In what’s becoming my usual Thanksgiving fashion, I enjoyed the 4-day weekend with a little getaway—this time to Santa Fe. I made the most of it with a nearly 1,500-mile road trip looping through northern Arizona, New Mexico, and southern Arizona to visit some sites that looked anything but earthly.

Northern Arizona

Petrified Forest National Park

I only saw a portion of the northern part of Petrified Forest National Park, where the Painted Desert badlands are. I got there right at sunset, which made for some incredible views looping through the overlooks to watch the red and orange buttes glow molten against the pink sky.

New Mexico

Having spent a pretty penny on my hotel in Santa Fe, I decided to be economical and car camp the first and last nights of my trip. In researching campgrounds, I stumbled across dispersed camping on Six Mile Canyon road that was along my route.

Six Mile Canyon road

The dirt road paralleled the highway for a bit before it veered into the grasses and away from the street lights. I drove for about 20 minutes, only having gone a few miles due to the uneven state of the road, before I parked in a large, flat site. I found the remoteness both unnerving—with nobody around in case I needed help—and reassuring—with nobody around to give me trouble. But it was a fantastic spot to see the stars on the clear night.

My makeshift bed of a sleeping pad on top of my folded down seats was surprisingly comfortable, but I was woken not long after midnight by the 17° of cold that had creeped into my car. I gave it one round of heating up my car and trying to sleep again before I gave up (somewhere around 3 am) and started my trek to Bisti Badlands.

Bisti / De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area (Bisti Badlands)

Bisti/De-Na-Zin is one of those areas that I can’t believe exists on planet Earth. The funky rock forms ranging from sandy beige to volcanic black looked—and felt, due to the remoteness of the area—like something from a different world.

A word of caution for hiking: Bring a map or someone who knows the area, as the “trails” are barely more than some occasionally noticeable footprints.

Shiprock and Four Corners

Shiprock is a rock peak that juts up 7,000+ out of the ground. You can supposedly drive to the base for a closer view and self-guided tour (climbing is illegal), but I kept my viewing from a distance for the sake of driving time.

I hoped to break up my drive with a bit of walking at Four Corners, so I drove the extra 1.5 hours from Shiprock—only to find it closed for Thanksgiving.

Santa Fe

The Parador

The charm of being renovated from a 200-year-old barn set the bar for boutique hotels. I stayed in one of their Hacienda rooms, which included some memorable features:

A kiva fireplace that set the ambience for the entire room
A massive, moody shower made of dark green tiles and brass accents
The coziest, pillow-stacked king I’ve ever slept in
Complimentary limited, but locally crafted breakfast menu

Downtown

I had a fantastic time wandering around downtown Santa Fe—appreciating the Spanish architectural influences, gazing at all of the art I couldn’t afford, and enjoying Santa Fe’s flair for a tree lighting ceremony.

White Sands National Park

I think this may have been the highlight of my trip. I got to White Sands early, beating the crowds, and did the longest hike in the park (4.7-mile Alklali Flat Trail) that understandably got less busy as the loop went out. I’m now convinced sand miles are worth double that of other terrains.

Southern Arizona

Chiricahua National Monument

I had never heard of Chiricahua National Monument after 8 years of living in Arizona, but am so happy to have discovered it. The hoodoo rock formations look like stout, muted cousins to the spindly, bright orange ones at Bryce Canyon.

I started my short hike into the canyon just before sunset, which featured a beautiful contrast of a glowing sun against the jagged, rocky pillars.

I actually booked a campsite at Bonita campground in Chiricahua, which looked like a nice little site nestled beneath a grove of trees, but the thought of reliving the waking cold in my car had me driving the final 3.5 hours back home a night early.

I discovered Circle K’s coffee and a donut deal is a great pick-me-up for road trips, giving me just the kick I needed to reach the comfort of my bed—where I fell asleep thinking about all of the weird but beautiful sceneries I passed.