We will be leaving on May 10th for a BIG loop trip starting from our home in Show Low AZ.We will be traveling to:Grand Canyon South RimLees Ferry to fish the Colorado RiverGrand Canyon North RimZion CanyonBryce CanyonPanguitch UT to fish the Sevier River and Panguitch LakeKodachrome BasinCedar Breaks National MonumentEscalante/Grand StaircaseCapitol Reef National ParkCanyonlands National ParkArches National ParkMesa Verde National ParkDunes National Park Northeast of DurangoDurango ColoradoNavajo Lake recreation area in New Mexico to fish the San Juan River. From there we may head home or continue to travel to New Mexico locations.We have reservations at all the locations and are not in a hurry. This Loop is only about 1300 miles and we plan on being gone until the first part of July??This is our first long road trip since our retirement and we are very excited to get on the road.jesseannie

We are getting ready to take our first post retirement loop too. But you are doing the "little" loop, and we are doing the "big" one. Tucson to California, to Washington, to Maine, to Florida, and back to Tucson! About 11,000 miles in four months.

Good luck on the weather, starting out this early.

Sounds like a great trip. Many of those are still on my to do list.

jesseannie wrote:We will be leaving on May 10th for a BIG loop trip starting from our home in Show Low AZ.We will be traveling to:Grand Canyon South RimLees Ferry to fish the Colorado RiverGrand Canyon North RimZion CanyonBryce CanyonPanguitch UT to fish the Sevier River and Panguitch LakeKodachrome BasinCedar Breaks National MonumentEscalante/Grand StaircaseCapitol Reef National ParkCanyonlands National ParkArches National ParkMesa Verde National ParkDunes National Park Northeast of DurangoDurango ColoradoNavajo Lake recreation area in New Mexico to fish the San Juan River. From there we may head home or continue to travel to New Mexico locations.We have reservations at all the locations and are not in a hurry. This Loop is only about 1300 miles and we plan on being gone until the first part of July??This is our first long road trip since our retirement and we are very excited to get on the road.jesseannieI have done them all to, in fact a few times. You have picked one of the best trip there is, add a few more along the way.

Looks like a great trip. I am adding this one to my bucket list.

Traveling the Great Circle | Good Sam Community

milo
Explorer II
May 06, 2014
That's a great trip you've got planned, lots to see & do. We have done most of em also. But for the past 8 or 9 yrs we've been making a "medium sized loop" each late summer & early fall. DD lives on San Juan Island ...way up there.. so we loop up that away ... each time trying to take a different route ..Glacier, Yellowstone, Washington, Oregon & No. Cal coasts and points in between.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
May 06, 2014
Welcome to retirement. You deserve this fantastic trip! We've been to all of them multiple times and each one is special. In fact, we're re-doing some of them beginning in two weeks. Looking forward to fishing the San Juan once more. We're staying at the Cottonwood campground in the state park.
jolooote
Explorer
May 06, 2014
What size/type rig? I hope U'll travel Utah Rt.12 from Bryce to capital Reef. After GC south I'd skip GC north except to eat supper in the lodges Great Stone dining room. 10 miles west of Bryce, on Rt12 is a small Nat'l Forest Camp called Red Canyon. One of our top 5 camps in the country. Beautiful, well spaced, private Sites for the biggest rigs. Water only. No reservations. At Bryce, Ruby's Inn RV Camp is best. U MUST hike the Navaho trail into the bottom of the hoodoos. Along Rt.12 is another of our favorites, a small State pk called Calf Creek. The sign say recommended for 25' rigs or smaller. I'm 35' with TOAD and always find a spot to fit. If healthy, take the 6 mile (Round trip) hike to Calf Creek falls. Again, No reservation. At Cap.Reef drive the Cap. Gorge scenic drive to the end and walk about a mile into the gorge to read the wall of indian Petroglyphs & old settler names & dates. At Canyonlands, Rt.313, make SURE to drive Toad to see Gemini Bridges, Shafer Trail switchbacks & long canyon overlook. If a fairly high clearance Toad, U can drive down into Canyon bottom on Shafer switchbacks, across bottom and out On Rt.279. Turn left At Jug Handle arch & U can drive the dirt road back to top of Long canyon overlook & back to Rt.313. The dirt road goes under the famous giant fallen rock. Ofcoarse, the Tourist standards...Deadhorse point & Islands in the Sky. If U'r into steam engine train rides, 50 miles east of Mesa Verde at Durango, is Americas BEST train ride, Durango-Silverton Steam train.
jesseannie
Explorer
May 06, 2014
2Gypsies we too are staying in the Cottonwood Camp, We have 6 days planned there. I hope to wade fish as well as float the river in my pontoon float boat.

Jolooote, Thanks for the suggestions. We are towing a 26' TT with a 4wheel drive pick-up. We are not in a hurry and are looking forward to both rims of the Grand Canyon. We will be staying in Panguitch Utah for Bryce,
Red Canyon, Kodachrome Basin, Cedar Breaks and other area attractions. Including fly fishing the local waters. Durango is on our itinerary so is the train ride.
jesseannie
littlemo
Explorer
May 06, 2014
Sounds awesome! I'll bet the weather will be just fine. I love cooler weather anyway!

Next trip plan on making a bigger loop and head further north to Tetons, Yellowstone, Mt Rushmore, maybe even Glacier! ENJOY!
Bull_Rider
Explorer
May 06, 2014
We just went past Red Canyon last week, "closed". I called and they said that it would open for Memorial Day weekend. Maybe there's some construction or ?? We ended up staying at Bryce.

Then drove through Tropic and did the Utah 14 up to Torrey, and then east on 24 through Hanksville and on to Goblin Valley.

We're now in Dinosaur N.M and will be heading north through Vernel.

Enjoy your trip.
tragusa3
Explorer
May 06, 2014
Great trip! Congrats on retirement. We're doing a similar loop, leaving in a month. So excited, we can't sleep! First time for us.
jesseannie
Explorer
May 06, 2014
Here is our trailer we will be taking on the trip, this picture was taken at Fool Hollow Campground near our home in Show Low AZ
jesseannie

Picture was oversize so I deleted. I belong to several other message boards and this one is the hardest to post pictures to. I will keep trying maybe I will get it someday. lol
tragusa3
Explorer
May 06, 2014
I agree with that... I would be much more active with pictures if it wasn't a hassle.
Bull_Rider
Explorer
May 07, 2014
tragusa3 wrote:
I agree with that... I would be much more active with pictures if it wasn't a hassle.

X3, I just don't post photos on this forum as it's not user friendly.