Austin to Glacier NP

Our first big trip is indeed a big trip. We plan to go on a loop route from Austin to Glacier National Park.

Our initial tendency was to try to fit too much in.  We settled on a policy of "don't drive and see things in the same day", though there are a couple of exceptions below.  We tried hard to find a couple of points where we could stay 3 or 4 nights with enough "to do" to justify longer stays.  We had to cut off some nearby  parks and monuments as we just didn't have enough days.  Here is our working itinerary.

TOTALS FOR TRIP:   4203 MILES,   3 DAYS:3 HOURS

Day 0 (June 25 – Fri)
Drive to Abilene TX
Segment:  12621 Scofield Farms Dr, Austin 78727 to Abilene TX
Distance:  217 miles, 4 Hrs:18 Min
Stay at Abilene KOA, 4851 W Stamford St, Abilene TX,  325-672-3681

Day 1 (June 26 – Sat)
Drive to Cedar Rail RV Park, Raton NM
Segment:   4851 W Stamford St, Abilene, TX  to Raton NM
Distance: 510  miles, 9 Hrs:06 Min
Stay at Raton, Cedar Rail RV Park & Campground
            At the top of Raton Pass, Exit 460 on the I-25
                Raton NM  87740
                575-445-8500 Rhonda
                Going North on I-25 - take NM exit 460 (same as CO exit 0 (Zero))
                Cedar Rail is located on the East  Side of I-25

Day 2 (June 27 – Sun)
Drive to Rocky Mountain NP
Segment: Raton NM to Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
Distance:  277 miles, 4 Hrs:48 Min
Stay Spruce Lake RV Resort, Pg 200 Woodalls,
            Site 98, water & Elec only
                1050 Marys Lake Rd,           Estes Park CO, 80517
               800-536-105

Day 3 (June 28 – Mon)
Sight See in Rocky Mountain NP (Page 125 AAA)
Stay in Spruce Lake RV Resort

 Day 4 (June 29 – Tues)
Drive to Billings MT
Segment: Rocky Mountain National Park, CO to Billings, Montana
Distance:  541 miles   Time: 8 hrs., 27mins
Stay Billings KOA ($47) – show that we now have KOA card for add’l discount
            Site 130 – Water & Elec only
                www.billingskoa.com
                547 Garden Ave, Billings MT  59101
                800-562-8546 (res), 406-252-3101 (info)
                Off I-90 @ exit 450

Day 5 (June 30 – Wed)
Drive to St Mary MT
Segment: Billings, Montana to Browning, Montana
Distance:  378 miles   Time: 6 hrs., 40mins.
Stay St Mary Glacier Park (KOA) 106 West Shore, St Mary MT  59417
            Site given at check in – Full Hook-up, Pull Through
                800-562-1504 (reservations),  406-732-4122 (Info)          

DAY 6 (July 1 – Thurs)
Sight See Red Bus Tour Glacier NP  (Page 97 AAA) 406-892-2525
International Peace Park Tour (passports are needed) (6 ½ hours)
Take National Park Pass for re-entry into park
Leave from St Mary Lodge at 10:00 a.m.  (arrive 10-15 min early)
Stay St Mary Glacier Park (KOA)

DAY 7 – (July 2 – Fri)
Drive to Coram MT
Segment:  St. Mary MT TO Coram MT
Distance:  93:2 Miles, 1Hr, 49 Min
Tour West side of Glacier
Stay in Coram MT – North American RV Park 800-704-4266
            10640 Hwy 2 East, Coram MT (Lisa)
            With Good Sams Discount - $34.20/night - $146.38 total                                 

DAY 8 (July 3 – Sat)
Tour West side of Glacier
Red Bus Tour – Mountain Majesty
Take National Park Pass for re-entry into park
Leave from Apgar Transit Center @ 1:30 pm
Stay in Coram MT – North American RV Park 800-704-4266 

Day 9 (July 4 – Sun)
Tour West side of Glacier
Fire Works in White Fish
Stay in Coram MT – North American RV Park 800-704-4266

Day 10 (July 5 – Mon)
Tour West side of Glacier
Stay in Coram MT – North American RV Park 800-704-4266

Day 11 (July 6 – Tues)
Drive to Arco ID (Crater of the Moon)
Segment: Coram MT, Montana to Craters of The Moon National Monument, ID
Distance:  408 miles  Time:  7 hrs, 24 min 
Stay at Mountain View RV Park
            705 W. Grand Avenue, Arco, ID 83213
            Office: (208) 527-3707
            Cell: (208) 589-5119 Jackie)
            $27/night including Good Sams
            Breakfast included 

Day 12 (July 7 – Wed)
Sight see Craters of the Moon (page 46 AAA)
Stay at Mountain View RV Park

Day 13 (July 8 – Thurs)
Drive to Torrey UT ( Capitol Reef NP)
Stop to see Golden Spike NM on the way
Segment: Arco ID to Torrey UT
Distance:  455  miles  Time: 7 hours 36 min
Stay in Thousand Lakes RV Park, Near Capitol Reef
            Thousandlakesrvpark.com
            Torrey UT, Located 1 mile West of Torrey on North Side of Hwy 24
            800-355-8995 

Day 14 (July 9 – Fri)
Sight see Capitol Reef (page 159 AAA)
Eat at the Torryey Grill Western Cookout, 6:30, 7:00, 7:30
Stay in Thousand Lakes RV Park 

Day 15 (July 10 – Sat)
Sight see Capitol Reef (page 159 AAA)
Stay in Thousand Lakes RV Park 

Day 16 (July 11 – Sun)
Drive to Moab UT
Segment:  Torrey UT to Moab UT
Distance 156 miles  Time:   2 hours, 45 min
Stay In Riverside Oasis RV Park Inc 877-285-7757
            1871 North Highway 191, Moab UT  84532 

Day 17 (July 12 – Mon)
Tom – Fiery Furnace Tour – Arches National Park  4:00 pm
Stay at Riverside Oasis RV Park Inc, Moab UT 

Day 18 (July 13 – Tues)
Sight See Arches NP (Page 152 AAA)
Segment: Moab, UT to Arches National Park, UT
Distance:  39.4 miles  Time: 1 hr., 1mins.
Stay at Riverside Oasis RV Park Inc, Moab UT 

Day 19 (July 14 – Wed)
Sight See Canyonlands NP (Page 158 AAA)
            River Tour out of Green River?
Stay at Riverside Oasis RV Park Inc, Moab UT  

Day 20 (July 15 – Thurs)
Drive to Colorado Nat Monument (Fruita, CO/Grand Junction?)
Segment:  Moab, UT to Fruita Co. (Colorado National Monument, CO)
Distance:  99.2 miles  Time: 1 hr., 37mins.
Stay Monument RV Resort
            607 Hwy 340, Fruita CO
            888-977-6777

Day 21(July 16 – Fri)
Sight See Colorado NM (Page 53 AAA)
Stay Monument RV Resort 

Day 22 (July 17 – Sat)
Drive to Gunnison , CO
Segment: Colorado National Monument, CO to Black Canyon of The Gunnison National Park, CO
Distance:  137 miles Time: 2 hr., 33mins.
Stay Gunnison KOA
            105 County Road 50, Gunnison, CO  81230
            800-562-1248 

Day 23 (July 18 – Sun)
Sight See Black Canyon of the Gunnison (Page 45 AAA)
Stay Gunnison KOA 

Day 24 (July 19 – Mon)
Drive to Great Sand Dunes NP
Segment: Black Canyon of The Gunnison NP, CO to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, CO
Distance:  148 miles   Time: 3 hrs., 31mins.
Sight See Great Sand Dunes (Page 105 AAA)
Drive to Raton, NM
Segment:  Great Sand Dunes to Raton, NM
Distance: 109 miles   Time:  2 Hr, 23 Min
TOTAL DRIVE FOR DAY:  257 miles  5 Hrs, 54 Min
Stay at Raton, Cedar Rail RV Park & Campground
            At the top of Raton Pass, Exit 460 on the I-25
                Raton NM  87740, 575-445-8500 Rhonda
                Going south on I-25 - take NM exit 460 (same as CO exit 0 (Zero))
                This exit is shared with the truckers weigh station – watch for exit closely, resist urge to
                Pull out to pass a semi, after you exit – follow blue signs for camping.  Cedar Rail is located on the East          
                Side of I-25
                If we are getting in late – call ahead & Rhonda will turn lots of lights on for us      
                Back in site with great view!

 Day 25 (July 20 – Tues)
Stay at Raton, Cedar Rail RV Park & Campground 

Day 26 (July 21 – Wed)
Drive to Capulin Volcano NP
Segment:  Cedar Rail RV to Capulin Volcano NP
Distance:  47 Miles, 57 Min
Drive to Palo Duro
Segment:  Capulin Volcano NP  to Palo Duro State Park
Distance: 225 miles     Time:  4 Hrs, 36 Min
TOTAL DRIVE FOR DAY:  272 MILES, 5 HRS, 34 MIN
Stay Palo Duro State Park, 11450 Park Road 5, Canyon, TX 79015, 806-488-2227  / info@palodurocanyon.com  
            Loop Mesquite or Sagebrush
                $25/night – water & 50 amp elec (no sewer)
            Park is open 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 pm.  If arriving after 5:00, call 806-488-2227 for late arrival  instructions. 
            CXL fee up until 7/18 is $5.00.  After that – 1^st night charge
                Park entrance fees:  $5/person/night – or buy Tx state Park Pass for $60 when you get to the park.  The
                Pass is good for 1 year. 

Day 27 (July 22 – Thurs)
Stay in Palo Duro
See TEXAS Musical Drama
Eat at BIG TEXAN STATE Ranch 

Day 28 (July 23 – Fri)
Sight See Palo Duro (see play) ( Page 68 AAA)
Stay Palo Duro 

Day 29 (July 24 – Sat)
Drive to Austin
Segment: Palo Duro Canyon State Park, TX to 12621 Scofield Farms Drive, Austin 78727, Texas
Distance:  487 miles  Time: 8 hrs., 49mins.