Heading out west with our 36 footer

MrandMrsWhite wrote:
I have a tentative game plan I need some logistical advice. Planning a 2..2 and a half month (generally unrushed) trip through Northern NM, AZ, southern Utah, Nevada hopefully Oregan then Cali coast..My main concerns are weather (we are leaving mid november) and accidentally taking our fifth wheel down the wrong road.

I have done a good amount of research on places to camp and things do/see but open to suggestions and advice.

We've been from Florida to Michigan and back a few times lots of East coast traveling but the west is uncharted territory.

3 days to get into Taos area I-20 through Louisiana and Texas planning to only stop and sleep between driving we are very excited to get to the land of enchantment.

Stay at Pilar CG for a week.
-Explore the area. (Looking forward to hiking and hot springs)

Move to Cochiti Lake CG another week.
Day trips
-Santa Fe
-Bandelier NM
-Kasha Tent Rocks NM
-Jemez Springs
-Pecos NHP
-Albuquerque.. Maybe

From NM to Sedona possibly stop over a day or two in Grants to explore El Malpais

We want to spend a few hours at the Petrified Forest is it doable to stop on our way through with our 5th wheel?

Sedona 2 days

Grand Canyon (trailer village) 2 days

I'm going to leave it at that for now it's late, looking forward to suggestions and knowledge for the first part of our trip.

Golden_HVAC wrote:
...Good luck on your adventures!

Fred.

Golden_HVAC wrote:
I was in Zion NP November 1st back in 2006 or 2007. The public showers where shut off and the water drained from the plumbing, because of freezing weather. My nephew was planning a tent trip there, and I asked if he checked weather.com first? He had not, and was from Phoenix AZ where it can be in the 80's that time of year. So I went up there to join his camping adventure, and provide him a warm place to sleep and shower. (I have a 30' Bounder and enjoy camping - even if it is 20F outside).

The interstates will always be clear of snow within hours of the snow stopping. The trucks have to get through. Major highways are also going to be clear within a few hours as well.

Some of the locations are higher elevations, so be ware of colder temps at those elevations. I had no clue when I went to the Grand Canyon at Thanksgiving in 1987 with my new to me 12 year old camper. IT did not have a furnace, but the stove kept me warm. It was light snow at 6,800' elevation, and about 1/2" of ice on the roads. I did not have chains. It was interesting, and I drove back to Laughlin, and stayed there at 90F.

Bryce Canyon is at 7,500' near Ruby's Inn, and 9,200' at the south end of the highway. So yes it can collect snow in the winter.

Highway 89 and 89A both go over 5,000' elevation, and will be clear if it is not raining or snowing. But if a storm happens, you will not want to be on either road that day. The next day should be fine. Most storms only last 48 hours at the most. Check weather.com and plan accordingly, get through there early or plan on waiting it out a couple of days.

Going through the tunnel into Zion NP is not a problem. Plan on going through in the daytime, when it is open to larger RV's, they let you drive down the center of the roadway, where the tunnel is 16' tall. IT is arched design, where the sidewalls are only about 13' tall. I drove a 40' motorhome through there, no problems.

You might want to start your adventures in October with a stop in Albuquerque first for the hot air balloon adventure the first week of October. If that is not possible, then you might want to skip the area, as it is 5,000' elevation and can get snow in November. Santa Fe is 7,800' elevation. .

Monument Valley is also nice. I toured from Moab south to Monument Valley one late September trip, and then went back to Albuquerque when I was tired of seeing rocks. Our other pick was to see the Grand Canyon again, but had been to Albuquerque many times, and went back for the second week of our trip. I got some great early morning pictures of highway 128 along the Colorado picture near Moab with clouds pushing up against the hills around the highway. Arches NP is also something to look and wonder at. .

There are lots of places to dry camp around Moab. I stayed in town in a RV park, but could have stayed just one night there, and then found some great boondocking places while out sightseeing if we had the time to visit a week or more.

AS for Oregon that time of year, it can be dreary rain, and you might not get to see much, as visibility is limited with the rain clouds or fog. Crater Lake is great, but can have snow that time of year. Heck my buddy has snow pictures from fourth of July in 1986 at Crater Lake.

Reno NV is also higher elevation, and much cooler in the winter. Lake Tahoe is 6,500' and will have snow in November. It is all about elevation in the winter there. The valley that I 5 runs through will not have any snow, but can have thick fog. Only the Grapevine just north of LA has snow, but that can be avoided by taking highway 58 east to Mohave, or Barstow and going south from there to the desert.



Good luck on your adventures!

Fred.