Cross Country RV Trip - Mass Grand Canyon etc.. and return

it can be done. We saw a lot of the highlights. If retired and have more time, take more. The gas cost is still the same. If working, I understand why you want to cram as much in as possible. At times, I felt like I worked my but off. My wife and I did a similar trip in a tent in 1998. This one was for the kids. At other times, I was able to chill and relax.

I say go for it. We had the attitude that if it started to be too much, we would hunker down somewhere and lose some deposits. The kids woke up excited to go to a new place most days.

To complete the trip, West to East leg

Day 16 (Sunday, July 5)
Depart San Onofre to Sequoia NP
Sequoia RV Ranch reserved **** (4.5 hrs from San Onofre)
8 miles from south entrance to Sequoia NP
Day 17 (Monday, July 6)
Tour Sequoia
Foothills Visitors Center near entrance
Giant Forest
General Sherman Tree (1 hour from CG)
Day 18 (Tuesday, July 7)
Morning at Sequoia
Leave for Yosemite 1pm(2hrs)
Yosemite Ridge Resort CG reserved****
12 miles from west gate in Buck Meadows
Day 19 (Wednesday, July 8)
Tour Yosemite
Valley Visitor Center
Bike trail around valley
Cathedral Beach Picnic Area less visited place by river
Several short hikes to base of various falls
Day 20 (Thursday, July 9)
Need early start to do anything at SF
To Novato, RV Park (3. hours drive)
Marin -Muir Woods possible
Day 21 (Friday, July 10)
San Francisco for a day
Cable Car Museum
Lombard St
Fishermans Warf
Stayed extra night than planned
Day 22 (Saturday, July 11)
Yo Yellowstone
Day 23 (Sunday, July 12)
To Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park (reserved)*****
Evening West Yellowstone
Day 24 (Monday, July13)
Yellowstone
Day 25 (Tuesday, July 14)
Yellowstone
Day 26 (Wednesday, July 15)
Grand Teton -Jackson Hole loop
Day 27 (Thursday, July 16)
to Mount Rushmore, travel
Day 28 (Friday, July 17)
Badlands along SD Route 240
and travel
Day 29 (Saturday, July 18)Travel Home
Day 30 (Sunday, July 19)Travel Home
Day 31 (Monday, July 20)BACK to WORK

This is a trip we did couple years ago. Once in a lifetime to get the kids out west before they are grown (14 and 8)
This is my outline prior with edits to what we actually did. We had 31 days though. Whirlwind --YES. Would WE do it again --YES!!!

I must add that we went to the San Clemente area for a wedding. Otherwise, would have skipped that. Also, we spent too much time at Monument Valley. Retrospect, would have been a stopover on way to Canyon.

Day 1 (Friday, June 19)
Depart home after work
5 hours driving
Overnight spots mapped near OH/IN state line
Day 2 (Saturday, June 20)
Travel to near Salina, KS (10.5 hours)
Most campgrounds near Salina
If making good time, fewer campgrounds near Russell, KS
Day 3 (Sunday, June 21)
Travel to Colorado/Utah (11 to Moab)
Overnight stops mapped around Denver
Colorado Welcome Center (East West access dump station)
If good progress, may be able to make it to Utah/Moab
Call ahead for early arrival at Portal
Also Goose Island CG along river near town
Day 4 (Monday, June 22)
Travel to Moab or 1st day (depending upon progress)
Portal RV Resort (Reserved)****
Activities
Moab Visitors Center
Chill around town
Arches NP is close enough to make short trip there
Day 5 (Tuesday, June 23)
Arches NP all day
Best morning spots
Devil’s Garden
Landscape Arch (best at sunrise)
Primitive loop to Double O Arch
7.5 miles to complete entire loop
can explore fins and smaller arches part of the way
Midday stuff
Close enough to town could go back for break
Or 4.5 hours to drive every road and stop at all viewpoints
Day 6 (Wednesday, June 24)
Long Canyon Road Trip (map lists 3:10 driving time)
Part highway and partial 4x4 off-road drive (“Easy”)
Bull Canyon to below Gemini Bridges (double arch)
Gemini Bridges Road and Arch
Canyonlands National Park
Island in the Sky Visitor Center
Dead Horse Point State Park
Long Canyon Trail
Jug Handle Arch
dinosaur tracks and petroglyphs
Day 7 (Thursday, June 25)
Travel to Bryce Canyon
4.5 hours by interstate
5.5 by scenic but good highway(actually longer, much longer)
Campground reserved Ruby’s Inn RV Park & Campground****
Sunset view at Bryce
Day 8 (Friday, June 26)
Bryce Canyon hike the Hoodoos
Day 9 (Saturday, June 27)
Horseback to bottom (reserved thru Bryce NP)
Travel to Zion (2 hours to park little over 1 to CG)
Campground: Bauers Canyon Ranch RV Park reserved****
Zion Afternoon/Evening (51 min. CG to Visitor Center)
Canyon Rim Overlook Trail closer
Day 10 (Sunday, June 28)
The Narrows Hike (water level permitting) starts at:
Zion Visitors Center
Parking
Shuttle to Zion Valley
Hidden Canyon on way back if anything left
Day 11 (Monday, June 29)
To near Page, AZ
Antelope Canyon (slot canyon)(best mid day!)
Travel to Monument Valley, Gouldings CG reserved
Day 12 (Tuesday, June 30)
Morning in Monument Valley driving tour
another night Gouldings early morning again for travel
Day 13 (Wednesday, July 1)
Grand Canyon in morning
Travel to Kingman, AZ --Woody’s (4 hours)
Day 14 (Thursday, July 2)
to San Onofre
Beach evening, sunset over Pacific!
Day 15 (Friday, July 3)
Disneyland
Day 16 (Saturday, July 4)
Day free -Disneyland--AM
To Casino San Clemente for Wedding (5pm)
Day 16 (Sunday, July 5)
End of East to West and off to Sequoia

Hi Scott,

Hi my name is Donna, I'm pretty new here too. I'm in Ashburnham MA!

We are planning almost the same trip - leaving on April 22nd and planning on traveling for 6-7 weeks total. We have a 24' Class C Tioga Montara. We'll be going to Joshua Tree CA for a week to visit my son and family. We'll probably drive from Arizona and then see the Utah parks on the way back before heading up to Grand Teton/Yellowstone.

I'm hoping this isn't too much in 6/7 weeks, but I have no problem adding another week if needed! We are just going to stop wherever we find a place we like, spend 2 or three days in each spot and then move on to another spot. Planning on a week in Arizona and a week in Yellowstone.

Hoping to get to Yellowstone early enough to beat the crowds!
welcome to the forum and enjoy your trip!
Donna

If your focus is to get out west then I would put in the long driving days on the front end, leave by 9am and off the road around 6pm, something like that should get you out there in 3-4 days. Is your plan to go to the Grand Canyon first and then head north? Or the opposite route?. Mid may you may still run into snow in the higher elevations, the GC plateau is 6000 plus feet above sea level so the temps will reflect that. On a trip like that there are plenty of things to see and distractions to spend time at that could eat up more time than you realize. Plan your route carefully to maximize travel time between your objective places you want to spend the real time at. Like others have said, its a vacation, not a road race. Don't make it all driving and not spend the time in an area that you really want to explore. It is truly beautiful out there and worthy of time you can devote to it.

WOW! That is one ambitious trip. We also have an approx 7000 trailer mile trip out of the Eastern Shore of MD. A much more lesurely affair starting early July & returning early November. About 120 days worth. Lots of stops of 3,4 even 5 days along the way. Have to make allowance for weather days & possible mechanical problems.

neschultz wrote:
We've never been there either and are pretty well taking the same trip from MD....leaving on March 23rd...arriving @ Grand Canyon on April 16th....arriving @ Yellowstone on April 10th...arriving back home about June 1st. We will make other stops in between. Driving 250-300 miles a day between stops. 6227 miles total for us.

Most roads in Yellowstone are closed until mid-April. You state you will be there April 10. You will have a good probability of having snow on the roads and in parking areas, along with in campgrounds. Hiking will be very limited that early in the season.

Leaving for your trip in March/April is too early for the northern parks.

We've done the trip twice in the last three years,and will be heading that way again in June. Last year we did the southern route (rt40 primarily) and hit snow in NM,Co,Wy and savage storms all the way back from Yellowstone on rt90. We took the entire month of May and put on 9000 miles. Climate is very different when you get up in elevation. Very beautiful trip,but be prepared for some weather extremes.
We drove straight to NM before we really began touring. Grand Canyon is always crowded but is awesome. Zion was jam packed. We couldn't find parking within a mile of the visitors center. The scenery is truly breath-taking,but the ride was like Disney Land. Canyonlands,Canyon D'Chelley (fabulous),Capital Reef,Arches,Natural Bridges,Mesa Verde,Kodachrome,Black Canyon(spectacular),etc. All well worth visiting.

I'm near you (Tatnuck Square area) and will be very willing to go over our trips with you. We have loads of brochures that would definitely help you plan.

If you can double your time or more you will have a much better experience. We did a similar trip this last summer. What is your toad?
Bill

We've never been there either and are pretty well taking the same trip from MD....leaving on March 23rd...arriving @ Grand Canyon on April 16th....arriving @ Yellowstone on April 10th...arriving back home about June 1st. We will make other stops in between. Driving 250-300 miles a day between stops. 6227 miles total for us.