Springfield MO to Grand Canyon

[Jim Lee]

My wife and I haven't used the Airstream since last fall's rally in Branson. We've been too dang busy.

Next spring we want to take a trip to the Grand Canyon because we have never been there and well, we just want to do it.

When I was younger I used to OTR truck drive and would leave Springfield and make it to Tucumari NM where I would spend the night (or my 8 hours) in a truck stop.

The second day I would get to Kingman AZ and stay at the fuel stop on the west side of town.

My wife says she isn't going to want to spend all day driving.

So --- heading west on I-44 to Oklahoma City and hooking up to I-40 and heading west. Where's the best places to stop and meander with a 30 foot trailer?

Any ideas on campgrounds in the grand canyon area?

Is there a better way to get there than through I-40?

Thanks

Jim

[REDNAX]

I still keep the RAND McNALLY Trucker Atlas although I haven't driven OTR in some time. I like looking for those alternate truck routes to the Interstate that also feature the best signage, shoulders, markings, clearances, etc.

I also like to use GOOGLE Maps as I can play with routing to determine time versus distance tradeoffs faster than I can on paper.

I just ran up these coordinates: thru Tulsa, Woodward, OK, Pampa, TX, Roswell, NM, Springerville, AZ. I'd check to see what state parks or other are on the alternate route as well as diners, cafes, and the rest. That's the way I play with things to get a feel for attractions. I try to find at least one daily. This routing is slower, but almost completely out of the E-W commercial traffic.

Ever been by Alibates Flint Quarry? Might be interesting to you. Not to mention driving by PANTEX. Arizona White Mountains are a bit like Colorado. Roswell has a nice little courthouse square restaurant with excellent green chile sauce. Etc.

I'd also make it a three-day versus two-day. 600+ miles per day is work.

300 or 3 o'clock is vacationing.

[Isadora]

We were just out that way in June. Be prepared when you go thru OK City that the highway thru there and west for about 20 miles or so is some of the roughest road we encountered on our whole trip. And be prepared to have correct change on their toll roads. Seems like you have to stop and pay every few miles, and their change machines at the toll booths mostly didn't work. But once you get thru Oklahoma and their pay as you go always under construction interstate, it was pretty good. We went the southern route there, thru Tucson and Phoenix north (be sure to stop at Sedona), the scenic route to Flagstaff, and we went north to Lake Powell and Monument Valley. We had already been to the Grand Canyon so we skipped that on this trip, but we were only a few miles from there, and went home thru Albuquerque on I40, then back thru the dreaded OK City route. There is a lot to see on I40 on the way thru Arizona and New Mexico!

We had a Trailer Life RV park guide which made it easy to find places to stop. Most of them were pretty good. Our first stop from Joplin was in Amarillo, and I don't care if I never stay there again! That was the exception from pretty good! It also lists the National and state park sites if you are boondocking.

[eubank]

You want the slow and easy route? Hit Highway 64 as soon as feasible, at least as of the NM border with Oklahoma/Texas. The highway will take you through mountainous northern New Mexico to Tec Nos Pos, Arizona, just across the border, where old 64 becomes rebadged as 160. Follow it through Navajo/Hopi country all the way down past Tuba City, where you intersect with 89 and the short hop into the south rim area from the east side.


Lynn

[DesertStream]

I agree with Lynn's suggestion to head through Northern NM instead of staying on I 40. There is some beautiful country through there.

As far as camping at the Grand Canyon, we like to stay at the Grand Canyon Trailer Village. It is run by a concessioner instead of the NPS. Here is the website for reservations: Grand Canyon tours, accommodation, vacation. Hotels, camping, cabins, lodges. - Trailer Village.

The nice thing about staying here is the close proximity to the extensive trail and shuttle system. You can literally leave your tow vehicle hooked up and take shuttles to most of the South Rim view points and attractions.

[kirtleyone]

Hey Jim....we are in Battlefield. We just got our Airstream about a month ago. I am interested in the Branson Rally you mentioned. We are in Branson quite a bit.

Those swings that look like horses, but are made from tires...we make those

[Mike Leary]

Flagstaff KOA is a great place to "rest-up" before going to the canyon.