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# Desert roads of the American West
- URL: https://explorer.samadesign.dev/desert-roads-american-west/
- Published: 2026-06-19T09:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-06-19T09:00:00.000Z
- Description: Red rocks, empty highways and the best places to stop.
- Author: Lena Hartmann
- Tags: United States, Americas, #Import 2026-10-20 20:25

Some roads are the destination. In the desert, the drive between two parks is often the best part of the day.

## Getting there

Start from Las Vegas; the first red rocks are less than an hour away.

## Where to stay

Small motels and a few nights of camping under very dark skies.

![Snowy mountains under a starry night sky](https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1519681393784-d120267933ba?auto=format&fit=crop&w=2000&q=80)

Dark skies, a few hours from the city. Photo by Benjamin Voros / [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm%5Fsource=explorer%5Fdemo&utm%5Fmedium=referral)

## What I would do differently

I would drive in the early morning and rest through the afternoon heat.

🧭

Prices in this guide are what I paid. They move every season, so use them as a rough guide.