Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 02-29-2008, 09:11 AM   #21
2 Rivet Member
 
dmroot's Avatar
 
1971 23' Safari
Portland , Oregon
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 74
Staying in-park vs. private rv place...

GStevens makes a great point...you can do a lot from a central base...plus private RV campgrounds have many more amenities than the campgrounds at the national parks.

To be more specific, the national parks have no facilities usually: no hookups, basic bathrooms and usually no showers, usually no laundry. Just something to think about...
dmroot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2008, 11:26 AM   #22
3 Rivet Member
 
2006 23' Safari SE
Smith lake , Alabama
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 154
Charlie, we live in Bankhead NF very nice here, i have 535ft of deepwater frontage, it's a point lot that is very flat. I would love to have a small AS rally here someday. We go down to GS at least every 6-8 weeks for fresh shrimp and fish, we fould a couple of great places to get it. We went down in Aug, in the campground it was 100+, the AC in the airstream could only get it to 82 or so mid day. I love that area!

It would be great to do a little boon docking in the mountains, it would be great to meet up with you. Most likely we will do Colorado on this trip. I can't imagine going out west and not seeing Colorado, it would be after the Tetons if we do, because it will be warmer then. Would we have to reserve to stay around Rocky M NP? It would probably be july i would imagine.

I don't have a real time limit to spend out there, but i'm leaving my house empty and i have a floating dock that needs to be watched as the water level goes up and down. I do have friends keeping watch, but... I also have to see Dad, in Mass, that will be a long, long drive.
mrchinup1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2008, 11:45 AM   #23
3 Rivet Member
 
2006 23' Safari SE
Smith lake , Alabama
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 154
" usually no laundry. Just something to think about.."

Another great point i didn't think of, my wife can change a couple of times a day, lol. Looks like we will have to stay outside of the NP's quite a bit too.
mrchinup1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-29-2008, 09:48 PM   #24
4 Rivet Member
 
Pacerized's Avatar
 
1981 25' Excella II
Dillon , Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 397
Images: 11
I do prefer to stay in the parks, but when I go on a longer trip I try to break it up between dry camping and hook up sites. I'll go to Yellowstone this year, and dry camp for the first 3 nights then move to a hook up site with facilities such as laundry, and finish in another dry camp site. We can go 4 days comfortably while dry camping but anything beyond that and we have to move to dump the tanks and refill on water. It is nicer to stay in the parks, and most don't offer hook ups, but it would be really tough to do this for that length of time. When you're doing Arches I'd highly recommend Devils Garden, and they take reservations. It's so quite, you're right by several Arches, and your camped next to some awesome Red Rocks. There's no light pollution so the sky is unlike anything you've ever seen. As far as RMNP all the campgrounds are excellent, and I would reserve there if possible. Let me know if you decide on making it through Colorado, we're going to Yellowstone in July, but we can easily make time for short camping trip. Thought I'd throw in a pic of one of our trips to devils garden in Arches.
Charlie
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	airstream arches 2.JPG
Views:	497
Size:	164.5 KB
ID:	55289  
Pacerized is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-02-2008, 08:42 PM   #25
3 Rivet Member
 
2006 23' Safari SE
Smith lake , Alabama
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 154
Awesome pic Charlie. I will start calling the NP's tomorrow to see about reservations. Devils gardens looks like a great place to stay, thanks. I'll have to do the same thing as you do, find a place with hookups every 3 days or so. I'll post while we are traveling so we can keep in touch, as of right now. i think we will go to Colorado. What part of july are you going to Yellowstone? I'm not sure how long it will take us to get there, i know these western states are bigger than most in the east. It looks real easy and quick on the map, lol. George
mrchinup1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2008, 07:40 AM   #26
4 Rivet Member
 
Pacerized's Avatar
 
1981 25' Excella II
Dillon , Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 397
Images: 11
We'll be in Arches again on May 1st. I just reserved our Yellowstone sites this week after working out vacation date details. We'll be in the Madison campground on the Firehole river on July 11th for 3 days, then Flagg ranch for hook ups for 3 days, and finish the trip at the Grant village campground for 3 days. We can go 4 days dry camping or boon docking with some conservation and have gone 5. I run 3 29 series batteries so power is never a problem, it's the water and tank holding capacity. If you have a campground with showers that makes a big difference. If you plan only 3 nights in some of the smaller parks you should be fine in those areas. Your batteries will recharge while driving between sites if it's more then a few hours. The big issue will be the laundry and possibly the need for ac if it's hot. The way you're planning this is very smart by getting in desert areas early before it gets too hot. Let me know when you're coming to Colorado.
Charlie
Pacerized is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2008, 09:08 PM   #27
3 Rivet Member
 
2006 23' Safari SE
Smith lake , Alabama
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 154
Hi Charlie, our first stop is Petrified Forest, i gave us about 5 days to get there. Our first Reservation so far is, Trailer Village on the Southern Rim on april 23-25th, i wanted to be close to the best views.

Next we in Mt Carmel for the 26th-28th to see Zion and anything else close by. Then Bryce the 29th-1st, Capital Reef, 2cd-3rd, then Arches 4th-6th.

How long are you going to be in Arches NP? We could probably cut one day out of Bryce because we should get there very early on the the 29th. Is Bryce worth 2 or 3 days? It would be great if we got there early enough to say hello.

We have two 6 volt AGM's and a portable 65 watt uni-solar panel so we will have plenty of power too, I have 3 but one should do. It charges the batteries up very fast. You have three 29's, very nice, plenty of power there! Water and holding tanks will be a problem with us too, after a few days of boon docking.

I'm hoping it doesn't get to hot, we have our two labs with us. I wouldn't imagine it will get more than 85 or so that early in the year, would it?

After Arches we go to Canyonland NP for the 7th-9th, then we will head towards the North Rim which opens on the 15th. There is a few good places to visit in between. From there Hoover dam, Vegas, Death Valley NP, Sequoia NP, Kings Canyon NP, and Yosemite NP. The rest is still in the works. I haven't even started driving yet and i'm tired, lol.

George
mrchinup1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2008, 09:48 PM   #28
Site Team
 
azflycaster's Avatar

 
2002 25' Safari
Dewey , Arizona
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 15,615
Images: 62
Blog Entries: 1
About an hour west of the Petrified Forest is Meteor Crater. It's a nice one day visit with a very nice RV Park located just off I-40 only a few miles from the impact site. A good place to visit if you are running ahead on time.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	crater.jpg
Views:	475
Size:	261.3 KB
ID:	55819  
__________________

Richard

Wally Byam Airstream Club 7513
azflycaster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2008, 10:12 PM   #29
4 Rivet Member
 
2007 25' Safari FB SE
Blaine , Washington
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 291
If you come up Rte. 1 from Calif. into Oregon I highly recommend Harris Beach State Park in Brookings, OR. Its just across the OR border from California. Really beautiful.

Also, I would stay at Cannon Beach, OR. at the other end of the state. Visit Astoria, OR, a short drive from Cannon Beach. Then head east on Rte. 30 along the Columbia River gorge to Rte. 84 and then southeast. Give WA. a miss. When you are on 84 in Idaho, stay at Three Island State Park. Beautiful and historic. Its on the Snake River and you can see the wagon tracks of the westward migration on the Oregon Trail. Both of these parks have full hookups.

John
Relentless is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-09-2008, 08:04 AM   #30
3 Rivet Member
 
2006 23' Safari SE
Smith lake , Alabama
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 154
Thank you Richard, we do need one day trip idea's thru out our trip and that would be a great place to stay right after we get out of Petrified forest. George
mrchinup1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-09-2008, 08:29 AM   #31
Site Team
 
azflycaster's Avatar

 
2002 25' Safari
Dewey , Arizona
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 15,615
Images: 62
Blog Entries: 1
A stop at Winslow (standing on a corner) is another option. Lunch at the La Posada Hotel is great and just a walk around the lobby is worth the stop.
__________________

Richard

Wally Byam Airstream Club 7513
azflycaster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-09-2008, 11:41 AM   #32
3 Rivet Member
 
2006 23' Safari SE
Smith lake , Alabama
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 154
John, we would like to go up to lake Tahoe for 3 days or so, my mother went there 30 years ago and said it was beautiful. I quess we could go down 80 to go to the coast. How does 5 days to redwood NP sound? I need to make reservation there, Charlie gave me a nice campground to stay at(jedediah smith).

Wow John, I just looked at Harris beach state park, we will plan 2 days there. We will also stay at Cannon beach and then head on towards Columbia river gorge. I think we will go north on 97 from there. We would like to see glacier NP then go down to Idaho. Is North Cascades worth the visit? you gave us 2 great places to stay. Thank you George
mrchinup1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-09-2008, 01:13 PM   #33
3 Rivet Member
 
2006 23' Safari SE
Smith lake , Alabama
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 154
Could anyone tell me the best campgrounds in Sequoia NP and Yosemite NP? I'm going to try to reserve for late may. I wonder if there is anyplace in the park that gets a cingular wireless conection also? I have them for my phone and internert service. thanks George
mrchinup1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-28-2024, 12:24 PM   #34
2 Rivet Member
 
1987 32' Excella
Sagle , Idaho
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 75
Quote:
Originally Posted by n2916s View Post
They are all worth visiting. The only problem you may have is finding space at their respective campgrounds, especially once school is out.

It can also be right toasty in Northern Arizona and Utah -- we saw 116 degrees last Summer and our A/C laughed at us...

Do not overlook State Parks or National Forest campgrounds near the National Parks -- you can often find a spot when the NP's are full and many of them are as beautiful as their big brothers.

mike
And I suggest never overlook county parks which of course requires keeping track of what county you are approaching.
southsaglejim is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Gearing up for a cross country trip Golden Girl Member Introductions 11 06-22-2015 03:48 AM
MY vehicle is seeking YOUR Airstream for cross country tow and cost share. Rivka Towing, Tow Vehicles & Hitches 8 12-05-2007 08:57 AM
Cross Country Trip with my '78 Argosy 24' aversenti All Argosy Trailers 13 03-17-2007 10:27 PM
Cross Country Trip MacInDaBox On The Road... 2 09-15-2003 04:24 PM


Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:43 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.