Forum Discussion

Fire5er's avatar
Fire5er
Explorer
Apr 02, 2014

Tacoma, WA to Grand Canyon

Planning an 8 to 9 day trip (travel included) to GCNP and need input on route. Thinking of going I-5 to Stockton, CA and take Hwy 4 over to Hwy 99. Hwy 99 to Bakersfield, CA and take Hwy 58 to Barstow, CA Hwy 40. Hwy 40 into AZ to Williams, AZ and take Hwy 64 up to the NP. Any issues with this route that you know of?
  • Hey, Karl and Ralph, looking at april 19th for coffee in Silverdale. Mebbee we'll have some more snowbirds home by then.
  • Thanks to all for the replies. MS Streets and Trips also suggested the SLC route, but I was not sure about some of the route (89A especially) being RV friendly. Looks like we will go thru SLC.
  • X2 on the routethru SLC. It's a heck of a lot easier and if I remember correctly,there are only two nasty climbs along the way and those are between Ellensburg and Yakima and then out of Pendleton. The rest is easier going,less traffic and really better roads.
  • I-5 through California to Bakersfield to I-40 east to 64 north is 1520 miles of awful traffic and road condition.

    For a more pleasant drive and shorter miles (1370) take WA I-82 to I-84 Oregon/Idaho to I-15 through Salt Lake City/Provo and you can then take 2 different routes and amazingly, both are the same mileage:

    1) UT89 south of Provo to Kanab, Utah to 89A (which will take you past the North Rim of the Grand Canyon) to 89 at Cameron, Arizona. Take 89 south to 64 west (coming into the South Rim from the east). This is a gorgeous drive and our favorite.

    OR

    2) UT89 south of Provo to Kanab, Utah to 89 into Page, Arizona. You will encounter an excellent detour beyond Page to cut off a landslide of last year. The detour is newly paved and a good highway. Continue on this detour to reconnect to 89 south to Cameron and pick up 64 west to the South Rim.

    All roads are RV-friendly!

    Have a good trip!
  • Last trip (and probably next) we went via the Tri-Cities to Idaho to Salt Lake

    Google Maps suggests it's more then 100 miles less