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Home > Camping, Caravanning and Holidays > USA road trip. Denver, Moab, Las Vegas

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DSC-off Member Since: 16 Oct 2014 Location: North East Posts: 1428

USA road trip. Denver, Moab, Las Vegas The main reason for going to the USA this year was a return visit to the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab Utah. Previous trips we had flown into and out of Salt Lake City, so this time a different route was chosen to see more of the country before and after the main event. As the plan came together it became more than just a few tag-on days. For anyone considering a first trip to the South West, this might give an idea of what is possible and I’ll include a few Land Rover pictures along the way! Friday 12/4. Landed in Denver, -5 deg C and snowing, jackets and hats were quickly unpacked at the airport. Shuttle to hotel, a beer and bite to eat, then crash out. Saturday 13/4. Spent the day around Lower Downtown area, sheltering between snow showers before the sun came out, “a typical Denver spring day” we’re told. Union Station (now bars, restaurants and a hotel) and the State Capitol building (1 mile above sea level) are worth a look. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Sun 14/4. Pick up hire car, drive up into the Rockies on I-70, past the ski slopes, through the Eisenhower Tunnel and across the Continental Divide. Then downhill, drop below the snowline, through the magnificent Glenwood Canyon and lunch stop in small town of Glenwood Springs. I didn’t get any photos as I drove all day but one of our group flew Denver to Moab to meet us later and it looked like this on the 50 minute flight. Click image to enlarge Beyond Glenwood it becomes flatter and the temperature goes up to 25 deg C as we follow the Colorado River to the Utah border. Click image to enlarge After the ghost town of Cisco, take Scenic Byway 128 all the way to Moab. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Monday 15/4. 07.00 up early, make packed lunches. 08.00 collect rental jeep. 09.00 meet up for Hell’s Revenge trial run. Our rental jeep has a few limits on where we can take it, the Hot Tubs, Hell’s Gate and the Escalator are out, but other than that we do the whole trail. A good start. Lunch stop at Hell’s Gate. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge A few days later a friend rolled his jeep onto it’s side at this spot, Mickey’s Hot Tub. Click image to enlarge Tuesday 16/4. Gold Bar Rim trial. More rock steps than the slick rock of Hell’s Revenge. One road in and out, going down this dried up waterfall means there’s only one way back. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge The view from the top. Click image to enlarge Wednesday 17/4. Flat Iron Mesa. Great trail, a good mix of terrain sand, dirt trails, ledges and slick rock and another dried up waterfall. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Thursday 18/4. Poison Spider Mesa. Steep climbs, ledges and slick rock, from the Colorado river up to the ridge above the town. A good mix of vehicles on this run, from 1940’s to 2019. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Lunch Stop. Click image to enlarge Back down again. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Last edited by DSC-off on 25th May 2019 11:39pm. Edited 1 time in total

25th May 2019 8:38pm

DSC-off Member Since: 16 Oct 2014 Location: North East Posts: 1428

The offroad machines in Moab are amazing everything, motorbikes, quads, side-by-sides, buggies, jeeps and trucks of all sizes. This started as a 90 before it was narrowed and extensively modified. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge This Range Rover built by Petersen’s magazine, has a Cummins R2.8 engine, also axle and transmission swap. Click image to enlarge Friday 19/4. Went to the Offroad Expo show. Loads to see, latest tyres, suspension stuff, lights, winches, supercharger kits. LS engined mail Jeep! Click image to enlarge Four wheel steer Toyota truck. Click image to enlarge Salt Coast Defenders 90. For sale at $100,000! Not much Landrover left under there. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Then out to Potato Salad Hill, a popular spectating spot. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Saturday 20/4. Big Saturday, everyone meets in town for 25 of the official trail runs, to set off together at 9.00am. Some trails leave earlier if longer distances. Click image to enlarge It takes about 20 minutes for the convoy to pass heading North, South bound convoy is a little quicker due to fewer trails that way. Click image to enlarge Once the traffic clears we take the car up into the La Sal Mountains, down Castle valley and part way down the Shafer Trail. Scenic and easy to do. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Sun 21/4. Late start from Moab, sad to leave. Heading South on long roads, through wide open spaces. We pass a few long disused gas stations. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Four Corners is our first stop, the only place in the US where 4 states meet at 1 point. Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. Click image to enlarge Then on to Bluff, Utah for our overnight stop. Click image to enlarge Last edited by DSC-off on 25th May 2019 11:08pm. Edited 1 time in total

25th May 2019 8:50pm

Sulisuli Member Since: 30 Oct 2016 Location: South west Posts: 4795	Stunning pics wow 2015 HT XS 90 2008 SVX 90 2000 XS TD5 90
25th May 2019 8:58pm

discomog Member Since: 09 May 2015 Location: Notts/Lincs Border Posts: 2529	Absolutely brilliant photos. Thanks for sharing.  Defender 90XS SW Mini Countryman Cooper S Morgan Plus 8
25th May 2019 9:07pm

DSC-off Member Since: 16 Oct 2014 Location: North East Posts: 1428	Thank guys, pt2 uploaded, more to follow.
25th May 2019 11:17pm

GREENI Member Since: 22 Aug 2010 Location: staffs Posts: 10383	Love it, thanks for sharing, love the FJ.
26th May 2019 5:42am

discomog Member Since: 09 May 2015 Location: Notts/Lincs Border Posts: 2529	No wonder you like the FJ Greeni, must be something to do with the colour I must admit that they do look the business (and going up in value). Defender 90XS SW Mini Countryman Cooper S Morgan Plus 8
26th May 2019 7:31am

Zed Member Since: 07 Oct 2017 Location: In the woods Posts: 3312	Looked like a helluva trip. Some proper Mad Max machinery there. Thanks for sharing.
26th May 2019 8:00am

williamthedog Member Since: 29 Dec 2012 Location: south wales Posts: 3441	Cracking write up and photos
26th May 2019 8:11am

DSC-off Member Since: 16 Oct 2014 Location: North East Posts: 1428

Back to the road trip properly now. Monday 22/4. Fuel up, ready for a long day and leave Bluff heading West. We’re soon back in Arizona and in a different time zone, +1hr, though we don’t realize until we check in at the hotel that evening. Highlight of the day is Monument Valley, stunning. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge On to Flagstaff for a 2 night stay, elevation 11,000 Ft. The temperature gets cooler as we climb out of the desert, trees and greenery are a welcome sight and we’re on the old Route66. Click image to enlarge Tuesday 23/4. Day trip to Grand Canyon. We take a 45min sightseeing flight from Tusayan, definitely worth it, then drive round the South Rim view points. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Wednesday 24/4. Leave Flagstaff early, heading West again. After Williams we leave the new road and take the old Route 66 to Seligman, the birth place of the Route 66 revival. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Next stop is Kingman and lunch at a proper Route 66 diner, Mr D’z. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Leaving the ’66, on to the Hoover Dam. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Arriving in Las Vegas after sunset, just as it is coming alive. Click image to enlarge Thursday 25/4. This day had been planned for a trip over the border into California and Death Valley. To be honest, we needed a day off, spent the morning in the pool and afternoon shopping. Afternoon temperature hit 36 deg C “and it’s only April…”. In the evening we hit the casino then spent our winnings on dinner. Friday 26/4. Last day, lazy breakfast, pack and leave. One last treat for the petrol heads on the way to the Airport. The Carroll Shelby museum and factory. Wow, I want one of each please. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Taking out the week in Moab, the trip was 1400 miles in 7 days. A good average per day, allowing time to stop off and see things. A few tag on days turned out to be packed full of iconic places and raises the bar for the next trip.

26th May 2019 10:19am

Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6300	looks like you're having a great time - very envious.
26th May 2019 10:52am

DSC-off Member Since: 16 Oct 2014 Location: North East Posts: 1428	It was great, it's taken a month to settle down again and find time to put the pictures together. Travelling in the US is very easy, no language problems and everything is familiar. Doing it is easy too once you have a route picked. Book flights, car hire, hotels, ESTA (tourist visa) and away you go.
26th May 2019 11:59am

Sulisuli Member Since: 30 Oct 2016 Location: South west Posts: 4795	Love to see the Hoover dam amazing piece of civil engineering  2015 HT XS 90 2008 SVX 90 2000 XS TD5 90
26th May 2019 8:02pm

williamthedog Member Since: 29 Dec 2012 Location: south wales Posts: 3441	Great pictures and write up again.
26th May 2019 8:19pm

LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324	Thanks for sharing that. It looks fantastic. Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
26th May 2019 8:52pm

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