We are thinking of a rendezvous with some relatives over the Thanksgiving Holiday week. We'd be coming from Dallas, and they'd be coming from northern California (Red Bluff to be exact)The halfway point would be somewhere in northern Arizona, perhaps southern Utah.Some areas under consideration would be Moab, Utah or Ruby's Inn, Roosevelt Lake, Arizona or maybe Flagstaff or Sedona.I'm not sure if snow would be much of a factor around Thanksgiving... but I'd want to avoid that. We'd probably want full hookups with decent cell phone reception.What do you folks think?

I would suggest Sedona, AZ. Lots to do and see in the area. Then you could stay at the Distant Drums RV Park. Just a few miles from Sedona. Also a nice casino across I-17.

Page, AZ is another option but really only if you have Verizon service.Otherwise, Kanab is central to a lot of site-seeing. There's a cool ranch there called Copper Canyon Ranch that has RV spots. We stayed there for 2 weeks and the folks who run it are really swell. Verizon was decent; AT&T was slow.

I would suggest Ruby's Inn and request to stay in the back of the park as the spots are spacious.

We've been to Ruby's Inn a couple of times and love it there. However, according to their web site, there are only water/electric sites available during the week of Thanksgiving. I wonder if they shut down the sites with sewer for the winter. I'd imagine it'd be getting pretty cold there by that time of year.

There's a possibility of snow anywhere along I-40 in Arizona by that late in the year at altitude and Flagstaff is at altitude. Farther south is safer, especially if you are reserving this far in advance. Keep in mind that most snowbirds to Arizona arrive about November 1 and stay until April 1. That means fewer choices for short-timers in RV parks, although most keep a few spaces available for overnight to one-week RVers.Personally, I would recommend taking I-20 to I-10 from Texas, not I-40, in November.

Thanksgiving in Arizona or Southern Utah | Good Sam Community

2gypsies1
Explorer III
Jul 29, 2017
You will have cold weather in northern AZ or southern Utah. Even Sedona will be cold. Roosevelt Lake would be nice weather but full hookups... I'm not sure if Windy Hill national forest campground has full hookups. The others on the lake don't have hookups. What about Havasu City, AZ? Or, as mentioned, Lake Pleasant Regional Park? Or any of the Maricopa County parks in the greater Phoenix area are excellent. Get reservations for that weekend... popular places on holidays.
Lauren
Explorer
Jul 29, 2017
Thanksgiving would pretty well shut out Flag staff and Bryce due to snow and cold.

Distant Drums for Sedona would be great (done that a lot) and Moab is a good choice but not sure about the weather that time of year.

All beautiful places.

I would avoid Phoenix area - now 5th largest city in the nation and, amongst other things, the traffic is unbearable anytime.
dkreuzen
Explorer
Jul 29, 2017
Like already stated any place with altitude (anything over about 3000') is going to have a high probability of cold weather. By Thanksgiving time all the lower desert towns usually are having great weather. While Sedona is a beautiful place it is a tourist area. It is also 25+ miles from the Distant Drums RV Resort. Also as already noted it's snowbird time and while it starts getting crowded at Thanksgiving time, it's only the first wave. It really gets packed after Christmas.
Lake Havasu City (where I hang my hat) is a great place that time of year but get your reservation ASAP.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Jul 29, 2017
Although the greater Phoenix area is huge it's the easiest big city to get around, in our opinion. Naturally, you don't drive during 'rush' hours. Every one of the Maricopa County parks is awesome with great views and hiking. Lost Dutchman State Park at the far eastern side is equally awesome. I'd have no qualms about staying in the area.

After our last trip to Sedona this year we vowed never to return. It has become much too touristy and talk about traffic. Yikes!
F-TROUP
Explorer
Jul 30, 2017
I would opt for Moab, if you've never been there be prepared to be amazed. We go in Oct and the weather is great.
Oldtymeflyr
Explorer
Jul 31, 2017
Generally the Rocky Mountain west is getting much colder in November.

Looks can be deceiving.

In November Moab has an average low of below 30 degrees. St George Utah will have a Nov. average low of approximately 40 degrees. Day time temperatures will be higher in St. George. St. George is in what Coloradans would call a "Banana Belt." One of the key factors is altitude. Phoenix is warmer that Tucson because Phoenix is lower. Flagstaff will probably be getting some snow in November, it gets more than 100 inches of snow a year.

It depends on what you want.

Let us know where you wind up.

Good Luck!
Desert_Captain
Explorer III
Jul 31, 2017
We spent Thanksgiving week at Zion a couple of years ago. Never got out of the thirties all day with mid twenties at night. Lots of time spent around the roaring campfire. We had fun and every year is different but be prepared for cold weather.

:C

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