Brits in an RV - Denver to San Francisco

[Fac051]

First of all a big hello from across 'the pond' 🙂
Myself and friends are planning to drive -on the other side of the road ;)- a Class C RV in Sept 2015 from Denver to SF.
The route we are taking will probably go via: Moab, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Vegas, Mammoth Mountain,Yosemite, Mono Lake and then on to San Francisco.
The reason I am posting is that I am hoping people on here will maybe share their recommendations of :
Places to visit (well known and not so well known).
RV parks along the way (value for money, other friendly rv'ers, friendly park owners, hidden gems etc).
Must see and do places along the way and lastly
Any other helpful RV advice and tips that total novices may need
Please feel free to comment on anything that takes your fancy.
Many thanks in advance
Rob

[NMDriver]

Reference your question about stopping "anywhere". Not a good idea in the US, there is a "no trespassing" culture on private property.

Public lands are plentiful in the west but even they frequently charge a fee or have other restrictions (no camping except in designated sites). There are rest areas and city parks that are free to stop at but even there you may be questioned or asked to move on by local law enforcement, if it looks like you are camping overnight. Ask locally about overnight parking. Many small towns, Wal Marts and other large retail establishments allow overnight parking if you ask. Go to this sites Boondocking forum for more tips and Google "free RV parking" to see other sites.

[Tin-bender]

If your going to Death Valley, don't skip Scotty's Castle!!! Well worth the little side trip to see.

One word of advice from some one who has driven in your country, it was briefly mentioned above, The closest approaching traffic at an intersection is just the opposite of what you are use to. You are use to looking right, left then right again.
Here you better look left, right then left again for the closest approching traffic.

Have a ball, we spent 4 weeks motoring through England, Scotland, and Wales It was a once in a lifetime experience.
Tinbender

[Rolling_Rolling]

Hi There . Not sure if you will still get this as these posts are a little old and you did put that you were traveling Sept 2015. Private message me for lots of info. We live in the UK and have been traveling the states on and off for 11 years. Have covered all 50 states and every national park. I would disagree about crossing Mono Lake off your list for starters.
Look forward to speaking with you guys

Julea & Alan

[gswcgi]

BTW, you left out one of the prettiest places in the US, Lake Tahoe. If you decide to include Tahoe in your great adventure contact The City of South Lake Tahoe Campground in South Lake Tahoe for a reservation, great place to camp and see the lake!!

[gswcgi]

There are many, many places to camp/stop that are not commercial/private campgrounds along the route you have planned. Also, go on line and access the US bureau of Land Management/ US Forrest Service sites and you will find many thousands of campgrounds with great details. Many have full hook ups (water/ electric and sewer) and they are relatively inexpensive. Also, if you are traveling with a US citizen or know one here in the colonies try to obtain either a US Federal pass (Senior Pass, America The Beautiful Pass or The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass....available for $10) which will allow you to enter all US National Parks, Monuments etc. for free and no entrance fee and will discount many US Forrest Service and BLM campgrounds, saving you many quid!! These passes have literally saved my Wife & I thousands of $ over the years. (the only bargain we have gotten from Uncle Sam).

If you have your schedule, parts of it tied down you should make reservations where possible that includes public campgrounds, State or Federal.In the western US there are thousands of State and county campgrounds that take on line reservations, just Google the State name and seek out there list of campgrounds, they all have maps and campground layouts to peruse. Enjoy your trip, the US Western States are great for RVing. I live in the West (Nevada) and never tire of seeing the US West and I have been RVing for 50 years!

[Jim_Shoe]

When I toured the British Isles in the early 80s, I found that driving from the right seat in the left lane required an extra amount of alertness. Roundabouts were a new experience. Some cities here have them now. I also found out that when you hear a horn, something bad is about to happen. On this side of the Atlantic, we also use them for doorbells and for waving to somebody. But most important, if you walk across a street between intersections, the traffic in the closest lane is coming from the left. That's when you pay attention to a horn. 🙂
Hope you have a wonderful visit.

[Orion]

Death Valley has some 'ho-hum' parts, but others are fantastic. I went there for the first time a few years ago and really enjoyed it, it was winter though.
You have to remember that folks from other countries will view some of the scenery here completely different from those that have lived here all their lives.
I can remember when I first moved to Canada (from the UK) oh so many years ago, and I took my first trip to the Interior of BC, across the mountains. I remember that as we came down the other side, the vegetation began to change, we were almost in a desert. I was just shocked, I had no idea! My girlfriend with me, now my wife, didn't understand why I was so surprised.
A few years later, on one of my first trips up north with an inspection team, we were walking over to the pub, when something flashed in the sky. It was the Aurora! never seen them before, thought you had to go to the Arctic or Alaska to see them. I looked around, I was alone, the beer was a far greater attraction.

[obgraham]

Fac: Sounds like a great trip, you'll see most of what there is to see in the West. North Rim at Jacobs Lake is beautiful.
My sister and I are planning a UK visit at that same time to visit long lost relatives in Lancs before we all croak! Can I borrow your car? (yukyuk)

[Fac051]

Everyone .. thanks for the fantastic tips .. it's much appreciated.
... we are travelling the middle of September next year for 19 days .. I know Death Valley is probably rather boring but we only want to visit to say we have been there, seen it, done it.
The routes and tips some of you have suggested sound fantastic, all I need to do is sit down with google maps and make some decisions .. altho we still have over a year to go.
Will we be frowned upon if we park up somewhere that isn't a designated RV park ? Here in the UK you can more or less stop wherever you please as long as you don't cause an obstruction.

[c_traveler2]

How much time do you have? I could fill a entire month with places to see along the route your planning.

[TexasShadow]

That's a pretty big loop you are planning, so don't try to fit more in the "shoebox" than will fit. 🙂
from denver to moab on 70 and 191 is good, but there is a scenic byway you can get at exit 212 off I 70 that will take you along the CO river into Moab.
From Moab down to 163 down to 160 and west to 89 then into Grand Canyon via 64..all passable roads, two lane. this is not a crowded area of the US, so there will be miles and miles of vacant land between a few small towns, but all the towns will have fuel. Kayenta, AZ, in the middle of american indian country, has a good sized grocery store if you need to get anything before going on to Grand Canyon.
From GC, on west to Las Vegas. 93 from Kingman up to Vegas is good and will cross the CO river on a very high bridge, but they require the trucks and rvs to use the inside lane. plenty of room.
Do skip Death Valley and Mono Lake at this time of year. It's just not worth the discomfort, and the grades going down and climbing out of DV are really pretty tough. Barstow to Bakersfield and north is good, and if your time is good, take 198 west and north out of Visalia and drive up through Sequoia Nat'l Park before going on to Yosemite. Sequoia has the big trees and it's a very scenic drive, etc.
Crossing NV and UT on I 80 is pretty boring...all high desert country but it follows, roughly, the way of the first intercontinental railway. And in UT you will pass by the Salt Flats where they test high speed cars and motorcycles... like in the movie "The World's Fastest Indian" with Anthony Hopkins. I think there is a viewing station along the highway you can stop for a break and maybe see something of the testing area.
Have fun.

[RckyMtnVia]

I agree with ksg5000: visit Capitol Reef NP, Bryce & Zion. Three great NP's in Utah and all worth visiting. Make sure you go to the historic little store at Capitol Reef and get the homemade pies and even scones made by a Scotsman! You may also consider stopping in Palm Springs/Indio area for a few days. Paso Robles and wine country rv park is worth a visit, particularly far out wineries. Then go up the coast to Big Sur and Monterey on highway 1. Scenic drive and narrow in some places but easier going north. Do the 17 mile loop around Monterey & Pebble Beach. On the coast just west of Paso Robles visit the Hearst Mansion, San Simeon. If you can fit it in and plan a route, Yosemite and Sequoia NP worth a visit. Monument Valley is good for a quick stop and a few pictures, but not much more. Roads are not that great.

Here is a rough idea of a route I would take: Denver I-70 west to Moab exit. Back to I-70 then on to Capitol Reef, Bryce and Zion. From Zion get on I-15 south through Las Vegas, to Bakersfield and Paso Robles. Then over to Highway 1 and up the coast towards San Francisco. The Grand Canyon is spectacular, but it takes you a few miles out of your way. If you have the time, go there from Bryce then back to Zion.

[ksg5000]

On the way from Grand Canyon to Vegas consider hitting Zion/Bryce Nat't Parks - easy Google.

[Fac051]

Ok that's Mono Lake off the list! :)I remember seeing a pic of it many years ago and the image stuck with me ...
Many thanks for the tip on driving downhill with an automatic box ,, hadn't occurred to me that I may cook the brakes.
On another post I have seen someone recommend North Rim road from Jacob's Lake to North Rim Grand Canyon Lodge so I will try and fit that in too. In total we have 3 weeks to complete the trip so any slight diversions are definitely doable.
Time to amend the original post and cross Mono Lake off the itinerary!:S