Forum Discussion

Explorer

Mar 15, 2013

6 week trip itinerary - but I have some specific questions

Hi All, I am looking for some suggestions for an RV trip we are taking in mid May through nearly the end of June (6 weeks). I'm really wondering about the Bryce/Zion/Mesa Verde/Canyonlands/Arches leg of the trip. For example, how much time do I need in each place to get a good idea of what there is to see. We are traveling with my in-laws so there will not be a lot of strenuous hiking involved. Any hiking would have to be easy and short. I am very flexible with my days/times as the only place I plan to have a reservation at is Yellowstone area. This is my tentative schedule.

May 13th - Depart NJ 7am drive to Bristol VA area (approx. 10 hrs driving, we may decide to stop sooner)
May 14th - Depart Bristol VA 7am area arrive Great Smoky Mountains (approx. 3 hrs. driving)
May 15th - Depart Great Smoky Mountains 10am arrive Chattanooga, TN (approx. 3.5 hrs driving)
May 17th - Depart Chattanooga, TN 12pm arrive Nashville, TN (approx 2 hrs. driving)
May 18th - Depart Nashville, TN 3pm arrive Memphis, TN (approx. 3 hrs. driving)
May 19th - Depart Memphis, TN 3pm arrive Arkadelphia, AK area (approx. 3 hrs. driving)
May 20th - Depart Arkadelphia, AK 7am arrive Austin, TX (approx. 7 hrs driving)
May 21st - Depart Austin, TX 2pm arrive San Antonio, TX (approx. 2 hrs. driving)
May 23rd - Depart San Antonion, TX 8am arrive Amarillo, TX (approx. 8 hrs. driving)
May 24th - Depart Amarillo, TX 8am driving on Rt. 66 as much as possible taking our time to arrive in Holbrook, AZ area by the next day (May 25th)
May 26th - Depart Holbrook, AZ 10am (or earlier) arrive at Grand Canyon south rim area (approx 3 hrs. driving)
May 29th - Depart Grand Canyon area 12pm (or earlier) arrive Boulder City/Hoover Dam/Lake Mead/Las Vegas area (approx. 4 hrs. driving) We are thinking of staying at an RV park on the strip near the Circus Circus casino. But not positive since we would like to see hoover dam and maybe rent a house boat for the day at Lake Mead. (SUGGESTIONS ON THIS LEG OF TRIP APPRECIATED)
June 1st - Depart Boulder City/Las Vegas area 8am arrive Zion/Bryce (approx. 3 hrs. driving)
June 3rd - Depart Zion/Bryce area 7am arrive Mesa Verde (via Monument Valley (approx 7.5 hrs. driving)
June 5th - Depart Mesa Verde 8am arrive Canyonlands/Arches area (approx. 2 hrs. driving)
June 6th - Depart Canyonlands/Arches area 7am arrive Grand Tetons/Jackson area (approx 9.5 hrs. driving)
June 10th - Depart Grand Tetons 7am arrive West Yellowstone (approx. 2 hrs. driving)
June 15th - Depart Yellowstone 9am arrive Cody, WY taking our time arrive some time in the afternoon.
June 17th - Depart Cody, WY 8am arrive Custer, SD (stopping along the way to see Devils Tower) sometime around 3:30pm
June 20th - Depart Custer, SD 8am drive thru Badlands (driving approx. 10 hrs. this day stopping somewhere overnight)
June 21st - Driving to NJ drive around 9 hrs.
June 22nd - Driving to NJ drive around 8 hours arrive HOME.

I am allowing an extra day to get home (that Sunday if needed). I am not set in stone with any dates with the exception of Yellowstone. I may have wiggle room around the specified dates if I have to, as long as there are reservations available. My biggest questions are as follows:

1. How much time do I need at Zion/Bryce/Canyonlands/Arches/Mesa Verde? I want to drive through Monument Valley and not sure how long that would take to see those sights. I am also guessing I am going to have to drive around or through Grand-Staircase Escalante National Monument to get to Mesa Verde? Also, is driving through that area ok with an RV? Twists-turns? Steep grades?

2. When in the Las Vegas/Boulder City area am I better off staying at the RV park on the strip? How accessible is it to go to Hoover Dam and Lake Mead from that base point for day trips? Especially driving an RV.

3. When staying in San Antonio, is it an RV friendly city or would we be better off renting a car for a few days? I want to do the River Walk.

4. What are some good things to see along the route 66 area between Amarillo, TX area and Las Vegas area. This leg of the trip is supposed to be leisurely.

5. I want this trip to be somewhat spontaneous with driving times and days but at the same time have a general idea of the direction we are heading. Are we trying to fit too much in? Should I eliminate something along the way? Are some of my days too long to be driving? We did a similar trip about 10 years ago with our kids but did not hit the southwest. Some days we really drove a lot, sometimes 12-14 hours. It was too much at times and I would not want to do that again. That is why I tried to keep driving to a somewhat doable amount per day. The first day and the last days would be longer.

Other background: We will be renting a car in Yellowstone to do daily driving around the park. Our RV is a 31ft. Class C motorhome. We are not pulling anything and I am traveling with my in-laws in their mid 70's and two dogs.

Any help/suggestions on this itinerary would be awesome!! As well as suggested sites along the way.

Thanks, Maria

Roads and Routes

Lauren
Explorer
Mar 15, 2013
I would also agree - packing 5 pounds of whatever into a 3 pound sack as they say. You will be visiting most things at best; not SEEING them and enjoying them.

And not sure of your driving times here in the west with the mountains and traffic and tourist areas. With 4 of you and 2 dogs in the class C it can become "confining" as well and you will need some breaks! :-)

I am sure you have a reason to make such a large loop of places to see but you have a lot of long and tiring days in here with not a lot of relaxing time.

Just MHO.
2chiefsRus
Explorer
Mar 15, 2013
trailertraveler wrote:
I would agree that you are trying to pack a lot into one trip for anything other than a quick drive by. Since you are starting and ending in NJ, I would suggest that if you leave anything out it be the stops in Memphis and other locations East of the Mississippi rather than Utah as they would be closer for a visit at another time.

Just what I was thinking.
trailertraveler
Explorer
Mar 15, 2013
I would agree that you are trying to pack a lot into one trip for anything other than a quick drive by. Since you are starting and ending in NJ, I would suggest that if you leave anything out it be the stops in Memphis and other locations East of the Mississippi rather than Utah as they would be closer for a visit at another time.

"What are some good things to see along the route 66 area between Amarillo, TX area and Las Vegas area. This leg of the trip is supposed to be leisurely."

Palo Duro Canyon, Petroglyph National Monument, El Malpais National Monument, El Moro National Monument, Acoma Sky City, Pueblo Cultural Center, Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano, Tucumcari, The Blue Hole, Petrified Forest National Park, Meteor Crater, Walnut Canyon National Monument.
dan-nickie
Explorer
Mar 15, 2013
Maria, to me, a schedule that detailed and tight would not be a vacation.
It would be a job! I certainly would not be driving 8, 9, 10 hour days.
Ivylog
Explorer III
Mar 15, 2013
OP, you are trying to do too much in to short a period of time and you are overplanning it. After Memphis I would head straight to the Grand Canyon (1400 miles/20 hours) which I would do in two days but it will probably take you three in a C and that many people/dogs. I would leave the dogs home... they are too young to remember all these places even though they sound like they are your children.
I would stay at Circus/Circus's RV parking area. I would spend more time in the Zion/Bryce area and leave off Mesa Verde... another option is to leave off Las Vegas and do Texas/ Mesa Verde/North Rim/Zion/Bryce/Moab and then more time in the Tetons/Yellowstone area.
Some of your driving times are impossible as they do not include lunch, traffaic, and fuel. You need to leave some things off or add another week to your trip. The last part looks pretty good.
Doug_and_Cassi_
Explorer
Mar 15, 2013
I kind of doubt you can rent a houseboat for just a day. A pontoon boat probably.

Lots of driving, but doable.
NCWriter
Explorer
Mar 15, 2013
In my opinion, I think you might be packing too much in this trip. You have five days for the Utah Parks and Mesa Verde, minus your drive time. So you'd be doing just a drive-by in Utah, plus all the setting up and packing to leave.

1.5 days is not enough time to see both Bryce and Zion. And 1 day in the Arches/Canyonlands area same. Either of those deserves a full week. You can easily spend a full month in southern Utah and want to return to catch things you missed. By the way, all or most of the Utah national and state parks have very easy short hikes (along with the tough ones) that anyone can enjoy.

Hard to tell you what to eliminate because we're all different. But I'd either skip Vegas, or go up to Yellowstone after Vegas, and save the Four Corners area including Mesa Verde and Utah NPs for a second trip.
littlemo
Explorer
Mar 15, 2013
It's the drive from Memphis to Alaska (AK) that would worry me. I think that's wayyyyyy out of the way! LOL. Just kidding. It sounds like a wonderful trip. The Canyons in Utah are great and Tetons/Yellowstone will make you come back again and again! I'm jealous. Have fun and take care!
paulj
Explorer II
Mar 15, 2013
National Parks are pretty restrictive when it comes to dogs. They can be in campgrounds, and paved areas, but not on trails. If they (and you) need more walks, look into spending time in the National Forests surrounding the Parks.

For example, in the Bryce area, there is a good NF visitor center on UT12 just to the west of the park. There are some hikes into the rock formations above the center.

In the Canyonlands area, Deadhorse Pt State Park allows dogs on trails, and has canyon views that rival those in the Island Nat Park area.