Headed West.

[lostinfla]

Next spring, we will be heading out to visit my son who is in the Coast Guard up in Cape Disappointment WA. (yes, that's the real name of the town). Since we are on the opposite end of the country (South Florida) and have never RV'd out that far, I'm looking for suggestions as to route direction. South, North, not really sure. We're going to take a few months to take in the sights along the way. Any experiences as far as road quality, mountains, sights to see, etc. would be GREATLY appreciated! PM me with particulars or post here. THANKS!!

[MikeO58]

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f38/2017-...ip-346333.html

This is a great thread about a couples trip from Florida to Alaska. You may be able to get some ideas of routes and campgrounds they used along the way. Author is very thorough about roads CG and stays.

[Jeff426]

If in Montana, Yellowstone Edge south of Livingston is an awesome place to camp. Garrison Stoker Resort in Eastern Montana on the Bighorn is another great place to camp! Travel west on 80 not east! 70 is an awesome westbound road but lots of traffic in Denver. Watch out for spring storms on westbound 90 in South Dakota. Watch the wind in Wyoming. Hwy 84 through Idaho and Oregon is a great Road, Ambassador Rv Resort in Caldwell is a great place to camp. Bring your flyrods if you have them and if you don’t learn how and buy some. There is a great campground very near Cape Disappointment, it is a very cool area with lots of history and fantastic seafood! Have fun!
All the best,
Jeff and Lynn

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by lostinfla

Next spring, we will be heading out to visit my son who is in the Coast Guard up in Cape Disappointment WA. (yes, that's the real name of the town).

Since we are on the opposite end of the country (South Florida) and have never RV'd out that far,

I'm looking for suggestions as to route direction.

South, North, not really sure.

We're going to take a few months to take in the sights along the way.

Any experiences as far as road quality, mountains, sights to see, etc. would be GREATLY appreciated!

PM me with particulars or post here.

THANKS!!

Sounds like a great Opportunity - BUT -

When? -- time of year - spring is different for different folks, so starting in March - April - May, just makes a big difference as to how far North to think about.

What do you think you will want to see?

Could you get two months out and 8-10 weeks back? - If so a Big loop might just work.

Texas to Carlsbad - White Sands - Canyon de Chelly - Page - Utah - Grand Canyon - if you are up for the crowds year round look at California, so much to see and do just seems to always have heavy traffic and crowds (we stopped taking the RV there 15 years ago - fly in fly out) - up north is not as bad - but if you have never been - you have to try it - Beautiful State - then on up the Coact to see the Son.

Then - in the return trip (8 - 12 weeks) - Glacier - Yellowstone - Tetons - Surrounds - Idaho - Wyoming - Down to Colorado and Northern Utah - Flaming Gorge - Dino - Colorado is IMHO at least 4 weeks - but will require a little more input as to what you enjoy, and time of Year as it is Weather dependent as to where to go - I'll just name drop a few spots in Colorado - Colorado Monument - Rifle SP - Glenwood Springs - Maroon Bells - Aspen - Red Stone - Crystal Mill - Marble - Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP - Ouray - Telluride - Silverton - San Juan's - Mesa Verde - Durango - Pagosa Springs - Creede - Lake City - Gunnison - Crested Butte - Cottonwood Pass - Collegiates - Salida - Buena Vista - Rt 82 Independence Pass - Leadville - Camp Hale - Vail - Great Sand Dunes NP - RT 6 - Golden - Peak to Peak - Berthoud Pass - Grand Lake - Trail Ridge - RMNP - Estes - Boulder - Denver. That's just a few - IMHO this is a treasure where I hardly drive down the road - any road that I'm not just amazed at what I see.

So, I've given you just a short list of things to see and do - and many others will be more specific as you narrow down your time and Likes on the trip.

Hope this is of some help,

Stan's photo's may help - Stan Parker's Photo Galleries at pbase.com

[andy29847]

My wife and I were at Cape Disappointment last August. It was a stop on an eight week trip from South Carolina. I won't talk much about what to see, but I encourage you not to be in a hurry. Places like Yellowstone and Glacier National are fabulous, but you need reservations, and you will be sharing the beauty with thousands of others. We prefer the less crowded areas and like the surprises we find when exploring. We went west on I-40, turned Northwest after Abilene, and head towards Colorado. We stopped at Capulin RV Park in Capulin, NM, both on our way out and on the way back. It was a great place to catch our breath after a few days of hard driving. In Colorado, we like the Gunnison KOA. Going North from Gunnison, we stopped overnight in Douglas, WY at the Douglas KOA. We had a nice night at a the Chief Joesph Park in Harlowton, Montana. This is a small park on the town fairgrounds. From there we spent a week at Glacier National Park and stayed at the North American RV Park. The NA RV park was a great place to stay in that area. After GNP, we went to Long Beach Washington and stayed on the beach at Anderson's RV Park. We had a great time there. From Long Beach we went to Ashland Oregon and stayed at the Emmigrant Lake RV Park. This is a nice county park in a beautiful area. We visited Crater lake and then left early because of the forest fires. From Ashland, we went to Brooklands, Oregon and stayed in At The Rivers Edge RV Resort. This park is very nice and we loved the location. You have to see the Oregon Coast while you are on that side of the country. Coming home we stopped at Archview RV Resort in Moab, UT. We love Moab and Archview is a good place to park and see the area. FWIW, the parks at GNP, Long Beach, and Moab are expensive.

[FLJOE]

Jim & Bonnie, a few years ago we RVed out to the Seattle area, left the RV for a week, and took an Alaska cruise. The CG we used just before and after the cruise was Lake Pleasant RV Park, Bothell, Washington. They let you park on a storage lot and plug in for around $10 a day while on a cruise.

Anyway, we took a southern route going out. Went through Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, California, then got on Rt. 101 to do the coast through Oregon and Washington. Coming back we did more of a northern route to include Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, then continued on to Illinois to visit family.

We have made another western trip since then to include some other states, including the Black Hills which is a must see area. There is just so much to see and do out west that I could fill up several pages of the places we have visited and another dozen pages of the places we plan on visiting.

We are leaving SW Florida next spring but will be concentrating on the northern and eastern U.S. Next year we will be doing another 4 or 5 months out west. Have fun planning your adventure and safe travels!

[Fitztrux]

Just went through the week of Hell in Albuquerque on a maiden voyage breakdown.

Freightliner dealer and Cummins distributor a joke.....

[Sandy Swede]

Originally Posted by Fitztrux

Just went through the week of Hell in Albuquerque on a maiden voyage breakdown.

Freightliner dealer and Cummins distributor a joke.....

I love New Mexico, especially Albuquerque. We should stay out because you had a breakdown and experienced poor service? Must be missing something here. Please tell us more about your experience and why exactly the FL and Cummins distributor are a "joke".

BTW, welcome to the forum. Please include info for your coach and toad in your signature. That will help us help you in future posts.

[lostinfla]

Wow, a lot of good info here. Thanks! I'll be looking up the campgrounds and planning a route soon. We plan on setting out around the first of May or so. No real schedule.

[TJ]

First, thanks for your son's service. "Coasties" are much appreciated out here on the West Coast; and, especially at the mouth of the Columbia River...Cape Disappointment. The mouth of the Columbia can be a treacherous place for boats and boaters, and the Coast Guard personnel at Cape Disappointment have saved many lives over the years. They are really very special people.

If you plan to visit Glacier Park in Montana during your trip, a really good place to stay is the Polson Motorcoach Resort at the south end of Flathead Lake. (Montana's No1 Luxury RV Park - Gateway to Glacier National Park) It is about an hour from there to the entrance to Glacier, but well worth the drive to stay in a beautiful RV resort. The RV parks closer to Glacier are not much to write home about, in my estimation.

And, unless you are very adventurous, pretty brave and more than a little bit loco, don't attempt the "Going-to-the-Sun Road" with your coach! It is best driven in your toad...or, not at all if you don't like narrow roads with thousand-foot drop-offs very close to the edge of your lane!

TJ

[George Schweikle]

A few comments:
The Columbia River museum in Astoria is great.
The high bridge from Astoria, over the Columbia River, is not for the faint of heart.
Nothing over 20 (22?) ft. is allowed on the "Going-to-the-Sun Road". Pay for a ride on one of the "Jammer Buses".
Have a great trip!

Originally Posted by Tranquil Jim

...And, unless you are very adventurous, pretty brave and more than a little bit loco, don't attempt the "Going-to-the-Sun Road" with your coach! It is best driven in your toad...or, not at all if you don't like narrow roads with thousand-foot drop-offs very close to the edge of your lane!

TJ

[cruzbill]

Lewis and Clark museum, Cape Disappointment-Not to be missed!!

[saddlesore]

Columbia Gorge, The Dalles, OR. (end of the Oregon trail), Mt Hood loop..Snow in June/July. Oregon coast, Grand Coulee Dam (WA.) The little town of George, WA) just to say you've been there!, Bad Lands of SD...Dufur Threshing Bee, Dufur, OR.

[andy29847]

The Capulin Volcano National Monument


Railroad display in downtown Douglas, WY


Going to the Sun Highway - GNP


Mount Hood


View of the Pacific Ocean from Cape Disappointment State Park.


Astoria Column


Haystack RocK, Oregon




Crater Lake


Oregon Beach - Surf's up!


Reno baby.


Fallon, Nevada