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jimnkaran · 03-09-2016, 08:38 PM

We are leaving next week for a long road trip. We have been fulltiming for several years in a 40 ft class a and have downsized to a 19 ft class c. We have bought a house and basically settled down but the road is still calling and we are going to try a short trip instead of full timing. We have decided that we are tired of interstates and going to take our time and travel only normal roads, no interstates. We are going first to Colorado, then to New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Montana then on to Washington state. Figure on taking 4 to 6 weeks and stopping to see anything that looks like it is worth seeing. Anyone else done this, any suggestions? We are planning on boondocking most of the time and using an rv park a couple of nights a week. We are members of Boondockers Welcome and will use that when it is available in the area we are in. Just curious if anyone else got tired of the interstates and tried this.

**TonyDi** · 03-09-2016, 08:53 PM

Everyone has a different way of RVing. If you are planning to see what's there then you are not leaving much time to do it. If you just want to breeze through it will be a fast trip with a lot of driving. You are most likely looking at 4-5 days driving each way, just to get there. That is assuming about 400 mi. per day. There is so much to see in the states you mentioned, that you won't be doing yourself justice.
I spent almost a month in Montana last summer and still didn't get to see it all. I'm sure you'll get other opinions but that is mine.

Best of luck and Happy Trails!

twogypsies · 03-09-2016, 09:33 PM

We've traveled mainly the secondary roads for 16 years as full-timers. It can easily be done. It's a great way to travel if you have the time.

You stated you're leaving next week and your first state is Colorado. That is way to early to tour that state.

From Kentucky I would recommend that you first get to southern New Mexico, then Arizona and into southern Utah by May. Then head north into Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Washington. Of course, Colorado could be hit on your way home.

I agree that this is a lot of territory to cover in 4-6 weeks. If you can, add lots more time to this trip - like all summer.

You mentioned a lot of boondocking. If you have the national senior pass you can utilize a lot of forest service campgrounds at 1/2 price and also the national park campgrounds. Here are a couple good sites for you:

http://www.forestcamping.com/dow/list/nflist.htm

http://www.uscampgrounds.info/

halfwright · 03-09-2016, 09:59 PM

We have always traveled the back roads .A good back road in New Mexico is Highway 54 with some trips off of it. Be sure to see the Valley of Fires, Three Rivers petroglyphs, the space museum at Alamogordo, museum of the horse in Ruidoso, white sands, the old town pf Lincoln, Ft Sumner, and a new performing theater near Ruidoso. PM me if you have questions.

Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel across the country from coast to coast without seeing anything.

Charles Kuralt

jimnkaran · 03-10-2016, 06:52 AM

Thanks for the replies. I know that 4 to 6 weeks seems like a short time for this trip, but, as I said in the above post we have been full timing for 12 years. We have been to all of the places mentioned and are now mainly going back to visit friends. We have been campground host in Glacier and Yellowstone national parks so won't be spending more than a couple days at each. Just gonna take the back roads this time.