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🇺🇸 Itinerary · American West · 30 days

1-month USA itinerary 2026: the West Coast

30 days in the American West: California, Utah and Arizona national parks, deserts and canyons. Day-by-day road trip, real distances and budget.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

30 days

Stops

12 places

Average budget

€4,500-6,500

Total distance

~5,200 km

Profile

Grand tour

Season

May-Jun, Sep

San Francisco 3d · Yosemite 3d · Death Valley 2d · Las Vegas 2d · Zion & Bryce 4d · Monument Valley 2d · Page 2d · Grand Canyon 3d · Sedona 2d · Joshua Tree 2d · Los Angeles 3d · Pacific Coast 2d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

American West 1-month itinerary map: San Francisco, Yosemite, Las Vegas, Zion, Bryce, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Los Angeles

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

12 days, day by day

1

Stage 1

San Francisco · Arrival & city

  • Days 1-3 Golden Gate, Alcatraz, cable cars, Lombard Street. Pick up the car when leaving the city.
  • Day trip Optional Muir Woods and its giant redwoods.
🛌 🛌 Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf · e.g. Hotel Zephyr (3 nights)·🚗 Rental on leaving the city·USA guide →
4

Stage 2

San Francisco → Yosemite

  • Days 4-6 Drive to Yosemite (3h30, 300 km). Glacial valley, Half Dome, El Capitan, spring waterfalls.
  • Hikes Mist Trail to Vernal Fall, Glacier Point for the panorama.
🛌 🛌 Yosemite Valley · e.g. Yosemite Valley Lodge (3 nights)·🚗 300 km
7

Stage 3

Yosemite → Death Valley

  • Days 7-8 Cross Tioga Pass (if open) then descend into the desert (5h, 400 km). Badwater Basin (-86 m), Zabriskie Point at sunrise.
  • Tip Fill up on water and fuel before entering the park.
🛌 🛌 Furnace Creek · e.g. The Ranch at Death Valley (2 nights)·🚗 400 km
9

Stage 4

Death Valley → Las Vegas

  • Days 9-10 Drive to Las Vegas (2h, 200 km). Strip, shows, rest before the parks.
  • Evening Bellagio fountains, dinner and a show.
🛌 🛌 Las Vegas Strip · e.g. The LINQ Hotel (2 nights)·🚗 200 km
11

Stage 5

Las Vegas → Zion & Bryce

  • Days 11-14 Zion (Angels Landing, Narrows) then Bryce Canyon (Navajo Loop, Inspiration Point). 4 days for both parks.
🛌 🛌 Springdale then Bryce · e.g. Cable Mountain Lodge, Ruby's Inn (4 nights)·🚗 270 + 115 km
15

Stage 6

Bryce → Monument Valley

  • Days 15-16 Drive to Monument Valley (4h, 350 km). Navajo 4x4 Valley Drive, sunset over the Mittens.
🛌 🛌 Monument Valley · e.g. The View Hotel (2 nights)·🚗 350 km
17

Stage 7

Monument Valley → Page

  • Days 17-18 Drive to Page (2h20, 200 km). Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell.
🛌 🛌 Page · e.g. Hyatt Place Page (2 nights)·🚗 200 km
19

Stage 8

Page → Grand Canyon

  • Days 19-21 South Rim (2h20, 220 km). Rim Trail, Bright Angel, sunrise at Yaki Point, 3 days to enjoy it fully.
🛌 🛌 Grand Canyon Village · e.g. Maswik Lodge (3 nights)·🚗 220 km
22

Stage 9

Grand Canyon → Sedona

  • Days 22-23 Drive to Sedona (2h, 180 km). Red rocks, vortexes, Cathedral Rock and Devil's Bridge hikes.
🛌 🛌 Sedona · e.g. Arabella Hotel Sedona (2 nights)·🚗 180 km
24

Stage 10

Sedona → Joshua Tree

  • Days 24-25 Long drive to Joshua Tree (5h, 500 km). Mojave Desert, Joshua trees, exceptional starry sky.
🛌 🛌 Twentynine Palms · e.g. JTNP Lodge (2 nights)·🚗 500 km
26

Stage 11

Joshua Tree → Los Angeles

  • Days 26-28 Drive to LA (2h30, 220 km). Hollywood, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Griffith Observatory.
🛌 🛌 Santa Monica · e.g. Shore Hotel (3 nights)·🚗 220 km
29

Stage 12

Los Angeles → Pacific Coast

  • Days 29-30 Drive up Highway 1 toward Santa Barbara, or down to San Diego depending on your return flight. Final beaches.
  • Return Los Angeles airport (LAX) or San Diego. Flight back to Paris.
🚗 Highway 1

How much

Budget for this itinerary (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€4,500

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight (open-jaw): €950
  • 🏨 Motel/hostel: €80/night (for 2)
  • 🚗 Car 30 days: €35/day
  • 🍔 Groceries/diners: €30/day
  • 🎫 Parks pass + activities: €250
Recommended

Comfort

€5,500

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight (open-jaw): €1,000
  • 🏨 3★ hotel: €150/night (for 2)
  • 🚗 SUV 30 days: €55/day
  • 🍽️ Mixed dining: €50/day
  • 🎫 Antelope, 4x4, tours: €500

Premium

€9,500

per person

  • ✈️ Business flight: €2,200
  • 🏨 Lodges and 4★: €350/night
  • 🚗 Premium SUV: €90/day
  • 🚁 Flights + experiences: €1,200
  • 🎫 Premium activities: €900

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

The short Grand Circle: Zion, Bryce and the Grand Canyon.

2 weeks

2 weeks

Utah's Mighty 5 and Monument Valley.

You're here

1 month

1 month

The whole West Coast: California, parks and deserts.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

Over a month, this road trip covers ~5,200 km from San Francisco to Los Angeles, in a wide loop through the parks. Choose an open-jaw ticket (arrive San Francisco, return Los Angeles) to avoid backtracking. The America the Beautiful pass (€75) covers all national parks.

🚗

Rental car 30 days

€35-55/day · SUV advised · open-jaw SF/LA

✈️

Open-jaw flight

Arrive San Francisco · return Los Angeles · saves 600 km back

🚌

Park shuttles

Zion, Yosemite: free mandatory shuttles in high season

⛽

Fuel & water

Fill up before Death Valley and Joshua Tree (remote deserts)

Adapt by season

May-June or September to chain it all

Over a month spanning coastal California, the Sierra Nevada and the deserts, the seasons clash. May-June and September are the best compromise: Yosemite accessible (the Sierra passes open around late May), deserts still bearable, mild coast. In peak summer, Death Valley exceeds 45°C and Utah's parks are packed. In winter, Tioga Pass closes and cuts the direct eastern access to Yosemite.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In June 2022, Tioga Pass had just opened (it was closed until May 30): crossing the Sierra at 3,000 m toward Death Valley remains my best driving memory. Check its opening date before scheduling Yosemite → Death Valley.
  • • Keep 3 days in Yosemite: one isn't enough for the valley and the high country.
  • • Zabriskie Point at sunrise in Death Valley, unreal light.
  • • Sedona as a bonus between Grand Canyon and desert, underrated.
  • • The open-jaw San Francisco/Los Angeles ticket, saves 600 km.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Don't attempt this trip in peak summer: Death Valley exceeds 45°C, dangerous.
  • • Book in-park lodges (Yosemite, Grand Canyon) months ahead.
  • • Break the long Sedona → Joshua Tree leg with an intermediate night if needed.
  • • Leave a margin if Tioga Pass is still closed (4h detour via the south).

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is a month necessary for this trip? +
Yes to chain coastal California, the Sierra Nevada and the deserts without rushing, about 5,200 km and 12 stops. In 2-3 weeks, focus on Utah and Arizona's parks (see our shorter formats).
Do I need an open-jaw ticket? +
Strongly recommended: arrive in San Francisco, return from Los Angeles. It avoids 600 km of empty backtracking. Most airlines offer this without a major surcharge.
When is the best time for this month-long road trip? +
May-June or September. Tioga Pass (east access to Yosemite) opens around late May. In peak summer, Death Valley exceeds 45°C. In winter, several Sierra passes close.
How much fuel over 5,200 km? +
Plan €350-450 of fuel for an SUV over the whole route. Petrol is about half the European price (~€1/litre).
Can this be done in a campervan? +
Yes, and it's a popular formula in the West. Park campgrounds (Yosemite, Joshua Tree) book months ahead. A van saves on hotel nights but costs more to rent.
Do I need to book the parks in advance? +
Yosemite requires an entry reservation in high season (check the official site). Zion runs by shuttle. Angels Landing permits are by lottery. Plan ahead.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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