Trip Planning Advice Needed

tragusa3 beat me to it.

X2 on 3 nights/2 days for the Grand Canyon. IMO that's plenty of time to see all of the view points along the south rim and also do some hiking. If you plan to hike down into the canyon just remember that it gets hotter the further you go down and that it's all uphill to get back.

Thanks, tragusa3! I'll definitely read your trip report. I'm hearing what you are saying about GC to only 3 days. I will consider this as there is so much to see and so little time!

You may find the trip report in my signature to be a helpful read. It is long, but you should find it interesting since it is similar to what you have planned. Our trip was 40 days with 2 kids.

If you don't read it, I would suggest doing the Utah parks since you drove all the way to the GC. Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches...were all incredible places. It seems that geographically a visit to GC would include those as well. Maybe consider Tetons and Yellowstone on a different trip to maximize efficiency of miles driven. I know this suggestion isn't the question you were asking, but it is worth consideration.

Definitely cut GC to 3 nights. Not sure what you're going to Durango for, but the train ride was worth a 2 night stay there. Mesa Verde was a disappointment to us...one day was enough.

huffster wrote:
Wow! Thank you to all who responded to my request for travel advice! I have decided NOT to go to Colorado Springs after Durango on the way to the Tetons.

A bit more about our camping crew...

There will be six of us; my wife and I and our four kids ages 10 - 16. We will be pulling our Little Guy Silver Shadow tear drop with a Nissan NV3500 van. We'll have two small tents as well.

I'm not too concerned about steep mountain inclines or winding roads as our trailer is very light.

Many of you recommend sights and CG's that I've never even thought of exploring. I now need to get out a map and start to research these great options.

Thanks so much!

Definitely take the drive from Silverton to Ouray on 550 if you're in the area. The one of the nicest drives you'll ever find.

We are going to be on the road for about 40 days total.

We will leave Dayton, Ohio and head to Mather CG at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Here's the plan:

Dayton to Grand Canyon - 4 days

Mather CG @ Grand Canyon - 5 nights (reservations)

Lightner CG in Durango - 3 nights (reservations)

Head north to Grand Tetons NP - 2 - 3 days for camping and stops (working on where to go)

Gros Ventre CG in Tetons - 4 nights

Lizard Creek CG in Tetons - 4 nights

Madison CG in Yellowstone - 3 nights (reservations)

Canyon Village CG in Yellowstone - 3 nights (reservations)

Cody, WY (motel) - 2 nights

Blue Bell CG in Custer - 3 nights (reservations)

Head for home stopping in NE & Chicago to visits friends

Strokenfiver wrote:
Hey Huffster out of curiosity about how many days are you planning for your trip? I am starting the process of planning a similar trip o starting from NY and need to keep it under 18 days.

I worked under similar restrictions until I retired. With 18 days, even pushing hard with 500+ miles/day for the first and last 3 days. Going and coming back. That leaves you with 12 days in the Colorado, Wyoming area. My advice is to pick one area to explore to minimize driving days once you get to your target area.

For example with Yellowstone Tetons as your target you could stop at Rushmore/Badlands/Devils Tower on the way out and then spend 10 days in Yellowstone/Tetons which is none too many to get a look at the parks.

Something most easterners don't grasp is the huge size of these parks, it would take you 4 to 6 hours to enter YNP from the north and drive south to Jackson Hole WY on the south side of the Tetons And so 10 days is just about right for a first visit.

The other obvious target would be Rocky Mountains National Park with Great Sand Dunes as a add-on for a day or so. You could still do the Rushmore area with that selection.

If you want to go to the Grand Canyon/Utah park loop you'd have to add another travel day each way. And Grand Canyon is a day away from the Utah parks unless you go to the North Rim. I prefer the N. Rim myself.

But whatever you do you won't have time for widely separated parks unless you plan to spend days driving from one to another.

Hey Huffster out of curiosity about how many days are you planning for your trip? I am starting the process of planning a similar trip o starting from NY and need to keep it under 18 days.

Wow! Thank you to all who responded to my request for travel advice! I have decided NOT to go to Colorado Springs after Durango on the way to the Tetons.

A bit more about our camping crew...

There will be six of us; my wife and I and our four kids ages 10 - 16. We will be pulling our Little Guy Silver Shadow tear drop with a Nissan NV3500 van. We'll have two small tents as well.

I'm not too concerned about steep mountain inclines or winding roads as our trailer is very light.

Many of you recommend sights and CG's that I've never even thought of exploring. I now need to get out a map and start to research these great options.

Thanks so much!

Arches NP is a must! You will not be disappointed!

Janss wrote:
agesilaus, are you suggesting that huffster drive Hwy 550 north from Durango? I've read that the section between Silverton and Ouray is not for the faint of heart.

If you want to go up through Utah, a stay at Moab gets you a visit to Canyonlands NP, Arches NP, and Dead Horse Point SP.

I would second this. Moab would be worth a stop (IMO).