RV trip this summer out West

“Well, I'm taking a RV trip from Harrisburg, PA out west. We are hitting Minneapolis, the Badlands, Yellowstone/Grand Tetons, and Rocky Mountain NP.

We are staying 2 days at each place. When we are in RMNP I'm thinking of climbing Longs Peak. Any suggestions for how we can spend our time best? Any things we should see or not waste our time with?

We will be traveling th first 2 weeks of July.

Also, any tips, facts, or suggestions on my day hike up Longs Peak would be helpful as well.”

“Skip Minneapolis and spend more time at Yellowstone”

“Better have site reservations for the RV.
'Campgrounds' fill up fast out West.”

“how fast do they fill up? When is the latest we need to be making reservations?”

“If you want electric sites you need to make reservations now. Fishing Bridge is the only campground in Yellowstone with RV electrical hookups. Shoshone Lake is a good hike there, hike in from Old Faithful and you'll go through a geyser basin. Other then that, much of the beauty of Yellowstone can be seen from the tourist spots. Mammoth Springs and most of the waterfalls are my favorite spots.”

“What about KOA campgrounds? Do those fill up fast?”

“A geyser basin sounds awesome...how long is the hike?”

“KOA is chance...we stayed at the Glacier KOA on the east side of the park with no reservations and they had plenty of room. But inside the park there was very little. Your best bet would be to buy a Woodalls Campground guide for 2008...it would have every public and private campground listed near the areas you are visiting, you can always find one.

The geyser basin is about 5m in and 5mi out if I remember correctly. It was pretty cool, but if I were only spending 2 days in Yellowstone I'd drive around the park and make sure you went around the entire circle. Lots of pull outs with short jaunts to interesting features.”

“Unfortunately, that would be too long of a hike for most of my traveling party. Nothing more than a mile and a half or two miles.”

“Your aware that Longs Peak is quite a physical undertaking.... ? (based on your last post)

You'll want to start around 2 am and will return to your base/parking area around 2-3 pm later that day.”

“I own the Seligman Rte 66 KOA. KOA's near national parks fill up. So if you know your dates just go to KOA.com”

“I am well aware of the physical undertaking...I'm perfectly capable of hiking Long's Peak...the rest of my group isn't. That why the hikes I do with them need to be between 1.5 and 2 miles. While they take their "relaxing" day in RMNP I plan to hike the mountain. It will probably be my only opportunity to ever climb this mountain.

I've climbed Mount Whitney twice. Once on a day hike and once when finishing the High Sierra Trail. I understand what it means to hike a mountain as strenuous as Longs Peak.I was thinking of starting at 12-1am to get a head start on the crowds.

I was just looking for "additional" information. If you would like to join me I will be hiking probably the July 4th weekend. (Not sure what days we will be in RMNP)

Thanks for the concern!!!”

“Just about every afternoon at 2 PM, like clockwork, a lightning storm happened above treeline, on my Rocky's trip. You will not want to be above treeline during one of those storms. Longs Peak is way above treeline.”

“My family did a 5-week tour of the country in '86. One of the very best memories from my childhood, it should be a good one for yours, too.

Yellowstone sticks out as the neatest part of the trip (so that's 2 votes on this thread). We also did the redwoods, petrified, painted, canyon, etc. I remember waking up to snow on our popup on July 4th in Yellowstone - a vivid memory 21 years later.

Yes, you need to make reservations now. For some places you should have done it last year. Have someone keep a journal each day in addition to the 100's of pics - I did and its a blast reading it years later. Little things like the taste of our first Bison Burger, the price of gas along the way, my brother triping and falling down a huge hill as he tried to get a better view of a wild cat... things we wouldn't have remembered otherwise.”

“PA - cool - you'll enjoy Longs then. I very well might try to join ya - but this far out have no idea what I'll be into that weekend. But, as the dates near we could firm things up. I've not done Longs yet but would like too. Of note - the standard "Keyhole" route is an absolute cattle path in the summer - that early in July, there might still be some snow/ice up on the "Narrows" section - or not. There are a couple of other routes that might be good to try as well - that won't have the continuous procession of people that tends to be attracted to Longs on a summer day.”

“Roam Around-Oh great! I don't know the exact dates we'll be in RMNP but I know it will bearound that weekend. Yeah I understand that its like a cattle herd going up the Keyhole route. That's why I wanted to start so early. Its similar on Mount Whitney.

I thought I read that the Keyhole Route was the only non-technical route on Longs Peak. If there is another one please let me know! If there are other routes there---do they start from the same trailhead as the Keyhole Route?

techntrek, thank you for the advice...I will try to do something like that... I'll keep a note on the price of gas...should be interesting this summer!Haha.”

“There's a route up the backside of Longs called the Trough - it's a snow climb - might still be 'in' around early July. I wouldn't call it 'technical'. If there's still ice on the Narrows, the Keyhole route can be very dangerous - check in with 14ers.com - they'll have the most current info on conditions as time draws near.

The Cable's route has about 100 feet of lowend technical climbing (rated 5.4), but beyond that it's 3rd and 4th class.”

“Great! I'm a little nervous with th Cable's route. I don't have much experience with straight climbing with no rope....but I'd be willing to try something new if I had someone eperienced...Its something to research though Thanks!”

“wouldn't recommend doing Cables ropeless - I hope to try it this summer though. I wouldn't want to take a first timer up on my first time, but if I get to it before your here, it would be fun.”

“Yeah it would be fun....but for now I think I will plan on the Keyhole route but we can stay in touch and if you do get up there before I arrive I will reconsider!”

“A number of the Forest Service campgrounds east of Yellowstone towards COdy now have electrical hookups. An extra 3 - 15 miles from the East Entrance though.”