Georgia to Yellowstone via Grand Canyon

[mkpjo@mchsi.com]

Travelling from South Georgia to Grand Canyon and then on to Yellowstone. Coming back to Georgia thru Badlands, etc. Any help on campgrounds or routes will be greatly appreciated!

[garykd]

Hi whipper,

Welcome to the FMCA forum. How much time are you taking for the trip?

[mkpjo@mchsi.com]

2 -3 weeks---we probably won't have time to do the Grand Canyon and may go straight to Yellowstone from GA., but wanted to look at the possibility as to routes, campgrounds if we do go by there. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Many thanks!

[garykd]

Hi whipper,

2 to 3 weeks for this trip, you are very brave. Consider doing the Grand Canyon area or the Yellowstone area, but not both. For the time you have, it is too many miles. There are CGs all over the place. I will make only a few CG recommendations since there are so many to choose from and you will only be sleeping at the CG.

Either choice, think of this trip as a "Whitman's Sampler". One could spend months in these states do one site per day and never do the same thing. The sites I recommend may not be the biggest, but they will leave an impression on you.

If you do the south west and the Grand Canyon, consider these sites to see.

1. Carlsbad Cavern NP in New Mexico

2. White Sands NM in New Mexico

3. Tombstone, AZ Camp along I10 and take the towed car to Tombstone. See the silver mine, stage coach ride (you'll appreciate your coach more after the ride), have lunch in a saloon and see the OK Coral gunfight show (Earp's and the Clanton's)

4. Saguaro NP Go to the section that is West of Tuscon.

Travel North, route 79 out of Tuscon to route 60 to route 77 to I40. and see:

5. Petrified Forest and Painted Desert

6. Go west on I40 to Meteor Crater. There is a CG at the exit for the Crater.

7. Grand Canyon - Stay close to the Canyon, not in Williams. There are CGs along route 64.

8. Leave the Canyon and head East on Route 64 to route 89 north to route 160 to route 163 to Monument Valley

9. If you can, stay in Utah in the town of Mexican Hat. The CG is Valle's RV Park. Contact number is 435-683-2226 The only other CG choice is Gouldings. From a price viewpoint it is a rip off.

10. I think think Monument Valley on the Utah side is much better than the Arizona side.

11. Staying at Valle's, see Goosneck State Park and the Valley of the Gods. For VOG, check for rain. If there has been rain do not go. If it is dry any sedan type car can make the trip. Take your lunch and plenty of water. For Goosneck State Park, just drive to the end of the road and admire the view. It is truly unbelievable. You will not be disappointed.

12. Return south to Route 160 in AZ and head east/north. The objective is the 4 corners.

13. From the four corners, continue on Route 160 to Mesa Verde NP in Colorado. This can easily be a several day stop. There are several CGs in and around Cortez.

After Mesa Verde it is time to strap on the seat belt and boogie back to Georgia.

If you do the Yellowstone route, consider:

1. Drive, drive and drive until you get to Rocky Mountain NP (RMNP) This is a 3 day side trip. You'll spend one day at RMNP. Leave the coach at the CG. Enter RMNP on the east side and take the Old Fall River road trip all the way to the Alpine Visitor's center. Have lunch at the Alpine Visitor's center. Return via the Trail Ridge Road. This is an all day trip. Take your time. Enjoy the short hiking opportunities and pull outs. Really take your time. Much of this day you'll be 10-12K feet in elevation. The lack of oxygen may make you stop and take a break more than you are used to. The pullouts on Old Fall River Road are great for forest scenery and wild life. Travel the road slowly, there is a lot of big wild life that can do a lot of damage to the car, if you hit them. After lunch, the return trip on Trail Ridge Road will offer many pull outs and several places to take short hikes to see some fabulous scenery. At the Alpine Visitors center is a very nice short (one mile?) hike. Some trails are paved. After leaving I25, the first day is to get to the CG, day 2 to go to RMNP and day 3 to get back to I25. It's really not going to take a full day to get from and back to I25, just allow extra time. The drive to RMNP will require your full attention.

2. Take I25 north to I 90 West to the Yellowstone NP area.

3. See Yellowstone NP

4. Return to I90 and travel east to around exit 509 (in Montana) and see Little Bighorn Battlefield NM. If you go take the ranger lead tour.

5. Continue east on I90 into Wyoming and around exit 158 is the exit for Devil's Tower NM. Do not take the coach to the monument. Get a CG nearby and take the towed car.

6. Continue on I90 east to the Rapid City area. The objective is to make a loop and see:

6a. Mount Rushmore

6b. Crazy Horse Memorial

6c. Mammoth Site (in Hot Springs). This dig is all inside and really something to see.

6d. Return to I90 east.

7. Around exit 110 is Wall Drug. Everybody who passes by needs to stop at Wall Drug. Find a local CG as this and the following two sites are an easy drive.

8. See the Badlands NP. If you leave the viewing areas take plenty of water and wear a large brimmed hat. Here, the most sure footed hiker should go up last and down first. The trails look sturdy, but the dirt crumbles real easy. If anyone slips and starts to slide, it is the responsibility of this person to dig in and stop the slide. I saved my Gdaughter by following this rule.

9. At exit 131 is the Minute Man Missile NHS. Go to http://www.nps.gov/mimi/index.htm and read about it. If you want to take the tour (highly recommended) make reservations well in advance.

10. Now it is time to boogie back to Georgia.

[Cruzer]

If it was me I'd head up the the Black Hills first of all. I would see Mount Rushmore but also Custer State Park, which is worthy of National Park status. AFter that I'd head up to the Little Bighorn and over on I-90 to either Laurel or Bozeman. Laurel gets you to Red Lodge so that you can take the Beartooth Highway - a very scenic drive but a real climb. If that's not what you want, then head south at Bozeman through scenic Gallatin Canyon and stay in West Yellowstone. After 5-6 days in Yellowstone (yes, it's that big) I'd head south to Jackson and see the Grand Tetons. Leaving the Tetons I'd head west to Thermopolis, then US-16 to Buffalo and spend a few days in the Bighorns. for more details on this stuff check out my website. I have photos of the Beartooths, Yellowstone, and Tetons. I also have a driving guide for RVs in the Yellowstone area. It's at http://www.rvcruzer.com/ystonervroutes.php.

[mkpjo@mchsi.com]

Hi whipper,

2 to 3 weeks for this trip, you are very brave. Consider doing the Grand Canyon area or the Yellowstone area, but not both. For the time you have, it is too many miles. There are CGs all over the place. I will make only a few CG recommendations since there are so many to choose from and you will only be sleeping at the CG.

Either choice, think of this trip as a "Whitman's Sampler". One could spend months in these states do one site per day and never do the same thing. The sites I recommend may not be the biggest, but they will leave an impression on you.

If you do the south west and the Grand Canyon, consider these sites to see.

1. Carlsbad Cavern NP in New Mexico

2. White Sands NM in New Mexico

3. Tombstone, AZ Camp along I10 and take the towed car to Tombstone. See the silver mine, stage coach ride (you'll appreciate your coach more after the ride), have lunch in a saloon and see the OK Coral gunfight show (Earp's and the Clanton's)

4. Saguaro NP Go to the section that is West of Tuscon.

Travel North, route 79 out of Tuscon to route 60 to route 77 to I40. and see:

5. Petrified Forest and Painted Desert

6. Go west on I40 to Meteor Crater. There is a CG at the exit for the Crater.

7. Grand Canyon - Stay close to the Canyon, not in Williams. There are CGs along route 64.

8. Leave the Canyon and head East on Route 64 to route 89 north to route 160 to route 163 to Monument Valley

9. If you can, stay in Utah in the town of Mexican Hat. The CG is Valle's RV Park. Contact number is 435-683-2226 The only other CG choice is Gouldings. From a price viewpoint it is a rip off.

10. I think think Monument Valley on the Utah side is much better than the Arizona side.

11. Staying at Valle's, see Goosneck State Park and the Valley of the Gods. For VOG, check for rain. If there has been rain do not go. If it is dry any sedan type car can make the trip. Take your lunch and plenty of water. For Goosneck State Park, just drive to the end of the road and admire the view. It is truly unbelievable. You will not be disappointed.

12. Return south to Route 160 in AZ and head east/north. The objective is the 4 corners.

13. From the four corners, continue on Route 160 to Mesa Verde NP in Colorado. This can easily be a several day stop. There are several CGs in and around Cortez.

After Mesa Verde it is time to strap on the seat belt and boogie back to Georgia.

If you do the Yellowstone route, consider:

1. Drive, drive and drive until you get to Rocky Mountain NP (RMNP) This is a 3 day side trip. You'll spend one day at RMNP. Leave the coach at the CG. Enter RMNP on the east side and take the Old Fall River road trip all the way to the Alpine Visitor's center. Have lunch at the Alpine Visitor's center. Return via the Trail Ridge Road. This is an all day trip. Take your time. Enjoy the short hiking opportunities and pull outs. Really take your time. Much of this day you'll be 10-12K feet in elevation. The lack of oxygen may make you stop and take a break more than you are used to. The pullouts on Old Fall River Road are great for forest scenery and wild life. Travel the road slowly, there is a lot of big wild life that can do a lot of damage to the car, if you hit them. After lunch, the return trip on Trail Ridge Road will offer many pull outs and several places to take short hikes to see some fabulous scenery. At the Alpine Visitors center is a very nice short (one mile?) hike. Some trails are paved. After leaving I25, the first day is to get to the CG, day 2 to go to RMNP and day 3 to get back to I25. It's really not going to take a full day to get from and back to I25, just allow extra time. The drive to RMNP will require your full attention.

2. Take I25 north to I 90 West to the Yellowstone NP area.

3. See Yellowstone NP

4. Return to I90 and travel east to around exit 509 (in Montana) and see Little Bighorn Battlefield NM. If you go take the ranger lead tour.

5. Continue east on I90 into Wyoming and around exit 158 is the exit for Devil's Tower NM. Do not take the coach to the monument. Get a CG nearby and take the towed car.

6. Continue on I90 east to the Rapid City area. The objective is to make a loop and see:

6a. Mount Rushmore

6b. Crazy Horse Memorial

6c. Mammoth Site (in Hot Springs). This dig is all inside and really something to see.

6d. Return to I90 east.

7. Around exit 110 is Wall Drug. Everybody who passes by needs to stop at Wall Drug. Find a local CG as this and the following two sites are an easy drive.

8. See the Badlands NP. If you leave the viewing areas take plenty of water and wear a large brimmed hat. Here, the most sure footed hiker should go up last and down first. The trails look sturdy, but the dirt crumbles real easy. If anyone slips and starts to slide, it is the responsibility of this person to dig in and stop the slide. I saved my Gdaughter by following this rule.

9. At exit 131 is the Minute Man Missile NHS. Go to http://www.nps.gov/mimi/index.htm and read about it. If you want to take the tour (highly recommended) make reservations well in advance.

10. Now it is time to boogie back to Georgia.

Many thanks. You have given some very useful input. We have decided we will go to the Grand Canyon another trip---just more adventures to look forward to----I see you have a Newmar---we do too & enjoy it very much!!

Martha Rowan

Naylor GA

[mkpjo@mchsi.com]

If it was me I'd head up the the Black Hills first of all. I would see Mount Rushmore but also Custer State Park, which is worthy of National Park status. AFter that I'd head up to the Little Bighorn and over on I-90 to either Laurel or Bozeman. Laurel gets you to Red Lodge so that you can take the Beartooth Highway - a very scenic drive but a real climb. If that's not what you want, then head south at Bozeman through scenic Gallatin Canyon and stay in West Yellowstone. After 5-6 days in Yellowstone (yes, it's that big) I'd head south to Jackson and see the Grand Tetons. Leaving the Tetons I'd head west to Thermopolis, then US-16 to Buffalo and spend a few days in the Bighorns. for more details on this stuff check out my website. I have photos of the Beartooths, Yellowstone, and Tetons. I also have a driving guide for RVs in the Yellowstone area. It's at http://www.rvcruzer.com/ystonervroutes.php.

I appreciate the input so very much!! I am printing your info as I respond to you. We will make good use of it! We are so excited about heading that way!!! Many thanks!

Martha Rowan

Naylor GA