Challenge
Desert Southwest National Parks
Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and Texas, United States
About this challenge
Red rock, slot canyons, and high desert: the national parks of the American Southwest, from the Grand Canyon and Zion to the white gypsum dunes of New Mexico. Built for cooler-season travel.
Journey guide
overview
This collection brings together the national parks of the desert Southwest across Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, and west Texas. It includes the canyon country of the Colorado Plateau, the dunes of White Sands, and the caves of Carlsbad and Guadalupe.
why it matters
The Southwest parks are clustered tightly enough to chain together, especially the Utah parks, and they share a season. Summer heat makes many of them punishing, so a grouping that signals spring, fall, and winter as the right windows is genuinely useful for planning.
who its for
It is for travelers who want a canyon-and-desert focused project, and for anyone planning the classic Utah loop and wanting to extend it into Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
Quick facts
- Best Season
- Spring, Fall, Winter
Desert Southwest National Parks: common questions
When is the best time to do Desert Southwest National Parks?
The best season for Desert Southwest National Parks is Spring, Fall, Winter.
How many checkpoints does Desert Southwest National Parks have?
Desert Southwest National Parks has 12 checkpoints to log on the way to finishing it.