.S. Route 93, but it’s well worth the drive. Plan on a full day at Great Basin for a ranger-led tour of the Lehman Caves, a scenic drive across the park with stops at Mather Peak and Wheeler Peak overlooks, and hiking on several trails. One popular hiking trail is the Alpine Lakes Loop, which leads to Stella Lake and Teresa Lake. End the trip in Ely to check out the East Ely Railroad Depot Museum and Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park with its six beehive-shaped charcoal ovens that were used to process silver in the latter half of the 19th century. e g

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: IRINAK / SHUTTERSTOCK; WITOLD SKRYPCZAK / ALAMY; CHARLES WOLLERTZ / ALAMY

above: The fantastic cliffs at Cathedral Gorge State Park. bottom left: Park Ranger explaining the formations in the ceiling of a cavern in Lehman Caves, Great Basin National Park. bottom right: Union Pacific Depot, now City Hall and Library, in Caliente.

top left: Engine #484 passes the historic coal tipple, Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad in Chama. right: “Dragon’s Eggs” in Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness. bottom left: An unusual desert landscape in Bisti/ De-Na-Zin Wilderness.

New Mexico

Chama National Forest to Bisti/De-Na-Zin Badlands Wilderness Area

243 MILES

This route contains enough for a long weekend and even a weeklong vacation, but it also makes an ideal day trip to escape to an inspiring landscape. It begins in Carson National Forest, which sits under New Mexico’s tallest mountain, Wheeler Peak, at 13,161 feet. The nearby Continental Divide Trail is a 3,100mile undertaking, but you can step onto the trail for a taster hike of just a few miles. Tent and RV campers alike will want to set up here at one of the many established campgrounds. (This is bear country, so be sure to keep a clean campsite.)

Then head north to Chama, a village seven miles south of New Mexico’s border with Colorado. Kids and adults will find much to love during a daytrip on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. The train goes underground through tunnels and high up as it crosses a trestle 137 feet above a rocky gorge. After getting your fill in Chama—be sure to include a plate of huevos rancheros at Fina’s Diner—it’s time to head west on Highway 64

About 80 miles from Chama sits New Mexico’s second largest lake in Navajo Lake State Park. Paddlers novice and more experienced will find plenty to love (and there are rental boats waiting there for you). Then ramble on to an area that will be one of the trip’s highlights.

Seeing rock formations that defy gravity, you’ll be tempted to call Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness “otherworldly,” but it’s very much of and on Earth. A smaller area of badlands than South Dakota’s National Park, Bisti/De-Na-Zin is just as rich in rock formations, stellar photo ops, and (at times challenging) hiking that will keep you busy for days. j s

Utah

Moab to Moab loop

700 MILES

The state is well-known—maybe too well-known— for the “Mighty Five,” Utah’s wildly scenic national parks, which include Zion and Bryce Canyon. Yet there’s so much more to see there, including state parks and national monuments such as Bears Ears and Natural Bridges, that often rival those bigname parks for the range of experiences and stunning sites they offer. The trip starts and ends in Moab, with plenty of dramatic majestic scenery along the loop.

From Moab, start with a 4.5-hour drive to Cedar Breaks National Monument. It’s a dead ringer for Bryce Canyon National Park, yet sees a fraction of the visitors. Revel in stunning red rocks and dramatic hoodoo formations. In summer, Cedar Breaks wows with lush displays of colorful wildflowers such as cushion phlox and kittentails. Celebrate a day well spent with a pint and a burger at Last Chair Grill & Brews in nearby Brian Head.

After Brian Head it’s nearly 5.5 hours to Natural Bridges National Monument, but you’ll want to break up this trip with a stop at Capitol Reef National Park. Yes, this is one of the Mighty Five, but it’s incredibly underrated, and you drive right through the park on the way to Natural Bridges. It’s a cinch to stop at key attractions Panorama Point and Fruita Schoolhouse without leaving the main road.

Designated in 1908, Natural Bridges National Monument features three sandstone bridges within its boundaries. Consider overnighting in the park’s campground. Natural Bridges is an International Dark Sky Park, so the stars are pretty much guaranteed to put on a good show. Next, drive 30 minutes to Bears Ears National Monument, with its towering buttes and ancient cave dwellings. From there, it’s a two-hour return drive to Moab. e g

BRYAN JOLLEY / TANDEM STOCK

The sun dips below the horizon at Cedar Breaks National Monument.

top left: Main Street in downtown Kalispell. top right: Mom and baby overlooking the Old Salt Festival at the Mannix Family Ranch in Helmville. below: Family kayaking on Flathead Lake in Somers.

Montana

Kalispell to Anaconda

207 MILES

This route starts close to Glacier National Park, which, of course, should get some of your time before you hit the road for some wildlife watching, water activities, and hiking a national forest.

Kalispell’s downtown anchors the city in its origin story. It started as a railroad town for the Great Northern Railway. Modern-day owners of buildings downtown have been working to restore them to their early 20th-century good looks. But, as you’ll see at the Conrad Mansion Museum, once home to the city’s founder, they reflect a cozy and laid-back approach. If it’s baseball season, check out a Glacier Range Riders game, the local team in the rookie Pioneer Baseball League.

Just south of Kalispell, Flathead Lake’s nearly 200 square miles could keep kayakers busy for days. If you plan on kayaking along the lake’s southern half, you’ll need a tribal recreation permit from Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation.

Continue your drive on Highway 83 heading south. If possible, time your trip to coincide with the Old Salt Festival at the Mannix Family Ranch in Helmville, which guarantees pit-cooked barbecue and plenty of live music on the stage. This is ranching country, and the festival is run by the Old Salt Coop, home to a butcher shop and restaurants. You’re in solid hiking and horseback-riding country here. The 12-mile end-to-end Gould Helmville Trail offers opportunities for both activities.

Then head to Anaconda, where you could spend several days on outdoor adventures, from fishing to zip-lining. Even non-golfers could find themselves getting into the sport at the Old Works Golf Course, designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus, where the holes are surrounded by remnants of a former copper-smelting facility. j s

jenna schnuer is an Anchorage-based writer. Her work has appeared in publications including the New York Times, Fortune, and National Geographic.

erin gifford is a travel and outdoor writer based in Virginia. Her articles have appeared in the Washington Post, Northern Virginia Magazine, Parents, Family Circle, and USA Today's GoEscape

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: CHUCK HANEY; ANTHONY PAVKOVICH; CHUCK HANEY

Four Corners Road Trip

by justin nyberg

From ancient ruins to legendary red-rock terrain, this scenic loop is the essence of the desert Southwest.

Staking out our campsite on the edge of a 1,200-foot desert mesa, my wife, Leah, and I approached the edge. Below us, splayed out to the horizon, was a kind of geological mayhem: natural stone pyramids and silhouetted buttes, gash-like ravines and convoluted stream beds—the kind of scenery dreamed up by location scouts for classic westerns. But to our surprise, the real power of the place lay at our feet. I glanced over the edge of the first terraced cliff band and saw something totally unexpected. Just below us, on the side of the nearby rock buttress, was a striking panel of ancient petroglyphs, baking in the late afternoon sun.

That’s the beauty of travel in the Four Corners region, that dreamlike landscape where the corners of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico all converge. It’s not just one of the most photogenic road trips on earth. In this remote high-desert region, spectacular geology, star-drenched night skies, ancient indigenous ruins, and modern Native culture intersect in a way found nowhere else in the country. And every turn of the highway feels like a discovery.

WITOLD SKRYPCZAK / ALAMY; ABOVE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: YVONNE BAUR / SHUTTERSTOCK; DON MAMMOSER / SHUTTERSTOCK; GARY WHITTON / ALAMY; LATITUDES / LUCIO ROSSI / ALAMY

Sandstone rock formations at Valley of the Gods at Bears Ears National Monument, Utah.

clockwise from top left: The Milky Way over Owachomo Bridge at Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah. Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde National Park, Colo. Doorways through Pueblo Bonito, one of the massive ruins at Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. Navajo native American woman weaving a rug at Hubbell Trading Post in Ganado, Ariz.

Mesa Verde National Park colorado

In southwest Colorado and southeast Utah, the route to stick to is the Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway, which starts, more or less, in Cortez, Colorado. This is where the Rocky Mountains around Durango give way to the wide, arid expanses of the desert. It’s also your chance to fill up in one of the town’s three local craft breweries (Main Street Brewery & Restaurant is a mainstay) or any of several locally provisioned restaurants, such as the farm-to-table Farm Bistro. After this point in the trip, the desert dining will get a bit spartan.

Mesa Verde National Park draws most of the tourists into this corner of Colorado, and for good reason. It’s the crown jewel of ancient Indigenous peoples’ cliff dwellings, and a must-see on any Four Corners itinerary. Staying at the park’s lone hotel, the Far View, makes it easy to start the day with a ranger-led tour of the spectacular Cliff Palace, the largest cliff dwelling in North America, or the Balcony House, accessed by a series of vertigoinducing ladders on a high cliff face.

Bears Ears National Monument / Cedar Mesa utah

The Trail of the Ancients turns sharply west at Pleasant View, swapping the state highway for county roads that meander past tiny Hovenweep National Monument, just across the border in Utah. The monument’s short trails lead you through six prehistoric village sites, replete with remnants of stone towers that boast an advanced, ancient masonry style rivaling Mesa Verde’s. But the real treasure of this area is the Comb Ridge and Cedar Mesa area, at the heart of Bears Ears National Monument. The controversial monument’s boundaries seem to change with shifts in the political winds, but the constant is a wonderland of ancient cave dwellings, granaries, and delicate petroglyphs, tucked away in the many sandstone canyons that branch off of Cedar Mesa.

Unlike Utah’s other tourist-choked and heavily regulated national monuments, here countless private ruins invite you to sit in solitude, among the scattered corn husks and pottery shards left by the last of the Anasazi around 1,300 a.d., and wonder at the way of life of the Ancestral Puebloan people who still live in the region and have ties to landscape. The rangers at the Kane Gulch Ranger Station are happy to help pick a good half-day hike for the family, but the most immersive way to experience the canyons is to hire a local guide service, such as Ancient Wayves, for a bespoke trip to both public and private sites with a Native guide.

A well-preserved two story cliff dwelling in an alcove in Butler Wash near Cedar Mesa, Utah. left: Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado.

Fry bread

One thing you will get to know well in the Navajo Nation is fry bread. Thick, doughy, greasy, and irresistible, this ubiquitous staple forms the base of most local fare. Folded and smothered with savory spiced beef, beans, and fixings, it becomes a Navajo Taco. Doubled with a hamburger patty, it becomes a Navajo Burger. Drizzled with sugar and honey, it becomes a sweet dessert bread, like a Spanish sopapilla. Legend has it that fry bread was first made by the Navajo out of the meager rations (flour, lard, salt, and sugar) that they were given by the U.S. Army during their forced relocation to Bosque Redondo, New Mexico, during a brutal period of ethnic cleansing that the Navajo remember, with characteristic understatement, as the Long Walk. Today, you will see fry bread sold everywhere from hotels to ramshackle roadside shanties, where you’ll often find the best flavors and friendliest hosts.

Natural Bridges National Monument to the Moki Dugway utah

Surrounded by Bears Ears National Monument are the three long, slender sandstone arches that comprise Natural Bridges National Monument. It’s easy to tour the overlooks in a couple of hours in relative privacy, or drop into the canyon system to see the arches up close on foot.

Natural Bridges became the world’s first designated International Dark Sky Park in 2007, but if you can’t stay for dark, don’t miss the sunset from nearby Muley Point, perched on a cliff overlooking the San Juan River Canyon on Cedar Mesa’s southern edge (and rumored to be Edward Abbey’s favorite vista).

Buckle up after this point, though. Ahead is the Moki Dugway—an engineering marvel of serpentine road work that switchbacks its way 1,200 feet down several sheer cliff bands. Originally built for uranium trucks during the Cold War, the Dugway descends at up to a 10 percent grade, often without guardrails, above several bracingly sheer drops. Despite the road’s white-knuckle reputation, it’s actually an easy drive for passenger cars, though the rusting carcasses of several old vehicles are testament to the need to keep both hands on the wheel. You’ll want to go slowly anyway, to enjoy the spectacular scenery unfolding around each turn.

LEFT: ALEXANDER MYCHKO

/ ALAMY ABOVE: MARC VENEMA / SHUTTERSTOCK

smart tip

Valley of the Gods utah

For travelers with a moderately high-clearance vehicle, the Valley of the Gods road at the base of the Dugway is one of the more memorable drives in the country: a red-rock garden of elegant buttes, towers, and bus-size rocks teetering on spires—all with nearly no other travelers in sight. Winding along the washboarded, 17-mile gravel road takes about an hour and a half in dry weather, but is well worth the detour. It’s not hard to appreciate why the local Navajo view this place as sacred. Mind the forecast, though. A downpour can quickly render this road an impassable ribbon of clay slime.

For lodging, the historic Valley of the Gods Bed & Breakfast is winding down its long run as the area’s most refined lodging option (and, in the future, becoming a heritage center), but if you catch owner Claire Dorgan in a willing mood, you can still book the private stone house (an old root cellar turned guesthouse) and enjoy a glass of wine on its porch overlooking the valley.

left: A stack of Navajo fry bread. above: Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah. right: Sunrise at the Valley of the Gods, Utah.

smart tip

Trading posts

Trading posts were the lifeblood of commerce in this part of the country going back to the end of the Civil War. The oldest continuously operating one is the Hubbell Trading Post (est. 1878) in tiny Ganado, Arizona, south of Canyon de Chelly—well worth a visit on the way to Gallup. Indian baskets hang upside down from ancient kiva roof beams amid blankeyed taxidermy, antique saddles, piles of Navajo rugs, and assorted Western miscellany.

Monument Valley arizona

The Trail of the Ancients passes through the aptly named town of Mexican Hat (christened after a sombrero-shaped rock balancing precariously outside of town) before dropping into the red-rock outskirts of the Navajo Nation. The first real sight of Monument Valley happens at a much-Instagrammed spot known informally as Forrest Gump Point. It’s the spot where Highway 163 stops meandering and suddenly runs straight at the distant bluffs and spires of the valley, and where, in the 1994 classic film, the bearded Gump

abruptly stops his 15,000 mile run. Slow down here to avoid hitting influencers posing in the middle of the highway.

Arriving in Monument Valley comes with a sense of déjà vu. This landscape of isolated, 1,000-foot buttes is instantly familiar, etched into the country’s collective consciousness through John Ford westerns, Marlboro ads, and infinite SUV commercials. All that’s missing is a guy on horseback and a sun-bleached bull skull to complete the panoramic set.

The experience of the Valley grows richer when you turn off the highway at the Utah–Arizona border, heading into the tribal park and onto the self-

LEFT: KERRICK JAMES / ALAMY; BELOW: HANNATOR / SHUTTERSTOCK

guided dirt road that loops through its famous red-rock features, such as the Mittens and Three Sisters. Stop by Linda’s Frybread Stand, near John Ford Point, with its unusually tasty fry-bread tacos, Mexican tacos, and other varieties of American gut bombs. Book a day on horseback, walk the self-guided Wildcat Trail, and spend some time with the galaxy here. The 95-room, Navajo-owned View Hotel features starview balcony rooms where, on clear, moonless nights, the Milky Way arcs brilliantly above the silhouetted buttes. To traditional Navajo, this Yikáísdáhá— the spirit path of the ancestors— is the real trail of the ancients, each star being a footprint of those gone before.

Painted Desert Murals arizona

Gassing up in Kayenta, Arizona, you might notice the images on the wall of JoD’s Laundry, near the intersection of Highway 89 and Highway 163. It’s a 2014 mural by the artist Hyuro called “In Beauty It Is Finished,” depicting the stages of a Navajo morning prayer, a ceremony performed by some Navajo to greet the rising sun. Murals like these have recently been popping up on abandoned buildings, makeshift roadside vending stands, defunct gas stations, and water tanks on the Navajo Nation along 89 and 160, part of a street art movement kicked off by local physician and artist Chip Thomas. In 2009, Thomas started “recycling walls,” in his words, by pasting enormous, striking black-and-white photos of Navajo life and culture on the sides of abandoned buildings. In 2012, Thomas began recruiting world-famous artists including Alexis Diaz and up-and-coming Navajo muralists such as Daniel Josley to join him, and the Navajo Nation street art trend took off. Dozens of murals now enliven the landscape along the highways, some demanding unexpected stops along the roadside and some tucked just off the beaten path to discover by chance.

CHIP THOMAS

Horses at Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park in Arizona. left: Navajo weavings in the Rug Room at Hubbell Trading Post in Ganada, Ariz. above: Painted Desert Murals in Kaibeto, Arizona. The left mural is by Jaz. The right mural is by Mataruda.

Canyon de Chelly arizona

From Kayenta, Highway 160 leads past striking, fantastical rock cones—the leftover cores of ancient volcanics—that lend an otherworldly aspect to the landscape on the way to Mexican Water. This is where Highway 191 (Tse’nikani-Flat Mesa Rock Scenic Road) drops down into a barren and spectacular stretch of red-rock gardens along the Chinle Valley and the entrance to Canyon de Chelly.

The softer counterpart to the Grand Canyon, Canyon de Chelly is a curvesome and elegant bastion of steep, red sandstone walls pocked with innumerable cliff dwellings, ruins, and petroglyph sites. Its fertile valley floor has been home to the Navajo for centuries, and to ancestral peoples for at least a thousand years before them. Peering down from one of the many viewpoints along the rims gives a sense of the sheer scale of this vast canyon complex. The park’s sole self-access trail (White House Trail) is closed indefinitely, so getting closer than the edge of the rim requires consulting the nearby hotels to book a local guide (such as the Teller family, who run Antelope House Tours and hail from a long line of Canyon de Chelly residents). You’ll spend the day four-wheeling to hidden petroglyph sites in the shade of hundred-year-old cottonwoods and pondering ruins at the base of the 800-foot walls.

A guide will be helpful for more than just avoiding the

truck-swallowing quicksand at the mouth of the canyon. More than any other site in this part of the Southwest, Canyon de Chelly is a canyon of stories. There are petroglyphs so old they depict men using atlatls, a kind of handheld spear-thrower that was the hunter’s tool of choice before the bow and arrow. There are pictographs of Spanish conquistadors riding on horseback, their capes emblazoned with crosses. There is graffiti scratched by Civil War–era soldiers, and “planetarium caves” decorated with ancient star charts. Oral tradition, archaeology, history, and myth blend together around every bend of the canyon, with the oldest stories etched in mesmerizingly enigmatic figures on the walls themselves. A full day with a good guide can start to untangle the canyon’s mysteries, though—to borrow a petroglyph pun—it will only scratch the surface.

Navajo rug aficionados will want to spend hours going through the piles of authentic, locally woven options at the out-of-the-way Toadlena Trading Post and Weaving Museum, in Newcomb, New Mexico. It’s best reached by the scenic road along the north rim of Canyon de Chelly. In 1997, Santa Fean Mark Winter turned this hundred-yearold trading post into the centerpiece of the local weaving community, rejuvenating the Toadlena and Two Grey Hills weaving community in the process. Today, stacks of handwoven rugs made by local and master weavers are piled high on the floors—a serious collector’s bonanza—only a few miles from where they were made.

Chaco Canyon new mexico

If you took a road trip in the Four Corners region a thousand years ago, the road would have inevitably led you to Chaco Canyon. That’s because this ancient site was so important, it had its own extensive road system. This World Heritage Site in the sunbaked New Mexican Badlands was, at its zenith, the epicenter of Chacoan Anasazi society and culture, the largest and most sophisticated indigenous complex north of Mexico. What remains are the ruins of massive, multistory great houses such as the centerpiece Pueblo Bonito, which had between 600 and 800 rooms, and an underground kiva measuring almost 70 feet across. Chaco’s enormous structures were carefully planned in advance, oriented to cardinal and lunar directions, and exquisitely built over the course of centuries. No one has any idea why all this was built, or why this flourishing centerpiece of a civilization was abruptly abandoned around 1150 a.d., the bullet-straight highways and castlelike buildings left to crumble back into oblivion.

You’re coming to Four Corners road-tripping travel at its most austere. There’s no lodging near Chaco Canyon, almost no cell service, no gas stations, and no convenience stores. The last hour of heavily rutted dirt outside the park will test your axle and your patience. Your GPS will do everything it can to get you lost. You’ll unfold a paper map for the first time in years. You will wonder, in this strange and forlorn country you find yourself bouncing through, that such an alien and dissipated antipole exists, in the year 2024 a.d., this far beyond the confines of the Great American Normal.

And that’s precisely why you’ve come. ●

justin nyberg is a real estate attorney in Aspen, Colorado, and a former editor at Outside. He has written for Backpacker, Details, Running Times, and Elevation Outdoors.

left: Spider Rock at sunrise, Canyon de Chelly, Ariz. below: Ruins of massive, multistory great houses at Chaco Canyon, New Mexico. right: Movie star portraits at the historic El Rancho Hotel on old U.S. Route 66.

smart tip Historic hotel

Memorable lodging is hard to come by in the Four Corners region, but the Historic El Rancho Hotel is an eccentric exception—a time machine to a nostalgic age on old U.S. Route 66. Opened in 1937, the Western ranch–themed hotel was a base camp for Hollywood royalty filming in the West, with a plantation-style facade boasting—in throwback neon glow— charm of yesterday… convenience of tomorrow. Despite a rejuvenating $6 million makeover in 2022, El Rancho has held on tightly to the charm of its silver screen–era origins. The walls are covered with monochrome glamour shots of famous guests such as John Wayne and Katharine Hepburn, and red carpets compete with Indian-patterned rugs for a homey Western feel. j n

BELOW: JEREMY GRAHAM