# USA National Parks



## Friant (Feb 10, 2008)

I can't find a suitable forum for this question so apologies.

I would like to spend 3 weeks next year, from September, in the USA focusing on their National Parks. Has anyone any experience of this to share please.My initial questions are;

1.is it easy to hire and tour in a motorhome
2.which parks to start with - we've never been
3.any idea of costs
4.what would be a reasonable distance to aim for in 3 weeks

Any other tips would be most welcome


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## inkey-2008 (May 24, 2008)

That brings back memories I did that over 35 years ago and I have just finished transfering slides of the trip to my computer.
When we were there you did not pay entrance fees if you showed your passport at the gate.

You are not allowed to wild camp in side the national park which extends for many miles past the part that you pay to enter. Some of the places we went to.

Yosemite
Yellow stone
Grand Tetons
Crater Lake
Sequoia
Kings Canyon
Boulder Dam
Reno
Grand Canyon
San Francisco
Los Angles
They were very hot on speed limits and use planes to spot you then cars further up the road.
We travelled 3000 miles in 3 weeks from Canada to Mexico and back 4 of us in an old car sleeping in the car. So much to see so little time.

Andy


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## marco_b (Jul 18, 2008)

Our first go motorhoming was in the US, partly in Rocky Mountain NP in Colorado - it was the great time we had there that persuaded us to get our own.
We rented a 30ft Ford MH from CruiseAmerica just for a week. Very easy experience, and US roads and carparks are all designed for enormous vehicles, so even parking a bus that long in a supermarket was never a problem. 
My main tip is that National Park campsites get very busy and booked up, so I would get your bookings in now for September - and even now you might find that the best pitches are taken. Rocky Mountain NP campsites had a great website where you could select your pitch from a map. Although facilities weren't great - no hookup for a start.
Hope you have a good time!


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

We did this in the 90s. We bought an entry pass at the first park we visited and more than saved our money as we criss-crossed the States and visited them all.

We were not Senior Citizens then but I believe they do an even better deal for the over 62s.

The campgrounds were good but they got busy quickly and, for the bigger, honey pot parks- Yellowstone, Yosemite and so on -you might need to book ahead.

Keep your eyes open for the ranger-lead talks and guided walks; they were wonderful. Take plenty of Jungle strength insect repellant.
G


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Grizzly said:


> We did this in the 90s. We bought an entry pass at the first park we visited and more than saved our money as we criss-crossed the States and visited them all.
> 
> We were not Senior Citizens then but I believe they do an even better deal for the over 62s.


Hi Grizz.
I have the 'Golden Eagle Pass' you are referring to but you are supposed to be a US citizen to get one.

Cost me $10 for life.
Personally if you only have three weeks I would stick to Utah and maybe Grand Canyon.

Ray.


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## Bill_OR (Feb 6, 2010)

I can't comment on motorhoming in the US as I didn't do that but I can comment on the beauty & wonder of some of the US National Parks.
We have had 3 holidays in the US visiting these parks and all have been brilliant! Our last trip was for 3 weeks starting & finishing in Las Vegas (2 days in Vegas was more than sufficient!). We then toured several of the parks along the UT/AZ border.

Based on the parks we have visited I can recommend:
Grand Canyon (South and North Rim but leave out the West Rim - it's not a NP, takes a long time to get there and we felt thoroughly ripped off by out visit!)
Yosemite
Zion
Bryce Canyon
Capitol Reef
Arches
Natural Bridges (small & a bit out of the way but we really liked it)

Also not an NP but Monument Valley was well worth a visit as was Lower Antelope Canyon (well worth a detour to get to see this slot canyon).

The good news about the park entrance fees is that you can buy a family card that's valid for a year for $80 (see http://www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm) and even if you don't buy one on your first visit to a park just keep the receipts and these are credited towards the $80. We easily got our money's worth in a 3 week visit.

So read the information on the NP web sites to pick which parks you want to visit, get out a map and plan your rough itinerary and then go and have a brilliant time!


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

raynipper said:


> Hi Grizz.
> I have the 'Golden Eagle Pass' you are referring to but you are supposed to be a US citizen to get one.
> .


I'm sitting here with it in my hand Ray; not the Golden Eagle Pass it is simply called the National Parks Pass and is valid for one year: Pass admits owner/s, spouse, children and parents.

My OH has just passed on the link:

http://www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm.bak

This one looks the same as ours but ours has a photo of the Acadia National Park !

G

Edit: apologies Ray; I mis-read your reply.

Oddly enough we both thought we'd had a Golden Eagle Pass on another extended trip to the States ( we've done 3) but can't find that one. I wonder if they've changed the rules and we had a Golden Eagle being under 62 and the Golden Age Pass was the over 62 ?


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

We hired a car to do a loop around California; Giant and Coastal Redwoods, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and as many roller coasters as we could fit in. We didn't book anything until a day or two before, which meant long drives sometimes because some things had been fully booked since the previous year! 
We asked about camping, and each time were told its almost full almost as soon as they open the booking, so don't just book ahead, book now!!!


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Grizzly said:


> raynipper said:
> 
> 
> > Hi Grizz.
> ...


Oooooppsss, sorry Grizz.
Yep it's the "Golden Age Passport" card I have. 
Used it fairly extensively until we had to sell up. Even allows entry to many National museums and exhibitions.

Ray.


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## Midnightrambler (Nov 12, 2007)

In May/June this year we hired a motorhome from Cruise America, can't be sure of the cost as everything was done as a package through a travel agent. Their website has further information. We toured California for two weeks taking in Yosemite National Park. We also hired a car and visited Bryce, Zion, Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon all amazing experiences.
The cost to enter these parks is $25 but the pass is valid for one week.
As regards campsites (or campgrounds as they call them) we had no trouble finding pitches, in fact talking to campground staff bookings were very slow this year. (Credit crunch perhaps?). We bought a pay as you go mobile phone and used this to call ahead to check availability, but never called more than one campground.
We did book the KOA site at Yosemite for the Labor Day Weekend as we were advised this would be very busy. We had to book a minimum of three nights. However, there were a handful of pitches that remained empty all weekend. This may have been due to the weather-it had been snowing a week earlier. 
As you are going in September I woiuldn't think you would have any problems finding a pitch.
Sorry this is a bit long but feel free to PM me if you require any further information.
Alan


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

We have hired a motorhome a couple of times in USA. One in Las Vegas, and once in Seattle.

We found a company online for La Vegas, we booked the flight and hotel independantly and also the motorhome hire which was south of the strip and they came and picked us up from the hotel.

Ours wasn't cruise america but the name escapes me now.

we hired for about 3 weeks in September. We toured Zion National Park, Bryce national Park, Arches, Utah, Grand Canyon and the rest I forget at the moment.

We didn't book ahead apart from one site at Virgin where we met some friends.

It is well worth doing, we just loved it.


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## Wupert (Aug 6, 2007)

Bill_OR said:


> I can't comment on motorhoming in the US as I didn't do that but I can comment on the beauty & wonder of some of the US National Parks.
> We have had 3 holidays in the US visiting these parks and all have been brilliant! Our last trip was for 3 weeks starting & finishing in Las Vegas (2 days in Vegas was more than sufficient!). We then toured several of the parks along the UT/AZ border.
> 
> Based on the parks we have visited I can recommend:
> ...


Went from Salt Lake city to Phoenix and like you visited all of those places

Probably the best 6 weeks of our lives.

We pre booked over the internet & phone

Unbelievable sights

If the OP googles the NP's all info should be available

http://www.nps.gov/findapark/index.htm

Hope this helps

Wups


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## safariboy (May 1, 2005)

We looked into motor homing and a car and hotels. When we did it in the late 90's the motor home seemed to be more expensive. This was partly because the motor home had a substantial milage charge while the car was unlimited. It was also more difficult to do a collect and drop off in different places deal. We were also going in May-June and hotels mare be cheeper then. We got a lot of good deals picking up discount vouchers.
If for instance you want to go to Yellowstone old faithful the lodge is within walking distance the campsite is some way away.
Remember that distances can be longer than expected. It takes about half a day to drive across Yellowstone.
It was a wonderful experience but you do need to do a lot of homework.


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## Quaid238 (Sep 21, 2005)

Could also try looking at the State Parks we stayed in some of them back in 2005 great places to stay. http://www.stateparks.com/usa.html


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## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

For a 3 week trip of NPs I would suggest something like California and Utah:

Yosemite 
Sequoia
Death Valley
Zion 
Bryce

You could also include a visit to Lake Tahoe and Las Vegas into the above.

September is a lovely month for travel in these areas.

Have you considered a one way rental? The hire companies don't always advertise these but if you email them they will probably send you a list of places they need vans picked up and dropped off. You usually have a set amount of days to make the trip but it can work out considerably cheaper than their normal rental charges.

Enjoy whatever you decide to do.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

You could try these.....................

http://www.elmonterv.com/siteSpecific/vehicles/vehicleClasses.aspx

http://www.cruiseamerica.com/

http://www.dexknows.com/local/autom...vehicles/geo/m-phoenix-az/att/rent-and-lease/

http://www.getrv.com/

http://www.campingworld.com/rvrentals/

http://www.usarvrentals.com/

Ray.


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