jeepin911 wrote:
Hello,
Have read a ton on here, but first post. I am new to RV'ing but got the last minute chance to take a two month trip - so heading out for a June/July trip west. My goal is to visit quite a few of the National parks and a few other places. I certainly realize we won't be able to get into the parks to stay but hoping we can stay nearby and drive in for the days.
I am driving a 35' class A and pulling a 4-door Jeep and traveling with wife and 2 kids (8 & 10). I feel pretty comfortable with everything in our shakedown trips, but still a little nervous about mountain driving with RV and TOAD.
Would welcome ANY advice on routes to take (less mountains the better since i'm new at this), places to go (not even the parks are set in stone at this point), and places to stay from this experienced group. Thanks in advance for any thoughts!!!
Cincinnati St. Louis (1 night) 370 Miles
St Louis Hutchenson, KS (1 night) 461 miles
Hutchenson, KS to Colorado Springs (1 night) 449 miles
Colorado Springs to RMNP (3 nights) 168 Miles
RMNP to Great Sand Dunes (1 night) 258 miles
Great Sand Dunes to Durango (3 nights) 167 Miles
Durango to MOAB/ARCHES (3 nights) 161 Miles
MOAB/ARCHES to BRYCE Canyon (4 nights) 283 Miles
BRYCE Canyon to Vegas (1 night) 268 Miles
Vegas to Yosemite (4 nights) 409 Miles
Yosemite to Sonoma (3 nights) 240 Miles
Sonoma to Redwood NP (3 nights) 258 Miles
Redwood NP to Crater Lake NP (3 nights) 256 Miles
Crater Lake NP to North Cascades NP (4 nights) 542 Miles
North Cascades NP to Glacier NP (4 nights) 535 Miles
Glacier NP to Yellowstone NP (5 nights) 426 Miles
Yellowstone NP to Devils Tower NP (2 nights) 361 miles
Devils Tower NP to Teddy Rosevelt NP (3 nights) 228 miles
Teddy Rosevelt NP to Minneapolis (1 night) 570 miles
Minneapolis to Mackinaw, MI (3 nights) 510 miles
Mackinaw, MI to Cincinnati, OH
Sorry, but did you even look at the Map?
This just makes no sense, no logic at all on this trip you are just bouncing all over the place spending way too much time on the road, let's at least try to not just bounce around but rather put everything into a logical order.
35 foot gas coach
Jeep
60 days
2 kids 8 and 10
Want to see it all
Start in Cincinnati
Colorado
Utah
California
Washington
Montana
Wyoming
North and South Dakota
Then Home
First BIG TRIP!
First off - too much on your PLATE - your EYE's are Bigger than your Stomach.
Can you drive to all theses places in 60 days - Sure - Will you have fun ? - ? - That might be the bigger question.
What do the Kids ENJOY doing?
What do you Enjoy doing?
What did the Kids do Last Summer?
What do you normally Do?
Is this a vacation or a Marathon?
See where I'm going - this needs to be about what you do, not about can you see it.
Mission?
Sorry but if you want help you need to have a plan, a Mission, if you do then we can give you some direction.
Hike?
Bike?
Swim?
Fish?
4X4?
Hot?
Cool?
Boats?
Wild life?
History?
Dino's?
Rocks?
Mountains?
Lakes?
Rivers?
Give us some direction and we can give you some advice.
So slow down, figure out what you are trying to do - Write It Down - the Mission - then try to stick to it.
If it's just to say you've been to all these places (BUT Missed even more that you never mentioned) or to Hike - Explore - Educate - Touch - Experience - ...............
An example would be Colorado - RMNP - Great Sand Dunes NP - Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP - Browns Canyon NM - Dinosaur NM - The Collegiates - the San Juan's - Crested Butte - Marble - Maroon Bells - Silverton - Grand Lake - Lake City - Ouray - Telluride - Dunton - Trout Lake - Alpine Loop - Engineers Pass - Independence Pass - Steamboat Springs - Golden - Estes............. to just name a few so we have a full month and we have only started - Utah the same - California - the same, just with a millions of your new best friends - ..............
Here is a family that did a trip every year. You can learn from them.
A Photo Album to help you decide Look this over for just a few places to visit.
Sorry to be the Rain (SNOW) on your parade but you need a lot more time and effort into the Mission so we don't just spit into the wind.
Give us more and we can help out,
JMHO,
