Help with a trip to the southwest

[Rusa]

Colorado

Rocky Mountain National Park is now reservation only, and the higher roads there will still be closed by snow in April. Can be cold and snowy in our mountains in April. Great Sand Dunes NP is a good stop for camping.

 

[meleana]

Zion and Bryce, Petrified Forest National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park

 

[BubbaChris]

I live within an hour of Zion and also try to visit Bryce multiple times a year. My tip is to research the altitude of your destinations as part of your planning. The main part of Zion is at 4,000' and Bryce at 8,000' so you will experience very different climates at those two parks.

Also the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is easier to visit if already in Utah. It's more intimate and less crowded (roughly 10% of GC visitors come to the North Rim). You'll have fewer drive-up view options on the North Rim.

If visiting the Moab/Canyonlands area, Dead Horse Point State Park has a Colorado River overlook that is similar to Horseshoe Bend outside Page AZ, much less crowded.

Throughout the region be aware the desert air is sometimes dry enough that you don't notice how much you are sweating. Please work on staying hydrated and consider electrolyte supplements so you don't flush those necessary elements out of your body with the copious water you should be drinking.

Best regards,
Chris

 

[NW-Bound]

Rocky Mountain National Park is now reservation only, and the higher roads there will still be closed by snow in April. Can be cold and snowy in our mountains in April. Great Sand Dunes NP is a good stop for camping.

The OP mentioned Colorado while the thread title says Southwest.

I am not sure if Rocky Mountain National Park or Colorado can be considered Southwestern US, but I guess one's viewpoint may depend on where he is in the US.

I went to this NP many years ago, perhaps 20, and already saw the devastation caused by the beetles to the trees there. I wonder if there's much left now. It's very sad.

 

[dm]

Today, subject to change of coarse, we are thinking the following.
Sedonia
Monument valley
Grand Canyon
Zion
Bryce Canyon
Arches, Canyonland
Mesa Verde
Crater of diamonds.

In that order, unless it’s not the best. It is 30 hours from home to Sedonia. So we are figuring at least 3 days driving, and stopping along the way to take a break and see what we can.

The hard part is figuring out how long to plan for each park so we can make reservations. Not sure how much camping we will do, but would like to do some. I’m thinking 3 weeks, but can take 4 or more if needed.

 

[dm]

Crater of diamonds in Arkansas is obviously not in the southwest, but it’s not to far out of the way on the way back. We are also looking at some spots to see on the way out.

 

[ivinsfan]

Today, subject to change of coarse, we are thinking the following.
Sedonia
Monument valley
Grand Canyon
Zion
Bryce Canyon
Arches, Canyonland
Mesa Verde
Crater of diamonds.

In that order, unless it’s not the best. It is 30 hours from home to Sedonia. So we are figuring at least 3 days driving, and stopping along the way to take a break and see what we can.




The hard part is figuring out how long to plan for each park so we can make reservations. Not sure how much camping we will do, but would like to do some. I’m thinking 3 weeks, but can take 4 or more if needed.

It's your trip but I dont love that order. we have driven that area many times. IMO If you want the south rim swap out Sedona for Page , see Lake Powell, through Big Water swing along 89 see Grand Es and the Vermillion Cliffs ending up in Kanab. Kanab is a great little town and a good base for Zion, Bryce ( Has good commercial hotels on site but you have to book early and won't have any flexibility). and the North Rim, which is better and much quieter then the south rim (IMO). Make your way up to Moab on US 12 (the prettiest highway in America) and see Capitol Reef NP which should have great camping. Don't miss Dead Horse in Moab.

In April Zion is a zoo the canyon is closed except for the shuttle and wait times for the shuttles are up to ninety minutes, one day there should enough to see it. Last week they had wait times for some hiking trails.



We've done this trip but had to do it in two trips due to time constraints and it's probably hand down the best road trip we've ever done. I'm not you or your spouse but that's my 2 cents.


Have fun planning and feel free to PM me if you have any questions.

 

[MRG]

Today, subject to change of coarse, we are thinking the following.
Sedonia
Monument valley
Grand Canyon
Zion
Bryce Canyon
Arches, Canyonland
Mesa Verde
Crater of diamonds.

In that order, unless it’s not the best. It is 30 hours from home to Sedonia. So we are figuring at least 3 days driving, and stopping along the way to take a break and see what we can.

The hard part is figuring out how long to plan for each park so we can make reservations. Not sure how much camping we will do, but would like to do some. I’m thinking 3 weeks, but can take 4 or more if needed.

If you do Mesa Verde, Chimney Rock is only a 90 minute drive from there. There's tours open now or you can solo. While not as popular it shows the change in the civilization over time.

 

[dm]

Thanks, we aren’t going to April, have never been. So we are open to changes.

 

[Ronstar]

Today, subject to change of coarse, we are thinking the following.
Sedonia
Monument valley
Grand Canyon
Zion
Bryce Canyon
Arches, Canyonland
Mesa Verde
Crater of diamonds.

In that order, unless it’s not the best. It is 30 hours from home to Sedonia. So we are figuring at least 3 days driving, and stopping along the way to take a break and see what we can.

The hard part is figuring out how long to plan for each park so we can make reservations. Not sure how much camping we will do, but would like to do some. I’m thinking 3 weeks, but can take 4 or more if needed.

I recommend taking a guided tour of Monument Valley. The guide will take you to parts that you can't get to on your own.

 

[Ian S]

I recommend taking a guided tour of Monument Valley. The guide will take you to parts that you can't get to on your own.

+1! I've done both and I agree that it's worth the cost of a guided tour. First time to Monument valley, we stayed at Gouldings Lodge just out side Monument Valley and loved it. Not sure of the options there today.

 

[jrendt]

SW trip.

I did Utah with my teardrop trailer in September 2019. Bryce Canyon is a must; no photo can do it justice. Arches was great as well and don't forget Goblin Valley SP. It's hoodoos are quite unique. In fact, the whole area is amazing. The only concern I would have this year is finding a campsite. From what I have been reading on the RVing sites it seems that everybody and their brother are out there in their RVs. Even in 2019 it was difficult to find a spot in a NP or SP, so I stayed mostly in NF campgrounds or dispersed camping. I would recommend getting a book that list NF or BLM campsites or downloading maps from the govt sites before you go. I got a really nice map of Utah from a NF visitor's center that showed every NF, BLM and Corps of Engineer's campsites. It was hard to read, but very useful. Unfortunately, I gave it to someone as I was leaving and now I can't find a replacement.
Have a safe and fun trip.

 

[Gazingus]

Get some tamales at Teresa's Tamales off Hwy 518 just north of Cleveland, NM. I was there two days ago and can't stop thinking about them. Red pork tamales with Christmas sauce (red and green). Out of this world.

Big Bend NP is fantastic and has lots of elbow room, but Thanksgiving through early March is the only time to go. Speaking of heat, if you don't get above 8,000 ft elevation, there is nowhere to hide from the heat in CO,NM,UT,ID,OR and certainly not CA, which will be on fire soon, unfortunately. But it's a dry heat.

 

[Htown Harry]

I have been to TX, California, Colorado and NM many times, starting in childhood. But had not been to Grand Canyon or many of places listed until just the past few years. Now I have been out west to AZ, NV and UT five times in five years, all on driving trips. I can't get enough of it.

Two general tips:

Get a guidebook to the Scenic Byways. I picked up a used National Geographic version for almost nothing and now it's part of every trip. The famous destination parks are without a doubt spectacular, but they are mostly spread out by several hours or a half-day of driving. I will take the route with an extra hour of driving every time if it's a choice between C+ scenery and A scenery.

The second tip goes hand-in-hand with following the recognized or designated scenic routes: don't overlook state parks, national forests and national monuments. They may not have the scale or density of spectacular sites found in the NPs, but each one is designated as a preservation area for good reason. Also, I would think some overnight stops at those locations would give you extra flexibility on lining up your camping spots.

 

[ERD50]

Originally Posted by dm View Post ...
I’m also getting a little tired of her friends acting like anything less than a four star hotel is roughing it.

Reminds me of my DW, and her attitudes to "roughing it"!

Reminds me of me!

From my point of view, why the heck would I want to leave my comfortable home and stay someplace less comfortable, by choice, and call it a "vacation"? Makes no sense to me at all.

And DW agrees, so we are good.

Of course, I understand some people enjoy it, and that's cool, to each their own. I just find it rather amusing/curious how different people have different approaches to things.

-ERD50

 

[Htown Harry]

why the heck would I want to leave my comfortable home and stay someplace less comfortable, by choice, and call it a "vacation"? Makes no sense to me at all.

And DW agrees, so we are good.

Of course, I understand some people enjoy it, and that's cool, to each their own. I just find it rather amusing/curious how different people have different approaches to things.

I'm ready to take a trip, to travel, to be stimulated by new sights and each day's events. Especially now, after a year+ in near-solitary confinement.

A "vacation" in a cushy, all-inclusive hotel sitting a pool under a palm tree can be wonderful, but it isn't what I need. At least not at this stage of my life.

Anthony Bourdain: “Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay, The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.”

Note the quote just doesn't work if you substitute "A vacation" for "travel".

My first post-COVID trip was a DIY Alaska "cruise", except I rode the ferry boats with the locals. Same scenery, but a better experience IMHO.

To each his own.

 

[NW-Bound]

...
I also plan on taking the wife camping long before we make the trip. We haven’t been in quite some time, and that was in a self contained travel trailer.

I’m also getting a little tired of her friends acting like anything less than a four star hotel is roughing it.
...

I remember that you bought an Airstream trailer, and refurbished it. Apparently, you don't have it anymore.

I like to travel and play vagabond, but at this age can't do tent camping. I've got to have an RV, but it does not have to be luxurious. Just a bed to sleep, a galley for food preparation, a small bath with a toilet, and I am happy. It's for travel, not as a home. For a home, I would need room, and lots of it for my hobbies, and my wife needs land to plant her veggies.

Been thinking about downsizing from a class C to a class B. But then, still want a B large enough to tow a car if I want to do so.

 

[dm]

Yes, the old travel trailer is long gone. It was totaled in a hail storm. But we did use it for a few years, went quite a few places in it.

I wouldn’t mind getting a small camper, but now I have no where to store it. I’d hate to have to pay to store it and only use it occasionally. I’m thinking a nice tent and only using it here and there. Mostly staying at hotels, but maybe camping a few nights also in the parks.

 

[aaronc879]

Mid April may be a little too early if going to the mountains out west. They are often snow covered at least thru the end of April. You mentioned Utah and possibly Colorado. You do not want to be driving around those mountains before May. Even May can be tricky. Also expect cold mornings that time of year.

 

[NW-Bound]

Yes, the old travel trailer is long gone. It was totaled in a hail storm. But we did use it for a few years, went quite a few places in it.

I wouldn’t mind getting a small camper, but now I have no where to store it. I’d hate to have to pay to store it and only use it occasionally. I’m thinking a nice tent and only using it here and there. Mostly staying at hotels, but maybe camping a few nights also in the parks.

That's too bad about the trailer.

My daughter and SIL bought a popup travel trailer that they could store in one stall of their 3-car garage. Their HOA does not allow RV parked outside the garage. Many do not even allow RVs in the back yard, if they can be seen over the fence.

 

[Mark1]

Mid April may be a little too early if going to the mountains out west. They are often snow covered at least thru the end of April. You mentioned Utah and possibly Colorado. You do not want to be driving around those mountains before May. Even May can be tricky. Also expect cold mornings that time of year.

dm, with your proposed route you should be fine in April, but you might see some snow, particularly on Hwy 12 between Bryce and Torrey on you way to Arches.

 

[dm]

dm, with your proposed route you should be fine in April, but you might see some snow, particularly on Hwy 12 between Bryce and Torrey on you way to Arches.

We may have to buy some long britches. Living in Florida we don’t have many.

 

[Ronstar]

Bryce should be ok in April, especially the end of April. But this is Bryce on March 13, 2020. We got there a little early.

 

[finnski1]

I remember that you bought an Airstream trailer, and refurbished it. Apparently, you don't have it anymore.

I like to travel and play vagabond, but at this age can't do tent camping. I've got to have an RV, but it does not have to be luxurious. Just a bed to sleep, a galley for food preparation, a small bath with a toilet, and I am happy. It's for travel, not as a home. For a home, I would need room, and lots of it for my hobbies, and my wife needs land to plant her veggies.

Been thinking about downsizing from a class C to a class B. But then, still want a B large enough to tow a car if I want to do so.

How 'bout one of those class b+ units. Pretty nice. Leisure Travel makes some really nice but pricey ones. So does Pleasure Way. All you gotta do is sell about another 1000 call options to pick up a nice Mercedes diesel version.

 

[ivinsfan]

dm, with your proposed route you should be fine in April, but you might see some snow, particularly on Hwy 12 between Bryce and Torrey on you way to Arches.

However its' just as likely to be 80 degrees as snowy. That time of year the snow will come and go very quickly.