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Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Tentatively I've confirmed taking the whole month of June off for a large-scale roadtrip I've been envisioning for a couple of years. This will be a solo trip both for enjoyment and with the intention of making a variety of photographs - probably taking 120, 4x5, and 12x20.
I've planned this time period around two conferences in Arizona that I will be attending the first full week of June (Covid not withstanding). At the start of June I'll be heading west and hitting Big Bend NP before getting to Phoenix for one conference and then Las Vegas for the second.
From there the places I've planned to hit as I travel west are:
- Death Valley NP
- Mono Lake
- Yosemite NP
- Layover near San Francisco with family
- Travel up US 1
- Redwood NP
- Layover in Portland with friends, hopefully
- Hoh Rainforest / Olympic NP
- Seattle layover to see the city
- Glacier NP
- Yellowstone NP
- Grand Teton NP
- something something something
- Go east towards home
I've started a spreadsheet with timeline and estimated distances and etc. to plan how long this will take me. In total, leaving June 1 and getting back around July 4, I've plotted this out and come up with 6-7 extra days, which means I could stay a bit more at any of these locations or perhaps add more on the end as I haven't really planned anything between Colorado and coming home to north GA. Total distance about 8000 miles.
As many folks on the forums here live out west or have much more extensive experience out there, my questions are these:
1. Are there any must-see NPs or other parks/locations that would be somewhat near this loop? Or even if it was a little out-of-the-way, but worth it. I know I'm not even scratching the surface of what's out there - this list was just starting to get things going on a basic route.
2. At these locations - what suggestions might you have for hiking/photographing that will be easy to medium difficulty - by which I mean, 3-5 miles roundtrip with cameras max, or even side-of-the-road lookouts like the Yosemite Valley viewpoint. While I am capable of much more, after thousands of miles driving and many days of physical exertion, I won't be able to keep that kind of pace up for long. I also struggled with altitude sickness before so I don't want to kill myself here! I'm envisioning 12x20 being for mostly roadside or nearly so views, 4x5 for most subjects, and 120 (Hasselblad) for the more difficult hikes or more snapshot-esque images, and for city travel.
3. Anything to be aware of for June travel? I notice road closures on the map right now but will most things be open in June? I am fairly ignorant on this - we don't have winter road closures here, generally :).
4. Anything else I should be thinking about that I've forgotten?
My plan for this is to do a lot of car camping - or more specifically, sleeping in my car, which I've done lots when travelling over on this side of the country. I've not had any issues when doing so at Rest Areas or 24-hour store parking lots. I'm hoping I might can sneak a night or two at some of these NPs the same way as my itinerary is not quite detailed enough for booking a campsite head of time. But if they have an opening day-of that would be fine too, and I was going to bring my tent as well.
Overall I want to get a taste of the big important NPs and landscapes of the west. Later I can focus on just one place, bring my wife, and know a bit more about the location when exploring it more fully. I always find it nice to go to a place and get the basic feel, then focus with more detailed insight on the next trip.
Thoughts?
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
The coastal portion can be especially lovely in June; expect a certain amount of fog. Mountain passes in the Cascades and northern Rockies should be checked in advance for snow conditions at the time. The eastern Sierra will be inviting. But some of your places are pretty crowded in summer. Yosemite now requires advance reservation to enter during Summer; and Yellowstone can be outright traffic hell, though there are many lovely things to see to and from it. Portions of the Northwest also require permits to camp or hike; those can be bought locally, but are easier to do in advance. That's additional to an annual or lifetime NP permit. Most National Forests and desert areas have plenty of open casual camping opportunities, unless you're in a crowded official Recreation Area. Roadside Rest Areas are generally considered quite unsafe for overnight camping - and don't take that remark lightly, despite your previous experience. Once you see drifters and meth types hanging around, you'll get the picture.
I understand your master plan to gets a birds-eye view of a large area, and then come back later to certain sections which interest you. I've used that strategy myself many times. But you are looking at a huge area, much of which involves winding slow roads stuck behind endless trailers and motorhomes. Also realize the Southwestern portion is going to be miserably hot, even dangerously hot, that time of year - Death Valley unthinkably so! Do you really want to be standing under a darkcloth while the soles of your shoes are literally melting on the pavement?
Logistically, I think your gear kit is overcomplicated. I'd leave behind the 12X20. A certain amount of thief-prone spots are inevitable. I suspect that your plan to taste all 31 flavors of Baskin Robbins ice cream during a single visit will prove counterproductive. If it were me, I'd lop off the entire southern section and save that for another trip at a more realistic time of year. And don't forget how easy is it to get stuck somewhere in the northern portion in a blizzard even in June. Having extra food, water, and fuel, and above all, a good sleeping bag, can spell the difference between a fun time, and the end of time. And don't trust navigation devices heading off onto side roads. Always ask locally first.
Day hiking, even a few miles - have all the necessities. Plenty of water, a good sweater and rain/snow parka in mountainous areas. Decent hiking boots. The weather can change drastically fast. Don't take it for granted. Beware of exposed areas in lightning storms.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Phoenix in June? You're going to love it... :rolleyes:
There's a good-sized contingent of large format photographers in Tucson if you'd care to visit. Around a dozen of us gather for coffee each Monday morning...
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
:) Last time I was in Phoenix was in July of 2017, when they were having issues with plane tires melting on the tarmac. I gravitate towards a biphasic sleep schedule, which worked well for getting up at 4-5am to go to a location, hike till 10-11am, then rest until it was cool enough to go back out at 4-5pm for sunset.
Mark, I'll definitely hit you up closer to the date. Looks like Monday June 6th would be the day. Like I said, I have 2 conferences to catch, so not sure exactly if it'll work out but hopefully.
Drew - as a flatlander, I certainly was not expecting the possibility of a blizzard in June. I do usually travel with a fairly robust sleeping bag, as well as a space blanket and such for extra warmth. As I have to be in Phoenix / Las Vegas, I'm inclined to keep the southern route at the minimum. I will have to look up Yosemite reservations. I've done the Cade's Cove Loop in the Smoky Mountains, which is the most visited park in the nation, during peak season, so I certainly understand the possibility of traffic.
I like the idea of the 12x20 but that's certainly not set in stone. A 3-lens Hassie set and probably 4-lens 4x5 kit is the minimum for sure. Also depends on my final space constraints. RAV4 SUV is not huge, but comfortably fits a lot of stuff. I have done a few smaller roadtrips, like a solo trip up to New Jersey some years ago in winter and several marathon drives through the entirety of Florida, so I'm not stranger to these lengths of drives (just hit 40k miles in my car after 2 years, even with Covid making it so I traveled much less than usual). I just bought new 3-season tires for the car and will be keeping the best of the current 4 as a full-size spare for this trip.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Per Yosemite - if you have your permit, Tioga Pass over the top will probably open on schedule by Memorial Day, and is the more scenic less crowded way in from the east side of the Sierra, directly above Mono Lake. Yosemite Valley itself can be crowded and smokey in summer, but is not as bad in June as later. As far as gear security, try to look understated, like an ordinary tourist rather than a photographer. The NP's and State Parks aren't so bad in that respect. But generally, don't load and unload your gear from your vehicle in plain sight of others when camping. Above all, don't leave anything of value in your vehicle unattended in cities like SF or Seattle, where smash and grab types home in on out of state vehicles like bears to honey.
Also remember there are many many spectacular locations besides the "must see" National Parks; and even within those, many enjoyable private areas that aren't on postcards. Also, alternate routes besides the large interstates are often more interesting and less crowded. My habit is to take boring Interstates at night, if I have to get somewhere fast, and leave the more interesting routes for daytime.
Hope you have a wonderful trip! You still have plenty of time to research various route options.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
The West is full of wonderful and iconic places/gems. I do like some and steer far away from others. Bryan, whatever you do try not to overplan, since you'll introduce plenty of stress that way. DV is a great NP, but between Nov-March....most people that live here are aware of this....except the German marathoners :>). Outside of that you should be fine. Certain places like Tuolumne Meadows or Cedar Breaks/Bryce tend to reach 7-10K elevations and you'll need warm gear....tho I've never felt sick there, your body may react differently. Oregon Coast and No. Calif can be special....and in the right weather (right for your images) it may require longer stays at some spots. Olympic NP takes way longer than anyone thinks. I've camped near La Push and few other spots, and it took me over 3 weeks to really check out and enjoy the park....I had no idea, that it would take this long....nor am I saying that you should take this long.
Here are few places that I'd look at as alternatives:
Pinnacles NP
Sequoia NP
Kings Canyon NP
Lassen NP
Oh, as Drew mentioned, there are some really cool places or state parks along that route. You might even enjoy Bodie SP, since it's not far from Mono Lake. Also, you might want to veer towards Mon Valley/Antelope Cyn....tho that part might be heating up.
Check the weather & temps ahead and you can make your own determinations. Yos and more popular spots will require camping reservations....months ahead of the travel. Enjoy.
Les
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
I'll suggest that it's best to spend more time at a place than traveling to/from. Most of those locations you mention deserve more than a drive-by... you might consider fewer spots and more time at each. That said, you're always welcome in Tucson (and it's not quite as hot as Phoenix). We'll be happy to see you!
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Hope you like hot weather.
On the way back why not Devils Tower in Eastern Wyoming. Then Black Hills in South Dakota and down to Badlands National Park?
You are making a big swing and really just hitting highlights. Many you will hope to get back to at some future date. A LOT of driving with many great spots between your highlight stops.
Many smaller highways and roads will get you through quiet places where you can stop and look if you want. InterState highways won't let you do it.
Good luck.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Drew - yes I'd like to do Tioga Pass from what I've seen. And I definitely like taking more leisurely routes when possible. As a bonus, my hybrid gets better mileage out on those roads compared to interstate travel (44mpg if I'm careful!).
Thanks Les. I forgot to put Sequoia on my list, and I'll also research the others.
I need to research weather at each place I want to go. Of course our highest peak here is just under 4800', so I have very little relevant experience about what to expect weather-wise. When I was in AZ in 2016 and 2017 I hiked the Chiricahua National Monument, which is at about 10,000', and the first time it gave me bad altitude sickness. Second time, I was perfectly fine. I'm hoping I remain unfazed at the elevation, but I will pack layers and appropriate gear.
Regarding Death Valley - I was under the assumption I could drive from Vegas down to Shoshone early (4am) and drive through Badwater Basin up to 190 and then west around Telescope Peak to get a tour of the area, stopping to make photographs or do a small amount of hiking and be okay at dawn and/or dusk. Maybe I'm showing my ignorance there, but I'm just looking at Google Maps at the moment. I need to rustle up all the relevant maps of the NP's once I dive deeper. I'm starting this research to push myself to be meticulous, rather than my more typical "figure it out on the road" way! :)
I'm definitely interested in the lesser-known places that you all may be knowledgeable about, outside of the big and obvious NP's. Just like I could tell you all about cool backcountry stuff here in GA, where to avoid during the busy season, etc., so I definitely appreciate that kind of thing.
Speaking of camping - I don't know if this would be a big no-no, but I've slept in my car for a few hours at NP's and state parks that are 24 hours. No camp reservation required? I did that at the Grand Canyon once as well.
Thanks Mark! I will probably be staying a day or two down near Sonoita (family) so maybe I can ping you on my way through Tucson. I definitely get not just passing by things - I want to spend a bit of time at the big places, while also driving through scenic byways.
PS: speaking of LF photographers, if possible I certainly would be down to meet some of the folks from here. Maybe even bum a couch if you're feeling generous ;).
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Might consider this previous discussion on visiting San Francisco to Monterey..
https://www.largeformatphotography.i...nterey-10-Days
Bernice
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Add a temperature column to your spreadsheet. As noted, the SW is really hot and temperatures are in the shade, of which there is none in DV.
Anything with NP after it will be busy. And personally, every NP has been photo'd to death. It is hard to make an original image in NP. Harder yet to find a camping spot.
It looks like you will spend a significant amount of your 4 weeks driving.
When I travel at that time of year, I shoot the first 3 hours and the last 3 hours. I drive a little in the middle, eat, take care of daytime functions. At night I find camp, reorganize the gear, load film holders, eat again, and sleep. Nights are short and mosquitos thick, especially in Washington, Idaho, Montana. Any place on social media is overwhelmed.
Have a grand time.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
That's an extensive itinerary, but here are a few spots that you might consider if your route changes:
Shiprock, NM
Joshua Tree NP, CA
Bandon Beach, OR
Crater Lake, OR
Cannon Beach, OR
In the end, you might consider a shorter trip with more time allocated to a region, (your trip has distinct "Northwest" and "Southwest" aspects) and then planning a separate trip for the part of your trip that you did not get to. And if you do find yourself up on some mountains, like Mt. Hood, OR, you can find yourself in a blizzard in June and July.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
In Las Vegas is Red Rock Canyon, and a 15 miles or so road with hiking trails off the main road. See some of my pictures here all taken from the main path, unfortunately during the day and not during magic hour.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alankl...57717671668191
I looked at your map and it seems like a lot of miles for 30 days, especially if you plan on taking time to hike. You'll be worn out by Arizona. (How many miles is the trip?)
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Ahh... Death Valley in summer. If your vehicle overheats or breaks down, or your AC quits, and you're stuck somewhere with darn few other visitors that time of year, you could be in BIG trouble! Distances within Death Valley itself are significant. The end of the road leading to the Telescope peak trail at the old beehive-shaped charcoal kilns is a distance, but at least gets up to cooler air; and the view from Aguerebery Point at dawn is interesting, at the end of a dirt road. Bad news if you break a fan belt or something like that. Hard to say about cell phone coverage in many of these places, but unlikely there. Badwater at night? Maybe a cool 105 degrees; at least the scorpions will be cool enough to be out and about. Depends.
Even Owens Valley right below the eastern front of the Sierras is hot in the afternoon. But there are some wonderful side roads leading uphill from 395, several of them paved between Lone Pine and the Tioga grade itself above Lee Vining. Superb burgers at the Mobil Station right at the bottom, at the junction of 120 and 395. The Mono Lake shoreline is best visited early AM or evening. It gets pretty warm there too.
You're not likely to sneak a night roadside at some trailhead turnout in Yosemite NP. Even with everything covered up, Rangers come along and bounce on your bumper, trying to wake up any offender inside. I tend to car camp outside the Park in the Virginia Lakes area. Sequoia is friendlier and less crowded, but will be in a massive cleanup phase after the catastrophic fires of last year. The drive down to Kings Canyon takes quite awhile, but gives you an idea of the sheer scale of things; and there are campgrounds down there. Just realize the vehicle accessible portion is only 5% of the actual NP. But at one particular spot during the drive down, you can see the greatest canyon drop in elevation on the continent, twice as deep as the Grand Canyon.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
I just estimated your mileage. It's got to be 8,000 miles or 13,000 KM. You're driving cross-county more than twice. Probably closer to 3x, 9,000 or 10,000 miles by the time you get done. That's 300+ miles a day. When are you going to have time to hike, photograph, sleep, and eat? You'll be driving all day. I'd cut it into a third and focus up north where's it's cooler. It might be cheaper to fly and rent a car. You'd also save time driving the "commute" both ways getting to where you want to get.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
djusteer and Alan, are you trying to roast the poor fellow to death? Summer is NOT a time to go hiking in Red Rock Canyon or Joshua Tree. He's traveling via an SUV, not a camel caravan! Some of these places are actually hotter than the Sahara!
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
300 miles in a day is actually not much, to me. I drove from Washington DC all the way to South GA in one day before. All the way from GA line to Ft. Lauderdale and back once too, 900 miles. 6-8 hours driving on long days, 6 hours sleeping, that gives at least 10 hours to photograph ;).
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
I think you're badly underestimating how much time you're going to spend driving. To give an idea, in South Dakota the fast food restaurants are an hour apart.
Kent in SD
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Not near enough time, either cut your list in half or add another month. Plus add several thousand dollars to the budget, gas is and will be even more expensive throughout the mountain states. Consider the weather also, you may not have photo worthy weather when you get to your destination, do you wait several days for it to clear or move on? Even in June you will have forest fire smoke, sometimes hundreds of miles from the actual fires. Good luck, have fun, stay safe.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Let hope you don’t break down in Death Valley, been there done that. I had a problem with the primer pump on the fuel filter housing on my Duramax diesel. The fuel system would lose prime and the truck wouldn’t start, hop out pop the hood prime the fuel system and the truck would start right up. Only happened occasionally and took a while for me to diagnose the problem. Dealer wanted $500 dollars for a new fuel filter housing/primer pump assembly, The Duramax Store in Placervile Ca. wanted $20 for a rebuild kit which consisted of all the proper o-rings to rebuild the pump. Mind you it just a little plunger you press with your thumb. Was going to Flagstaff so perfect, I'll take rather scenic route, swing through Placerville, buy the kit and do the rebuild in Flagstaff. Stopped in Death Valley in the middle of no where and had a nice lunch, hopped back in the truck and it wouldn’t start. No problem, jump out and pop the hood, start to pumping the primer and diesel comes gushing out each time I press the pump. No cell signal, but hey I have the rebuild kit and my tools. But damn it’s hot, ok first thing change my clothes, what I'm wearing is way to dark. Ok now get to work, pull the pump, nice thing is it’s a pickup so I have the tailgate to work on. I get the pump rebuild and just about reinstalled and I drop a hose clamp. The clamp drops down and either disappears into the engine compartment or into the gravel on the shoulder of the road. I really wanted that hose clamp and spent a good amount of time searching for it but finally gave up. I search through my tool kit thinking heck I must have another hose clamp, no luck, but I do find a zip tie, ok maybe that will work. So I zipped the fuel line and to my surprise I actually get the truck started. There was a lot of traffic and the cars the did pass by acted like they had blinders on, looking straight ahead as they passed by. At one point I did try and flag a couple car down to no avail. Once I had got the truck started, but still had the hood up checking for fuel leaks, a truck drive actually stopped asked if everything was ok. With the truck running I was able to drive into Beatty and buy a new hose clamp and continue on to Flagstaff. Anyway, that’s my Death Valley story.
Brian, sounds like a great trip and I sure you’ll come home with some awesome photographs. One thing for sure bring plenty of water because you just never know. Also and I’m sure you will, take care of any issues with your vehicle before you leave. :)
Roger
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
23 years ago I drove Winnemucca to Chicago in one go, 1750 miles and hit middle of nowhere road construction
I was on a 'Radar Love' Run to meet my lady
"Radar Love
Lyrics
I've been drivin' all night, my hands wet on the wheel
There's a voice in my head that drives my heel
It's my baby callin', sayin', "I need you here"
And it's a half past four and I'm shiftin' gear
When she is lonely and the longing gets too much
She sends a cable, coming in from above
Don't need no phone at all
We've got a thing that's called radar love
We've got a wave in the air
Radar love
The radio's playin' some forgotten song
Brenda Lee's "Coming On Strong"
The road has got me hypnotized
And I'm speedin' into a nude sunrise
When I get lonely and I'm sure I've had enough
She sends her comfort coming in from above
We don't need no letter at all
We've got a thing tthat's called a radar love
We've got a line in the sky
Radar love
No more speed, I'm almost there
Gotta keep cool, now gotta take care
Last car to pass, here I go
And the line of cars go down real slow, woah
And the radio played that forgotten song
Brenda Lee's "Coming On Strong"
And the newsman sang his same song
Oh, one more radar lover gone
When I get lonely and I'm sure I've had enough
She sends her comfort coming in from above
We don't need no letter at all
We've got a thing that's called radar love
We've got a line in the sky
We've got a thing that's called radar love
We've got a thing that's called
Radar love
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: B. Hay / G. Kooymans"
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
I do appreciate the concern, regarding things like car breakdowns, but that's one of the things that got me thinking about doing this. With a 2-year-old car and 40k mileage, I felt like this would be the best time to take a trip of this magnitude. And Toyotas are rock-solid. Especially with the full-size spare as that would be the most likely cause of issue.
Regarding mileage - the trip really starts at Las Vegas and ends at Denver or thereabouts, depending on when I start heading east. I just calculated that to be about 4000 miles in roughly 3 weeks, which is ~200 miles a day. That's not much, especially if I average a bit more on interstates sometimes when doing bigger jumps to the next place. That will be bookended with large drives west and east at 400-500 miles a day which won't include much if any sight-seeing, which I think is doable, but I'll keep thinking about it. It's true that I need to research the more technical parts of the drive not on interstates to confirm mileage per day ability.
As for weather - no, I'm not going to stick it out at a location if the weather is poor. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. I will have to accept that. Last year when I was in Idaho for 2 weeks I went to Craters of the Moon NP and the weather was bright, cloudless, and blah. Oh well, I only had one day there and that was that. There's always next time. No way I can get a banger photo at every location! If I get a handful of good images that's a great start (my trip to Idaho, I think I got 2-3).
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Drew Wiley
djusteer and Alan, are you trying to roast the poor fellow to death? Summer is NOT a time to go hiking in Red Rock Canyon or Joshua Tree. He's traveling via an SUV, not a camel caravan! Some of these places are actually hotter than the Sahara!
Well, we didn't hike. Just drove in an airconditioned car getting out only to take the pictures. But you're right. That's why I suggested the northern route only.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Corran
I do appreciate the concern, regarding things like car breakdowns, but that's one of the things that got me thinking about doing this. With a 2-year-old car and 40k mileage, I felt like this would be the best time to take a trip of this magnitude. And Toyotas are rock-solid. Especially with the full-size spare as that would be the most likely cause of issue.
Regarding mileage - the trip really starts at Las Vegas and ends at Denver or thereabouts, depending on when I start heading east. I just calculated that to be about 4000 miles in roughly 3 weeks, which is ~200 miles a day. That's not much, especially if I average a bit more on interstates sometimes when doing bigger jumps to the next place. That will be bookended with large drives west and east at 400-500 miles a day which won't include much if any sight-seeing, which I think is doable, but I'll keep thinking about it. It's true that I need to research the more technical parts of the drive not on interstates to confirm mileage per day ability.
As for weather - no, I'm not going to stick it out at a location if the weather is poor. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. I will have to accept that. Last year when I was in Idaho for 2 weeks I went to Craters of the Moon NP and the weather was bright, cloudless, and blah. Oh well, I only had one day there and that was that. There's always next time. No way I can get a banger photo at every location! If I get a handful of good images that's a great start (my trip to Idaho, I think I got 2-3).
If the money works, maybe you can fly to Las Vegas rent a car and fly home from let's say Albuquerque. You'll save half the driving. My wife and I did that a couple of times. First, we flew from NJ to Santa FE and drove through all the national parks in Utah and Arizona and then flew home from Pheonix. Another time we flew into San Diego, drove to LA and LAs Vegas and flew home from there.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Rental cars have been an issue during the pandemic, for whatever reason. Out of curiosity I checked prices for a mid-size SUV from Vegas for about 3 weeks and it was over $1250 to rent. Only a couple hundred cheaper for a compact car. Those would also be worse on gas mileage than my hybrid SUV.
I'm budgeting $800-1000 on gas (8000 miles at ~38-42mpg and $4-$5/gallon). It sucks about the current gas prices. On the plus side, my work should be paying for about half the gas bill for travel to the conference I'm going to in Vegas. Related, if this all falls apart due to whatever, I would probably fly to Vegas on their dime and rent a car for a week or two and just stay between Vegas and San Francisco. Temperatures be damned ;).
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
I don't have anything of value to offer beyond some mild jealousy. :) I'd love to do something similar one day.
I once drove from Montreal to Miami one-shot but there was obviously no photography. I could barely see straight by the end! :eek:
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Corran
Tentatively I've confirmed taking the whole month of June off for a large-scale roadtrip I've been envisioning for a couple of years. This will be a solo trip both for enjoyment and with the intention of making a variety of photographs - probably taking 120, 4x5, and 12x20.
Corran, what a trip! You'll be passing tons of great spots along your route, but I think you're wise to focus on quality time at some of those great spots, rather than rushing through many. For camping purposes, June is obviously a bad month for campgrounds, but the national forests are almost always open, there are usually few camping restrictions (aside from open fires). Historically the national forests have been reliably open, but in recent drought times closures are not uncommon. More often than not, camping is permitted on BLM land. You can check the closure status of particular forests or BLM sites via the forest service (https://www.fs.usda.gov/) or BLM web sites (broken down by state, https://www.blm.gov/about/what-we-manage/arizona for instance). Big Bend NP is very hot in June, and there are few public lands in Texas. Getting reservations at the Chisos Basin campground would be a great way to go, and there is also a hotel in the Chisos, and motels in nearby Marathon or Terlingua.
Good luck!
cheers
Tom
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Rental cars pricing has gone way up due to overall vehicle shortages. But gas is likely going to go still quite a bit higher due to the current European crisis. The President is supposed to give a speech about that today, I think. A major quantity of the world oil supply came from Russia, and now that's being severed; and much of our own natural gas might need to be shipped to Western Europe. And
this state of affairs is here to stay quite awhile no doubt. The lowest gas price I saw on my trip here in CA this week, the most expensive state, was $4.09 per gal along major truck routes. But in many urban areas its more like $4.75 gal.
But still, even if your need to trim back your total mileage some for budgetary reasons, you might as well see what you can while you still can. The effects of accelerated climate change are kicking in fast; and within a decade or two, Glacier National Park might have exactly zero actual glaciers left. That will end the turquoise color of the water in the glacial lakes too. Pine forest continue to die everywhere in the West. And the risk of having a trip ruined by widespread forest fire smoke is less in June than later in Summer.
Going from Vegas to Yosemite is perfectly feasible just heading north in Nevada itself, then cutting across West toward Mono Lake. Lonely Hwy 50 is quite scenic, with interesting old towns like Austin.
There are all kinds of paved secondary highway options to get you somewhat higher in elevation than the worst of the heat. Another beautiful pass over the top, besides Tioga, is Sonora Pass. There are plenty of lovely unofficial car camping sites up there. Even if you still want to go over Tioga, it's only about a 20 min drive off of Hwy 395 to the top of Sonora Pass to camp somewhere; then back down the next morning through Bridgeport toward Virginia Lakes and Mono Lake south on 395.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Gas prices, climate change, etc. are some of the reasons I want to do this now. I've been talking with my wife about this rough outline for years. And at 36 I'm still young enough to do it without a ton of physical constraints.
I got gas yesterday at $3.19 here, which I realize is low. I looked at an article today about $5/gal prices in CA due to the conflicts in eastern Europe...but ultimately the difference in cost between $3 and $5 is not much long-term, compared to the experience. I'm not one to ever want a massive RV but lately I've been seeing some large panel vans that I hope in the future may become viable as full-electric, car-camping mini-RVs.
I'll check out BLM and FS sites for ideas on places to stop over w/o full-on camping. As an aside, I am also certainly up for the occasional motel or AirBnB on the route. I haven't tried it, but I've seen some "instant booking" AirBnB rentals that seem easy, safe, and cheap (we almost exclusively use AirBnB for overnight stays these days).
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
There are almost an unlimited number of casual camping sites on BLM and FS land. That's one of the advantages of alternate non-Freeway routes in particular. There's nothing quite like pulling a little off a quiet long Hwy across Nevada and waking up in the middle of the night to witness wild mustang stallions in moonlight combat just yards away. That happened to me once. Once had a coyote sneak up and steal a venison steak right off the hot frying pan of my Coleman stove itself. Lots of memories. It's only in and around highly popular NP's that you might have a problem finding a place to camp. Last year, when my backpack trip fell through due to severe forest fire smoke, I not only found relief from the smoke near the Bristlecone area of the White Mountains, on the opposite side of Owens Valley from the Sierra east front, but abundant and free private camping sites, unlike above the Hwy on the other side.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
You only live once, go for it! I would suggest a more scenic route coming out of the Tetons if it were me. Rather than head toward Denver go south through Pinedale, visit the Wind River range if you like then south toward Flaming Gorge and then on toward Moab with the Canyon country and Arches and Canyonlands. You can continue south on the west slope of the Rockies toward Shiprock and Chaco Canyon, monument valley etc. So much to see it’s impossible to list. Or if you want a mountainous route instead you could head through grand Junction toward Ouray and out of mountains near Durango then south to Sante Fe, Albuquerque and continue on your southerly route home. If you are in the area of Grand Junction CO you’re welcome to crash at my little shack I call home. Sounds like a fun trip!
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Ditto. Denver a big sprawling city. Up past the Winds, with a little diversion uphill from Pinedale to the overlook, or perhaps to Green River Lakes, then to the Tetons from there, quite refreshing. I spent a couple weeks in the headwaters of the Green River in the Winds the summer before the pandemic; saw more moose than people, but that was backpacking. Still, even a drive to the Green River trailhead can be memorable. And as far as the Tetons go, the farmed backside is generally overlooked, but lovely too. And there's also a well known scenic route toward east entrance to Yellowstone called Beartooth Highway.
Overall, I've found Glacier NP a lot more inviting than Yellowstone in summer. My favorite visit to Yellowstone was in May the very week the road through was plowed, yet none of the facilities were open yet. Almost had the whole Park to myself, with all the wildlife and its viewing opportunities still acting normal and calm before the crowds arrived. The last thing I'd want to endure a traffic jam for sake of would be "wild wolves" wearing radio collars, or some annoyed bison bull goring yet another "selfie" fool.
Erik's route through the San Juans can also be quite memorable, much more so than the Denver side. Mesa Verde and Black Canyon of the Gunnison are nearby too. But you need to check current snow conditions. There is widespread drought, so snow might be less this year; but exceptionally storms can occur any month of the year.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Great suggestions! I hadn't really looked too much in that area but that all seems pretty doable. I feel like Albuquerque is about as south as I'll go and then due east to Oklahoma City, Memphis, and then meander southeasterly to Chattanooga / home.
Never been to the heartland so I'm interested to just see some of it on the way, even if I'm not stopping/shooting much, if at all, on that final leg.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
If you are very lucky you will be going through the Glacier/Montana during the time when the Flathead Cherries are ripe and being sold in roadside fruit stands. Be sure to get some - they may well be the highlight of your trip.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Quote:
Originally Posted by
djdister
In the end, you might consider a shorter trip with more time allocated to a region, (your trip has distinct "Northwest" and "Southwest" aspects) and then planning a separate trip for the part of your trip that you did not get to. And if you do find yourself up on some mountains, like Mt. Hood, OR, you can find yourself in a blizzard in June and July.
I could not agree more. In some places, like Yellowstone, you can get stuck in an endless traffic jam for several hours as cars stop to take pictures or break down from over-heating. In Glacier, you'll run into herds of back-to-back 40-foot rented mobile homes driven by incompetent 80-year-old guys towing yachts driving at 2MPH to take pictures. Unfortunately, the better known "sites" are more like Disney World. You stand in line for three hours to see a five minute display. Large format gear? You're asking for all sorts of problems that you never thought of.
Plan a much longer trip to all those places -- or go in the off-season -- or just go to a few of those on your list -- or visit the areas that are out of the way (takes a lot of research -- that is, finding places because THEY ARE NOT IN THE GUIDE BOOKS.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
If you do make it up to Olympic National Park, don't miss Hurricane Ridge and if you want a quick hike do the Hurricane Hill trail just beyond it. The mountain views there in June/July there are stunning and there will be quite a bit of snow left most likely- but if it's cloudy/rainy better to skip it (less likely in July than June).
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Quote:
Originally Posted by
xkaes
or visit the areas that are out of the way (takes a lot of research -- that is, finding places because THEY ARE NOT IN THE GUIDE BOOKS.
That's why I decided to make the thread. If you have any suggestions, feel free to add them.
Unfortunately the time I am planning is not negotiable due to the conference attached to my travel, and also this kind of trip works best for me in the summer months due to the work I do.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
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Originally Posted by
Corran
My plan for this is to do a lot of car camping - or more specifically, sleeping in my car, which I've done lots when travelling over on this side of the country. I've not had any issues when doing so at Rest Areas or 24-hour store parking lots. I'm hoping I might can sneak a night or two at some of these NPs the same way as my itinerary is not quite detailed enough for booking a campsite head of time. But if they have an opening day-of that would be fine too, and I was going to bring my tent as well.
There are good reasons not to camp in NPs outside of designated camping areas. No doubt you can work out why you, and the zillion other folks who think that it's fine if they do it, should not do it. Not booking your campsite ahead of time doesn't amount to a free pass to camp anywhere you like.
That might seem a little rude. My apologies for that. Sometimes all the 'special' folks just piss me off.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
I was talking about sleeping in a parking lot for a few hours, not full-on camping with a firepit and whatever.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
There's a lifetime pass available for all the National Parks. You only need one for yourself and all the people in your car. The pass also gives discounts sometimes at the visitor stops in case you want to pick up some souvenirs.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
I get the yearly NP pass. I'm many decades away from qualifying for the senior lifetime pass, but I actually have a disability that may qualify me for that type of pass. I just haven't applied for it.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs is worth a day, and of course there's Pike's Peak.
Most Walmarts will let travelers overnight in their parking lot if you get desperate.
Yosemite rangers don't like---I mean really don't like---out of bounds campers, so beware.
Several lighthouses on the Pacific Coast have been converted into hostels---cheap accommodations maybe worth checking out.
Have a great trip!
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Those hostels sound interesting! I've slept in Wal-Mart lots before. Pretty easy.
To be extra clear: I was not planning on camping out in a non-designated area, with a tent and all of that. I was merely thinking about situations like what I did at the Grand Canyon last time I was there - I arrived late, and saw the sunset. Then I setup a night shot, tripped the shutter, and went to sleep in the car I was borrowing from family. I woke early, closed the shutter, and stayed up for sunrise.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
I agree with the others on many of the points they've made, so I won't go there. I'll give a few recommendations in the area closest to where I live.
When you get to Crescent City, CA, find and drive the Howland Hill Road. (It is a one-lane dirt road with pullouts for passing. Don't do it right after a rain, but any other time it is fine, in any vehicle other than a huge RV.) It will take you from the south end of town through some redwoods, coming out at the Smith River. From there you can find something called the North Back Road, to put you back on your route. If you were to drive all that straight, it would cost you and extra hour to hour and a half. But you'll probably want to stop and hike the loop in the Stout Grove, which is maybe a mile long?
My favorite parts of the Oregon Coast are between Brookings and Gold Beach, mostly because they are less crowded than the northern portion, which I can see you are skipping - good choice! In Boardman State Park you can access Harris Beach, Whaleshead Beach and Lone Ranch Beach quite easily. Near where the Pistol River enters the ocean is a long stretch with several pullouts right above the beach - this area is called Myers beach. I have a few photos from these places in the "Coast" gallery at my web page.
OK, at the risk of disagreeing with some of the others, I have to add a bit more. I grew up in Wyoming, and spent quite a bit of time in the Wind River Mountains. I don't think there is much you can see there without backpacking. Yes, I know, Square Top Mountain from the Lower Green River Lake, and there are a few other spots that aren't too bad that you can drive to, but those generally involve a fair bit of dirt road driving.
For easy to access mountain terrain, consider the Beartooth Highway, and the previously mentioned Ouray to Silverton to Durango route. For either of those you will need to do a bit of research as to when the highways open.
Have fun!
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
I ran into a young woman last fall who was traveling in her car. In addition to Walmarts, she was using Planet Fitness. Apparently, if you have a membership they let you park overnight in their lot, since they are open 24/7. You could then get a shower...
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Thanks Gregg, I'll take a look at those locations!
Also just earlier today I was told about that Planet Fitness thing. They have a map of locations on their website. I may get a membership - may be perfect for some of the longer stretches on the way west and back east, and on the Pacific coast.
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Corran
I was talking about sleeping in a parking lot for a few hours, not full-on camping with a firepit and whatever.
Got it. Sorry for over-reacting. Even so, it's not hard to appreciate that the parks have solid reasons to ask that you not overnight outside campgrounds while you're in the park.
cheers
Tom
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
An hour south of Yosemite Village is Mariposa Grove Giant Sequoia Park and Old Grizzly. The trees are huge and the park is amazing. Easy walking around
https://goo.gl/maps/j88d6xRj6CpB4zEL6
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
In the Tioga Pass stretch of 120 there are several developed campgrounds, some are crowded others not so much, at least early on weekdays when someone leaves
Saddlebag Lake, the highest elevation lake in CA that you can drive to, is a favorite of ours.
Virginia Lakes has some fine undeveloped camping areas and excellent homemade pie at the little lodge!
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Re: Planning Roadtrip for June in Middle/Western USA
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Alan Klein
There's a lifetime pass available for all the National Parks. You only need one for yourself and all the people in your car. The pass also gives discounts sometimes at the visitor stops in case you want to pick up some souvenirs.
Only if you're a senior. But this works if you have one senior in your party for sure.