We're planning a trip to Mesa Verde, Grand Canyon, St. George area, then Gl. Canyon, Zion, Bryce,Cap. Reef, Canyonlands before heading towards Grand Junction. My concern is the best way to route to these parks and where to camp? National Parks are out with this 45 ft. MH, so that enters into the planning. What route and campgrounds along this way might others suggest who have done this trip?
2007 Travel Supreme Alante, 45 ft.
2006 Lexus LX470 Toad
Did a lot of the places you are going to last fall. If you're going in the fall reservations are a must. The RV tours hit this area hard and space can be tough to get. Here is what i did. Zion, just outside the park in Springdale is Zion lodge and RV. They have sites your 45' will fit. Through the tunnel to Bryce (restrictions for toad), Rubys was booked full, stayed at KOA down the road from Bryce. Capital Reef, two parks in town (Torrey), both can handle your rig. I stayed at Thousand Lakes. For Canyonlands, I choose Dead Horse state park for a couple of nights then down into Moab (many parks to choose from) I stayed at Moab Valley. At Mesa Verde, a couple of parks accross the highway from the entrance, stayed at Mesa Verde RV Resort. All of the places I mentioned can handle your 45' with full hookups except Dead Horse which has 50A electric and a dump only. Again the fall is a popular time for this area so reservations are recommended.
2000 Monaco Windsor 40'
2004 Honda CRV, Unified Tow Brake
I should have noted we are starting this trip on Aug 1. In view of the smaller numbers of RV'ers out there these days, I wonder if reservations are still a must?
Can't help you with that one. Always hit this area after Labor Day or later. Don't know what the traffic is during the summer months when school is out. Might be worse. I'm confident someone can relay conditions at the RV parks during August. As far as fewer RVers out there. I was in Canyonville, OR last week, on two occasions the park was full, and this is a good sized park. Sometimes you can hit some big local event and be in big trouble for a place to stay. I've had that happen several times now. With a big rig I don't take any chances.
* This post was
edited 07/20/08 10:41am by Marv Hoag *
slabman wrote: We're planning a trip to Mesa Verde, Grand Canyon, St. George area, then Gl. Canyon, Zion, Bryce,Cap. Reef, Canyonlands before heading towards Grand Junction. My concern is the best way to route to these parks and where to camp? National Parks are out with this 45 ft. MH, so that enters into the planning. What route and campgrounds along this way might others suggest who have done this trip?
Slabman,
If you are set on starting in Mesa Verde think about Mexican Hat – Monument Valley – Antelope Canyon – Lake Powell – North Rim – Zion – Bryce -- Rt12 – Capital Reef – Goblins SP – and when you leave Moab head out on Rt128 going to Grand Junction. Just a beautiful area. We have not had any problem in just picking a spot when we get close with many being in the NP’s them selves. The need for Reservations will likely depend on time of year you select.
Enjoy Your trip and the TS,
Busskipper
Maryland/Colorado
Travel Supreme 42DS04
MDX-FMCA--M&G Brake
States traveled in this Coach
We just returned from several of the places that you mentioned about a month ago. We stayed at the Cortez KOA when visiting Mesa Verde, it was nice and clean the people were very polite and friendly. In Moab we have stayed at Moab Valley RV park, Portal RV park and Spanish Trail RV park. In Bryce I would recommend Ruby's Inn just outside of the park and in Zion we have stayed at Zion River RV Resort. I would recommend any or all of these and we had no problem in our 40' DP so a 45' shouldn't be much of a problem. Enjoy, these are some amazing areas to visit. Mike.
Mike & Chrystal (F315002)
2003 Monaco Dynasty/ 26' Haulmark Edge trailer
1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee toad
OK, from "Albuquerq" we'll take #550 to Chaco, stopping in Cuba at Bruno's, our fav. Mex restaurant, heading to Aztec Ruins, Canyon of the Ancients, Mesa Verde and Hovenweep, then #162/163 to Mexican Hat and Monument Valley, #98 to Navaho Mon. and Glen Canyon, then #89 thru Kaneb to Pipe Spg. and to Zion, St. George, Cedar Breaks, then #14 and #89? to Bryce, Cap. Reef, Glen Canyon, Canyonlands, Goblins SP, Arches and Grand Junction. Are these the primary roads I want to use?
What have I left off? We want to hit all the National Parks, of course, so there are other places not as well known, but haven't located a lot of them yet. Please feel free to offer other "must sees".
slabman,we had returned ( June 08) from a trip to Canyolands and back using Hwy 12. Stopping at several of your planned places. St. George there is Temple RV Park. Along the whole trip ( I-15 to Hwy 9 to Hwy 89 to Hwy 12 to Hwy 24 to I-70 to Hwy 191 into Moab,Ut.) there are many pritive rv parks. You'll be able to do the tunnel thru Zion most likey driving the toad? seperatly, since full size tour buses go thru it of course you'll have to pay the tunnel fee. At Bryce there is the well know Ruby's RV Park,it not the only rv park in the locale area. Since you list Capital Reef as one of your stops you'll have to drive Hwy 12, most of Hwy 12 is a good road with some narrow areas and some steep grades( 14-18%),just take your time. Hwy 12 is a beautful well worth your time to travel. Here's a link to local CAMPGROUNDS around Capital Reef. I would suggest Arch View RV Park since it close to Archs NP and at the juction of Hwy 191 and 313 which goes to Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point State Park.
I recommend yoou stay away from the KOA at Panguitch on highway 143 (just past the route 89 turnoff). We stayed there for 4 nights (we were scheduled for 5) and kept having power issues every day.
We were not the only ones with trouble. Our neighbors just unplugged the power at night because of his problems. Power surges (up and down) happened many times a day. We have a surge protector and it would cut the power aboout 10 times a day because of the surges.
The owners (or people running the place) verified the lines and circuits. found nothing and said they would call the power company.
They did admit however this was a common problem and the lights flickered regularly even at the reception desk. I was in the washroom the third day and the lights just kept going on and off... we lost power most of the night.
Next morning we packed up and left. Wasn't going to take any chances with the rig, even with the supressor.
Too bad though, the campsite itself wasn't that bad... (well except for the power issue...lol).
James
James, Josee
'08 Allegro Bay 37QDB (on order for Apr '08)
Dingy: Still looking
Offline
heading to Aztec Ruins, Canyon of the Ancients, Mesa Verde and Hovenweep, then #162/163 to Mexican Hat and Monument Valley, #98 to Navaho Mon. and Glen Canyon, then #89 thru Kaneb to Pipe Spg. and to Zion, St. George, Cedar Breaks, then #14 and #89? to Bryce, Cap. Reef, Glen Canyon, Canyonlands, Goblins SP, Arches and Grand Junction. Are these the primary roads I want to use? 
