Southwest Solitude: A COVID-Era Road Trip Through America's Sacred Landscapes

Our June 2020 Southwest road trip came at a unique moment in American history - when international travel was impossible and domestic exploration became both necessity and revelation. This 12-day, 2,000-mile journey through California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Nevada revealed the profound beauty and healing power of America's most dramatic landscapes during a time when solitude and open space felt essential to the soul.

General Comments

COVID-Era Travel: With international borders closed and air travel complicated by pandemic restrictions, this road trip represented freedom and safety in uncertain times. National parks had limited capacity, hotels required reservations, and the usual crowds were dramatically reduced, creating intimate experiences of iconic American landscapes.

Therapeutic Solitude: Long drives through empty terrain provided meditative experiences impossible during normal travel periods. Hours of uninterrupted driving through desert landscapes, with minimal traffic and endless horizons, created space for reflection and mental restoration that felt particularly valuable during the pandemic's social isolation.

Hiking as Refuge: Each destination's hiking opportunities provided physical activity and spiritual renewal during a time when gyms were closed and normal routines disrupted. The combination of exercise, natural beauty, and solitude addressed both physical and mental health needs.

Route Flexibility: Road trip travel allowed complete schedule control and social distancing while still experiencing incredible destinations. We could adjust timing, extend stays at favorite locations, and maintain pandemic safety protocols throughout.

American Southwest Revelation: This journey revealed how the American Southwest offers landscape grandeur, cultural depth, and spiritual experiences rivaling any international destination. The region's Native American heritage, geological wonders, and vast spaces provided perspective unavailable elsewhere.

Accommodations Variety: From luxury resorts to national park lodges to small town hotels, each night's lodging reflected the local character while meeting enhanced COVID safety protocols.

Itinerary

Days 1-2: Southern California Transition

Our journey began with the familiar coastal drive from Morro Bay to Santa Monica, then transitioned to desert landscapes.

Joshua Tree National Park: Our first wilderness encounter set the trip's tone. The otherworldly Joshua trees, dramatic boulder formations, and desert ecosystem provided immediate contrast to coastal California. Hiking the Skull Rock and Cholla Cactus Garden trails introduced us to Mojave Desert ecology while the wide-open spaces began the trip's meditative quality.

Desert Solitude: The transition from populated coastline to empty desert created profound psychological shift. Miles of uninterrupted landscape with minimal human presence initiated the therapeutic solitude that would characterize the entire journey.

Day 3: Grand Canyon - Natural Cathedral

The drive through Arizona's high desert toward one of America's natural wonders built anticipation perfectly.

Williams, Arizona: This historic Route 66 town provided authentic small-town American atmosphere and served as our Grand Canyon gateway. The town's railroad heritage and restored downtown revealed the charm of pre-interstate America.

Grand Canyon South Rim: Even with reduced COVID capacity, the Grand Canyon's geological majesty remained overwhelming. The Rim Trail provided multiple viewpoints revealing how light and shadow constantly transformed the canyon's colors and depths. The reduced crowds allowed for peaceful contemplation of this geological masterpiece.

Hiking the Canyon: The Bright Angel Trail descent, even just to the first rest house, provided perspective on the canyon's immense scale and geological complexity. The physical challenge and changing ecosystems as elevation dropped created comprehensive Grand Canyon experience beyond viewpoint photography.

Days 4-5: Monument Valley - Sacred Landscape

The drive from Grand Canyon to Monument Valley transported us into the heart of Navajo Nation and America's most iconic Western landscape.

Monument Valley Scenic Drive: The 17-mile dirt road through towering sandstone buttes created cinematic experiences impossible to capture in photographs. Each formation - the Mittens, Merrick Butte, Elephant Butte - demonstrated geological artistry spanning millions of years.

Shiprock Encounter: The drive toward New Mexico revealed Shiprock, the massive volcanic rock formation sacred to the Navajo people, rising dramatically from empty desert plains. This geological monument, standing alone against infinite sky, provided profound spiritual experience and reminded us we were traveling through landscapes sacred to Native American cultures.

Navajo Cultural Immersion: Staying at Goulding's Lodge and exploring Monument Valley provided respectful introduction to Navajo heritage while supporting tribal tourism during economically difficult pandemic times.

Desert Solitude Deepens: The vast emptiness between Monument Valley and Santa Fe - hundreds of miles with minimal towns or traffic - created meditative driving experiences. The endless horizons, dramatic cloud formations, and profound silence provided mental restoration impossible in populated areas.

Days 6-8: Santa Fe - Cultural Oasis

New Mexico's capital provided rich cultural immersion amid high desert beauty.

Hotel: Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi - This luxury hotel in Santa Fe's historic plaza perfectly captured the city's blend of Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo cultures. The adobe architecture and artistic details provided authentic regional atmosphere.

Santa Fe Cultural Exploration: The plaza area's galleries, museums, and historic buildings revealed the Southwest's complex cultural heritage. The Palace of the Governors, San Miguel Mission, and numerous art galleries showcased how Native American, Spanish colonial, and contemporary American influences created unique regional culture.

Hiking the Sangre de Cristo Mountains: Trails in the Santa Fe National Forest provided mountain hiking within minutes of the city. The Atalaya Mountain trail offered panoramic views over the high desert while aspen groves and alpine meadows created ecosystem diversity impossible to experience in lower desert regions.

Taos Day Trip: The drive to Taos through high desert and small Hispanic villages revealed northern New Mexico's distinctive character. Taos Pueblo, continuously inhabited for over 1,000 years, provided profound connection to indigenous heritage while the town's artistic community showed how traditional cultures inspire contemporary creativity.

Bandelier National Monument: These cliff dwellings and canyon ruins demonstrated sophisticated Ancestral Puebloan civilization while hiking trails through mesa country provided excellent physical exercise amid archaeological wonders.

Los Alamos: The contrast between ancient pueblo ruins and the birthplace of nuclear weapons created sobering historical perspective on how the Southwest witnessed both indigenous sophistication and 20th-century technological transformation.

Days 9-10: Mesa Verde and Arches - Ancient Architecture and Natural Sculptures

Colorado and Utah's national parks provided spectacular conclusion to our Southwest journey.

Mesa Verde National Park: The Balcony House and Cliff Palace tours (when available during COVID restrictions) revealed architectural sophistication of Ancestral Puebloan culture. These multi-story cliff dwellings demonstrated engineering skills and community organization spanning centuries.

Mesa Top Loop Road: This scenic drive with archaeological sites and overlooks provided comprehensive introduction to Mesa Verde's cultural landscape while hiking trails connected multiple archaeological sites through pinyon-juniper forests.

Arches National Park: Continuing into Utah, Arches showcased nature's geological artistry through over 2,000 natural stone arches. The Windows Section provided easily accessible dramatic formations while the hike to Delicate Arch revealed Utah's most iconic natural sculpture. Fiery Furnace walks (when available) demonstrated how water and time carved intricate slot canyons and chambers through solid sandstone.

Canyons of the Ancients: This lesser-known national monument contained the highest density of archaeological sites in the United States. The combination of cultural heritage and pristine high desert landscape provided intimate encounters with ancient civilizations.

Hovenweep National Monument: These remote tower ruins, built by Ancestral Puebloan people, demonstrated sophisticated astronomical knowledge and architectural skills. The isolation and excellent preservation created profound connections to ancient American cultures.

Days 11-12: Utah Wilderness - Geological Wonderland

Southern Utah's national parks provided spectacular conclusion to our Southwest journey.

Capitol Reef National Park: This relatively uncrowded park showcased dramatic geological formations, pioneer Mormon settlements, and excellent hiking opportunities. Capitol Reef is probably the most underrated park we've ever visited - and we've been there many times. The park's incredible diversity of geological formations, from towering red cliffs to hidden slot canyons, combined with its Ancestral Puebloan petroglyphs and historic Mormon settlements, creates experiences rivaling any major national park. The Petroglyphs Trail provided ancient rock art encounters while the Cohab Canyon and Grand Wash hikes revealed slot canyon experiences and geological diversity that few tourists ever discover.

Grand Staircase-Escalante: Driving through this vast national monument remains one of our favorite drives, dating back to when we lived in Utah years ago. This route reveals remote wilderness and geological formations spanning millions of years, with dramatic landscapes that change constantly as you traverse different geological layers. The solitude and stunning vistas - red rock formations, slot canyons, and endless desert vistas - provided perfect transition from populated areas toward journey's end.

Death Valley Crossing: Our final wilderness encounter, crossing Death Valley from Nevada to California, demonstrated the Southwest's extreme environments. The below-sea-level desert, mountain views, and profound emptiness created fitting conclusion to our solitude journey.

Hiking Highlights Throughout the Journey

Joshua Tree: Skull Rock, Cholla Cactus Garden, and Hidden Valley trails provided desert ecosystem education and moderate physical activity.

Grand Canyon: Bright Angel Trail descent demonstrated canyon scale while rim walks revealed constantly changing perspectives.

Santa Fe Area: Atalaya Mountain and other Sangre de Cristo trails provided high-altitude hiking and panoramic desert views.

Bandelier: Canyon trails connected cliff dwellings with mesa-top archaeological sites through diverse ecosystems.

Mesa Verde: Archaeological trails combined cultural education with physical activity through pinyon-juniper forests.

Capitol Reef: Slot canyon hikes and geological walks provided diverse Utah wilderness experiences.

Psychological and Spiritual Dimensions

Pandemic Healing: The combination of physical activity, natural beauty, and profound solitude addressed mental health needs during unprecedented social isolation and uncertainty.

Meditative Driving: Hours of uninterrupted driving through empty landscapes created meditative experiences impossible in normal travel or daily life.

Scale and Perspective: The Southwest's vast landscapes and ancient cultural sites provided perspective on both pandemic challenges and human civilization's broader timeline.

Sacred Encounters: Visiting landscapes sacred to Native American cultures while respecting tribal sovereignty and supporting indigenous tourism created meaningful cultural exchange.

What We'd Do Differently

Extended Mesa Verde Time: The archaeological richness deserved additional days for more thorough exploration and cultural education.

More Hiking Planning: Each destination offered hiking opportunities we didn't have time to fully explore.

Enhanced Cultural Preparation: Deeper research into Native American history and contemporary tribal cultures would have enriched our experiences.

Final Thoughts

This COVID-era road trip revealed how domestic travel during challenging times can provide experiences rivaling any international adventure. The American Southwest's combination of geological grandeur, ancient cultures, and vast solitude created transformative travel experiences while maintaining pandemic safety protocols.

The therapeutic value of long drives through empty terrain, combined with hiking in pristine wilderness and encounters with ancient civilizations, provided mental and physical restoration during a difficult period in American history. The trip demonstrated how travel can serve healing purposes beyond mere recreation.

Most importantly, this journey revealed the American Southwest as a region offering landscape beauty, cultural depth, and spiritual experiences rivaling any global destination. The combination of natural wonders and indigenous heritage created pride in American cultural and natural treasures while fostering respect for Native American sovereignty and ongoing cultural vitality.

For travelers seeking solitude, natural beauty, cultural education, and personal restoration, the American Southwest offers unmatched opportunities for transformative road trip experiences.

Total Distance: Approximately 2,000 miles through six states Most Spiritual Moment: Encountering Shiprock rising from empty desert plains Best Hiking: Bandelier's canyon trails connecting cliff dwellings through diverse ecosystemsMost Meditative: Long drives through Monument Valley and Grand Staircase-Escalante wilderness Cultural Highlight: Mesa Verde's cliff dwellings demonstrating sophisticated ancient American architecture Perfect For: Solo travelers or couples seeking solitude, cultural education, geological wonders, hiking opportunities, and therapeutic distance from urban life during challenging times.