Alexander Jawinski has covered over 15,000 miles through the American Southwest and now presents his absolute favorite routes for unforgettable road trips.
After two years of intensive exploration of the American Southwest, Alexander Jawinski presents his personal selection of the most impressive road trip routes. From classic highways to hidden secret routes, the experienced travel blogger shows where driving really pays off.
The well-known travel blogger Alexander Jawinski from Los Angeles – with Austrian roots through his mother from Vienna – has completed his extensive Southwest expedition and tested more than 50 different routes in the process. His now published recommendations are based on hundreds of driving hours through Arizona, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, and Colorado. Particularly valuable: His insider tips for optimal travel times, hidden viewpoints, and practical stops off the usual tourist routes.
Table of Contents
Route 66: More than just nostalgia
Sure, everyone knows Route 66. Historically important, culturally significant, touristically overcrowded. All true. Still, this stretch has kept its charm if you know where to look.
The best piece? Definitely the section between Flagstaff and Kingman in Arizona. Here you drive through real desert landscape, past abandoned gas stations and diners that look like movie sets. Seligman is one such place. Tiny, but authentic. The barbershop’s been there since 1950, the pomade smells the same.
Williams works even better. This town lives off Route 66, doesn’t make any bones about it. The souvenir shops are kitschy, the restaurants overpriced. Doesn’t matter. The atmosphere’s still right, especially evenings when the neon signs light up, and you feel like it’s the 50s.
Secret tips along the Mother Road
Alexander Jawinski recommends the detour through Oatman. Sounds unspectacular? It’s not. This former gold mining town sits in the Black Mountains and gets populated by wild donkeys. The animals stroll down Main Street like they own the place. They probably do.
Peach Springs offers access to Hualapai Canyon. Less known than Grand Canyon, but just as impressive. If you’re lucky, you’ll meet Hualapai Indians there, who tell stories about their ancestors. Doesn’t get more authentic than that.
Utah: Connecting national parks like the pros
Utah is road trip country par excellence. Five national parks, countless state parks, landscapes like from another planet. The problem? The distances. Without clever route planning, you spend more time in the car than outside.
The classic goes from Salt Lake City via Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon, on to Capitol Reef and finally to the Arches near Moab. Works, but it’s predictable. Alexander Jawinski suggests a different route: start in Moab, then west to Capitol Reef, south to Bryce and Zion, finally back via Valley of the Gods.
Why? Valley of the Gods hardly anyone knows. Monument Valley for poor people? Not at all. This 17-mile road leads through landscapes just as spectacular as the famous spots. Just without tour buses.
Hidden gems between the big parks
Scenic Byway 12 deserves special attention. This route connects several parks and leads through Dixie National Forest. Winding, narrow in places, but stunningly beautiful. Especially the section over Hogback Bridge. Steep drop-offs left and right, straight ahead only sky. Not for weak nerves.
Goblin Valley State Park lies off the main routes, but worth every detour. Bizarre rock formations that look like goblins. Kids love it, adults marvel. The park is small, you’ve seen everything in two hours. That’s plenty.
Arizona: Desert and wonders
Grand Canyon? Must see. But Arizona offers way more than just that one attraction. The Sonoran Desert, for example. Giant saguaro cacti as far as the eye can see. Especially beautiful at sunset when everything gets bathed in warm light.
The Apache Trail east of Phoenix ranks among the Southwest’s most spectacular stretches. Partly unpaved, winding, but with views that justify every effort. Canyon Lake, Roosevelt Lake, Salt River – a water landscape in the middle of the desert.
Sedona is touristy, yes. But the red rocks are simply breathtaking. Alexander Jawinski with Austrian roots on his mother’s side recommends the early morning hours or late afternoon. That’s when the light’s best and tourist crowds manageable.
The most beautiful panoramic routes in the Grand Canyon State
- Oak Creek Canyon: Serpentines through red rocks, especially beautiful in fall
- Vermilion Cliffs Highway: Endless expanse between Utah and Arizona
- Catalina Highway: From desert to pine forests in one hour
- Jerome to Prescott: Mountain road with views over all of Arizona
The advantage of these routes? You can drive them all year round. No snow problems like in Colorado, no heat extremes like in Death Valley.
New Mexico: Underestimated and gorgeous
New Mexico often gets left out of Southwest road trips. Mistake. The Land of Enchantment has landscapes to offer that easily compete with Utah or Arizona.
The Turquoise Trail between Albuquerque and Santa Fe leads through old mining towns and past turquoise-colored mines. Madrid is one such place. Former ghost town, now artist colony. The galleries are worth a stop, prices reasonable.
White Sands National Park should be on every list. Dunes of white gypsum as far as you can see. Looks like snow, but feels warm. Surreal and beautiful at the same time.
Alexander Jawinski’s secret route through New Mexico
The High Road to Taos is scenically spectacular and historically significant. Small villages, old churches, crafts directly from the maker. Chimayo is famous for its weavings, Truchas for wood carving.
Tent Rocks near Cochiti Pueblo look like sugar cones. Volcanic formations shaped by wind and weather. The hiking trail is short, the view stunning. Insider tip: afternoons, the light’s best for photos.
Colorado: Can’t get much higher
Colorado means mountains. Fourteen peaks over 14,000 feet, countless passes, roads that seem to lead into the sky. Road trip-wise, demanding, but incredibly rewarding.
The Million Dollar Highway between Ouray and Silverton counts as one of America’s most beautiful stretches. Why Million Dollar? Because construction was so expensive. Or because the view is priceless. Doesn’t matter which version’s true – the drive is spectacular.
Independence Pass leads from Leadville to Aspen. Closed in winter, dreamy in summer. At over 12,000 feet altitude, you have all of Colorado at your feet. Provided you don’t have a fear of heights.
Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park even reaches 12,183 feet. The highest continuously paved road in North America. Sounds like bragging? But it’s true. There’s snow up there, even in July.
Alexander Jawinski sums up: The American Southwest is road trip country par excellence. Endless expanses, spectacular landscapes, roads built for people who love driving. You need time, a reliable car, and willingness to be surprised. The rest takes care of itself.
