This winter (last winter, now) instead of making a yearly state to-do list, I decided to just make a bigger state bucket list.  Then I decided to turn this into a little series.  I wanted to do specific states that I spend a lot of time in, want to spend a lot of time in, or am close to a lot. 

I also wanted to do more general regional bucket lists for all the other things I want to do, which is a lot.  They are all pretty outdoor focused with a few non-outdoorsy things, too.

Next up in this little series is my Great American Southwest bucket list!  Of course, I already did Utah and Colorado separately so you won’t find them on this list, but you will find the rest of what I’m considering the southwest.

As I do things and write posts for them, I’ll update this to link back to those.  If I do something and don’t have a post, I’ll just cross it out.  I would like to do one a month with 12 total.  These bucket lists are partially to help me keep track of things, but also to inspire you to get out there, too.   

Bucket list posts

New Mexico bucket list

• Go sledding at White Sands National Park
• Visit Taos
• Explore Carlsbad Caverns
• See the Bisti Badlands
• Do a hot air balloon ride in Albuquerque
• See Walter White’s House in Albuquerque
• Do a Breaking Bad tour
• Visit the Four Corners Monument
• Hike Tent Rocks
• Explore Bandelier National Monument
• Visit Roswell (and the alien museum)
• See the Lava Flow at El Malpais
• Visit Chaco Canyon
• See the Earthships near Taos
• Look at art in Santa Fe
• Visit the Rio Grande Gorge
• Visit Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument
• Admire the view from Sandia Peak
• Try something with green chiles on it
• Visit Meow Wolf in Santa Fe
• Attend the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta
• Drive the Turquoise Trail
• Drive the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway
• Relax in some hot springs
• Go to the Hatch Chile Festival
• Visit Petroglyph National Monument
• Hike the Gavilan Trail

Arizona bucket list

• Visit Lower Antelope Canyon
• Visit Upper Antelope Canyon
• Visit Antelope Canyon X
• Visit Waterhole Canyon
• Admire Horseshoe Bend
• Visit the Grand Canyon
• Take a helicopter over the Grand Canyon
• Hike into the Grand Canyon
• Visit Saguaro National Park
• Visit Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
• Visit Petrified Forest National Park
• Find awesome Geocaches in Prescott
• Visit Chiricahua National Monument
• Ride the Grand Canyon Railway
• Visit Monument Valley
• Score a permit for The Wave
• Score a Havasupai Falls permit
• Visit a ghost town in Oatman
• Visit Kartchner Caverns
• Visit Wupatki National Monument
• See the Winslow Meteor Crater
• Visit a vortex in Sedona
• Hike part of the Arizona Trail
• Visit Canyon de Chelley
• Do a ghost tour in Jerome
• Explore Lost Dutchman State Park
• Hike Mount Kimball
• Hike the Humphrey’s Summit Trail
• Do some healing in Sedona
• Boat on Lake Powell
• Go rafting on the Colorado River
• See cliff dwellings at Walnut Canyon National Monument
• Visit Tuzigoot and Montezuma Castle
• See the Grand Falls on the Little Colorado River
• Drive part of Route 66
• Visit Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
• Hike to Sycamore Falls
• Explore Flagstaff
• Hike to Devils Bridge in Sedona
• Hike Flatiron in the Superstition Mountains
• Hike Camelback Mountain
• Visit Lost Dutchman State Park
• Drive the Mount Lemmon Scenic Byway
• Visit Sabino Canyon

Nevada bucket list

Planning a trip to Vegas? Check out my full Las Vegas bucket list!

• Visit Great Basin National Park
• Do a Lehman Cave tour
• Visit the Neon Museum in Vegas
• Visit Fremont Street in Vegas
• Explore Valley of Fire State Park
• Visit Cathedral Gorge State Park
• Drive the Loneliest Road in America
• See Hoover Dam
• Visit Lake Tahoe
• Explore Lamoille Canyon
• Explore Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
• See Seven Magic Mountains
• Attend Burning Man
• Drive the Extraterrestrial Highway
• See Fly Geyser
• Visit Cave Lake State Park
• Relax in Hot Springs
• See Sand Mountain
• Explore the Ruby Mountains
• Visit Lake Mead
• Relax in the Alkali Hot Springs
• Stay at the Clown Motel
• See Diana’s Punchbowl (but don’t swim!)
• Look for Garnets at Garnet Hill
• Do an Otteson Brother Turquoise Mine Tour and mine for it
• Visit Rainbow Canyon
• Visit Campie’s Lavender Patch
• Visit Hidden Cave at Grimes Point
• Mine your own stones at Royal Peacock Black Fire Opal Mine
• Go to the Reno Balloon Race
• Visit Virginia City, one of the most haunted cities in the US
• Explore Little Finland

Texas bucket list

• Visit Big Bend National Park
• Visit Guadalupe Mountains National Park
• Explore the Natural Bridge Caverns
• Go to the Texas State Fair
• Stay in the haunted room 505 at Hotel Galvez
• Explore Palo Duro Canyon
• Attend SXSW
• See Cadillac Ranch
• See Prada Marfa
• Swim in Hamilton Pool
• Swim in Jacobs Well
• Stay Weird in Austin
• Hike Eagle Point Trail in Caprock Canyons State Park
• Hike the Four C Trail
• Explore Colorado Bend State Park
• Explore Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
• Do a Hill Country road trip and eat BBQ and Mexican food
• Tube the Frio River
• Explore San Antonio
• Hike to Guadalupe Peak
• Visit South Padre Island
• Explore Padre Island National Seashore
• Visit Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge
• Explore Pedernales Falls State Park
• Climb Enchanted Rock
• See the leaves change at the Lost Maples State Natural Area
• Hike Wolf Mountain Trail
• Visit Seminole Canyon State Park
• Explore Garner State Park
• See Bluebells blooming
• Hike part of the Lone Star Hiking Trail
• Visit Dinosaur Valley State Park
• Explore Bear Springs Blossom Nature Preserve

Have you done any of these?  Which ones?  What’s on your Southwest US bucket list?  Anything I should add to my southwest bucket list? (I know I’m missing some!)