gooses2

Hi, we have a new 17' travel trailer and are heading out West around April 20th. We are hoping to first head towards Montrose, Colorado but we are open to getting ideas as to where to go from there. We've been to Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce so are eliminating southern Utah and Arizona. We are hoping to head towards Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, North or South Dakota and then home to Connecticut. We have 2 months to travel so any and all suggestions for a great itinerary will be much appreciated!

janisj

I am curious - you tagged this for Alaska, but seem to be asking re the Dakotas and Rockies.

tomfuller

I see that you tagged this for Alaska. I hope you are not planning on driving the Alaska Highway in May.
From Montrose go back to Grand Junction and west to US 191 south to Moab and Arches NP. There is a good campground (no electric) inside Arches. http://www.recreation.gov/camping/de...O&parkId=74066
Park the trailer and explore with your vehicle Arches and the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands NP.
Leaving Arches, head north through Price (good dinosaur museum) up to the Vernal Utah KOA. The Dinosaur National Monument is nearby.
From Vernal head north to the Grand Tetons and eventually into Yellowstone. See as much of Yellowstone as you can.
Take a detour over into Idaho before heading north into Montana with a goal of seeing parts of Glacier NP.
The Going to the Sun Road will not be open until sometime in June.
After you have seen what you can see of Glacier, head for the Billings KOA.
From Billings head for Devil's Tower in NE Wyoming.
There are a few campgrounds in the Rapid City SD area. Unhook the trailer to go up to see Mt. Rushmore.
Spend several days in the Rapid City/Badlands area seeing Wind Cave NP as well.
Since you wanted to see North Dakota as well head north on US 85 from Spearfish and go visit the south unit of Theodore Roosevelt NP.
Head for home via Fargo ND.
Please visit Arches. It is somewhat different from Bryce and Zion.
I hope you have a great tow vehicle.

gooses2

Tom fuller: Thank you! Your info is so helpful! This is my first time posting...used my iPhone and it kept spinning the "tag" to Alaska even when I corrected it twice. So glad you were able to find me and give me such a great route. Best.

tomfuller

Glad to help. Maybe get a laptop and use wifi in McD's or visit libraries to use a full size computer.
Does anyone have any more tips for gooses2?

tomfuller

Info on the campground in the south unit. https://www.nps.gov/thro/planyourvis...campground.htm
The Little Missouri River looks interesting.

Ackislander

April 20 is a little early for many parts of the West. Some parts of Rocky Mountain National Park don't open until Memorial Day, and Going to the Sun Highway in Glacier doesn't usually open until the end of JUNE. I was in Alberta in May a few years back, and the rivers and lakes, including Maligné were all frozen solid.

Are you ready for that?

So you need to do some research on weather and snow conditions north of Utah and at high elevations. Will your furnace keep you warm in those temperatures? Will your plumbing freeze? Are you comfortable driving on roads that may have a layer of ice under gravel?

Maybe leave May 20 or June 15.

williamscb13

Ooh I follow glacier national park in Instagram and they've just started plowing the highways and do not anticipate opening the going to the sun road until June. It was a picture today I think.

John

Plowing started today on the Camas Road, NOT the GTTS road. All told under normal conditions it takes 10 weeks to completely open the road. We had a fairly mild winter so hopefully the road will open on schedule around mid June.
For updated information, go to: www.nps.gov/glacier

John

You also should be aware that trailers and any vehicle longer than 21 feet long or 8 feet wide is not permitted on GTTS road. There is free parking and a free shuttle that travels the road for those people with oversize vehicles. Shuttles start operating the 4th of July week.