Minn to Arizona advice

[raf0405]

I'm looking for any advice from those who have gone before us. We are heading to Mesa Az in Februrary and wondering about places to stay those first couple of days on the road. Do you get a motel? What about everything in the RV if you do, will it freeze? Are there campgrounds opened? What about the best route to take.
Thanks for any comments or suggestions.

[t55watson]

We leave Mich. the first week of Jan. The rig is winterized and we leave it that way. We take 2 gal. of water for hand washing at lunch our 1st day and stay at a motel the 1st night. The 2nd day out we stop early, daylight, in a rv resort and fill the water lines and half fill the tank. We are then set for the rest of Winter adventures.

[raf0405]

Thanks for the quick reply. Do you turn your furnance on when staying in the motel? I'm wondering if things would freeze otherwise. How far south are you the second day where you find campgrounds that are opened?

[t55watson]

I do leave the furnace running in the motel lot. It make the seats a little more comfy in the AM. Motel night is Indianapolis to Terra Hautte area. Second night is Missouri/Oklahoma border or Memphis depending on the route. All RV parks are open in those areas and that far South.

[raf0405]

Thanks again. Good information. Enjoy your trip south in Jan.

[skigramp]

We leave Wisconsin in the winter and travel to Yuma, AZ in the winter.

Like t55watson our rig is winterized when we leave home. We take about 5 gallons of water in milk jugs (bottom of the shower), some bottled water for drinking and brushing teeth, and a couple of gallons of windshield washer fluid to flush the toilet. We find a place to plug in the first night and sleep in the rig. We are generally in warm enough climes by the second night that we can add fresh water and have showers.

There is a year around campground just outside of Des Moines in rural Altoona -- Griff's RV Park (515) 967-5474-- it is about 4 miles east of I-35 ... you can find their rates and directions on their website. This is a very nice place and the people are very accommodating. I have stayed here my first night out several times. Full hookup pull through sites. Beautiful restrooms if you want to use them.

By the time that you get to Kansas City (or beyond) you will not have trouble finding RV parks that are open year around

[raf0405]

skigramp thanks for the information. I will check out Griff's RV park, it's really the first night I was worried about.

We hope to check Yuma out this year and see if it may be a location we will stay next year.

[skigramp]

Route advice:

My advice hinges around weather, travel preferences, things to see along the way.

Select several routes from MN to AZ. Check the weather daily to see if there are winter storms predicted for your route ... if there are can you use an alternate route to avoid the storm? We have been leaving WI in the winter for over 10 years ... we have had to alter our route twice ... and hunker down in an RV park for a day a couple of times.

Preferences: Do you want to get there in the fewest miles, least amount of time, least mountains, best RV Parks, friends or family to visit along the way ....

Are you interested in returning along the same route or would you like a different route on your return to MN? If you want to see things are they natural (parks, canyons, craters, mountains, etc) or man made (Arch in St. Louis, Eisenhower presidential library, etc)

[enjoyrv]

I made the trip from Wisconsin to Surprise AZ last week with a class A. I strongly encourage to plot a route out and look at the 10 day forecast for those places where you might stay overnight. The forecast was good for me so I took I80 from Des Moines to I76 to Denver and I25 to I40 to Flagstaff and I70 onto Phoenix. I stayed overnight east of Flagstaff and it dipped down to 26 degrees. My motorhome has heated basement so it wasn't an issue. You will have to cross the mountains someplace unless you take the southern route which is longer down on I10 into Tucson. Safe travels.

[raf0405]

Thanks enjoyrv, we will be sticking to the southern route as it will be late January before we get away.
Had friends who stayed three or four winters in Surprise at Happy Trails. They loved it. We plan to drive up from Mesa this year and scout out the area for next year. Enjoy your winter.

[DAN L]

Originally Posted by raf0405

I'm looking for any advice from those who have gone before us. We are heading to Mesa Az in Februrary and wondering about places to stay those first couple of days on the road. Do you get a motel? What about everything in the RV if you do, will it freeze? Are there campgrounds opened? What about the best route to take.
Thanks for any comments or suggestions.

we frequently use walmart and other stores parking lots for overnight stays.
we use this free allstays website extensively. it is kept up to date by users of the site.

Walmart Locations Store Details & Parking | Walmart Store Locator

Overnight RV parking etiquette

[raf0405]

Thanks Dan good information

[DAN L]

Originally Posted by raf0405

Thanks Dan good information

you are welcome.
with temps in the 20's when i am running my propane furnace and propane water heater, my below deck compartments stay above freezing.
i installed 4 indoor-outdoor temperature gauges to monitor my compartment temperatures. my gauges are wired. i wish i had installed the wireless type.

[bam565]

I have made the MN to AZ trip several times.. Usually stay winterized until we hit KS. Usually spend the first night in Wellington KS at the KOA( it's a long day). Second night in Tucumcari (KOA). Third night in Holbrooke,AZ (KOA). Fourth day is a quick trip to Phoenix. The nights in Tucumcari and Holbrook can be in the teens. I usually fill my water tank in KS. I also carry trouble lights(2) and put them in the wetbay at night just in case. Several years ago I had a diverter valve freeze in the wetbay in OKC.