Grand Canyon NP and few other NP in Utah

[Switchglide1]

Hi gang we are new to the RV our first trip was August of 2016 to Badlands, Sturges and Yellowstone, on our 34ft Class C motorhome. We are planning trip this year to Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion and one more if we can in Colorado as well. We are leaving July 3 returning end of July due to work. Traveling with 2 teens. Looking for camp grounds also are there any in NP for 34ft motorhome? Can you guys recommend some. Our travel route is 81S to 40W. Our first stop is GC NP then work out way in to UT then CO and take 70E to 64E to 81N. If you guys can come up with better alternative as for the route I am open as well. Maybe you guys think we should hit CO first then work out way to GC NP? Open for all and any suggestion. Thank you in advance.

[MSHappyCampers]

Hi ! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined the gang!

Utah is the most beautiful state we have ever seen! Bryce Canyon is a must-see!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

[grumpy0374]

We are on that trip right now. Currantly at Meteor Crater, and will be at G. Canyon Tuesday. Then Zion, then Bryce, then Arches.
Cannot help you with nat. park campgrounds as we stay at full service campgrounds.
Will advise you to start looking for available sites NOW, and reserve if necessary.
Your time frame is smack dab in middle of summer...kids off from school, and everything will be crowded. We booked our sites back in December to get sites, and the campgrounds were starting to get fully booked back then.
Others may chime in to tell you to just "wing it". May work but you may also be looking at staying at the famous "Wal Mart" RV Park.
Grumpy

[Maddawg46]

If you go by Salt Lake City Utah, there is the best Walmart you could ever stay at in Park City. Nicer than a lot of RV parks. No slimy people. And the best is you get a birds eye view of the Olympic high jumps at the ski area.

[Cooperhawk]

We stayed in Williams at the Canyon Motel and RV Park. It's still a good drive into the park but Williams is on Rte 66 and by itself is a fun place to stay.

If you choose you can then take the train into the park. I wouldn't though. If you go early the park is not to crowded, but when that train drops all those people it gets crowded in a hurry.

The other thing is that with your own vehicle you can access the far east end where the trams do not go. It's worth it.

[Switchglide1]

Originally Posted by grumpy0374

We are on that trip right now. Currantly at Meteor Crater, and will be at G. Canyon Tuesday. Then Zion, then Bryce, then Arches.
Cannot help you with nat. park campgrounds as we stay at full service campgrounds.
Will advise you to start looking for available sites NOW, and reserve if necessary.
Your time frame is smack dab in middle of summer...kids off from school, and everything will be crowded. We booked our sites back in December to get sites, and the campgrounds were starting to get fully booked back then.
Others may chime in to tell you to just "wing it". May work but you may also be looking at staying at the famous "Wal Mart" RV Park.
Grumpy

Thanks you. Which full service campgrounds do you recommend? Don't mind Wal Mart but full service campgrounds are nice. 2016 we mostly stayed in KOA but I am not to crazy about it. This time around, I will try to find some private campgrounds.

[TXTiger]

I’m following this thread. I may be heading north from Yuma in 2 weeks and would like to stop at Zion NP for a day or two on my way to ID. Looking for places to stay nearby. Also what is the weather like this time of year?

[twogypsies]

Each national park on your plan has campgrounds and yes, you will fit. I suggest you try to stay in the parks themselves for the best overall experience, best use of time, and less driving. Also, with the teens they could do things on their own being right there. The three parks mentioned all have free shuttle services to get you from place to place and is especially handy for families wanting to do different things. So you could basically, never have to drive your car once you're there. At Zion & Bryce you can easily do some shopping outside the park as the shuttles even go outside.

Each national park also has a great web site with things to do, camping information, road issues (construction), special alerts and more. Check them out. Here is Grand Canyon's.

One caution for Grand Canyon and your teens.... teens are known to think they are indestructible . Walking down the canyon to the river may seem like a great idea but it can have serious consequences if not staying overnight and carrying lots and lots of water. I would, however, recommend the whole family walk down the Bright Angel Trail if only for 1/4 to 1/2 miles. It will give you an altogether perspective of the Canyon when you're below the Rim. At Bryce be sure you do a trail or two below the Rim. It's like a fairy wonderland down there and you can't appreciate it from the top. The teens would get a kick out of 'Wall Street' trail.

For Grand Canyon I'd recommend Trailer Village in the park - full hookups; for Zion stay at Watchman campground in the park - electric, water fill and dump station; for Bryce both campgrounds are dry camping but there's water fill and dump.

From Bryce you could easily work in Capitol Reef NP and Arches/Canyonlands NP. At Canyonlands is a great state park called Dead Horse Point campground. They have recently opened a new section.

All are very popular parks in summer; in fact, year-round so get reservations now. If you can't get one in the park then there are others right outside the entrances. Use RV Park Reviews site to find them and sometimes the national park's web site lists other options.

This is a perfect time for possibly your last family trip so hope it works out. Once the kids are juniors they can have other commitments.

https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/cg-sr.htm

[grumpy0374]

Originally Posted by Switchglide1

Thanks you. Which full service campgrounds do you recommend? Don't mind Wal Mart but full service campgrounds are nice. 2016 we mostly stayed in KOA but I am not to crazy about it. This time around, I will try to find some private campgrounds.

In G. Canyon we're at Trailer Village RV Park.
Zion we're at Zion River RV Resort.
Bryce we're at Ruby's Inn RV Park
Arches we.re at Spanish Trail RV Park.
These were our choices taken from RV Park Reviews web site and also availability of campgrounds near our destinations.
These are not my "recomendations" but what was available for our planned visits.
Grumpy

[Switchglide1]

Thank you very much everyone, for the great info. Please keep them coming.

[GScott423]

I go in to Zion often and there is a 12 1-2 foot height limit in Watchman so be aware of you height issues. In general I agree that staying in the parks is much better than nearby RV parks but they do book up early so plan ahead.

[TonyDi]

My DW and I love Utah. We try to get there every other year. Bryce, Zion Arches, Canyonland and Capitol Reef are outstanding NPs.

[mekkerlc]

Here is our summer trip with our four kids; everything is booked; all have WSE except for Watchman in Zion.

Day 1-5 – Drive to Grand Canyon (stop at Petrified Forest NP)
Day 6-7 – Grand Canyon NP (Trailer Village CG)
Day 8 – Drive to Lake Powell
Day 9 – Lake Powell (Wahweap CG)
Day 10 – Drive to Zion NP
Day 11-12 – Zion NP (Watchman CG)
Day 13 – Drive to Bryce Canyon NP
Day 14-15 – Bryce Canyon NP (Ruby's Inn CG)
Day 16 – Drive to Moab (possibly stop at Capitol Reef NP)
Day 17-18 – Arches NP / Canyonlands NP (Portal CG)
Day 19 – Drive to Mesa Verde NP (possibly stop at Four-Corners)
Day 20 – Mesa Verde NP (Morefield CG)
Day 21 – Drive to Ouray, CO
Day 22-23 – Ouray/Telluride (Ouray RV Park)
Day 24 – Drive to Salida, CO (stop at Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP)
Day 25-26 Salida, CO/Great Sand Dunes NP (Bighorn RV Park)
Day 27-28 – Drive to Mammoth Cave KY
Day 29 – Mammoth Cave NP (TBD)
Day 30 – Drive to Cleveland, OH
Day 31 – Drive to Rochester, NY

[mjd190]

Not sure what size rig you are driving, but if you are planning on driving hwy 550 (San Juan Skyway) from Mesa Verde NP to Ouray be aware that it is narrow, winding, with sharp drop offs and no guard rails.