Monument Valley

[Silverminer]

Dear Forum,
We're heading to Monument Valley for the 1st time with our dog, and expected to arrive at Gouldings RV park around the 2nd week of October. Our journey starts from Eastern CT. What should I expect weather wise? Since this is just the beginning stage of what will be our 1st very long trip out west, I was wondering if allowing 5 days travel time from CT to Monument Valley is enough time. Any suggestions on the best scenic route from Monument Valley to Prescott AZ would also be very helpful.
Thanks ahead of time.
Silverminer
"The Oyster" 2022 25' International
2023 F250 V8

[Ndcctrucks]

You would probably be well-served by searching for weather historic trend sites and looking at cities you will be traversing.

It’s how I prepared for our Alaska trip last year.

[SeeMore]

Historical and Future weather for any particular place can found at weather.com. Enter the place name at the top center of the page and press enter. When the page refreshes, select monthly in the third blue stripe from the top and you will be given the opportunity to select the month and year which will reveal the answer you desire.

As for travel time, use Google (or other trip software) to map your route and get the destination mileage. I assume an average of 50mph as our mileage-made-good (including fuel, food, and bio break stops) on any given day. Multiply that # by the number of hours driven (planned) in a day. To estimate days, divide the total mileage by the planned drive day mileage if you are going to drive every day without a stopover.

Personally, we prefer 300 mile days (6 hours) when driving daily but do, on occasion, make around 400 miles when we plan to relax the immediate day following the longer push.

[Ndcctrucks]

SeeMore

Great post!

[field & stream]

Out here at that time of year any weather can happen at any time! As suggested, use online weather resources to get a feel for averages and ranges, and pack accordingly before you leave. Then, check the real-time forecasts frequently.

It’s a great time of year to do such a trip, but you have to be prepared.

[islandtrader]

Originally Posted by Silverminer

Dear Forum,
I was wondering if allowing 5 days travel time from CT to Monument Valley is enough time. Any suggestions on the best scenic route from Monument Valley to Prescott AZ would also be very helpful.
Thanks ahead of time.
Silverminer
"The Oyster" 2022 25' International
2023 F250 V8

Do you really want to spend 5 days driving almost 500 miles per day? Cut the miles per day and enjoy the ride out there. Its not the destination its the journey along the way.

[Fungus]

Originally Posted by islandtrader

Do you really want to spend 5 days driving almost 500 miles per day? Cut the miles per day and enjoy the ride out there. Its not the destination its the journey along the way.

^This is us. The journey is the destination.

The OP didn’t mention trailer experience. Pulling a trailer is a different sort of driving experience than no trailer. We will drive a 16-hour day without the trailer. With the trailer, six is tops and rare. Our preference is four hours of driving then a two-night minimum stay. The leg heading into home might be a long day with a late arrival but we won’t be setting up camp in the dark even if sleeping in the trailer (before cleaning the house of cat hair the next day). The fastest trip we made was pulling the trailer home to TX when we purchased it in VA. First long-distance trailering experience. Three legs, 1600 miles, two-night stop after the first (600 miles) leg. One-night stop at a casino campground in MS.

[Julie-Bob]

As stated before pulling a trailer is very hard mentally. We as others 300 tops for a day. Travel one two at max then two nights rest then on the road agin. The trip is part of the adventure. Stop every two hours get out look at truck, trailer, hitch, get a drink, walk around. Stop for lunch in trailer, walk around look again at truck , trailer, hitch. Enjoy the view