RV Tour Yosimite/Death Valley/Grand Canyon

flower3bird

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Hi guys and gals

Has anyone out there done this trip please?

We are considering doing a fly drive - hire an RV, picking up in LA and departing from San Fran. Our query is the dates.

Searching the web it seems that visiting Death Valley is really a more wintery thing temperature wise. Whereas the pass through to Yosimite is snowed up, so going there is really a late May/June thing.

So dates is the main question but if any of you have 'been there - done that' and have some good tips for us then that would be great too please! :)

Thanks.
 
we have done yosemite in january and it was fine although a little limited ; with an RV you are not going to be driving up some of the smaller roads anyway ; snow chains highly commended in winter though , just in case ; they keep the roads open all year into the valley

as regards death valley , it sure gets hot ...and you won't be able to get out in summer with the aircon on !

personally I would plump for june , tough it out in death valley [ you won't want to stay long anyway ] , and then the majority of your trip should be in good weather
 
us tour

hi
we have been to the us of a loads of times.
my own personal preference is to hire a car and stop at motels.
they are everywhere and quite reasonable.
been to yosemite twice once in april and once at the end of november.
in april the pass over the mountains towards death valley was open but closed in november.
yosemite is well worth a visit the waterfalls are stunning, in yosemite village there is a free museum with native american village and artifacts.
there was a locall native american making glass arrowheads in the museum.
exellent.
loads of deer roaming about, and when we were there black bears.
if you do hire an rv there are loads of rv parks.
theres one at laughlin on the banks of the colarado river which is exellent.
but the large hotels there can be had for $29 a night.
the road up to the grand canyon can be a bit boring but well worth the journey.
from the grand canyon up to page and towards monument valley (stunning).
from page over to bryce canyon, far more stunning than the grand canyon.
on the way to the grand canyon sedona is worth a visit.
meteor crater east of flagstaff is another good place to visit.
it goes on and on.
but i would prefer going in a car and stopping in motels( each to their own)
that part of the us is my favourite and san francisco is my favourite city.
the first time you see a cable car takes your breath away.
wish i was there now.
 
You need to do some research so you can avoid any public holidays and summer school holidays because you won't be able to move for the crowds - especially in Yosemite.

The road into Yosemite and the adjacent sequoia park is normally kept open most of winter and it is just a couple of roads over the Sierras that are closed until May.

If you want to use national park campgrounds in these areas, you should check whether you need to make reservations. One we used - on the southern border of Yosemite - was strictly reservation-only after a certain time and the main ones in the valley are reservation-only all year.

We started from LA end of February and had a little trouble with snow and of course some of the smaller side tracks in the mountains were still closed (until end of May) and we ended up getting snowed on overnight a few times, but on the whole, we would have no problems choosing that time again.

Be aware that most rental RVs are not really set up for boondocking because they have very limited battery capacity - but since you intend using van parks, that shouldn't present any problems.

Just remember to swing wide when you make right hand turns (after first stopping if the light is red) because every second rented van had side damage and the drivers were lamenting their large insurance excess.
 
"t visiting Death Valley is really a more wintery thing temperature wise. "

wuss!

I rode through death valley on a hired harley - in mid summer. Didnt stop long tho' :) There is a petrol stattion, motel, and swimming pool in the middle of it - which is a bit surreal.

4475501298_fc5105f7b0.jpg
 
been to the U.S.A many times done loads of the places mentioned but fly drivin not with a R.V.
Stayed at Lauglin in one of the big hotels with breakfast $17, Done Yoesemite, Death Valley, Yuka Tree N.P., Yellow Stones, Utah Salt Flats Really enjoyed the freedom to roam and stay were you fancy.
Hope you have a good trip.
 
death valley in october ; phew

we skirted death valley last year and in octber it was hot enough to fry an egg on yer cars roof, so wouldnt recommend mid summer, yosmite , grand tetons and yellowstone tend to snow up end of nov though. reading a previous posters list of places to visit reminded me, our original intent was one week in jackson. ended up touring a whole month covering 3,300 miles.
 
Do it

We did that trip in 1998 and it was the best Holiday we ever had. Don't miss out on Vegas whilst you are that close.
Drive up into the Sierra Nevada, we found a couple of Ghost Towns, awesome.:):)
 
If you do the fly-drive and stay in motels beware of mouldy old sausages left in the fridges. Other than that the motels are cheapish and plentiful. We pulled up at one motel and apparently drove through the middle of a film shoot, we were politely asked by a young gay? assistant/propsperson? to move on to the next motel........pronto.:p
 
first time we ever toured in the USA we did a fly drive [car] and stayed in motels
never again
unless you are willing to stop after lunch and start looking at motels you will find it difficult to get something hygienic ....cheap ? no problem
 
yosemite

just a footnote.
wev'e been twice once in april and once in november.
in april when the snow starts melting from the high peaks there are dozens of waterfalls all over the valley.
but in november there was only the main one (yosemite falls) showing any sort of waterfall.
try to enter the valley from the south (easy if your coming from LA) the views of the valley are stunning.

as for motels if you do go that way.
if in doubt ask to view a room.
we have had no problems with motels whatsoever.
 
Thanks everyone who has given us some good info (and pics) here.

I am surprised that as motorhomers that so many of you have gone the 'motels' route :confused: We wouldn't consider doing anything other than hiring an RV. I like to keep things under our control, both in respect to hygiene and times. Don't want to spend my days with the dauntless task of motel hunting. We will pre-book our camp sites and then enjoy the scenery and experience. Sounds like we are in for a treat :D
 
One factor that hasn't been mentioned is that having a motorhome allows you to steer well away from American restaurant and diner foods. Decent food outlets in some of the more out-of the way places are impossible to find - probably long having gone the way of the roadside bars, brothels and motels whose ruins still litter the roadsides, especially in the desert areas.
True, to get the ingredients, you still have to negotiate supermarket aisles stuffed with interminable choice, huge packages and uniformly-bland foods, but it is sometimes possible to come up with some worthwhile stuff. Don't expect to find decent pies or sausages though. Fruit and vegetables are better for your health anyway.

Parking even the largest RV is NEVER a problem and what's more, there are NEVER height barriers AND it is always FREE. Just to experience that sort of freedom is worth taking the trip even if you just go to the nearest WalMart Supercentre and stay there for the whole month. You'll have plenty of company and it will give you the opportunity to have a good look over a wide selection of huge RVs

Also avoids the need for tipping waitpeople who are so impoverished through lack of a official living wage that they are too weak from malnourishment to provide anything like proper service, let alone a smile and something more original than "enjoy" and "have a nice day".

Enjoy, and have a nice trip.

PS I say again. DO turn out wide when you make a right turn. Lot cheaper that way.
 
at that time of year ? book a campsite ? why ?

surely stopping and starting when you want is the name of the game , and if you just want to stop overnight the truck stops will welcome and service you [ FlyingJ our favourite ..good website ]
 
End of May some of the yosemite and nearby national park campsites start reservations. That doesn't mean that they will be full, but you just take your chances. Turn up at mid morning and book in and then go sightseeing knowing you have a spot available.
 
In case the native Americans are on the warpath, make sure you wear the same deodarant as the Lone Ranger.

ARAMIS.....:D
 
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