Grand Canyon South Rim — 3-3-3 Pace (16 Days)
3 nights per stop · max 300 miles per drive day · no rush
Route Map
● Austin (start/end) · numbered stops in order · dashed line shows approximate route
Estimated Trip Cost
Gas estimate assumes 2WD pickup + travel trailer at 10 mpg, 65 mph max, $3.25/gal regular unleaded (approx. national avg). Includes 1395 mi of stops + 430 mi return to Austin.
Trip Highlights
- ▶ 3 nights at every stop — see each place properly, not just in transit
- ▶ Taos Pueblo UNESCO World Heritage day trip from Rio Grande del Norte camp
- ▶ White Sands NP day trip from Valley of Fires lava field — two otherworldly landscapes in one afternoon
- ▶ Max 305 miles on any single drive day after the opening leg — genuinely relaxed pace throughout
Stop-by-Stop
Days 1–3: depart Austin Day 1 at 7 AM — 365 miles (one long first-day push; after this no day exceeds 300 miles). Three nights in the canyon. Day 2: Canyon floor hike and the Lighthouse Trail. Day 3: Pioneer Amphitheater evening musical (summer). Full canyon rest before the western push.
Days 4–6: depart 8 AM — 285 miles to the Rio Grande gorge above Taos. Three nights above the mesa. Day 5: Taos Pueblo (UNESCO World Heritage, $16 entry), Kit Carson Home, and the plaza. Day 6: Rio Grande Gorge Bridge walk and sunset from the rim.
Grand Canyon Village, AZ • NPS • $30/nt (dump + water fill at Camper Services)
Days 7–9: depart 7 AM — 360 miles via US-84 W → US-64 W → Cameron → AZ-64 N. Three full days on the South Rim. Day 8: Bright Angel Trail to Indian Garden (3-mile option). Day 9: Desert View Drive to Watchtower at the eastern end. Book Recreation.gov 6 months out at 7 AM MT.
Days 10–12: depart 10 AM — 80 miles south to Oak Creek Canyon. Three nights in Sedona's canyon microclimate. Day 10: West Fork Trail slot canyon. Day 11: full Sedona exploration — Cathedral Rock, Boynton Canyon, Chapel of the Holy Cross. Day 12: Slide Rock State Park (Oak Creek swimming holes, $30 entry).
Days 13–15: depart 8 AM — 305 miles east via I-40 → I-25 S → US-380 W. Three nights on a 44-mile lava field at 5,300 ft. Day 14: White Sands NP day trip (75 miles south — bring extra water and sunscreen). Day 15: rest day and best dark-sky photography of the trip.