By Stuart Webb
RV Travel Contributing Writer, about.com
RV Travel Contributing Writer, about.com
A critical part of a successful RV trip has to do with the weather and climate. Northern Minnesota is gorgeous in the summer but it takes a special breed to go there in the winter. You want to go to the best destinations at the best time. Let’s take a look at some of the best RV destinations for spring.
Grand Canyon National Park [post_ads_2]
Grand Canyon National Park
should be on every RVers must-visit list. The great expanses, buttes,
vistas and views are unlike anything else in the world. You can take a
drive across Scenic Hermit Loop, hike or take a donkey to the canyon
floor, bike around the rim or just relax and take in the world class
sunset.
You can drive your RV directly into park boundaries and
stay at a few different campgrounds though Trailer Village is the only
site that has full hookups, otherwise you will be dry camping. There are
also several RV parks near park boundaries that can take care of all of
your amenities and facility needs.
I chose Grand Canyon for the spring mainly due to the crowds of
summer. Spring is known as shoulder season, the temperatures are cooler
but the park is generally less crowded. This means you have more
opportunities to enjoy Grand Canyon in an intimate setting. Not to
mention summer at the Grand Canyon can be stifling with the heat and crowds.
Yosemite National Park [post_ads_2]
This is another National Park that I strongly urge every RVers to visit at least once in their lifetime. Yosemite National Park
has it all, from hardcore hikes and backpacking trips up rock faces to
meadows littered with wildflowers and plenty of wildlife.
Yosemite
is not the friendliest to RVs within park boundaries as all campsites
in Yosemite lack utility hookups. If you’re okay with dry camping there are plenty of places to stay all throughout the park. Its best to stay in one of the many RV parks surrounding the entrances of Yosemite, just pick what areas you want to visit and choose a reliable RV park near them.
So
why go to Yosemite in the spring? Well Yosemite is quite famous for its
numerous waterfalls and spring is the best time to see them at their
strongest. The spring snow melt flushes creeks and rivers with waters
that turn the waterfalls into cascading wonders of nature. You also have
different varieties bursting onto the scene from their winter naps.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park [post_ads_2]
The
Great Smoky Mountains National Park sees more annual visitors than any
other National Park and there’s a reason why. The location in Tennessee
makes Great Smoky accessible to large parts of the United States that
don’t want to travel way out west. Great Smoky is also a southern beauty
in itself, with tons of wildlife, rivers and miles of hiking and biking
trails to enjoy the scenery.
Like many of the National Parks,
Great Smoky Mountains is only good for RVers if you’re comfortable with
dry camping. Otherwise there are plenty of highly rated campgrounds
throughout the boundaries of the park.
The Great Smoky Mountains
National Park is an excellent park to visit throughout the entire year
but it’s really special during the spring. That’s because the park hosts
more than 1500 species of flowering plants earning it the nickname
Wildflower National Park. Try to head there in mid-April to take part in
the Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage.
Arches National Park [post_ads_2]
The
park made infamous by Edward Abbey’s Desert Solitaire still remains one
of America’s most alien landscapes. The spires, buttes, vistas and of
course the naturally forming bridges make Arches truly a sight to
behold. Despite the desert landscape there are also plenty of
opportunities for fun on water as well with white water rafting. Most
people explore the landscape on foot but you use horses as well.
Arches National Park
suffers the same lack of established RV parks like many of the other
National Parks on this list. Dry camping is also a little more rugged in
the desert landscape though its not impossible by any means. Once again
you may be better off staying at RV parks close to the entrance of the
park.
There is one big reason to go see Arches in the spring, the
heat. Arches is after all a desert and temperatures fluctuate greatly
during the summer from blistering highs during the day and surprisingly
frigid during the night. Temperatures are still cool during the night
but much more pleasant during the day allowing you to enjoy the sights
without worrying about passing out. Not to mention tourists to Arches in
the spring are few and far between, allowing you to enjoy the park
mostly to yourself.
Estes Park, CO [post_ads_2]
For our final
destination we’ll step away from the National Parks but don’t worry,
there is one nearby. Estes Park is a beautiful mountain town located
near many hot spots in Colorado.
Rocky Mountain National Park is right on the doorstep of Estes Park and
in spring is an excellent spot to watch many of the native wildlife
come out of their winter slumber. You have many different flowering
plants and the temperatures are cool but not cold.
Another big
reason to visit Estes Park in the spring is the fabulous skiing
conditions across Colorado. You have a wide range of mountains and
resorts to choose from scattered from just a few minutes to a few hours
way. Add in Estes Park’s charm and you have a great spring destination.
As you can see, if you’re an RVer, just about any of these destinations in the spring can be the perfect trip.
