Need help, headed to Grand Canyon

[idog]

the North rim closes October 15 and it's a looong drive around to the South rim. you can probably drive into the park entrance on the North side but you won't see the canyon in any way from there or along the way and the aspen's will have dropped their leaves by now. so, i wouldn't go unless you're hitting the South rim.

 

[hatfieldms]

I 20 through NM is the single most boring drive imaginable. Plan a route that takes you through Albequerque.

Would you rather see Roswell, NM, or the Cadillac Ranch outside Amarillo (not to be confused with the Chicken Ranch).

I-70 through Kansas would like to have a word with you

 

[msstatelp1]

I 20 through NM is the single most boring drive imaginable. Plan a route that takes you through Albequerque.

Would you rather see Roswell, NM, or the Cadillac Ranch outside Amarillo (not to be confused with the Chicken Ranch).

Should he take a left at Albuquerque?

and yes I confused the Cadillac Ranch with the Chicken Ranch. Was wondering why he would take his wife there.

just in case

 

[msstatelp1]

deleted double post

 

[DesertDawg]

Currently I-40 is a parking lot from east of Santa Rosa to west of Clines Corner. Middle of New Mexico north is getting anywhere from 3” to over 2ft of snow depending on elevation so check weather before heading west. I would hit 40 to Amarillo for Cadillac Ranch, down to Roswell for the cartoonish aliens. We have experienced historic flooding in the past month but most everything is back to normal. West to Ruidoso(ski town) stopping in Lincoln (Billy The Kid and Lincoln County War) if you have an extra :30 to kill. From Ruidoso head west to White Sands National park in the middle of White Sands Missile Range. Leaving heading west to Las Cruces. Jump back on I-10 heading west. There is nothing to really look at other than distant landscape and long trains between Las Cruces and Tucson.

 

[MarkDallas]

The absolute coolest thing you can see in the vicinity of the Grand Canyon is just west of Tuba City, AZ. Fossilized dinosaur tracks in the ground. Just a driveway on the side of the highway. Looks like nothing. No buildings. No museum. But mind blowing.

 

[AleutianIslandawg]

Made a similar trip with the wife a few years ago, drove from MS to California and back.
Cadillac ranch has already been mentioned a few times, I thought it was really cool. Sedona is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been, did the Devil's bridge hike there. Stayed in downtown flagstaff for a few nights, good food and brewery scene. White sands, Carlsbad caverns, and Saguaro national parks were all incredible. I asked when the bats would be flying out of the cave at Carlsbad, they looked at me like an idiot and said "April, they're in South America right now." So if you're expecting to see the bats fly out, don't.
Also ended up on hwy 82 in New Mexico, I thought to myself "no way this is the same hwy 82 that runs through Starkville" well, it is. Never in my years of living in Starkville did I know that if I got on 82 towards Winona and just kept going I'd end up going through a tunnel under a mountain in New Mexico. Anyway, enjoy your trip.

 

[dawgman42]

Currently I-40 is a parking lot from east of Santa Rosa to west of Clines Corner. Middle of New Mexico north is getting anywhere from 3” to over 2ft of snow depending on elevation so check weather before heading west. I would hit 40 to Amarillo for Cadillac Ranch, down to Roswell for the cartoonish aliens. We have experienced historic flooding in the past month but most everything is back to normal. West to Ruidoso(ski town) stopping in Lincoln (Billy The Kid and Lincoln County War) if you have an extra :30 to kill. From Ruidoso head west to White Sands National park in the middle of White Sands Missile Range. Leaving heading west to Las Cruces. Jump back on I-10 heading west. There is nothing to really look at other than distant landscape and long trains between Las Cruces and Tucson.

This is the best recommendation. I've done a lot of this myself, and you'll like just about every stop.