western usa tent camping advice needed

[canvasboy]

Hi.i am planning a camping trip to the western USA round about Sept 2015,more so the interior than west coast itself.We are 2 couples early 60s late 50s.The plan is to fly in from South Africa(home) and do a 3 week camping stint with a rented medium sized sedan car and 2 dome tents.As this is my first visit i have a no of questions.Starting point:Denver Colarado then work westwards in a circle back to Denver.I note that there are various free campsites,what are they like re saftey scenery access etc.When is the peak season as i dont intend going then,but i dont want to get there when it is high rain season either.Is beginning Sept ok? A suggested itinary would be helpfull consideing my intrests would be National Parks and scenic areas.

[Dust Devil]

Re: western usa tent camping advice needed

September would be just about a perfect time of year for your trip. Early enough to avoid the snow, just after school starts so the family contingent would be back in school. Temps are still high enough to be comfortable and not too low at night. It sounds like you would be traveling in Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, maybe as far south as Arizona for the Grand Canyon experience. Actually, Brice Canyon, Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon are all fairly close. At the northern end you would want to visit Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. There are many other places to visit as well such as the Great Salt Lake. I'm sure you can research what you would like to visit and put together an itinerary by visiting state websites and national forest/park websites.

You will find that free campgrounds tend to be limited in facilities. Most of those are on BLM land. The National Forest campgrounds usually have a nominal fee, depending on facilities. They usually will have vault toilets, a picnic table (if that) and a fire ring, sometimes more. Water may or may not be available. In the National Parks, camping is only permitted in the campgrounds, which are all fee-based. Some you can make reservations in advance for. State park campgrounds tend to be more expensive, but usually have all the facilities available, including showers. Something else to be aware of is that many of these campgrounds start to close down in October, so you'll want to check the closure dates as well.

As far as safety goes, except for wild animals, there are usually very few problems among campers. Sometimes you get noisy neighbors, but referring to the camp hosts (if any) or the rangers can usually take care of those problems.

[Malamute]

Re: western usa tent camping advice needed

The above post is good. As to safety/security, buy some bear spray, several cans, and they will work for bears as well as other undesirable elements also. They make large ones for hiking and camp, as well as smaller ones, which could be handier for use around more civilized areas. Larger ones have much more range and capacity. Bear spray isnt cheap, but if needed, think of what you'd be willing to pay right at that moment. Some airports have drop boxes for bear spray for people leaving the area (may be worth asking when you get in to Denver), as you can NOT take it on an airplne under any circumstances, even as checked baggage. Think about that. If the pressurized canister exploded in an airplane and gassed the people inside the plane,....who would fly the plane?

If it were me, I'd go north first, as the earlier you are there, the less chance of running into snow. It may not stick that early, but can dampen the camping spirit a bit.

[Newk]

Re: western usa tent camping advice needed

The peak tourism season ends in Wyoming around the middle of August with many tourism attractions closing just after Labor Day. I'm not sure how far north you're going with the westward circle from Denver, but I'd recommend that you do the northern portion first, followed by the southern portion, especially if it includes southern Utah. Weather is usually decent through most of September, but the mountains can get pretty chilly after mid-September. Even out here on the plains where I live, I've come to expect snow by the end of September. Sometimes it's a little late, but by that last week of September it's pretty common. I still remember camping in the Big Horn Mountains in early October in a summer tent. We had to pitch it on a foot of snow, and then it snowed 18 inches that night. For the week it never got above -10F. We moved to a motel!

[gatordude]

Re: western usa tent camping advice needed

Hi and welcome to the form. I used to live in Montana so I'll give you a few good places to see. The west is so beautiful it's hard to pick any one place over another. After checking out the Denver area, Pikes Peak and Thr Garden of the Gods, I'd head to Wyoming and the Tetons, then Yellowstone NP. Be careful. They got some big bears and buffalo up there. Then head nw to Montana and Glacier NP. Be sure to check with the park to make sure they're open. It can snow at any time up there. Then south to Utah. Get a Utah brochure and take your pick. What a beautiful state. I really think Bryce Canyon is my favorite. Then on to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, and don't miss Sedona and the red mts. On your way back to Denver you could catch Sandia Peak and its tram ride just outside of Albuquerque and then the quaint town of Santa Fe, N.M. Remember, the western states are wide open spaces and sometimes gas stations are far apart, so I'd suggest driving on the top half of your gas tank. I hope y'all have a great trip out west. It's my favorite part of our country. Happy camping.

[caheaton]

Re: western usa tent camping advice needed

I agree with the suggestion on staying at the state and national campgrounds, a bit more expensive but worth it for the facilities provided as well as the extra security. Any educational programs offered by the Ranger would also be a big plus. I'd suggest visiting the park service websites for the states you plan to visit...they usually offer interactive maps that show you where the parks are and then you can click on those that interest you to read up the facilities offered. The national parks can be access by going to www.nps.gov, this gives you information on all the lands managed by the National Park Service. A final tip, since you will likely be at high elevation, be aware that even if the temperatures are comfortable during the day, it will likely bet quite cool to outright cold at night so be sure to pack accordingly (warm sleeping bags and perhaps some pairs of long underwear to sleep in).

[Newk]

Re: western usa tent camping advice needed

"A final tip, since you will likely be at high elevation, be aware that even if the temperatures are comfortable during the day, it will likely bet quite cool to outright cold at night so be sure to pack accordingly (warm sleeping bags and perhaps some pairs of long underwear to sleep in)."

This is worth repeating. For the past several years we've had relatives visit us in late July to early August for camping in the Bighorns. We camp at the first campground going into the mountains, so it's at a fairly low elevation (8K feet or so). We've always had our 5th wheel (up until this year) and used the furnace every night, while the relatives sleep in their tents. They do all the stuff to keep warm at night, including warm sleeping bags. Day temps are nice, and if/when we drive down the mountain to the closest town (10 miles) it's usually in the 80s or 90s, but go up just 3K feet and you really feel the difference, especially after sundown.

[markkee]

Re: western usa tent camping advice needed

I hope your trip planning is going well. If you are looking for free camping, the national forest allows dispersed camping. I find my dispersed camping sites by driving down a national forest road and look a pull out with an existing fire ring. We like to stay close enough to the paid campground because my wife does not like squatting in the woods unless she has too. I can stay indefinitely in free campsites.

Find a paid campground and drive a mile or 2 in either direction.
Find a track/road off the main road and drive a few minutes.

We usually find something right away. It's far enough off the beaten patch to give us privacy. If we need water or a real bathroom, it's close!

[Mike]

Re: western usa tent camping advice needed

Like others mentioned above, the best and most comfortable camping with natural beauty as the main attraction will be at the National and state campgrounds. There are also county campgrounds and the quality of these can go from fabulous to terrible. Private campgrounds tend to be more social settings where privacy is not a major concern of the campers.

As Americans, we tend to think that everybody is looking for tranquility and dispersed quiet campgrounds. Then, I see how the British "camp". To me as an American, the overcrowded tent parking lots look like madness, BUT the Brits love it! Same with many Japanese. When I bring Japanese camping American style, they say it feels lonely and spooky compared to camping in Japan where the next camper is never more than two meters away from your campsite.

So, the advice you get here is from the American perspective.

The National and state campgrounds will always have a picnic table and fire ring. All will have toilet facilities and many will have shower facilities. They are almost always in the vicinity of some natural beauty famous to the area. Drinking water is available.

Free "rustic" campsites in National forests are usually nothing more than a clearing. No picnic tables and in rare cases a very rough pit toilet. Drinking water is almost never available. The location of free sites is usually just a clearing in the forest - often not near rivers or lakes or vistas. All in all, pretty rough and not the kind of thing you travel half way around the world to experience.

Private campgrounds tend to have campsites that mimic national and state campgrounds including picnic tables at each site. Often, the sites are closer together than at the national or state campgrounds. Often, private campgrounds have swimming pools, a supply shop, a restaurant, and sometimes a tavern (as is certainly the case in Wisconsin and Michigan). You can see the very best of American kitsch at private campgrounds including Christmas light decorations at campsites, and all the silly things people do to try to personalize and make it appear that their campsite is THEIR campsite.

National campgrounds during the summer will often be filled all the time, so reservations are recommended. If you pull up to a national campground in the summer without reservations, you will most likely be turned away. famous and popular destinations like Glacier National Park and Yellowstone are booked six months in advance. In contrast, most of the state and county campgrounds will be 100% full during the weekends and mostly empty during the weekdays even in summer peak times.

One bit of advice I will give is to not worry too much about getting a perfect campsite. The campgrounds are never really in ideal locations and spending most of your time at camp will undervalue your opportunities. Set up camp, then go explore the park or forest. Usually, the picnic area is far nicer than any of the campsites, so plan to picnic many of your meals. Spend your time exploring the area and then when you get back to camp it is mostly for wind-down time and sleeping.

Don't worry too much about rain. Western USA is going through one of the worst droughts in USA history. Bring a gas fueled stove and prepare for not being able to have campfires at many of the western campgrounds.

When you get here, you might like to try all the different kinds of campgrounds and chose what you like

[caheaton]

Re: western usa tent camping advice needed

Also, here's a website I've found useful. Gives you a chance to see what the campsite looks like ahead of time for many state and national parks.
http://www.campsitephotos.com/