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03-07-2018, 06:32 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Fulltime Box Elder, SD
Posts: 270
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National Parks Southwest & Colorado Plateau
We are planning to visit a lot of the National Parks next year and are looking for any recommendations of campgrounds near any of the parks from Texas to California. We do use RV Park Reviews and RV Parky, but was hoping to get some good suggestions from fellow rv'ers. We are 43' and prefer at least water & elec. We want to park & camp and then explore with the toad within a 30 to 45 mile radius. Any suggestions for the good, the bad, or the ugly would be greatly appreciated!
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Bill, Laura, Greta & Edwin
2020 DSDP 4328
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03-07-2018, 12:20 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Enjoying the Western States!
Posts: 19,674
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How much time will you have and what parks do you want to explore?
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Full-timed for 16 Years . . .
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Diesel
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th wheel
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03-07-2018, 12:36 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Fulltime Box Elder, SD
Posts: 270
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We are flexible on time. Tentative plans are Big Bend, Guadalupe, Carlsbad mid Jan to Feb; Petrified Forest & Grand Canyon March; Zion, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Arches, Great Basin in April-May; Crater Lake early June; Redwood, Yosemite, Kings Canyon & Death Valley in June-July. That is broad itinerary....
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Bill, Laura, Greta & Edwin
2020 DSDP 4328
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03-07-2018, 12:51 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
National RV Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Continuous Traveler - Oregon
Posts: 534
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Might rethink Death Valley in June/July. October or November is a much better choice.
Also, the road into Death Valley from the West side is not for the faint of heart especially in a big rig. Did it last October in 40' w/toad; it was spectacular view, but not worth the white knuckles & slow, slow speed. Coming in/out from the East side is pretty easy.
Your route will also take you by/near some amazing state parks in Utah. During the summer months you will need reservations in Utah. We made ours about 9 months out for locations near the Big 5.
__________________
2008 National Pacifica 40D DP, 4 slides, 1 1/2 baths; 2016 C-Max Energi
FMCA #F415856 & Thousand Trails Elite
Right, left, straight, or stay....decision of the day
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03-07-2018, 01:58 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Fulltime Box Elder, SD
Posts: 270
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Frantz, any recommendations on where to stay?
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Bill, Laura, Greta & Edwin
2020 DSDP 4328
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03-07-2018, 02:53 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 3,913
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Some of the excellent full service campgrounds we stayed in 2016 visiting quite a few of the National Parks were: Trailer Village, Grand Canyon; Zion River Resort (for Zion); Ruby's for Bryce; Teton Valley for Grand Tetons (but it is in Victor, ID); Grizzly for Glacier; Maverick Ranch in Lajitas, TX for Big Bend. I would recommend all the above. We have a 45 ft motorhome and pull a full size Dodge Ram and there were no problems in any of the above. However, you will need to make reservations NOW if you want to go. All were turning people away when we were there.
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Lynn & (Dan in spirit ) Fur kids Carl & Alvin
Full time - home base is Myakka River Motorcoach Resort in Port Charlotte, FL
2015 Entegra Anthem 44B with HWH Active Air
2021 Grand Cherokee Summit
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03-07-2018, 02:55 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Enjoying the Western States!
Posts: 19,674
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DebbieMH
Some of the excellent full service campgrounds we stayed in 2016 visiting quite a few of the National Parks were: Trailer Village, Grand Canyon; Zion River Resort (for Zion); Ruby's for Bryce; Teton Valley for Grand Tetons (but it is in Virgin, ID); Grizzly for Glacier; Maverick Ranch in Lajitas, TX for Big Bend. I would recommend all the above. We have a 45 ft motorhome and pull a full size Dodge Ram and there were no problems in any of the above. However, you will need to make reservations NOW if you want to go. All were turning people away when we were there.
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Just small corrections: Teton Valley is in Victor, Idaho, not Virgin; Grizzly is in West Yellowstone, not Glacier
__________________
Full-timed for 16 Years . . .
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Diesel
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th wheel
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03-07-2018, 03:01 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Enjoying the Western States!
Posts: 19,674
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Big Bend - Rio Grande Village RV in the park itself
Guadalupe/Carlsbad - either Brantley Lake State Park or there's a KOA in Carlsbad
Grand Canyon - Trailer Village in the park
Canyonlands/Arches - Portal is mentioned a lot
Crater Lake - June might be too early; Collier State Park or Joseph H. Steward State Rec Area
Death Valley - mid-October through April if you want decent temps.
__________________
Full-timed for 16 Years . . .
Traveled 8 yr in a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star 40' Diesel
& 8 yr in a 33' Travel Supreme 5th wheel
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03-07-2018, 03:08 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 3,913
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twogypsies
Just small corrections: Teton Valley is in Victor, Idaho, not Virgin; Grizzly is in West Yellowstone, not Glacier
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You are right on both ... worry ... just going from memory. For Glacier, I meant the KOA in West Glacier. Would recommend Grizzly for Yellowstone!
__________________
Lynn & (Dan in spirit ) Fur kids Carl & Alvin
Full time - home base is Myakka River Motorcoach Resort in Port Charlotte, FL
2015 Entegra Anthem 44B with HWH Active Air
2021 Grand Cherokee Summit
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03-07-2018, 03:15 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Coarsegold, CA
Posts: 151
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Airedale
We are flexible on time. Tentative plans are Big Bend, Guadalupe, Carlsbad mid Jan to Feb; Petrified Forest & Grand Canyon March; Zion, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Arches, Great Basin in April-May; Crater Lake early June; Redwood, Yosemite, Kings Canyon & Death Valley in June-July. That is broad itinerary....
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For Yosemite the east entrance might still be closed due to snow in June so you should plan on any one of the three west entrances.
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2016 Keystone Cougar 303RLS
2015 Ford F350 diesel 6.7 4wd crew cab short bed Super Glide hitch Transfer Flow aux. fuel tank in tool box
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03-07-2018, 04:00 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
National RV Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Continuous Traveler - Oregon
Posts: 534
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Airedale
Frantz, any recommendations on where to stay?
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We tend to stay in smaller & less expensive parks. These are some of our 2016 stops:
End of the Trail RV, Yuba City - Grand Canyon South Rim, Navajo Museum & food
Jacob's Lake Forest Service CG (dry camp) - Grand Canyon North Rim, Pipe Spring National Monument
Bauer's Canyon Ranch, Glendale - Zion, Cedar Breaks, Panguitch
Bryce Canyon Pines, Bryce, UT - Bryce Canyon, Kodachrome Basin, Red Canyon
Canyons of Escalante RV Park, Escalante, UT - Escalante Visitor Center for directions to slot canyons etc, Devil's Garden
Thousand Lakes, Torrey, UT - Capital Reef (sandwiches at the small store in town...yum)
The above took us almost 6 weeks and we didn't see everything; go slow & put lots of miles on your toad.
Last year:
Sun Valley RV, Petrified Forest, AZ - Petrified Forest & Painted Desert NP
Cottonwood RV, Chinle, AZ - Canyon de Chelly (take a guided tour to the bottom of the Canyon)
Sand Island Campground, near Bluff, UT - Monument Valley, Valley of the Gods, Moki Dugway
OK RV Park, Moab, UT - Arches, Canyonlands
This took us about 4 weeks. Again, lots of miles on the toad.
Hwy 89A is a beautiful drive from GC South Rim to GC North Rim. It does have winding & sometimes steep sections, take your time. Hwy 12 between Bryce & Escalante is winding, narrow, and steep...14% a couple of spots. You will travel slow & your co-pilot will have magnificent views. I've driven it in a 35' & 40' w/toad.
If you're near Flagstaff there's lots to see: Sunset Crater, Walnut Canyon, Wupatki National Monument, Lowell Observatory.
V-V Ranch South of Sedona for fine examples of petroglyphs.
Do research on some of our stops to make sure you will fit.
Try to sign up for the ranger tours at Zion & Bryce - FREE
__________________
2008 National Pacifica 40D DP, 4 slides, 1 1/2 baths; 2016 C-Max Energi
FMCA #F415856 & Thousand Trails Elite
Right, left, straight, or stay....decision of the day
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03-07-2018, 04:20 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 8,108
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At Zion, I have stayed at both Zion River and Watchman. Much prefered Watchman for its intimate relationship to the park. While Zion River is a "luxury" park, it is 14 miles away from the National Park entrance.
Watchman on the other hand, has water and electric and is just inside the park entrance. You can walk to the visitor's center from your campsite in 5 minutes, where you will find an interesting movie, educational programs, and the excellent park trams that are the only way one can travel within the park during the busy season when private vehicles are restricted. Watchman is also just 2 miles from the fun and charming town of Springdale, whereas Zion River is 12 miles away from town.
So if you have to have full hookups and all the luxuries of a "Resort" park, then choose Zion River. But if you value convenience and an intimate relationship with the national park, Watchman is the better choice. Oh, and Watchman is much cheaper. Reservations advised, as it is sold out in season.
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Marc and Jill, Wellington FL
2013 Entegra Anthem 44SL
2018 Lincoln MKX
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03-08-2018, 07:04 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Fulltime Box Elder, SD
Posts: 270
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Thank you all for the recommendations! Exactly the info we are looking for.
__________________
Bill, Laura, Greta & Edwin
2020 DSDP 4328
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