looong road trip on interstate 40

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

12/06/2007 11:47:36 AM · #1

I am taking a long road trip from Kentucky to Salt Lake City on the day after Christmas. We'll be getting on I40 in Nashville and taking it all the way to Las Vegas, then up I15. I've never been out West. Can anyone suggest any places worth pulling over for? Any pics from places close to I40?...or the stretch of I15?

elemess

Canon EOS-20D

12/06/2007 12:20:02 PM · #2

I did that drive in reverse 14 years ago (yikes!), and there wasn't much to see. The Grand Canyon is an hour out of the way (plus time there, plus an hour back to the interstate). You'll go right through the Petrified Forest. And the Meteor Crater is somewhere along the way.

That's all I remember for specifics. Otherwise, it ain't much. Soft colors in AZ and NM. Sunsets were really cool. Night over Albuquerque and OK City.

And the nativity scene at Graceland in Memphis, but that's a trip all on its own.

LoudDog

12/06/2007 12:28:31 PM · #3

you're missing the best part of the drive!!!

From flagstaff follow 89 through page and by antelope canyon, the wave, horseshoe bend, paria river/townsite, lake powell, bryce canyon, zion, and the most beautiful sandstone rockformations you'll ever see anywhere... and then connect back to I15 skipping vegas and go right into SLC.

Probably shorter miles wise and the roads all move good, but you'll stop so much to take photos it'll take forever!

Message edited by author 2007-12-06 13:09:41.

Tamron AF 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical for Nikon

12/06/2007 12:36:47 PM · #4

Awesome,

louddog! Now I can't wait!

vtruan

Nikon D5100

12/06/2007 12:54:20 PM · #5

I-40 is kind of boring until you get to Gallup. Monument Vally north of Gallop is beautiful. Flagstaff area is nice, Sedona is 45 minutes south is also nice.

I-15 north from Las Vegas to St. George is cool, low desert to high desert then Great Basin to Salt Lake. Watch the weather carefully from Albuquerque west. New Mexico isn't famous for numerous snow plows and Flagstaff can get a lot of snow. I have driven through a snow storm from Flagstaff to Albuquerque and it isn't fun.

LoudDog

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

12/06/2007 01:10:57 PM · #6

if it's a leasure trip, you can also drive through the grand canyon from flagstaff and then head on to page.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

12/06/2007 01:20:55 PM · #7

I-40 doesn't GO to Vegas; you take it to Barstow and pick up I-15 North into Vegas and then on to SLC.

I am assuming Vegas is on the itinerary because you want to stop there and play? If not, LoudDog has it exactly right; get on to 89 and drive some of the best scenery in America. Even if you DO want to stop in Vegas, do the 89 route and then hitch over back to Vegas.

Basically between Kentucky and Flagstaff there's not a whole heck of a lot happening no matter what route you take, but you'd be crazy to miss the chance to use the excellent Route 89 to traverse the high country of the American Southwest.

R.

LeeD

Canon EOS-30D

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

12/06/2007 01:41:50 PM · #8

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Basically between Kentucky and Flagstaff there's not a whole heck of a lot happening no matter what route you take, but you'd be crazy to miss the chance to use the excellent Route 89 to traverse the high country of the American Southwest.

R.

Not entirely true... go in July/August and the potential for some awesome storms will be pretty high. You'll be travelling through tornado alley and those clouds can always make for some interesting subjects.

ETA: Just re-read OP and it looks like you'll be travelling during a metereologically boring timeframe. But I still stand by what I said.

:)

Message edited by author 2007-12-06 13:43:33.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

12/06/2007 04:26:37 PM · #9

Thanks everyone. I'm looking forward to route 89. Would love to see some pictures to make me even more anxious. How about Salt Lake City? Any place I absolutely must visit while I'm there? I'll be there a week and have no clue. Pictures?

karmat

Apple iPhone 7

12/06/2007 05:04:27 PM · #10

I'm not Mormon, so I may be mistaken totally, but I hear the temple there is really nice. Especially at night.

dwterry is from there. I'm sure he would have oodles of places for you to visit.

jmsetzler

Sony Alpha a6000

Sony 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 E-mount

12/06/2007 05:13:51 PM · #11

I can't remember exactly where it is in Texas, but I-40 goes right by the Cadillac Ranch. Back in May, I took I-40 with a group of people from Hickory, North Carolina to Albuquerque, New Mexico. That covers about 1600 miles or so. When you hit I-40 in Nashville, the first thing I remember seeing of interest was the bridge over the Mississippi in Memphis. It's an old steel bridge where you cross over into Arkansas. I don't remember seeing much of interest along I-40 in Arkansas, but you can take a brief detour to see the Oklahoma City bombing site as you pass through if you like. Once you get across Oklahoma into Texas, you just need to keep your eyes peeled. In the western part of Texas along I-40 you will start to see the large windmills if you have any interest in those... You will see more and more of those as you hit New Mexico also. Once you hit New Mexico, the landscape starts to change rather dramatically from flat lands to a more rugged terrain.

I suggest just giving yourself plenty of time and stop when you see something that interests you :)

Baxter

Nikon D500

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

12/06/2007 05:32:59 PM · #12

Check out Google images for Antelope Canyon. Just outside of Page Az. It is an amazing place. Book the photographers tour out of Page and make sure you bring lots of memory and a tripod.

rossbilly

Nikon D200

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

12/06/2007 05:46:24 PM · #13

Be sure to hold your nose going through Amarillo!

Went through during a snow storm once, with a co-worker. Middle of the night, 20 miles out of town & headed east on I40. The aroma of bovine emissions was mighty powerful, and lasted until 20 miles the other side of town. Unfortunate, as we'd both been up for WAY too many hours & had to spend the night IN Amarillo!

Nice enough people, though...

kawesttex

Apple iPhone 11 Pro

12/06/2007 05:54:51 PM · #14

In Arizona you'll be going by the Painted Desert, on the north side of the interstate is a lookout. It is just off of the interstate not a long drive. Then from the same point you can go south through the desert that has the petrified trees, I think it's about a 25 mile drive south through the petrified forest that then takes you to Route 66, head west and you'll run into I40 again somewhere down the road.

I agree with Flagstaff, both for scene and winter weather. On the far side (west) of Flagstaff you'll also pass relatively close to the Grand Canyon. I never made the stop, but if you have time why not.

LoudDog

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

12/06/2007 06:55:05 PM · #15

everything in this gallery is off hwy 89

//www.pbase.com/darylf/lake_powell_area

chesire

Canon EOS-60D

12/06/2007 07:09:47 PM · #16

Amarillo really isn't that bad most of the time. The winds have to be just wrong to pull in the stock yard smell.

Here's a quick shot overlooking the rim of Palo Duro Canyon I took this summer. It's about 30 miles south of I-40, good for a day trip. Lots of hiking, horseback riding, camping.

[thumb]620235[/thumb]

letenele

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

12/06/2007 07:15:00 PM · #17

fixedintime

Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II for Canon

12/06/2007 07:41:36 PM · #18

1. About 35 miles east of Flagstaff is Meteor Crater - worth the stop in my mind.

2. further east in AZ is Canyon de Chelly - nice Indian ruins. To get up close you have to take one of the Indian run tours of the canyon. But you can drive the south rim of the south side of the ruins and get some good view of both the canyon and some of the ruins. It may be a bit too far off the interstate for you and check winter road conditions in the area

3. Also try Petrified Forest National Park in AZ. That is right off the interstate.

4. In Northwest NM check out Chaco Canyon. This is another nice, and big, set of Indian Ruins. And when I was there 25 years ago you could walk right through the ruins. I don't know what has change since then. Check the weather and the roads - when I was there it was dirt roads into the place and easy to get lost.

5. You also are passing close to some the Hopi site - more commercial I think, but you should be able to get to see some of the Pueblos.

see

Canon PowerShot S95

12/06/2007 08:22:52 PM · #19

I agree route 89 is fantastic add that you are also close to Zion and Brice Canyon NP. â��BUTâ�� to play devils advocate these are winding mountainous roads, with few residents in the off season. Please check the weather before you go!!

jmsetzler

Sony Alpha a6000

Sony 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 E-mount

12/06/2007 09:13:19 PM · #20

HERE is a set of photos I made on my trip to the southwest. The sites include Petroglyphs National Monument, Acoma (Sky City), Chaco Canyon, Canyon de Chelly, South rim of the Grand Canyon, Aztec ruins, Mesa Verde, Four Corners, Monument Valley, Loretto Chapel (Santa Fe), and various other candids of people with me and not...

gwe21

Nikon D300

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4.0-5.6G ED

12/06/2007 10:28:52 PM · #21

Originally posted by cynthiann:

I40 through Arkansas is Gorgeous!!! Let me know if you stop in Memphis or Little Rock or anywhere near. I am in Little Rock