30 day RV trip west from NC

[Sue46]

You might want to consider Rvtripwizard.com, a trip planning app.



This is there You Tube Channel.


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu8...pHjlqyZC0WRZdg

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by rockcity

We are pretty seasoned travelers and adventurers, but with this being our first big RV trip, I can’t help but think it’s going to turn into a real life version of the movie “we’re the Miller’s”.

You definitely need to do a short trip report on this forum when you return. We want to hear all about it! The good and the bad.

[danhannah]

"An extra day to tackle the urban adventures, many museums, and climbing parks of Chicago." Seeing Chicago would take us a week or two.

Adding an extra day for traffic in and out of Chicago, now that makes sense.

Maybe post from the road, as we are all wanting to hear how it goes!

[rockcity]

Many of these places would take us a week or more, normally. Heck, I’m by the beach in NC and I can spend a week at the beach and still not have enough time to do what I want.

Chicago was specifically for the baseball game. But we are going to get there a day early and hit up the Field Museum, a recommendation by one of my kids since they had been studying fossils in school this week and the Field Museum has been one of their topics.

We will Park well outside of Chicago and either drive the Jeep into the city or use public transportation. I’m used to driving my crew can f350 in NYC, so a Jeep in Chicago should be mostly manageable. But I certainly don’t want to bring a 40’ DP into the city.

[rockcity]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

You definitely need to do a short trip report on this forum when you return. We want to hear all about it! The good and the bad.

I am certainly going to do a trip report. I do have a you tube channel that I’m building content for, so this is going to be some prime content. Good and bad.

[Rolling Ragu]

Do you mind sharing your channel with us? Or, PM me? Thanks.

[Busskipper]

Couple links you may enjoy for your Sunday relaxation

https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/f...d/25301227.cfm

https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/f...d/26349709.cfm

http://www.christineboyce.com/RoadTrip2011/Ouray.html

These are from a guy who did all this a few years ago - when you posted made me remember a few of his trips - Wild - Sure........ Crazy - Maybe - but at least he did it and reported back with some Great images and I think he Loved it!

If you search or PM him you may get more info - Just a Thought,

Keep On Planning - It will be GREAT!!!!!!

[JakenJo]

Originally Posted by rockcity

Here is a quick trip breakdown that I've been working on. As I get ideas additional ideas, I can add them in and delete some things I put in there. Until then, this is what I've come up with.


June 16, Begin driving to Chicago and a campground
June 19, Chicago Cubs vs Boston Red Sox in Chicago
June 20, Drive to Omaha/Louisville State Recreation Area (7 hour drive)
June 21, Louisville State Recreation Area
June 22, Travel to Mt. Rushmore (8 hour drive)
June 23, Mt. Rushmore/Black Hills/Wind Cave
June 24, Mt. Rushmore/Wind Cave/Devils Tower
June 25, Devils Tower, travel to Yellowstone (7 hour drive)
June 26, Yellowstone
June 27, Yellowstone
June 28, Grand Tetons (1 hour drive from Yellowstone, may could just use the same campground for Yellowstone and Grand Tetons)
June 29, Drive to Dinosaur National Monument (6 hours).
June 30, Dinosaur National Monument
July 1, Drive to Moab, UT (4.5 hours)
July 2-4, Moab, Arches National Park, Canyonlands
July 5, Drive to Bryce/Zion (4.5 hours to Bryce)
July 6-8, Bryce and Zion (Zion is 1.5 hours from Bryce, may could use the same campground for both locations)
July 9, Drive to Valley of Fire (2.5 hours from Zion)
July 10-11, Valley of Fire, Hoover Dam, Elephant Rock
July 12, Drive to Grand Canyon (North Rim is 6 hours, South Rim is 6 hours)
July 13-14 Grand Canyon
July 15, Begin drive home (35 hours) Can detour to Carlsbad Caverns in NM, then continue home through TX, Louisiana, Alabama, GA, SC, then home.
July 18, Arrive in Greenville, maybe on the 19th.


So this was to put everything down on paper. Wife and I both agree it’s a lot of driving and too busy. We are going to push the trip out to 6 weeks and try to spend more time around places like Tetons, Bryce, etc.

We haven’t figured out stops along the route to Chicago, Yellowstone, etc. we will once we get in some more thought and our route. Same with the trip home. A 35 hour drive home after a long vacation is going to be brutal. So we are going to look for a few stops in TX, Louisiana, Alabama, etc.

Remember, it’s a really really ROUGH draft. It’s already changed from when I sent it out to the wife on Monday.

DW and I did pretty much the reverse of your trip South to North starting from AL last summer. Went to most of same places. It took us 72 days and many of the knowledgeable folks on here (Busskipper and Two Gypsies amoung them)wisely told us we were rushing it. That said we enjoyed it, thought the pace was reasonable and would have pushed it faster when we had kids. My main comment is that while you need of course to see the BIG ONES the crowds at Yellowstone Zion and to a lesser extent the Grand C made them less of favorites than say Tetons (most beautiful) Bryce easier to hike below the rim, Kodachrome Sp hiking alone in desert rocks and some places I had not thought of like Pagosa Springs, Flaming Gorge, Wind River Range and Ft Robinson NE. It was our trip of lifetime.1 and are starting work on .2 for 2021. Get your main reservations NOW. We did our GC, Zion Bryce GTNP and YS reservations in the Sept to Jan timeframe. The West is huge but the parks around the best parts aren’t necessarily proportionately large.

[BernieCheryl]

I grew up in the Chicago area, and have been a Cub fan since I can remember so I certainly can't argue with going to Wrigley Field. The museums in Chicago are fantastic (on top of the Field Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry was my favorite, and there is the Art Institute which is World Class, there is the Shedd Aquarium and also the Adler Planetarium, and one of the most spectacular city drives in the world, i.e., Lake Shore Drive).


But, I come here not to extoll Chicago but to kill it. I doubt it will have an effect, but I'd skip Chicago and make it the subject of a separate trip.



I now live in Colorado, and have been multiple times to ALL of the areas you are considering. Your trip out west sounds like the trips out west that I planned when I lived back east. It's a long drive out here and you want to see a lot while you are here. But, you've planned such a whirlwind of activity, you'll get burned out and not appreciate it after a while.


First off, I am glad you've added an extra two weeks. You'll need it. Second, I agree with the posters who have said that places like Yellowstone and Grand Tetons require weeks to visit, not days (and yes, you need to be making your reservations NOW, and you are likely already be too late for some places). When I travel around out here in God's Country, I go somewhere and stay at least a week if not longer.


I realize you're going to Chicago for sure (not many RV parks in the area - I've looked). So, after Chicago, I'd head directly for Yellowstone/Grand Tetons and spend at least a week to 10 days. Then, I'd head to Moab (again, you need to be making reservations NOW). I'd plan on a week there (Arches is unbelievably beautiful - your kids can likely make the Devil's Garden Trail, but watch them closely as there are some dropoffs- it is unbelievable - also take the Ranger led Fiery Furnace hike which will blow you away). You can then drive to the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands, which will take you to viewpoints (all on excellent roads) that will literally just suck the air right out of your lungs.


Capitol Reef is another gem of the west and I'd plan to spend at least four to five days in that area (Torrey, UT has some really great restaurants for such a small town). You can make a great drive south of the park in the Toad, but don't forget to drive through Cathedral Valley (60 mile plus 4wd road - we did it in about 4 hours, though you must start early in the day to avoid the PM thunderstorms).



After Capitol Reef, you really should go to Bryce Canyon and Valley of Fire (though fantastic, Zion is essentially a huge bottleneck now and will be hot as blazes that time of year). Spend five days exploring that corner of Utah.



Then, I'd head for Grand Canyon and yes, stay on the North Rim. It's just as spectacular, it's cooler (cuz it's higher in altitude), and less crowded (South Rim can be imagined by picturing Grand Central Station at rush hour next to a huge cliff - you almost wait to see a crush of people get pushed over the edge).


By this time, you'll be exhausted. Heading home, you'll be able to detour to see Carlsbad Caverns if you like.


I realize this is only my ideas and one man's pleasure is another man's pain. But, I doubt you'll find much pain in any itinerary, unless you just exhaust yourself.


What a great trip. Your kids will remember this trip long after you've gone, and will pass this love on to their kids. That's why you do want to do this, regardless of how you decide to go.



Have fun.

[rockcity]

I think everyone is set on heading to Chicago for the baseball game. The girls are excited for it and we get to stop at Mammoth Cave on the way. And they are excited for legoland and the Field Museum.

We are heading west afterwards, so it looks like there is a Jellystone campground just west of Chicago which is about right on our way out of town after our time in Chicago.

We are cutting out Hoover Dam and that area to gain 3 more days for longer durations at each place. Likely adding a day at Grand Canyon as well as Antelope Canyon. And 1 more day somewhere else.

So, the trip is taking shape nicely. I’m hoping to make reservations at the hot spots this weekend. I know it’s likely later than needed, but we’ll figure out what and where given what’s available. It’s our first time out there, so any experience is going to be a great memory regardless.

[rockcity]

So, we know our hot spots of the trip. So if anyone has suggestions of good RV parks, it would be appreciated.

Here is a list of our target destinations:

Mammoth Cave
Chicago
Mt Rushmore/Black Hills/Devils Tower
Yellowstone
Grand Tetons
Dinosaur NM
Moab/Arches/Canyonlands
Bryce/Zion
Grand Canyon (likely north rim)
Antelope Canyon
Carlsbad Caverns
OKC


There have been some great suggestions Of places to stay already. Just wanted to get a list of our destinations without dates and stops, etc to clean it up a little. As I research some more, I’ll add in additional thoughts with each destination area.


Again, thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions. One great suggestion was to reconsider bringing our lab. It’s about time for him to go to obedience training school and we found a local place that does basic and advanced training, which ironically, is 6 weeks long. So, looks like we are dropping him off there before we leave and picking him up when we get back. Solves 2 problems at once!

[Jake21]

Moab-Portal RV Park. The resort side is more expensive but really nice with a very nice pool and paved sites. The campground side has paved roads and gravel site. It is nice also.

North Rim-Kaibab camper village has some full hook ups

Zion-Zion river resort is really nice.

OKC-Twin Fountains on the north side of town is good. Mustang Run off I-40 if you just need a place for one or two nights. Nice park but hwy noise.

[rockcity]

Anyone have any opinions of the YS KOA campgrounds? How about any of the Fireside campgrounds around Jackson and Tetons area?

[Jake21]

Originally Posted by rockcity

Anyone have any opinions of the YS KOA campgrounds? How about any of the Fireside campgrounds around Jackson and Tetons area?

I do not but we stayed at Grizzly in Yellowstone West and it was very nice.