North Florida to Colorado

[SouthernGirl]

I'm new to this forum, and I must say there's a great deal of info. I'm planning a road trip in Sept from Florida to Colorado. I'll be taking 3 weeks, so I have time to really explore. My goal is to tent camp rather than stay in hotels (weather permitting!). For the first leg of my trip, I thought of going from North Florida to Tennessee. But after that I'm at a loss. Maybe a trip through Missouri. Any suggestions for "don't miss" places or routes? Any suggestions for solo woman campers? Would love to hear from other women solo campers and their experiences.

[AZBuck]

Welcome aboard the RoadTrip America Forums!

Well for starters, you should probably read through this thread dealing with solo traveling, including solo women traveling and camping, for some useful pointers. But the real problem here is that something I (or anyone else) might consider "don't miss", you might consider not worth the time, and vice versa. However, that said, some things you should be seriously considering include Mammoth Cave National Park, the Museum of Westward Expansion and Arch in St. Louis, Harry Truman's Home, and a whole lot more.

AZBuck

[SouthernGirl]

That last thread has a LOT of good information in it. This will keep me reading for a long time! Thanks.

[SouthernGirl]

I've looked through a lot of the postings here, and have done a lot of on line research, and I think I've come up with a possible plan for my 3 week solo camping road trip. Would love some feedback on some of the gaps in my plans. Here it is:

Day 1 - North Florida to Cloudland Canyon State Park campground in Georgia.

Day 2 - On towards Poplar Bluff Missouri. I believe I can make that in 1 day without too much effort. Will camp somwhere near Poplar Bluff, hopefully in a State Park. Suggestions on where to camp would be great if anyone knows of a nice place.

Day 3 (and maybe some of day 4?) - Will be meandering through Missouri on I-160 through the Ozarks. The goal is to explore the area including the grist mills and springs. Then will camp somewhere around Branson area (again maybe a state park - suggestions anyone??).

Day 4 or 5?? - On through Kansas, with a stop at Tallgrass Prairie. I really need help with this part of the trip. What's a great scenic route from Missouri Ozarks through Kansas enroute to Colorado?

Days 5 and beyond - on to Colorado and the Rocky Mountains. I'm thinking I'll need to stop somewhere for 1-2 nights before the Rocky Mountains so that I can get used to the altitude. Not sure what a good stopping point would be between Kansas and Colorado. Probably depends upon how long I drive.

Any suggestions or comments would be great. I'm looking for a great outdoor experience, with some hiking and wonderful photo opportunities. And no rushing!! Just me, the elk and bear and the fresh air!

[AZBuck]

...the following are meant to give you just a flavor of what will be available to you. It will be up to you to pick a final route and destinations. Judging by what you've picked out so far, I think that from the Branson area I'd first use MO-76 westward, staying in the Ozarks as long as possible, then a visit to Fort Scott, KS might be in order on your way to the Tallgrass. From there try some combination of US-54/US-56/US-400 across southern Kansas. My wife and I drove this road a few years back, and it's as interesting a way to cross the Prairie as I think you're going to find. One odd highlight would be the town of Greensburg. When we came through, this town was mostly known as the home of the 'world's biggest hand dug well', which we climbed to the bottom of. It also had a very nice little meteorite and rock specimen shop. Since that time, the town was completely destroyed by a tornado and is now being rebuilt as a 'green' city. Also on this route are Dodge City and several parks and wildlife refuges (including the Sandsage Bison Range and Wildlife Area) as you basically follow the Arkansas River to Pueblo, CO.

Now you haven't said where you're headed for in Colorado, but I'd like to suggest a 'home base' somewhere around Nederland. There are several parks in the area for camping and it is centrally located to Rocky Mountain National Park, several ski areas, Boulder, and for the occasional urban fix: Denver.

AZBuck

[SouthernGirl]

Well, Saturday is the B-I-G Day! I'm supposed to be taking off for the long awaited road trip from Florida to Colorado. So - will I run into Tropical Storm (soon to Hurricane) Hanna?? Or will I hit remnants of Gustav?? Or maybe the new tropical depression #9!!! I knew planning this that I'd be heading out during hurricane season, thinking that I'd be missing all of the hurricane angst for a few weeks. Now I'm leaving elderly parents and a half grown daughter to do planning on their own. SIGH! But, the parents have been through tougher hurricanes than I have and can pass on their knowledge to the newer generation. Meanwhile, I'll be camping my way through the Rockies and perhaps heading into Utah while the arches are still there (minus one!). Well, I'll leave one more update before I go - hopefully with out too many detours to avoid pesky little hurricanes.

[jbruscino]

Wow....I thought I was the only one making this trip,lol. I will be leaving Wed Morning I believe. That should give me enough time to let the any parts of Gustave tail weather pass and keep my at least a day in front of Hanna. I am also looking for any suggestions on here for places to visit. My trip will be about 3 Days. I was thinking of hitting Nashville on the first night. On my second day I think I will see the arch......but maybe stop for the night in Kansas City? Can anyone tell me if St. Lousi or KC is a cooler city to visit? Then on the 3rd day going to my destination in Colorado Springs. Can anyone tell me any places i need to stop and visit/take pics/ etc on the way any of those days? Any good places to visit from KC to Colorado Springs?

Any suggestion would be awesome!

[PNW Judy]

and that your family is safe while you're gone.

It sounds like a fascinating trip...just the kind I'd love to do. I envy you your three weeks!

I hope you'll do a roadtrip report about your trip after your return. And we do love photos!