Georgia to the Pacific Northwest — Trip Itinerary

This 24-day loop prioritizes Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier, North Cascades, Mount Rainier, Crater Lake, Redwoods, Yosemite, and Zion, with two long but manageable return days through Texas and Tennessee. It is ambitious—roughly 7,500–8,500 driving miles—but workable if you accept several transit-heavy days.

A day-by-day written itinerary for this trip. See the same trip as an interactive 3D route.

Tags: planning

  1. Atlanta, Georgia

    2026-06-01

    Start road trip; head northwest after work or make this a short setup day

  2. Car: Atlanta, Georgia → Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee

  3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee

    2026-06-02

    Hike Alum Cave Trail or Charlies Bunion; overnight near Gatlinburg, Townsend, or Cherokee

  4. Car: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee → Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

  5. Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

    2026-06-03

    Take a reserved cave tour; continue west toward St. Louis or Kansas City afterward

  6. Car: Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky → Badlands National Park, South Dakota

  7. Badlands National Park, South Dakota

    2026-06-04

    Drive Badlands Loop Road at sunset; hike Notch Trail, Door Trail, or Castle Trail

  8. Car: Badlands National Park, South Dakota → Custer State Park, South Dakota

  9. Custer State Park, South Dakota

    2026-06-05

    Hike Black Elk Peak; drive Needles Highway and Wildlife Loop for granite spires and bison

  10. Car: Custer State Park, South Dakota → Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

  11. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

    2026-06-06

    See Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, and Fountain Paint Pot; stay in or near the park

  12. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

    2026-06-07

    Visit Lamar Valley at dawn for wildlife and explore the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

  13. Car: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming → Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

  14. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

    2026-06-08

    Hike Taggart–Bradley Lakes or Cascade Canyon; photograph the Teton Range at sunrise or sunset

  15. Car: Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming → Glacier National Park, Montana

  16. Glacier National Park, Montana

    2026-06-09

    Arrive via West Glacier; hike Avalanche Lake or Trail of the Cedars and verify Going-to-the-Sun Road access

  17. Glacier National Park, Montana

    2026-06-10

    Drive Going-to-the-Sun Road if fully open; hike Highline Trail, Hidden Lake Overlook, or Grinnell Glacier as conditions allow

  18. Car: Glacier National Park, Montana → North Cascades National Park, Washington

  19. North Cascades National Park, Washington

    2026-06-11

    Stop at Diablo Lake and hike Blue Lake or Maple Pass Loop if snow conditions permit

  20. Car: North Cascades National Park, Washington → Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

  21. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

    2026-06-12

    Stay near Ashford; hike the Paradise Skyline Trail or Nisqually Vista for close glacier and mountain views

  22. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

    2026-06-13

    Weather-flex hiking day; use Longmire, Paradise, or Ohanapecosh depending on trail and road conditions

  23. Car: Mount Rainier National Park, Washington → Portland, Oregon

  24. Portland, Oregon

    2026-06-14

    Recovery and resupply day; optionally visit Multnomah Falls and Columbia River Gorge viewpoints

  25. Car: Portland, Oregon → Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

  26. Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

    2026-06-15

    Drive Rim Drive if accessible; hike Watchman Peak or Garfield Peak for views of the caldera

  27. Car: Crater Lake National Park, Oregon → Redwood National and State Parks, California

  28. Redwood National and State Parks, California

    2026-06-16

    Hike Fern Canyon or visit Prairie Creek; combine old-growth groves with rugged Pacific coast scenery

  29. Car: Redwood National and State Parks, California → Lassen Volcanic National Park, California

  30. Lassen Volcanic National Park, California

    2026-06-17

    Visit Manzanita Lake and hydrothermal terrain; use Kings Creek Falls if higher trails are snow-covered

  31. Car: Lassen Volcanic National Park, California → Yosemite National Park, California

  32. Yosemite National Park, California

    2026-06-18

    Explore Yosemite Valley; hike Mist Trail early, then see Tunnel View and El Capitan Meadow

  33. Yosemite National Park, California

    2026-06-19

    Hike Tuolumne Meadows if Tioga Road is open; otherwise explore Mariposa Grove or a second Yosemite Valley trail

  34. Car: Yosemite National Park, California → Sequoia National Park, California

  35. Sequoia National Park, California

    2026-06-20

    See the General Sherman Tree, hike Congress Trail, and climb Moro Rock if open

  36. Car: Sequoia National Park, California → Zion National Park, Utah

  37. Zion National Park, Utah

    2026-06-21

    Hike the Narrows or other canyon trails at dawn; Angels Landing requires a separate permit and June heat is significant

  38. Car: Zion National Park, Utah → Amarillo, Texas

  39. Amarillo, Texas

    2026-06-22

    Major transit day east; visit Palo Duro Canyon if you reach town early enough for a short hike

  40. Car: Amarillo, Texas → Memphis, Tennessee

  41. Memphis, Tennessee

    2026-06-23

    Major transit day; enjoy Beale Street, the riverfront, or a recovery evening before the final drive

  42. Car: Memphis, Tennessee → Atlanta, Georgia

  43. Atlanta, Georgia

    2026-06-24

    Return home