Big Road Trip in the Tiny Prius

Most folks become car campers or vehicle dwellers by taking road trips first, and I’m no exception. Having lived and traveled all over the world, I’m always open to work opportunities anywhere in the country, which has resulted in five cross-country trips. Some were a mad dash, driving 10-14 hrs a day to make it across many states in time to start my next job, but sometimes I was able to stop and admire the view, learning a little bit more about the wonders of the Prius each time. This is the story of how my journey began.

The first cross-country trip I ever did was in a Nissan Sentra. My budget was very limited, and the car was full of things, so I had to book motels or rely on friends to put me up. I drove at least 10 hours a day to minimize my nights on the road, and made it from California to Michigan in 4 days, stopping only for meals and sleep. Once in Michigan my travels were transformed when I joined a group of outdoor aficionados and I learned the first two amazing things about the Prius: 1) the seats fold flat so you can sleep in it, and 2) you can tow a trailer with it if you install a hitch. A few months later when I needed a new car, the Prius was the only choice!

The very first thing I purchased for my Prius was a hitch. My life frequently involves moving for work, so I knew I’d be towing a trailer for local or cross-country moves. It’s also great for taking your bike. By the time of my second cross-country trip, I was a pro at packing lots of things into my car, but that meant I couldn’t sleep inside the car, so I took a tent. It was lightweight, and setup only took a few minutes. I booked campsites in the National parks.

My first stop was Cottonwood, Arizona. It’s about 7 hours from San Diego, so I was able to leave in the morning and arrive early enough to pitch my tent before dark. There are many state parks as well as private camps in the area, so I camped at Dead Horse Ranch state park for the night. In the morning, I drove to nearby Jerome, a town located on the mountainside. It’s accessed by a winding road and is a mile above sea level. I had a delicious omlette at the Mile High Grill, which was established in 1899, and is full of 1900s nostalgic decor, as well as part of a Kityhawk style plane!

After breakfast I drove to Sedona, Arizona, which is full of beautiful red rocks. I went hiking in Red Rock State Park, where you’ll find amazing rock formations and little canyons and caves. drove up to the mesa near the airport, where people love to bike and there’s usually a nice breeze, so it’s not as hot in summer. It was late May, but you could already feel the heat, so I drank a lot of water.

After my hike, I drove into town in search of lunch and a cold beverage. I found a lovely Mexican restaurant with a patio overlooking the beautiful red rocks, then I went shopping for native American jewelry. Sedona is full of art studios and souvenir shops. I bought a pretty silver ring with Kokopelli etched into the band. It’s still one of my favorites years later.

After lunch I visited more shops, drove along the river, and took tons of pictures. Slide Rock State park is great place to jump in the river on a hot day, and there are lots of campgrounds in the Cocoino forest, which are run by the USDA Forest Service. I setup my tent for the night at camp, and went back to Red Rock State park, for a guided night tour of the park under the full moon. Although beautiful in the day, it’s magical at night!

The next morning I woke up early, packed up my tent and made a beeline for the Grand Canyon, which is a couple hours from Sedona. I grabbed a quick lunch and drove the route to the Desert View overlook, then went back to the village to take the shuttle bus to Hermit’s Rest, since cars aren’t allowed. On the way back, I got off at Mohave Point to watch the sunset. The colors are stunning. Gold, red, blue, purple. I could sit there every evening.

I think it’s impossible to leave the Grand Canyon thinking you’re “done” because there’s always more to see, but I had to keep going towards my destination, so after a bit more sightseeing the next morning, I headed to Zion National Park in Utah, about 5.5hrs away. There’s a slot canyon with the river going through it, and people love to hike through there. Unfortunately I didn’t have my water shoes, so I just stayed on the shore, but I still got lovely pictures of the mountains and river.

It was night by the time I got to Bryce Canyon, 1.5 hrs away, and since it’s at a high elevation it was really cold. It was 28 degrees and I was setting up my tent. I had to take my gloves off to put the aluminum poles together. The poles felt ice-cold, and the 15 minutes it took to setup the tent and my camping pad were excruciating. I hadn’t learned to play Prius tetris yet, but if I could go back in time, I’d tell myself to pile absolutely everything in front and sleep in the warm car with the heat on!

The canyon at Bryce is gorgeous. It reminds me of pastel paintings. The red is interspersed with cream, like those orange popsicles I ate as a kid. I drove around to various spots and took dozens of pictures as usual, and when I wanted pictures of myself I’d put my little camping chair in the spot I wanted and focus it ahead of time. Not only is this the only way to trust that non-photographers can take a good picture with my SLR, it’s a great conversation starter. I can’t tell you how many people love the baby pink chair. A big guy even asked me if he could sit in it for a picture!

That evening I drove 4hrs to Arches National Park, and went from freezing at Bryce, to desert heat! The town was dusty and there were very few trees, but the park was amazing! I loved all the weird rock formations, especially the arches and natural bridges. Some rocks are so smooth, it looks like you could just slide right down them!

The next day I drove all day from Arches to Denver, and if you’ve ever driven near Denver, you might guess that I’d run into snow. Yes, I went from high 80s at Arches, to 30s in Denver! Fortunately, I had some extended family there and didn’t have to camp in the snow. The relatives fed me and gave me a warm bed for the night. Oh happiness!

The last two legs of my journey aren’t very exciting since they were mostly spent driving, but I did make a couple brief stops. I stopped at Iowa 80, the world’s largest truck stop, and had dinner at Thunder Bay Grill with a friend, then spent the night in Davenport. The next day I drove from Iowa to Michigan through Ann Arbor.

If I’d had more time and money, Chicago and Ann Arbor would have been places to stop, even if it was only to get Giordano’s pizza. If you’ve never had it, this pizza is made with a flaky, butter crust, and has cheese, toppings and sauce, topped by a second layer of dough, cheese, toppings and sauce!

Ann Arbor is a beautiful college town, with lots of art. You can visit lots of galleries, or even make your own. Although I ended up living an hour away, I used to drive from the Detroit area to the Ann Arbor art center for metal smithing classes on weekends and learned to make my own jewelry. They also sell art made by their students there.

So there you have it! This is the end of my first cross-country trek in the Prius. But if you aren’t tired of my travels, don’t fret. Many more are yet to come!

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