Southern Utah

As everyone on here knows, I a Reserve Guy. We want to spend our time doing / seeing what you intend to stop at a place for, not looking around for a place to stay and, in some of those places, the nearest open site is many miles away. Which people find out after they have driven around for a few hours. We go to places to SEE places, not say we have been there.

We leave in a week for 70 nights out - every night reserved. Mostly SW CO with a stop at Grand Canyon (again) on the way back. Some wonderful, kinda isolated, places including state parks that we would not get in without a reservation. And not see it.

We have been to 182 different RV parks in the 11 western states and 2 western provinces in 19 years part time RVing....and will add 10 new ones this year.

That is our plan - hope it is God's plan as well.

Be safe.

Thank you Busskipper and Cjoseph...and everyone else!
All very good suggestions.
I totally understand the driving time recommendations. I like to plan my trips with actual road time, not counting stopping for gas or bathroom breaks. Anyhow, I am sure my estimates are still a little too short.

I am still racking my brain on how much to squeeze in. Do I add Sequoia and Yosemite and take out RMNP? Do I add Yellowstone and Teton and take out RMNP?

I think in the end I will stick with my rough timeline, and replace RMNP with a stop at Mesa Verde, Monument Valley, Petrified Forest, or another that is already along the current route. So all the recommendations are well received!

Next will be figuring out where to stay at each location. Do I reserve now? Do I reserve all of them? Or only reserve the difficult ones and leave the rest to chance?

Having lived in Estes Park for 8 years I strongly support what Thom just said.

Some excellent suggestions, not a lot to improve on, other than to suggest you forego Rocky Mountain National Park this trip. In August, it is an absolute zoo for the entire month, weekends and weekdays. Park personnel are looking at ways to manage traffic better, but there's no short term solution. And...it's really not in keeping with your "theme" of the southern Utah NPs.

I would suggest adding in place of Rocky, Mesa Verde NP and Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. In Mesa Verde, there's gonna be a lot of kid friendly things to see and do, and if you can get reservations inside the park at Morefield CG, even better. As for the Great Sand Dunes, again, kid friendly, they will love the dunes and Medano Creek that runs at the base of the dunes. There's a CG in the park as well as a state Park (San Luis SP) outside the park, and close by.

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)Climbed to Moro Rock
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--John Muir movie
Bike trail around valley Mirror Lake and back, climbed to base of Bridal Veil Falls (drought)
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 visit in evening
Day 21 (Friday, July 10)
San Francisco by ferry boat
Fishermans Warf
China Town for lunch
Cable car and trolley rides
Stayed extra night than planned
Day 22 (Saturday, July 11)
To 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 in 2015. 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. Whirlwind --YES. Would WE do it again --YES!!!

I must add that we went to the San Clemente 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 Grand
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)(Stayed in Heaton Bay CG near Frisco.)
Overnight stops mapped around Denver
Colorado Welcome Center (East bound access dump station)
Day 4 (Monday, June 22)
Travel to Moab
Portal RV Resort (Reserved)****
Activities
Moab Visitors Center
Chill around town Had dinner in town made Arches for pre-sunset hike
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)
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)(Go interstate)
Campground reserved Ruby’s Inn RV Park & Campground****
Sunset view at Bryce
Day 8 (Friday, June 26)
Bryce Canyon hiked the Hoodoos made it to bottom and back
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
Took the long way around on the way back. Did get to see Pink Coral Sand dunes SP.
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/afternoon
Travel to Kingman, AZ --Uncle Woody’s driveway (reserved) LOL (4 hours)
Day 14 (Thursday, July 2)
to San Onofre -Camp Pendleton CG reserved*****
Met at Mike's rental house for evening before wedding party
Beach, 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

I like your planned stay times at the parks and I especially like your ending at Cedar Point! It'll be an awesome trip for you and the kids. However, do refigure your driving times including rest stops, fuel, lunch and add some extra hours - just in case. Things do happen.

You might research Lake Powell everything revolves around a boat.

mekkerl wrote:


Wow, thank you for reaffirming my initial thoughts!

This is an August 2018 trip for my wife and I, plus

four kids (11, 9, 7, 5). I need to start making reservations and want to nail down my route.

Here is the trip so far...we have about

32 days total to use...so I have about 3-4 days to add to the trip still (ie. maybe a day in St. Louis on the way out).

We have a 40' 5'r so likely will not be able to stay in all the parks.

Day 1-4 – Drive to Grand Canyon (35-hrs)
Day 5-6 – Grand Canyon NP South Rim (2 full days)
Day 7 – Drive to Lake Powell (3-hrs)
Day 8-9 – Lake Powell (2 full days)
Day 10 – Drive to Zion (3-hrs)
Day 11-13 – Zion NP (3 full days)
Day 14 – Drive to Bryce (3-hrs)
Day 15-16 – Bryce Canyon NP (2 full days)
Day 17 – Drive to Arches (5-hrs)
Day 18-20 – Arches NP / Canyonlands NP (3 full days)
Day 21 – Drive to Rocky Mtn (8-hrs)
Day 22-23 – Rocky Mountain NP (2 full days)
Day 24-26 – Drive to Sandusky, OH (22-hrs)
Day 27 – Cedar Point Amusement Park
Day 28 – Drive to Rochester, NY (5-hrs)

Sorry - but your driving average will be LESS than 50 mph!!!!!!! So likely you will need to multiply all you driving hours by 1.25 to be even close.

Because of the Kids I'll strongly recommend you tone the trip back. slow down, get out of the heat, Rochester has never seen the Utah HEAT. You and your kids will fade and the trip will not be as fun as it could be.

Look this Site over - this family did more than most and did it every year - Try to at least think about less Utah - Arizona and more - water and Mountains (Colorado).

Grand Canyon - Zion - Bryce would be on another trip - possibly in the Off season - COOLER time of year - Lake Powell will be fun for the Kids - WATER - IMHO, the Kids, You and the DW will love Colorado - Think Cool Crisp Nights - warm Sunny Days - Hikes Fishing - Wild and Beautiful - San Juan's - Collegiates - Bells - RMNP - I know these are not all National Parks and you seem set to see as many as Possible so just a little food for thought.

My Crazy Map

32 days will be Awesome! but will fly buy you'll lose 8+ days just going and coming, but this could really be FUN.

Just a suggestion, look over this Itinerary;

Drive to Golden, Colorado - Clear Creek with Tubes - Cold refreshing - Coors? - Town - Museum - Out Route 6 to

Drive to Buena Vista - Leadville Turquoise Lake - Twin Lakes - Hot Springs - Dirt Roads - 14'ers - Arkansas River - Browns Canyon NM to

Drive to Montrose - Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP- then to Ouray - Ridgway State Park - Silverton - Telluride - Trout Lake to

Drive to Mesa Verde - Hot - neat park kids will love the CLiff Dwellings to

Drive to Page? RT 95 Lake Powell - Monument Valley and Mexican Hat - If you must see the Grand Canyon possible to do North Rim? - higher cooler - Different BUT I'd catch Lake Powell up off RT 95 just different and would allow a few things up north - as I am hoping the southwestern Utah trip will be later.

Drive to Moab - Arches (Road Construction this summer) - Canyonlands - Island in the Sky - RT 128 along the Colorado River - to

Drive to Dinosaur NM CG on Green River - All Kids love to See Dino Bones - Green River - Hot beautiful - to

Yampa River SP - fish Relax or skip it and get to Steamboat Lake SP - Steamboat - Ski town - Cooler nice - Stagecoach SP just down the road also.

Then Drive on to Grand Lake - West side of RMNP use the truck to get to Estes and the hikes - less crowded more Family oriented side of the Park - to

Drive to Golden going over Berthoud Pass and through Winter park/ski town - to Golden/Denver to the long route home.

Crazy - sure but what I try to do is find places the Kids will enjoy - Water is always GOOD -so as you noticed, lots of Water on this Route.

Try to Mix the heat with Bookends of Altitude and Cooler Nights in Colorado Mountains - Just soooo much to see and so little time.

May still be way too much to do but at least the route will give you some ideas to opt for or against.

If it were just you and the DW I'd say push hard and survive all that heat but with the kids - they just "Want to Have FUN" so think about it and try to play more see less.

Hope this is not too confusing,

Best of Luck,

Note;

On one Epic hike with two of the Grandaughters to Marron Bells as we approached the car I asked, "What was the most Fun today"? -- "Skipping rocks in the stream" was the answer in unison - so I always remember - Kids, they just want to Have Fun!

You need to double your driving times!