5 weeks in the American West with family in summer 2026

What a beautiful trip! ... In summer, the only downside is that you’ll have to deal with crowds and the intense heat. Is this your first trip to the USA? ...

I think it’s a shame to miss out on so many sights just to spend extra days in a few places.

Yes, I agree—house swaps can be a bit restrictive since some hosts require a minimum number of days. But it also gives us a chance to catch our breath because road trips are often exhausting! I’ve noticed I’m missing out on some sites I can’t see, but you’ve got to make choices... We’re alternating visits, hikes, and activities to keep the kids happy (they’ll be 12 and 17).

By planning the itinerary day by day, I don’t think there’s *that* much downtime. I’ll have to jot down what I’m planning so you can see. And yes, this is our first time in the West! We did a 1-month trip to Florida in 2018, and it was amazing. We alternated between hotels and swaps.

For Bryce, do you recommend waiting to book Sunset Campground, or are both campgrounds pretty much the same and I should reserve North now?

Similarly, if I can only do one hike in Grand Teton, which one would you suggest? I was thinking Taggart Trail or Jenny Loop Trail?

Is there a must-see I’ve missed that I *absolutely* need to include?

I hadn’t noted the point about house swaps, indeed. I’m not familiar with the campgrounds you mentioned in Bryce since I usually sleep in the wild. But yes, I’d recommend it if you can (I’m correcting my message following our friend Mitch341’s comment below because reservations are impossible in the parks... first come, first served).

Never underestimate the fact that there’ll be crowds in the parks in summer. And even traffic jams. In Yellowstone, for example, don’t hesitate to get up really early to make the most of it before the crowds arrive.

If you’re camping in Grand Teton, I’d recommend Colter Bay campground—it’s cheaper and really nice. The showers, however, are in the village.

For hikes, I’d advise getting a one-year subscription to the AllTrails app right now (it shouldn’t cost more than 30 € for a year). It’ll let you see all the hikes on your route, with traveler photos so you can get an idea. Plus, you can plan the hikes you’ll do and download the maps to your phone for when there’s no signal. It’s super handy—I’ve had the app for years, and it’s saved me more than once.

I really loved Jenny Lake. Very peaceful early in the morning (though that was in September).

Yes, there’s so much to do everywhere you’ll go, but unfortunately, for example, 1 day in Page isn’t enough. You’ll miss out on sites like Buckskin Gulch, Toadstool Hoodoos, Cottonwood Canyon Road, Paria Townsite... There’s enough to keep you busy for at least 2 days minimum there.

I also think it’s a shame to miss sites like Moonscape Overlook, Temple of the Sun, Factory Butte... Also, on the way to Bryce, Calf Creek Falls, for example.

Same near Monument Valley—Goosenecks State Park, Moki Dugway, Muley Point...

In Durango, have you planned anything in particular to do?

I hadn’t noted the point about house swaps, indeed. I’m not familiar with the campgrounds you mentioned in Bryce since I usually sleep out in nature. But yeah, I’d advise you to book if you plan to camp in the middle of summer—most campgrounds fill up super fast.

Watch out, Usafan Fellow Traveler—there’s no camping reservation system in US national parks! First come, first served. That’s the catch! 😅

Hello everyone! D23- 8/3/2026- Vernal / Grand Teton D24- 8/4/2026- Grand Teton D25- 8/5/2026- Grand Teton / Cody D26- 8/6/2026- Cody / Yellowstone

Hi there!! From Grand Teton to Cody, that’s quite a detour! Any way to shorten it?

Hello, I’ll admit I don’t know since I never stay there overnight. But Colter Bay Campground does take reservations—I had booked. So it’s probably not considered a national-park campground. That said, in summer it must be hell trying to find a spot... Personally, I head to the small state parks or just out in nature.

Hi, I’ll admit I don’t know since I never sleep there. But Colter Bay Campground does take reservations. I had booked. So it must not be a campground considered a national park. So in summer, it must be hell to find a spot... I go to small state parks or just out in nature.

Of course, there are campsites that take reservations, but yeah, not in US national parks! And at Yellowstone, you’ve got to get there super early like you said! 😉

For Grand Teton if you're going camping, I recommend Colter Bay Campground—it's cheaper and really nice. The showers are in the village, though.

I wanted to go to Jenny Lake Campground but didn’t get a spot, so I booked 1 night at Gros Ventre Campground and 1 night at Colter Bay.

For hikes, I’d suggest getting a yearly subscription to the AllTrails app right now (shouldn’t cost more than 30 € for a year). It’ll let you see all the hikes along your route.

Oh, I hadn’t thought of getting a paid app for hikes. We won’t do 50,000 of them, but it’s always good to have a precise and accessible app no matter where you are.

In Durango, did you plan anything specific to do?

That’s where I’m struggling a bit with the itinerary... It’s an exchange, and there was a minimum number of nights required for it to be accepted. In my mind: arrive the evening of Wednesday, July 22. Thursday: nothing in the morning, then explore the city on foot with a "tourist" circuit. Friday: steam train day trip to Silverton. Saturday: I don’t know yet... either we’ll go to Mesa Verde or I’d like to hike in the San Juan National Forest. Initially, I wanted to do a rafting trip, but I saw that it’s better suited for Glenwood Springs. Sunday: early departure with stops in Ouray and Ridgway.

Watch out, fellow traveler—no reservations for camping in US parks! First come, first served. That’s the tricky part!

Well, I’m not sure if we’re talking about the same thing, but most campgrounds open for reservations 6 months in advance. Except for Yellowstone, which opens way earlier (I booked 10 months ahead, though I’m not sure if it was possible to do it even sooner).

And Bryce is a bit weird… North Campground works on a first-come, first-served basis (so I’ll be on it in 2 days to snag my spot), but Sunset Campground also takes reservations—just 14 days in advance! I think there are a few first-come, first-served sites, but in peak summer, I didn’t want to "gamble"!

I’ve already booked all my campgrounds: Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Grand Teton, and Yellowstone. Just Bryce left…

Hello!! From Grand Teton to Cody, that’s quite a detour! No way to shorten it?

Well, I was planning to hit the southeast part of Yellowstone and the West Thumb Area on the way before heading to Cody, to "optimize" the visits. Then, leaving Cody, I wanted to take the Beartooth Road to see the viewpoints, pass through Lamar Valley, and do Tower-Roosevelt before arriving at Canyon Village campground.

Hello!! From Grand Teton to Cody, that’s quite a detour! No way to shorten it?

Well, I was planning to hit the southeast part of Yellowstone and the West Thumb Area on the way before heading to Cody, to "optimize" the visits. Then, leaving Cody, I wanted to take the Beartooth Road to see the viewpoints, pass through Lamar Valley, and do Tower-Roosevelt before arriving at Canyon Village campground.

That’s better!! 😉 And in Cody, the evening Rodeo and the Buffalo Bill Museum! Not to mention the recreated cowboy town at the entrance of Cody!

Rodeo planned! For the Buffalo Bill Museum, I’d love to go, but it closes at 6 PM. That means we’d need to get there around 4:30-5 PM, but I’m worried we might be cutting it a bit close if we do West Thumb first. Is it really worth it? Can you still understand everything even if you don’t speak English?

Rodeo planned! For the Buffalo Bill Museum, I’d really like to go, but it closes at 6 PM. That means we’d need to get there around 4:30-5 PM, but I’m worried we’ll be a bit tight if we do West Thumb first. Is it really worth it? Can you understand it even if you don’t speak English?

Yeah, I see you’re not spending much time in Cody. Too bad. The museum is definitely worth the detour if you like American history—both the good and the bad, since everyone is represented there. Plan for a good half-day to visit.

Two photos:

Dang, it took us four one-month trips to do this same route, but I get the constraints! First thoughts off the top of my head: - If you don’t have a campsite at Bryce Canyon, there are awesome spots for wild camping (totally legal and in amazing settings) nearby—either west toward Losee Canyon (where there are some great short hikes like Arches Trail) or east at the start of Cottonwood Canyon Road. There’s also Kodachrome Basin State Park as an option; the camping is great (from what I remember, half reservable, half first-come, first-served). - Going from Durango to Glenwood Springs in one day is such a shame—this stretch is a trip in itself with the San Juans, Gunnison, and the Colorado mountains. Plus, Glenwood Springs is kinda ugly with the highway right through the middle. Silverton, Ouray, and Ridgway are these super charming little towns with a great Wild West vibe—perfect for staying a few days. But if you just need a road-trip break, I’d suggest a detour to Black Canyon of the Gunnison instead. - Durango has a lot going on around it, but everything’s about an hour’s drive away: Island Lake (the flagship hike of the San Juans, but you’ll need to head up to Silverton), Mesa Verde (more for the archaeological sites than the scenery, and you’ll need to book the main NP tours in advance), Pagosa Springs for floating down the San Juan River or checking out the hot springs all over the place. - Moab’s a whole other story—so much to do, and it really depends on your vehicle. Just know it’s gonna be scorching, and this might be the spot to think about rafting (the Colorado River’s pretty tame around here) to cool off a bit.

Thanks for all these tips!

Wow, it took us 4 month-long trips to do this same route, but I get the constraints

Yeah, I know... but we had to make choices... I preferred to skip some parks or sights to focus on other things! We’re still taking our time, though!

- if you don’t have a campsite at Bryce Canyon, there are great spots for wild camping (totally legal and in amazing settings) nearby, either to the west toward Losee Canyon (where there are some really nice short hikes like Arches Trail) or to the east at the start of Cottonwood Canyon Road...

That sounds so pretty!! For Bryce, I know I didn’t spend enough time there... For Losee Canyon, I saw there are horseback rides there.

there’s also Kodachrome Basin State Park, which is an option—the camping is great (from what I remember, half reservable, half first-come, first-served)

Thanks for the info. I’ll admit, for a first road trip, we focused on the must-sees, but there are definitely other gems to discover.

- going from Durango to Glenwood Springs in one day is such a shame—this route is a trip in itself, with the San Juans, Gunnison, the Colorado mountains... and Glenwood Springs is still pretty ugly with the highway right through the middle. Silverton, Ouray, and Ridgway are great little towns to stay a few days in with their Old West vibe, but for a road break, I’d suggest a detour to Gunnison Canyon instead

I know, I know!!!!!! It breaks my heart to have had to skip it. Those mountain towns were in my original itinerary (2021), but this time, I couldn’t find a house swap there, and the accommodation prices were pretty steep. So, oh well... I had Gunnison on the list initially, but it was too much of a detour, and well, choices had to be made...

- Durango has a lot around it, but everything’s about an hour away: Island Lake, the flagship hike of the San Juans, but you have to go up to Silverton; Mesa Verde (more for the archaeological sites than the landscapes, and you need to book the main NP sites in advance); Pagosa Springs for floating down the San Juan River or the hot springs all over the place

In my imagination, Durango was the typical Western town—there’s the train, so I thought there’d be stuff to do... But if I had to do it over, I’d definitely focus my search on Ridgway instead. I’ve planned an evening at the hot springs in Durango—the setting and price are nicer than Glenwood, which I’d initially planned.

- Moab has too much to say; the possibilities really depend on your vehicle, but it’s going to be scorching, and that’s maybe where you should consider rafting—on the Colorado River, which is very calm here—for a bit of coolness

We’ll have a Pacifica, so not great for rough roads... For rafting, I’d considered Moab, but after some research, it’s too calm! That’s why I chose Glenwood instead. For the heat, my host in Moab suggested getting the "pool pass" to take advantage of it during the hottest hours!

Durango is a real city... so it’ll have the perks too, like a lively downtown, shops, etc.

Ridgway is a tiny village, and it reminds me of a great exchange we had there (Kyle & Nicole) when we occasionally used the HE network. It’s true that minimum stays are sometimes mentioned, but in the U.S., that’s often due to cleaning company constraints. If you talk to the hosts and offer to handle the cleaning yourselves, you can usually work something out for shorter stays.

Silverton is a bit bigger than Ridgway, and Ouray is even larger and more touristy, especially with the big hot springs in town. If you’re choosing between the three for that Wild West vibe: Silverton—unless you’re hiking to Island Lake for the day, which would let you stop by. Just take summer thunderstorms in the San Juans *very* seriously. Always check the weather and start your hikes as early as possible. From that perspective, a visit to Mesa Verde is definitely less risky.

Oh, you went to Kyle and Nicole’s place?!! That’s awesome!! I contacted them for late July, but they were only available in August!! Bad timing, but I’d *love* to plan another special Colorado trip and crash at their place! (I haven’t even done this first trip yet, and I already want to go back!!)

We stayed with them in July 2024—their house is amazing. For a future trip to Colorado, I’ve got some other *great* spots, like Crested Butte, Pagosa Springs, or Estes Park near Rocky Mountain National Park. You could return to this state ten times and still discover new places every time. And if you add the plateaus of neighboring Utah, a lifetime wouldn’t be enough.

A minivan won’t let you venture onto some of the trails around Moab. I’d recommend checking out the Needles district in Canyonlands National Park—it’s a bit of a drive, but the landscapes are fantastic and way less crowded than Arches or Island in the Sky. If you head out at dawn to beat the heat, the Chesler Park hike is especially beautiful.

You can also head up into the La Sal Mountains above Moab (or Bear Ears further south) to escape the heat, but you’ll end up in pine forests, which isn’t really the red-rock vibe you’re after in Utah.

A few other random thoughts: - As a free alternative to Alltrails (mentioned earlier) for offline maps, there’s the excellent app Maps.me - We tried Yellowstone and Grand Teton in the summer without reservations, relying on first-come, first-served camping—we wouldn’t do it again. You’ll usually snag a spot each day, but you’ll waste 2–3 hours every morning lining up by 6 a.m. at the campground entrance waiting for departures. After a few days, we preferred camping outside the park in bivouac mode, in the surrounding forests

In my imagination, Durango was the typical Western town—there was the train, so I figured there’d be stuff to do... Well, if I had to do it over, I’d have focused my research on Ridgway instead. I’ve planned an evening at the hot springs in Durango; the setting and price are nicer than Glenwood, which I’d originally planned.

Hey, Durango is a bit of a hipster and touristy town, but I thought it was pretty cool.

For the train, definitely don’t take the diesel one—it belches out black smoke that’s not great...

Nearby, you’ve got the Million Dollar Highway, which winds through the mountains with stunning landscapes!

Glenwood Springs is a small town that’s basically split by both the highway and the train, but somehow it works. The town’s known for its huge hot springs pool—it’s got real character. The Hotel Colorado, just above it, is a really well-preserved 19th-century landmark.

From there, you can head to Aspen, a cute little billionaire ski resort with an incredibly beautiful setting around it...