Southwest USA National Parks Road Trip: Self-Launched
8 days · Southwest USA
G Adventures charges £1,690
No-markup version: ~£1,265 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent, self-launched version of G Adventures' 8-day Joshua Tree & the Southwest Parks loop — Los Angeles to Las Vegas via Joshua Tree, the Grand Canyon, Page/Horseshoe Bend, Bryce Canyon and Zion. This DIY plan swaps the guided group and camp-cook meals for a shared rental car (or a mix of self-drive and shuttles), hostel/cheap-motel and public-campsite stays, and self-bookable activities. It assumes you can drive and share a car with 1-3 other travellers — the Southwest is a car country, and shuttle-free national parks are best reached by road. Costs are rough per-person estimates for a shared car and shared rooms; the USA is not a budget destination, so this lands far closer to the original tour price than our Asia or Europe trips. Book national park campsites on Recreation.gov the moment they open (many are 6 months out) and reserve Antelope Canyon and Angels Landing permits well in advance.
Day-by-day
Los Angeles to Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree, California
Pick up a shared rental car in LA (book well ahead — a compact SUV for a week runs roughly £260-320 total, split between travellers) or take a Flixbus/Megabus to Palm Springs (~£15-25, 2.5-3 hrs) and rent a car there. Drive east on I-10 to Joshua Tree (~2.5 hrs from LA). Pay the $30 per-vehicle park entry (valid 7 days) and hike the Hidden Valley loop (1 mile) and Barker Dam, then catch sunset among the boulders near Jumbo Rocks or Keys View. Stock up on groceries at a Yucca Valley supermarket — self-catering is the single biggest saving on this trip.
🚌Shared rental car from LA (~£35-45 pp for the week) or Flixbus to Palm Springs (~£20) + local car hire; fuel ~£10 pp
🛏Joshua Tree Motel / Yucca Valley budget motel or Airbnb private room (~£55-75 shared twin, ~£30 pp); cheaper option: a BLM dispersed campsite outside the park (free)
- →Joshua Tree National Park entry ($30/vehicle)
- →Hidden Valley Trail hike
- →Barker Dam loop
- →Keys View sunset
Joshua Tree to the Grand Canyon (South Rim)
Grand Canyon Village, Arizona
Big driving day: Joshua Tree to the Grand Canyon South Rim is roughly 6.5-7 hrs via I-40 and Williams. Leave early. Arrive in time to walk the Rim Trail from Mather Point to Yavapai Point for sunset, then self-cater dinner back at camp. Reserve a site at Mather Campground on Recreation.gov (~$18/night) — it's the same campground the tour uses — or a dorm bed at the Grand Canyon YHA-style hostel if you'd rather not camp. Bring a warm layer; the rim is cold at night.
🚌Shared rental car, ~380 miles; fuel ~£25 pp split
🛏Mather Campground, Grand Canyon South Rim (~$18/night = ~£7 pp shared) or a budget motel in Tusayan (~£50 pp shared)
- →Rim Trail sunset walk
- →Mather Point & Yavapai Point viewpoints
- →Campfire dinner self-catered
Grand Canyon hiking day
Grand Canyon South Rim, Arizona
Self-guided day on the South Rim. Start early on the Bright Angel Trail (free, no permit needed below the rim for day hikes) — hike to the 1.5-Mile Resthouse or 3-Mile Resthouse depending on fitness and heat. In the afternoon walk the Rim Trail east to Yaki Point and the Desert View Drive viewpoints. Optional splurge: a self-booked helicopter flight over the canyon via Papillon or Maverick (~$199-250 / £160-200). Use the free park shuttle buses so you don't have to move the car.
🚌Free park shuttle buses; no driving needed
🛏Mather Campground (~£7 pp shared)
- →Bright Angel Trail day hike (free)
- →Rim Trail & Desert View Drive viewpoints
- →Optional Grand Canyon helicopter flight (~£160-200)
Grand Canyon to Page: Horseshoe Bend & Antelope Canyon
Page, Arizona
Drive east along Desert View Drive (stop at the watchtower) then to Page (~2.5 hrs). Hike the short Horseshoe Bend trail from the US-89 car park ($10 per vehicle to park). Then book an Antelope Canyon tour direct with a Navajo operator (Ken's Tours, Dixie Ellis, Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours) — ~$80-105 / £65-85 for the standard 1-hour Lower or Upper Antelope slot canyon walk. If you want to kayak, book Lake Powell kayak rental direct (~£40-55 for a half day). Optional: swim at Lake Powell's Lone Rock Beach.
🚌Shared rental car, ~135 miles; fuel ~£12 pp split
🛏Page budget motel or hostel dorm (~£40 pp shared) or a Lake Powell campsite (~£10 pp)
- →Horseshoe Bend hike ($10/vehicle)
- →Antelope Canyon Navajo-guided tour (~£65-85)
- →Optional Lake Powell kayaking (~£45)
Page to Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon, Utah
Scenic drive north on US-89 through Kanab and into Utah to Bryce Canyon (~3 hrs). Pay the $35 per-vehicle entry and spend the afternoon on the Rim Trail and at Sunrise/Sunset/Inspiration Points. Plan the classic Queen's Garden + Navajo Loop hike (2.9 miles, ~2-3 hrs) for early next morning or late today to avoid midday heat and crowds. Camp at Ruby's Inn RV Park & Campground or a tent site in the park at Sunset Campground (Recreation.gov, ~$20).
🚌Shared rental car, ~150 miles; fuel ~£13 pp split
🛏Ruby's Inn RV Park & Campground tent site (~$25/night ≈ £10 pp) or Sunset Campground in-park
- →Bryce Canyon entry ($35/vehicle)
- →Rim Trail & viewpoints
- →Queen's Garden + Navajo Loop hike
Bryce Canyon to Zion via Coral Pink Sand Dunes
Springdale / Zion, Utah
Morning hike in Bryce if you skipped it, then drive south to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park ($10 per vehicle) for a short walk over the pink dunes — sandboard rental is ~$25 if you fancy it. Continue to Springdale at the gates of Zion (~2 hrs). Book a tent site at Zion Canyon Campground or South Campground (Recreation.gov) well in advance, or a dorm bed at a Springdale hostel (~£35-45 pp).
🚌Shared rental car, ~100 miles incl. detour; fuel ~£9 pp split
🛏Zion Canyon Campground tent site (~£12 pp) or Springdale hostel dorm (~£40 pp)
- →Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park ($10/vehicle)
- →Dune walk / optional sandboarding
Zion National Park: The Narrows & Angels Landing
Zion National Park, Utah
Zion entry is $35 per vehicle; use the free park shuttle from Springdale. Two self-launched options: walk The Narrows upstream from the Temple of Sinawava (free, but rent canyoneering shoes and a walking stick in Springdale, ~£20) or apply for an Angels Landing permit through Recreation.gov (lottery, ~$6 application + $3 permit) and hike the chains route. The Emerald Pools and Canyon Overlook are good free fallbacks. Finish with dinner in Springdale.
🚌Free park shuttle; short walk to Springdale shuttle stop
🛏Zion Canyon Campground (~£12 pp) or Springdale hostel dorm (~£40 pp)
- →The Narrows hike + gear rental (~£20)
- →Angels Landing permit lottery (~£7)
- →Emerald Pools / Canyon Overlook trails
Zion to Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Drive Zion to Las Vegas (~2.5-3 hrs via I-15), stopping at the Valley of Fire State Park if time allows ($15 per vehicle). Drop the rental car at LAS airport or downtown and explore the Strip on foot before your flight. If your flight is later, book a cheap downtown hostel for a night rather than paying airport-hotel prices. Return-car fuel top-up ~£12 pp.
🚌Shared rental car, ~170 miles; fuel ~£12 pp split; car drop-off at LAS
🛏None included — optional downtown Las Vegas hostel dorm (~£30 pp) if you need a night
- →Optional Valley of Fire State Park ($15/vehicle)
- →Las Vegas Strip walk
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,265 | £1,690 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £425 per person (25%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,265
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Southwest USA National Parks Road Trip: Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,265 per person for 8 days in Southwest USA. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,690 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,265 — a saving of roughly £425 (25%) per person.
How long is the Southwest USA trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Southwest USA.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, road-trip, hiking trip through Southwest USA, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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