15 Day Out West Road Trip Itinerary (National Parks + Route Guide)

/ Itineraries / By

If you’re looking for a 15 day out west road trip itinerary, this guide will help you plan an unforgettable trip. This route takes you through some of the best national parks and destinations in the western United States.

It will take you to places like the Garden of the Gods, Rocky Mountain National Park, Moab, UT, Yellowstone National Park, Bozeman, MT, the Battle of Little BigHorn Battlefield and more.

I hope that it gives you some direction on what you can see and do while traveling to this wonderful part of the country.

What Do I Mean by the West?

The west means different things to different people. Let’s go to the census bureau for a definition. I never thought I would write a sentence like that. They say the states of New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana and everything west of them is considered the west. 

This itinerary starts in Colorado. It goes to Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota before going back to Colorado. So, it is mostly out west since South Dakota is in the Midwest. 

Starting Point of the Out West Road Trip

As you can see from the map above, the route that we took basically made a big circle. We flew from Cleveland, OH into Denver to start the trip. You could actually start anywhere you wanted to along the route.

15 Day Out West Road Trip Itinerary Overview

This 15 day out west road trip itinerary takes you through Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and South Dakota, covering some of the best national parks and scenic drives in the western United States.

Cost of the out West Trip

We were able to save a ton of money since I had the Southwest Companion Pass and my travel partner Bob had a bunch of Hilton Hotel points. I have written a post on how the Southwest Companion Pass works and how you can earn it.

I also have written a post breaking down all of the major categories that we had on the trip like flights, food, hotels, activities and more. In the post, I share the total cost of everything.

15 Day Out West Trip Itinerary

Day 1 – Fly into Denver – Garden of the Gods

We flew into Denver and we picked up our rental car. We rented the car through Costco Rental Cars. I have found them to be the cheapest on many occasions. I have a post about Costco Rental cars that can help you out.

Explore Garden of the Gods

The Garden of the Gods is a 1,341 acre state park that is located an hour and twenty minutes south of the airport in Colorado Springs. 

The whole park is beautiful. There is a visitor center that you can stop at if you want. They have numerous activities that you can do in the park and nice trails to hike. 

It is easy to park somewhere and just walk around the park. You can also park in one area and then drive to another area to explore. 

Day 2- Idaho Springs and Breckenridge

Explore the town of Idaho Springs

Idaho Springs is a small town west of Denver right off I-70. The town is very quaint and has shops that you can browse. It was a 40-45 minute drive from our hotel. 

A nice drive to take while in Idaho Springs is driving SR 40 towards Winter Haven. There are numerous places to pull off the road and take some great pics as you climb up the mountain.

Where to Eat in Idaho Springs

Beau Jo’s is a pizza shop that is located in Idaho Springs. There are a number of them around the Denver area. 

The pizza has a thin crust but the crust itself is quite large. They have honey on the table for you to put on your crust to eat. It was something unique but good. Overall, the pizza is top notch.

Visit Breckenridge Shops and mountain views

Breckenridge, is a ski town and it is located another hour west of Idaho Springs. If you have ever seen the movie Dumb and Dumber, you have seen Breckenridge. 

The scene where Jim Carey and Jeff Daniels come into town on the mini bike was filmed in Breckenridge. There is no extra cost for that bit of information. 

If you like to browse shops, then Breckenridge will be right up your alley. Plus, the town has the beautiful mountains as a backdrop. 

Make sure to try Mountain Top Cookie Shop if you are wanting a sweet treat. The cookie that I had was excellent. 

Day 3 – Estes Park – Rocky Mountain National Park

Enjoy the Morning in Estes Park

Estes Park is located an hour and a half north of Denver. It is a great place to stay if you are wanting to explore Rocky Mountain National Park for a few days since it is only a 10 minute drive to the park. 

My favorite part of Estes Park was the Riverwalk that goes through town. The Riverwalk is nice and wide and you can access the shops and restaurants from it.   

At the George Hix Riverside Plaza is where the Big Thompson River and Fall River meet. There are bridges, statues, fountains and places to sit down at the plaza. 

You can fish, ski, bike, hike, off road, golf and more in the Estes Park area if shopping isn’t your thing. 

take in the wonders of Rocky Mountain National Park

The two nearest entrances into Rocky Mountain National Park from Estes Park are the Fall River Entrance and the Beaver Meadows Entrance. 

The Beaver Meadows Entrance is on SR 36 and a little further south than the Fall River Entrance which is located on SR 34. SR 34, also known as Trail Ridge Road, travels all through the park.

It is one of the highest paved roads in the United States. The road crosses the Continental Divide and reaches a height of 12,183 feet above sea level. 

There are many different places to stop and take pics and explore along Trail Ridge Road. The following are some of the best places to stop along this route. 

Tips for Visting Rocky Mountain National Park

  • If you are visiting the park from May 22 through mid October, you will need to make a reservation. 
  • They have two different types of reservations to choose from. You can get a reservation for the entire park including Bear Lake Road for 5 am to 6 pm or the park with no Bear Lake Road from 9 am to 2 pm. Outside of those peak hours, you don’t need a reservation. 
  • You can go to Recreation.gov to make your reservation. This doesn’t replace the park pass that you still need to show when entering the park. 
  • Having a National Park Pass can save you money if you are going to visit 3 or more national parks, monuments, etc. They are $80 and well worth the money. 
  • A jacket is a must if you are traveling the Trail Ridge Road. It was the first week of June and it was in the 30s in the higher elevations.
  • You will want to have a pair of binoculars along as well. Bob and I both forgot to bring a pair along. 

Where to Stay in denver

We stayed at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Denver Tech Center. The hotel was quite nice. The suite had a nice sized family room with a small table. The breakfast in the morning had a large selection of items and the made to order omelettes were great.

Day 4 – Drive to Moab – Drive UT 128 – Arches National Park

travel time to Moab

The drive from Denver to Moab takes around 5:30 hours and is 355 miles in length. The drive is picturesque especially as you drive through the Glenwood Canyon stretch of highway on I-70. 

Take UT 128 for a beautiful river canyon drive

You can take I-70 all the way to UT 191 to get to Moab. I would suggest that you get off at UT 128 instead. The road is almost 45 miles long and is considered a scenic byway. If you drive the road, you’ll see why.

There are two exits you can take to get on the road. The one that we took was exit 214. It takes you through the ghost town of Cisco before you hit the main part of UT 128.

TV commercials, TV shows, music videos and even movies like Austin Powers have been filmed on UT 128. Yeah baby! There are plenty of places that you can pull off the side of the road to enjoy the beauty and take pictures and videos.

⭐Checkout my full guide to driving UT 128. You’ll learn where you should stop, places to hike, and more.⭐

Explore Arches National Park highlights and short hikes

Arches is one of my favorite parks to visit. You don’t need a reservation to visit the park as of 2026.

The main road that goes through the park has numerous places that you can stop to enjoy some of the arches, overlooks and other features in the park. It is 18 miles from the entrance station to the back of the park.

The major stops to explore some of the arches along the way include:

There are numerous arches in the park that don’t require you to hike that far to enjoy them. A few short hikes would include Balanced Rock, Pothole Arch, and the Windows.

If you don’t want to make the hike to Delicate Arch. There is an overlook that you can go to to see the arch. It is worth the hike if you can do it. We got rained out about a half a mile into the hike this trip to the arch. 

Tips For Visiting Arches National Park

  • If you can get into the park early, I am talking like 6 am, you can beat the heat and the crowds in the summertime.
  • Make sure to take plenty of water with you. A bucket hat or ball cap can help keep you a little cooler, also. You will also want to have snacks and food available. There isn’t a place in the park to buy anything. 
  • Traffic during the summer time can be a little heavy at certain locations. You may have to circle the parking lot to find a spot at times. 

Day 5 – Raven’s Rim Zipline – Canyonlands National Park

Experience Raven’s Rim zipline adventure

On our 2021 family trip through Arizona and Utah, our plans to zipline in Moab were canceled at the last second. This time around, Bob and I finally got some redemption and made it happen!

I am not going to go into much detail here. All I will say is that it is very much worth your money and time.

⭐RAVEN’S RIM ZIPLINE⭐

⭐I have a full blog post about zip lining in Moab. In the post, you’ll learn all you need to know to enjoy the adventure.⭐

Visit Canyonlands National Park (Island in the Sky district)

A lesser visited park in the Moab area is Canyonlands. It is well worth the visit when you are in the Moab area. Canyonlands is broken into 4 different districts. There is the Needles, The Island in the Sky, the Maze, and the rivers that cut through the park. 

The Island in the Sky is the area that we went to. It is located 30 miles from Moab. It will take you 35-40 minutes to get there. The drive is very scenic.There is a visitor center located near the park entrance. They have rangers there to answer any questions along with a gift shop. 

Two hikes that are considered easy and worth doing are the hike to Mesa Arch and the Grand View Point. The trail to Mesa Arch is a 0.6 out and back hike. The arch is a cliff edge arch which gives you great views of the La Sal Mountains. It is a great spot for seeing the sun come up. 

Grand View Point is a 1.8 mile out and back trail. The trail follows along the canyon’s edge and gives you great panoramic views.

Some thoughts on Moab

We stayed in Moab for 2 days on this trip and for 4 days on the trip with my family. Out of all of the stops on our family trip, Moab was everyone’s favorite. It has lots to do and still has a laid back feel. 

⭐ travel planning ⭐

⭐Checkout my post about the best things to do in Moab, UT. You’ll find something that you will enjoy to do while in the Moab area.⭐

Places to Stay in Moab

Homewood Suites– We stayed here this trip. Since the room was a suite, it was quite large. The hotel is located in the downtown area so it was easy to walk to shops and restaurants.

Hyatt Place– Our family stayed here on our trip to the area. We really enjoyed our stay at the hotel. The rooms were larger than expected. It was a very nice hotel and had a great pool area.

Restaurants to Eat at in Moab

Some restaurants to checkout include:

Day 6 – Salt Lake City – Bridal Veil Falls

Drive to Salt Lake City

The drive from Moab to Salt Lake City takes 3 hours and 45 minutes and is 234 miles in length. As with most drives in this part of the country, it was scenic and the time went by quickly.

Visit Bridal Veil Falls

When we got to Salt Lake City, we went to Bridal Veil Falls. They have a nice walking trail that goes by the falls and a picnic area. The Lost Creek runs by the walking path.

The creek was very full when we were there and the falls had a landslide that was blocking the walking path. It took a little away from seeing the falls.

Relax and enjoy a slower-paced afternoon

The rest of the day was time to kick back and relax since it was a hard push up until this point in the trip.  

Day 7 – Big Cottonwood Canyon – Ensign Peak – Little League Field from the movie “Sandlot” – Salt Lake City Bees baseball game

Drive Big Cottonwood Canyon

Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd. is a scenic drive. There are places to pull off to take pictures and go hiking. Plus, there are a number of ski resorts on the route. 

A nice hike to take is to Donut Falls. There is a nice wide path to enjoy to the falls. There will be wildlife to see and there is a river to enjoy. At the end, there is a waterfall that cascades through a rock hole.  

To get a great view of the surrounding area, take S. Guardsman Pass Road. At the top of the pass, there is a great place to pull off the road to get a great view of the surrounding area. 

You can continue on that road but it is dirt and gravel from that point. You can eventually end up in Park City.

Hike to Ensign Peak for city views

If you want to get a great view of Salt Lake City, go to Ensign Peak. Ensign Peak is located in a residential neighborhood at the north end of Salt Lake City above the capitol building. 

You can park right along the street once you get to Ensign Nature Park. The trail is well marked and pretty wide as you go up. There are places that you can stop along the way to get some great pics of Salt Lake City without going all the way to the top.

We didn’t make it to the top since I was having some calf issues and Bob was having some breathing issues. Man, talk about getting old. 

Visit the Sandlot baseball field

Who isn’t a Sandlot fan? I have probably seen the movie between 15-20 times. The baseball field where the kids from the sandlot took on the little league team is in Salt Lake City. Play ball!

So, Bob and I went to the park and took some pictures. The scene from the movie came rushing back into my mind as we were there. There are other places in the Salt Lake City area that you can go to that were in the movie.

Take in a Salt Lake City Bees Baseball Game

If you are into baseball, then going to a Salt Lake City Bees baseball game is a great option. They are a AAA minor league team of the Los Angeles Angels.

The team plays at Smith’s Ballpark. It seats over 15,000 people. The stadium is very nice and there isn’t a bad seat in the place. A great place to park is across the street from the stadium on 1300 South Street. To our surprise the parking was free. 

Where to Stay in Salt Lake City

Embassy Suites Salt Lake City West Valley City – The room was a suite so it was nice and large. The couch in our room had seen better days. The rest of the room was fine. The breakfast was great.

Places to Eat in salt lake city

  • In-N-Out Burger – Bob never had In-N-Out Burger. So, when you are out west you have to try it. He was impressed. 

Day 8 – Grand Teton National Park – Jackson, WY

Drive to Jackson

The drive from Salt Lake City to Jackson, WY is 278 miles and takes around 4:30 hours. It is a scenic drive and time will go by quickly.

Explore Grand Teton National Park scenic viewpoints

The Tetons are my favorite mountains in the states. The Grand Teton National Park is located less than a 10 minute drive north of Jackson. The Inner and Outer Roads make a 42 mile loop that goes throughout the park. 

Along these roads there are many overlooks and turnouts that you can stop at. If you love to hike, there are many trials to take throughout the park. In the afternoon we drove into the park and we took the Outer Road which is WY 191. It makes up about half of the loop in the park. 

We stopped at a number of places along the way including:

Explore Jackson, WY

Jackson is a ski town with 3 different ski resorts near it. The town has a real western feel to it. In the center of town is the Town Square. It is a nice green space with a number of antler arches throughout the square. 

There are many restaurants and shops in the Town Square area. There is a little something for everyone. You can find parking on many of the streets in this part of town. 

The evening that we were there. They put on an old west skit in the street right beside the Town Square. It was cute and lasted about 15 minutes.

Where To stay in Jackson

Hampton Inn Jackson Hole– The hotel was what you expect of a Hampton Inn. There wasn’t anything flashy about the hotel but it was clean. Even though it was on the main road, it was also quiet in the room.  

Where to Eat in Jackson

Yeah Buddy Pizza– The pizza shop is up on the second floor of the building that it is located in. There is an outside patio area or you can eat inside. The pizza was really good. 

Day 9 – Grand Teton’s National Park – McAllister, Montana

Continue exploring Grand Teton National Park

The second day in the park we took the first part of the morning to go try to spot a bear. We went to the northern part of the park going towards Yellowstone. That was supposed to be a hot spot for bears. Unfortunately, for us that wasn’t the case. 

We then drove south on the Inner Road (Teton Park Road) to complete the 42 mile scenic loop through the park. There are numerous turnouts, overlooks, and places to hike along the route.

Some of my favorite stops included:

A nice hike to take is the String Lake Trail. The trail is nice and wide. You have great views of the mountains along with the lake as you hike. 

Jenny Lake is a popular place in the park. We got there later in the afternoon and it was a madhouse. There wasn’t a parking spot to be found. We didn’t want to fight the crowd so we moved on. 

Tips when visiting the Grand Teton’s National Park

  • Since Jenny Lake is the busiest part of the park, I would suggest getting into the park early and starting there to help beat the crowds.
  • If you are hiking, besides having a good pair of hiking shoes and other gear, you will want to invest in some bear spray. This is especially true if you are hiking in less traveled areas.

Drive north to McAllister, MT

Bob has a friend who has a place near McAllister, Montana so in the late afternoon we headed there. The drive to McAllister from the Grand Tetons National Park is 183 miles and it takes 3 hours and 30 minutes. 

McAllister is an unincorporated community. It is around 50 minutes from Bozeman. You can find the McAllister Inn, which is very highly rated, and an Italian Restaurant in McAllister.  We got to the house in the evening and settled in to get ready for the next day.

Day 10 – Bozeman, Montana

The drive from McAllister to Bozeman is 46 miles and takes 50 minutes. 

Explore downtown Bozeman

Bozeman is a city of 50,000 people. Even with the size of the city there was a definite small town feel to it. There are a number of mountain ranges that can be seen from the city making for some great scenery.

If you are a fan of the show Yellowstone, then you know a little about Bozeman since they film in the downtown area. 

The Gibson Guitar Company is based out of Bozeman. A great place to check out guitars if you are into them is the Music Villa. They will even ship your guitar to you for free. Bob took advantage of that service.

Places to Eat at in Bozeman

Sidewinders American Grill is a fantastic place to grab lunch or dinner. The restaurant has an industrial look to it. It is quite large with one area having large garage doors that can be opened. The food and service were both top notch. 

Main Street Overeasy is a great place to grab some breakfast. They had great service and the french toast and ham were great.

Day 11 – Yellowstone National Park

Spend the day in Yellowstone National Park

There are 5 entrances into Yellowstone. We went to the west entrance at West Yellowstone. Even though we were at the park before 8:00 am, it took us around 15 minutes before we got into the park. 

Yellowstone is a huge park. We were only going to be there one day so we knew that we wouldn’t see all of the park. This was especially true after about 7 miles into the park we came to stand still traffic and were in it for 45 minutes.

It ended up being buffalo that were on the move. Some of them came walking by our car when we were sitting in the traffic. That was a first for me. 

There are two loops that you can take throughout the park. Once we got to the loop we headed south towards Old Faithful. We ended up following the road all the way up to the Tower Fall area. 

There are all kinds of things to stop and see along the way as you can imagine. A few of my favorite stops included:

We were in the park between 8 and 9 hours. On our way out of the park, we ran into some more buffalo traffic, again. They really think that they own the road. We ended up seeing a black bear in the process. 

Tips For Visiting Yellowstone National Park

  • Ideally, you would want a minimum of three days to see all of the park. If you only have one day, you will have to come up with a game plan on what you really want to see. 
  • Some areas of the park like Old Faithful and Mammoth Hot Springs can get quite busy. So, depending where you are staying you may want to try to get to those places earlier in the day.
  • There are numerous places to stop to get something to eat in the park. We packed some sandwiches and got a bite to eat after we left the park.

Day 12 – Relax and Bozeman

Take a break from driving and sightseeing

On a long trip like this, I believe you need to have some down time. You don’t want to feel like you need a vacation from your vacation when you get home. 

The place that we were staying at was quiet and had some great views. We took most of the day and just relaxed and enjoyed ourselves. 

We drove to Bozeman and got settled into our hotel and took it easy the rest of the day.

Where to Stay in Bozeman

Hampton Inn Bozeman was a well maintained hotel. It was a typical style of Hampton and it came with free breakfast. 

Place to Eat in Bozeman

Pizza Campania is a pizza shop that is located in an industrial style building. They have a glass garage door that was open with seating out in the patio area. 

They make the pizza in wood fired ovens. The pizza had a thin crust and was very good. I would definitely go back again the next time I am in Bozeman. 

Day 13 – Little Bighorn National Battlefield Monument – Sheridan, WY

Drive to Little Bighorn National Battlefield

The drive from Bozeman to the Little Bighorn National Battlefield was 205 miles and just under 3 hours.

Visit Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument

The Little Bighorn National Battlefield Monument pays tribute to the American soldiers and Indian tribes that fought in the battle. There is a cemetery, visitor center, bookstore, museum, an Indian memorial, ranger talks, and a 4.5 mile self guided tour that you can drive at the battlefield.

In the visitor center, they have a 15-20 minute video about the battle that took place between the Indians and Custer’s troops. The Indian memorial commemorates the Indian Tribes that help fight and defeat Custer and his men. It is very well done. 

The self guided tour takes you to different places where the battle took place. There are places to pull off the road and you can listen to recordings about that particular locale. 

Throughout the battlefield are markers that show where bodies were found after the battle.

Tips When Visting Little Bighorn National Battlefield Monument

  • Plan for around 2-3 hours to see everything. 
  • If you have a National Park Pass it is free to get into the monument. You can click the link to see what the current cost is if you don’t have a park pass. 

Drive to Sheridan

The drive from Little Bighorn to Sheridan was 71 miles and took an hour. We stayed in Sheridan since that was on our way to the next day’s stops. 

Where to Stay in Sheridan, WY

Hampton Inn Sheridan was a fine hotel. Again, it was what you would expect from a Hampton Inn. It has a 3.9 rating on Google and a 7.9 rating through Booking.com. Rooms were clean and comfortable. 

Day 14 – Badlands National Park – Wall Drug

The drive from Sheridan to the East entrance of the Badlands National Park was 319 miles and was a 4 hour and 15 minute drive.

Drive through Badlands National Park

Since we were staying in Rapid City, we decided to drive down to the east entrance of the Badlands. That way we would be driving back towards Rapid City going through the park.. 

The Badlands is very unique since the exposed sedimentary rock has formed hills and canyons. The rock layers have different colors which gives the landscape a unique multicolor look. 

The layers even change color from one side of the park to the other. On the east side of the park there are more reds and pinks. On the west side of the park the rocks are more yellowish in color. 

There are 3 main roads that run through the park. The two lesser traveled roads are The South Unit and Sage Creek Rim Road. The South Unit is a paved road that goes through the south part of the park while the Sage Creek Rim Road goes through the north part of the park and is gravel.  

The Badlands Loop Road is a 31 mile paved road that runs through the north part of the park. We drove the Badlands Loop Road. On the road, there are 12 different overlooks and pull offs to enjoy.

Some of my favorites included:

You can also find the Ben Reifel Visitor Center on the Badlands Loop Road. While there, you can talk to rangers, visit the bookstore and you can check out the Fossil Preparation Lab. 

Tips When Visiting the Badlands National Park

  • We didn’t do any hiking in the park but there are 8 official trails in the park to enjoy. You can click the link to find out more about them..
  • The day we were at the park was overcast and kind of cool. The wind blew pretty hard over the plains and it made it feel cooler than what it was. Make sure to have a jacket just in case. 
  • The park doesn’t require a reservation to get into it. You can click the link to see what the current cost is without a park pass. 

Visit Wall Drug

Wall Drug is a famous drug store located in the town of Wall. You can’t miss it when driving through South Dakota since they have 100s of billboards throughout the state. . The town is located a few miles north of the one entrance to the Badlands National Park.

The drug store is over 70,000 square feet. There are numerous stores and restaurants under one roof. The drug store gets over 2 million visitors a year. Wow!

When we were driving to the Badlands, we started seeing billboards for Wall Drug. This was probably 150 to 200 miles away from where Wall Drug is located. 

We had no intention of stopping but the billboard on the highway saying the last chance to stop did us in. We got off the exit and went to Wall Drug.

Wall Drug was quite busy. We got some pics and went through a few stores. It isn’t a place that I feel that I need to go back to.

Where to Stay in Rapid City

Hampton Inn & Suites Mount Rushmore was the nicest of the Hampton Hotels that we stayed at on the trip. The hotel was connected to the Tru Hotel. It was a unique design.

Place to Eat in Rapid city

Millstone Family Restaurant is a down home style of restaurant. The food was really good and service was top notch.

Day 15 – Mount Rushmore – Drive to Denver Airport

Visit Mount Rushmore

On our drive back to the Denver Airport, we stopped at Mount Rushmore. Mount Rushmore was 27 miles from the hotel and took us around 45 minutes to get there.

Mount Rushmore is one of those iconic parts of Americana that you have to see at least once. It had been 40 years since I was last there. It is quite impressive to see.

We still had a long drive ahead of us so we didn’t stick around too long before we headed to Denver. There are numerous things to see and do while you are there. You can hike the Presidential Trail or Blackberry Trail. There is a visitor’s center and a sculptor studio, which has a 1/12 scale model of the sculpture in it, that you can visit. 

The Avenue of Flags is pretty cool. As you walk towards Mount Rushmore, there are flags on either side of the walkway from all 50 states, one district, 2 commonwealths and 3 territories of the U.S.

Tips for Visiting Mount Rushmore

  • If you have a National Park Pass, it won’t get you into Mount Rushmore. It costs $10 per car to get into the memorial. 
  • It was quite busy when we got there, which was late morning. If you want to beat the crowds, they suggest getting there before 9:00 am or after 3:30 pm. 
  • You can take dogs into Mount Rushmore but there are some restrictions where they can and cannot go. 

Drive to Denver International Airport

After we left Mount Rushmore, we headed to Denver International Airport to fly home. The drive was just over 390 miles and 6 hours in length. 

On the way to the airport, Bob shared how he knew almost every song from my Spotify playlist. You can read all about it by clicking the link. 

Why This 15 Day Out West Itinerary Works

This 15 day out west road trip itinerary works well because it combines some of the best national parks and destinations in a logical and efficient route.

You can start in Denver like we did or anywhere else on the loop like Salt Lake City. This helps minimize backtracking and makes the most of your time on the road.

The itinerary also strikes a good balance between driving and exploring. While there are a few longer travel days, they are mixed in with days where you can slow down and enjoy places like Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. This helps keep the trip from feeling rushed.

Another reason this itinerary works is the variety. You’ll experience everything from mountain landscapes and alpine lakes to desert scenery and unique rock formations.

Stops in places like Arches National Park and Badlands National Park give you completely different environments, making each part of the trip feel new and exciting.

How to Plan This Trip

Planning a 15 day out west road trip takes a little preparation, but it is well worth it. The first step is deciding when to go. Late spring through early fall is typically the best time, as most roads and park areas will be open.

Keep in mind that summer is the busiest season, so expect more crowds in popular parks like Rocky Mountain National Park and Yellowstone National Park.

Next, book your flights into wherever you are flying into and reserve a rental car. Since this itinerary covers a lot of ground, having a reliable vehicle with unlimited mileage is important.

You’ll also want to book accommodations in advance, especially in high-demand areas like Moab and Jackson.

If you plan on using credit card points/miles to help save on costs, you need to make sure to plan ahead to sign up for certain credit cards. It takes awhile to earn the points/miles and have them credited to you to use.

It’s also a good idea to look into park reservations and entrance fees ahead of time. Some parks require timed entry reservations during peak months. If you plan to visit multiple national parks, purchasing an America the Beautiful pass can save you money.

Finally, plan your days loosely. While this itinerary gives you a great structure, leaving a little flexibility allows you to adjust for weather, crowds, or unexpected stops along the way.

Miles Driven

If you were to just drive the loop that we took it is just under 2,000 miles in length. As with anyone, we just didn’t drive the loop. We ended up driving 4,200 miles in all. Thank goodness for unlimited mileage. 

Frequently Asked Questions About This 15 Day Out West Trip

How many days do you need for an out west road trip?

A 15 day road trip is a great amount of time to explore multiple destinations out west without feeling too rushed. It allows you to visit several national parks, enjoy scenic drives, and still have time to relax along the way.

What is the best time of year to take this trip?

The best time to take this out west road trip is from late spring through early fall (May through September). During this time, most roads and national parks are fully open.

Keep in mind that summer is the busiest season, so expect larger crowds in places like Yellowstone and Rocky Mountain National Park.

Do I need reservations for national parks on this itinerary?

Yes, some national parks require timed entry reservations during peak seasons. Parks like Rocky Mountain National Park and Arches National Park often have reservation systems in place. It’s best to check each park ahead of time and book any required reservations early.

Is 15 days enough to see Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park?

Yes, 15 days is enough to visit both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park, but your time will be limited. In this itinerary, you’ll spend about a day in each park. If you want to explore them more in depth, consider adding an extra day or two to your trip.

How many miles will you drive on this road trip?

The main loop of this itinerary is just under 2,000 miles. However, with additional driving inside national parks and around towns, you can expect to drive closer to 4,000–4,200 miles total.

Do I need a rental car for this trip?

Yes, a rental car is essential for this road trip. Since you’ll be traveling long distances and visiting national parks, having your own vehicle gives you the flexibility you need. Look for rental options with unlimited mileage to avoid extra costs.

Is the America the Beautiful pass worth it?

Yes, the America the Beautiful pass is worth it if you plan to visit three or more national parks. The pass costs $80 and gives you access to national parks and federal recreation sites for one year.

Where should I start this out west road trip?

This itinerary starts in Denver, Colorado, but you can begin the trip anywhere along the loop. Other good starting points include Salt Lake City or even Rapid City, depending on flight availability and pricing.

Is this road trip good for families?


Yes, this itinerary can work well for families. Many of the stops include easy hikes, scenic viewpoints, and fun activities like ziplining and exploring small towns. Just be prepared for some longer driving days and plan breaks along the way.

What should I pack for this trip?

You’ll want to pack for a variety of conditions. Essentials include:

Comfortable hiking shoes
Layers (temperatures can vary greatly)
A jacket for higher elevations
Sunscreen and a hat
Plenty of water and snacks

If you plan on hiking, consider bringing trekking poles and a small backpack as well.

Final Thoughts

This 15 day out west road trip itinerary is a great way to experience some of the best destinations in the western United States in one unforgettable trip.

You can go to my blog at Travelwidstom to find more itineraries, how to earn and maximize credit card points and miles and much more.