RV Trips-Suggestions?

[retirementguy1]

Hi, I just bought a 22ft motorhome and I'm looking for road trip ideas. I'm currently based in Northern Utah. For now I'm looking for ideas in the Western US. I plan on adding solar power and would like to be RV park independent. I also have a motorcycle carrier and I am buying a dual sport motorcycle to make it easier to explore local areas.

I would love to hear about any good routes; RV or motorcycle.
Thanks

Also this is my first RV so if you think there is anything I should buy that made RV life better/easier then let me know.

 

[ivinsfan]

How far North, I went to school in Logan, just get in your RV and drive South, the wealth of opportunities in your own back yard is endless...

 

[REWahoo]

Northern Utah? Some of the most desirable RV country in the US is in the southern part of your state.

 

[retirementguy1]

How far North, I went to school in Logan, just get in your RV and drive South, the wealth of opportunities in your own back yard is endless...

I'm in Ogden. I went to school at Utah State. Generally speaking I'm more a fan of forests than the desert. I might hit Southern Utah once it cools off.

 

[ivinsfan]

A fellow Aggie! Go on down to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, thru Jacob Lake and the Kaibab National Forest it's wonderful. Also check out Brian Head and Cedar Breaks. Utah is an amazing state, it has something for everyone.

Now is a great time to do both of those places....the North Rim is out of this world.

 

[dvalley]

Check out some of the reports on ExpeditionPortal.com or ADVrider.com etc to get some off-the-beaten-path ideas, they aren't necessarily RV centric sites but off-road exploring is where the fun is IMHO whereas the RV can serve as a great base-camp. I also used to follow Simple Living and Simple Travel

CO and UT both have some great places to explore so do CA, Montana etc. I'd also suggest a SPOT like device and a couple of GPS navigation options along with downloaded tracks and paper maps.

 

[youbet]

would like to be RV park independent.

We find it difficult to be "RV park independent." It's not a matter of being equipped to be off the grid. It's finding safe, attractive places where you're allowed to park.

We like Army Corps parks, National and State Parks, even county and municipal parks the most. We will stay at a private (KOA, etc.) park to be close to the Interstate when on the way to someplace. But in 7 years of RVing about 10 weeks a year, can't say we often find attractive boondocking opportunities where we know we're not trespassing, are safe and where it's attractive to be.

 

[Chris7]

Yosemite is stunning. Tahoe amazing. Our trailer is too large for National parks so have always stayed in Private parks, but many good ones out there for under $50/night.

We just got back from a week in Moab which was fantastic, but really not. Spent a week in Zions a few years back. Loved it. Flagstaff, Sedona, Grand Canyon.

North Dakota, Yellowstone.

So many great places especially if you have time. I'm still working full-time so putting together a trip beyond 9-days is difficult.

cd :O)

 

[DrRoy]

I'm in Ogden. I went to school at Utah State. Generally speaking I'm more a fan of forests than the desert. I might hit Southern Utah once it cools off.

For starters then do Tetons, Yellowstone, and Glacier NP's. Yellowstone would be better last, in perhaps late Aug or early Sept due to crowds.

 

[Lakedog]

I really enjoyed the Beartooth Scenic Highway which I drove east to west from Red Lodge, Montana. The route zigzags along the Montana/Wyoming border and goes to the northeast gateway to Yellowstone. From Yellowstone you could go a variety of routes depending on how much of the park you wanted to see.

On the Beartooth, you are mostly on national forest lands which generally do allow dispersed camping in most areas. I don't typically use campgrounds unless I am overnighting in a NP (like Glacier) since they do not allow dispersed camping. The good thing is that most NPs are surrounded by or adjacent to NF or BLM lands where you can usually overnight just about anywhere (always good to stop by a district office and ask which areas are off limits). I have a pic or two on my profile showing a campsite on the Custer NF along the Beartooth Highway.

I also really enjoyed the Olympic Peninsula by RV. You are lucky to live in the west where you are close to numerous NPs and NFs. I usually don't make a detailed plan on western RV trips and just decide on the route as I travel -- nice to be retired with minimal time limitations.

 

[retirementguy1]

Thanks to everyone. I do have a spot tracker. Paper maps and GPS devices are a good addition if I go off the beaten path which I am prone to do. Learning to use a compass could be good. I have been to Yellowstone, Glacier, Tetons but those were strictly motorcycle trips. Now I can take more time and explore.

 

[NW-Bound]

Already retired? Well, then just wander around.

When you want a change of scenery from Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, etc..., go further west and go along the coast through California all the way to Olympic NP. Then, when you have enough of Dungeness crab, you can cross into Canada, or go back down but through the interior of the coastal states.

When you get tired, go home (you still have a home, don't you?), and rest until the wander lust gets you again. And you fill up, and head back out. The world is your oyster.

Western states are my home town, and there are still places I want to go. But for variety, I have taken my RV as far as Nova Scotia to see the cousins of the Cajun people in Louisiana. Gas is cheap now. Keep on RV'in.

 

[Hermit]

The Flaming Gorge area would be a great short trip. A lot of people from all over the country come to Colorado and Utah for camping and sightseeing. I don't think you can go wrong.

If you go into the back country, don't depend too much on GPS. There are a lot of people that get lost up here where I live when they try to depend on them. You will get led to locked gates and off-road vehicle only trails if you follow them blindly. And just to make matters worse, there is no cell service.

 

[Sarah in SC]

I second the Flaming Gorge suggestion. We drove through that area and it was spectacular. We stayed at a deserted Forest Service campground with a stunning view of a reservoir area and the most beautiful sunset. Those switchbacks were something, though, in our old bus!

 

[38Chevy454]

Anywhere in CO mountains is real nice. CO state parks are pretty nice, good deal for the money vs private parks. Ski resorts, Royal Gorge, Silverton, Ouray, Durango are all some location ideas. Plenty of forest areas to spend summer, then you can head to southern UT and AZ. Northern NM around Taos and the circle hwy around including Eagle Nest, Red River, Cimarron, etc have a lot of nice places. Check out the Cumbres and Toltec steam railroad in Chama, NM for a nice day trip. Although it is kind of a zoo, the Albuquerque (Hot Air) Balloon Fiesta is a popular destination early Oct. I live here so I avoid Balloon Fiesta, but many visitors go to it.

Agree Tahoe area is really nice if you want to venture west. Yosemite is not too far from there. Going north from your UT home you can see Yellowstone and Black Hills as suggestions. Have fun, you can boondock in most national forest areas for free.

See sister site to this one, iRV2 Forum | – RV Forum Community and RV News for many more ideas and RV discussions.

 

[NW-Bound]

You appear to be a solo RV'er, and a 22' class C is very comfortable for one. A motorcycle is a good idea for excursions. Ours is a 25', but then we are a couple. I tow a toad.

About the solar panel, it is easy to do it yourself. I can tell you what works for me later, when you are ready to tackle the project.

Besides the solar panel, I have done some other mods to make the living easier. I installed a whole-house 2kW pure-sine-wave inverter. This lets me run everything including the microwave oven to heat food, and even the toaster and coffee maker when I have excess power.

I installed an electric heater element for the propane water heater. I installed a gizmo that does automatic switchover of this electric water heater and the propane ammonia absorption fridge to run off the 2kW inverter or shore power when either is available. Propane is not expensive, but looking for a place to refill the tank can be a chore.

 

[Animorph]

We RV'd to Yellowstone, Arches, Brice, and Zion. Can't go too wrong with any of them. Arches was the least crowded, with a beautifully dark sky. Brice was my favorite, with nice hikes through the rocks. Yellowstone is great, though with lots of people and farther away. Zion was my least favorite, plenty of people and not as unusual as the others. Though it did have a tunnel that we RV's got to drive down the middle of so that we didn't hit the low ceiling on the sides. It would have been nice to have a motorcycle in Yellowstone and Arches, but the RV was able to get us everywhere we needed to go.

 

[nvestysly]

Hi, I just bought a 22ft motorhome and I'm looking for road trip ideas. I'm currently based in Northern Utah. For now I'm looking for ideas in the Western US. I plan on adding solar power and would like to be RV park independent. I also have a motorcycle carrier and I am buying a dual sport motorcycle to make it easier to explore local areas.

I would love to hear about any good routes; RV or motorcycle.
Thanks

Also this is my first RV so if you think there is anything I should buy that made RV life better/easier then let me know.

We've been exploring the country bit by bit for 12 years with the last 5 years being FIREd. We haven't found a bad place to visit. Some are better than others but any trip we've taken has been enjoyable.

Many people in the eastern part of the U.S. wished they lived where you are - so many national treasures in the Rockies. We're headed to Wyoming later in the summer and plan to spend 10+ days boondocking at various locations west of Laramie.

The Allstays smartphone app is the only software we've ever purchased for our iPhone and the $10 price tag is well worth it. The app helps you identify all sorts of camping locations, propane, truck stops, and lots of other RV centric information. Some GPS systems do some of this but not as well as Allstays.

 

[UtahSkier]

I am not a motorcycle guy, but I have it on good authority that the Banks-Lowman highway in Idaho is awesome! It is near Stanley, ID.

I will be travelling this road in early August. I will be staying at the Boise NF Mountain view campground which sounds like your kind of Camping.

Mountain View Campground (Boise National Forest), Lowman, ID | RVParking.com

 

[brewer12345]

Check out the Black Hills of South Dakota. Custer State Park was a great place to explore from.


Lots of amazing places to go in Utah. In Colorado you have lots of choices as well. South Park basin is a gorgeous place this time of year and it is ringed by National Forest.

 

[retirementguy1]

I am not a motorcycle guy, but I have it on good authority that the Banks-Lowman highway in Idaho is awesome! It is near Stanley, ID.

I will be travelling this road in early August. I will be staying at the Boise NF Mountain view campground which sounds like your kind of Camping.

Mountain View Campground (Boise National Forest), Lowman, ID | RVParking.com

Again, thanks to everyone for the travel ideas. I have ridden the Sawtooth mountains a couple times and it is one of my favorite rides in the Western US. Stanley is worth a visit all by itself.

 

[RonBoyd]

We have been RVing about six months of the year for about eight years now and put ~170,000 miles on the RV. We have been from Upper New York to Key West to san Diego to Seattle... and everywhere in between. I cannot think any specific place that I would recommend over any other... maybe after a few more years I can make that judgement.

I can recommend one of my favorite Blog, however, that may help you get started. Life on the Open Road Diane, although she has a trailer, is doing what you describe full-time. Go back through her Archives and you will be very pleased with the descriptions of her trips -- particularly interesting (to me) are any of those in the Western U.S.


In addition, there are a (large) number of RV related sites listed in this Forum in several places

Like everyone above says, it doesn't matter what you do, you will have the time of your life.