Best route~Effingham IL to Grand Canyon

[Luv_nCamp_n]

Let me start off with " yes, I know I'm crazy".
After seeing the pics of the family with the twin boys making there trip to the canyon, we have decided to do the same!! We loved their pics and plan on stopping in many the same places. I know, I know, monkey see monkey do, but hey, it's not a bridge and no jumping involved!! Lol

We are planning a 2 week round trip to Grand Canyon the first 2 weeks of June 2015. No, I'm not a teacher, so I don't get 40 days. Lol!! We are traveling with 4 kids, youngest is 9. We plan on squeezing in as much sightseeing as possible. We are pulling a 32ish ft travel trailer, and we are open to any and all ideas for all aspects of traveling with this many kids. Advice on, where to stay, when to stop, meal planning, and ways to keep my sanity are greatly appreciated.

We are mostly local weekend campers, this is a first for us. My family is- me and hubby, our dd19, and ds11. We are bringing my sister, and her 2 dds 13, 9. I realize my dd is not really a kid,but she would much rather hang out with us than kids her age, and I'm fortunate for that. This is a good group of kids who get along great, so I want to make this memorable for all of us.

Our ds, and my nieces are very active in all things related to sports, and as much as I would love to plan my vacation according to "the best time to see this or that", that's not gonna happen. But I feel this vacation is a memory maker for our families. We traveled together to Disney 4 years ago, and these kids get a little sad when they talk about how much fun that was and why we haven't done it again. (I'm still growing my hair back from that trip, but not because it wasn't fun. I'm the mom aka, meal-planner, bank teller, finder of all things lost, including children... enough said, right?!?)

But all in all, it was an awesome time for a lot of little kids who had just experienced some really rough and trying times, and I am grateful for the opportunity to give that to them.

So, can you all help me and my crazy family make this trip a great success with your your abundance of "all things related to traveling by way of wheels on the ground" knowledge.

[2gypsies1]

First, if you take the shortest route: I-70 to I-44 in MO to I-40 at Oklahoma City and west to Flagstaff, AZ, picking up 180 to the Grand Canyon, you will have a 1600 mile drive each way.

That would be 3-4 days driving each way. That leaves you with 6-8 days of siteseeing once you get to the Canyon.

I would suggest staying in the national park at Trailer Village which has full hookups. The free shuttle stops at the campground and you can get on and off whenever you want. Get off and do some walking along the Rim Trail which is relatively flat along the top edge of the Rim. For a totally different experience, hike down the Bright Angel Trail if only for 1/4 mile or so just to get the feel of getting below the rim. Take water and don't try to go too far. You have to hike up on the return and it's very steep.

Spend at least 2 nights at the Canyon and work in some Ranger programs for the kids.

Then you have 4-6 nights left.

You could head north and work in Zion Nat'l Park and/or Bryce Canyon Nat'l Park and then head home. You will have seen three totally different canyons and all are beauties. Both Zion and Bryce have campgrounds; Zion with electric or dry; Bryce is dry camping or stay just outside of the Bryce gate at Ruby's RV Park - expensive but hookups. Each park has free shuttles to get from place to place.

Have a great trip! It'll be a lot of driving but if that's all the time you have you can do it. We did when the kids were little and they still remember the trip 40 years later. 🙂

[welove2drive]

Do you have sleeping space for 4 adults and 3 children in your trailer? We have had 6 adults sleeping in our 28' TT. We can fit a double mattress in front of the table and put 2 chairs in the shower. We have had to do this 3 out of 4 trips but only for 1 night. Plan A is two in the tent but storms or late stop over changed to Plan B. Make sure you have a Plan B. Buy 7 rain ponchos at the dollar store. Pack shoes for walking in the creeks. Those fabric grocery bags work good for the shower house.

You may want to precook some hamburgers, grilled chicken pieces or strips(for Quesidillas), left overs, bacon, ground pork sausage, chili meat w/onions and peppers, taco meat, etc. and freeze. Freeze some in individual portions for easy dinner or lunch choices. The chili fixin's will make a quick pot of chili, just add beans, canned tomatoes and seasonings. The ground sausage will make quick Biscuits & gravy. I like the Southeastern Mills Peppered Gravy Mix & frozen biscuits (could also precook). Hard boil some eggs for the trip. A Food Saver machine removes the air and makes the packages smaller so you can fit quite a bit in the little TT freezer. You can cook a lot of things in an electric skillet at the picnic table. I bought a storage box with 3 drawers. Stock with anything you need when you cook/eat outside. It saves me many trips in and out of the TT!

Discuss something(s) that each person can do to help. Whatever will help Mom & Dad (hosts). Familiarize them with where you keep things in the trailer. If you try to do everything for everybody it will get old quick on a 2 wk trip. Take time to sit, relax and enjoy yourself!

In Page, AZ check out the Upper (walk in access) or Lower (ladder access) Antelope Slot Canyon. We just drove out to the Upper Slot Canyon. We also did the Colorado River Discovery flat water raft trip on the Co. River. Very cool. You can take a hike out to the Horseshoe Bend over look. (free) Leaving Page, AZ heading NW there is a really nice (Nat'l park?) visitor center.

Zion (Springdale, UT) if you can't get in to Watchman campground there is an RV park behind the Quality Inn next door. Camp next to the Virgin River. Zion Canyon Campground. We stayed at the Quality Inn but walked around the campground. The free shuttle will pick you up nearby. Take a drive in your truck through the tunnel to explore so you can pull over at look outs. When you travel to Bryce with the trailer you won't be able to pull over easily.

Glenwood Springs, CO. has a hot springs pool. Pretty neat. We stayed at a campground on the east side of the tunnel down the road (I-70). It is along the CO. River.

Have a wonderful trip!
Marcia

[IA_boy]

Here's my suggestion assuming you have 15 days and want to get a good overview of SW US.
I-70, US 24, I-25 and US 160 to Durango, CO (take train ride to Silverton)

Page, AZ 1 night, with 3 hour side trip to Lower Antelope Canyon

North Rim GC for 2 nights (various hikes)

Zion NP 1 night

Bryce NP 1-2 nights (leave Bryce early, drive Utah 12, stop and hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls)

Torrey, UT 1 night

Moab (1 day at Arches NP)

Start return via I-70

If you hit Denver at lunch time take family to "Casa Bonita"

Note: North Rim and Bryce will be nice and cool this time of year, Zion and Moab will be hot.

Good luck. Have fun.

[djsamuel]

Dick_B wrote:
Stay in Williams and take the train to the South Rim. Remember the average length of time tourists spend at the South Rim is three hours which, BTW, is how long the train spends there.

Depends what you want to do. We spent 6 days there and filled all of them. If you're just taking the bus to the overlooks, then you are correct; I wouldn't plan much more. We hiked a lot, Bright Angel Trail, the entire rim trail, Hermit's Rest, etc. Explored the hotels, Desert View, visitor center, movies, etc.

[Luv_nCamp_n]

Thank you all for the replies!! The canyon pics are great!

[Dick_B]

Stay in Williams and take the train to the South Rim. Remember the average length of time tourists spend at the South Rim is three hours which, BTW, is how long the train spends there.

[gbopp]

Set a route and schedule but, don't be too rigid. Things change. 🙂

I like to use Roadside Americaa when traveling. Maybe you can find something of interest along your route.

Enjoy your trip.

[djsamuel]

Just got back from a trip to the Grand Canyon in September, along with Moab UT (Arches and Canyonlands National Parks).

I strongly suggest making reservations EARLY to stay at Trailer Village in the Grand Canyon National Park. Not only was the location great, it was really convenient, an easy walk to the park bus.

Here are some pictures:

Grand Canyon Sunset

Grand Canyon - Bright Angel Trail

Other Grand Canyon Pictures

Arches National Park

Canyonlands National Park