Advice needed-Western US summer trip
Hello all, We are planning our first big RV road trip and I need some help. We will be leaving from Central Florida in June, and have about 28-30 days total. We have traveled quite a bit in the pas...
Forum Discussion
OK that sounds like my pre-retirement trips. First settle on one area, you don't have time for more. We would push hard on the trip out and the return to maximize the time you have out west. Even doing 500-600 miles a day you will still spend 3-4 days going and coming.
I suggest planning on the North Rim of Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion and maybe Mesa Verde. Moab (Arches) is Hotter than Hades in June. The North Rim has 1/10 th the visitors and is at high altitude. And altitude = cooler. So is Bryce. Zion will be hot but bearable and so will Mesa Verde. There are a number of smaller parks in the same area, I suggest Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in south Utah on the way to Zion/Bryce. The kids will love the dunes. Pipe Springs NM and Vermillion Cliffs are in the same area as the North Rim. There are easy trails that the kids can do with you.
A diversion to the South Rim/Sedona will cost you 3 days minimum. You can easily plan to drive thru Albuquerque. I suggest adding Carlsbad Caverns to your agenda. Another kid pleaser and adult pleaser too. Unless you are visiting someone in Austen I'm not sure what you expect to find there.
OK let me add one -very important- item. Carry much more water than you think you will need, 1 or 2 liters per person. The high temps and low humidity will suck the water right out of your body. Like us you think you are acclimated to the heat since we are Floridians, but what you'll face out west is nothing like the high humidity heat we have at home. So get all the kids a small backpack and put at least a 1 liter bottle of water in there for the smaller kids, 2 liters for bigger kids and adults.
I suggest planning on the North Rim of Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion and maybe Mesa Verde. Moab (Arches) is Hotter than Hades in June. The North Rim has 1/10 th the visitors and is at high altitude. And altitude = cooler. So is Bryce. Zion will be hot but bearable and so will Mesa Verde. There are a number of smaller parks in the same area, I suggest Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in south Utah on the way to Zion/Bryce. The kids will love the dunes. Pipe Springs NM and Vermillion Cliffs are in the same area as the North Rim. There are easy trails that the kids can do with you.
A diversion to the South Rim/Sedona will cost you 3 days minimum. You can easily plan to drive thru Albuquerque. I suggest adding Carlsbad Caverns to your agenda. Another kid pleaser and adult pleaser too. Unless you are visiting someone in Austen I'm not sure what you expect to find there.
OK let me add one -very important- item. Carry much more water than you think you will need, 1 or 2 liters per person. The high temps and low humidity will suck the water right out of your body. Like us you think you are acclimated to the heat since we are Floridians, but what you'll face out west is nothing like the high humidity heat we have at home. So get all the kids a small backpack and put at least a 1 liter bottle of water in there for the smaller kids, 2 liters for bigger kids and adults.
