Road Trip Stop Suggestions - Winter Park, Fl To St. George Utah Via Big Bend Np

Houston has a good skyline. Bosque del Apache national wildlife sanctuary in NM is worth a visit, Shiprock and Monument Valley in Navajo too

Anything on the Grand Circle! Big Bend is nice, but if it were me I would like to hit Page AZ, Monument Valley, Valley of the Gods, Zion, Bryce, etc.
In other words, start your northward swing in Arizona, not New Mexico, and shave time in big bend to spend on the Grand Circle.


Here are some favorite sites on a google map

You might consider US 191 north from I-10 in AZ up to the general area of your destination. This used to be route 666, devil's highway. Lots of hairpins, etc. Also consider detours in AZ to Cave Creek, Ash Canyon, Patagonia (Patton house and Nature conservancy) and Madera canyon if you are a birder and like hummingbirds. If you do that, you may want to just go up north thru Tucson and Phoenix. to the grand circle area.

Hi Adam...I've lived in Winter Park since 1986...never expected to see it in a forum headline. lol Are you here now for art festival?

Thanks Gregory!

I've got to rush out to St George to use permits for the "Wave" and pick someone up at the airport so there will be a heavy dose of the Grand Circle. There were going to be a couple months for this leg but my dad died and it took 3 months to clean up the mess he left. Just hate to drive 2,500 miles and only really hit Big Bend.

Valerie - My grandfather lives at one of the old age homes and uncle is a dentist in Winter Park so that's what brought me down here. I've been shooting the skyline at Eola Lake at sunrise and sunset, didn't even know there was an arts festival until today. The plan is to grab dinner, shoot at the lake at sunset tomorrow and the rush to St. George to really kick things off. Finding things along the way would be nice. Usually I just sort of wander but unfortunately don't have much time this time around. Sanger to get back to Everglades and other things down there but maybe next spring.

If you ever get a chance to be here during art festival again, try to check it out. It's one of the most prestigious shows in the country. Named America's best juried show several times. Started in 1960 and draws 350,000+ visitors to our little city.

Godspeed on your travels!

Adam,

Do you know anyone else in this area?

Rich

No, nobody in this part of the country Rich, at least not around Orlando. Some friends in Sarasota but I think that's about it.

Atchafalaya Basin (Cypress Lake and Swamp) West of Baton Rouge LA on I-10.
Good eating at local restaurants, on south side of Breaux Bridge
Also, go south to Lake Fausse Pointe State Park, a choke point for migrating hummingbirds

and New Iberia, LA (Cajun "capitol")

Sabine National Wildlife Refuge Southwest of Cameron, LA (shore birds, gators with an easy access boardwalk)


Beaumont TX, I-10 All you can eat fried seafood. Sartin's Restaurant.

Pecos River Bridge/canyon on US 90, west of Armistad


Lone Red Bud on US 90, between Armistad and Big Bend turnoff (somewhere on left)


While at Big Bend, at Rio Grand Village Camground for wildlife, camp at the loop with the nature trail, if possible. 29.1793578,-102.9542474

Diesel Fried Chicken, intersection of US90 and I-10 in Van Horn, TX


Spring Canyon unit of Rockhound State Park, New Mexico, southeast of Deming (camping at the main unit)

If you go north up 191, you pass a large copper mine, a winding mountain road that makes you long for a motorcycle or sports car, Ponderosa Pines, and then Navajo Nation, Canyon De Chelley.


Valley of the Gods near Mexican Hat is a good drive, if you can handle dirt roads. Then four corners, crater.