Iowa

From the 50 State Visitors Guide :

Iowa Code 2026  §§692A.101 through 692A.130.  441 I.A.C. §103.3(692A)  661 I.A.C. §§83.1(692A) through 83.5 (692A)

Registration Triggers and Deadlines:

3 business days for initial registration, updates, and visitors who enter the state. §§692A.104, 692A.105. Updated Aug. 2026

Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:

Residence restrictions: Registrants with convictions involving minors for “aggravated sexual abuse” in the 1st or 2nd degree, or in the 3rd degree except for a conviction under I.C. §709.4(2)(c)(4), may not reside w/in 2,000 ft. of daycare center.

Presence restriction:  Registrants with convictions involving minors may not loiter within 300 ft. of, or be present at, any school, day care center, public library, or any place intended primarily for the use of minors, unless certain permissions are obtained.  No registrant may loiter, volunteer, or be employed at residence facility for dependent adults.

Local governments are pre-empted from adopting more restrictive requirements.  §692A.127.

Procedure for removal from registry after departure is set forth in §692A.106.

Duration & updates:

10 years to life.  Updates depend on tier level: TI – annually, TII – every 6 mo. TIII – quarterly. §§692A.104

Iowa fairs and festivals

Iowa allows three business days for initial registration, updates, and visitors who enter the state. That’s a short time period. However, there appears to be no limit per month or year.  Also, you can extend you visit by 2-3 days if you include a weekend.

While in-state as a visitor you may need to be a little careful if your offense involved a minor because if so you may not loiter within 300 ft. of, or be present at a school, day care center, public library, or any place intended primarily for the use of minors, unless certain permissions are obtained.  No registrant may loiter, volunteer, or be employed at residence facility for dependent adults.

Des Moines Farmers Market

Here’s a piece of good news: Local governments are pre-empted from adopting more restrictive requirements.  §692A.127.  Therefore, wherever you go in Iowa at least you know what the rules are.

Also, you may have noticed that there is no prohibition against being at or loitering near a public park, museum, or historic site – unless of course it includes a “place intended primarily for the use of minors,” like a playground, in which case you just need to stay 300 feet away from that place. Outside Iowa City there is a shopping mall that includes the Iowa Children’s Museum.  The food court is right next door.  If you ever find yourself in this shopping mall, you can’t go to the children’s museum or loiter within 300 feet of it, but the rest of the mall is okay and no one has ever accused me of "loitering" just because I had lunch at the food court.

In the time I’ve lived in Iowa I’ve been to a number of fairs and festivals, and yet now that I’m reviewing my Iowa blog entry I see I’ve never introduced you to any of them! 

Let’s fix that.  

The Unfair State Fair

Iowa State Fair – First, terrible news.  The biggest thing going is the Iowa State Fair which takes place every August.  In the past I loved going to it, but now YOU CAN’T GO, not because of any state law, but because the State Fair Board adopted a “policy” prohibiting PFR’s from attending, and they claim to be using facial recognition technology to enforce it.  What a bunch of shitheads.

Amana Colonies – From there the news gets better. West of Iowa City is the Amana Colonies.  It’s a national historic site based on an 1800’s German settlement, so it’s trying to be a Midwest Colonial Williamsburg.  They have seasonal festivals to draw tourists, like Oktoberfest and Maifest.

Local Amish-made foods purchased at the Kalona Fall Festival

Kalona Fall Festival – Looking for an authentic, non-commercialized Amish experience? You’ll find it in southeastern Iowa.  Amish heritage is showcased every September at the Kalona Fall Festival.

My Waterloo Days – I have been to My Waterloo Days twice (June).  Once I was there for the parade and liked it, the other time not so much.  

Old Threshers Reunion – I have also been to the Old Threshers Reunion in Mt. Pleasant twice (Labor Day weekend).  That was really something both times, and it’s on a holiday weekend so you get an extra day to enjoy it.

Lisbon Sauerkraut Days (August) – If you want to go to the cutest small town festival ever, this is it!  The parade is a 10:30 am and the sausage & kraut tent opens at noon.

Field of Dreams – Open daily and, of course, a required stop for any Iowa visit.

Imes Covered Bridge                                 Covered Bridge Festival in Winterset

Madison County Covered Bridge Festival (October) – Yes, for anyone who still doesn’t know, The Bridges of Madison County of book and movie fame is a real place with real covered bridges and it’s really in Iowa.  Of course there’s a big fall festival ! that includes covered bridge tours.  Or you can go it alone as I did, because there’s a designated Iowa Scenic Road that takes you to all of them.

John Wayne's Birthplace Museum             At the Iowa Quilt Museum in Winterset

PS - Winterset, the county seat, is also the birthplace of John Wayne!  You can go see that and the museum too while you're at the festival.

A Two Day Mississippi River Cruise in Iowa!

I had a great time!  See my separate blog entry.

June 2024 – An Iowa Road Trip

It has now been five years since I made Iowa my summer home and primary residence state.  In that time I’ve really come to like the place and would recommend it as a travel destination.  Starting this year you only get two business days (because the third day triggers your obligation to register) plus a weekend to see our sights and attend our quaint small town festivals, many of which occur on weekends – so why not slow down for a spell on your way across country?

Lobby of the Parkside Inn in Mason City, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

For a couple of years now Iowa Public Television has been running a series called “Iowa Road Trip.” I recorded many of the episodes, marked my state map with notes and for my first four day mini-tour I decided to focus on the northeast and central parts of my state. This four day tour can still be done if you include a weekend. Beginning in Davenport I traveled north on the Great River Road, which is a designated U.S. scenic road on both sides of the Mississippi River from its origin in Minnesota all the way south to New Orleans.  

Recommended sights along this route:  “American Pickers” home store in LeClair, Sawmill Museum in Clinton, Mississippi River Museum in Dubuque, “Field of Dreams” movie set in Dyersville, Effigy Mounds Nat. Mon. near Prairie du Chien.  Spook Cave is unusual in that it’s a boat ride (!).

Turning west I made my way to Mason City, home of the Parkside Inn, a hotel designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.  There being “no room at the Inn,” however, I camped at a nearby state park.  Next day I traveled south along the Jefferson Highway – yes that’s a real thing too – to Iowa Falls, where there is a namesake falls and a weekends only boat ride in the summer.  

Des Moines Botanical Garden

The next morning was a Saturday, so I made my way to downtown Des Moines for their weekly farmers market, reputed to be one of the biggest in the Midwest and which lived up to its billing.  After visiting the botanical garden I set off for home near Iowa City.  All this in just one quadrant of my beautiful state.  Come visit, eh?

Danish Windmill & Museum in Elk Horn, IA

January 2024 – Traveling to my “primary residence” state as a visitor

So you may be wondering – why I would want to leave the warmth of Florida and travel to Iowa in January in the middle of a blizzard and below zero temperatures?  Also, for those of you who, like me, have moved away from the state where you offended, are there any lessons to be learned from my experience traveling as a visitor to my new “primary residence” state?  Did I have to “check in” even though I was there for fewer than three business days? etc.

As to the first question, it turns out that there is an interesting difference between Florida and Iowa (aside from the obvious weather difference).  Florida doesn’t let anyone with a prior sexual offense vote, whereas Iowa does.  And as I always say, no one can appreciate their right to vote more than someone who’s had that right taken away.  One of my first acts as an Iowan was to register to vote.

Furthermore, as a Iowa voter I am eligible to do something very few Americans can do, which is to participate in the Iowa Caucuses.  And another thing I am fond of saying is that my recent life experience has brought me to a point where if there is something I am allowed to do – that the cops can’t stop me from doing – that is a thing I will definitely do. 

So a couple of months before the caucuses I booked non-refundable plane reservations from Orlando to Eastern Iowa Airport (lay-over in Chicago), departing Friday January 12 and returning Tuesday the 16th.  Because Monday Jan. 15 was a holiday, I would be in Iowa for only two partial business days, which even now is fewer than the three business days that would have triggered an obligation on my part to “check in” at my local sheriff’s department.  Instead, all I needed to do was report my travel as required by the state of Florida, where I was traveling from.

My neighborhood near Iowa City after the January 2024 blizzard.  Temperature at the time: -10 F

Little did I know that when the time came for me to go to Iowa it would be in the middle of a blizzard with a foot of snow on the ground, drifts blowing everywhere and temperatures below zero.  My Friday flights were canceled and I got rebooked onto the same flights the following day – with one big difference, to wit my 1:00 flight from Chicago was stand-by and they booked me on a back-up flight that didn’t leave Chicago until 7:00 pm.

So here’s a question:  I told Florida I was definitely leaving on Friday, but I didn’t do that.  I left on Saturday instead.  Was I required to go back down to the Orange County sheriff’s department and redo my travel report?  Answer – I couldn’t do it anyway because the sheriff’s department was closed for the holiday weekend and Florida requires this change to be reported in person.  So I just did everything I could to get myself to my travel destination as fast as possible.

Sure enough I didn’t get on the 1:00 flight, which meant my Cedar Rapids car rental crashed.  The airline offered to re-book me to a 2:15 flight to Moline IL, which is “sort of” close to Iowa City, so I gave up my 7:00 ticket.  Unfortunately that flight was unable to land in Moline and got re-directed right back to Chicago!  So at 6:00 pm I rented a car in Chicago and set out for Iowa City in a blinding blizzard.

Wow that was scary!  When I arrived at my home it was midnight and -15 degrees.  But now I want to point out that by crossing the Iowa state line at about 10:30 pm I had spent less than one day in Illinois and had not spent the night there.  In doing so I had avoided using up any of my precious allowable three days per calendar year in Illinois (see my Illinois blog).  I certainly didn’t want to do that in the first month of the 2024 calendar year!

Also, by arriving in Iowa late Saturday night instead of Friday afternoon I would now be there only one partial business day – Tuesday – when I’d have to get back on the road at 7:00 am (temperature -13) if I had any hope of returning the rental car in Chicago at noon.  I’d be out of state before my Iowa sheriff’s department even opened that day.  I also had to totally blow off my non-refundable flight from Cedar Rapids.

Now I will say a few words about the Iowa Caucuses, my reason for spending hundreds of dollars to fly into a blizzard.  It was actually pretty interesting.  Even though my party wasn’t holding a presidential preference vote because they had (or thought they had) an actual incumbent president instead of an insurrectionist ex-president, they conducted other party business like selecting delegates to the party’s state convention (in March) and formulating party platform statements.

So the following morning I left early, I did get to Chicago on time, and my flight arrived back in Orlando on time.  Tadahhhh!

Czech & Slovak Museum, Cedar Rapids

Bruce Hossfield, Atwo Zee Registered Traveler

 Navajo & Hopi Nations: 

First Nations tourism in the Southwest

Totally fake, inappropriate "appropriate architecture" in Tuba City / Moenkopi.

Hey, I'm a retired city planner so I've seen inappropriate "appropriate architecture" before.

From the 50 State Visitors Guide : Arizona

A.R.S. 2025  §§ 13-3821 through 13-3829, 13-3727

Registration Triggers and Deadlines:

Visitors must register if staying for more than 72 hours excluding weekends & holidays. (per statute) §13-3821(A). SOR office refuses to answer whether return visits allowed per month or year. “That’s determined by local sheriff.”

NOTE: AZ SOR office defers on many questions to local county sheriffs for interpretation. Updated Aug 2024.

Initial reg. required “within seventy-two hours, excluding weekends and legal holidays, after entering and remaining for at least seventy-two hours in any county of this state.” §13-3821. Not sure what that means; afraid to ask. Registrants working in state must report in any county where present for 14 consecutive days or an aggregate of 30 days/yr.  Address change etc. required w/in 72 hours (business days only).  §13-3822.

Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:

Residence restriction:  1,000 ft. restriction applies to Level 3 offenders. §13-3727. Local governments are pre-empted from adopting more restrictive requirements. §13-3727.

Residence defined as “The person's dwelling place, whether permanent or temporary.” § 13-3822 E 3 (a)

Local governments are pre-empted from adopting more restrictive requirements.  §13-3727.

SOR office “believes” that visiting registrants will not be removed from state’s registry after departure.

Duration & updates:

10 years to life. Transients report every 90 days.  All others annually.

From the 50 State Visitors Guide : New Mexico

N.M. Stat. Ann. 2025  §§29-11A-1 through 29-11A-10

N.M.A.C. §1.18.790.157

Registration Triggers and Deadlines:

5 business days for initial registration & updates. §29-11A-4.

State law requires “sex offenders” to register, which includes one who: (1) establishes a residence [not defined] in NM; (2) “stays in multiple locations in NM,” or (3) is enrolled in a NM school, or (4) is employed in NM for more than 14 days or an aggregate period exceeding 30 days in a calendar year. §29-11A-3.

Visitors:  NM State Police say: “If convicted prior to July 1, 2013 you will need to register if in the state of New Mexico for longer than ten (10) days. You will need to register within five (5) days if convicted after July 1, 2013.” §29-11A-4 says business days.

Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:

State pre-emption: Cities, counties & other political subdivisions are prohibited from adopting any ordinance, rule, regulation, resolution or statute on sex offender registration and notification and from imposing any other restrictions on sex offenders that are not included in the state SOR Act. §29-11A-9.

Duration & updates:

10 years to life. Updates are every 6 mo. or every 90 days depending on offense. §29-11A-4.

From the 50 State Visitors Guide : Utah

Utah Code Ann.  2025

§§77-41-101 through 77-41-112; Utah. Code Ann. §§77-27-21.7 thru 77-27-21.9; U.A.C. §§R251-110-1 thru  R251-110-5

§§ 53-29-101 thru 53-29-405. (Utah reorganized its whole code in 2025)

Registration Triggers and Deadlines:

“Sex Offender” is defined to include any out-of-state SO who is in Utah for more than 10 days in any 12 month period. § 53-29-202.

Visitors must register “within 10 days of entering the state, regardless of the offender’s length of stay.”  § 53-29-304.

Updates required within 3 business days. §77-41-105.

Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:

Presence restriction: May not be on premises of a day care, preschool or school; public, HOA or condo swimming pool; public, HOA or condo park or playground.  Exceptions for access to schools when carrying out “necessary parental responsibilities” and day care center or preschool when in building for other purposes. § 53-29-306

Residence restriction: w/in 1,000 ft. of victim, with exceptions. § 53-29-306.

“Sex Offender in Presence of Child Law:”  Registrants w/ convictions involving minors under 14 years old cannot invite the minor to accompany him or her absent parental consent, with exceptions.  .  § 53-29-307. Updated Aug. 2026.

Because “Sex Offender” is defined to include only out-of-state SO’s in Utah for more than 10 days in a 12 month period (see Registration Triggers & Deadlines at left), visitors not meeting this definition would, in theory, not be required to register & thus not subject to these restrictions during their visit. However, this theory remains untested.

Duration & updates:

Lifetime. Petition 10 years.  Updates every 6 mo. §77-41-105.

Navajo Taco at The Junction in Chinle

Most recent visit: October 2026

Native American nations can be fascinating places to visit, but make no mistake – you might tell yourself you are entering a sovereign nation when you cross the reservation boundary but you aren’t.  You’ll still be bound by the registry laws of whatever US state you’re in.  

Nor should you get any funny ideas if you are of native ancestry that you can somehow escape your registry status by moving to the reservation of whatever tribe you belong to.  You can’t.  As you must already realize, the oppression of the registry will follow you onto the reservation whether you’re a visitor or become a resident.  That’s why I have placed the registry laws of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah at the beginning of this blog entry, rather than any tribal registry laws.  There may be some local tribal laws, but the state laws are the ones to pay attention to.  As for Arizona, local governments (including native nations) are pre-empted from adopting their own restrictions.

I have been saying in other posts about native nations that they are not tourist attractions.  The Navajo Nation is the exception – they’re the biggest nation (the size of West Virginia), every American has heard of them, there’s a lot to see there, and they want your tourist dollars.

On this visit, the Navajo Nation was Days 2 & 3 of a trip through Arizona.  If you look at a map you’ll see that the best way to make the most of the Navajo Nation in two days is to enter at Tuba City and do the US 160 & 163 corridor, which I guarantee will take all of Navajo Nation Day 1. 

As soon as I left the must-see Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park I left Arizona (but not the Navajo Nation) and my AZ clock stopped – at about 53 hours.  I stayed overnight at an RV Park in Bluff, UT, thus adding two partial days to my annual Utah clock, for a total of seven days on this road trip.

Navajo Nation Day 2 I followed the US 191 corridor southbound, with emphasis on Canyon de Chelly National Monument.  That also took all day, but I was still leaving AZ at Window Rock by evening, which means only about nine hours total.

Do the Navajo & Hopi get along?  Maybe …

I am left with the impression that there may be some tension between the Navajo as the big tribe on the block, vs. the Hopi, Zuni, Ute, Apache and other tribes that inhabit the same region.  There is a poster for sale (which I bought and have right here) which purports to show Navajo Homelands (Dine’ Bike’yah) “to be used as a tool in the teaching of the Navajo language and culture.” 

This map includes New Mexico and southern Utah as far east as Santa Fe and Taos, which is ridiculous when you consider that these other tribes and several more have reservations throughout this area.  I don’t know anything about tribal history, but I do know human nature.  It must really piss off these other tribes to know that Navajo school children are being taught to see them as, essentially, subject peoples and interlopers.

Navajo (Hopi) National Monument:

A perfect example of what I’m talking about

Having passed through Tuba City and Moenkopi, the two opposing tribal towns along US 160, Navajo (Hopi) National Monument was my first big stop.  Despite the misnaming of this site, there’s nothing Navajo about it.  It’s entirely Hopi.  The nice young lady at the visitor center (who identified as Navajo) explained the difference:

Authentic pueblo & kiva = Hopi                         Fake hogan & sweatlodge = Navajo

Both photos taken at Navajo (Hopi) National Monument

Furthermore, the Hopi have always maintained, and DNA analysis now confirms, that these ancient pueblos and kivas really are Hopi, NOT Navajo.  The nice young lady said, “Oh yes, we recognize this as a Hopi site within the Navajo Nation.”  Then why did you park a fake hogan and sweatlodge behind the visitor center instead of something Hopi-ish?  And I don’t see any proposal to change the name of the National Monument or transfer it to Hopi control.  I guess that’s too much to ask, but it must really steam the Hopi.

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park

This is the iconic main event for any visit to the Navajo Nation.  The good news is, there seems to be no argument over who it belongs to.  The bad news is that the scenic loop through Monument Valley, which is what you’re here to see, is a poorly maintained dirt road that’ll kill your suspension for the entire two hours.  The flip side is, the lack of improvements makes your tour seem all the more authentic.  See photos.

Upon leaving Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park I left Arizona but not the Navajo Nation, which extends into Utah as far as Lake Powell and the inappropriately named Montezuma Creek.  I stayed overnight at an RV park in the town of Bluff before re-entering AZ traveling south on US 191.

Canyon de Chelly (Ch’inili) National Monument

 

Ancient cliff dwellings                                                Farming the canyon floor

Though far less well known than Monument Valley, this national monument consists of three spectacular canyons that all come together near the tribal town of Chinle. The Navajo made sure nobody got kicked out when allowing this national monument to be establish on their lands, so as you drive around you get to experience native homes and ranches.  The canyon floors are also occupied by native people still farming and ranching the most fertile lands in the region (because yeah, “a river runs through it”) among the ancient cliff dwellings in the canyon walls.

Canyons converging                                          Spider Rock

I stopped for lunch in the tribal town of Chinle.  Behind the commercial strip aimed at tourists, it’s another dismal example of public housing and reservation poverty.  It’s also the home of tribal adult and youth prisons.  Perfect.  I found a local restaurant (The Junction) whose menu included native selections and seemed to have native patrons.  I liked the Navajo Taco this time – see photo.

Antelope Canyon

Years ago my then wife and I visited another of the Navajo Nation’s well known tourist attractions, Antelope Canyon, which is outside the town of Page, AZ.  It’s beautiful and the Navajo tour guide played a wooden flute that echoed all over the canyon walls.

If you only want to dip your toe into the Navajo Nation, you can stop in the town of Cameron on U.S. 89 just outside of the Grand Canyon entrance road.  There has been a lot of recent road improvements and tourist construction there – now they even have a roundabout at the intersection of SR 64.  It looks to me like the Navajos envision trapping you there so you won’t be tempted to go deeper into their territory … like I did.

Public Lands within Navajo & Hopi influence:

Chaco Culture National Historic Park

Chaco Canyon National Historic Park is located east of the Navajo Nation boundary in New Mexico, but well within their sphere of influence.  In 2023 I entered from the north from U.S. 550. Peering down the dirt County Road 7900 I thought, this is an official county road leading to a national park – surely it’s well maintained, right?  And it was – until it wasn’t!!  After that you and your car’s suspension are on your own!  This just illustrates how the Navajo Nation has no particular interest in whether you can get to Chaco Canyon or not. 

Ancient communal dwelling a Chaco Canyon

But just when I was sure my car was a goner I passed the park entry monument and Tadahhh !! everything inside the park is nicely paved.  Later on, leaving by the south (CR 14) was also dirt, longer but a much easier ride – although it had its moments.  I was told that these road conditions can vary widely from year to year and season to season.  Just be ready for anything.

Ancient Kiva at Chaco Culture National Historic Park

However, the park itself is truly spectacular.  The canyon is beautiful, and the ancient pueblos and kivas are among the best preserved you’ll see anywhere.  Even I who have no military experience could see that the three main pueblos are strategically located so that, between them, the entire canyon could be well defended and the Anasazi could see any unwanted visitors approaching.

Wupatki National Monument

Also a Hopi site with ancient kivas and pueblos, located just outside the reservations along US 89.  Interesting – see photos.

Petrified Forest and Meteor Crater

Petrified Forest National Park

Meteor Crater

On a previous visit in 2023 I was able to squeeze in both Petrified Forest, which is a national park with its own exit on I-40, and Meteor Crater which is a private attraction, in one day.  With the Petrified Forest you also get the Painted Desert all on the same auto tour.  Meteor Crater also has its own I-40 exit so it’s easy to get to.

Bruce Hossfield, Atwo Zee Registered Traveler

 Arizona

London Bridge, Lake Havasu City

From the 50 State Visitors Guide :

A.R.S. 2025  §§ 13-3821 through 13-3829, 13-3727

Registration Triggers and Deadlines:

Visitors must register if staying for more than 72 hours excluding weekends & holidays. §13-3821(A). SOR office refused to answer whether return visits allowed per month or year. “That’s determined by local sheriff.” Updated Aug 2022.

Initial reg. required “within 72 hours excluding weekends & holidays of entering and remaining in any county.”  §13-3821. Updated 8/2022.  Registrants working in state must report in any county where present for 14 consecutive days or an aggregate of 30 days/yr.  Address change etc. required w/in 72 hours (business days only).  §13-3822.

Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:

Residence restriction:  1,000 ft. restriction applies to Level 3 offenders. §13-3727. Local governments are pre-empted from adopting more restrictive requirements. §13-3727.

Duration & updates:

10 years to life. Transients report every 90 days.  All others annually.

Most recent visit: October 2026

Grand Canyon visitors beware – Arizona has recently revised its statutes to be much tougher on visiting registrants. Visitors now must register “within seventy-two hours, excluding weekends and legal holidays, after entering and remaining for at least seventy-two hours in any county of this state.” A.R.S.§13-3821(A). Not only do I not know what that means, but I’m afraid to ask Arizona’s SOR office.  They are such a bunch of weenies that the last time I called them, they even refused to answer whether return visits are allowed per month or year, saying, “That’s determined by local sheriffs.”

One silver lining is that not only does Arizona’s 1000 foot residency restriction apply only to Level 3 offenders, it is also one of seven states that statutorily pre-empt local governments from adopting any ordinance or regulation more restrictive than state law. So like California which I had just left on my trip to attend the October 2026 ACSOL Conference, and New Mexico where I would be going next, you can travel in Arizona without fear of unknowingly tripping over some local land mine.

On this visit I entered Arizona at about 1:00 PM on a Sunday, exploring Central AZ on Monday, followed by two days on a long-delayed visit to the Navajo and Zuni Nations, leaving AZ at about 4:30 pm Wednesday.  And yes, no matter how jealously the Navajo Nation guards its sovereignty, Arizona’s registry laws still apply there AND the Navajo are statutorily pre-empted from adopting local restrictions.

Gee whiz, that sure sounds like more than 72 hours – so how did I compliantly do that?

As I said above, I entered Arizona early Sunday afternoon – not deliberately but because I left the ACSOL conference that morning.  Still, that meant my first 11 hours in AZ didn’t count.  On the other end, if you look at a map you’ll see that the best way to make the most of the Navajo Nation in two days is to enter at Tuba City and do the US 160 & 163 corridor, which I guarantee will take all of Day 1. 

As soon as I left the must-see Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park I left Arizona (but not the Navajo Nation) and my AZ clock stopped – at about 53 hours.  I stayed overnight at an RV Park in Bluff, UT, thus adding two partial days to my annual Utah clock, for a total of seven days on this road trip.

Navajo Nation Day 2 I followed the US 191 corridor southbound, with emphasis on Canyon de Chelly National Monument.  That also took all day, but I was still leaving AZ at Window Rock by evening, which means only about nine hours total.

Central Arizona Red Rock Country

Day 2 (Hours 12-35) – I visited the following:

Aqua Fria National Monument – Undeveloped and no major attractions.

Montezuma’s Castle Nat. Mon. – Well-preserved and partially reconstructed cliff dwellings that date from at least 500 years before Montezuma and have nothing to do with him.

Montezuma's Castle                                         Tuzigoot pueblo ruins

Tuzigoot Nat. Mon. – Ancient Hopi-style pueblo ruins.

Yavapai-Apache Nation Cultural Resource Center – closed for no apparent reason.

Oak Creek Canyon – “The living heart of Red Rock Country.”  Impressive.

Sliding Rock State Park – Major attraction and a really cool place to visit.  However, very “family friendly” with a lot of kids in swimsuits.  This shouldn’t be a real concern, but I recommend against stripping yourself down and joining the fun … ya know, just in case.

Sliding Rock St. Pk.

Walnut Canyon Nat. Mon. – It was the end of the day and I didn’t get to see much, but it looks like a really interesting place.

That evening I camped at Kaibab National Forest.

Navajo Nation

See my separate Navajo Nation blog entry, coming soon.

Grand Canyon

See my separate Grand Canyon blog entry.

Petrified Forest and Meteor Crater

On a previous visit in 2023 I was able to squeeze in both Petrified Forest, which is a national park with its own exit on I-40, and Meteor Crater which is a private attraction, in one day.  With the Petrified Forest you also get the Painted Desert all on the same auto tour.  Meteor Crater also has its own I-40 exit so it’s easy to get to.

Petrified Forest National Park

Meteor Crater

Saguaro National Park

In October 2021 I entered Arizona on I-10 in early afternoon, which left plenty of time that day to see Saguaro National Park, which is quite literally in Tucson. One minute you’re driving through the city’s eastern suburbs, the next minute you’re entering a national park – so in that way it’s a bit like entering Great Smokey Mountains National Park from Gatlinburg, TN.   Saguaro has an auto loop road, so it’s pretty easy to go tour the whole park, enjoy all the saguaro cactus trees, and be on your way.

Saguaro National Park, Tucson

But Saguaro has no campgrounds. I thought I would overnight at a state park, but even though it was midweek and slightly off-season I was met with a “campground full” sign. So I found an inexpensive motel in town.

Bruce Hossfield, Atwo Zee Registered Traveler

Southern California National Parks & Monuments

Palm Springs as seen from Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument

From the 50 State Visitors Guide :

Cal. Penal Code Effective July 1, 2021  §§290 through 294

Cal. Penal Code §§ 3003, 3003.5.   Cal. Welf. & Inst. Code § 6608.5

Registration Triggers and Deadlines:

All registrants must register within 5 working days of coming into the state. §290.011; updates also within 5 working days.  §§290(b), 290.013.  Those working in the state for 14 days or for more than 30 days in a calendar year must register. §290.002.  Those who “regularly reside” at a temporary or permanent residence must register “regardless of the number of days or nights spent here.” §290.010.

Transients must reregister every 30 days. §290.011.

Residency/Presence and Other Restrictions:

Presence restriction:  Registrants may not enter schools without permission.  §626.81. Parolees with convictions involving minors under 14 may not enter parks without permission. §3053.8.  May not enter daycare or place for dependent adult if conviction involved dependent adult. §653c. 

Residence restriction: 2,000 ft. of schools and parks.  §3003.5(b).  NOTE: this statute was declared unconstitutional as applied to certain parolees by In re Taylor, 60 Cal. 4th 1019 (2015) and is only applied by the state to parolees having Static 99 scores of 4 or more.  However, local governments may enforce this statute or local ordinances.

Few local governments have more restrictive requirements, not because there is a state pre-emption but because ACSOL aggressively sues & overturns them.

Duration & updates:

Lifetime. Petition to remove: T1 – 10 yrs. T2 – 20 yrs. SVPs update every 90 days; all others update annually. §290.012.

NOTE:  Per Rolfe Survey, visiting registrants are placed on state’s website and not removed. However, per ACSOL staff, procedure available for removal from registry after departure.

Maxing out California – Sept.-Oct. 2026

For registered visitors, California is better than most. All registrants must register within five working days of coming into the state. §290.011. Notice the statute says “within five working days.” If this was any other state I’d warn you that means the fifth working day will trigger their registration requirement, so in reality you only get four working days. However, ACSOL assures me you get all five days AND there is no problem adding the weekends on either side of said five working days (as with most states, you should always assume that partial days count).

Also, there appears to be no limit per month or year, so if you do include a weekend, and leave California for one Working Day (and two nights), you can re-start the clock.

California has very few local ordinances or regulations more restrictive than state law. However, in this case that’s not because they have any state pre-emption. Rather, it’s because ACSOL aggressively sues & overturns them. Therefore, you can travel in California mostly without fear of unknowingly tripping over some local land mine.

The timing of my 2026 California travel was entirely dictated by the ACSOL Los Angeles Conference, which took place Fri.-Sat. Oct. 2-3.  I previously learned the hard way that the October week after the conference was already too late in the season for Yosemite – everything was closed and I got snowed on.  This time I went to Yosemite first, before the end of September, most things were open and the trams were running, and I didn’t freeze to death.

I also gave myself enough time to see most of what I wanted, and that meant maxing out California’s hospitality.  I entered the state on a Sunday and left the following Sunday, consuming three of the four weekend days on either side of a five day work week.

Sunday #1 – Death Valley National Park, Homeland of the Timbisha Shoshone

See my Shoshone Nations post.  On my way out I stopped at the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center in Lone Tree, where I picked up a brochure called Campgrounds of Inyo County which I used to find a campground in Inyo National Forest.  “Inyo County – The other side of California.”

Working Days 1&2 – Yosemite National Park

I entered Yosemite from the east on Tioga Road.  The spectacular view here is Olmsted Point, from which you can see Half Dome.  As I went through Tioga Pass it snowed and hailed (but not too much).  By lunchtime I was in Yosemite Valley.

Half Dome from Olmsted Point                  Fall color in the Yosemite Valley

In hindsight, I should have just parked at Yosemite Village, gotten on the on-off tram bus that makes all the stops anyway, and knocked out as many stops as I could that afternoon.  Instead I clung to my car and fought for parking everywhere I went.  It was only on the second day that I got on the tram to fill in the last few stops that I realized my previous mistake.

Tunnel View of Yosemite Valley

Be advised – All campgrounds anywhere near the Yosemite south entrance were full even on a weeknight this late in the season, and the few remaining motel rooms in the tourist town of Oakhurst were $250-300 per night.  Fresno is 40 miles away but the rooms were $100.

 

Batchelor & Three Graces                                            Grizzly Giant

Working Day 2 – I took the tram to Mariposa Grove and walked the trail as far as Grizzly Giant.  This was my first time!  Many of the displays along the way are attributed to something called the Traditionally Associated Tribes of Yosemite.  Sounds like a committee.

Working Day 3 – Sequoia National Park, with a dash of Kings Canyon

Silly me – I thought I could do both of these parks in one day.  After getting a park map at the SR 180 Entrance, the first thing you come to is the road to Kings Canyon.  First stop on that road – General Grant Tree & Grove.  BTW, Gen’l Grant is not the big Sequoia by the parking lot. He’s most of the way around the loop trail.

General Grant                                            Kings Canyon

By the time I was done with that it was obvious I’d never get to Roads End where all the Kings Canyon good stuff is and back by midday.  I got no further than Bayden Cavern where I had to turn back. 

General Sherman

Again, leaving only one afternoon for Sequoia National Park meant skipping a few things, but I got a good introduction and enjoyed it a lot.  Main stops I got to:  Lost Grove, General Sherman Tree.  Big Trees Trail is this national park’s nature trail, it’s easy and terrific!  See photos.  Park across the street from the Giant Forest Museum and follow the paved trail.  Didn’t get to see Giant Forest :-( 

Big Trees Trail

That night I camped at state recreation area near Portersville.  Next time I’ll know enough to allow at least two days for two parks.

Working Days 4&5 and Saturday – ACSOL 2026 Los Angeles Conference

Great Conference and I was the Domestic Travel speaker.

Sunday #2 – Escape from California

I stayed over at the conference hotel the Saturday night after the ACSOL conference, so my only obligation to the State of California on Sunday was to leave.  As it happens, I was in Arizona by early afternoon.

Previous visits:

Mojave National Preserve

I spent a morning exploring the south half of Mojave National Preserve.  A think many people’s first impression might be, this is a desert so it must be pretty much the same everywhere, but that’s not true.  Unfortunately Mitchell Caverns was closed for the season, but other areas such as Kelso Depot and Hole in the Wall Visitors Center were open.

Sand dune field in Mojave National Preserve

Four days later I visited the north half of Mojave Reserve on the return leg of my California trip when I passed by on I-15.  In this area there are cinder cones and a large sand dune field.

Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park

On a previous visit I entered California as early as possible on a Thursday morning. I wanted to have as much time as possible that day to take in Joshua Tree National Park – which I did and thoroughly enjoyed.

Bruce Hossfield, Atwo Zee Registered Traveler