Forum Discussion

REGATTA's avatar
REGATTA
Explorer
Nov 18, 2015

OUT WEST

Going out west this spring 2016. Pulling 25 ft. airstream with F250 Ford pickup. Going to Utah to Moab and vicinity as well as to Lake Tahoe and on to Sonoma. Leaving from Kansas City. Need all the suggestions as far as campgrounds and roads we can get.
  • Search this Forum in the RV Parks section for the places you are going to eg. Sonoma. There should be lots of suggestions for campgrounds.
    I would do a Google search for `_______ tourism' and put the town, place, area, etc. in the blank space to read what the experts state about their area.
    If I was going out West I would look at the Adventure Caravans tour of the Great Western Parks to read where they go. We took this tour some years ago and it took the entire month of September!
  • I use RVPARKREVIEWS.COM to pick my campsites.
    - Pick the state, then the city and it will show campgrounds with reviews added by your fellow campers. Works great.

    Join Good Sam - just about every campground gives you 10% off if you have their card.

    Consider joining Passport America. You can get 50% off, but there are restrictions. I have always saved way more then the membership cost though. You can sign up at your local CW. They usually have the PPA directories so you can browse locations and see how it can work for you.

    There are soft cover books available for Corps of Engineers campgrounds as well as state park campgrounds - Google and Amazon are your friends here.

    Get "The Next Exit" soft cover book. Shows what's located at every exit of every interstate highway in every state. Terrific. There's also an online version but I like the book better.

    I also have the gas buddy phone app. Same type of format, except it keys in automatically on your location, then brings up all the surrounding gas/diesel stations with prices of fuel.

    Take a good RV GPS with a 7 inch screen and also an up to date atlas.

    Tim
  • With a 25' you can take any road you choose. :) Ourselves, we try to stay off interstates. You'll see more of this beautiful country.

    If you're concerned with mountain driving, I'd suggest you purchase the 'Mountain Directory for Truckers and RVers' Western Edition. Purchase it directly for the site. It's much cheaper than from Amazon for some reason.
  • REGATTA wrote:
    Going out west this spring 2016. Pulling 25 ft. airstream with F250 Ford pickup. Going to Utah to Moab and vicinity as well as to Lake Tahoe and on to Sonoma. Leaving from Kansas City. Need all the suggestions as far as campgrounds and roads we can get.

    Well, for Tahoe, you likely will be coming in west on 80. I would take 395 north to Carson City and pick up Hwy 50 from Carson City. You will have a good climb from Carson City up to Tahoe, but your F250 should easily handle it. I made that pull in my old TT several times. From Tahoe, I would just continue on 50 west into Sacramento. Then get on 80 towards SF. I would take 80 west to 12 which is just past Fairfield, CA. 12 will take you all the way into Sonoma. The traffic in the Sacto area and especially in the Napa Valley is just terrible these days. Your best bet would be to plan your trip so you go through the area on a weekend, but not a Sunday afternoon. I drive thees routes all the time, PM with questions.
  • For that region of the country, you've basically got four choices among east-west routes:

    1. I70. Interstate travel. Big city stuff. Yuk.

    2. Hwy 50 crossing CO from Pueblo over to Montrose and beyond. The beyond, though, often means heading back up to I70 after Montrose. Yuk.

    3. Hwy 160. Goes across southern CO and really pretty country. Recommended.

    4. Hwy 64. Goes across northern NM and really pretty country. Recommended.

    :)
    Lynn
  • Hwy 160 - Don't forget to play C.W. McCall's song as you start over Wolf Creek Pass. :)
  • The City of South Lake Tahoe has a great campground on the lake with partial hook up (water & electric) with a central dump site. Call 530 542 6096 for info & reservations. The campground opens 4/1/16. Get reservations ASAP as it is very popular place and fills up quickly. Keep trying until you get someone to take your reservation. Spring will be cold at Tahoe, likely have snow. It often snows at Tahoe until June. The lake is at 6,200'. In the Moab area contact the National Parks at Arches & Canyonlands NPs. Great campgrounds, all dry camping. Have fun!
  • X2 for Hwy 160

    Hwy 160 across Kansas and Eastern CO is along the old Santa Fe Trail
    stop at Bents Fort NPS
    Bear lake Campground
    Stay at Cortez CO KOA and then explore Mesa Verde NP and take the
    Durango Silverton Railroad. Enjoy a great meal of Northern New Mexico-style dishes at Pepperheads in Cortez.