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.