We’re just back from an epic road trip - 10 states, 6,000 miles in our 2016 Subaru Outback, seven National Parks, numerous national monuments, recreation areas, state and county parks, no reservations, and lots of camping and hiking. It was incredible.
The purpose of our trip was to attend a memorial gathering for my wife’s sister in Warsaw, Indiana. We drove straight there from Portland, OR, and then took our time coming back. We found many campgrounds open and sites available without reservations.
We did notice some closed campgrounds and cancellations of ranger-led activities due to COVID, but we also found lots of open spaces. In most places we found that people were respectful about wearing masks, but not always.
We were pleasantly surprised to find last-minute campsites available inside National Parks, including Mesa Verde, Great Basin and Crater Lake, and site very close to Bryce Canyon NP.
We are of an age when our Golden Eagle (senior) pass really saved us a lot of money in NP entry fees and campsite discounts.
I’m happy to answer any questions people might have about campgrounds and routes.
PS - I should add that we used The Dyrt phone app every day to scout campgrounds. The ability to download maps and information (a PRO feature) was very helpful, since there are large sections of the country without reliable cell service.
Hard to pick a favorite. We loved Crater Lake for the scenic vistas. The SW part of UTAH was absolutely beautiful. Our favorite campsite was Baker Creek campground in Great Basin NP, Nevada. Big, private and the stream ran right by it. No reservation needed. We’re already planning another road trip through the southwest.
September should be a good time for you to go. Where are you starting from?
We are in Galveston Tx. Crater Lake sounds beautiful. I think we will pick a destination and get started and see what happens. If we go West, it will take a while to get through Texas. We have a small camper and plan to use our Golden Eagle Pass when we can. Judy
PS - I should add that we used The Dyrt phone app every day to scout campgrounds. The ability to download maps and information (a PRO feature) was very helpful, since there are large sections of the country without reliable cell service.
