>>599540I just did this trip and missed out on all of this. I drove straight through in a rush from Austin to Phoenix. I split off and went to Joshua Tree and it was amazing but I'm in Nevada. I'll be heading back to Texas in a few days and I'm semi-planning to make the most of the trip, I just don't have a lot of time for serious camping. I'll have plenty of gear, but can't do longer than a night anywhere, for time reasons.
I was planning on hitting Antelope Canyon, OP's pic horseshoe bend, and any decently strenuous south rim trek. Driving through to petrified forest. A night there and then into New Mexico and all I can think to do is check out Carlsbad Caverns. I think Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rock is out of my way, but not by too much.
From there I'm into Texas. I've been to Guadalupe Mountains National Park and I'd say it's worth another trip but due to time issues, I have to consider skipping it and taking on Big Bend. Then again, I'll be able to do it another time since I'll be in Texas for a while.
Ideally, I'd hit up Great Basin in Nevada, head down to Zion, then down to the rest of the trip but fucking time constraints. I have to be in Austin by the 5th and I have to account for possible car issues.
