Palo Duro Canyon RV park recommendations?

[rk911]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

If you're there to explore the park - stay there. I don't understand this demand for full hookups when you're have it all onboard anyway.

not the OP but diff'rent strokes.

[High Road Travelers]

Originally Posted by Doug427

We're heading to Palo Duro Canyon in April. I'm trying to plan ahead now and make reservations. We're a 43' DP pulling a Jeep Liberty. We can't stay in the park itself, as the wife is 100% NOT going to stay anywhere that has no full hookups, and it's not negotiable with her. That rules out the park itself. Does anyone have a recommendation on a full hookup RV park in the area that will fit our rig? What else to do in the area? Thanks!

Doug, how long will you stay at a Palo Duro campground? We also tow a Jeep Liberty and we used to insist on full hookups. But we tried staying without sewer hookups and found that it made no difference if we just stayed 2 or 3 days (we operate off our fresh water tank for that time also). If we need air conditioning we do insist on electric hookup however.
One suggestion is that next time you camp in a full hookup campground, just do not hook up the sewer hose and fill your fresh water tank with water and use your onboard pump. Do your normal routine of showers, etc. - do this for two days and see how it works out. Hopefully your wife will see there is no difference in short stays without full hookups, and then you can enjoy many more real nice campgrounds such as state parks, COE and other national parks, etc.
Thanks,

[boomersooner]

https://app.fireflyreservations.com/...dExpired=False

Palo Duro Rim RV Campground.

This is right outside of the state park gate. Full hook ups, beautiful views, and long enough for our 38' DP and toad. We stayed here in August and visited the state park on our way from GA to Denver. Not much in the park, and you call and check in, never did we see anyone from the park during our two night stay.

[TXiceman]

The park is very nice, and surely you can operate on now sewer for a few nights without a sewer connection and dump on your way out. The suggestion of leaving her at a motel in town might be a great option.

Ken

[NITEHAWK]

We stayed at Palo Duro Rim CG about 5-6 years ago on our way back to Wisconsin.
Did some workcamping, things like picking up all windblown trash, totally cleaning the water supply house, and general cleanup.
The owner was trying to get the CG back up to a decent place after the elderly lady owner could no longer manage the place.
They had a zipline over their end of the canyon but only open on weekends.
Would we stay there again? Certainly, if things are the same or better. Not fancy, inexpensive, very level, convenient to going for a drive down in to the Canyon or up to a town.
Oh, just didn't think we could make the hairpin corners and the steep, steep inclines. OK for our Saturn Vue, but not for our class A. Way to easy to have the brakes heat up to failure point.
I strongly recommend that you park up top (like we did with our coach) and drive down with your towed. The Parking Gate attendant even recommends you do the car drive first!

[Doug427]

Originally Posted by rk911

Oasis RV Park on the west side of Amarillo. beautiful, clean, quiet,FHU, sat friendly.

Many have recommended Oasis. Thanks for the tip.

[Doug427]

Originally Posted by TXiceman

The park is very nice, and surely you can operate on now sewer for a few nights without a sewer connection and dump on your way out. The suggestion of leaving her at a motel in town might be a great option.

Ken

Iceman, what you say regarding going without sewer for a couple of days and dumping on the way out makes total sense. You've obviously never met my wife........

[Doug427]

By way of explanation - Yes, I know full well that we're very well equipped and fully capable of being off of full hookups for a couple of days. I get it. The other half knows that too. However, when she's out in the rig she wants to just feel like she's at home. If she wants to take a long shower, she wants to be able to do so without concern about water tank and grey tank planning. She wants her A/C. She wants her washer dryer and dishwasher whenever she wants it. We're all about getting out on the electric bikes to see things, driving the Liberty off road, etc. However, when we get back to the rig, she wants it to be like coming home, no worries or restrictions. Our rig is fuly capable of boondocking or being off grid, but that's not why we bought it. We bought it because it's beautiful, super comfortable and it's home away from home. My wife likes to say that it's our lake house that we put on whatever lake we choose. As someone said earlier, different strokes for different folks. Our rig is a 43' tag axle equipped top quality beauty from what I consider to be the golden age (mid 2000's) of Class A's, and we're lucky to have her. I don't even know if we'd be capable of getting all 43' of it down to the bottom of the canyon on those roads anyway. I have no problem whatsoever parking the rig a short distance away and taking the Liberty into the canyon. That's just fine with us. We saw Big Bend that way and immensely enjoyed it.



That said what else is there to see in the area? We'll be coming up from Houston so any ideas regarding what to stop for a night or two on the way there or back to see? Again, it'll be April so probably nice temps, but too cool for water based activities yet. Thanks to all for all the valuable input!

[Doug427]

Originally Posted by NITEHAWK

We stayed at Palo Duro Rim CG about 5-6 years ago on our way back to Wisconsin.
Did some workcamping, things like picking up all windblown trash, totally cleaning the water supply house, and general cleanup.
The owner was trying to get the CG back up to a decent place after the elderly lady owner could no longer manage the place.
They had a zipline over their end of the canyon but only open on weekends.
Would we stay there again? Certainly, if things are the same or better. Not fancy, inexpensive, very level, convenient to going for a drive down in to the Canyon or up to a town.
Oh, just didn't think we could make the hairpin corners and the steep, steep inclines. OK for our Saturn Vue, but not for our class A. Way to easy to have the brakes heat up to failure point.
I strongly recommend that you park up top (like we did with our coach) and drive down with your towed. The Parking Gate attendant even recommends you do the car drive first!

Thanks for the tips, we'll take a look at that place too.

[Charming]

I don't know your route north, we spent several nice days in Lubbock, we really liked the Ranch Heritage, Windmill, and Silent Wings museums.

If you go by way of Waco, the Mammoth National Monument and the Texas Ranger Museum and Hall of Fame are good stops.

[TXiceman]

Originally Posted by NITEHAWK

Oh, just didn't think we could make the hairpin corners and the steep, steep inclines. OK for our Saturn Vue, but not for our class A. Way to easy to have the brakes heat up to failure point.
I strongly recommend that you park up top (like we did with our coach) and drive down with your towed. The Parking Gate attendant even recommends you do the car drive first!

There are many larger rigs make the trip to the canyon bottom. We have been down and back up with an SUV and trailer and also our 40' 5er and DRW truck. Never any issues. All you do is gear down and take it easy going both ways.

If your rig is not in a good mechanical condition, I would recommend you stay elsewhere.

Ken

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by TXiceman

There are many larger rigs make the trip to the canyon bottom.

Agree. That little downhill is nothing like some of the mountain drives we've done. There should be no concern for going down. You're down in less than 5 minutes.

[rk911]

Originally Posted by TXiceman

...The suggestion of leaving her at a motel in town might be a great option.

Ken

not the op and i'm hoping that suggestion was made in jest. i can't imagine any circumstance where i'd leave my wife alone in a motel while I stayed in the RV.

[F4Gary]

Originally Posted by rk911

not the op and i'm hoping that suggestion was made in jest. i can't imagine any circumstance where i'd leave my wife alone in a motel while I stayed in the RV.

Might want to get that sense of humor back. Just sayin'.