dinesh.godavarty Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Hey guys, My company is forcing us to have a vacation from Dec 22 to Jan 7. So that is a pretty long vacation. I am planning to just drive all over the place. I am currently in Maryland. Since it is winter, I thought I might go to Big Bend NP, TX. then white sands in NM, then great sand dunes and mesa verde in CO. Another alternative is to drive to yellowstone, then swing down to CO. I was also thinking of national parks in UT (like zion and bryce canyon) and CO. Since I will be hiking, I would not like the frigid temperatures. Please give me suggestions to kill these 17 days. I shall be doing nature photography only. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlkphoto Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 "Since I will be hiking, I would not like the frigid temperatures." The only place you mention that remotely qualifies in December & January, would be Big Bend NP, but even there, make sure to check the weather forecast! CO, UT, WY, are all going to typically have much colder temps and worse winter weather than Maryland, this time of year. If you don't have winter survival skills, be very careful traveling to these areas! You can get stuck and there is little cellular phone coverage when you leave the main roads. Keep a survival kit in your car! Be careful, the Yellowstone forecast shows sub-zero temps this week.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinesh.godavarty Posted December 14, 2006 Author Share Posted December 14, 2006 Ugh Jeff. You scared me. I am open to TX and NM then. Any photogenic places in these two states, other than Big Bend and White Sands? I did check the nps website state by state, but am looking for personal recos. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w.smith Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 That's rather a limited scope, Dinesh! The rest of the world isn't worth considering? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ci_p Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Are you prepared to leave the USA and go somewhere more interesting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinesh.godavarty Posted December 14, 2006 Author Share Posted December 14, 2006 Nope :). Only restricting myself to the good ol USA for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_powell2 Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 I think you need this vehicle!: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00J9Gl&unified_p=1 Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phule Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Have you calculated the miles you will need to drive to accomplish this trip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charles_stobbs3 Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Check the "Arizona Highways" web site. Northern AZ (near the Grand Canyon) can be cold now but southern Arizona (the Superstitions and the Catalinas) has good hiking. Also the Sonora Desert Museum, the San Javier mission church and Tonbstone are good photo ops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlkphoto Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 Rob makes a good point. Even the most direct route between Big Bend NP, TX, and Maryland, is going to be around 4000 miles round-trip. Add a couple side trips on to this and you'll easily end up driving more than hiking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_powell2 Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 A couple decades ago, AAA magazine published a trip that my wife and I took. It could be a nice piece of your itinerary. It was basically a 1000-mile circuit around the "four-corners" area of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. It was quite lovely...including Mesa Verde, Canyon de Chelly ("Shay"), and Monument Valley. Here's one of the area's links: http://www.fourcornerssw.com/ I also think one of the best decisions we made was to stay at Gouldings Lodge, which is right smack in the middle of Monument Valley. Nothing like waking up to sunrise over "the Mittens"! Here's the lodge's link: http://www.gouldings.com/ Have a great time! Sincerely, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_gillette Posted December 14, 2006 Share Posted December 14, 2006 The "sunbelt" which would be the southern portions of Arisona, New Mexico, California, Texas, etc. Definitely a long drive - something the "snowbirds" do so these won't necessarily be empty of people. The higher elevation western desert and mountain areas will be colder than I think you want. Even these areas aren't immune from chillier or wet weather but it's sometimes more avoidable. Come south and then west on I-10. I-40 has serious winter weather potential, especially in the high country of New Mexico/Arizona. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lheusinkveld Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 Just to confirm the distances you are thinking about, last month we drove from Alberta to Western NY, crossing Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska and so on across the mid-west. It was a solid 5 days of driving, 8 hours a day, with no time to pause and take pictures. If you are going as far north as Yellowstone, you need to think about winter hazards in the mountains and plan your time accordingly. Use mapquest to plan each day's drive, we found them quite accurate in terms of time required each day. We did have excellent weather though, if you hit rain or snow those times will really change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlkphoto Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 "... Use mapquest to plan each day's drive..." This advice may be fine for Interstate highways or main routes but DO NOT rely on any mapping software or even GPS navigation systems when the software routes you into BLM or Forest Service lands. Doing so can get you into very serious trouble. The problem is that the underlying data all these systems use is flawed...often based on very outdated information or worse, data that is just plain wrong! For example: I live in a rural area surrounded by BLM and Forest Service land. When people use their in-car GPS navigation system or get directions via Mapquest or similar software, trying to get to my house from Interstate 5, they are routed up BLM dirt roads that dead-end! According to my neighbors, the routes suggested by these mapping systems were never viable in their 30+ years living in the area. Beware, especially in winter weather! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey_edelstein1 Posted December 15, 2006 Share Posted December 15, 2006 Since you will be in the area go for some gambling and photo ops in Las Vegas. Catch some shows go to some buffets and then head out to Grand Canyon, Bryce or other destinations. Also, San Diego is just a 5hr. drive it has wonderful beaches, a fabulous zoo and animal parks and Sea World is a must see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay sturdevant Posted December 18, 2006 Share Posted December 18, 2006 Dinesh, If it hasn't been said already, driving into Yellowstone isn't possible in December, you have to take a snowcat coach into the park interior. Unless you are keen about x-country skiing or snowmobiling you might think about another season for yellowstone. The four corners idea above is an excellent choice, warmer temps, safer driving and plenty to photograph. Lots of awseome ruins but many without the crowds of mesa Verde Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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