LA to Las Vegas via the Grand Canyon & Monument Valley

The American Southwest packs more recognisable landscape into a week than almost anywhere on earth, and this self-guided ride strings the best of it together between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Seven nights, around 1,340 miles, and a route that takes in the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon and Zion without ever feeling rushed.

The riding starts gently, out of Los Angeles to Palm Springs, before the desert takes over. Joshua Tree and a surviving stretch of Route 66 at Amboy lead to Laughlin, then the old road continues through Oatman, Kingman and Seligman towards Williams. Days run between about 190 and 285 miles, with the kind of long open curves that make this part of the country such good motorcycle country.

What follows is the part people remember. The Grand Canyon’s South Rim and Monument Valley fall on the same stretch towards Kayenta, then the route climbs north through the Valley of the Gods and past Lake Powell to Bryce Canyon’s amphitheatre of orange spires. Zion National Park comes last, a ride through red cliffs and tunnels before the lights of Las Vegas close the trip.

EAGLERIDER arranges the bike and every night’s hotel, so the planning is already done before arrival. Harley-Davidson touring models are available alongside BMW, Triumph and Ducati sport-touring machines, and the route notes mean no time is lost working out the next turn. Fuel, meals and insurance sit outside the price. Four national parks, two states and a tankful of the Southwest’s best roads, ridden at whatever pace suits.