Month-Long Road Trip: Pacific Fog to Antelope Canyon’s Glow

Month-Long Road Trip: From Pacific Fog to Antelope Canyon's Glow

This trip kicked off our third year of world travel. Nicola had one big wish: to see Antelope Canyon. My counter-proposal: a month-long road trip in our own wheels, camping as we went. With our insurance clock ticking (max 40 days away from the NWT), we had about 30 days to thread the West Coast—Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada—before turning inland toward the canyons. This is the story of our month on the road.

Gearing Up: Our Tiny, Portable Home

We were set for "car camping" in style (and by style, we mean comfort on a budget). We made life simple with:

• A pop-open tent that pitches in under a minute.
• Two inflatable mattresses with built-in pumps (inflated/deflated in a minute each).
• A compact propane stove and a rechargeable tent light.
• My splurge: a Yeti cooler that kept food cold for days with minimal ice.

We charged devices from campsite power or the car and settled into the rhythm quickly, sleeping great even if the three-person tent was hilariously full.

We also picked up the America the Beautiful pass (USD $80), covering National Park entry fees for a year. We learned early that Labour Day weekends are packed, popular gates close at 4 p.m., and booking park campsites well in advance is essential (we leaned on private options like Hipcamp when needed).

Part 1: Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada (The West Coast Leg)

Washington: North Cascades to Olympic

We left Penticton, crossed into Washington, and headed for North Cascades National Park—the “American Alps.” Nights were a brisk 4°C, but the days were brilliant blue.

• Our campground at Skagit River came with hot showers and Wi-Fi to the tent, a luxury Nic noted we didn't appreciate enough at the time!
• We wound along the North Cascades Highway, pausing at the surreal turquoise of Diablo Lake, then hiked toward Cascade Pass for a picnic with glacier views.
• We wisely detoured via the Edmonds–Kingston ferry to get to Olympic National Park. The park was heaving (Labour Day weekend lines, full parking, and a two-hour backup for the Hoh rainforest).
• We improvised, taking short hikes to waterfalls, seeing the Devil’s Punchbowl, and finding a local tip-off to the “largest cedar in the world.” The scenery was pure Return of the Jedi—mossy, fern-laden, and cathedral-tall trees.

We capped Washington with a night at a winery near Raymond—live music and a tent tucked among the apple trees.

Oregon: Mist, Markets & Wood-Fired Pizza

The coast welcomed us with wind and moody surf.

• En route, we hit Long Beach (WA) for chowder, then crossed into Oregon for Cannon Beach and its monumental sea stacks.
• We camped at Kelly’s Brighton Marina in Rockaway Beach—part crab shack, part dock—sharing the atmospheric site with a family travelling with two pet chickens.
• We ducked into the Tillamook Creamery (an excellent rainy-day stop), stocked up on cheese, and beelined inland to dry out.
• Near Eugene, a tiny Hipcamp with a stone pizza oven became our private pizzeria. We prepped dough and toppings under string lights and baked pies till late—including strange but delicious blackberry-and-Tillamook combos. "We made artisanal pizzas… How fun!!!"
• We pushed for Crater Lake National Park. Fires had closed the north approach, but we made it from the south, hiking to the rim to see the ice-blue water in the caldera basin.
• Our last Oregon night was at a dreamy eco-camp near the Rogue River—tucked into a bamboo grove with a very pretty composting loo.

California & Nevada: Among Giants & a Vegas Cameo

We drifted into Redwood National and State Parks, walking under trees so tall you lost the top in the fog. We found the corkscrew tree, tiptoed past banana slugs, and traced the coastline.

• We turned inland to Lassen Volcanic National Park. The loop around Manzanita Lake offered wide views of the peak, while the park’s hydrothermal spots hissed and bubbled like the Earth had a simmering secret.
• We took a breather in Reno (Circus Circus), becoming temporary laundromat regulars before hitting the wide-open spaces of the Loneliest Road in America (Hwy 50) and the Extraterrestrial Highway to Area 51. We posed by the sign and wisely stopped well short of the warning cameras.
• We overnighted in Tonopah (beside the shower building, avoiding the "clown motel") before hitting Las Vegas.
• In Vegas, two nights at the Jockey Club (Cosmopolitan) felt like a treat. I slipped $10 into a machine and cashed out $90 when Nic returned, which nearly paid for the incredible Cirque du Soleil show, KA. We rode the double-decker to Fremont Street for a classic $10.99 steak dinner.

"We made it to Vegas, baby! The highway in is insane. I’m very impressed with Jeff’s driving.” — Sept 13

Part 2: Chasing Canyons (Utah, Arizona, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana)

With the Pacific Coast behind us, we turned east, leaving the mist for red rock country. The primary goal of the trip was now ahead: Antelope Canyon.

Chasing Canyons, Climbing Arches: Utah & Arizona

From Nevada’s neon to the Navajo Nation’s red rock, we set our compass for Page, Arizona.

• We paused at Glen Canyon Dam and the historic Navajo Bridge, watching condors perch under the span.
• The Big Moment: Lower Antelope Canyon. We’d booked the Lower Antelope tour—narrower passages, metal stairs, fewer beams than the Upper, but more movement. A Navajo guide led us down into the sculpted sandstone. The walls glowed like embers, the light fell in ribbons, and we were thrilled to catch a light beam! As Nic said, “I thought photos were filtered. Nope. The colours were so lovely.”
• We kept the Page highlights rolling: Horseshoe Bend (busy at sunset, stunning anytime), Lone Rock at Lake Powell, and a delicious stop for traditional fry-bread.
• Northbound, we paused at the long straight stretch where Forrest Gump stops running before aiming for Arches National Park. We learned the hard way that you need a daytime reservation.
• Plan B: We were directed to Canyonlands (which I mistakenly heard as “Candyland”). Turns out Plan B was gorgeous! Chambers of canyons, quiet overlooks, and wide horizons.
• After 4 p.m., Arches opens without reservations—so we hustled back in to see the icons: Balanced Rock, the parade of fins, and finally Delicate Arch glowing like a lit doorway.

Salt Lake City & Yellowstone Wonder

We treated ourselves to a motel night in Sandy (Salt Lake City) to dry out and clean up. We found a retro Sizzler (USD $15 for steak and endless shrimp nostalgia!), walked Temple Square, and chatted with missionaries.

• We pushed east for a Yellowstone detour, grabbing a sweet campsite under plum trees in Ashton, Idaho.
• The next morning was geysers-and-pools o’clock in Yellowstone National Park. We saw Old Faithful right on time (twice), watched steam drift over bison, and followed the boardwalks past the sapphire pools and kaleidoscope basins. The **Grand Prismatic** was everything the postcards promised.

Montana Miles & the Home Stretch

We angled northwest: a night in Butte (handsome brickwork, big sky), then Coeur d’Alene for a breath of lake air. The next morning, we rolled across the border and followed the Okanagan’s orchard rows back to Nicola’s mom’s place in Penticton.

Logbook: Where We Slept (30 Nights)

This is where our money went, aside from gas and pizza!

• WA: Skagit River RV & Camping (Marblemount) • Tenting in the Cedars (Port Angeles) • WooHoo Winery (Raymond)
• OR: Kelly’s Brighton Marina (Rockaway Beach) • Basswood Bench (Eugene area - Hipcamp) • Wild Azalea Eco-Camp (near Grants Pass - Hipcamp)
• CA: Mystic Forest RV Park (Klamath) • Manzanita Lake Campground (Lassen)
• NV: Circus Circus (Reno - Motel) • Tonopah RV (Tonopah) • GetAways at Jockey Club (Las Vegas - Motel)
• AZ/UT: Page Lake Powell Campground, Page, AZ • Up The Creek Campground, Moab, UT
• ID/MT: Majestic Rockies Motel (Sandy/SLC - Motel) • Jolley Camper & Cottages, Ashton, ID • Red Lion Inn & Suites, Butte, MT • Coeur d’Alene, ID (overnight)

Closing the Loop

This second half of the trip was the promise we chased from day one: Nicola in the glow of a slot canyon, both of us small under Western skies. From Arches’ stone ladders to Yellowstone’s boiling blue eyes, the road gave us what we came for—and a little resilience for the miles to come in Year Three.

Next Up: We plan for Year Three of travel—but maybe with fewer sleeping bag-to-car transfers!