After fueling up in Flagstaff, I headed northeast to find a spot to crash for the night. I had booked a few campgrounds for my van adventure, but I was mostly winging it. Luckily, Sunset View Campground on the Navajo National Monument was a perfect place to catch a few z’s… and it was free! My only regret was arriving after dark; the tribal park was beautiful in the moonlight. I filed it away for a future adventure.

After another frosty night in a snowy campground, I hit the road nice and early to race the sun. Monument Valley has long been on the bucket list after seeing it in countless movies and TV shows, notably Westworld. I imagined it as an otherworldly place, the epitome of the Wild West… and I was not disappointed.

I parked the van at The View Hotel & Welcome Center, grabbed an acrid cup of coffee, and watched the show. There were a half dozen people milling around the parking lot, but I enjoyed my perfectly nasty coffee solo at John Wayne Point. Yes, it was cold as hell, and it’s not the busy season, but I couldn’t believe how few people were around on a beautiful morning. Look at the majesty!! Suck it up!! Functioning extremities are for babies!!

After I lost a toe or two, I set off for my next fangirl locale: the spot where Forrest Gump completes his cross-country run. The journey there featured some of my favorite driving of the trip, winding through canyons and passing huge rocks. Luckily, there were some other dweebs at Forrest Gump Point, so I got the iconic shot:

Once I was done indulging my nerdiness, I retraced my path and drove north towards Antelope Canyon. This was the first time I thought to myself, “Hey, why are gas prices so high here?” Buckle up Theresa, it’s not just Arizona!

Food options were sparse, so I happily cobbled together lunch in the van and took a little nap in the canyon parking lot. This was definitely a plus to cruising around with the van: weird gaps of in-between time on the road became enjoyable parts of the adventure.

Antelope Canyon is on the Navajo Nation, and you need a guide to enter. I booked a tour with Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours; our group of ten piled into the back of a tricked-out pickup and drove three miles through the desert to Upper Antelope Canyon.

The canyon was beautiful, but the guided tour element took a lot of the magic out of it for me. It was a lot of waiting around for people to take selfies, and my mind kept wandering to 127 Hours. That said, I’m still glad I went, as it’s the only way to experience the canyon.

With Antelope checked off the bucket list, I turned west in the direction of a significantly chunkier, wider, and some may say… GRANDER canyon.

I visited the Grand Canyon once before as a snarky preteen. I have a distinct memory of seeing it for the first time, gazing upon it for a moment or two, and concluding, “It’s just a hole in the ground.” 18 years later, I returned, and can confirm it is still a hole in the ground… but it’s a really nice hole in the ground!

I picked up an America the Beautiful Pass and drove along the canyon. I stopped to watch the sunset and enjoyed dinner with a view.

I had hoped to camp inside the park, but all the campgrounds were full; even though it was off season, it was still a Saturday. I followed a Google Maps lead to a dispersed camping area right outside the entrance. This was my first “boondocking” experience. Boondocking means “you park the van wherever it’s allowed.” Pros: It’s free. Cons: No potties. I found a boondocking spot along a National Forest road dotted with fire rings. I won’t lie, I was a little afraid about getting murdered, but I woke up the next morning still very much not murdered!

I reentered the park and prepared for my hike to Cedar Ridge along the South Kaibab Trail. It was a two mile hike down into the canyon along a famous trail. I was excited to hike, but nervous about 1) slipping on ice and falling to my death and 2) tripping on a rock and falling to my death.

*Oh, cool, this seems like a great idea.*

I put on my Yaktrax and descended into the canyon. The trail was thrilling and vertigo inducing. Although I was a little woozy, the scenery was incredible.

After about an hour of descent, I reached Cedar Ridge. There was even a potty!

I ate a snack, glugged some water, and started the ascent back. I was huffing and puffing with the elevation, but I took it easy, and was surprised to make it back to the rim in a little more than an hour.

After resting a bit in the van, I said sayonara to the National Park. My destination for the night, Lake Havasu, was a haul, but I still took the scenic route along Route 66.

I was pretty exhausted after a packed two days, but I followed a hunch that led me into a boot store before turning in for the night… and was richly rewarded.

where: monument valley, antelope canyon, and grand canyon national park//ancestral lands of the hopitutskwa, havasupai, pueblos, haualapai, and navajo peoples
when: february, a cool 10 degrees at night
how: south kaibab trail to cedar ridge, be prepared

westworld

stormy socal

deserts and desserts