Booking accommodation in national parks ahead of time

[TerryTreks]

Hi, I have a first cut of my epic road trip itinerary, focusing on camping in national parks. I'm trying to go slow and spend a lot of time in fewer places. I want to have lots of time to set up my tripod and take pictures. But there are do many stops. I might end up cutting some of the stuff later in the trip out. There's good camping availability in Yellowstone, so I'll book that soon. A big variable is if I can book a rafting trip on the Colorado River. If I can I'll rearrange to plan around that. But this is what I have so far. It's pretty overwhelming.

3-Sep Drive 9 hours from Indiana
4-Sep Drive 9 hours
5-Sep Day in Badlands NP
6-Sep 2 hr drive to Mt. Rushmore. A couple hours there. Four hour drive to Devil's Tower. See sunset.
7-Sep 5 hr drive to Bighorn Natl Forest.
8-Sep 3 hr drive to Yellowstone. Yellowstone day 1.
9-Sep Yellowstone day 2
10-Sep Yellowstone day 3
11-Sep Yellowstone day 4
12-Sep Yellowstone day 5
13-Sep Yellowstone day 6
14-Sep Yellowstone day 7
15-Sep Grand Teton NP day 1
16-Sep Grand Teton NP day 2
17-Sep Grand Teton NP day 3
18-Sep 8 hr drive to Moab, UT.
19-Sep Arches NP
20-Sep Canyonlands NP
21-Sep Capitol Reef NP
22-Sep Moab, UT
23-Sep 3 hr drive to Mesa Verde NP day 1
24-Sep Mesa Verde NP day 2
25-Sep 3 hr drive to Monument Valley. Monement Valley day 1. See sunset.
26-Sep Sunrise at Monument Valley. 6 hr drive to Bryce Canyon NP. Stop to see slot canyons in Page, AZ.
27-Sep Bryce Canyon day 1
28-Sep Bryce Canyon day 2
29-Sep 1 hr drive to Zion NP. Zion day 1
30-Sep Zion day 2
1-Oct Zion day 3
2-Oct Zion day 3
3-Oct Zion day 4
4-Oct 5 hr drive to Grand Canyon north rim
5-Oct Grand Canyon north rim day 1
6-Oct Grand Canyon north rim day 2
7-Oct Grand Canyon north rim day 3
8-Oct Grand Canyon north rim day 4
9-Oct 6 hr drive to Las Vegas, NV
10-Oct Las Vegas relaxation day
11-Oct Hoover Dam
12-Oct 3 hr drive to Death Valley. Death Valley day 1.
13-Oct Death Valley day 2
14-Oct Death Valley day 3
15-Oct 4 hr drive to Yosemite. Yosemite day 1.
16-Oct Yosemite day 2
17-Oct Yosemite day 3
18-Oct Yosemite day 4
19-Oct Yosemite day 5
20-Oct Yosemite day 6
21-Oct 3 hr drive to Sequoia NP. Sequoia day 1.
22-Oct Sequoia day 2
23-Oct 2 hr drive to King's Canyon NP. King's Canyon day 1.
24-Oct King's Canyon day 2
25-Oct 4 hr drive to Los Angeles
26-Oct Los Angels relaxation day
27-Oct Los Angels sightseeing
28-Oct Channel Islands National Park
29-Oct 3 hr drive to Joshua Tree NP. Joshua Tree day 1.
30-Oct Joshua Tree day 2
31-Oct Joshua Tree day 3
1-Nov 6 hr drive to Flagstaff, AZ
2-Nov Sedona, AZ
3-Nov Sedona, Flagstaff, or relaxation day
4-Nov 2 hr drive to Grand Canyon south rim. Grand Canyon day 1.
5-Nov Grand Canyon day 2
6-Nov Grand Canyon day 3
7-Nov Grand Canyon day 4
8-Nov 3 hr drive to Petrified Forest National Park
9-Nov Petrified Forest National Park, 7 hour drive to El Paso, TX
10-Nov El Paso
11-Nov White Sands
12-Nov 2 hr drive to Carlsbad Cavers NP
13-Nov 5 hr drive to Big Bend National Park
14-Nov Big Bend day 1
15-Nov Big Bend day 2
16-Nov 6 hr drive to San Antonio, TX
17-Nov San Antonio
18-Nov San Antonio
19-Nov 1 hr drive to Austin, TX
20-Nov Austin, TX
21-Nov 3 hr drive to Houston, TX
22-Nov Driving
23-Nov Driving
24-Nov Return rental car in Lafayette, IN

Moderator Note: Please keep all questions about this trip in the same thread.

[Southwest Dave]

That's quite an incredible adventure !! One part that stands out to me is going from Moab to Capitol Reef and back again. It's quite a back track and you would miss out on UT scenic 12 between CR and Bryce. I'm not 100% sure if it would be an actual advantage in mileage or not, but I think it might be. You could look at going from the Tetons to Zion to North rim to Bryce to Capitol Reef to Moab to Mesa Verde to Monument valley and then visit the Petrified forest and the GC south rim on route to Vegas. Then after Joshua tree you could stay south for Sedona and White sands etc.

Or another option would be to go from the Tetons to Mesa Verde with an overnight stop on route, Flaming Gorge Res is great for some photography. You would also have the option of driving the spectacular 'Million Dollar Highway' [US550] and 'grabbing' another NP, Black canyon of the Gunnison'. Then from M Verde to Moab Capitol Reef, Bryce etc following your original route. Then you could visit Monument valley after the south rim and before White sands etc. What you have is just fine, but thought I would share a couple of thoughts/alternatives.

Don't forget to purchase the annual NP pass for $80, it will save you a small fortune.

[Sandiga]

Two of my favorite western NPs are absent:Rocky Mtn NP in Colorado and Glacier NP in Montana! (It's actually Waterton-Glacier International Peace 'Park- with a large part in Canada). Both are magnificent, and especially stunning in the fall! We'll be in Yellowstone and Grand Teton 9/16-21 for the second time this year. Then Rocky Mtn NP 9/22& 23 We go almost every year in June and Sept! Some of your destinations have become really popular in the fall- especially during the elk rut, which will be most likely in full steam in Yellowstone and Teton while you are there! We have never camped but this will be our 31st trip to those places! We stay in small towns outside the park, like Jackson Hole (very expensive), W. Yellowstone, etc. I made reservations for this 3 week trip back in the spring and many places were booked already!

[DonnaR57]

Hi, Sandiga, and welcome to RTA! You expressed some very valid things about the need to reserve in advance. If you are planning to travel, and have questions, please feel free to start your own thread. The one you responded to is over 5 years old now.

I will tell you, though, that the Waterton Lakes National Park is small in comparison to the US side, Glacier National Park. Waterton is easily seen in a day or so (unless you plan to take the boat trip or do some hiking). Not so with Glacier, especially needing tickets this year to drive the main drag, Going to the Sun Highway. I also agree that Jackson WY is super expensive in the height of either the summer or the ski season -- when you see that Motel 6 has rates over $230/night, you know it's high! We found accommodations in West Yellowstone, but after leaving Grand Teton, we drove around to the "backside" of the Tetons to stay.


Donna

[Lifemagician]

May I suggest you contact the tourism departments of all those States, and ask about their Scenic byways and backways publications. I have just become aware of these in a few States, and they are amazing with the information they have in them. Scenic routes and Byways which are not on maps or in other publications. Some States publish maps of their parks and scenic byways.

Lifey

[TerryTreks]

My rental car is booked! Only $1,300 for unlimited mileage (plus gas will probably be another grand). Thanks for the routing ideas, Southwest Dave. There's so much stuff in Utah, figuring out the best route has been tough. Maybe I should cut out Mesa Verde, since that's a side trip. I've always wanted to see that though. But I'm worried I might get burned out trying to hit every national park. I might try to be more strategic, and cut some of the less famous ones out.

That's a good idea about scenic routes, Lifemagician. I certainly don't want to spend all my time on the interstates. I did that once driving from Maryland to Colorado, and it was so boring!

Terry

[Southwest Dave]

There really should be no need to drop Mesa Verde if it's somewhere you really want to go. I think you have given yourself plenty of time in some parks to relax and re-energise to avoid the risk of burning out.

[agassiz51]

Sounds like a great trip! Are you planning on hiking into the back country in some of the larger parks?

[Lifemagician]

If it's any consolation, I have always felt that Mt Rushmore is far better seen from a distance, than close up. Though the displays they have there are very interesting, especially that which shows how so much of it was done.

You can see it from a couple of roads in the area.

Lifey

[neeliec]

I know this thread died sometime ago, but I couldn't help but wonder how TerryTreks made out on his 82 day camping adventure! I looked for possible followup posts, but didn't find anything.

Terry - if you're out there, please post a short review of your adventure!