Trip Out West

Don1425 · 02-26-2020, 04:06 PM

Hello Everyone

My wife and I are planning on a trip out west leaving out from St. Augustine Florida around May of this year and making the trip out to Tombstone Arizona, from there she is wanting to make a stop in San Jose California, I want to take a route through Death Valley and possibly up through Yosemite National Parks on the way to San Jose. I do not want to go through Los Angeles pulling my travel trailer I'm thinking that would be a nightmare, any suggestions greatly appreciated.

camper70 · 02-26-2020, 04:17 PM

My suggestion is to skip Tombstone. It is nothing but a tourist trap. They expect you to pay for everything you do. There are much prettier places to see than Tombstone. The weather in the desert southwest will be staring to heat up in May.

**bikendan** · 02-26-2020, 04:22 PM

Not sure if you've made reservations or not, but all the campsites at Yosemite NP are almost certainly booked up.
May in California is a very busy time so campsites at popular destinations are already booked, such as state beaches.

HONDAMAN174 · 02-26-2020, 04:25 PM

You can skip going thru Los Angeles by taking the 58 and popping out by Barstow. Give yourself some time and enjoy Zion and Bryce Canyon in Utah.

Don1425 · 02-26-2020, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HONDAMAN174

You can skip going thru Los Angeles by taking the 58 and popping out by Barstow. Give yourself some time and enjoy Zion and Bryce Canyon in Utah.

Thanks for that info will consider that route as well

NMWildcat · 02-26-2020, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camper70

My suggestion is to skip Tombstone. It is nothing but a tourist trap. They expect you to pay for everything you do. There are much prettier places to see than Tombstone. The weather in the desert southwest will be staring to heat up in May.

And one of our favorite places to stay a few weeks every year is Tombstone at the Tombstone RV park! Sure, there are really fun touristy things there, as well as lots of history, but that's only part of the draw. It's a great home base to explore nearby attractions. Bisbee, Kartchner caverns, Chiricahua National Monument, and more.
It's definitely a stop you need to make!

jpjn94 · 02-26-2020, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikendan

Not sure if you've made reservations or not, but all the campsites at Yosemite NP are almost certainly booked up.
May in California is a very busy time so campsites at popular destinations are already booked, such as state beaches.

You may run into this issue for sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HONDAMAN174

You can skip going thru Los Angeles by taking the 58 and popping out by Barstow. Give yourself some time and enjoy Zion and Bryce Canyon in Utah.

This is a great point and what I was going to suggest, but I would plan the route on the 40 to Barstow. If you come out the 10 and try to go up the 15, the pass out of San Bernardino is very steep. If you do go the route of the 40, you'll be near the Grand Canyon on your way to California. But of course the mountains there as well.

TitanMike · 02-26-2020, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Don1425

Hello Everyone

My wife and I are planning on a trip out west leaving out from St. Augustine Florida around May of this year and making the trip out to Tombstone Arizona, from there she is wanting to make a stop in San Jose California, I want to take a route through Death Valley and possibly up through Yosemite National Parks on the way to San Jose. I do not want to go through Los Angeles pulling my travel trailer I'm thinking that would be a nightmare, any suggestions greatly appreciated.

I just passed through that area on my way home in WA from Quartzsite, AZ. Traffic is not all that bad although the road surface can be rough on the I-10.

From the East use I-10 and you really bypass the nasty part of LA by going through Pasadena on I-210 on the way to I-5. Once you get out of "Smogville" then just figure out where you want to go over to the coast and on up to San Jose. When my wife and I made this trip in past years we just went via Gilroy, leaving the I-5 near Santa Nella.

rskeans · 02-26-2020, 05:33 PM

Death Valley begins to get hot this time of year. 100+. But it is a dry heat I'd go there anyhow. Furnace Creek has a camp ground and visitor's center. Walk between the two. Park your trailer at Furnace Creek and drive to Scotty's Castle. Get a park map and visit other sites while there. Check out the Furnace creek inn.

In AZ go the Grand Canyon. There's a campground in the park. Or setup in Williams, az at the campground located at the train station and take the train to the Grand Canyon. There are many interesting places in AZ. I just cannot remember them all. The comment on Tombstone is correct, but I'd go there anyhow. You're there.

For San Jose I'd park in Morgan Hill and drive there.

Don't forget NM. Check out White Sands.

Yosemite will be crowed. Park outside of the park and just drive. The place is very unique. Sequoia NP is also close.

You could spend months exploring CA. Many different places to visit.

fanrgs · 02-26-2020, 06:55 PM

Hope you allowed plenty of time for your trip. The Interstate speed limit for RVs in California is 55 mph and you must stay in the right lane. And San Jose is a very long way from Tombstone!

We just returned from a 6-week snowbird trip in southern Arizona, as we have for several years. A couple of hours in Tombstone was more than enough to see all the real, not "manufactured for the tourists," attractions. Much more interesting for us were the larger, even more historic mining town of Bisbee, Kartchner Caverns, and dozens of sites in Tucson, highlighted by the must-see Pima Air and Space Museum.

But no matter what you decide to see, you'll enjoy the trip.

sherman12 · 02-29-2020, 04:33 PM

Hey Don, check out the thread here Yellowstone Camping for suggestions on campgrounds in the area. Someone on that thread said there are 10 in the park itself, so you never know especially mid-week if something will be available. If the schools aren't out yet out West that too should give you a better chance of finding something.

I too am going to Yellowstone from WNY state but not to September this year. Just today I booked Fishing Bridge RV Park in Yellowstone. Can't wait! Good Luck......

ppine · 03-21-2020, 05:37 PM

Avoid Death Valley in May. Too hot with many steep grades.

sherman12 · 03-23-2020, 08:52 AM

ppine, we were planning on avoiding Death Valley, but your post reinforces why x 2! Tx!

sherman12 · 03-23-2020, 08:53 AM

That's of course if we are still going to be able to travel in September based on the current state of affairs.

CHICKDOE · 03-23-2020, 09:05 AM

we actually have reservations in tombstone in may. we are planning a full week as there are many places we want to go see (katchner caverns, bisbee, the apache monuments, sierra vista, etc). but the way things are going who knows what the situation will be in may. we haven't cancelled yet and will wait a while to decide. as we're only a couple of hundred miles away.

i hope you have allocated plenty of time for your trip. florida to san jose is a long way! give your self enough time so that you are not having to drive every day! the only way i know of to get to yosemite from death valley is over tioga pass. are you ok with that? depending on the time of the year it may or may not be open. california is still getting massive snowfalls. you would not go through los angles at all.

TitanMike · 03-23-2020, 10:00 AM

Unfortunately I woke up this morning to fresh news from our State that all state parks and public lands are closed to camping. That pretty much means boondocking is now a severely limited option until Federal lands are closed too.

I personally would re-think any travel plans until the future for places to stay is more clear.

Locally we just had two cities issue official "stay home" orders. I'd expect more in the immediate future.

Travel may still be technically possible but will it be enjoyable?

rsdata · 03-23-2020, 10:47 AM

If you have the time I would suggest going to Tucson and seeing the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. A long drive-thru with many interesting outdoor exhibits of natural things. I was fortunate to see it during a late winter rain event... if you like that sort of thing. I also fulfilled a bucket list item when I visited the Meteor Crater and museum east of Flagstaff off I-40. I second the idea of using the Grand Canyon Train out of Williams, AZ. Check out website and see if you need reservations.

jkinzel · 03-23-2020, 12:07 PM

It appears Oregon State parks are also closed for camping.

https://oregonstateparks.org/index.c...&articleId=272

ppine · 03-26-2020, 11:23 AM

May is now likely to be too soon for camping except boondocking away from people. Tourist areas are the places to avoid for the foreseeable future.

KRedburn · 03-26-2020, 11:47 AM

just released for WA state:

In order to stop the spread of COVID-19, all public lands managed by the Department of Natural Resources (nearly 6 million acres) will be closed to the public through at least April 8.

So much for a lot of boondock opportunities in WA.

Hope it is only for the short period of time listed but may be extended.

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