is it possible to be able to buy cryptocurrencies other than bitcoin, litecoin and eth with USD I've been looking online for quite sometime but it doesn't seem like I can find this exact answer. I've been looking to buy some cryptocurrencies but I'm hoping to be able to buy them with USD.

I know that I can go to coinbase, open an account, buy bitcoin, or ether and then transfer it to an exchange such as bittrex or bitstamp and get coins using those two main cryptocurrencies.

What if I want Ripple or DASH and want to buy it directly at the price that it's at, and i do not want to buy Bitcoin or Ether to get it (since the prices are so high). 

Basically I'm not interested in buying Ether or Bitcoin, i'm looking to buy some other cryptocurrencies that are very low in price.

Am I able to do that - or do I HAVE to use Bitcoin or Ether to buy the desired ctyptocurrencies.
Your issue makes no sense; the price of the intermediary currency is irrelevant.

Say you want to buy $600 worth of Bloopcoin. Bloopcoin's exchange rate is around $60 per Bloop, so you expect to get 10 Bloop.

Unfortunately only markets to buy with BTC are available, and (assume) BTC's exchange rate is $6000 per BTC. You can still buy 0.1 BTC for $600, and then use those 0.1 BTC to buy 10 Bloop.

If BTC were instead to be at $12000 per BTC, you'd only be able to buy 0.05 BTC for $600; but if the Bloop exchange was $60 per Bloop, those 0.05 BTC would still buy you 10 Bloop.

I'm aware this is not a full answer to your question, but perhaps it addresses the "since price is so high" comment you made.