Grand Canyon, Utah trip

[chadandapril]

Hi Im new to RVing and I am planning our first trip I have never been out west so I dont know what to expect We live near Memphis TN and were gonna go to the Grand Canyon first From there I like the idea of taking Hwy 89 north into Utah but not sure if it is rv friendly also wondering about Hwy 12,22,24, and 191 We will be in a 38' Holiday Rambler with a 230 hp 5.9 cummins pulling a pickup behind it Any advice would be appreciated Thanks Chad & April Smith

[smlranger]

First, welcome to IRV2.com. This is absolutely the best RV site on the web.

You will love traveling in the West. If you've never seen the Grand Canyon live and in person, be prepared to have your breath taken away. From there, Rt. 89 is a good road. Take 89 to 160 to Kayenta, then 163 into Monument Valley. It should not be missed. Stay at Gouldings RV park and eat a Navajo Taco at their restaurant. 163 north from Monument Valley will take you back to 191. Moab is also great.

There is so much to see in that part of the country. You should have no problem with your rig....take your time and have fun.

[JMonroe]

Bryce, Zion, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, those already mentioned and a plethora of great state parks. Once you've been to southern Utah, you may not want to leave.

Happy trails.

[livnthedream]

Hi ChadandApril, Catherine and I visited Zion yesterday and Bryce today. they are both wonderful. I think we both preferred Zion however we will let you make the call.
We drove in on 89 from Flagstaff which the road started out great until it started to get quite bumpy. We are leaving tomorrow 4/19 and will take 89 to 70 then east to arches and going to visit canyonlands. We wish you the very best on your trip. Have fun.

[Bill Adams]

Depending upon your travels and time available you are also going to want to visit Canyon DeChelly, Cortez, Co (cliff dwellings), 4 corners (a complete tourist trap, is not really where the 4 corners are located, but somewhere you will want to say you have been and take a picture of your feet in all 4 states!), Moab and Canyonland (or course). Let us know if you want more info on where to go on a return trip or where else you think you might want to go.

[GaryKD]

Hi chadandapril,
Welcome to iRV2. I was in this area last summer. Rt 160, 191, 163, 162 and 160 are all good quality roads. There are some ups and down but nothing a coach will have trouble with.

On the sightseeing, I have two out of the way places for you to consider. North of Monument Valley are:
Gooseneck State Park
Valley of the Gods

Gooseneck State Park - There is no admission fee. It is a short straight road to a breath taking overview of two ox bow turns in the San Juan river. It was the only thing that got my 14 yr old Gson to step back and say WOW. From Monument Valley, take 163 North to 261, just past Mexican Hat, take a left turn at the Goosneck Park sign, on the left. The route 316 sign may or may not be visible.

After visiting Gooseneck, take a left onto Rt 261, Go North and you will get to the West entrance to the Valley of the Gods. Only go into The Valley Of The Gods if there has been no rain. Follow the road through the valley. Even my Gkids were impressed. From the West, the first couple of miles is not inspiring. However, after that you will be impressed. There are pull outs for stops and picture taking.

The Vally of the Gods can be driven in a 2WD vehicle if there has been no rain. If there has been rain, 4WD is required. If there has been a lot of rain, do not go. This is dirt, off road travel. Approach all blind turns and hills with caution.

You'll exit at the East side of the Valley. Turn right on Rt 191. Got South to Mexican Hat (it is a town). There is a restaurant at the bridge (on the right). Stop there for a late lunch. After this stop, it's back to the CG.

You'll be tired.

FYI, most stay at Gouldings CG in Monument Valley. This is because there are no other choices close by to the South. To the North there is a CG in Mexican Hat and two CGs in Bluff. Gouldings is expensive for a dirt full hookup site. The indoor pool is very small. CG roads are tight. The wind constantly blows dirt through the CG. Native American's own all this area. Be prepared to pay.

[chadandapril]

Thanks alot for the info it is greatly appreciated Do the campgrounds normally have vacancys ? It will be really hard for me to make reservations not knowing how long it will take from spot to spot We only have 2 weeks this trip im afraid we wont get to everthing this time around

[livnthedream]

chadandapril, Enjoy the journey

[RVThere]

We just did the Grand Canyon Skywalk which is about 2 hours north of Kingman. A little pricey but very cool to be 2000 feet above the canyone floor on a clear piece of glass!

As for campgrounds, get the Woodalls or Trailer Life campground guide. About 2 hours before we are ready to stop, my wife will call a campground from the road and make a reservation. Or if we are driving late at night, we use the book The Next Exit to find a Walmart to park in for the night.

[chadandapril]

Thanks RvThere Ive been just looking everthing up online but a book for the road sounds like a must have