Squeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

[mariewilcox]

OMG - I am so excited! I've been tentatively planning a 2-week trip out to Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, and Bryce Canyon this next summer and trying to figure out how we're going to squish it all into 2 weeks. My boss just told me today that I can take a whole MONTH!!! :w00t::w00t::w00t:

I traveled around the U.S. with my parents 3 times when I was growing up and was so fortunate to see so many places. (they were both teachers so we had the summers off). I never thought I'd be able to get so much time off at once to take a trip with Cheyanne.

So I'm going to be in Wyoming, Utah, and Arizona (and passing through all the states between there and Maine). One state I've never been to is New Mexico and I think I'd really like to go there. We plan on going to Four Corners and also Mesa Verde in Colorado. We also plan to go to SLC for a day or two (I spent my 12th birthday in SLC years and years ago and got to hear the Tabernacle Choir sing their 4th of July event).

So girls - what are some places we should see besides the major ones above???

[ColleenSwerb]

I have no advice on sights to see, but that's so awesome of your boss!!
All of our vacations for the next, idk, decade or two will be in the US and we REALLY want to do some of the places you've mentioned. You're going to have such an amazing time! :)

[emmasmommy]

i have to echo col. HOW FUN!!

[Nettio]

Oooo, fun! We just did a similar trip at the beginning of June. We drove out from TX and went to Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Capital Reef, Arches, Mesa Verde, Monument Valley and Four Corners - all in 2 weeks, LOL. It was a bit crazy but so much fun! We also did Yellowstone a few years ago so if you have any questions, let me know!

I would say some of our favorite parts of the trip were Zion and the crazy offoading drive thru Monument Valley, haha but it probably depends on what types of things you like to do. Are you going to be camping/RVing or staying in hotels?

[mariewilcox]

Lynette - we have a mini motor home - so no small car to drive in small places ;)

I've been to all the places before but Cheyanne never has, so I'm excited to take her. We like to hike but also take in museums and historical things too. Cheyanne's one and only stipulation is that she does some horseback riding while we're in Wyoming/Montana. I think we'll probably stay at a place I know of right outside of the Grand Tetons to do that.

[sczos911]

no clue on where to go, but how awesome!!

[crecia27]

SO exciting!! We are wanting to go to Yellowstone next year as well, and hit as much in between as we can fit into 10 days!

[Lyd]

How fun, Marie!! Be sure to let me know when you're passing through SLC, cause I'd love to meet up with you. I have lots of connections with the MoTab, so if you want to do anything associated with them, let me know and I might be able to pull some strings. :D

[heathergw]

I have no clue either... but how fun does that sound... a whole month... eeeeeeee!!!!!

[lovely1m]

How exciting! If you pass through ND along the way, let me know. It could be along the way, but maybe not depending on how far north you go and your route.

[mariewilcox]

How fun, Marie!! Be sure to let me know when you're passing through SLC, cause I'd love to meet up with you. I have lots of connections with the MoTab, so if you want to do anything associated with them, let me know and I might be able to pull some strings. :D

It would be great to meet up Lydia! I do know that we will be staying at a campground in Kayesville (sp?) called Cherry Hill Campground - I've been there a few times actually. Once we have our itinerary set this winter I'll let you know when we'll be there :)

[mariewilcox]

How exciting! If you pass through ND along the way, let me know. It could be along the way, but maybe not depending on how far north you go and your route.

Mari - I know we've gone through ND before on our way home (when I was a kid years ago ;)) If we do I'll be sure to let you know!

[Jen22]

Can't think of much but there was a big impact crater (like asteroid type of crater) in northern Arizona that I've always meant to visit, and life just always got in the way. I'm into stuff like that and I thought it would be fun to see. It's on the main freeway between Flagstaff, AZ and Gallup, NM. I saw it on the way to the 4 corners area and was planning on stopping on the way back, but our car broke down before we made it :( I've seen pics though - it looks amazing!! :D

Have a great trip! I bet it will be a trip of a lifetime :)

[NeverendingJen]

hahah Cherry Hill! that's not far from lydia nor far from me when I'm in utah! I may be out there next summer too, my mom can give you lots of great hiking recommendations in northern Utah. Mt. Timanogos is a pretty popular and pretty place to hike, and fairly easy as well.

[Lyd]

It would be great to meet up Lydia! I do know that we will be staying at a campground in Kayesville (sp?) called Cherry Hill Campground - I've been there a few times actually. Once we have our itinerary set this winter I'll let you know when we'll be there :)

Well - look at that! I live in Kaysville! Cherry Hill is just up the road from us. We'll definitely have to get together!

[Txcorey]

How awesome! Coral Pink sand dunes in Utah is pretty cool. In New Mexico, Sante Fe is a neat town. I haven't spent hardly any time in Arizona or Utah though. Now if you are interested in some cool spots in Colorado, I'm your girl. My favorite spot in the world is River Hill camp ground outside Creede, CO. You are right on the Rio Grande River and it's absolutely beautiful. Very secluded and peaceful. Estes Park is really pretty, but is also really crowded, but it has a nice national park. I also really like Durango, Lake City, and Pagosa Springs. One really fun thing to do is go to one of the ski resorts, Durango has one I know, and do the alpine slide. You ride a ski lift to the top of the mountain and then ride down on a bobsled type deal in a concrete track. Super fun. I'm sure there are others in other states too. Sounds like a great trip!

[nun69]

no suggestions, but that is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

[marlathrall]

Umm... TAKE ME! lol. That sounds like an awesome trip. :)

[mariewilcox]

Well - look at that! I live in Kaysville! Cherry Hill is just up the road from us. We'll definitely have to get together!

LOL - how cool is that? I fell in :wub: when we were staying at Cherry Hill when I was 12 years old. We were there for about a week and I fell for a boy who was traveling with his family that summer. Come to find out our families were headed on the same exact route and schedule down to Bryce, Zion, and then the Grand Canyon so we ended up seeing each other for about a month. I still can't listen to an Air Supply song and not think of that campground :D

[kristijoy]

So awesome! We did a trip like that when I was pregnant.

Here's some other places we went. Depending on where you begin & end you might be able to tack these on. We started & ended in Northern California.

1. Estes Park in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. You can drive up really high. TONS of hiking and I'm sure horse back riding.

2. There is a national park in the very eastern part of Nevada: Great Basin National Park. We had to drive through Nevada anyway, so we stopped here. They have some awesome limestone caves that you can take a tour of.

3. Sounds like you are mostly on a 'natural history' type trip. But if you or your daughter might enjoy an eye-opening, thought provoking historical aspect to your trip...I was completely moved by our trip to Los Alamos outside of Santa Fe. Amazing description of the history of the atom bomb production in Los Alamos, replicas of the 2 atom bombs we dropped (fat man & little boy). Both my father and FIL have worked in the defense industry, so I found this aspect of our trip really eye-opening, stunning, & reflective. There was an excellent bookstore there with thought provoking books about science, ethics, war, defense, etc...

[rach3975]

What a fun trip! When I was a kid, we drove everywhere we went. Not as far as you though! We did lots of smaller trips, Connecticut to Florida every year, and once went from Connecticut to Chicago, but that was our farthest.

[LJSDesigns]

What an awesome trip Marie! I hope you and Cheyanne have a ball!

[pewtertm]

I would love to spend a month or two driving through the National Parks!

Are you planning to do the north or south rim of the Grand Canyon?

[lightwriter]

If you decide to see Zion, I'd love to meet you. I'm a shuttle bus driver at the park.

[mariewilcox]

Stacy - most likely the North Rim. I've been to both a few times and I know the North Rim is a bit less crowded (or it used to be anyway!)

Lightwriter - that's so cool! My uncle drives a shuttle bus here at Acadia Natl Park in Maine. He loves it and hopes to switch parks in a few years :)

[pewtertm]

Yes, it's less crowded...and cooler (a big bonus in my book LOL). We saw a lot more animals and a lot less pollution on the north side.

[mariewilcox]

Yes, it's less crowded...and cooler (a big bonus in my book LOL). We saw a lot more animals and a lot less pollution on the north side.

Those are my memories of the north rim too - LOL. I remember the south rim being a bit more "bright and colorful" but I'd trade that for cleaner and quieter :)