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01-04-2025, 03:17 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2024
Posts: 4
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Desert Southwest trip itinerary for March and April 2025
Newbie here, would like to get some travel tips and ideas for visiting the desert southwest this coming early spring. We will be leaving from Michigan traveling in a 2022 DutchStar 4081. We plan on spending March and April. Would like to see some nation parks plus other areas of interest. I have no experience with this area and not sure where to start. Does anyone have any suggestions on where I may find some kind of RV travel itinerary with places to stay or visit? Is the weather that time of year ok for motor home travel? I am a member of RV LIFE and FMCA. We are retired and have some flexibility. I have nothing reserved at this time. I find making campground reservations stressful as travel plans can sometimes change. We prefer full hook camping. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks
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01-04-2025, 06:17 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Texas
Posts: 402
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Skipper52,
One of the places I would suggest is Big Bend National Park. We have stayed there a couple of times and loved it. The RV park we stayed in was Maverick Ranch RV Park. It is a very nice park with lots of amenities. Other RV parks within Big Bend, but of all of them we liked this one the best.
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JMcG
2017 Ventana 3724
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01-04-2025, 06:54 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Excel Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Posts: 7,220
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I have lived most of life in the southwest and traveled these areas plenty.
At lower elevations March/April should be nice weather for the most part. Days will be warm and some nights may still get around freezing in some places. No freeze up issues. Not cold enough for long enough to matter.
There are plenty of mountains in the southwest and those passes may still be winter like at times with possible snow at the higher elevations even into April. But you can route around those areas.
For attractions:
Big Bend NP, Tx
Guadalupe Mountains NP, Tx
White Sands NP, NM
Carlsbad Caverns NP, NM
Gila Cliff Dwellings NM SP (New Mexico State Park)
Valley of Fires NM SP
Poncho Villa NM SP
VLA (Very Large Antenna) near Socorro NM
Space Museum in Alamogordo, NM
Great New Mexican food in Las Cruces, NM
Joshua Tree National Park, NP (on Arizona California birder)
Petrified Forest NP
Painted Desert, AZ
Meteor Crater, AZ
Saguaros NP, AZ
Sedona, AZ
This is quick list of National and State parks in a three state area making up much of the southwest desert. While driving you see some of the varied landscape and vegetation of these areas. Most of this area includes parts of the Mohave, Chihuahuan and Sonoran Deserts.
If you travel north in Arizona through Sedona to Flagstaff you will get a small taste mid elevation ponderosa pine forests at Flagstaff, AZ.
You can get to most of these areas from I10 & I40 with various US and state highways for the last distance.
Enjoy your trip!!
__________________
Fred & Denise (RVM157) New Mexico
2007 Excel Classic 30RSO & soon ORV 19MKS
2007 RAM 3500 Diesel 6Spd Auto, SWD, 4x4, CC&LB
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01-04-2025, 07:03 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 108
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if you find yourself in So. Cal. look up Yucaipa Regional Park near San Bernardino. Really nice RV spots.
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2021 Newmar Ventana 3407
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01-04-2025, 07:05 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Texas
Posts: 402
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rarebear.nm
Some great information for the guys from the N.E. A little cool at night for their time frame, but the days should be great.
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JMcG
2017 Ventana 3724
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01-04-2025, 07:09 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Rogers, AR
Posts: 2,874
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Just a general suggestion, to make a loop, I would head south first, possibly down to I-40, Oklahoma City area, then west, Amarillo, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, Pheonix. Getting there you'll be well over 7000 feet and some bad weather (snow) is a real possibility that time of year, also high winds across the plains states. We travel that route in Feb and Apr and have experienced both. Then pick out a northern route for your trip back home.
One year we stayed at Meteor Crater RV Park, saw the crater, then headed west to Flagstaff after an overnight snow. The mountain you see headed west was brilliantly white with the sun shinning on it. Another year we didn't quit driving until past Flagstaff and down I-17 toward Pheonix, because of snow forecast and I-40 was closed the next morning. Another neat experience was heading down to the Mesa area from the NE over the 7000 ft area, had snowed overnight but roads were cleared by plows. All vegetation was covered by snow and wild horses were stand on the edge of highway to eat grass uncovered by the plows.
Have seen many wildfires in the NM area and was camped overnight at the SW corner of Amarillo when the largest wildfire Texas ever had came into the NE corner of Amarillo, was a bit smokey where we were but no danger.
__________________
2019 Fleetwood Discovery LXE 40M w/2021 Equinox
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01-04-2025, 08:40 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Posts: 363
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I'd also recommend including Moab, Utah to see Canyonlands and Arches National Park, Zion National Park in Southern, Utah, and Page, Arizona to see the slot canyons. There's also Monument Valley near the 4 corners.
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Tom & Linda
2016 Dutch Star 4369
2016 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited
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01-04-2025, 10:49 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Enjoying the Western States!
Posts: 20,707
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April is getting hot is the lower elevations of Phoenix/Tucson; not unbearable but it will be warm. I'd head to the lower elevations first and gradually work you way to places of higher elevation.
In the Southwest you travels should take into account elevations of the areas. Above 5,000' will have cold nights.
We drove on I-40 east from Flagstaff, AZ one year at the end of May and we and many others were stranded in a snowstorm in the middle of I-40 just before Albuquerque, NM. Had to sit there while they plowed. That's when having a RV is nice! Of course, this doesn't happen every year but just to give you an idea of traveling in elevations.
Have a great trip!
__________________
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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01-05-2025, 09:23 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Lake Havasu City, AZ
Posts: 1,787
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Skipper, Are you an Elk?
__________________
2019 Newmar Dutch Star 4328 K2
2017 Grand Cherokee Summit 5.7
2008 Beaver Contessa 40' Pacifica 425 Cat
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01-05-2025, 10:36 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Powell River, B.C.
Posts: 34,185
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On days when you're traveling west in the desert southwest , plan to be on the road early and off the road by 1:30 or so .
Driving west into the afternoon sun can make for a hot , uncomfortable afternoon .
__________________
99DSDP 3884, Freightliner, XC, CAT 3126B, 300 HP /ALLISON 3060
2000 Caravan toad, Remco & Blue Ox.
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01-05-2025, 06:14 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2023
Location: Phx AZ
Posts: 350
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Skipper, in AZ, on I-40, around Page. Horseshoe Bend, Upper and Lower Antelope canyons (amazing) as well as grand canyon. On I-10, look for Kartchner Caverns, USAF boneyard, Pinal Air Park. All will make your trip worth it. Sedona and Munds park are also nice. Enjoy your travels,
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JD & Heather Harris
Newmar, 2022 Ventana, 4334
Toad 2020 F-350, 8' Bed
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01-05-2025, 11:26 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Enjoying the Western States!
Posts: 20,707
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If planning on Sedona I'd highly recommend Dead Horse Ranch State Park in nearby Cottonwood. You'll avoid the traffic congestion in Sedona, itself.
Kartchner Caverns State Park has a nice campground with electric. (We gave the cave tours at Kartchner... highly recommended.
__________________
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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01-07-2025, 12:20 PM
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#13
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"Formerly Diplomat Don"
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Moorpark, Ca.
Posts: 25,325
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Rarebear gave you a great list of what to see in the southwest. All of those places are great, but you'll have to narrow it down to see the ones you're most interested in and will fit your travel.
As "Alank" said, if you intend to make a loop, I would go south first and return the northern route. This will increase your chance of missing snow.
One thing not on the list and very interesting, is the Minuteman Silo in South Dakota. If it's on or near your route, it's very interesting. Book tickets in advance.
Lastly, a lot of the southwest stuff has to do with the U.S. nuclear program, centered around White Sands N.P. (Alamagordo NM).
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Don & Mary
2019 Newmar Dutch Star 4018 (Freightliner)
2024 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali 4x4 6.2L
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01-08-2025, 07:45 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2023
Location: Bellingham, WA
Posts: 118
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twogypsies
April is getting hot is the lower elevations of Phoenix/Tucson; not unbearable but it will be warm. I'd head to the lower elevations first and gradually work you way to places of higher elevation.
In the Southwest you travels should take into account elevations of the areas. Above 5,000' will have cold nights.
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Important points. The desert SW has basically no humidity, so it can be broiling during the day and still get quite chilly at night. Elevation is a big factor in temperature--be sure you know where you plan to go and stay because in the early spring it can be quite hot at low elevations (eg Yuma) and still cold at high elevations (further north in AZ for example). Last year we left Yuma on April 8 IIRC and it was already hitting over 90 degrees--way too hot for us PNWers. For travel planning I'm a big fan of RVLife campground reviews--I find them pretty accurate compared to my experiences. However, not all campgrounds will be in their search function, so rely on other sources like Google maps as well when you need to. Have fun; you'll fall off your seats when you see the big mountains up close.
__________________
2004 MADP 4018 "BamBam" FL chassis, Neway IFS
2020 Wrangler Sahara Toad, Roadmaster Nighthawk, AF One
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