Winter trip south

[Sandals 123]

Hello all, my wife and I are planning a trip from Vancouver Island to Apache Junction in late December and are looking for ideas and suggestions for places to see and camp along the way. Although we are not in a hurry, I suspect we will take 4-5 days to travel. We are in an F350 towing a 2019 Couger 29RKS.

We have not seen the Grand Canyon so suggestions on where to best see it and camp are welcome. Also, we love hotsprings and quaint small towns.

All suggestions are welcome.

Thanks in advance for your help.
Alan

[JayTees]

Plugging Vancouver -> Grand Canyon -> Apache Junction into Google Maps, it looks like you will be coming down AZ 89 -> AZ 64 to get to Grand Canyon National Park. This puts you on the South Rim of the G.C. and some beautiful views. Now, when you enter the gate (there is a fee, based on what you are driving), the Park Ranger is going to tell you there are only two or three places you can pull in with an RV. We pulled into quite a few of the overlook parking areas with our truck and 20' TT. Did not get into any jams, found several places where we could park parallel to the curb (marked parking) and a couple had bus/RV parking. There are also multiple places with wide pull offs just parallel to the road where you can get an RV, if there are not too many cars in the way.


I would suggest checking out as many of the overlooks as you can - the views are different at every one. Once you get to G.C. Village, there is plenty of RV parking available, however, the rim can be up to a 1/2 mile away, depending on which direction you go.


We've done it three times with a trailer and once by car and have enjoyed the vistas every time.


Cheers!


John

[Canonman]

You're coming a long way from BC
4 to 5 days doesn't leave much time for side trips or sightseeing.
I'd suggest trying to get a campsite at Mather campground inside GCNP South Rim. Spend a couple of days there and see the canyon. It will be cold at night but daytime temps should be pretty mild. Don't cut yourself short if you can afford the time either on the way down or on the way back. There are way to many places to see for just a drive-by. Sunrises and sunsets there are magical.

[LHaven]

If you don't want to camp inside the National Park (short sites, tough availability, etc.) I'd recommend finding a spot in Williams, unhooking, and driving to the Canyon. You can even book (pricey) tickets on the Grand Canyon Railway out of Williams for a tour to the Canyon and return later same day, scenic and relaxing (except for the authentic western train robbery)! Williams has a town-wide "Route 66" motif, and has some fun eating establishments, plus easy access to Bearizona and Grand Canyon Deer (Petting) Park. I've had some memorable stays at Railside RV Park with DW... or if you have kids with you, the Williams KOA is like Disneyland for RVers, with mini-golf, go-karts, and a complex playground.

At the AJ end... DW and I just spent a week exploring the San Tan-to-Globe corridor. A tour of the Queen Creek Olive Mill was on her bucket list, if you're into that sort of thing. We camped in Superior to walk the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, a 1.3 mile hike through gorgeous vistas, history, and flora (longer if you explore all the side loops). We didn't get to see much of Globe, but we did luck into a Native American street fair being held in the center of town, with food trucks and craft booths. I wouldn't recommend towing the stretch between Superior and Globe if you can avoid it (some knuckle-biter 7% grades, and a runaway ramp you can reach only AFTER navigating a tunnel!) but a day trip in your TV is extremely scenic.

As Canonman says, 3-4 days is hardly enough to see anything and drive, too. We operate a tiny CG about 30M off the intersection of I-17 and Carefree Highway (the location of probably the second most impressive outdoor shooting facility in the USA, which is a half-day tour in itself), and central AZ has been our stomping grounds for nearly 25 years now. Quaint small towns are also our thing (we settled in one!)

[JBM3M]

Plan only on the South Rim of the Canyon. The North Rim is closed that time of year. Enjoy the Canyon, it is impressive any time of the year.