“Buy an RV and see the world,” was something I said–NEVER. This was always my husband Ted’s dream. Over the years my response to his discussions about our impending adventures ranged from mild eye rolling to a simple smile and nod. But, after a significant health scare which prompted my husbands early retirement, I decided to quit my job, suck it up, and embrace the open road. Ted purchased an RV and I did what I do best, I planned a trip.
For our very first road trip we decided to take on “The Grand Circle”. The Grand Circle is an area in the Southwest containing the largest concentration of national parks and monuments in the United States. Mesa Verde, Lake Powell, Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, and Arches National Park are just a few of the parks you will find in this space which covers over 500 miles in parts of five states– Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Nevada. The Grand Circle takes two to four weeks to discover only some of it’s hidden jems. Many travelers use Las Vegas, Nevada as the start and end for this road trip but other fly in destinations are Salt Lake City, Utah or Phoenix, Arizona.
We spent almost four weeks on the circle visiting ten parks: Grand Canyon-North Rim, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Capital Reef, Arches National Park, Canyonlands, Horseshoe Canyon, Mesa Verde, Lake Powell and Grand Canyon-South Rim. Below is an overview of our trip as well as a few travelers tips. We traveled in a 24 foot motor coach and towed our Jeep Rubicon to make day trips from camp and do some 4×4 drives. Details on packing, food prep and itineraries for day trips may be (or will be) found in my posts.
Day 1 – 6 (151.9 Total Miles)
NOTE – I did not include the additional 2,000 miles we traveled to get to Jacob Lake from Michigan which included a stop in St. Louis to visit friends and another stop in Denver, Colorado to visit our daughter 😍
- Make camp at Kaibab Camper Village, Forest Service Rd 461, Fredonia, AZ 86022
- Grand Canyon-North Rim Day Trip (42.4 miles from camp) – Hiking and 4×4 Drive
- Zion Canyon Day Trip (2 Days) (67.1 miles from camp) – Hiking
Tips for The North Rim & Zion:
The North Rim of the Grand Caynon is filled with stunning views, great hiking and even a 4X4 road adventure–actually, that is true of all of the national parks! If you’d like to dine at the North Rim Lodge, you’ll need a reservation. See my post on the North Rim for a complete itinerary.
The day trip to Zion is 67.1 miles making for a long drive after hiking all day. A better plan would be to break camp after the north rim and make camp closer to Zion or in St. George where you could spend another day exploring.
An even better plan would be to obtain a permit from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to Coyote Buttes North adding a day or two before heading to Zion to explore “The Wave”. Unfortunately, this is a highly competitive process since a very limited number of hikers (20) are allowed access each day. More information about hiking the wave may be found here. The permit lottery is held online (months in advance) or in person 24 hours in advance. I tried my luck at the in person lottery with no joy.
Zion is a very busy park, even in October when we visited. Be prepared to hunt for parking. Self driving is NOT permitted during the busy times of the year and visitors must wait in line to board the shuttle system that stops throughout the park. The most popular hikes at Zion are “The Narrows” and “Angles Landing”. If your planning to hike the Narrows at Zion, you’re going to need waterproof gear. The water temperature was around 50o F when we did it. You can rent gear at one of the shops within walking distance just outside the south entrance gate in Springdale. (This is also where you can find additional parking.)
Day 7 – 9 (117 Total Miles)
- Make camp at Ruby’s RV Park & Campground, 300 So. Main Hwy 63, Bryce Canyon, Utah 84764 (113 miles from last site)
- Bryce Canyon, 2 Days (1 mile from camp) – Hiking
Tips for Bryce Canyon
There are some great hikes a Bryce but watching the sunrise is a must do. It really doesn’t matter where you watch the sunrise: Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, anyplace in between. Although the sun is rising in the East, make sure to look left and check out the rock formations in the west. As the sun casts its morning glow, a glorious spectrum of colors are released from the rock. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Day 10- 11 (117 Total Miles)
- Make camp at Sand Creek RV Park in Torrey, UT (106 miles from last site)
- Anasazi Indian Village Museum, en route
- Capital Reef National Park Day Trip (5.5 miles from camp) – Hiking, Apple Picking
Tips for Capital Reef
The heart of Capital Reef is the historic settlement left by Morman pioneers who planted orchards of fruit trees. Be sure to see what is in season and go picking. We picked apples during our visit and honestly, I’ve never had an apple so good.
Day 11 – 14 (423.4 Total Miles)
- Make Camp at Moab Rim RV Campark 1900 US-191, Moab, UT 84532 (160 miles from last site)
- Arches National Park Day Trip (8.1 miles from camp) – Hiking
- Canyonlands National Park – Island in the Sky Day Trip (43.1 miles from camp) – Hiking, 4X4 Drive
- Canyonlands National Park – Needles Day Trip (80.5 miles from camp) – 4×4 Drive
Tips for Canyonlands
Canyonlands is really four separate areas (Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Maze, and The Rivers) that may not be accessible from one area of the park to the next. Check out the park website and map before you leave for logistics.
Day 15 – 17 (234.4 Total Miles)
- Make camp at Mesa Verde RV Resort, 35303 US-160, Mancos, CO 81328 (122 miles from last site)
- Mesa Verde National Park Day Trip (21.6 miles from camp) – Hiking, Ranger led hike to Cliff Dwellings
- Durango & Silverton Railroad Excursion (34.6 miles from camp)
Tips for Mesa Verde
Mesa Verde is home to the famous cliff dwellings. Self driving tours are allowed and cliff dwellings can be viewed from various viewpoints. However, the park also offers Ranger guided tours which allows you to climb into the dwellings. These tours are limited and are not open during parts of the year. Be sure to check the park schedule when planning a trip to Mesa Verde National Park.
Day 18 – 21 (271.6 Total Miles)
- Make camp at Page Lake Powell Campground, 849 Coppermine Rd, Page, AZ 86040 (225 miles from last site)
- Lake Powell Boat Tour to Rainbow Bridge National Monument (7.8 miles from camp)
- Antelope Canyon Day Trip (5.1 miles from camp) – Hike into/through slot canyon
- Glen Canyon Dam Tour (4.4 miles)
- Horseshoe Bend Day Trip (6 miles from camp) – Hike
Tips for Lake Powell & Antelope Canyon
Tours are available at the upper and lower canyon through several companies individually owned by members of the Navajo Nation. It really doesn’t matter which one you choose, or what time you go. Antelope Canyon is breathtaking and you will not be disappointed!
Day 22 – 23 (273.2 Total Miles)
- Make camp at Grand Canyon Railway RV Park, 601 W Franklin Ave, Williams, AZ 86046 (163 miles from last site)
- Four Corners’ Monument (En route)
- South Rim Grand Canyon Day Trip (55.1 miles) – Hiking, Scenic Drive on Shuttle
Day 24 – 28 (60.6 Total Miles)
- Make camp at Rancho Sedona RV Park, 135 Bear Wallow Ln, Sedona, AZ 86336 (60.6 miles from last site)
- Three days of mix and match Sedona site seeing, hiking, and 4X4 drives (walking distance from camp)
Tips for Sedona
Sedona is filled with awesome hiking and 4×4 drives. Stop by the ranger station on your way in to get suggestions and maps. Click here for online versions of the hiking map and a 4×4 drive map.