1

The Million Dollar Highway, from Durango to Ouray, is at high altitude and can continue getting snowfall into July. Definitely icy in May. I recommend taking the Dolores River route from Cortez past Telluride to Montrose, which is along Highway 550. From Montrose, you can turn south for a quick trip to Ouray, then turn north to Grand Junction.

2

Is there some reason that you're not including the Grand Canyon?

3

That's the air and space museum, but it's really mainly about the air part. You should also check out the Titan Missile Museum, nearby. 3 nights is a while. What else do you have planned in Tucson? It'll be getting hot in May, but not unbearable yet. Tucson features a number of interesting diversions, but I wanted to ask what you had planned before started making lists.


Excellent choice! What a superb drive. There are a number of good-to-excellent hikes along the way that can take anywhere from a few hours to a half day...the waterfall at Cibecue Creek would be a good one. Also, if you are there following a wet winter, you might catch the tail end of the whitewater season in the Salt River Canyon. A day trip on the Salt is a marvelous and unique experience.


Four nights for Canyon de Chelly and Mesa Verde (I'm gueessing with a pitstop or side trip to Monument Valley)? This is really a bit more than you need unless have some very special plans, such as overnight guided tours or Navajo homestays.


Five nights for Bryce and ZIon? Unless you are very serious hikers, this is more time than you'll need. Bryce can be done in a whole day. Zion, two days, maybe 3 at the outside or if you are backcoutry hiking, but you don't mention that anywhere.


Yeah, you can get snow in the San Juans in May. Plenty of people tourist this area, all year round. Obviously, you need to be aware of the weather and be prepared to change plans. There won't be a whole lot to do, b/c the mountains will be snowed in, and the lower terrain too muddy and icy for hiking. but it will be spectacularly gorgeous, and the hot springs in Ouray are delightful year-round. Yes, driving to Moab directly will be faster and less likely to have weather issues. But if you want to go through the San Juans and the conditions look good, then go for it. Or so says I.


by Tusayan you mean Grand Canyon, yes? Good idea. Forget Prescott, and only consider Sedona if you've been to the canyon before.

FINALLY, as a general comment: slim down some of your longer stops a bit, unless you have special plans for them that you didn't mention, and make a couple of days for Arches/Canyonlands and the hwy 12 route. There is a ton to see and do.

4

Flagstuff -thanks for the advice - very helpful. (Did notice and some of your other helpful postings)

At the momment I am getting a feel for timings so I can know how long to book our flights for (3 -4 weeks) and am going to get cancellable hotel bookings so we can be flexible. Originally was going to Denver from Phoenix which is why I came across hwy 12, however the oneway drop off fee for car hire is large so we decided to do a round trip.-, but would still like to include hwy12

We are in our early 60's so don't want to be changing hotels each day which is why I have some 3 nighters and tried to keep a days mileage low. If there is anywhere else you suggest please let me know. i.e.arches/canyonlands

We like
easy hiking - and walks 3-5 miles if it is not too rough - probably have walking shoes and sticks with us but not boots
good scenery and archeological sites
museums - art galleries -

we are not looking for resort type places as we don't play golf or tennis, although a day lounging around a pool is OK. Often prefer 3 star/quirky in a good way! hotels as people tend to be more friendly and chatty

Tucson - my husband is a volunteer tour guide at London Science Museum in space and flight galleries so that is why we are going to air and space museum and Titan site. We will probably use a whole day there. Went to Tuscon with young kids years ago and so are looking forward to going back to Sonora Desert Museum and Old Tucson

Phoenix - probably stay near airport 1st night and take light rail into centre. Want to stay somewhere north of Phoenix for last night as the BA flight leaves 19.25 - remember Sedona and slide rock with the kids but thought hotel prices were high which is why I wondered about Prescott. I notice some fly drives go through Payson. Is that worthwhile as a last night?

Thanks for all your help

5

After you lob off some days, and if you are interested in art galleries and archaeological museums, I suggest that you drive Highway #64 from Farmington east to Taos and Taos Pueblo Indian Village. Then drive 63 miles south alongside the Rio Grande to Santa Fe, which has 300 art galleries and a dozen museums, including Southwest Indians. You may enjoy staying at the renowned La Fonda Hotel, next to the 400 years old cathedral and Plaza. Santa Fe has recently been listed by Hotwire on its list of 10 top world cities for art and architecture, including Paris and Vatican City. You can return to Highway #64 to Durango and Mesa Verde by way of Abique Ghost Ranch, where Georgia O'Keeffe painted her desert landscapes, and to the nearby renowned Ojo Caliente hot springs spa and hotel.

Edited by: trekker502

6

Go where you want. Don't let snow spook you, the roads are well plowed and sanded even at elevation. Be cautious of black ice, sometimes you cannot see it until you're on it.(more common at night) May is considered the "mud month" because of the spring thaws. You may encounter wet or mushy road conditions where snow melts during the day and refreezes at night.(black ice)
I have been to Tuscon in April when the temp was already in the high 90"s.
Wear layers of clothes that can be taken off or put on to suit personal comfort, and as weather conditions dictate.
You will LOVE that trip.

7

I sympathize 100%, on the other hand, you'll want to balance that with not getting hung up for a half a day in some nowhere town with little to do. For example, I'd organize part of your trip this way:

The day you leave Tucson, either do something in Tucson in the AM, or plan a stop along the way so you get in to Holbrook late in the afternoon (Holbrook is a dump, and there's virtually nothing of interest in the town itself). The next day, leave early and spend the morning at Petrified Forest and arrive late in Chinle (if Holbrook is a dump, Chinle is the dump's dump). You can decide if it is worth it to spend all day at Canyon de Chelly and over night again in Chinle, or spend half the day in CdC and move to Cortez or Mancos in the late afternoon. If you want to make CdC all day, you'll have to do more than the visitor center and viewpoints. The one hike you can do without a guide is very nice, and is about 3 miles long. Anything else at CdC will require a guided tour - I'd consider this very worthwhile, if choose a tour that takes you to Spider Rock or up Canyon del Muerto. Otherwise, it'll be worth the trouble to pack up and move on, and save the extra time for something else.

In Tucson, I'd consider skipping a return trip to Old Tucson and spend a day touring the Spanish Missions (San Xavier and Tumacacori, maybe top it off with a visit to the old Presidio downtown and dinner at Poca Cosa), and another day either driving up Mount Lemmon, or perhaps out to Kartchner Caverns.

Edited by: FlagStuff

8

I am trying to remember the light rail route and can't remember any hotels near the PHX airport on the route. Tempe, home of Arizona State is certainly on the route and is a pleasant environment. We stayed in the Marriott Courtyard there for a college football game and enjoyed it.

9

Thanks for all the ideas. However we can't get the flights we want to Phoenix so now are looking at fly drives from Denver early June

Back to the drawing board!!!!!! but hopefully we still will be able to incorporate some of the ideas you have given me.
Any tips much appreciated

10

From Denver, take Interstate-70 west to Utah, then loop back from Cortez to Taos and Santa Fe, then north from Santa Fe on Interstate-25 to Denver.

11

The Million Dollar Highway (US 550) leading to Ouray is great scenery and I doubt you will have any major problems in May. It is worse in July when all the southbound tourists drive in the middle of the road because they fear the drop-offs. If there should be snow it will be well-posted. The pool in Ouray is great as is the town itself.
If coming from Denver, cut south at Grand Junction to Delta-Montrose-Ouray- etc., then you can drive west from Durango to Cortez and continue on.