Intending to visit San Francisco and then tour around some of the USA NPs (e.g. Yosemite, Sequoia, Grand Canyon etc)next May/June by car/motorhome. Any advice would be welcome. Would incorporating Yellowstone into our tour be possible? (We will be away for 5-6 weeks).
USA National Parks
- Thread starter Peter_374582999
- Start date
Hi Peter,
The best NP's are mainly California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona region.
We lived US 9 years travelling in our M/H and spent a lot of our time in these states. If you are renting M/H or car from San Francisco try this route:
SF-Yosemite NP (191m), Yosemite-Death Valley NP (319m), Death Valley-Las Vegas (161m)and stay campground alongside Circus-Circus hotel on the strip, Las Vegas-Zion NP (165m), Zion NP-Bryce Canyon NP (141m),Bryce Canyon NP-Capitol Reef NP (126m), Capitol Reef NP-Arches NP (155m), Arches-Mesa Verde NP (155m) Mesa Verde NP-Monument Valley (146m) and stay at Navajo Indian campground, Monument Valley NP-Grand Canyon - Lake Havasu - Los Angeles - San Francisco via Big Sur coast road.
This route plus a stop 2 nights each place would entail approx. 3 to 4 weeks. I think trying to incorporate Yellowstone NP would be a Park too far!
Get in touch if you need more info on campgrounds en route etc
Regards
David
The best NP's are mainly California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona region.
We lived US 9 years travelling in our M/H and spent a lot of our time in these states. If you are renting M/H or car from San Francisco try this route:
SF-Yosemite NP (191m), Yosemite-Death Valley NP (319m), Death Valley-Las Vegas (161m)and stay campground alongside Circus-Circus hotel on the strip, Las Vegas-Zion NP (165m), Zion NP-Bryce Canyon NP (141m),Bryce Canyon NP-Capitol Reef NP (126m), Capitol Reef NP-Arches NP (155m), Arches-Mesa Verde NP (155m) Mesa Verde NP-Monument Valley (146m) and stay at Navajo Indian campground, Monument Valley NP-Grand Canyon - Lake Havasu - Los Angeles - San Francisco via Big Sur coast road.
This route plus a stop 2 nights each place would entail approx. 3 to 4 weeks. I think trying to incorporate Yellowstone NP would be a Park too far!
Get in touch if you need more info on campgrounds en route etc
Regards
David
Peter
You may find this link of interest Trip to the USA I am sure Lex would be happy to answer any questions you might have.
David
You may find this link of interest Trip to the USA I am sure Lex would be happy to answer any questions you might have.
David
The timescale you have outlined is plenty to do what you are looking to do. I can recommend a Travel Book that is based on Road Trips between the various main places you have mentioned. It is an old book, but well worth having, for a Road Trip.
It is Nelles Explore the World - U.S.A. The West, Rockies & Texas and the ISBN is 3-88618-416-1, this will let any decent book shop order it for you.
As an example they give you a route LA to the Grand Canyon, via Zion, Bryce Canyon / Glen Canyon. Also LA to San Francisco along the coast road via Santa Barbra, Big Sur, Carmel, Monteray Bay, Salinas, Santa Cruz and San Jose.
Well worth the investment.
I will be pleased to offer any assistance, as I have the area on 3 occaisions.
Best regards,
George
It is Nelles Explore the World - U.S.A. The West, Rockies & Texas and the ISBN is 3-88618-416-1, this will let any decent book shop order it for you.
As an example they give you a route LA to the Grand Canyon, via Zion, Bryce Canyon / Glen Canyon. Also LA to San Francisco along the coast road via Santa Barbra, Big Sur, Carmel, Monteray Bay, Salinas, Santa Cruz and San Jose.
Well worth the investment.
I will be pleased to offer any assistance, as I have the area on 3 occaisions.
Best regards,
George
May I suggest a route which takes into account Yellowstone. We have travelled extensively in this area of the US and it really would be a shame not to see Yellowstone which is surely one of the most fantastic sights in the world. This could be done if you leave out some of the less scenic parks in a 5 - 6 week timetable. Try looking at the following:
SF - Yosemite - then across Tioga road then south through Bishop and into Death Valley - Las Vegas - Grand Canyon North Rim (much less crowded than south rim) - Kanab - Zion NP - Bryce Canyon - Capitol Reef NP - Moab (great place) for Arches NP and Canyonlands NP - Vernal - Flaming Gorge Reservoir to Jackson via Wind River Range for the Grand Teton NP - Yellowstone - Pocatello, Idaho - Great Basin - Reno - Lake Tahoe - SF
This route takes approx 40 days allowing for 2-3 days stop in each park en route and 3 days each in SF Las Vegas and Moab. We have visited all of these places except the crossing across northern Nevada from Great Basin to Reno and our favourite places were Grand Canyon, Zion, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons and Canyonlands/Arches which are virtually next to each other.
SF - Yosemite - then across Tioga road then south through Bishop and into Death Valley - Las Vegas - Grand Canyon North Rim (much less crowded than south rim) - Kanab - Zion NP - Bryce Canyon - Capitol Reef NP - Moab (great place) for Arches NP and Canyonlands NP - Vernal - Flaming Gorge Reservoir to Jackson via Wind River Range for the Grand Teton NP - Yellowstone - Pocatello, Idaho - Great Basin - Reno - Lake Tahoe - SF
This route takes approx 40 days allowing for 2-3 days stop in each park en route and 3 days each in SF Las Vegas and Moab. We have visited all of these places except the crossing across northern Nevada from Great Basin to Reno and our favourite places were Grand Canyon, Zion, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Tetons and Canyonlands/Arches which are virtually next to each other.
Peter - if you cross the Tioga Pass from Yosemite, be aware that it is often snowed up until July. There is a web site which monitors and reports the ploughing progress - can't remember what it is called but I'm sure you will find it if you "Google" the various place names. We have not been to Yellowstone, but have visited many of the others, and Bryce is our favourite. It's very easy to travel vast distances by road (provided the pass is open!!).
We travelled to Yosemite in July (5th) and yes, the Tioga Road pass was closed then but they said it was due to unseasonably heavy snow, so we went slightly further north and crossed where the pass was open. Sounds a bit strange to go north but the pass we crossed at was lower in altitude and clear. Just as scenic as well.
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