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In a time of so much uncertainty and chaos in the world, Mother Nature is always there to greet us with its beauty, serenity, and adventure just waiting to be sought. Exploring nature has always been Gabriel’s and I’s favorite thing to do and doing a road trip to three big National Parks, Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, and Zion was a dream come true! We decided what better way to enjoy a family (by “a family” includes our fur baby, Sophia;)) road trip in November than having a home away from home with wheels. We decided to go in an RV for the first time for our week-long adventure.
3 National Parks & 3 States in a Week Itinerary
Adventure Timeline in a Glance:
Day 1: Pick up the RV and Start the Adventure! Drive to SoCal
Day 2: Joshua Tree, CA
Day 3: Joshua Tree, CA
Day 4: Grand Canyon, AZ
Day 5: Grand Canyon, AZ
Day 6: Zion, UT
Day 7: Zion, UT and return home 🙁
Renting an RV
Renting an RV for the first time, we did plenty of research with different RV rental companies and decided that we did not want a commercial RV but rather a privately-owned RV. I came across these two platforms that offer just that! It was great and we had an incredible RV owner who went above and beyond to make sure we felt comfortable driving his 32ft RV for the first time.
RVShare Use my referral link and pass on the savings to a friend with your referral code once you have made an account. 🙂
Outdoorsy Use my referral link and you can get $50 off your RV trip! Once you have made an account you can do the same and pass on the savings to a friend with your referral code.
Both platforms are similar to residential rentals like Airbnb and VRBO but these are for RVs, campers, and travel trailers.
If this is your first time renting an RV, check out my post here for tips and what you need to know as a first-time renter.
OOTD
Fanny Pack | Adventure Buddies Family T-Shirts | His XL Hers M | Size Down for tighter fit | Side note: Since they didn’t have dog shirts I ordered a onesie for Sophia and just tucked the bottom in 😉 | | Biker Shorts Size M TTS | Teva Hiking Sandals Size 8 My absolute favorite outdoorsy sandals, so comfortable and durable for hiking. I don’t go on any hiking trips without these! |
Day 2 &3: Joshua Tree National Park, CA
Joshua Tree National Park located East of Los Angeles, CA is absolutely incredible! Driving up to the park felt unworldly, pictures don’t do it justice. This park is home to the cute Joshua Trees scattered throughout the park.
Where We Stayed
Twenty Nine Palms Resort– Located 20 minutes from Joshua Tree National Park
This place has all the amenities you would need for a comfortable stay, from clean showers, restrooms, pool, tennis court, and for RVers, full hookups. If you don’t have perishables on board I would highly recommend staying inside the Joshua Tree National Park. Also keep in mind, that if you stay outside the NP you have to disconnect, drive to the park, and then drive back to the resort (we learned the hard lesson) but nevertheless we made it work. There are many campgrounds to choose from but there are no full hookups (so no water and sewer). From my research, I found that the ideal campgrounds would be the Jumbo Rock Campground and White Tank Campground. For all the stargazers, stay in the park, the night sky is spectacular!
OOTD
Oversized Distressed Overalls (similar) | Teva Hiking Sandals Size 8 | Crop Top Shirt Size M
What we did
- Jumbo Rocks Campground Loop Trail
- With Sophia, we just parked on side of a road and did brief rock climbing and exploring, she did amazing in her new K9 Sport Sack!
- Shopping at the Joshua Tree National Park Store
- Perfect location for a photo-op
OOTD
Oversize Aviator Sunnies OS | Ribbed Crop Top Tank Top Size M (similar) | Leggings Size M TTS | Teva Hiking Sandals Size 8 My absolute favorite outdoorsy sandals, so comfortable and durable for hiking. I don’t go on any hiking trips without these! | Dog Hiking Carrier | Travel Dog Bowls
Day 4 & 5: Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
So glad we got to visit the famous Grand Canyon National Park known to just take your breath away with its grandeur and beauty. I see why this is a must-see and popular park, absolutely amazing! The Grand Canyon is…well…grand, there are different parts to visit. North Rim, South Rim, Skywalk, and the inner parts of the canyon. Due to our route heading to Zion as our next stop, we visited the South Rim.
Where we stayed
We stayed at the South Rim in Trailer Village RV Park located in the Grand Canyon National Park which was perfect as we were so close to the trails and just a walk or bike ride away. Not to mention they have a large General Store inside the park that has everything you could possibly need from produce, and cafe, to souvenirs and gifts. During the time in November of 2020, the shuttles from the RV park to the Visitor Entrance were closed so it was about a 15-minute stroll away.
What we did
Day 1 at Grand Canyon
Woke up to this little guy when we stepped out of our RV.
Rented bicycles from Bright Angel Bicycles, took Sophia along for the ride, and little did we know that dogs were not allowed on the shuttles so it was quite the adventure, to say the least riding on a 6% grade road up to the Trailview Overlook which happened to be the best stop with incredible views! The weather was pretty wild that day. It started with sunny skies and on our ride back to the RV it was hailing! The bike ride up the 6% grade road and the bicycle ride back in the hail made it such a memorable experience and a great story to tell! 😛
OOTD
Fanny Pack OS | Racerback TankTop Size M (similar) | Plaid Flannel | Leggings Size M TTS | Saucony Shoes Size 8 | Dog Hiking Carrier | Travel Dog Bowls
Day 2 at Grand Canyon
It’s My Birthdaayyyy!!! Last Year Of My 20s
Morning of, rode our bikes to the Village Route Transfer Stop to take the shuttle on Hermit Road and the views were spectacular! The shuttle has bike racks and it will stop at every point on Hermit Rd and you have the option to hop on or hop off. At the end of Hermit Rd, there is a rest stop with restrooms, gift shops, and a small cafe.
Day 6 & 7: Zion National Park, UT
Arriving in Zion National Park for the first time I was completely in awe and captivated by the beauty of this park. This was by far my favorite of the three and the feeling I got there was just inexplicable. Talk about “saving the best for last”!
We wanted to explore more of the “Not Pet Friendly” trails so we planned ahead and booked with Doggy Dude Ranch, a pet sitter service for Sophia for our stay in Zion NP. Since we just had the RV and no car, the owner was awesome and picked up our fur baby right at the campground! Looking for a pet-friendly trail? The Pa’Rus Trail lets us bring our fur babies on the trail as long as they are on a leash. 🙂
Where we Stayed
We were able to snatch an RV space at Zion Canyon Campground in Springdale just a ten-minute walk or free 5-minute shuttle ride to the park. The campground is surrounded by mountain views and the Virgin River as its backyard where you can relax after a long day of hiking and adventure. There are all kinds of restaurants, gift/souvenir shops, equipment for hiking the popular Narrows, bike rentals, and so much more in the small town of Springdale.
What we did
Day 1: Stop by FeelLove Coffee nestled in a mountain on your way to Zion for a delicious cup of coffee, pastry, or vegan soft serve. 😛
Emerald Pools Trailhead perfect hike for everyone!
Lower Emerald Pool Trail
Shuttle Stop to Start from #5 Zion Lodge
Trailhead Location: Across the road from the Zion Lodge.
Distance (roundtrip): 1.2 mi / 1.9 km
Estimated Hiking Time: 1 hour
Description: Minor drop-offs. Paved trail leads to the Lower Emerald Pool and waterfalls. (Trail connects to the Kayenta, Middle, and Upper Emerald Pools trails, for a longer, moderate hike.)
After a long day of hiking we headed back to the RV Resort for dinner and relaxation by the fire.
Day 2: Took the shuttle into the park for gift/souvenir shopping at the Zion Visitor Center before we headed back home for a 20+ hour drive.
There you have it, the Ultimate 3 National Parks & 3 States in a week itinerary with guaranteed adventure and fun. I hope this post inspires you to go on a road trip and explore our country’s beautiful wondrous National Parks.
