8 Instagram-Musts For Your American West Road Trip
You’ve been dreaming about taking a road trip out west for years—blasting tunes down Route 66, eating omelets at hole-in-the-wall diners in obscure towns, and of course, stopping at quirky roadside attractions and breathtaking views. In our current “pics or it didn’t happen” era, it’s especially important that you document your adventures for your friends, family and yourself! There’s an embarrassment of Instagram-worthy riches when it comes to the American west, from art installations to natural wonders. To help you navigate through these sites, we’ve assembled a list of the top 8 Instagram stops to make along your western road trip. So turn up the Springsteen, open that sunroof, and let the miles race by as those Likes roll in.
1. Cadillac Ranch – Soncy, TX
via Steve Minor
Cadillac Ranch is tucked right alongside I-40 in a cow pasture just outside of Amarillo. It’s a public art installation, with spray paint cans strewn about for visitors to decorate any of its 10 cars, which appear to be frozen mid-face-plant. Anything goes at Cadillac Ranch, making for a prime time to capture that perfect picture.
2. Monument Valley – San Juan County, UT
via Arizona Leisure
We’ll be the first to admit it: we never thought we’d be this excited about some rocks. But the sandstone formations of Monument Valley located along the Arizona-Utah border in Navajo Tribal Park are an Instagram gold mine, as tourists flock from far and wide to drive through, their cameras held eagerly outside their car windows. There are 11 stops to make along the valley drive with look-outs at crowd favorites like Three Sisters and The Thumb. Every angle seems to offer another stunning Instagram-op, but beware! Alarmingly social horses who live in the park won’t hesitate to photobomb.
3. Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve – Alamosa County/Saguache County, Colorado
via Flipboard
The views at the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve are worth the inevitable sandy scalp. These are the tallest dunes in North America and are surrounded by the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range. Don’t forget to bring a skim board to go sledding down the sandy slopes! When the sun is in the sky just right and the wind is whipping at the top layer of the sand, try your hand at a Boomerang for added drama.
4. Antelope Canyon – Page, Arizona
via MyTraveled
Also on Navajo land is the so-stunning-how-can-it-possibly-be-real Antelope Canyon. After posting an Instagram from inside one of its two slot canyons, “Upper Antelope Canyon” or “The Crack,” haters might say its Photoshop. But somehow, it’s not! The sensuous curves of Antelope Canyon were forged by years of rushing rainwater during monsoon season. The ensuing eroded passageways created the deep corridors and smooth edges you see today that make for you feel like you've stepped into stock footage that came on your Apple TV. These rocks are revered for their illusion of motion and flow, as shafts of light beam down from above to illuminate their orange, copper, and yellow hues.
5. Seven Magic Mountains -- Sloan, NV
via TravelNevada
So you blew your life savings at the slot machines in Vegas. Big whoop. That's nothing the Seven Magic Mountain public art installation can't fix! Just 10 miles south of Vegas in the Ivanpah Valley stands an unexpected roadside art exhibit that feels so out of place, that it's magnificent. The exhibit portrays seven towers of multicolored boulders each stacked over 30 feet high. The contrast of the earthy neutral wilderness setting with the boulders’ bright bold tones is so eye-catching, you won’t even need a filter--though upping that saturation never hurt anybody!
6. Paul Smith Limited – West Hollywood, CA
via Paul Smith
It’s no secret that West Hollywood is the Instagram-bait capitol of the United States. With mural walls adorning almost every block of Melrose Ave, tourists can be seen at all hours of the day posing in their cutest sundresses. Despite this abundance, one spot in particular has emerged as the cream of the crop: The Pink Wall at Paul Smith. The store inside takes a back seat to the building’s photoshoot duties, as its monochromatic bubblegum pink exterior beckons beauty-bloggers and the newly-engaged alike for the coveted pink pic. Need even more pink? Drive 15 minutes south from The Pink Wall to get to The Pink House, a new art installation by @themostfamousartist whose company, @themuralagency, specializes in creating “instagramable experiences.”
7. Salvation Mountain – Niland, CA
via Wanderfoot
Adobe, straw, and thousands of gallons of lead-free paint were used to create the visual marvel that is Salvation Mountain. Its slopes are covered in technicolored murals and bible verses, providing a psychedelic yet editorial backdrop. The art installation requires plenty of upkeep and TLC though, so visitors are encouraged to bring paint donations when they visit. A small price to pay for such a unique gem and a surefire spike in your Likes.
8. The Cabazon Dinosaurs – Cabazon, CA
via TravelCaffeine
Driving from LA to Palm springs along I-10 provides ample Instagram fodder, but there’s one place in particular you simply can’t miss—literally. The Cabazon Dinosaurs stand right beside the highway, attracting weary truckers and eager day-trippers to stop for snapshots. Get creative with perspective and make optical illusions that look like you’re being eaten by the T-Rex, or keep it classic with a grin beneath the apathetic Brontosaurus.
So, which of these places is the most Insta-spiring to you?