Trip to UT, AZ, CO, SD, WY,ID planning.

[Lesherp]

Last year was our first big trip in the TM and with the suggestions we got from fellow members here it was fantastic. It took us 3 leisurely days traveling to Utah from Oregon. We spent 6 weeks visiting Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches, and both parks in Canyonlands.

We are now making plans for our big 2013 trip. It will be back to the Bryce area as weather cut our stay there a little short last year and we loved the area. We wanted to hike more of Bryce and Red Canyon. We plan on spending a week there. From there we will spend a couple of days in Zion. What a magical place. We hiked almost every trail there last year, and yes I did hike to the top of Angles Landing. We will top off batteries and resupply before traveling to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon for 5 days. The next jump will be to Mesa Verdi. We were only able to get 3 days there, I hope it will be enough time. We plan on spending a few days in Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP on the way up to the Rocky Mountain NP area. We have not determined where we are going to camp there yet. I have read OneMoBear's post about Peaceful Valley and Camp Dick and are probably going to stay at one of them unless we get additional information. Any suggestions would be most welcome. From there it will be a rather long travel day (I like to keep them no more than 6 or 7 hours) to Rapid City to visit with family and enjoy the Black Hills. A week of family should be enough and on to Yellowstone. This is one of our favorite places and an old standby for us when returning home from the Dakotas. First night reservations in Yellowstone and then over to Lizards Tail in the Tetons where we generally stay when in that area. If you are ever going to Yellowstone you should consider it as a option! Larger more private camp sites than Yellowstone. We were able to find a site that the TM would fit on right on the lake last time we were there. It is just minutes from both park entrances. From there we are planning on going to another old favorite of ours; Hosmer Lake in the high Cascades in eastern Oregon. Not sure the length of stays at the last 2 as we were about ready for home after 6 weeks last year

We are not heading out until middle of May but are getting excite already! Any suggestions about these areas, particularly Rocky Mountain NP would be appreciated.

[Northwoods]

We've camped in RMNP a number of times. Rustic sites, no water or electric, flush toilets, no showers, beautiful views. Two years ago, we couldn't get a reservation there because they were clearing dead trees out of campsites, so we stayed in a park that had just been acquired by the county. It had a 360 degree view of the mountains, but wasn't a plush campground. It was close to the park, had good showers, electric plus water sites. We were once long-time tent campers, so with the comforts of our TM were quite satisfied with it. I would think that by now the county would have made a number of upgrades. Have a good trip. Olga Smith, Northwoods

There are many great, out-of-the-way National Forest and Bureau Land Management campgrounds out there, so don't restrict yourself to just the Parks.

One of these days we'll be going back ...

[LoveToCamp]

I did a quick search for campgrounds in Arapahoe National Forest, which is on the west side of the Continental Divide (Grand Lake), by RMNP. Got a good list.

While they are on the west side, you can still access RMNP via Trail Ridge Road. Drawback could be that you want to get an early start to Rushmore on your morning of departure. Solution to that could be to look at campgrounds on the east side, or Estes Park, or even down the Big Thompson Canyon. If you find a good one, make a reservation for the night before you head to Rushmore, and move the previous afternoon. With the TM, I don't think it is a bad move. BUT, you are the one traveling with kids.

[scrubjaysnest]

We didn't like the camp ground at Black Canyon of the Gunnison so stayed at Silver Jack. There are several national forest/nation park campgrounds in the area that we found munch nicer then the one at Black Canyon.

:

Originally Posted by Lesherp

We will top off batteries and resupply before traveling to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon for 5 days.

How did your stay on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon go? We will be at Jacobs Lake campground in a few weeks for about a week or less. Have a site on reserve for a week. Was going to Thirty Mile campground in Colorado but the fires have nixed that. Heard a little voice whisper North Rim... in my head and low and behold there were sites available. Anyway, if anyone has been there would appreciate your input. Have been to the South Rim on more than one occasion and thought... what the heck! Lets go see the other side too!

[Lesherp]

We liked the No. Rim a lot. We had never been to the Grand Canyon before. The camp ground was open pine forest with spaces a little close but tolerable. There are not too many sites so it is much quieter than some national parks campground. There is a squirrel that can only be found there that you can't help but love.

The canyon is so big that I came to the conclusion that it cannot be appreciated from the rim. A few years back I was an avid whitewater kayaker and always dreamed of doing the Colorado River. I am afraid I am no longer boating to that standard. After being there I am now considering looking into a commercial raft trip.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by Joseph

:

How did your stay on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon go? We will be at Jacobs Lake campground in a few weeks for about a week or less. Heard a little voice whisper North Rim... in my head and low and behold there were sites available. Anyway, if anyone has been there would appreciate your input.

Joseph -

In my opinion, the North Rim is much more enjoyable than the south rim, and Jacob's Lake is one of my favorite places in the entire west. We have been to both rims, several times, and the south rim is a place everyone ought to see - once. But the south rim is basically a tourist trap. Busloads of people shuttling around, little kids fighting to get to the edge to see over, and mothers yelling at them, tons of dogs (on leashes, thankfully), lines of people waiting to get into everything, and the latest indignity, the glass walkway. Teddy Roosevelt would cry.

The north rim is more difficult to get to, farther away from anywhere, and the approach over route 89A hits some pretty high elevation (the campground itself is at 8000 feet). This means that far fewer people visit, and in my opinion that makes for a much more enjoyable experience. I love the open high altitude Ponderosa pine forest, the cooler temperatures, the ability to walk around with bumping into anyone, the fact that there are animals other than burros to see, and the entire experience. And of course the views into the canyon from the north rim are not be missed.

This is just my opinion, of course. Many will disagree with me, and that is as it should be. Let us know your opinion and experiences when you get back.

Bill

[FujiPedaler]

We did use a commercial group for an 8 day 7 nights rafting trip and it was one of our greatest experiences.

The company was Arizona River Runners. They did everything. Made breakfast (hot), lunch and dinner( hot) and provided ice for your beverages every night. Plus everyday there was an shore excurtion.

Great trip!

Thank you all for your input! I love the pictures. Thank you for taking the time to upload them. You are right about the squirrel. NEVER.. seen one like that. I am not going to share the pic with the wife and let her see one live first. My Little Georgia Wife is going to freak...LOL.

Bill - I feel the same way you do about the South Rim. Since reading your thoughts on the North Side am looking forward to it. Got a worn pair of hiking, well walking really... boots that have been calling my name. Looking forward to getting out west again. The wife keeps a journal of our travels. I will post some of it when I return.

Been reading a lot of Tony Hillerman lately. Going to stop off in Window Rock for a couple of days and see if I can find Officer Jim Chee and Detective Leaphorn...