Trip ideas and suggestions

[aptao]

My wife and I are planning a month long trip for next year from St Louis to NM, AZ, UT, CO. We are thinking about from mid Sept - Oct. We have a Class C Winnebago View. We would welcome any and all suggestions, recommendations, route planning, lessons learned, hidden gems, etc. Thanks

[hgtyd]

Valley of the Fire just outside of Las Vegas is an absolutely gorgeous place. It is about 40 miles north east of Vegas. It is a Nevada State Park and, unfortunately, they do not take reservations. If you get there on a Monday you shouldn't have a problem getting a spot. They have quite a few full hook up sites. Sites are very generous in size. Because of the beautiful red rock landscape, sunrises and sunsets are fantastic.

We are from Reno, NV and there are lots of gorgeous spots around us. Lake Tahoe is a definite must see.

We have traveled quite a bit through Nevada, Arizona, Utah and some in Colorado. If you come up with any specific questions regarding your travels, give us a holler.

[Bedlam]

1. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs
2. Arches and Moab in UT
3. Balloon Festival in Albuquerque
4. Tombstone, Sedona and Lake Havasou in AZ

BTW: Plenty of dry camping available on eastern side of Valley of Fire that does not require fees or reservations.

[FirstTracks]

I just posted a reply in another topic with similar questions, and it may prove useful to you: http://www.irv2.com/forums/f69/going...ml#post3945970

In addition, since you mention Colorado as well, the San Juan Mountains, including Silverton, Durango, Ouray and Telluride are a must-see in September:

Silverton, CO:




The ghost town of Animas Forks, CO:


Red Mountain Pass, along US-550 between Silverton and Ouray:


Telluride, CO:






Our camp south of Telluride:


Mesa Verde National Park, west of Durango:

[Joseph08]

The location is breathtaking. You must had an amazing time.

[FirstTracks]

Originally Posted by Joseph08

The location is breathtaking. You must had an amazing time.

It is indeed truly breathtaking, and we had such an amazing time that we returned this past September:

https://youtu.be/wte47AEZzwA

[Mrb1ll]

Originally Posted by aptao

My wife and I are planning a month long trip for next year from St Louis to NM, AZ, UT, CO. We are thinking about from mid Sept - Oct. We have a Class C Winnebago View. We would welcome any and all suggestions, recommendations, route planning, lessons learned, hidden gems, etc. Thanks

If you venture over to the Las Vegas area please let me know what questions you have and I’ll be happy to try and provide good answers. I’ve lived here 36 years so I feel comfortable giving you what I hope is good advice. At a minimum we always enjoy getting together with fellow like minded travelers, i.e. RVers, for a meal and conversation.

We visit New Mexico at least once each year and I’m assuming you are taking I40 through Albuquerque. I’d never miss the chance to venture 80 miles north via I25 to Santa Fe, NM. A wonder arts town with some spectacular food. We host a food tour of the town but you need a week to eat your way through. Of course we would be happy to recommend some places. And, by way of recommendations, the Santa Fe Skies RV Park is terrific. Often visitors recommendations are from people so impressed with the restrooms that they begin their reviews with pictures of that area. Hosts are great, nice rustic sites with a spectacular view of the town.

Happy trails to you and hope to see you sometime,

MrB1LL

[Dr. Den]

You have to ride the steam locomotive from Silverton to Durango !

[FirstTracks]

Originally Posted by Dr. Den

You have to ride the steam locomotive from Silverton to Durango !

We agree! After two visits to the San Juans in two years, we finally returned for a third visit this past spring and rode the train's first run to Silverton of the season:

https://youtu.be/Uw087seVq_o

One word of advice: we did the round-trip train, which makes for a very, very long day. Pay the few extra bucks to bus back to Durango from Silverton instead.

[winniman]

If you are interested in Route 66, there is lots of interesting stuff along the way. Arizona has many of the old towns that are still on the old highway. Lots of info on the web if you are interested. We liked Oatman Az. Also the Grand Canyon, and Page were good stops, as well as Sedona. Zion National park was amazing in Utah, as well as Monument Valley. I love the whole area there. I will return there again, hopefully next winter.

[FirstTracks]

Originally Posted by winniman

If you are interested in Route 66, there is lots of interesting stuff along the way. Arizona has many of the old towns that are still on the old highway. Lots of info on the web if you are interested. We liked Oatman Az. Also the Grand Canyon, and Page were good stops, as well as Sedona. Zion National park was amazing in Utah, as well as Monument Valley. I love the whole area there. I will return there again, hopefully next winter.

We did the stretch of Historic Route 66 from Albuquerque to Flagstaff, but we've visited many of the other spots you mention on other trips. Oatman and its herd of "wild" (but ridiculously sociable/hungry) burros is cheesy and touristy in a good sort of way, and seriously cool. We visited Oatman while boondocking nearby at Lake Havasu. If camping near Page, Lone Rock Beach is a very unique experience, dry camping right on the sand at the water's edge of Lake Powell. Zion is spectacular but annoyingly busy, although you can get away from the crowds by heading up Kolob Terrace instead of Zion Canyon (you'll need a permit if you want to hike the Subway off Kolob Terrace). And if you want to boondock in Monument Valley-like scenery just off the reservation, head just a few miles north to BLM land in Valley of the Gods outside of Mexican Hat, Utah.

We have videos of all of these places on our YouTube channel, and I'm happy to serve up links if anyone wants them.

[Jyrocharlie]

So many, NASA museum in Florida.
Ft Sill Artillery museum.
Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings in Co.
Big Bend National Park. Tx.
Cherokee Nc.
Janice Joplin Museum
The Alamo in Texas