We spent the past month or so in Colorado, Utah, and Arizona where we became convinced that the west was made for an Airstream with its endlessly picture-perfect landscapes crawling with perfect (and free) places to park our borrowed Airstream for a few nights. Here’s our epic Airstream campsite in Valley of the Gods, Arizona.
Our sorely missed Airstream in Valley of the Gods, Airzona.
Epic Airstream camping in Valley of the Gods
Valley of the Gods drive is about 25 miles (56 km) from the more-famous Monument Valley. A 17 mile (27 km) gravel road winds through Valley of the Gods past rock monuments that are nearly as stunning as those in Monument Valley. Better yet: it’s all Bureau of Land Management land, so you can camp wherever you want for free.
There are plenty of big, flat turn outs large enough to easily pull into and out of, but one warning: the middle stretch of the road has quite a few serious dips that would challenge any tow-behind travel trailer so pick a camping spot within the first few miles of the drive and drop your trailer before continuing down the rest of the road.
Sleeping in Monument Valley
No Airstream? No problem. Check out The View Hotel in Monument Valley. You can’t beat the location on a ridge high above the valley floor and every room has a view over the monuments which makes it easy to see this gorgeous place at sunrise and at sunset right from your own little balcony.
Rooms on the top floor at the far end of the wing have the best views–plus all rooms on that floor have skylights too. On some evenings The View also projects some of the dozens of westerns that were filmed in the area onto an enormous outside wall creating a dramatic al fresco cinema.
Another options is a quirky off-the-grid B&B called Valley of the Gods Bed & Breakfast.
Here’s more about travel in the United States
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