Help with trip out West

rolltider11 wrote:
Hey guys, I'm in Birmingham, Al. I'm trying to plan a trip out west for the last week of June 2017 through the first 3 weeks in July. I am off for 4 weeks, my wife is off 3. I'm going to to try and get out west and have wife fly in when she gets off on Friday. Would like to see Grand canyon, Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, Bryce,Zion, Arches, and Yellowstone. No idea if this is possible or not. Never been out there so please advise on a good route with days at each place, where to meet wife to technically start the trip, and what I need to see. Do I need reservations or can I just wing it? Thanks!

YellowStone is packed in July

It is doable, as noted, but will involve a lot of driving and you will just scratch the surface of all there is to see in the great American West.

Our first trip out there we had one month. We traveled from Virginia to Rapid City (Mt. Rushmore). Then stopped in Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes Park, CO. From there we drove down thru Moab, UT and on into Monument Valley. We then went to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. From there we started back east and stopped in Amarillo to visit Palo Duro Canyon, and then stopped in St. Louis before heading home.

We stayed in each place for several days (2 -4 generally). It was a lot of driving but we enjoyed being on the move and just seeing parts of the country we had never seen before.

Since retirement, we've been back 3 more times but we allow at least 3 months.

I agree with the others about saving Yellowstone for another time. It is just so huge. We spent a week there and still did not see it all.

All the places you mentioned except Yellowstone are relatively close to each other. Yellowstone would add substantial additional travel.

I agree with earlier posts about bypassing Yellowstone this trip. We spent winters in Arizona and really enjoy the west. So much to see and so little time to do it. RTR

Wow! Quick responses, thank you. I will be in a 40 foot diesel pusher so I can boondocks or have hookups doesn't matter. Summers in Alabama may not be like out there but it's pretty hot. So, is the consensus to not do Yellowstone? Roll Tide!

Yes, your trip is very doable. Bryce will be the coolest. Just get up early and do your hikes and outdoor things and plan indoor things for the afternoon.

One thing I'd recommend is to cross off Yellowstone and save it for another trip along with Grand Teton, Glacier and that area.

Each national park has a great website with things to do, road information, special alerts, camping. Check them out. Here is Grand Canyon's:

https://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm

Also, plan to stay in the parks themselves for the best overall national park experience and less time spent driving.

It's much better to see these parks with only a few days rather than not seeing them at all. You can always come back for more. Have a good one. Roll Tide! :)

If it were me I would scratch off Yellowstone - the others are in reasonable proximity to each other and you only have 3 weeks.

Would help to know if you are a FHU or boondock type and if you have a generator. I would go to Yellowstone first as it's further from home and easy to get there in a week. SW airlines service that area with several choices changing in SLC. Work your way south from there. Will be hot in the SW either direction.

Well, you can figure a week shot just driving cross country. Remember, by late June the desert SW is getting really really hot, so the places you want to visit are going to be not so nice. Doable? Sure, just a lot of driving.