I have a wife and 2 kids(5,1.5yrs) and was thinking of a 16-17 day trip hitting National parks out west from Columbus, Ohio as a start point. We are absolute newbs to travel trailering(Jayco 284BHSW)(2015 2500HD) but I drive trailers every day for work with my truck(landscaping and hardscaping) and we drove to Estes Park last year with the kids and Tampa as well so we have long trip experience with the kids. I have a few questions I'll ask which I'll number at the end and my plan I'll list first by day. Looking for suggestions on camp grounds and comments about any and everything.1 Columbus to St. Louis *2 St Louis to Salina? *3 Salina to Longmont Co.(friends live there, park at their house)4 RMNP or Estes Park *5 RMNP or Estes Park *6 Longmont (friends again) 7 Arches NP *8 Arches NP *9 Bryce Canyon NP *10 Zion/ Bryce Canyon NP *11 Zion NP *12 Grand Canyon NP *13 Grand Canyon NP *14-18 Return to Columbus.Questions:1. Is this too much to do? Too Ambitious?2. Will you suggest campgrounds for the nights with the *? Most likely we will try for NP campsites a lot of times but if there is one I can't miss out on, I'd like a suggestion. 3. What are your average driving days? long driving days? look like mileage wise? Hour wise? I'd conservatively say I'd average 55-60 mph depending on the length of drive. 4. for days 14-18 I'm all open for suggestions on stop points and campgrounds. Thanks in advance!

I'd skip the Grand Canyon and do Canyon Land down south where the other parks are that you're going to. This will help to give you a little breathing room in there.Yes, overall I think it's too ambitious. What are you going to do if yo run into road construction or a bad accident that closes the highway for a couple of hours?Bill

Trackrig wrote:I'd skip the Grand Canyon and do Canyon Land down south where the other parks are that you're going to. This will help to give you a little breathing room in there.Yes, overall I think it's too ambitious. What are you going to do if yo run into road construction or a bad accident that closes the highway for a couple of hours?Billwell some of the driving days would be very short(42,42,73,98 miles), and some days lack any driving(4 total) so I was thinking I'd have some cushion. Very good points though. Definitely would need contingency plans along the way.

With a 5 year old and a 1-1/2 year old I think this is way too ambitious. It seems this trip is more for the adults rather than the children.Those Utah parks in summer will have 100+ degrees. Arches will have ongoing construction all summer so crowds will be large and travel through the park very slow. In that heat you'd want to begin your day no later than 8:00 am and quit touring by 11am. It's just way too hot for those little ones.Instead, visit with your friends in Colorado and then perhaps move to another spot in Colorado where it's much cooler. Find a place with a lake and beach or a small gentle river for the kids to play in the water - highly supervised, naturally. Find a petting zoo, or regular zoo, a small amusement park geared to the 5 year old and other child-size activities. They really wouldn't appreciate the national parks at that age.Having a 1-1/2 year old sitting in a car seat for more than 4 hours might be the limit without a lot of fussing, which is understandable.Perhaps even going up to Michigan along the lakes would be more enjoyable and you'd have a more relaxing vacation, too.

2gypsies wrote:With a 5 year old and a 1-1/2 year old I think this is way too ambitious. It seems this trip is more for the adults rather than the children.Those Utah parks in summer will have 100+ degrees. Arches will have ongoing construction all summer so crowds will be large and travel through the park very slow. In that heat you'd want to begin your day no later than 8:00 am and quit touring by 11am. It's just way too hot for those little ones.Instead, visit with your friends in Colorado and then perhaps move to another spot in Colorado where it's much cooler. Find a place with a lake and beach or a small gentle river for the kids to play in the water - highly supervised, naturally. Find a petting zoo, or regular zoo, a small amusement park geared to the 5 year old and other child-size activities. They really wouldn't appreciate the national parks at that age.Having a 1-1/2 year old sitting in a car seat for more than 4 hours might be the limit without a lot of fussing, which is understandable.Perhaps even going up to Michigan along the lakes would be more enjoyable and you'd have a more relaxing vacation, too.yeah the heat would be a major concern, and I had though about it, thus the number 1 question being the number one question.:) Our number one activity is hiking, and we do a lot of it.(we have carriers for both kids) Gonna do a 4 day trip to Michigan(Northern LP) in July with my extended families and will at some point got to the Smokys as well(main reason we got the camper). My wife frequently has 4-7 day periods off and I'm the owner of my company so I have a little flexibility with scheduling.

3. What are your average driving days? long driving days? look like mileage wise? Hour wise? I'd conservatively say I'd average 55-60 mph depending on the length of drive.When you factor in stops (which you should take frequent breaks with kids that age) most on here average 50 mpg. Some will do more, some will do less, but 50 mph is a good number to figure on. Having traveled extensively with a young child (who is now 25) I'd head south to Myrtle Beach and/or the Outer Banks. Still warm but you've got beaches and tons of kids activities. Hiking with young kids in the kind of heat that you will experience in Utah will not be pleasant. The parks themselves will be pretty boring to kids that age. I would save those types of trips until they are a bit older and can appreciate what's around them. If you do decide to do your original trip I'd cut back on the places to visit and make sure you stay in campgrounds that have things for the kids to do.

Potential summer trip with kids | Good Sam Community

28 Replies

Busskipper
Explorer
May 16, 2017
dolbsss wrote:
...
wife and 2 kids(5,1.5yrs) and was thinking of a

16-17 day trip hitting National parks out west

from Columbus, Ohio as a start point. We are absolute

newbs to travel trailering(Jayco 284BHSW)(2015 2500HD) but

I drive trailers every day for work with my truck(landscaping and hardscaping) and we

drove to Estes Park last year with the kids and Tampa as well so we

have long trip experience with the kids. I have a

few questions I'll ask which I'll number at the end and my plan I'll list first by day. Looking for suggestions on camp grounds and comments about any and everything.

1 Columbus to St. Louis *
2 St Louis to Salina? *
3 Salina to Longmont Co.(friends live there, park at their house)
4 RMNP or Estes Park *
5 RMNP or Estes Park *
6 Longmont (friends again)
7 Arches NP *
8 Arches NP *
9 Bryce Canyon NP *
10 Zion/ Bryce Canyon NP *
11 Zion NP *
12 Grand Canyon NP *
13 Grand Canyon NP *
14-18 Return to Columbus.

Questions:

1. Is this too much to do? Too Ambitious?

2. Will you suggest campgrounds for the nights with the *? Most likely we will try for NP campsites a lot of times but if there is one I can't miss out on, I'd like a suggestion.

3. What are your average driving days? long driving days? look like mileage wise? Hour wise? I'd conservatively say I'd average 55-60 mph depending on the length of drive.

4. for days 14-18 I'm all open for suggestions on stop points and campgrounds.

Thanks in advance!

Map of a still very AMBITIOUS TRIP -- Bing Map

When leaving Moab take RT 128 out along the Colorado River - Beautiful drive - Much shorter but still Ambitious - Summer = Hot in Utah, so only put you there for a day or two, Keep the Altitude for the Kids - Lakes, Streams, Water just makes it easier/more fun for the kids.

Also suggest RT 36 on the drive out, possibly back as it, IMHO is just easier.

Only you know what everyone can put up with, so the drive times and days are on you.

Longmont - Estes - Peak to Peak? - Leadville (10,000 feet, COOL) - Turquoise Lake - Possible day trip to Maroon Bells RT 82 - Buena Vista, Collegiates, great Hikes, Rivers water - Ouray - Black Canyon - Possibly Moab - back - I-70 - Slide off RT 24 to Leadville again - Camp Hale then Home.

As I put in on the Paper it is VERY AMBITIOUS - so you will need to Pick and Choose as you go - drive through, not stop on many - but be exposed to Colorado and Utah for future trips.

Might look at this before the older one gets into school full time as a Fall Utah Trip.

Lot's to think about, just try to keep the distances down on the drive days as the 5-6 day getting and returning will burn sooo much of your time.

Hope this is of some help,
agesilaus
Explorer III
May 16, 2017
You are doing way too much with those kids. Arches will be hotter than Hades. A 18 mo old kid means you be carrying the kid, a 5 yr old is marginal on the trails too. You may end up carrying him too.
Mortimer_Brewst
Explorer II
May 16, 2017
Personally I don't care for a "Drive, Drive, Drive" vacations. Your plan seems a bit ambitious to me. Looking down the road I would consider spending a week in the Black Hills. It's a great place for families with kids. Coming from Columbus the Wisconsin Dells would make a good stopover point. There are some water parks there that are a lot of fun. Just be sure not to drive through Chicago.
Crowe
Explorer
May 16, 2017
3. What are your average driving days? long driving days? look like mileage wise? Hour wise? I'd conservatively say I'd average 55-60 mph depending on the length of drive.

When you factor in stops (which you should take frequent breaks with kids that age) most on here average 50 mpg. Some will do more, some will do less, but 50 mph is a good number to figure on. Having traveled extensively with a young child (who is now 25) I'd head south to Myrtle Beach and/or the Outer Banks. Still warm but you've got beaches and tons of kids activities. Hiking with young kids in the kind of heat that you will experience in Utah will not be pleasant. The parks themselves will be pretty boring to kids that age. I would save those types of trips until they are a bit older and can appreciate what's around them. If you do decide to do your original trip I'd cut back on the places to visit and make sure you stay in campgrounds that have things for the kids to do.
dolbsss
Explorer
May 16, 2017
2gypsies wrote:
With a 5 year old and a 1-1/2 year old I think this is way too ambitious. It seems this trip is more for the adults rather than the children.

Those Utah parks in summer will have 100+ degrees. Arches will have ongoing construction all summer so crowds will be large and travel through the park very slow. In that heat you'd want to begin your day no later than 8:00 am and quit touring by 11am. It's just way too hot for those little ones.

Instead, visit with your friends in Colorado and then perhaps move to another spot in Colorado where it's much cooler. Find a place with a lake and beach or a small gentle river for the kids to play in the water - highly supervised, naturally. Find a petting zoo, or regular zoo, a small amusement park geared to the 5 year old and other child-size activities. They really wouldn't appreciate the national parks at that age.

Having a 1-1/2 year old sitting in a car seat for more than 4 hours might be the limit without a lot of fussing, which is understandable.

Perhaps even going up to Michigan along the lakes would be more enjoyable and you'd have a more relaxing vacation, too.

yeah the heat would be a major concern, and I had though about it, thus the number 1 question being the number one question.:) Our number one activity is hiking, and we do a lot of it.(we have carriers for both kids) Gonna do a 4 day trip to Michigan(Northern LP) in July with my extended families and will at some point got to the Smokys as well(main reason we got the camper). My wife frequently has 4-7 day periods off and I'm the owner of my company so I have a little flexibility with scheduling.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
May 16, 2017
With a 5 year old and a 1-1/2 year old I think this is way too ambitious. It seems this trip is more for the adults rather than the children.

Those Utah parks in summer will have 100+ degrees. Arches will have ongoing construction all summer so crowds will be large and travel through the park very slow. In that heat you'd want to begin your day no later than 8:00 am and quit touring by 11am. It's just way too hot for those little ones.

Instead, visit with your friends in Colorado and then perhaps move to another spot in Colorado where it's much cooler. Find a place with a lake and beach or a small gentle river for the kids to play in the water - highly supervised, naturally. Find a petting zoo, or regular zoo, a small amusement park geared to the 5 year old and other child-size activities. They really wouldn't appreciate the national parks at that age.

Having a 1-1/2 year old sitting in a car seat for more than 4 hours might be the limit without a lot of fussing, which is understandable.

Perhaps even going up to Michigan along the lakes would be more enjoyable and you'd have a more relaxing vacation, too.
dolbsss
Explorer
May 16, 2017
Trackrig wrote:
I'd skip the Grand Canyon and do Canyon Land down south where the other parks are that you're going to. This will help to give you a little breathing room in there.

Yes, overall I think it's too ambitious. What are you going to do if yo run into road construction or a bad accident that closes the highway for a couple of hours?

Bill

well some of the driving days would be very short(42,42,73,98 miles), and some days lack any driving(4 total) so I was thinking I'd have some cushion. Very good points though. Definitely would need contingency plans along the way.
Trackrig
Explorer II
May 16, 2017
I'd skip the Grand Canyon and do Canyon Land down south where the other parks are that you're going to. This will help to give you a little breathing room in there.

Yes, overall I think it's too ambitious. What are you going to do if yo run into road construction or a bad accident that closes the highway for a couple of hours?

Bill

Forum Discussion

Potential summer trip with kids

28 Replies

About Bucket List Trips

Related Content

Potential engine overheating

Summer 2022 trip

Summer trip and new trailer

Potential purchase of MH

Advice needed-Western US summer trip