Nc->co,az,ut,co,wy,sd

[rfg9585]

I am planning a trip this summer, looking at about 40days or so. What do you think of this route and the days staying. I am also concerned about driving thru the CO mountains in a 40ftMH towing a wrangler (H160. I drove thru the smokies on route 441 with no issues but the rockies might be diff story. Thoughts?

Alamosa,Co 1 (Sand Dunes NP
Durango, CO 2 (train ride maybe
Cortez, CO 3 (Mesa Verde
Jacob Lake, AZ 3 (GC north rim
Mt Carmel, UT 3 (Zion, etc
Bryce, UT 3 (Bryce
Torrey, UT 3 (Capital Reef
Mohab, UT 4 (Arches, Canyonland
Estes Park, CO 2 (Rocky Mtn NP
Gillette, WY 4 (FMCA Rally
Rapid City, SD 5 (Rushmore, Custer, etc
Badlands 2 (Badlands NP


NOTE: will have 5yr old granddaughter

[rk911]

sounds like a nice trip. don't dawdle making reservations.

[vito.a]

It does sound like a great trip. I would add an excursion after the north rim around to Williams-Flagstaff and south to Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon. Well worth the time. Avoid 89A through the switchbacks. Take I-17 south from I-40 to Rt 179.
Sign your grandduaghter up for the Jr Ranger program.

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by rfg9585

I am planning a trip this summer, looking at about 40days or so. What do you think of this route and the days staying. I am also concerned about driving thru the CO mountains in a 40ftMH towing a wrangler (H160. I drove thru the smokies on route 441 with no issues but the rockies might be diff story. Thoughts?

Alamosa,Co 1 (Sand Dunes NP
Durango, CO 2 (train ride maybe
Cortez, CO 3 (Mesa Verde
Jacob Lake, AZ 3 (GC north rim
Mt Carmel, UT 3 (Zion, etc
Bryce, UT 3 (Bryce
Torrey, UT 3 (Capital Reef
Mohab, UT 4 (Arches, Canyonland
Estes Park, CO 2 (Rocky Mtn NP
Gillette, WY 4 (FMCA Rally
Rapid City, SD 5 (Rushmore, Custer, etc
Badlands 2 (Badlands NP


NOTE: will have 5yr old granddaughter

Couple notes right off the top - Does the 5 YO have a Friend? Just saying ...... just one is not easy.

You have 35 days planned - with half in CO - Utah - AZ - in the Heat - Real Heat! If you only have 40 days that must not count the Drive out and Back?

There is a Whole Lot more to see and do in Colorado - than RMNP - Trust me - A WHOLE lot More.

Train ride is a long day if taken up and Back Really Long - Possible bus back - with a 5 YO not so sure I'd try.

What is the Mission - You - or the 5 YO? Kids will be Bored in a Hurry - I'd look for water - streams - lakes - reservoirs .......

I've got 6 Granddaughters Trust me about 1/3 of this is all they will enjoy - Really need to work on this if any of it is for the Kid, JMHO.

I'd trade half of this for a State Park with Water - say Ridgway SP in Ridgway - water - Mountains Couple of neat towns, lot's of Water - wild beautiful - say a week +. Cooler - On the way to Mesa Verde - One of the Wonders of the World and Fun.

Will follow to see which way this goes - not a Bad trip just a lot ....... pushed into a Little Time - JMHO,

note - if that jeep can go off road You and the San Juan's will be Smiling

[twogypsies]

Good suggestions above from Busskipper.

If you need to do some adding/subtracting to days here are some ideas:

More time in Durango... definitely take the bus back if doing the train

Less in Cortez - even a drive-thru would do. It's not a park for a 5-yr-old

Grand Canyon North Rim - definitely pre-arrange for a tour of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in nearby Kanab. Granddaughter (& you) will love it. Coral Pink Sands State Park has gorgeous sand dunes; coral pink ones. You won't need a lot of time specifically for Grand Canyon. It's a small area to cover.

Estes Park - maybe an extra day for some ranger programs and doing something commercial in Estes, itself, for your granddaughter.

Badlands - She would probably enjoy Wall Drugs more. From Wall on the highway there's a half loop through Badlands taking you back out to the same highway to continue east.

I also agree that letting the 5-yr-old bring a friend will give more enjoyment to her and will be a LOT easier on you. They can entertain themselves while you relax at times.

Capitol Reef - doesn't need that many days unless you'll be doing some 4-wheeling or hiking. You can cover the park itself in one day.

All are nice places. Enjoy!

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

Good suggestions above from Busskipper.

If you need to do some adding/subtracting to days here are some ideas:

More time in Durango... definitely take the bus back if doing the train

Less in Cortez - even a drive-thru would do. It's not a park for a 5-yr-old

Grand Canyon North Rim - definitely pre-arrange for a tour of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in nearby Kanab. Granddaughter (& you) will love it. Coral Pink Sands State Park has gorgeous sand dunes; coral pink ones. You won't need a lot of time specifically for Grand Canyon. It's a small area to cover.

Estes Park - maybe an extra day for some ranger programs and doing something commercial in Estes, itself, for your granddaughter.

Badlands - She would probably enjoy Wall Drugs more. From Wall on the highway there's a half loop through Badlands taking you back out to the same highway to continue east.

I also agree that letting the 5-yr-old bring a friend will give more enjoyment to her and will be a LOT easier on you. They can entertain themselves while you relax at times.

Capitol Reef - doesn't need that many days unless you'll be doing some 4-wheeling or hiking. You can cover the park itself in one day.

All are nice places. Enjoy!

- -


Great suggestions,

[rfg9585]

Originally Posted by Busskipper

Couple notes right off the top - Does the 5 YO have a Friend? Just saying ...... just one is not easy.

You have 35 days planned - with half in CO - Utah - AZ - in the Heat - Real Heat! If you only have 40 days that must not count the Drive out and Back?

There is a Whole Lot more to see and do in Colorado - than RMNP - Trust me - A WHOLE lot More.

Train ride is a long day if taken up and Back Really Long - Possible bus back - with a 5 YO not so sure I'd try.

What is the Mission - You - or the 5 YO? Kids will be Bored in a Hurry - I'd look for water - streams - lakes - reservoirs .......

I've got 6 Granddaughters Trust me about 1/3 of this is all they will enjoy - Really need to work on this if any of it is for the Kid, JMHO.

I'd trade half of this for a State Park with Water - say Ridgway SP in Ridgway - water - Mountains Couple of neat towns, lot's of Water - wild beautiful - say a week +. Cooler - On the way to Mesa Verde - One of the Wonders of the World and Fun.

Will follow to see which way this goes - not a Bad trip just a lot ....... pushed into a Little Time - JMHO,

note - if that jeep can go off road You and the San Juan's will be Smiling

I too am concerned about such a tight time schedule. Mainly because I don't think we'll be doing aa lot of activities(hiking,etc) with a 5yr old. Mostly look and go. Will have the jeep and definitely will find some trails. All over Q this past Jan. Looking forward to more.

Not sure if I want to actually do train ride in durango. 5yr old will get bored fast....

Guess I am still up in the air whether to do a time trip with a 5yr old vs doing it later without, or at least when she starts hiking.

Another big questions for folks that have been before me.... Am I stopping at the right places in UT or should I trim down my stops and make longer day trips. Not sure best ways to weigh #stops\moves vs long day trips. Should I remove some stops even in CO to add time to a more centralized # of stops in UT?

I am so indecisive....

[Scott 3]

If reservations are not available in Estes Park try the Granby area.

In the Durango area (Ouray, etc.) consider renting a Jeep a side by side or going on a guided tour up into the mountains. The trails are spectacular. Search this area on YouTube.

For Mount Rushmore consider the Mount Rushmore KOA Palmer Gulch. It has a lot for kids.

[Danattherock]

Taking the grand daughter, fantastic, for you and her. That's exactly why we bought our first travel trailer this past March. We have tent camped our whole lives, numerous remote rafting and canoe 2 week trips in Alaska, but never been in a camper. They sent my kids home from school and we bought a camper the following week. Making memories on the road our plan, which has been one of the best decisions we ever made. 70+ nights in it this past 11 months.

First suggestion, for the ride there and back from NC, stay at a KOA with a swimming pool each night. My kids look forward to their pool time on travel days. This is a big thing to little people. KOA are all along the interstate of course, convenient stops for you, and the kids will love the swimming pool after being in back of the truck all day.

Lots of great advice above, and I'm the new guy. But our kids are 6&8 so I wanted to chime in on some specific hobbit friendly activities, which is part of our trip planning also. We took first big trip this past August, from NC to South Dakota and Colorado, best 22 days our family could have dreamed of. Heading out to Colorado again in July, then to Utah.

Durango, skip the 9 hour round trip on the train, no normal hobbit will enjoy this, which means neither will you. Instead, while near Custer SP do the 3-4 hour round trip 1886? Train ride from Hill City. Pretty scenery, some old history in this narrated tour, old morse code type lines, prior to phones being used, etc.

In Durango, a very family friendly rafting trip on the lower Animas with Mild to Wild rafting. The premium package would put you guys in your own raft with a guide, covid friendly rafting trip on mild flow. We are going in July.

Moab, while there consider day trip stopping by Sego petroglyphs, and others along I70 area, several options. Then heading west on 70 briefly to go over to Goblin valley state park, kid friendly, walk around at your leisure among the odd shaped rocks. Then head over to san rafael swell, nearby, and drive the buckhorn wash road. Videos on youtube look spectacular, the county, Avery/Emery??, Tourism website will send you very useful pdf. While in Moab, drive shafer trail, short and scenic. Many youtube videos on this. Looks great for the kids.

Badlands in SD are spectacular, we spent one night at the dispersed camping area. Wall drug she will like for sure, good restaurant inside for a burger, or chicken strips and fries, lol. Lots of gifts, kid shop, books, etc. While at badlands, if entering below Wall Drugs, soon as you enter badlands take first right on a dirt road. Goes for miles, beautiful scenery and lots of wildlife. We saw two herds of buffalo, 50-70 each. Also saw ram sheep climbing the cliffs, a great memory of mine. Kids loved that. Same at Custer SP, take the wildlife loop drive early or late in day. Kids want to see animals!

At Custer state park, down near bottom of wildlife loop, just below airport if I recall, turn off and a very scenic dirt road goes eventually to blueberry horse campground, then the main blueberry campground, or similar name. Bluebell perhaps. It's basically a cut through dirt road within the loop. We got stuck in Buffalo traffic jam there, my kids fondest memory of whole 22 day trip.

While at Custer, be sure to take her to Reptile Gardens, I cringe when I hear of these tourist trap type attractions, but this place was an exception. Within a mile or so are reptile gardens, dinosaur museum, and bear something?. Reptile gardens the best if only doing one, we did all three one morning, kid friendly time for sure. The bear place is a drive through zoo basically, elk, various animals, and then towards end lots of bears, like 40-50. My kids loved it, me not so much, I prefer animals in their natural habitat. But hey, she's 5, so they see things differently then we do.

The above advice about getting kids near water is always the right answer. My kids could spend hours playing in a mud puddle. Lakes, kayaking rentals, lower Animas river rafting in Durango, skipping rocks, roadside pull offs by rivers, driving up road from moab that parallels the river eastward, Panguitch lake if in that area, a beautiful lake at Custer SP with hiking around it, and good rainbow trout fishing, so many worthwhile stops for your granddaughter. Water is always a winner. Our love for water in our DNA, kids are very intune with this, my casual observation.

Hope you guys make many great memories. Image below of me doing the same at Badlands dispersed camping area, courtesy of some plastic toys from Wall Drugs, lol.

Dan
NC

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by Danattherock

Taking the grand daughter, fantastic, for you and her. That's exactly why we bought our first travel trailer this past March. We have tent camped our whole lives, numerous remote rafting and canoe 2 week trips in Alaska, but never been in a camper. They sent my kids home from school and we bought a camper the following week. Making memories on the road our plan, which has been one of the best decisions we ever made. 70+ nights in it this past 11 months.

First suggestion, for the ride there and back from NC, stay at a KOA with a swimming pool each night. My kids look forward to their pool time on travel days. This is a big thing to little people. KOA are all along the interstate of course, convenient stops for you, and the kids will love the swimming pool after being in back of the truck all day.

Lots of great advice above, and I'm the new guy. But our kids are 6&8 so I wanted to chime in on some specific hobbit friendly activities, which is part of our trip planning also. We took first big trip this past August, from NC to South Dakota and Colorado, best 22 days our family could have dreamed of. Heading out to Colorado again in July, then to Utah.

Durango, skip the 9 hour round trip on the train, no normal hobbit will enjoy this, which means neither will you. Instead, while near Custer SP do the 3-4 hour round trip 1886? Train ride from Hill City. Pretty scenery, some old history in this narrated tour, old morse code type lines, prior to phones being used, etc.

In Durango, a very family friendly rafting trip on the lower Animas with Mild to Wild rafting. The premium package would put you guys in your own raft with a guide, covid friendly rafting trip on mild flow. We are going in July.

Moab, while there consider day trip stopping by Sego petroglyphs, and others along I70 area, several options. Then heading west on 70 briefly to go over to Goblin valley state park, kid friendly, walk around at your leisure among the odd shaped rocks. Then head over to san rafael swell, nearby, and drive the buckhorn wash road. Videos on youtube look spectacular, the county, Avery/Emery??, Tourism website will send you very useful pdf. While in Moab, drive shafer trail, short and scenic. Many youtube videos on this. Looks great for the kids.

Badlands in SD are spectacular, we spent one night at the dispersed camping area. Wall drug she will like for sure, good restaurant inside for a burger, or chicken strips and fries, lol. Lots of gifts, kid shop, books, etc. While at badlands, if entering below Wall Drugs, soon as you enter badlands take first right on a dirt road. Goes for miles, beautiful scenery and lots of wildlife. We saw two herds of buffalo, 50-70 each. Also saw ram sheep climbing the cliffs, a great memory of mine. Kids loved that. Same at Custer SP, take the wildlife loop drive early or late in day. Kids want to see animals!

At Custer state park, down near bottom of wildlife loop, just below airport if I recall, turn off and a very scenic dirt road goes eventually to blueberry horse campground, then the main blueberry campground, or similar name. Bluebell perhaps. It's basically a cut through dirt road within the loop. We got stuck in Buffalo traffic jam there, my kids fondest memory of whole 22 day trip.

While at Custer, be sure to take her to Reptile Gardens, I cringe when I hear of these tourist trap type attractions, but this place was an exception. Within a mile or so are reptile gardens, dinosaur museum, and bear something?. Reptile gardens the best if only doing one, we did all three one morning, kid friendly time for sure. The bear place is a drive through zoo basically, elk, various animals, and then towards end lots of bears, like 40-50. My kids loved it, me not so much, I prefer animals in their natural habitat. But hey, she's 5, so they see things differently then we do.

The above advice about getting kids near water is always the right answer. My kids could spend hours playing in a mud puddle. Lakes, kayaking rentals, lower Animas river rafting in Durango, skipping rocks, roadside pull offs by rivers, driving up road from Moab that parallels the river eastward, Panguitch lake if in that area, a beautiful lake at Custer SP with hiking around it, and good rainbow trout fishing, so many worthwhile stops for your granddaughter. Water is always a winner. Our love for water in our DNA, kids are very in tune with this, my casual observation.

Hope you guys make many great memories. Image below of me doing the same at Badlands dispersed camping area, courtesy of some plastic toys from Wall Drugs, lol.

Dan
NC

Read this entire post - then Read it Again - Take Notes - this is Good Info - This is what you Want!

Good Job, Dan

[rfg9585]

Based on feedback I got here and from outside sources, I think we'll push WY, and SD off till next year. Will catch it on our way to the Newmar Calgary rally next year (fingers crossed)!! This way I can focus more on CO, UT, and AZ.

That being the case, do I have the right numbers\location of stops in UT, or should I approach it a little different now with change of plans.

[SteveJ.]

Burr Trail at Boulder, UT. Off of UT12.

[rfg9585]

Originally Posted by vito.a

It does sound like a great trip. I would add an excursion after the north rim around to Williams-Flagstaff and south to Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon. Well worth the time. Avoid 89A through the switchbacks. Take I-17 south from I-40 to Rt 179.
Sign your grandduaghter up for the Jr Ranger program.

Thanks! Did Sedona and 89a in 2019. Looking for something new, although I will say that Sedona was the most beautiful place I think I've been except for maybe Switzerland, and some parts of Peru. O and Tahiti .....

[Busskipper]

Originally Posted by rfg9585

Based on feedback I got here and from outside sources, I think we'll push WY, and SD off till next year. Will catch it on our way to the Newmar Calgary rally next year (fingers crossed)!! This way I can focus more on CO, UT, and AZ.

That being the case, do I have the right numbers\location of stops in UT, or should I approach it a little different now with change of plans.

https://www.townoflyons.com/349/LaVern-M-Johnson-Park

https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/StVrain

https://butterflies.org/

https://www.cityofgolden.net/play/re...creek-rv-park/

https://www.mychildsmuseum.org/

https://bcfm.org/

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Di...4d-106.0610787

https://www.avon.org/431/Nottingham-Lake-and-Beach

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti..._Colorado.html

https://www.uncovercolorado.com/state-parks/stagecoach/

https://www.reserveamerica.com/explo...50041/overview

https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/YampaRiver

https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/Ridgway

https://ourayhotsprings.com/

https://www.visitgrandcounty.com/exp...wns/grand-lake

https://www.nps.gov/dino/index.htm

https://www.discovermoab.com/scenic-byways/

https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/231907

https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/green-river/

Just for starters - Look over see if any might work into your schedule.

Hope this helps,

edit note - The Bells - https://www.google.com/search?q=maro...hrome&ie=UTF-8