From Colorado Springs to Arches National Park: Our 2021 Tesla Road Trip Adventure Begins (Part 1)
Are you planning a road trip to Moab with your electric vehicle? Join us as we share our firsthand experience driving our long-range Tesla Model 3 from Colorado Springs to Moab, UT, and our exciting adventures exploring Arches National Park with our two furry passengers. We've also included some valuable tips and tricks we picked up along the way to make your trip smoother and more enjoyable.
Plugged-in and Planning Ahead
Proper planning is key to a successful road trip, and this is especially true when traveling with an electric vehicle. To ensure a stress-free experience, we highly recommend using ABRP (A Better Route Planner) to plan your trip. This app is like having Tesla navigation on your phone, and allows you to input your car's specs to estimate where and for how long you'll need to charge. ABRP will provide you with a reliable approximation of your arrival time, taking into account all your charging stops.
As this trip took place in May 2021, there may be new charging station options available in the future that we didn't have access to during our trip. Therefore, we recommend using the planning tools mentioned earlier to ensure the most efficient route for your trip, regardless of when you take it.
Heading Out: Colorado Springs — 100%
We began our journey fully charged in Colorado Springs the night before our trip. For those new to EV driving, it's worth noting that it's best to charge your battery only up to the level needed for your intended journey. Typically, for day-to-day driving, I charge my car to between 80-90%. However, for longer trips like this one, it's recommended to charge to 100%.
Before hitting the road, we stopped at a Starbucks to grab coffee and some puppucinos for our fluffers. Then, we headed north towards Denver and west on I-70.
Charging Stop: Glenwood Springs, CO — 32% → 83%
Our first charging stop was at Glenwood Springs, CO, where we arrived with a 32% charge. Ideally, you would want to arrive with a charge closer to 5-10%. Unfortunately, this wasn't possible for us as the next charger was out of range. Teslas generally charge faster at a lower state of charge due to the battery and Superchargers throttling how much charge the battery can receive at a certain state of charge. The lower your state of charge and how preconditioned your battery is will determine optimal charging speeds.
We charged up for about 30 minutes and got back up to 83%, just enough time to use the bathroom, walk the dogs, and prepare for our next leg. We grabbed a quick bite at Rocky Mountain Pizza Company before heading to Grand Junction, CO, where we planned to stay the night. Our plan was to drive to Moab during the day and back to Grand Junction that evening. We were fortunate to have a deal for a free two-night stay at a hotel in the area, but otherwise, we would have planned a little differently. Because of this plan, we decided to charge up more at Glenwood Springs so that we could head straight to Moab in the morning.
Rest Stop: Grand Junction, CO — 55% → 49%
After leaving our car to sit overnight with Sentry Mode turned off, we noticed a 6% drop in our charge. Thankfully, the extra charge we obtained in Glenwood Springs enabled us to complete the two-hour drive without having to charge again until we reached Moab, UT.
Charging Stop: Moab, UT — 12% → 96%
At the Moab Supercharger, we charged our Tesla from 12% to 96%, ensuring that we had sufficient range to explore Moab and Arches National Park. However, upon arrival at the park, we were disappointed to find it already at capacity in the morning, a common occurrence during peak season. Therefore, we recommend checking the Arches National Park Twitter account for real-time updates. While waiting for the park to reopen, we took the picturesque Utah 128 route, which offered breathtaking views. Finally, we gained entry to the park around 4:30 pm and drove around to see all the remarkable sights.
Exploring Arches National Park with Pets
Using Tesla’s built-in Dog Mode can be helpful when visiting National Parks with pets. Although dogs are not allowed on hikes in most National Parks, Dog Mode can keep the cabin at a comfortable temperature for pets when you want to take a few photos on one of the foot paths. Setting up Dog Mode is simple and can be done through the Tesla app or screen.
You just need to open the climate controls and select “Dog Mode”
Set your pet’s desired temperature, and close the car door.
A white screen that says “My driver will be back soon” confirms that Dog Mode is activated. It’s important to note that Dog Mode cannot be used if the battery level is under 20% and will shut off, so make sure to have plenty of charge.
Charging Up for the Return Trip
Charging Stop: Moab, UT — 50% → 68%
After a full day of exploring Moab and Arches National Park, we found that we had around 50% charge left. However, since the drive back to Grand Junction involved a higher elevation than the drive to Moab, we knew we needed a little more charge to make it back. So, we quickly charged up to 68% at the Moab Supercharger before hitting the road. It only took us a few minutes, and then we were on our way back to our hotel in Grand Junction.
Rest Stop: Grand Junction, CO — 25%
After a full day of driving, we arrived back at our hotel in Grand Junction with a state of charge of 25%. Knowing that we had to charge up again in the morning for the next leg of our road trip, we decided to call it a night and get some much-needed rest after an exciting day in Moab.
Conclusion
Our Supercharging costs for this trip were zero thanks to a referral promotion that allowed me to earn 2,000 miles of free Supercharging after referring two friends to purchase a Tesla using my code. Unfortunately, we cannot calculate the cost savings based on our charging history in the Tesla App. However, if we plan to travel this route again in the future, we will provide a more accurate cost savings analysis.
Embarking on a road trip in an electric vehicle can be an exciting adventure, and with some careful planning and preparation, it can be an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. We hope that our experience and suggestions will help you plan your next electric vehicle road trip.
Check out the next part of our 1,500+ mile road trip as we drive down I-70 all the way to Brian Head, St. George, and Zion National Park.
