First Time Across Country to Grand Canyon

[VA_Family]

We are a family of four and we have had a used A class Warrior RV about a year now and have taken 4 -5 weekend trips. Our goal was to do this to learn "how camp in a RV" in preparation to drive across country this summer. Our trip begins in VA and we want to go through Mansfield, MO to Laura Ingalls Wilders home and Independence, KS. The next stops would be the Mesa Verde, Antelope Canyon, Wahweap and then down towards the Grand Canyon. We are thinking about returning back home using "Rte 66" with a stop in Memphis.
We have about two weeks to complete this journey and I know it will be hot (don't have much of a choice with school and work) in August. I have been using Roadtrippers.com to build an itinerary. Here are some concerns/questions that we have:
1. Do we take our dog (Basenj/19 lbs/'8 years old)? I know the Grand Canyon Railway RV park has kennels for the day. Has anyone used them? Have you left the dog in the RV with generator running the a/c while at a sightseeing stop that doesn't allow pets? We do have a cat but we are thinking of leaving her with Grandma! She likes to escape out of the RV.
2. Best RV area for Grand Canyon..little concerned about no hook ups at National Parks and if they run out of sites. Railroad RV park/Bedrock Flintstone RV park/Sedona/Flagstaff..not sure which one to pick. We would like to do an afternoon a Slide Rock.
3. Not much to stop at between Independence, KS and Morefield Campground at Mesa Verde..Any suggestions for roads, how far to drive a day, campgrounds. Also we are used to driving in mountains. Gas mileage stinks and takes us longer than by car of course Do you make better time in the midwest? How many miles can you average a day (thinking no more than 8 hrs a day on some stretches without stops, may be unrealistic)?
4. Any must see stops driving back east? We are thinking Petrified forest, Cadillac Ranch, Memphis.
I am sure there is something that I am forgetting to ask.

[2gypsies1]

Keep in mind how many trips like this you will be able to do with your now 11 & 14 year olds. If you're not going to have many chances to see the awesome national parks of the West, then take the little time you have and just do it! Seeing one or two rather than not seeing any at all is a no-brainer for us. Like I said before you're young and the kids are good traveling ages. Only you know how your family will do on long driving days. I hope you'll be able to help drive though. That would be a big plus. Have a good trip! 🙂

[Lantley]

I applaud your efforts. I am just up the road in MD. While I would love to journey out west with the RV 2 weeks is just not enough time.
Too many 12 hour plus days behind the windshield.
I don't mean to discourage you but there are plenty of interesting things closer to home that require a lot less windshield time.
Rushing there and back does not sound enjoyable or relaxing. Too much of a endurance challenge vs. a vacation.
I'm not retired. I'm still a working stiff. I understand work restraints.
I think you need 3 weeks minimum to make the trip worthwhile.
If your going that far allow enough time stay awhile
vs. during a drive by tour.
I don't see spending 50 per cent of the time behind the wheel as a vacation.
I am an avid RV'er but consider a flying vacation to significantly reduce your travel time.
Honestly I don't mean to be a naysayer. Maybe I just have a case of sour grapes because I'm not willing to do it.... Good Luck

[VA_Family]

BJ/NW Arkansas wrote:
What you propose is a lot of driving. I don’t know the exact route you will take, but, a quick look tells me it will be about 80-90 hours of drive time. Which is about 7 hours a day, every day, of drive time. Or, using a 14 day period that is about 330 miles each day you will have to drive. Assuming you can average about 55 mph. Once you leave the interstate and start across Colorado and parts of Arizona on a two lane road your average speed will drop considerably. That does not leave a lot of time for being a tourist. If you spend a day riding the train you have to make up the missed miles and drive hours on another day. Do the math based on your route, miles and time frame. In my younger years I did many RV trip like this. But I did not have young children who can get tire of riding every day and who want to stop and play and swim, etc.

Thanks for this information. 330 miles at 7 hours driving helps our perspective. I found a free calculator website that calculates driving time with average speed, time zones, etc. Typically, in car road trips we leave between 3 -4 am, which the kids can sleep. Seems to be that a 8.5 hour car drive will turn into a 12.5 hour rv drive with a few stops for gas and at an average of 50 mph. We were thinking about driving as many hours as possible on the way out with just 2 sightseeing stops and sleeping stops until we got to the CO/AZ area.

[jalichty]

If you have two weeks, you can do it, but might be a bit short on time for sightseeing. Go for it, the chance might not come again with your kids and all the things they want to do to which you cannot say no. My personal opinion would be to start with the early part of the trip and if you find out that time is too short cut out the Grand Canyon part. Of the places you want to visit, I would say the Grand Canyon, while it is grand and neat, is not as neat as some of the others, especially the southern Utah sights. GO FOR IT!!!

[jfkmk]

It's a temptation to try to see everything in one trip, but I'm not sure it's worth it. I did a similar trip from NJ in my much younger days (tent camping). Yeah, we got to see a lot, but a lot of the country, but we were pushing 100 mph on the "travel days". Dumb, an not something you can do in a mh.

[TyroneandGladys]

dupe

[TyroneandGladys]

We travel with a dog all the time and there are no problems with proper planning. You will need to travel with the generator running and the roof AC on for the comfort of all the people anyway. We never run the dash AC roof only with a fan to circulate the air up in cab area takes a huge load off of the engine and no need to turn off AC when climbing a grade.
Look for RV parks such as the KOA I suggested in Williams AZ that offer a dog walking service. For a slight fee the will come to your RV check on your dog, feed your dog and walk your dog while you are gone. More and more parks are offering that service. It might not be on there website but call them and you will find them.

[2gypsies1]

OP.... I'm still with you on this one. If that's all the time you have, so be it. Many here are retired (us, also) and we tend to forget the 2-week vacations with the kids. You're young and the kids are a good age for traveling. People forget that it takes a long time to work up to long vacation time and by that time, the kids are in high school and it's more difficult to travel for them.

I would still suggest you head directly to your main destination first - if it's Grand Canyon - and then work your way back home with any leftover time you have. You don't need reservations for your return trip. Just pull in before 4pm and you'll get a site. Be flexible. If you're tired of siteseeing, find a park with a pool and relax for a day. It will do a world of good.

Have a family meeting laying the distance on the line and emphasing that you might not be able to fit in everything on this trip. Get the kids involved with this. Have them explore a state on the internet that you're passing through and give them a route and see what interests them along the route or not too far off it.

Keep in mind that a lot of the Midwestern things you can do on another trip and it won't be as long of one and you'll be able to fit more things in.

I remember we used to tent camp for 2 week trips with our kids - much more work and time-consuming but it turned out o.k. and they still remember the trips our West.

[doxiemom11]

Heck, I thought it was a long enough trip from Phoenix up to the Grand Canyon. Spent an entire day there and Oak Creek Canyon/Sedona. That just wouldn't be enough time with all there is to see and do.

[Veebyes]

VA to GC rtn in 2 weeks? WOW! You are going to see lots of interstate & gas stations.

A portion of our trip this year will take us from MD west & rtn. 40 days & 4000 miles VA, west, rtn VA. We almost consider that too short for the time/distance ratio.

There is so much out west to see but the distances are huge between them.

[Busskipper]

4runnerguy wrote:


August? If it were me, I'd go no further than Mesa Verde. Consider staying in the mountains of Colorado where it will be much more tolerable in August. Plus, you'll save a lot of driving time that can be used sightseeing. If you want to see red rock country, stay in Ridgway SP and take a day trip to Moab and Canyonlands NP (which we like better than the Grand Canyon).

You mention a family of four but what ages are we talking about and what activities are you interested in? I can recommend places to visit real ghost towns, go river rafting, see amazing wildflower displays, ride a steam train through unbelievable scenery, and hike in mountains unlike anything you've ever seen in the east.

As for pets, leave the dog at home. Too restrictive on your activities. We camped for years with a couple of cats, but with a litter box, keeping them in the PUP for hours wasn't a problem, as long as we found a shady campsite.

So, how old is everyone and what do y'all like to do?

VA Family wrote:


4runnerguy,

We have a 11 and 14 year old.

We like to do so some average hiking,

sightseeing,

swimming and tend to like

historical places.

The kids tend to tire out in the heat so we limit our hike distance so that everyone is "happy".

My husband is always on the go.

When everyone else is relaxing on the beach, he is crabbing, boating, exploring and my

youngest is just like him.

We typically are never in a hotel room or RV during the day.

We are always doing something.

My youngest doesn't like horseback riding but the rest do.

I usually stay behind with her.

We have hiked at Lake Tahoe but we have been to this area.

Our travels have been on both sides of the coast but the middle of the country has been skipped.

Good news!

Talked to Grandma and she offered to keep the cat and dog. I didn't even have to ask. Our concern was leaving them for hours while out hiking and such. The dog is a bit of a shadow and not left often. Here the dogs are not restricted from hiking so much but we don't have so many ancient ruins and mules on the trails either!

Ideas from similar family that did this often.

Did this as a kid - Did this with My Kids, just not enough (sports/school were always competing) - Still do it - They still Do It - Will do it till........so a Few Thoughts -

Mission?

More time.

More thought into Location.

Focus on Less not More.

Leave on Friday right after Work - this gains you a good 1/2 day that is just so Valuable in the end.

Drive long and Hard to get to the Location.

Weather will Make or Break the trip and the Memories - So IMHO first trip should not start out with Heat as a strike against it. (Colorado just is so kid friendly)

Good choice on Clothes - Boots to Hike in (Good Boots will make it a lot less stress/work) - Good CAMERA - take lots of Pictures - more Pictures - more time - more fun.

Hope this Helps, let us know what and then after how it was.

Best of Luck,

[BJ_NW_Arkansas]

What you propose is a lot of driving. I don’t know the exact route you will take, but, a quick look tells me it will be about 80-90 hours of drive time. Which is about 7 hours a day, every day, of drive time. Or, using a 14 day period that is about 330 miles each day you will have to drive. Assuming you can average about 55 mph. Once you leave the interstate and start across Colorado and parts of Arizona on a two lane road your average speed will drop considerably. That does not leave a lot of time for being a tourist. If you spend a day riding the train you have to make up the missed miles and drive hours on another day. Do the math based on your route, miles and time frame. In my younger years I did many RV trip like this. But I did not have young children who can get tire of riding every day and who want to stop and play and swim, etc.

[VA_Family]

4runnerguy,
We have a 11 and 14 year old. We like to do so some average hiking, sightseeing, swimming and tend to like historical places. The kids tend to tire out in the heat so we limit our hike distance so that everyone is "happy". My husband is always on the go. When everyone else is relaxing on the beach, he is crabbing, boating, exploring and my youngest is just like him. We typically are never in a hotel room or RV during the day. We are always doing something. My youngest doesn't like horseback riding but the rest do. I usually stay behind with her. We have hiked at Lake Tahoe but we have been to this area. Our travels have been on both sides of the coast but the middle of the country has been skipped.
Good news! Talked to Grandma and she offered to keep the cat and dog. I didn't even have to ask. Our concern was leaving them for hours while out hiking and such. The dog is a bit of a shadow and not left often. Here the dogs are not restricted from hiking so much but we don't have so many ancient ruins and mules on the trails either!

[4runnerguy]

August? If it were me, I'd go no further than Mesa Verde. Consider staying in the mountains of Colorado where it will be much more tolerable in August. Plus, you'll save a lot of driving time that can be used sightseeing. If you want to see red rock country, stay in Ridgway SP and take a day trip to Moab and Canyonlands NP (which we like better than the Grand Canyon).

You mention a family of four but what ages are we talking about and what activities are you interested in? I can recommend places to visit real ghost towns, go river rafting, see amazing wildflower displays, ride a steam train through unbelievable scenery, and hike in mountains unlike anything you've ever seen in the east.

As for pets, leave the dog at home. Too restrictive on your activities. We camped for years with a couple of cats, but with a litter box, keeping them in the PUP for hours wasn't a problem, as long as we found a shady campsite.

So, how old is everyone and what do y'all like to do?

[naturist]

From my house in VA, it's 2122 miles one-way to GC NP. That would require driving 260 miles every single day of a 16 day, i.e. "Two week vacation." Doable, but not fun. Deviate from the shortest route map program chose and you increase the distance as well as the driving time. You are entitled to do anything you want about this trip, but I wouldn't do a trip that long in that short a time.