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bubbasid · 04-18-2022, 06:52 AM

Sid and Linda McGinnis. 2017 Newmar Canyon Star 3911 gas rig. I'm a retired truck driver and didn't want diesel for lots of reasons. This is the best rig we have ever had. Wife is in wheel chair and this rv is perfect for us. Have traveled mainly in California as that is where we lived most of our time. We now live in Oklahoma and really prefer living here as the traffic is so much better. Looking forward to traveling come late Spring to nowhere in particular. We will travel to the West Coast through Amarillo, thru New Mexico then Arizona. Can someone recommend good places to stay in route?

Mark_K5LXP · 04-18-2022, 12:22 PM

What's "good" - ? There are "good" campgrounds, RV parks, RV resorts, to "good" wal marts depending on what you want to see. The route through these states matters too.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

Coarsegold · 04-18-2022, 12:28 PM

What roads/route do you think you will use to arrive in Cali?

bigb56 · 04-18-2022, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bubbasid

Sid and Linda McGinnis. 2017 Newmar Canyon Star 3911 gas rig. I'm a retired truck driver and didn't want diesel for lots of reasons. This is the best rig we have ever had. Wife is in wheel chair and this rv is perfect for us. Have traveled mainly in California as that is where we lived most of our time. We now live in Oklahoma and really prefer living here as the traffic is so much better. Looking forward to traveling come late Spring to nowhere in particular. We will travel to the West Coast through Amarillo, thru New Mexico then Arizona. Can someone recommend good places to stay in route?

Late spring will already be pretty hot in much of Arizona, you may want to consider staying in the mountainous regions. Do you want private campgrounds or forest?

twogypsies · 04-18-2022, 12:51 PM

There are good campgrounds all over those states. Plan your route and then we could help better.

Are you driving on interstates or secondary highways where you'll see more than billboards and traffic?

AJMike · 04-19-2022, 07:25 AM

You need to make sure you take the northern route through both New Mexico and Arizona if you are going to travel in the summer. Summertime temperatures in southern Arizona are so high as to make travel a burden if you wish to get out and see anything.

In Arizona I would stay on the I-40 as then you should be high enough to avoid the real heat, and I suspect the same is true for New Mexico. We live in southern Arizona and always go to the mountains in the summer to get out of the stifling heat.

sbleiweiss · 04-19-2022, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJMike

You need to make sure you take the northern route through both New Mexico and Arizona if you are going to travel in the summer.

True, BUT: Even on the northern route to CA, you will have a full day or so driving through the Mohave Desert after you pass the high elevation stuff (Flagstaff, Williams, Grand Canyon) in AZ. If you really want to miss desert heat you need to be all the way up on I-80. Just sayin.

Cooperhawk · 04-19-2022, 08:01 AM

We've done the I40 trip a few times and that's the way I would go in the Summer for sure. There are a lot of things to do on that route as well.

In OKC we always stay at the Twin Fountains RV Resort. It's nicely located to see a lot of sites in OKC.

In Amarillo We stay at the Big Texan camp ground. They have limo service to the Big Texan Steak House. Good food, atmosphere, and entertainment.

In Albuquerque we stay at the All American RV Park. There is a lot to see in the area and it's only a good hours drive to Santa Fe as well.

We have overnighted in Gallop, NM but usually we go on to Holbrook and stay at the campground there. The Petrified Forest and Painted Desert are close by.

Then of course there is Winslow Arizona as in the Eagles song.

Do stop in and see the Meteor Crater National Landmark. It's a privately owned park, but sure worth seeing.

Then of course, Flagstaff. We have never actually stayed there, but have driven in to do shopping, ect.

Next is Williams AZ. Gateway to the Grand Canyon. There are CGs closer to the canyon and one actually in the park itself, but Williams is an old town right on old RTE 66 and a fun place to visit. There are several CGs in town and a Train Ride to the canyon if you so desire. We don't, we like to drive as there's a lot to see on the way.

Now that's as far west as we go, but on down the road is California.

Hope this helps.

Marine359 · 04-19-2022, 08:32 AM

If you’re taking I-40 west:
Weatherford, OK lot docking at Stafford Air and Space Museum. Free stay. Pretty good museum. Reserve through Harvest Host.
Worthwhile to stop overnight and lot dock at Navajo Nation Museum in Window Rock on the Navajo Reservation north of Gallup. Free stay. Great history experience. Reserve through Harvest Host.
Santa Fe Skies RV Resort in Santa Fe. Reasonably priced. Good views. Close to lots of stuff to see and do. Walmart 3 miles away.
When you get to Flagstaff, you can either go north to Grand Canyon NP or south on 89a to Sedona. We stayed on BLM FR525 outside Sedona but didn’t like it due to crowding and too many off roaders. Prefer Rancho Sedona RV Resort.
Then you can head south on 260/I-17. Just outside (north) of Phoenix there are three really nice State Parks. Inexpensive, quiet, sites not close to each other, clean restrooms, but no sewer hook up. But they all have dual dump stations.
From there if you want to head for Southern California, it’s a beauty to overnite (or more) boondocking at Imperial Dunes dispersed just west of Winterhaven. One of the nicest BLM areas we’ve stayed at. No crowds. You can set-up over 100 yards from closest neighbor. No noisy ATVs. They all head for the dunes a couple of miles away.

If you continue west on I-40 from Flagstaff, you can drop down to Lost Wages, and stay at the beautiful Lake Mead National Recreation Area. They have 3 campgrounds. Inexpensive no sewer. Dual dump station.

Have a fun and safe trip.
In SoCal, everything is expensive and hard to book. If you have military base privileges, by all means do stay at San Onofre CG on Camp Pendleton near Oceanside. Right on the beach.

bigchick · 04-19-2022, 08:37 AM

i'm assuming you will be taking i-40.

here are some place we have stayed along i-40
route 66 rv park (albuquerque)
american rv park (albuquerque)
koa (grants)
usa rv park (gallup)
meteor crater rv park (winslow)
railroad hotel rv park (williams)
railside rv park (williams)
koa (needles)

if you stay in williams you should consider taking the train into the grand canyon.

hope you have a nice trip

Marine359 · 04-19-2022, 08:47 AM

Oops, (edit) what I called state parks north of Phoenix are really Maricopa County parks.

DandyDon · 04-19-2022, 08:41 PM

Just on the west side of Amarillo there is the Oasis RV park. Very nice place and reasonably priced.
We've stayed at the Route 66 RV park in Albuquerque and found it very nice.
The Railroad RV park in Williams Arizona is nice. L

sbleiweiss · 04-20-2022, 07:45 AM

[QUOTE=south on 89a to Sedona. We stayed on BLM FR525 outside Sedona but didn’t like it due to crowding and too many off roaders. Prefer Rancho Sedona RV Resort.[/QUOTE]

89A is a windy, narrow mountain road between Flagstaff and Sedona. It is limited to 40 feet long vehicles normally, but is under construction this Spring/Summer and is limited to even shorter and has an 8 foot width limitation too. Take I-17 south from Flagstaff to 179 to Sedona. Rancho Sedona is a very nice park right inside Sedona, but expensive and hard to book. Make reservations early.

twogypsies · 04-20-2022, 04:55 PM

Dead Horse Ranch State Park in nearby Cottonwood is the place to stay for touring very busy Sedona.

BTW.... there's a large fire going on right now in Flagstaff, AZ near I-40 & 89 - Sunset Crater's beautiful area.