USA National Parks fly drive advice needed

colinw · 16 January 2010 at 3:05PM

jfdi wrote: »

Do stay in Monument Valley at the View Hotel. We were there in May & it was the most memorable night of our whole trip - the silence & peace & spirituality of the place just blew me away!

A 3rd here for the NP pass - best $80 odd you'll spend!

Our trip was circular from Denver..... across South Park (yep - THE South Park!) towards Sand Dunes NP, on to Pagosa Springs (Sulphur Spa hotel!), Mesa Verde NP, Four Corners, Canyon de Chelly, Route66, Painted Desert & Petrified Forest NPs, GC, Monument Valley, Arches NP, Rockie Mountains.

If you want info on any of that little lot let me know!

A
xx

Thanks. I think I will book that hotel. Is there any resteraunt at the View hotel? I will definitely get the NP pass.

trets77 · 16 January 2010 at 4:43PM

what month are you planning on making this trip.

as going from Death Valley to Yosemite is a lot a quicker if you can use the Tioga pass

if you cannot then it's a long drive around via the Bakersfield area . ( took us 10 hours Yosemite-Death Valley) .

check on likely opening dates here

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tiogaopen.htm

we rented a lodge in Yosemite from here . very nice

http://www.redwoodsinyosemite.com/

for Yellowstone West Yellowstone has plenty of cheap , clean Motels ect .

seeing as Death Valley has only 2 hotels ( owned by same company ) you should think about booking in advance .

http://www.furnacecreekresort.com/

Check out our Vegas Thread for getting a good deal on somewhere nice

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2174765

colinw · 16 January 2010 at 6:33PM

trets77 wrote: »

what month are you planning on making this trip.

as going from Death Valley to Yosemite is a lot a quicker if you can use the Tioga pass

if you cannot then it's a long drive around via the Bakersfield area . ( took us 10 hours Yosemite-Death Valley) .

check on likely opening dates here

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tiogaopen.htm

we rented a lodge in Yosemite from here . very nice

http://www.redwoodsinyosemite.com/

for Yellowstone West Yellowstone has plenty of cheap , clean Motels ect .

seeing as Death Valley has only 2 hotels ( owned by same company ) you should think about booking in advance .

http://www.furnacecreekresort.com/

Check out our Vegas Thread for getting a good deal on somewhere nice

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2174765

We are going in August so the Tioga pass should be open. At Yellowstone I was going to book at Grant Village which is in the park and at Yellowstone I was looking at Yosemite Lodge by the falls but I will check out that link you give. I notices that death valley does not have too many hotels so I will get that booked up early. I will check the thread on Vegas. Thanks.

jackieblack · 16 January 2010 at 6:43PM

jfdi wrote: »

Do stay in Monument Valley at the View Hotel. We were there in May & it was the most memorable night of our whole trip - the silence & peace & spirituality of the place just blew me away!

A 3rd here for the NP pass - best $80 odd you'll spend!

Our trip was circular from Denver..... across South Park (yep - THE South Park!) towards Sand Dunes NP, on to Pagosa Springs (Sulphur Spa hotel!), Mesa Verde NP, Four Corners, Canyon de Chelly, Route66, Painted Desert & Petrified Forest NPs, GC, Monument Valley, Arches NP, Rockie Mountains.

If you want info on any of that little lot let me know!

A
xx

I'd like your info on that please! That trip (or something very similar) is on our 'to do' list for the next few years!

pcg2001 · 16 January 2010 at 7:23PM

jackieblack wrote: »

I'd like your info on that please! That trip (or something very similar) is on our 'to do' list for the next few years!

I second the request from jackieblack. Can you share more details like itinerary, hotels, general impressions and moneysaving tips? perhaps you have reported this already in here or elsewhere and can point us there. I love to read other people's itineraries and trip plans / report, to see what I would like to do and not. TIA

torbrex · 16 January 2010 at 7:29PM

Another vote for West Yellowstone, it is right at the gate to the park with easy access to both the northern and southern areas and without the price tag that staying in the park comes with.

When visiting Death Valley I had been to Sequoia the previous day and stayed the night at Ridgecrest before heading to the park first thing, I was able to get round all the major points, Mahogany Flat, Stovepipe Wells, Scotty's Castle, Zabriskkie Point and Badwater Junction (lowest point), before staying next night at Beatty.

jfdi · 16 January 2010 at 7:39PM

colinw wrote: »

Thanks. I think I will book that hotel. Is there any resteraunt at the View hotel? I will definitely get the NP pass.

Yes - lovely restaurant & not a big rip-off like you get used to here! :rolleyes:

When we stayed the Head Chef was a Navajo guy who'd left home to go & train in Chicago, & had recently returned home to run the place. He came out to chat to us (OH is a Chef) & was utterly charming. Made the night!

On the drive through the Valley there's a very touching War Memorial to a lad who'd been recently killed in Iraq - do stop & pay your respects. Also - we drove through at sunset - much quieter & spectacular!

Edit:- Monument Valley isn't covered by the NP pass - you'll have to pay extra. That's because it's Navajo Nation land.

jfdi · 16 January 2010 at 9:44PM

For those that asked for more info on my trip I've started a new thread - didn't want to take over colinw's!

See http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=28914529#post28914529 for info!

A
xx

colinw · 16 January 2010 at 10:36PM

torbrex wrote: »

Another vote for West Yellowstone, it is right at the gate to the park with easy access to both the northern and southern areas and without the price tag that staying in the park comes with.

When visiting Death Valley I had been to Sequoia the previous day and stayed the night at Ridgecrest before heading to the park first thing, I was able to get round all the major points, Mahogany Flat, Stovepipe Wells, Scotty's Castle, Zabriskkie Point and Badwater Junction (lowest point), before staying next night at Beatty.

Thanks for that Derek and all the other info. That's got me thinking about Yellowstone as I was considering Grant village in the park. Hopefully on the day I drive from Las Vegas I should be able to see Death Valley as it is not too far from LV. I hope to pass through Sequoia either on the way to Yosemite from Death Valley or the day we drive from Yosemite to San Fransico airport which again I don't think is to far.

jfdi wrote: »

Yes - lovely restaurant & not a big rip-off like you get used to here! :rolleyes:

When we stayed the Head Chef was a Navajo guy who'd left home to go & train in Chicago, & had recently returned home to run the place. He came out to chat to us (OH is a Chef) & was utterly charming. Made the night!

On the drive through the Valley there's a very touching War Memorial to a lad who'd been recently killed in Iraq - do stop & pay your respects. Also - we drove through at sunset - much quieter & spectacular!

Edit:- Monument Valley isn't covered by the NP pass - you'll have to pay extra. That's because it's Navajo Nation land.

That's good I was thinking the restraurant would have been really expensive. I will look out for the memorial. Thanks

terry2 · 18 January 2010 at 1:52AM

I would suggest you think again about staying in Grant Village. The accomodation is a bit like a run down student lodging house.
I would suggest you look at the Old Faithful Inn (or the other nearby hotel) as they seem to have some more character.

USA National Parks fly drive advice needed

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