To myself a better idea would be to pick up a 15 pass van rip out the seats, tent the windows dark set it up for 4 hammocks, pick up a 10x10 ez-up canopy and some camping gear and head out staying only State Parks and National Parks if they can't fine free camping elswhere, they will rack up quite a fuel bill alone on a trip like this, they will need to cook all they can as food can cost 1/3 or more of a trip.
We camped beside a group of 6 guys is Sequoia last year, they were right out of HS tenting across the country, we talked to them for a while and it sounded like they were having an awesome trip, they were from the north/east.
one thing I always tell young folks that want to go on an adventure is, In most SP/NP's you will have no phone signal so you need to be prepaired to use a map to navagate with and get the future plans made when you have a signal, don't wate till you get all snuggled up and think you are going to surf the web.
Dar