Trip to Death Valley National Park from Illinois

[marybethmc]

Any suggestions on travel to Death Valley. We are driving a 35 ft class A. Leaving Illinois last week in August. Are there any private campgrounds near the area with electricity and water? I know it will be hot there and would not want to rely on my generator to keep my coach cool.

Also are there any challenging roads we will encounter coming to that area?

Thanks Marybeth McGreevy

[marybethmc]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I think we will postpone Death Valley till April. I am sure everything would be taxed including us.

[Tyler0215]

Gonna need a bigger AC.

[SCVJeff]

You really might want to re-think those plans. Anything short of winter in Ill. is going to equal 100+ in Death Valley. Theres a reason the snow birds flock to DV in WINTER... because its the only time tolerable

[TexasShadow]

beware! because it will be so hot that your a/c won't be able to cool it down enough to be anywhere near comfortable, and there is no shade in the rv parks to help keep the skin of your rig cooler. the inside of your rig will be in the high nineties with your a/c going strong and hard.

I strongly suggest you look for an rv park in Pahrump NV and then make one or two day trips down into the park. Take an ice chest full of ice and water and other drinks.

[Lwiddis]

Usually have their little restaurant open too, wgriswold.

"10 Full-hookup Sites (30 and 50 amp): $35.00 per night
Electricity, water, and sewer hookup for each site. All sites have fire pits and picnic tables
***Be advised: Our electricity is produced by a diesel generator and the power is not as clean as line power. Some new RVs may have issues with our electricity."

[wgriswold]

If I were to visit Death Valley in August (I wouldn't) I would stay in Panamint Springs Resort. It is about 20 miles west of Stovepipe Wells and 15 degrees cooler. It is rustic. There is one fairly steep pass on the road between Stovepipe and Panamint but the decrease in temp is worth it.

Stovepipe Wells has about 15 full hookup sites.

I would want reservations at either place.

[samsontdog]

You could not pay me to go there in Aug or anytime other than winter. Death V is usually the hottest place in the nation during the summer

[Lwiddis]

Hot there? Today's anticipated temperature at Stovepipe Wells is 115 degrees and 116 at Furnance Creek. BUT its a dry heat.

[GordonThree]

That's quite a drive, should be fun. Hot is an understatement. It was hot when I went there for Christmas - I can't imagine how it would feel in August.

If you don't like mountains, I think I 40 does it's best to avoid them. I 80 or I 90 West out of Illinois hits a lot of mountains once you reach Colorado or Wyoming. I 40 to eventually I 10. It's going to be very hot along the entire drive, so make sure your on board systems are ready to work pretty much non stop.

As far as parks in Death Valley, it's a big place. When I think Death Valley, I think Furnace Creek. There's a small RV resort there, privately run. It's next to the National Park campground which has no hookups, but is also very nice.