Heading out west with our 36 footer

[MrandMrsWhite]

I have a tentative game plan I need some logistical advice. Planning a 2..2 and a half month (generally unrushed) trip through Northern NM, AZ, southern Utah, Nevada hopefully Oregan then Cali coast..My main concerns are weather (we are leaving mid november) and accidentally taking our fifth wheel down the wrong road.

I have done a good amount of research on places to camp and things do/see but open to suggestions and advice.

We've been from Florida to Michigan and back a few times lots of East coast traveling but the west is uncharted territory.

3 days to get into Taos area I-20 through Louisiana and Texas planning to only stop and sleep between driving we are very excited to get to the land of enchantment.

Stay at Pilar CG for a week.
-Explore the area. (Looking forward to hiking and hot springs)

Move to Cochiti Lake CG another week.
Day trips
-Santa Fe
-Bandelier NM
-Kasha Tent Rocks NM
-Jemez Springs
-Pecos NHP
-Albuquerque.. Maybe

From NM to Sedona possibly stop over a day or two in Grants to explore El Malpais

We want to spend a few hours at the Petrified Forest is it doable to stop on our way through with our 5th wheel?

Sedona 2 days

Grand Canyon (trailer village) 2 days

I'm going to leave it at that for now it's late, looking forward to suggestions and knowledge for the first part of our trip.

[Gearitis]

Flagstaff, AZ may be an issue, as snow may be more in play than not. Anything north of the I 40 corridor will have higher chances of snow and ice. I worked out of an RV in that area for over 8 years from Amarillo to Flagstaff, AZ. There were days you just put the back of the RV to the wind and hang on!
OP, you mentioned I20??? If you are headed NW off of I20 at Sweetwater TX on 84, be aware that Far West and Panhandle of Texas can and will get snow after that Nov 1 date. Especially that area west of Lubbock, TX, if going that route. I have been caught from Lubbock NW into New Mexico in some pretty serious snow storms in November and December.

You will hear all the bad things, as I mentioned above, but you will have more good than bad and it is gorgeous in the winter. I would do it in a heartbeat, and have done it many times, just be prepared for cold. Biggest thing, do not get in a hurry, if bad weather is coming, hunker down and listen to the truckers, they stay on top of the weather.

Enjoy your trip, it will be one to remember.

[HGL]

Just to let you know...over Labor day weekend, in Washington State we had snow above the 5000 ft level. We do a lot of camping during the winter on the coast of Wa and Or and we love it...We have a great outdoor shelter that we put over the picnic table at the edge of our awning so that we can sit outside for meals...Lots of layers and extra blankets. Enjoy!

[captdave363]

We have traveled out west three times and enjoyed each trip. Make sure you spend a couple of days in Sants Fe, you will not regret it. Driving across Neveda is like driving across the surface of the moon, be prepared. Northern California is beautiful as is all of the Pacific Northwest. We enjoyed Utah immensely, particularly Bryce Canyon. After October you are taking your chances with the weather. Trying to tow a trailer in serious adverse weather can be problematic.

[laknox]

MrandMrsWhite wrote:
I have a tentative game plan I need some logistical advice. Planning a 2..2 and a half month (generally unrushed) trip through Northern NM, AZ, southern Utah, Nevada hopefully Oregan then Cali coast..My main concerns are weather (we are leaving mid november) and accidentally taking our fifth wheel down the wrong road.

I have done a good amount of research on places to camp and things do/see but open to suggestions and advice.

We've been from Florida to Michigan and back a few times lots of East coast traveling but the west is uncharted territory.

3 days to get into Taos area I-20 through Louisiana and Texas planning to only stop and sleep between driving we are very excited to get to the land of enchantment.

Stay at Pilar CG for a week.
-Explore the area. (Looking forward to hiking and hot springs)

Move to Cochiti Lake CG another week.
Day trips
-Santa Fe
-Bandelier NM
-Kasha Tent Rocks NM
-Jemez Springs
-Pecos NHP
-Albuquerque.. Maybe

From NM to Sedona possibly stop over a day or two in Grants to explore El Malpais

We want to spend a few hours at the Petrified Forest is it doable to stop on our way through with our 5th wheel?

Sedona 2 days

Grand Canyon (trailer village) 2 days

I'm going to leave it at that for now it's late, looking forward to suggestions and knowledge for the first part of our trip.

The only comment I have is that you should marathon drive north first, then take a leisurely drive south as the weather gets colder. What I'd do, anyway...

Lyle

[jpjulian]

If you will be in an area where snow is a possibility, be prepared to be able to clear snow off of your slide-outs, if so equipped. You'll need a ladder and a suitable long-handled brush to clear the snow. Had the brush but not the ladder when we got snowed on back in February in Winslow, AZ. Stay off the roof if there is snow on it. We have a good collapsible ladder now.

Joe

[NMDriver]

Pilar is at 6000 plus feet and will be cold at night. Same with Cochiti at 5300ft.

Pilar and Cochiti are a good ways from anything. Cochiti does have a good fuel/quick shop near the lake and at the freeway but nothing else is close by.

No dogs allowed at Tent Rocks if you have one. BTW: if you go hiking even in winter, bring plenty of water per person.

I think you will be better off, weather wise, to stay south of I-40 and best to stay south of US 60. There are plenty of attractions down south in NM and the weather is a lot warmer. We generally do not get a hard freeze at night until Jan.

I am not trying to say you will not enjoy your planned trip but I live here and I would not go to Pilar or Cochiti in Nov.

PS I have been to both in the warmer weather.

[C_Schomer]

We went to Or. in Nov. about 7 years ago and it was wet and cold. We stayed on Hood and they got a snow storm and the ski traffic got fierce. The lower areas were so foggy, it ruined the sight seeing. Better do that earlier in the year. The drives along the river gorge, the river hiway and the road up a little higher on the Or. side are terrific. Waterfalls galore! Go to Astoria, across to Wa. and up that side, too, to the Bonneville dam. There's also a great early American museum along that road. Craig

[minnow]

Golden_HVAC wrote:
...Good luck on your adventures!

Fred.

Nice write up and very informative. Thanks Fred !!

[gettinhitchy]

Flannel Sheets....:C

[ken_burke]

Golden_HVAC wrote:
I was in Zion NP November 1st back in 2006 or 2007. The public showers where shut off and the water drained from the plumbing, because of freezing weather. My nephew was planning a tent trip there, and I asked if he checked weather.com first? He had not, and was from Phoenix AZ where it can be in the 80's that time of year. So I went up there to join his camping adventure, and provide him a warm place to sleep and shower. (I have a 30' Bounder and enjoy camping - even if it is 20F outside).

The interstates will always be clear of snow within hours of the snow stopping. The trucks have to get through. Major highways are also going to be clear within a few hours as well.

Some of the locations are higher elevations, so be ware of colder temps at those elevations. I had no clue when I went to the Grand Canyon at Thanksgiving in 1987 with my new to me 12 year old camper. IT did not have a furnace, but the stove kept me warm. It was light snow at 6,800' elevation, and about 1/2" of ice on the roads. I did not have chains. It was interesting, and I drove back to Laughlin, and stayed there at 90F.

Bryce Canyon is at 7,500' near Ruby's Inn, and 9,200' at the south end of the highway. So yes it can collect snow in the winter.

Highway 89 and 89A both go over 5,000' elevation, and will be clear if it is not raining or snowing. But if a storm happens, you will not want to be on either road that day. The next day should be fine. Most storms only last 48 hours at the most. Check weather.com and plan accordingly, get through there early or plan on waiting it out a couple of days.

Going through the tunnel into Zion NP is not a problem. Plan on going through in the daytime, when it is open to larger RV's, they let you drive down the center of the roadway, where the tunnel is 16' tall. IT is arched design, where the sidewalls are only about 13' tall. I drove a 40' motorhome through there, no problems.

You might want to start your adventures in October with a stop in Albuquerque first for the hot air balloon adventure the first week of October. If that is not possible, then you might want to skip the area, as it is 5,000' elevation and can get snow in November. Santa Fe is 7,800' elevation. .

Monument Valley is also nice. I toured from Moab south to Monument Valley one late September trip, and then went back to Albuquerque when I was tired of seeing rocks. Our other pick was to see the Grand Canyon again, but had been to Albuquerque many times, and went back for the second week of our trip. I got some great early morning pictures of highway 128 along the Colorado picture near Moab with clouds pushing up against the hills around the highway. Arches NP is also something to look and wonder at. .

There are lots of places to dry camp around Moab. I stayed in town in a RV park, but could have stayed just one night there, and then found some great boondocking places while out sightseeing if we had the time to visit a week or more.

AS for Oregon that time of year, it can be dreary rain, and you might not get to see much, as visibility is limited with the rain clouds or fog. Crater Lake is great, but can have snow that time of year. Heck my buddy has snow pictures from fourth of July in 1986 at Crater Lake.

Reno NV is also higher elevation, and much cooler in the winter. Lake Tahoe is 6,500' and will have snow in November. It is all about elevation in the winter there. The valley that I 5 runs through will not have any snow, but can have thick fog. Only the Grapevine just north of LA has snow, but that can be avoided by taking highway 58 east to Mohave, or Barstow and going south from there to the desert.



Good luck on your adventures!

Fred.

Not true about the interstates. Some areas (south of Dallas on Rt 20) DO NOT clear or salt or plow the Rt 20. They are not geared up for it. I (and a bunch of tractors) had to stay at a motel for 3 days south of Dallas until the roads were cleared.
The real problem is on the on-off ramps.

[ken_burke]

MrandMrsWhite wrote:
I have a tentative game plan I need some logistical advice. Planning a 2..2 and a half month (generally unrushed) trip through Northern NM, AZ, southern Utah, Nevada hopefully Oregan then Cali coast..My main concerns are weather (we are leaving mid november) and accidentally taking our fifth wheel down the wrong road.

I have done a good amount of research on places to camp and things do/see but open to suggestions and advice.

We've been from Florida to Michigan and back a few times lots of East coast traveling but the west is uncharted territory.

3 days to get into Taos area I-20 through Louisiana and Texas planning to only stop and sleep between driving we are very excited to get to the land of enchantment.

Stay at Pilar CG for a week.
-Explore the area. (Looking forward to hiking and hot springs)

Move to Cochiti Lake CG another week.
Day trips
-Santa Fe
-Bandelier NM
-Kasha Tent Rocks NM
-Jemez Springs
-Pecos NHP
-Albuquerque.. Maybe

From NM to Sedona possibly stop over a day or two in Grants to explore El Malpais

We want to spend a few hours at the Petrified Forest is it doable to stop on our way through with our 5th wheel?

Sedona 2 days

Grand Canyon (trailer village) 2 days

I'm going to leave it at that for now it's late, looking forward to suggestions and knowledge for the first part of our trip.

Yea, weather could be a real problem. Nov. might be okay. Dec, Jan you could get bad weather . . rain, snow. No fun. I went to Taos during the winter (jan) and it was really cold, snow. I also had snow in NM and Texas. I think that a lot of campgrounds are closed during the winter. You don't want to go north of I10.
Go back to Florida and visit the keys, or visit Az.
Wait until spring and visit Moab, Brice, Arches, Zion.

[Allworth]

I-20 in Mississippi and Louisiana will beat you to death. I'm not sure what to propose as an alternate but maybe somebody who lives there will chime in. From Central Florida, we are usually on I-10 or local roads until we get West of there.

If you have to use 20, allow some extra time so you can take it slowly.

You might post is the "Roads & Routes" section to see if anybody has suggestions.

[SCVJeff]

This year you can throw all those avg. temp charts out the window. The El Nino building is on schedule to be the strongest in recorded history they are saying. That means a WAY warmer winter with WAY more rain and possibly no snow at all. BUT, just like all West coast weather, thats a prediction and subject to change withiut notice.

[larry_barnhart]

During the winter months chains are required to carry on the mountain passes.

We might drive the truck back to Wa st for Christmas so I bought chains for the truck. Probably won't need them but.

chevman