Western National Parks

Fanrgs thanks for the helpful post. We have a 26 foot TT. We have had good luck so far in getting spots in NPs. The Colorado info is especially helpful. I think doing the Dakota states and Colorado first in Aug and early September makes a lot of sense. I will have to map it out and see.
Jesseannie

You don't mention the type of RV you have, but, as you know, many national parks have few, if any, long campsites. We were just in Big Bend NP in February and the weather was great at that time of year. We skipped them this trip, but Guadalupe Mtns. NP and Carlsbad Caverns NP had very good weather at that time as well. So, the weather for that part of your route should be no problem.

We were in Great Basin NP in June 2015 and, surprise!, it was hot. However, the campgrounds inside the park are at elevation on the side of 13,000-ft. Wheeler Peak, so cold weather (and no water) could be a problem in fall and winter. Incidentally, we were on our way back to Denver on "The Loneliest Highway in America" (US 50) after visiting Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon NPs when we stopped for a night at Great Basin NP.

I have lived in Colorado for 54 years and every fall has been different. Some years, Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain NP is closed by mid-September and other years not until early to mid-October. Of course, the most spectacular time of year is about the 2nd week in September when all the aspen are turning and the elk are rutting along Fall River Road. But that is also when Estes Park traffic is at its worst.

Great Sand Dunes NP, Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP, and Mesa Verde NP generally have fine weather in September and early October, but can iffy after that. Not that snow on top of Black Canyon or on the dunes is all bad--it makes for some great photos. But you really need to be prepared for cold weather. Fortunately, Black Canyon has some electric-only campsites, so running the furnace is not a problem.

When you leave Black Canyon, think about taking US 550 to Ridgway, then CO 62 and CO 145 to Cortez. You will get to see the most-photographed view of the San Juan Mtns. from Dallas Divide (especially when the aspen are turning about the 3rd-4th week of September), take a short side trip to see spectacular Bridal Veil Falls at Telluride, cross Lizard Head Pass, and end up just a couple of miles from a highly-recommended campground for your visit to Mesa Verde.

At Mesa Verde, try staying at the Juniper Campground at McPhee Reservoir near Dolores instead of inside the NP at Morefield Park Campground. Juniper has long, level electric sites, is only 10 miles from the NP, and is right next door to the wonderful Anasazi Museum, which IMHO is much better than the museum inside the park. It also has much better access to the Canyons of the Ancients NM, if you are at all interested in more Anasazi ruins.

However, you decide to go, you can't help but have a wonderful trip!

Tom/Barb wrote:
Every post seems to concentrate on the national park system, but avoid the state parks, state forests, national forests, which in our humble opinion out shine the nationals in most cases, they are not overly crowded cleaner and cost less.

We do state parks a lot but I disagree about costs. Last year we spent 10 bucks a hight in Mt Rainier Park and the state of WA parks were over 40.

With the senior pass there is no cheaper place to stay.
Jesseannie

jesseannie wrote:
There are 35 National parks in the Western States. We have visited 16 of them so we gave 19 to go.
We have done all the MT, WA, OR, AZ AND UT parks so we have CA, TX CO, ND, NM, SD AND NV left.
My problem is timing. Originally I thought about a Sept start from my base in Boise ID. Hitting Great Basin in NV then Yosemite next. Then would follow with all the rest of the CA parks with some extra time in Southern CA.
That would take us till the end of Nov or so at a leisurely pace. Then even if we take our time across AZ to hit Carlsbad and the two parks in TX. We would be ready to head North in Jan or early Feb.
This is not going to work for the rest of the parks in CO and on northward.
I don't want to start in the spring with that plan because of the HOT summer weather in the Southern US.
We could leave in Aug. Do the Dakota states in the heat and head for CO to less heat (partially) then pick up the route again in NV and CA etc.
We would driving back to Idaho from Tx in Jan Feb but that is doable.
I would like to do it in 6-7 months.
What do you think?
Jesseannie

Maybe this order ND,SD, CO, fill in stuff then NV, CA, NM AND TX

Fill time with other local stuff in the winter and then finish.

Adventure Caravans takes the entire month of September to do their Grand Circle tour of the Western Parks.

Every post seems to concentrate on the national park system, but avoid the state parks, state forests, national forests, which in our humble opinion out shine the nationals in most cases, they are not overly crowded cleaner and cost less.

Badlands National Park is in South Dakota.

Already bagged Teton and Yellowstone missed mentioning WY.
Sorry.
Jesseannie

From what you posted you left out Wyoming, (Yellowstone) unless you count it in Montana or Idaho which part of it is in both of those states. Grand Tetons is also listed as a National Park. So when you go into the Badlands National Park in Nebraska the three of them could be fit in the first or last part of your trip as you are starting and ending in Boise. It looks like it would be best in the first part. JMHO