Exciting RV Adventure to the National Parks in Southern Utah
PLAN AN RV TRIP TO THE NATIONAL PARKS IN
SOUTHERN UTAH
INTRODUCTION:
Jane and I along with Annie and Molly are off on our first RV trip with a trailer in tow. It is mid-June, just back from our trip to Italy and the Greek Islands. We bought our trailer prior to our trip overseas and practiced some before leaving, but we are still ‘green RV’ers’, a bit hesitant, but we will be gone for some 2 ½+ weeks to the National Parks of Southern Utah. Jane has done the research. All I need to do is make sure I traverse the route correctly and safely.
We are so new to this environment that we do not want to look for a site as we travel, hoping for a space. We have talked to some RV’ers where this is their ‘standard operation procedure’, but we just barely know how to hook up the trailer so to have a secure, pre-registered site makes more sense to us. Annie and Molly, our yellow lab ‘sisters’ are, to say the least, very excited.
GRESHAM, OR TO PENDLETON, OR
- Miles: 197
- Route: Interstate 84 E
- RV Park: Wildhorse Resort and Casino RV Park
- Our Rating: 8 on a scale from 1 to 10 being the best
- Duration: 1 night
Heading out from Gresham, Oregon, a suburb east of Portland, we head eastward on Interstate 84 toward our first stop just outside Pendleton, Wildhorse Resort, Casino, and RV Park. We know about this area since we were both born in Pendleton (3 years apart almost to the day), and grew up in Hermiston, a short distance just west. This is home to us, and the Park was just what we were looking for: clean, drive-through sites and of course, next to the Casino mostly for eating, of course. We hooked up without un-hitching the trailer, took the dogs to a very nice area, a wide-open field just to the east of the park, and got ready for dinner. We were meeting one of Jane’s nieces for dinner. Day 1 without a ‘hitch’. Not a play on words!
We arise the next morning, have coffee and sweet rolls in the trailer and we look at each other thinking, “This is not bad!” I take Annie and Molly on a quick potty break and we are off again.
One of my worries is how my F-150 Eco-boost is going to handle the mountain passes. Our trailer weighs 6,100 lbs., but loaded is more around 7,000+ lbs. The specs on the truck say it can handle 11,400 lbs. in tow, so I should be OK, but you know, there’s just the worry on the first trip. We are facing the climb out of Pendleton going over Cabbage Hill in the Blue Mountains. To my relief, I had power in reserve for the climb up each grade, going slow and steady. Most of ‘you’ lifer RV people are probably laughing at all the new experiences and worries!
PENDLETON, OR TO MOUNTAIN HOME, ID
- Miles: 262
- Route: Interstate 84 E
- RV Park: Mountain Home RV Resort
- Rating: 10 out of 10
- Duration: 2 nights
Our next stop is Mountain Home, Idaho, and the Mountain Home RV Resort, just south off the I-84 freeway. What a lovely spot! Trees, clean spaces, and facilities and there is a fenced-in dog area. Most highly recommended if you are looking in this area.
The next morning the manager stopped by and said that if we were heading south along I-84 going into Utah we may want to consider staying another night since he had heard that two semis were blown off the road due to the high winds. The last thing I needed at this time is to be in the ditch on our first outing, so we decided to stay another night. This gave Jane a reason to research a place to eat. She is so good at planning and researching where to stay, where to eat, what to do, etc. Everywhere we go she is on top of it, and we are both always pleased!
MOUNTAIN HOME, ID TO PROVO, UT
- Miles: 339
- Route: Interstate 84 S
- RV Park: Lakeside RV Campground
- Rating: 3 out of 10
- Duration: 1 night
We are off again! We take I-84 south into the Salt Lake City area and are engulfed in a thunder/hailstorm as we enter the city. Flood water is everywhere along the interstate, but we survive. We have a bit of a problem finding our next RV site in Provo, UT, Lakeside RV Campground. After seeing the place, I wish we had chosen another. (Looking back, probably the worst place that we stayed on the entire trip). It looked like an unkept RV Park for all the people who are looking for a place to settle down and live, rather than a site for the RV traveler. All was well in the end; they had an OK dog area and I also took Annie and Molly on a short walk to the lake. One night and we are off again.
BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK
PROVO, UT TO BRYCE CANYON, UT
- Miles: 224
- Route: Interstate 15 S to Interstate 70 E, south on 89 to highway
- 12, then south on 63
- RV Park: Ruby’s Inn RV and Campground
- Rating: 10 out of 10
- Duration: 2 nights
The next destination will be our first National Park, Bryce Canyon! We are still wondering what we are doing, but are having fun, and the dogs truly enjoy being with us. We head out on Interstate 15 S to Interstate 70 E, south on 89 to 12. We head east on 12 then south on 63 for a few miles to Bryce Canyon and Ruby’s Inn RV Park and Campground. A very nice RV park with an easy pull-through and clean bathrooms. Very clean. We get hooked up, and we head out for something to eat. We end up at the Cowboy’s Buffet next to Ruby’s General Store where we do a bit of shopping.
Tomorrow morning, we head up the mountain to Bryce Canyon National Park. If you have a large motorhome, Ruby’s Inn offers a shuttle to the Park.
WOW! I was blown away when we reached the 8,800-foot level and looked out over the canyon full of hoodoos, (tall ‘stalagmite’ like rock formations), and weathered canyon walls creating an awe-inspiring view! We walked the rim of the canyon, took many pictures, and came away quite taken with the beauty created over the years from rain, freezing cold weather, thawing, wind, and of course, God. We viewed several locations in the Park and if we had any regrets, it was that we did not have time for a hike into the canyon or to schedule a horse ride along the trails at the base of the canyon walls. The other parks will have to go some to match this amazing spectacle.
ZION NATIONAL PARK
BRYCE CANYON, UT TO HURRICANE, UT
- Miles: 130
- Route: Highway 12 W, back to 89 S, to 9 W
- RV Park: WildWind RV Park
- Rating: 10 out of 10
- Duration: 2 nights
The next morning, we get up, feed ourselves and Annie and Molly, hook up (we are getting the hang of it!!!), and head out to our next stop, Zion National Park. Jane has us scheduled at WillowWind RV Park in Hurricane in the SW corner of Utah. We take highway 12 W back to 89 S to 9 W into Hurricane. We drive through the town and on the far edge we turn left into a most marvelous RV Park, with trees everywhere, and of course, a pull-through location! I do not see a noticeable dog run, so I ask at the front desk, and they point me to a great dog park about a mile away. Annie and Molly loved it! Jane does some laundry at the facilities, and we get ready for our next adventure. A big plus of this site is a private toilet/shower combination.
Today we are off to Zion! If you are looking for variety within your national parks, this is as far from Bryce Canyon as you can get. Great hiking trails and majestic cliffs, but the scenery along the base of the canyon, a stream running through, is not to my liking as Bryce was.
We took the Riverside Walk, a paved trail that follows the Virgin River through a deep canyon. However, the Narrows portion of the trail was closed due to the weather. The total trip is around 2 ½ miles, but we probably went only 1 ½ to 2 miles.
The Narrows is supposed to provide you with access to the cave-like areas within the walls of the canyon. I have seen pictures of these areas in travel magazines and was a bit disappointed in not being able to experience them. Took the shuttle back to the Lodge where we had a great meal, shopped some, and headed back to our ‘home away from home’.
If you are asking if we are enjoying our RV odyssey, I would say “yes”. Are we comfortable with everything? “No”, but I do believe that this is the best way to learn, get out on the road and go!
HURRICANE, UT TO PAGE, ARIZONA
- Miles: 135
- Route: Highway 59 S to 389 S
RV Park: Page Lake Powell Campground- Rating: 7 out of 10
- Duration: 1 night
Our next stop is a transition from the western area of southern Utah to the eastern section of the state where our next adventure will be Monument Valley National Park. We plan to stay at Page Lake Powell Campground in Page, Arizona. In keeping with
providing directions, we head out on highway 59 S out of
Hurricane hit 389 S as we cross the border. Heading south on 89 we arrive at Page. Hooked up we head out to see the vistas of the Lake Powell area.
Having seen the Grand Canyon when we lived in Arizona some years ago, it was interesting to see the beginnings of the canyon from the southern part of Lake Powell. This area has stunning views and the short drive to the Colorado River is not a disappointment. Close by is Antelope Canyon when you are in the area.
MONUMENT VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
PAGE, AZ TO GOULDING, UT
- Miles: 123
- Route: Highway 89 to 160 E to 163
- RV Park: Goulding RV Park and Campground
- Rating: 8 out of 10
- Duration: 2 nights
Our next stop is Goulding’s RV Park and Campground in the southeast corner of Utah. Highway 89 to 160 E, to 163 E at Kayente, Arizona and we arrive at our site. Tomorrow AM Jane has us scheduled for a real ‘native experience’ with a Navajo who grew up in the area, as an authentic guide through his homeland and Monument Valley.
We are greeted by Jeremy Crank, our Navajo guide. We load into his bright yellow Jeep and head out to the land where he and his family for several generations have lived. The tour leads to portions of Monument Valley National Park that the casual visitor cannot go to without a Navajo guide. Jeremy, very well educated, made us feel very welcome as he leads us through his homeland. He, as were his grandfather and father before him, is a medicine man. He very graciously shares his intimate knowledge of the area and Navajo history and traditions.
At one point of the tour as he is sitting on the sandstone rocks, he starts to sing a Navajo song of a young Navajo girl becoming a woman. The tradition stands to this day that while the men of the tribe sing, the girl (whose hair is in a bun), and all the other women of the tribe, even the older women and their canes, run to the East, honoring her, and celebrating her womanhood. This was one of our favorites in all our travels!
That afternoon we spend more time in Monument Valley. I personally, was very moved by this area of the US. Every vantage point provided vistas of wide-open plains interrupted by stone sculptures jutting out of the earth. So simple yet so powerful. And of course, Jeremy was the highlight! You will even recognize some movie sights that also offer great photographic gems!
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK
GOULDING, UT TO MOAB, UT
- Miles: 147
- Route: Highway 191 N
- RV Park: Canyonlands RV Resort and Campground
- Rating: 9 out of 10
- Duration: 2 nights
One more National Park on our schedule before heading the long way home is Arches National Park, in eastern Utah. We head to Moab, Utah the next morning along highway 191 N arriving in the early afternoon at Canyonlands RV Resort and Campground. Another welcome, clean RV location, tons of shade, and good pet areas, just off the main highway through the town.
Arches National Park is made up of hundreds of sandstone structures in the form of arches. About 25 miles from Moab one can park in several areas and hike anywhere from 200 yards to up to a mile and see the arches. This area is like Bryce Canyon in the texture of the red-hued rock with the geological formations in the form of arches instead of hoodoos. Both parks provide 4-6 hours of scenery that everyone needs to see.
Back to Moab, we spend the rest of the day wandering the streets of the town and having a great dinner. Back in our trailer, I wondered why this section of one state in the US has such incredible scenery, so unique and so stunning. Then I realize that Oregon has the best scenery along the coast of probably any place in the US. God did not just stop in Utah with His artistic creation!
A long way home. Not the direct route, but up through Montana, northern Idaho, Washington, and home along Interstate 84 and our home river, Columbia.
MOAB, UT TO SALT LAKE CITY, UT
- Miles: 234
- Route: Interstate 70 W to Interstate 15 N
- RV Park: Salt Lake City KOA
- Rating: 7
- Duration: 1 night
We head north from Interstate 70 W to Interstate 15 N into Salt Lake City. North of the city we visit a KOA for the night. We don’t unhook so we can get away early in the AM.
We get back on Interstate 15 N into Idaho. Our plans were to head east from Idaho Falls to Jackson Hole, WY, and the Grand Teton National Park, but the weather with snow in the pass caused us to change our plans and we head north into Dillon, Montana.
SALT LAKE CITY TO DILLON, MT
- Miles: 354
- Route: Interstate 15 N
- RV Park: Southside RV Park
- Rating: 8 out of 10
- Duration: 1 night
Our home for the night is the Southside RV Park in Dillon, MT. For one night it is perfect, smaller, clean, and again a great pull-through. This trip so far is not allowing me to practice my backing up skills, which at this point in my journey, do not exist!!
DILLON, MT TO MISSOULA, MT
- Miles: 172
- Route: Interstate 90 W
- RV Park: Jim and Mary’s RV
- Rating: 10 out of 10
- Duration: 1 night
Our plan for the next day is to travel Interstate 90 to Jim and Mary’s RV outside Missoula, MT. Very nice park, but we are in and out heading to Coeur d’Alene, ID. Well almost. As we are pulling out of the RV space, I notice that the trailer’s automatic braking system is not working; I do not have brakes on the trailer! I check the plug from the truck to the trailer and this is not the problem. Nothing is open so we decide to go slow even though we are traveling over a couple of 4,700’ mountain passes and get it checked in Coeur d’Alene, ID. All braking is on the truck only! RV’ers say to expect problems and to adapt! Yea, right.
MISSOULA, MT TO COEUR D’ALENE, ID
- Miles: 165
- Route: Interstate 90 W
- RV Park: Blackwell Island RV Park
- Rating: 10 out of 10
- Duration: 2 nights
We creep into Coeur d’Alene where our reservation is at Blackwell Island RV Park. This is a great spot that we have visited a couple of times since. Right on the lake, pull through, great amenities, and Annie and Molly love the area and the access to the lake! They are Labs, remember! To add to the location, there is a fabulous restaurant–The Cedars Floating Restaurant, at the end of the island, which is within easy walking distance. We plan to stay a couple of days and get to know this town and area.
I take the truck to a Ford dealer. They check it out and determine that the braking sensor from the truck to the trailer is faulty and they do not have one in stock. The mechanic told us to take it easy on our trip back to Gresham and we should be fine.
We love Coeur d’Alene! Great downtown, city park, dog park north of town that is excellent for the dogs to run without leashes. Our favorite coffee shop and bakery, The Bakery by the Lake, and bookstore, The Well-Read Moose. After 2 days we head home, carefully. The braking is OK and when I get on the freeway I tuck in behind a truck and just cruise. All is going fine, and I will order the sensor when I get home.
As I mentioned earlier, we have connected this location to another great RV location and town, Walla Walla, WA. We are pleased with our decision to RV travel with our dogs. We love the Oregon coast, especially Yachats and Sea Perch RV Park is our favorite. This is a smaller RV Park right on the ocean with fabulous facilities. The dogs scramble to get to the beach each day that we stay. More info here on this location.
COEUR D’ALENE, ID TO GRESHAM, OR
- Miles: 374
- Route: Interstate 90 W to highway 395 to Interstate 84 W
- RV Park: HOME!
- Rating: 100 out of 10
- Duration: Till next trip
The trip back was pleasant and uneventful. The highways are mostly flat which led to a relaxed drive. When possible, on the freeways, I would tuck in behind a Semi and just cruise. We got home after 2,856 miles and 19 days.
We are a bit exhausted but what a memorable trip, our first with the RV. Annie and Molly are certainly broken in, and now they go crazy when we bring the Trailer to the house to load up and venture out again.
