The Best 3 week Road Trip in Western US National Parks
Guest Author: Holly Henry
You have 3 weeks for an awesome roadtrip and you want to make the most of your time. This 3 week itinerary will tell you the best way to see 10 US National parks and have a incredible adventure! Remember to get the “America the Beautiful” National Parks Pass which allows you unlimited entries for an entire year.
This Itinerary starts and ends in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Bay Area Wandervans team are well equipped to provide you with all of the kit you need to maximize your adventure. We can also provide insurance through our dedicated provider to ensure you’re covered on your trip. It is adaptable: we have broken it down into 3 separate weeks which means if your have a shorter trip, and we have included some options which we didn’t make it to on this trip, in case you have extra time.
This itinerary includes Dispersed Camping locations which we found using the iOverlander app. They are all close to National Parks and easy for 2WD and a medium-clearance vehicle. If you want to read more about what to expect when Dispersed Camping, check out our blog post: ‘How to Camp for FREE on a National Parks road trip in the US!’.
3 Week Itinerary: Overview
Week 1
Days 1 - 4: Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Las Vegas
Days 4 - 8: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Capitol Reef
Week 2
Days 8 - 14: Yellowstone and Grand Tetons
Week 3
Day 15: Crater Lake and Umpqua National Forest
Days 16 - 19: Redwoods, Lassen Volcanic, and Mount Shasta
Days 19 - 21: Lake Tahoe
If you have extra time:
Yosemite (CA)
Death Valley (CA)
Joshua Tree (CA)
Grand Canyon (AZ)
Canyonlands (UT)
Arches (UT)
A Wandervans 3 Week Road Trip
We spent 3 weeks in a Wandervan this summer and thought we would share our National Park recommendations, drive times, and awesome dispersed camp spots so that you can recreate this adventure.
Day 1: San Francisco to Kings Canyon National Park
Best for: Summer in the Sierras without the Yosemite Crowds
Drive time: 4 hours
Arrive to Visitor Center: Midday/1pm
Recommendations: General Grant, Roaring River Falls, Zumwalt Meadow
Dispersed Camping Location: Forest Rte 14S29. Lots of pull-outs along this road. Amazing location due to this section of the National Forest being located between Kings Canyon and Sequoia.
Day 2: Sequoia National Park
Best for: Wildlife Spotting in the meadows, Largest Trees in the World
Drive Time: 40 minutes
Arrive to Visitor Center: 8am - parking fills early. Shuttle bus service available
Recommendations: General Sherman, Congress Trail, Big Trees Trail, Moro Rock, Sugar Pine Trail, Crescent Meadows, Huckleberry Trail, Tokopah Falls
Dispersed Camping Location: Could use the same as previous night, or try Forest Rte 14S11 closeby. Amazing views, trees to give shade, great location.
Day 3: Sequoia to Las Vegas
Best for: A classic!
Drive time: 6.5 hours - long drive day.
Arrive to Vegas: 3-5pm.
Recommendations: Midweek hotel prices can be as low as $30 which is great if you want a cheap hotel, but most charge a $40 resort fee + $20 parking. If you’ve dreamed about going to Vegas, make the most of it!! But if you’ve been before, you may decide to skip this stop and continue to Zion.
Optional change: Take the longer route through Death Valley which would add 1-2 days to the itinerary.
Note: Apply for Angel’s Landing daily lottery permit today for tomorrow.
Day 4: Las Vegas to Zion National Park
Best for: Slot Canyon Hikes, Red rocks, otherworldly views, great summer atmosphere.
Drive time: 2.5 hours
Arrive to Zion Canyon Visitor Center: either early (10am) or later (3-4pm)
Recommendations: Hike the narrows either first thing in the morning or later in the day, for fewer crowds and an enjoyable experience. Other hikes: Observation Point, Emerald Pools, Zion Canyon Overlook Trail.
Note: Apply for Angel’s Landing lottery permit today for tomorrow.
Campsite: Tonight we recommend staying at the Watchman Campground if you can score last minute availability - always worth asking! Otherwise, this dispersed spot on BLM land is a good back-up option.
Day 5: Zion National Park
Best for: Daredevil hikes! Red rocks
Aim to hike Angel’s Landing today if you receive a daily lottery permit. If you haven’t received one, you can still hike most of the way to Scout’s Lookout, and can continue on the West Rim trail for incredible views.
Highlights: Angel’s Landing:
Incredible hike!!! Shaded in the early morning when walking through Canyon. Worth an early wake up.
3-4 hours depending on ability.
Not suitable for those with vertigo.
Note, it takes around 30 minutes to reach the trailhead on the National Park shuttle, so remember to account for this. We recommend starting no later than 8am for a summit around 10am and back down to the canyon for lunch around 12.
Recommendations: After a morning hike, take a leisurely lunch to avoid the midday heat, and plan for another hike starting around 3-4pm. Showers available at Zion Outfitters and laundry available in Springdale town.
Note: If you weren’t successful on the previous days, apply for Angel’s Landing lottery permit today for tomorrow. It would mean a delay in the itinerary but if you receive it, it’s 100% worth it.
Dispersed Camping Location: Drive out of the park along the stunning scenic byway 9 towards your camp spot for this evening: an incredible BLM location with panoramic views over the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monumnent, lots of privacy, and beautiful sunsets.
Day 6: Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend
Best for: Photography, Beautiful Scenery
Drive time: 2 hours one way
Arrive to Antelope Canyon: 10-11am - note: Page, AZ is 1 hour ahead in Mountain Time.
Recommendations: Take an early tour in Antelope Canyon and head to Horseshoe Bend around lunchtime. In the afternoon, drive to Bryce Canyon (2h).
Optional change: If you have an extra day or two spare in your itinerary, you could spend some more time in Arizona and visit the Grand Canyon.
Dispersed Camping Location: There is an incredible dispersed campsite in the Dixie National Forest just 2 minutes from the entrance of Bryce National Park. Since it is a popular area, you can only camp in designated spots.
Day 7-8: Bryce National Park, Capitol Reef
Best for: Otherworldly views, Geology
Drive time: 5 mins to Visitor Center, 2.5 hours between Bryce - Capitol Reef
Arrive to visitor centers: 8am Bryce. 6pm Capitol Reef.
Recommendations: Hike down into Bryce’s hoodoos on the Queen’s Garden - Navajo Loop trail. For a longer hike, head to the Fairyland loop, for a shorter hike, try the Rim trail. Spend the day at Bryce before heading to Capitol Reef mid-afternoon. Take the beautiful scenic byway Stop halfway at Kiva Coffeehouse for a caffeine fix and beautiful views of the Escalante River. After spending morning 2 at Capitol Reef, start driving north towards Salt Lake City. Showers available at the General Store.
Dispersed Camping Location: Many pull outs in Fishlake National Forest with fire rings along Happy Valley Road, just 20 minutes from Capitol Reef Entrance. For a spot even closer, try the Canyon Walls BLM land.
Optional change: For more time in Utah and the stunning red rocks, head northeast to Canyonlands and Arches National Park. You could also choose to drive over to Colorado. Otherwise, continue north to Salt Lake City
Day 8-9: Drive to Yellowstone via Salt Lake City
Drive time: 8 hours Capitol Reef - Yellowstone. 4 Hours from north Salt Lake City.
Arrive to: West Yellowstone by the evening.
Recommendations: Have dinner in West Yellowstone and have an early night. Make the most of the Canyon Street Laundromat & Showers which is very conveniently located.
Dispersed Camping Location: Around Salt Lake City, choose to spend the night in a hotel, or continue further north to Indian rock BLM Free Campground. Head towards West Yellowstone and stay a night or two at Johnson Lake Trailhead.
Day 9-11: Yellowstone National Park
Best for: Volcanic and Hydrothermal areas, Wildlife Viewing
Drive time: 1-3 hours from West Yellowstone to Lamar Valley (East) or Old Faithful (South), depending on wildlife crossings!
Arrive to: Old Faithful visitor center 7am.
Recommendations: You’ll need an early start to beat the traffic. Head straight to Old Faithful and after seeing the geyser erupt, speak to a ranger and decide on your preferred activities. There is no end to hikes, geysers, hot springs, and wildlife watching in Yellowstone! A few recommendations: Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic, Grand Prismatic Overlook, Mystic Falls, Hayden Valley, Grand Canyon, Lamar Valley. Remember your binoculars and zoom camera to spot the Grizzly Bears at a distance!
Dispersed Camping Location: Two nights at Johnson Lake Trailhead.
Day 12-14: Grand Tetons
Best for: Wildlife viewing, Alpine Lakes
Drive time: 1 hour
Arrive to: Colter Bay Campground and Visitor Center
Recommendations: Yellowstone and Grand Tetons are very close to each other, so you can be flexible as to what time you drive south. If you want to spend a night in a campground, Colter Bay Campground sometimes has last minute availability. It is well located and has laundry and showers. Relax and take an easy walk around Jackson Lake. On the second day, drive early to Jenny Lake and take the shuttle boat over to the Cascades Canyon trailhead. Walk up to inspiration point and then into the Canyon, and keep your eyes peeled for wildlife - we saw up to 6 moose!
Dispersed Camping Location: Forest Rd 30310 has dispersed camp spots and is the best location for Grand Tetons, but can be busy. The night before driving to Oregon, drive a couple of hours west and stop in Wolf Flats Recreation Campsites (BLM land).
Day 14: Drive to Crater Lake
Drive time: 10 hours from Wolf Flats to Bear Butte. Long drive day!
Recommendations: Make stops in order to break up the day. We recommend leaving early and stopping in Shoshone Falls, and then stopping for a caffeine fix or rest in Boise or surrounding areas.
Dispersed Camping Location: Bear Butte Pull Off - lovely shaded forest. Just before driving through the Klamath Marsh National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, where you can see Bald Eagles perched along the river.
Best for: Epic Alpine Lake swims, Giant Waterfalls, Natural Hot Springs
Drive time: 2 hours
Arrive to: Crater Lake Visitor Center 10am.
Recommendations: Check trail conditions before arriving. Some may be closed due to snow if you visit May/June. Cleetwood Cove hike is only trail which allows you to hike down to the lake, where you can even swim! Definitely a highlight. Also recommend the discovery trail for incredible views. In the late afternoon, if you have time after Crater Lake, visit the “Highway of Waterfalls” in the Umpqua National Forest. There are many waterfalls along this road and you can choose how many you’d like to visit. We recommend Toketee Falls and Watson Falls in the early evening. First thing the next morning, visit Umpqua Hot Springs for a magical soak in the forest.
Dispersed Camping Location: Lemolo Forebay 2. This is a free National Forest Campsite, right next to a local lake. Picnic tables, toilets and fire rings. Plenty of trees for shade and hammocks. Beautiful, quiet, free!
Day 16 - 18: Redwoods National and State Parks
Best for: Tallest trees in the world, Tide pools
Drive time: 4 hours
Arrive to: Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park Visitor Center
Recommendations: Spend a day exploring the tallest trees in the world in a very different micro-climate to what you’re used to! Embrace the mystic of the fog and wear a couple extra layers during these days. Visit Stout Grove, Grove of Titans, Crescent City Tide Pools, Fern Canyon, Tall Trees Grove, Avenue of the Giants.
Dispersed Camping Location: DeMartin Beach allows free overnight parking but wouldn’t be suitable for tents. Otherwise, there are lots of private campground which are not too expensive and include many great facilities. One such example is Kamp Klamath.
Day 19: Lassen Volcanic
Best for: Hydrothermal areas, Volcanic views, Epic Hikes
Drive time: 4.5 hours
Arrive to: Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center
Recommendations: Bumpass Hell, Kings Creek Falls Trail. Moderate, Cinder Cone Trail, Manzanita Lake Loop.
Dispersed Camping Location: Hat Creek Dispersed Campsite. Beautiful location right next to creek, with individual camp spots, trees for shade and only 15 minutes from the north entrance to Lassen Volcanic.
Day 20 - 21: Lake Tahoe
Best for: Sierra Nevada Mountain views, Alpine Swimming, Hiking, Beaches
Drive time: 3 hours
Arrive to: North Lake Tahoe
Recommendations: Maggie’s Peaks via Granite Lake Hike, Swimming at Secret Cove and Chimney Beach, Relaxing at Nevada Beach or Baldwin Bay, Skiing until midsummer! Cute towns with good restaurants and bars.
Dispersed Camping Location: It can be hard to find dispersed camping around Lake Tahoe, but a decent spot for one night can be found at this Tahoe National Forest pull out. Stealth camping is supposedly possible at this Donner Lake parking spot. However, if you can get a last minute campsite spot at Fallen Leaf Campground, that is a more convenient location for lake activities. On your way back to San Francisco, this spot near the Emerald Pools is a good option not far from the i80.
Optional Change: With extra time, visit Yosemite at the beginning or end of your trip! Hike the incredible Upper Yosemite Falls Trail and marvel at El Capitan’s giant granite face.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully this itinerary has given you a good place to start in planning an epic 3 week road trip. If you want to know more about renting a Van from the Bay Area, get in touch and we can help you with creating the trip of a lifetime with one of our bespoke Wandervans!