My wife and I embarked on an unforgettable 2,500-mile road trip from Phoenix to Seattle, during which we visited seven National Parks, along with Lake Tahoe and Portland.

Each day, we typically drove between 200 and 300 miles, beginning in the early hours and ensuring we concluded our travel before sunset. This schedule allowed us to spend approximately 4 to 6 hours at each National Park, covering the main highlights and enjoying a few short hikes.

As vegetarian travelers, we chose not to dine at cafeterias or restaurants. Instead, we used our evenings at the lodges to prepare dinner and lunch for the following day, ensuring our dietary preferences were well accommodated.

This journey was particularly meaningful as it gave us quality time together on the road, accompanied by our favorite music, and brought us closer to our goal of visiting all 63 U.S. National Parks by the end of 2024.

Below is a detailed day-by-day itinerary of our road trip, including travel distances and overnight stays. For more in-depth accounts of our experiences at each National Park and other attractions, please refer to the individual blog posts accessible through the provided hyperlinks.

Road Trip Itinerary: Phoenix to Seattle – 9 Days | 2,500 Miles

Arrival Day

• Flight to Phoenix
• Car Rental
• Overnight Stay: TownePlace Suites Phoenix Chandler / Fashion Center

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Day 1 – Saguaro National Park

• Route: Phoenix to Red Hills Visitor Center, Saguaro NP (~100 miles)
• Highlights:
  • Desert Discovery Trail (0.4 mile)
  • Bajada Scenic Loop Drive
  • Valley View Trail (0.8 mile)
• Drive to: Show Low, AZ (~200 miles)
• Overnight Stay: TownePlace Suites, 1401 East Woolford Road, Show Low

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Day 2 – Petrified Forest National Park

• Route: Show Low to Petrified Forest NP (~70 miles)
• Highlights:
  • Painted Desert Visitor Center
  • 28-Mile Scenic Drive (with Action Guide Audio Tour)
  • Blue Mesa Trail (1.0 mile)
  • Giant Logs Trail (0.5 mile – optional)
• Drive to: Williams, AZ (~150 miles)
• Overnight Stay: Comfort Inn near Grand Canyon

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Day 3 – Grand Canyon National Park

(We previously visited the Grand Canyon in June 2019 and covered Grandview Point, Desert View Tower, Mather Point at sunrise, and short hikes on Rim Trail and Bright Angel Trail.)

• Route: Williams to Grand Canyon NP (~90 miles)
• Highlights:
  • Visitor Center
  • Mather Point
  • Blue/Red Shuttle Route Viewpoints: Powell, Mohave, and Pima
• Drive to: Cedar City, UT (~ 290 miles)
• Overnight Stay: SpringHill Suites, Cedar City

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Day 4 – Great Basin National Park

• Route: Cedar City to Great Basin NP (~130 miles)
• Highlights:
  • Lehman Caves Visitor Center
  • Scenic Drive (open up to Ditch Trail)
  • Osceola Ditch Trail (0.4 mile)
  • Baker Creek Trail (to the creek)
  • Mountain View Nature Trail (0.3 mile)
  • Lehman Cave Lodge Room Tour (0.5 mile, ticketed)
• Drive to: Eureka, NV (~140 miles)
• Overnight Stay: Best Western, Eureka

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Day 5 – Lake Tahoe

• Route: Eureka to Lake Tahoe (~260 miles)
• Highlights:
  • Sand Harbor
  • El Dorado Beach
  • Artist Point
  • Inspiration Point
  • 72-Mile Scenic Drive around Lake Tahoe
• Overnight Stay: Marriott Grand Residence Club, Lake Tahoe (5 miles)

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Day 6 – Lassen Volcanic National Park

• Route: Lake Tahoe to Lassen Volcanic NP (~150 miles)
• Highlights:
  • Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center
  • Walk to Sulphur Works (1 mile from south side)
  • Scenic Drive (North side to Devastated Area)
  • Devastated Area Trail (0.3 mile)
  • Manzanita Lake Trail (1.9 miles)
    (Note: Scenic Drive was closed between Sulphur Works and Devastated Area – circuitous route taken)
• Drive to: Redding, CA (~48 miles)
• Overnight Stay: TownePlace Suites, Redding

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Day 7 – Redwood National Park

• Route: Redding to Redwood NP (~190 miles)
• Highlights:
  • Trillium Falls Trail (1.0 mile round-trip)
  • Drury Scenic Drive (10 miles)
    (Note: Visitor Centers were closed due to an internal staff meeting, but the park remained open)
• Drive to: Medford, OR (~130 miles)
• Overnight Stay: TownePlace Suites, Medford

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Day 8 – Crater Lake National Park

• Route: Medford to Crater Lake NP (~60 miles)
• Highlights:
  • Steel Visitor Center
  • Rim Village and Viewpoints
    (Note: Rim Drive opens only in July – a return visit is planned)
• Drive to: Portland, OR (~230 miles)
• Overnight Stay: Residence Inn, Portland

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Day 9 – Portland & Journey to Seattle

• Sightseeing:
  • International Rose Test Garden
  • Columbia River Gorge Viewpoints
  • Bridal Veil Falls
  • Latourell Falls
  • Multnomah Falls
• Drive to: Seattle Airport
• Rental Car Return and Departure