Community Forums

dlopez001 · 06-01-2013, 06:41 PM

Just joined and we are planning our first RV trip. Trip is in mid July and we are doing it in a 2013 class A 34' Coachmen Mirada (362 HP Triton™ V-10 engine).

In addition to driving tips - seriously, never ever driven an RV before - I could use some route guidance...

San Diego > Sedona: per other posts, seems like we will be ok going hwy 8 to hwy 10 to hwy 17 to hwy to route 179, even with Class A.

Sedona > G Canyon South Rim: no idea, so could use any recommendations.

G Canyon South Rim > skywalk (West Rim): AZ-64 to I-40 to Kingman to Stockton Hill Rd to Pierce Ferry Rd to Diamond Bar Rd is recommended on the Skywalk site, but no clue if its Class A friendly.

Skywalk > Las Vegas: Diamond Bar Rd to Pierce Ferry Rd to hwy 93 over Hoover Dam is recommended on the Skywalk site, but no clue if its Class A friendly.

Las Vegas > San Diego: we'll take the boring hwy 15 route home.

I'm flying (driving) blind on this one, so and and all advice is appreciated!!!

Thanks,

DL

LJowdy · 06-02-2013, 06:30 AM

From San Diego, take I-8 just east of Gila Bend then take 85 north to I-10. 85 is straight and easy to travel and will save a bunch of miles and time. Once you hit I-10 then travel east to I-17 to the Sedona turn off. The road leading into Sedona from 17 is curvy but managable.

az bound · 06-02-2013, 07:06 AM

You may want to rethink about doing the Skywalk. The rancher on whos land the road crosses, Dimond Bar ranch is charging a $20. toll.
89A from Sedona to Flagstaff has a length restriction of 30 ft. total. It would be best to go back to I-17, the north to Flagstaff.
Going to the south rim from Flagstaff take 180 to Valle, then 64 to the canyon.
Another route would be 89 from Flag. to Cameron, then 64 to the rim.
One could also go from Flag, to Williams, then 64 north to the canyon.
All are good roads.

Dennis_K · 06-02-2013, 08:37 PM

Going from I-8 to I-10 take AZ85 north at Gila Bend to bypass most of Phoenix.

89A from Sedona to Flagstaff is not something you should do, go around as been suggested.

The road to the Skywalk has some dirt sections. It can be driven in a class A as the tour buses are in and out all day. As for the Skywalk itself, save your money. If you feel you must, use US93 the Pierce Ferry road through Dolan Springs to Diamond Bar Rd, there are plenty of signs.

If you want to look at something stop at Hover Dam and take the tour. I don't know where you park an RV but you could look at the website or call them.

biosensai · 06-04-2013, 05:37 PM

Just left that area for a brief visit to our home base of Temecula before heading north to Lake Shasta. I'm very familiar with RV'ing the freeways you will be using. Couple of things for you to take into consideration. Plan to travel in the morning before the afternoon winds kick up and it gets hot. Stop early in the day. I'd also suggest you consider parking the RV at a good park and renting a car to go sightseeing. Even last Tuesday, 179 north to Sedona was very busy. RV parking is not going to be easy, especially if you are planning to do any hiking. Haven't done 89a from Sedona to Flagstaff in years, but I remember it as not RV appropriate. We stayed at Distant Drums RV Resort in Camp Verde for over a week, using the C-RV to explore. You can read campground reviews at campgroundreviews.com. Make reservations, especially on the weekends. Everyone's tendency is to cover too much too fast. Not the way to do it in a bigger RV. Get an RV site in Williams and either take the train (or that rented car) to the south rim. The washboard road to the Skywalk is something I would never do to an RV. I drove the new bridge near Hoover Dam 2 years ago in the wife's Volvo SUV. Afternoon winds buffeted us. I would not do it in our 37' RV.
Were it me, I'd reserve a site in Williams and see the Skywalk, the South Rim & Sedona on day trips in a rental car. And I would limit this initial excursion to boring old 15 and 40. (15 will not be boring if the winds kick up like they have in the Victorville area the previous 2 days!) Highway 17 has a very long stretch of a series of grades that are posted at 6%. I would strongly suggest you go up and down Cajon Pass a few times to familiarize yourself with the tow/haul transmission that I think we both have (my coach is a 2012 Winnebago) before you tackle 17.

RVluvin · 06-04-2013, 06:13 PM

If you would like to bypass Phx on you way to Sedona, from I-8 take Hwy 85 North at Gila Bend. When you get to I-10, normally I would recommend the loop 303 to I-17, but the southern half of that loop is under construction, the northern half is a brand new Hwy. When you get to I-10, go west to the Sun Valley Parkway, its only a few miles west. This is a 2 lane divided hwy that gets very little use, and will take your around the white take mountain to Loop 303. From there take the Loop 303 north to I-17 and your on your way to Sedona. If you stop in Williams, we like the Circle Pines KOA. I would recommend traveling early morning hours out of San Diego, that a warm ride upto and past Phoenix. Have Fun!

Tom3205 · 06-06-2013, 07:47 AM

Dlopez.. Congrats on your new adventure. You are in for a great big "PLEASURE", that will not soon be forgotten.
Remember to take it slow and easy and enjoy the ride. All the fun is in "Getting there"..
Also, the summer heat is sometimes unbearable, hard on your refrigerator, hard on you as a driver. As another said, stop early, enjoy yourself
I use all the trip planners available, Google maps, street and trips, rvparks review, etc. as well as GPS units, to make the trip an easy one.
.
Have fun, let us all know how you did when you get back.

BigBill3111 · 06-08-2013, 12:15 AM

Ok, I don't have a map in front of me to see individual roads, routes, etc., but I will try to give you some input from my personal knowledge. I have never visited any of these places in any type of RV, but have done ALL of them in a passenger vehicle. I currently live about 14 miles from Hoover Dam. Coming into beautiful Sedona from the South should be no problem. When you leave Sedona, you will have to go back to I 17 the way you came in, and then proceed North toward Flagstaff. There is a road going North through Oak creek, but it is STEEP climb with sharp constant switchbacks, so again, just go back the way you came in.
You can continue North through Flagstaff and go to the Grand Canyon from the East entrance, or turn West on I40 , then go North at Williams to the South entrance.
When you leave the GC, you will go West on I 40 to Kingman, then North toward Hoover Dam and Las Vegas.

The next recommendation I am going to give you is the most important one yet. It will save you time, money, aggravation, and save your RV. DO NOT GO TO THE SKYWALK ! Once you have seen the Grand Canyon from the South Rim, you are not going to see anything to top it from the West rim. They have talked about paving the road to the Skywalk for YEARS but it is a dirt washboard road of over 20 miles ONE WAY. It was in the local paper again the other day about the on going feud and lawsuits between the Indian tribe that runs the Skywalk, and a local "cowboy" that owns the land to get there. The Indians have an access easement, but they fight over who is going to pay to pave it. It's an expensive tourist trap. Look it up on the Internet.

Cross the new bridge at Hoover Dam, exit to the right, follow the signs, park, walk up and across the bridge for a fantastic view of the dam. You can drive on down and see the dam from other vantage points also. Enjoy Vegas and let me know if you want any tips on visiting here. There are lots of places to see and do more than just casinos.

BigBill3111 · 06-08-2013, 12:23 AM

I replied to your post in the SW section several days ago, but then reposted here with both of my comments. I couldn't get the link to copy on my IPad, but you can type Skywalk feud into your search engine and read all about it. They are saying that there are not even finished bathrooms there after several years.

The latest update on the Skywalk road is that the landowner has posted armed guards to stop tour buses now, and the Indians have filed some sort of bankruptcy, it is crazy. It is like a soap opera.

BigBill3111 · 06-08-2013, 12:30 AM

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/ne...sm-bus-company

BigBill3111 · 06-08-2013, 12:34 AM

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/cr...skywalk-access

dlopez001 · 07-14-2013, 03:27 PM

We leave Wednesday and have confirmed all our reservations. I can't wait to do this. The kids and super excited, and even my wife -- who is camping averse -- is really looking forward to this trip as well.

All are gear is staged in the garage ready for loading in the motor home.

Can't thank you guys enough for all the route and driving advice.

I'll report our experiences soon!

Cheers,

DL