The Great American Southwest


woman wheeling down open road in the mountains
Zion National Park

I grew up on road trips and vividly recall the excitement and wonder of the family van winding through the various topographies. How did the world get this way? What’s behind that? What’s over there? Time slows down on the open road, reminding me to just be. I make the most of the present before it passes me by. Road trips give me the time to slow down, roll down the windows and take it all in.

map of southwest traveled areas
TOTAL MILES: Around 2,000
DAYS/NIGHTS: Up to You
STOPS: Las Vegas, NV; Sedona, AZ; Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Taos, NM; Durango, CO; Moab or St. George, UT; Joshua Tree or Death Valley, CA

The American Southwest has a special place in my heart. The colorful land, full of cultural diversity, is so much more than desert. I’ve outlined an ambitious, dream itinerary, built from my many trips around the region. With enough time and gas money, you can take on the whole trip in one continuous multiday stretch, or you can tackle one or two sections at a time. Whatever you decide, make sure you leave enough time to soak up everything and appreciate all the Southwest has to offer.

Nevada, Arizona & Utah

An international airport and plenty of accessible hotels are reasons enough to start your adventure in Las Vegas. But before you hit the road, Las Vegas has much more to offer than gambling and shows.

The Neon Museum is home to working lights from old casinos and businesses and has a barrier-free pathway for easy access. For something more natural, the north half of the Wetlands Park Nature Preserve Loop is part paved pathway, and the rest is a firm, natural surface. Forty-five minutes southeast of Las Vegas, Hoover Dam has a number of tour options, but the only fully accessible one is the Guided Powerplant Tour. The hour-long excursion details the structure’s fascinating history and gives you some perspective on its magnitude and power in person. I’ll never forget the vibrations as I looked over the edge of the dam in awe of the force of the water.

Whenever I travel to the Southwest, I make a point to stop in Sedona, Arizona. It’s about a five-hour drive from Las Vegas. I’ve written about my love of Sedona in NEW MOBILITY before (see Resources). Many of the Sedona trails are naturally firm, but I’m particular to the paved walkway at the Crescent Moon Ranch at Red Rock Crossing.

Day trip options abound for your time in Sedona. Tuzigoot National Monument contains the sprawling remains of a pueblo built by the Sinagua people, and the Wupatki National Monument consists of multiple structures dating back as far as A.D. 500. Both offer beautiful vistas and culturally enriching outings with plenty of firm, barrier-free pathways. Seeing them up close deepened my perspective and appreciation for the native people of the area and for life itself.

From Sedona it’s about a four-hour drive north to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, which straddles the border between Arizona and Utah. If you see signs for fry bread, stop and get some. Be prepared for busy roads at the park ($20 entry permit required) as the building-sized, carved sandstone rock formations make it one of the most photographed places on earth. The visitor center is barrier-free, with easy access to restrooms and an observation platform on the second floor.

A short drive across the Utah border, no reservations and no entry fee are required for the “Mexican Hat” rock formation, named after the sombrero-like stone it resembles. Befitting the dirt road that takes you there, don’t expect any amenities — just enjoy a quick stop and move on. Further down the main highway is another fun photo op at Forrest Gump Point, a scenic pullout offering a majestic view of Monument Valley made famous in the movie Forrest Gump.

Two hours east you’ll find Four Corners National Monument, a can’t-miss opportunity to be in Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico, all at once. A ramp leads right to the point where the four corners touch. If you didn’t already get fry bread, make sure to get it here.

New Mexico

Continuing southeast brings you to Albuquerque, the first of our three New Mexico stops. New Mexico’s largest city is home to the spectacular Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, billed as the largest balloon festival on earth. If you’re going to be anywhere in the region in October, it’s worth adjusting your schedule to see as many as 500 colorful balloons take over the skies. On the ground, the flat, paved pathways around the balloons let you get up close and personal. Make sure to book accommodations well in advance during this time of year.

woman in wheelchair in front of old Spanish buildings in Santa Fe
Santa Fe

Santa Fe is an hour away, and its museums and galleries make it a must if you are interested in art. However, with roots dating back to its origins as a 17th-century Spanish colony, it may be frustrating for wheelchair users to access some historic buildings due to narrow doorways or no ramps. Likewise, accessibility is a mixed bag when visiting some of the 80 galleries, studios and designers in the Canyon Road Arts District, but you can still have a good time sightseeing. The downtown art gallery for Georgia O’Keeffe is accessible and worth visiting. Some public transportation is available. The Corazon Concierge is a private company with a wheelchair-accessible van available by appointment.

Another hour and a half north you’ll find scenic Taos — the easternmost point of our trip. There’s plenty to see and do in Taos, but wheelchair users with an ironic sense of humor won’t want to miss Wheeler Peak — the highest point in New Mexico. A two-and-a-half-hour Enchanted Circle Driving Tour loops neatly around the mountain and offers a captivating photo-op with plenty of places to get out and take in the beauty.

front of shop in Santa Fe showing steps and accessible ramp to enter
Santa Fe is loaded with cute and fun shops full of interesting art and tchotchkes.

It’s worth making the 12-mile detour to drive over the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, which feels like you are driving over the Grand Canyon. A picnic area on the other side of the bridge has accessible parking, restrooms and a paved pathway with views, but no barrier-free route to the bridge itself. If you feel brave, you can access the bridge’s pedestrian walkway via a dirt parking lot on the opposite side of the bridge from the picnic area. There is a ramp, but proceed with caution as the metal walkway has some large gaps where a wheel can get stuck, and it can be incredibly windy since it’s over a gorge.

National Park Heaven

There are too many national parks along this route to cover them all, and it would be a disservice to stuff them all into this article. Just know that you are never more than a couple of hours away from some of the most visited spots in the world. There may be no better place to put your national park Access Pass to use (it provides free entry for U.S. citizens with a permanent disability). Here are the author’s top accessible national parks you shouldn’t miss in the Southwest.

  1. Zion – “A lush, desert oasis carved into the mountains by flowing water and filled with wildlife.”
  2. Death Valley — “A pallet of colorful peaks and valleys formed by rocks, sand and hot springs pockets.”
  3. Grand Canyon – “Seeing the Grand Canyon in person is an experience that no picture or video can capture.”
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Colorado

Heading back west, Durango, Colorado, is about four hours northwest of Taos. Upon arrival, the first parking spot I saw had a sign below the regular blue-and-white one with a picture of a person in a wheelchair and the caption, “Think of Me — Keep It Free.” The sign proved a good omen, as getting around Durango was easy in a wheelchair. Even in the winter it was beautiful. A paved bike path runs along the Animas River for seven miles with a few access points.

The town is known for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad train that runs through the mountains for about 45 miles to Silverton. With sweeping views of the forests and mountains, the train was voted the top scenic train ride by USA Today readers in 2021. Decades ago, my grandparents took a ride on this train. I’ve always remembered my grandfather’s love of trains, so it was special to recreate the experience on my own travel journey. The access was good, too. The train had a lift and boarded two power wheelchairs into the accessible car. Staff removed seats so we could stay in our wheelchairs, and there was an accessible toilet close by. The dining car is not accessible, but the train attendants were happy to assist in getting items from the train’s menu and full bar. You can also bring your own food.

man in powerchair on paved trail with dog in with Utah mountains in background
Utah’s Snow Canyon State Park offers accessible trails.

Utah

Utah is home to five national parks — Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef and Zion — and all are drivable from this route (see National Park Heaven, above). Plan to spend a minimum of two hours at each, but you’ll likely want more time, especially at Zion and Arches. One strategy to take it all in is to use Moab as a hub to explore the eastern part of the state, and St. George as a western hub.

woman in wheelchair using the lift on accessible shuttle bus

In addition to cute restaurants, shops and hotels, Moab boasts accessible outdoor options for all types of explorers. The National Ability Center in Park City offers plenty of ways to take in the region’s iconic red rocks via rafting, Jeep tours, handcycling and more. A good off-road handcycle or all-terrain chair will help you navigate the hit-and-miss accessibility of the many trails at Arches and can be your ticket to endless off-trail adventures.

Historic St. George doesn’t have as much to offer as Moab, but works as a base for southwest Utah, with easy access to Zion and Bryce Canyon and more. The extreme geography of southwest Utah can appear daunting when planning accessible adventures, but there are some gems waiting for you to discover. Don’t miss the Pa’Rus Trail and Riverside Walk in Zion and the Rim Trail in Bryce Canyon.

California

From St. George, it’s less than two hours back to Las Vegas, but if you’re looking for the whole southwest experience, it’s worth extending your trip west to see Death Valley National Park and Joshua Tree National Park. Joshua Tree National Park is subtly majestic with its stacked boulder formations and eponymous, tufted trees. Bring a lunch or at least snacks when spending the day in the park, and plenty of water — there are no cafés or restaurants, but you will find the occasional accessible vaulted toilet. Stargazing is spectacular, particularly on the east side of the park. Four hiking trails are accessible with firm, barrier-free surfaces, and other points of interest often have accessible parking.

Glamping is possible in the tricked-out Airstream trailers at AutoCamp Joshua Tree; otherwise, Palm Springs and Palm Desert are about an hour from a park entrance and ideal places to stay overnight and dine. Most local attractions have access, including the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens and the gondola that takes tourists up the mountain for a view of the valley.

Death Valley is four hours from Joshua Tree. With peaks, valleys, canyons and even a crater, it’s a natural marvel of color and contrasts. While there, make sure to visit Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the continental U.S. at 282 below sea level. Level boardwalks take you out over this eerie, salt-encrusted landscape. If possible, try to visit Death Valley in the spring, as temperatures are reasonable — summertime temps often exceed 120 degrees, a definite deterrent to anyone with temperature regulation issues — and the spring wildflower blooms can be spectacular. From Death Valley, it’s a quick two-hour drive back to Vegas, where you can start dreaming about your next trip to the marvelous, magical American Southwest.


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