A weekend · the American West
Red rock byways, alpine passes above 3,500 metres and coast highway all inside one loop.
One night away, one great road as the centrepiece and no more than four hours of driving on either day. Anything more and the weekend stops being a break.
Days
2 days, 1 nights
Rough distance
323.1 mi
Daily average
161.6 mi
Best months
Late May to October for the high passes
Checked by the Drivers Atlas desk
Scored and written by the Drivers Atlas editorial desk, drawing on driven routes across the UK and Europe, mapping data and member road reports. Daily distances are set for enjoyable driving rather than maximum ground covered. How we score roads.
Last reviewed 10 March 2026
Day by day
Day 1
About 161.6 mi and 5 hr 33 min behind the wheel including transit.
Day 2
About 161.6 mi and 7 hr 4 min behind the wheel including transit.
Ready made
Practical
Las Vegas, Denver or Salt Lake City
1 night. On anything longer than five days, book two nights in the best base rather than moving hotel every evening.
Budget for roughly 323.1 miles of driving plus any vignettes or tunnel fees for the countries you cross.
Other lengths