Hi. We are a family of 10 looking to go out west but have no idea of routes and campgrounds as such. I figured many have done these week or 2 week trips before. Does anyone have links or know of a book that simplifies routes out west and suggest certain places to stay. We are in Nashville tn.

Wow, so many unknowns. Family of 10. Do you have an RV of some type? Or tent camping? What is everyone riding in?What are your interest and what do you want to see?One week trip will not get you much past front range of Rockies, or eastern NM, and back and have any time left. Two week trip would get you a little farther.

Sorry. We have a 35’ travel trailer. We don’t have anything specific we want to see but want to travel out west seeing things. I figured people did this so often that people would have preplanned routes to different areas. We have about two weeks to go.

NCMODELA wrote:Hi. We are a family of 10 looking to go out west but have no idea of routes and campgrounds as such. I figured many have done these week or 2 week trips before. Does anyone have links or know of a book that simplifies routes out west and suggest certain places to stay. We are in Nashville tn.Older post Link on ColoradoBing Map of Route to GoldenTwo Weeks = 16.5 days IF you get everything Packed and leave right after work on Friday - getting say 6 hours in on the first night.That would leave 850 miles to get you to Golden - Two long days but possible.Then Monday would start your 11 day adventure before heading home.Think about it, what do you want to see? Colorado has it all - Mountains - Rivers - Ghost Towns - Mining Town - Ski Towns - Trails - National and State Parks....................So would this work?

Something to be aware of, with a family of 10. It could become costly, so plan accordingly. At commerical campgrounds, there is usually a statement that the occupancy rate is for 2 people, and that each additional person would be $XXX/night/person. A frequent figure is $4.50, so that would mean an additional $36/night beyond the rate for the space. In Rocky Mountain National Park, as an example, there is a limit of 8 people per site, so you would need to reserve 2 sites. In Colorado State Parks, as another example, that limit is 6 people per site, so again you would need to get 2 sites.I've used Colorado as an example, to expand off Busskipper's post above, and am very familiar with Colorado. A lot depends on what you might have in mind for a destination. The "West" covers a huge area and your interests for what you would like to see would influence answers. You may or may not like the desert. You may or may not like driving in the mountains. Driving across the Great Plains is...an experience, which you may or may not like. Do you like interstates to get there, or would you prefer to meander? What sort of tow vehicle do you have? What's the ages of your occupants/family members? Answers to these and other questions that I'm sure will come up, will help in giving you more precise information in response.

NCMODELA wrote:Sorry. We have a 35’ travel trailer. We don’t have anything specific we want to see but want to travel out west seeing things. I figured people did this so often that people would have preplanned routes to different areas. We have about two weeks to go.with only two weeks, you aren't going to be able to see much out West.Easterners have no idea how big the West is.i would focus on Yellowstone, Glacier, Tetons trip or a Grand Canyon/Utah trip, with only two weeks.

Routes and campgrounds in west | Good Sam Community

59 Replies

Lantley
Nomad
Nov 01, 2017
Corky12 wrote:
NCMODELA wrote:
Thank you guys. What is a reasonable miles per day to drive and can you stay in rest stops out there? Any other overnight parking places to sleep?

With the kids I would think 500 miles would be the absolute most in a day, 350 much more comfortable. Each state makes the rules for their rest areas as to overnight stays. After being strapped in a vehicle all day those kids are going to need to move. Pay for a campground. There are many city and county parks in small towns all across the Midwest that offer limited camping facilities for a nominal fee.

I try to set my limit at 300 which equates to 6 hours drive time.
8 hours including food and fuel stops.
500 is doable but you are talking being on the road for at least 12 hours.
I have done 500-650 miles in a day and it is a long day. At this point 500 is no fun for me and way beyond my limit. I'm just not in that much of a hurry anymore. I want the "getting there" to be enjoyable as well, vs. an endurance challenge.
Corky12
Explorer
Nov 01, 2017
NCMODELA wrote:
Thank you guys. What is a reasonable miles per day to drive and can you stay in rest stops out there? Any other overnight parking places to sleep?

With the kids I would think 500 miles would be the absolute most in a day, 350 much more comfortable. Each state makes the rules for their rest areas as to overnight stays. After being strapped in a vehicle all day those kids are going to need to move. Pay for a campground. There are many city and county parks in small towns all across the Midwest that offer limited camping facilities for a nominal fee.
Lantley
Nomad
Nov 01, 2017
padredw wrote:
Here is just one of the possibilities for exactly 14 days from Nashville and back to Nashville.

Day 1: Nashville to Lake Catherine State Park near Hot Spring, AR
415 miles trails and lake for kids. Hot Springs worth a visit if you have time. Could make this a 2 day stop
415/50=8 hours drive time. That includes zero time for fuel or food Leave at 8am arrive at 4 pm.
Stop for fuel and food arrive at 6 PM set up in campsite by 7:00

Day 2: 431 miles: Lake Catherine to Vernon, TX Rocking A RV park for an overnight OR if you are making good time on up to Goodlett, TX and the Ole Town Cotton Gin RV Park. Both good for an overnight.
Another 8 hours of drive time . Leave by 8 arrive at campsite at 7:
(yes, I'm dipping a bit south, but I know US 82 across North Texas and I know all the campgrounds I've mentioned above.)
----------
Day 3 & 4: 455 miles: Santa Fe, NM and the Western Skies RV Park. Lots to see in historic Santa Fe. I'd make this a two day stop.
----------9 hours of drive time. arrive at campsite at 7 set up by 8. At least you have the next day off!

Day 5, 6 & 7: 256 miles: Buena Vista, CO. River rafting, hiking, day trip to Aspen. KOA, Arrowhead Point Campground, Snowy Peaks. I've stayed at all. KOA has the advantage of hiking right out of the campground with rock scrambling for older kids.
5 hours drive time arrive at campsite by 1 set up by 2
Now you have 2 days to explore
----------
Day 8 & 9: 173 miles (following the Peak to Peak highway) to Estes Park and the Rocky Mountain National Park. Spruce Lake is where I have stayed, but several other choices handy to the park.
--------3 hours drive time Arrive at CG and set up by noon

Day 10 & 11: 338 miles to Custer and the Black Hills. I've stayed in Custer's Gulch, but Rafter J and many other choices in the area. Could stay a week, but you have only 14 days total. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Needles Highway, Custer State Park Wildlife Loop, and more.
-------
7 hours drive time arrive at CG at 4 set up by five. 1 full day to explore

Day 12: 332 miles to Sioux Falls. Obviously time to start back. I've never had reason to stay along this route, but should have no trouble finding an overnight RV Park.
Back in the car for 7 hours Arrive at CG by set up by 5
--------

Day 13: 464 miles to the neighborhood of Keokuk, Iowa. There is the Hickory Haven Campground for example
9 hours drive time

Day 14: 500 miles back to Nashville.
10 hours drive time and your home. Might as well wrap up with 12 hour day. IN THE CAR!

This is only one of many possibilities, but it represents the kind of planning that would allow a trip to the mountain West in the 14 days you have available. I have personal experience with every mile of the trip and every campground mentioned EXCEPT the 3 final days on the way back to Nashville. Will be glad to answer any questions about the portions of the trip with which I am familiar.

Too much like an endurance event to me.
I prefer shorter destinations with less time behind the wheel vs. a driving marathon. The driving vs. touring and relaxation ratio is way too high for me to actually enjoy the trip.
Busskipper
Explorer
Oct 31, 2017
padredw wrote:
Here is just one of the possibilities for exactly 14 days from Nashville and back to Nashville.

Day 1: Nashville to Lake Catherine State Park near Hot Spring, AR
415 miles trails and lake for kids. Hot Springs worth a visit if you have time. Could make this a 2 day stop

Day 2: 431 miles: Lake Catherine to Vernon, TX Rocking A RV park for an overnight OR if you are making good time on up to Goodlett, TX and the Ole Town Cotton Gin RV Park. Both good for an overnight.

(yes, I'm dipping a bit south, but I know US 82 across North Texas and I know all the campgrounds I've mentioned above.)
----------
Day 3 & 4: 455 miles: Santa Fe, NM and the Western Skies RV Park. Lots to see in historic Santa Fe. I'd make this a two day stop.
----------
Day 5, 6 & 7: 256 miles: Buena Vista, CO. River rafting, hiking, day trip to Aspen. KOA, Arrowhead Point Campground, Snowy Peaks. I've stayed at all. KOA has the advantage of hiking right out of the campground with rock scrambling for older kids.
----------
Day 8 & 9: 173 miles (following the Peak to Peak highway) to Estes Park and the Rocky Mountain National Park. Spruce Lake is where I have stayed, but several other choices handy to the park.
--------

Day 10 & 11: 338 miles to Custer and the Black Hills. I've stayed in Custer's Gulch, but Rafter J and many other choices in the area. Could stay a week, but you have only 14 days total. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Needles Highway, Custer State Park Wildlife Loop, and more.
-------

Day 12: 332 miles to Sioux Falls. Obviously time to start back. I've never had reason to stay along this route, but should have no trouble finding an overnight RV Park.
--------

Day 13: 464 miles to the neighborhood of Keokuk, Iowa. There is the Hickory Haven Campground for example

Day 14: 500 miles back to Nashville.

This is only one of many possibilities, but it represents the kind of planning that would allow a trip to the mountain West in the 14 days you have available. I have personal experience with every mile of the trip and every campground mentioned EXCEPT the 3 final days on the way back to Nashville. Will be glad to answer any questions about the portions of the trip with which I am familiar.

Like it - Bing Map - https://binged.it/2yiTu1s

With the new Math (Three weekends and Half a day Friday - or more) this could be even Better with an extra couple days in Buena Vista - or an extra Day in each Buena Vista and Custer -

If you were to take this Route Counter Clockwise it might be even easier to work in the 1/2 day going out, as this route is the more boring couple days of the two options and would work (JMHO)

Something tells me that David has done this before and Knows this route - so I'll just contribute a Map and a Thumbs Up - Hard to argue on anything but the extra couple days by using three weekends and a scheduled early departure on Friday, to just gain a few hours on that first day with all the adrenaline pumping, is usually a big help. I think this just might be IT.

Keokuk, Iowa

Sioux Falls, SD

Custer, SD - the Black Hills - Mt Rushmore - Jewel Cave - Custer's Gulch

Peak to Peak highway - Rocky Mountain NP and Estes Park

Buena Vista, CO - Look also at Arkansas River - Rt 82 to Aspen Maroon Bells in Van - Collegiates - Browns Canyon NM - Leadville - Quincy's - K's

Santa Fe, NM and the Western Skies RV Park

Vernon, TX Rocking A RV park

Lake Catherine State Park

This Looks like the beginning of a Great trip,
4runnerguy
Explorer
Oct 31, 2017
I've been singing the praises of the Upper Arkansas River Valley for years. I don't have a specific RV park to stay at, but I will say that anywhere from Leadville south to Salida is a great place to base camp out of. In the heat of the summer, up toward Leadville is cooler in temperature.

You have a choice of fishing, hiking, jeeping, mountain biking, rafting, etc. etc. Spend an afternoon in the park in downtown Salida, first tubing down the river, then catching a free concert on the lawn. There are ghost towns in the area and a mining museum up in Leadville. The whole valley is paralleled by the Sawatch Range with a number of mountains over 14,000' in elevation. Check out some other of my suggestions for this area here. Or search "Salida" and "4runnerguy" as the author.

It's around 1250 miles from Nashville to Salida, further if you head up to Leadville.

With 10 of you, 600 miles a day would be right at the limits for a days drive. Towing a trailer means a lot more stops for gas, and with 10 people, bathroom breaks will also take a little longer. We did 800 miles in one day on the way home from Canada this summer and it took me another day to recover.

Yellowstone would also be on my list, but that's another 400 miles of driving each way. Yellowstone is unique in the world and someplace everyone should visit who gets the chance. And it's not just about the geysers but also the wildlife, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, lakes, rivers, Old Faithful Lodge, etc. Plus, quite scenic mountains to the south in Grand Tetons. But that's three long days of driving. If you could start out after work on Friday and get a couple hundred miles that first evening and then not return until Sunday night two weeks later, you could make that drive.

With 8 kids, one should focus on getting somewhere and staying for a decent length of time, rather than moving every couple of days. The kids will already be tired of being in the vehicle by the time you get to your destination. Let them get out and play in the outdoors. Besides, breaking camp and setting up again in the evening eats into a couple of hours of "vacation" time every time you move.
padredw
Nomad
Oct 31, 2017
Here is just one of the possibilities for exactly 14 days from Nashville and back to Nashville.

Day 1: Nashville to Lake Catherine State Park near Hot Spring, AR
415 miles trails and lake for kids. Hot Springs worth a visit if you have time. Could make this a 2 day stop

Day 2: 431 miles: Lake Catherine to Vernon, TX Rocking A RV park for an overnight OR if you are making good time on up to Goodlett, TX and the Ole Town Cotton Gin RV Park. Both good for an overnight.

(yes, I'm dipping a bit south, but I know US 82 across North Texas and I know all the campgrounds I've mentioned above.)
----------
Day 3 & 4: 455 miles: Santa Fe, NM and the Western Skies RV Park. Lots to see in historic Santa Fe. I'd make this a two day stop.
----------
Day 5, 6 & 7: 256 miles: Buena Vista, CO. River rafting, hiking, day trip to Aspen. KOA, Arrowhead Point Campground, Snowy Peaks. I've stayed at all. KOA has the advantage of hiking right out of the campground with rock scrambling for older kids.
----------
Day 8 & 9: 173 miles (following the Peak to Peak highway) to Estes Park and the Rocky Mountain National Park. Spruce Lake is where I have stayed, but several other choices handy to the park.
--------

Day 10 & 11: 338 miles to Custer and the Black Hills. I've stayed in Custer's Gulch, but Rafter J and many other choices in the area. Could stay a week, but you have only 14 days total. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Needles Highway, Custer State Park Wildlife Loop, and more.
-------

Day 12: 332 miles to Sioux Falls. Obviously time to start back. I've never had reason to stay along this route, but should have no trouble finding an overnight RV Park.
--------

Day 13: 464 miles to the neighborhood of Keokuk, Iowa. There is the Hickory Haven Campground for example

Day 14: 500 miles back to Nashville.

This is only one of many possibilities, but it represents the kind of planning that would allow a trip to the mountain West in the 14 days you have available. I have personal experience with every mile of the trip and every campground mentioned EXCEPT the 3 final days on the way back to Nashville. Will be glad to answer any questions about the portions of the trip with which I am familiar.
NCMODELA
Explorer
Oct 31, 2017
Thank you guys. What is a reasonable miles per day to drive and can you stay in rest stops out there? Any other overnight parking places to sleep?
RedRocket204
Explorer
Oct 31, 2017
Don't forget the OP's family consists of two adults along with a 19 year old who, given some proper instruction and time to learn to tow, could be a third driver. That could help ease up on the stress of driving long distances per day.

I'm also on the side of GO FOR IT!. There certainly is A LOT to see of the west if you go as far west as CO/WY, maybe into eastern UT. That keeps going too far north that would add driving time.
DrewE
Explorer II
Oct 31, 2017
Lantley wrote:

I like your math. It takes 3 days to get there and 3 days back that's 6 days of steady driving. That leaves 8 days of touring. total.
That allows for 3 days to get home. There is not enough time to allot 5-6 days to get home:@.

I think the math was based on two weeks and three weekends (i.e. leaving on Friday afternoon/evening and returning on Sunday evening).

Given the choice between seeing something I'm interested in more hurriedly than I would really prefer and not seeing it at all, I'll choose the former most every time. That may not be true for everyone, and that is fine, but it would be my choice.
Lantley
Nomad
Oct 31, 2017
zb39 wrote:
My phone says 1587 miles from Nashville to Yellowstone....your closer than me and I have been there 7 times.
Leave friday after work or very early sat am. 3 days to get there. sat, sun mon night arrival. Take a 7 full days to see the highlights including the Tetons. Take 5 or 6 days to get home at a slower pace. JUST DO IT!
Don't let the retired crowd get you down. I went to Alaska and back in 5 weeks. 10k miles total on the coach.
Maybe when I retire I will slow down................nah!

I like your math. It takes 3 days to get there and 3 days back that's 6 days of steady driving. That leaves 8 days of touring. total.
That allows for 3 days to get home. There is not enough time to allot 5-6 days to get home:@.

Now the OP could drive out and back doing 2-800 mile days to allow for more touring time. But that is a grueling pace.

Like the OP I can only muster 14 days off. I have always desired to take an RV trip west, however the drive is just too far to do it at an enjoyable pace. I can make it up and down the east coast and as far west as Ohio within my allotted 2 weeks. However the badlands, Mt Rushmore, Grand Canyon, are just too far to go from the east coast.
For me I want to slow down enough to at least sniff the roses if I can't actually smell them.
I don't want to just do a drive by , beep and go tour do to ti,me restraints.
If I make the effort to drive that far I want to have enough time to actually enjoy the destination vs. just passing by the destination.
To the OP I'm not trying to discourage you. I think you are working on your game plan and your destination is set.
Many have made the journey in 14 days, but for me I prefer my vacation destinations to be closer to home in order to travel and sightsee at a more leisurely, enjoyable place.
I enjoy driving and have concluded after several 500-800 mile days,(BTDT) that vacation should be more about relaxing vs.driving.
Maybe my thoughts on time driving vs. time at destination ratio would change if I were in a class A or Class C.
However I play the towable game,the drive is not quite as enjoyable as it is in a motorized RV.
With that in mind I set distance limits in order to have enough relaxation time to make the vacation worthwhile.
I'm caught in the fast paced rat race 50 weeks a year, I do not need to set a rat race pace while on vacation.
Maybe it's a sign of old age ;)

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Routes and campgrounds in west

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