Planning year long US OVerlanding journey

[Nor Cal Ursa]

Howdy Y'all

I am beginning to plan a year-long US tour in memory of my Pops, who never got the chance to do this before he passed. I would love folks' ideas of trails and places to visit around the country. I will be starting out in California but plan on going to every state during my time out. I have traveled a bunch around the states by vehicle but not off-road.

 

[Helias86]

Sorry for the loss...

I have been to most of the country, aside from Hawaii. Maine and Alaska and Northern Idaho/Northern Montana are absolutely the best parts of this country. Being born and raised in California myself, before moving to the central coast of Maine, I can appreciate Yosemite and Big Sur, etc... but when you get out of California, the world really opens up. Zion Nat'l Park in Utah is also absolutely unbelievable.

 

[David C Gibbs]

Hi Ian,
Sorry for your loss. Start with your Pop. Where was he born, your grandparents, their parents, etc. As a 10th generation American of Puritan roots, I am only 5 generation's removed from the Rev. War. Our time spent visiting Rev. War locations like Crown Point was overwhelming. The Mrs & I have been in all the states, except Hawaii. You can ship your vehicle to Alaska and travel back via the Yukon and British Columbia, Into Washington state, then East into Northern Idaho, North/West Montana, south to Yellowstone & Teton's, back West to Boise, ID; Bend, OR; Oregon Coast. Depends on how much you want to drive/explore. You could spend a month in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming - and not see it ALL. Do you want to visit Large Urban areas like Portland, and Seattle? Pike's Market is worth the trip, as is the Space Needle, and Paul Allen's Music center. Or do want to Fly-Fish all the famous waters in each state. There's more to Neveda, than Reno & Las Vegas, same for Arizona than Flagstaff, greater Phoenix, and Tucson. 98% of visitors to the Grand Canyon, never see it from the North Rim. If your not a AAA member, start here! Great Maps and Travel guides. Let me know went you get to Boise, I'll buy you a Beer...
David

 

[Nor Cal Ursa]

Hi Ian,
Sorry for your loss. Start with your Pop. Where was he born, your grandparents, their parents, etc. As a 10th generation American of Puritan roots, I am only 5 generation's removed from the Rev. War. Our time spent visiting Rev. War locations like Crown Point was overwhelming. The Mrs & I have been in all the states, except Hawaii. You can ship your vehicle to Alaska and travel back via the Yukon and British Columbia, Into Washington state, then East into Northern Idaho, North/West Montana, south to Yellowstone & Teton's, back West to Boise, ID; Bend, OR; Oregon Coast. Depends on how much you want to drive/explore. You could spend a month in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming - and not see it ALL. Do you want to visit Large Urban areas like Portland, and Seattle? Pike's Market is worth the trip, as is the Space Needle, and Paul Allen's Music center. Or do want to Fly-Fish all the famous waters in each state. There's more to Neveda, than Reno & Las Vegas, same for Arizona than Flagstaff, greater Phoenix, and Tucson. 98% of visitors to the Grand Canyon, never see it from the North Rim. If your not a AAA member, start here! Great Maps and Travel guides. Let me know went you get to Boise, I'll buy you a Beer...
David

Thanks! I am going to try and stay on the trails as much as possible and out of big cities unless needed or visiting folks. I too am of colonial roots from both Appalachia and New England, and will definitely be visiting some of the old heritage places.

 

[roots66]

Texas is 97% private land, so if you plan to visit, I would recommend Big Bend National Park and Padre Island National Seashore. We don't have much, but what we do have is pretty cool.

 

[DMS1]

Having just done this over a two and a half year period, I would recommend not trying to hit every state as you will spend most of your time driving and not enjoying the adventure. If you you hit every state in the lower 48, that would only give you a little over 1 week in each state.

Here is some of what we did on our trip:

Vehicles:
2018 Ford F150 XLT - Bought May 2018 - 18 miles on it, 29K miles at end of trip
2013 Forest River - Rockwood Mini Lite - 2502S - 12K miles

National Parks:
Grand Teton NP - Wyoming
Grand Canyon NP - Arizona
Zion NP - Utah
Yellowstone NP - Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
Petrified Forest NP - Arizona
Bryce Canyon NP - Utah
Capitol Reef NP - Utah
Guadalupe Mountains NP - Texas
Yosemite NP - California
Arches NP - Utah
Canyonlands NP - Utah
Carlsbad Caverns NP - New Mexico
Wind Cave NP - South Dakota
Rocky Mountain NP - Colorado

National Monuments:
Little Bighorn Battlefield NM - Montana
Cedar Breaks NM - Utah
Dinosaur NM - Utah
Devils Tower NM - Wyoming

States:
California
Nevada
Idaho
Wyoming
Montana
Utah
New Mexico
Texas
Arizona
Oklahoma
South Dakota
North Dakota
Kansas
New Mexico
Nebraska

Museums:
Unser Racing Museum - Albuquerque NM
John Wesley Powell River History Museum - Green River UT
Western Mining and Railroad Museum - Helper UT
Tusayan Museum - Grand Canyon AZ
Anasazi State Park Museum - Boulder UT
Laws Railroad Museum - Laws CA
Eastern California Museum - Independence CA
Paiute-Shoshone Cultural Center - Bishop CA
Tucumcari Railroad Museum - Tucumcari NM
Tucumcari Historical Museum - Tucumcari NM
Mesalands Dinosaur Museum - Tucumcari NM
The National Oregon/California Trail Center - Montpelier ID
Central Nevada Museum - Tonopah NV
Tonopah Historic Mining Park - Tonopah NV
Escalante Heritage Center - Escalante UT
St George Dinosaur Discovry Site At Johnsons Farm - St George UT
Rosenbruch World Wildlife Museum - St George UT
Mountain Man Museum - Pinedale WY
Buffalo Bill Center of the West - Cody WY - Best Museum
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum - Oklahoma City OK

Other:
Red Rock Canyon State Park - CA
Red Canyon Visitor Center - UT
Shoshone Falls Park - ID
Custer State Park - SD
Alamo - TX
Buc-ee's - World's Largest Gas Station - New Braunfels TX
Lake Tahoe - CA - NV
Mammoth Lakes - CA
Morimoto Restaurant Las Vegas - NV
Golden Spike National Historical Park - UT
Standin' On A Corner - Winslow AZ
Overland Expo West 2019 - Flagstaff AZ
National Scenic Byway 12 - Twice - Once in each direction - UT
Sitting Bull Falls - NM
Josie Sanchez 90th Birthday Party - CA
Ilene Putman 90th Birthday Party - CA
Living Desert State Park - Carlsbad NM
Bearizona Wildlife Park - Williams AZ
Garden of the Gods - Colorado Springs CO
Black Hills - SD
Mount Rushmore - SD
Crazy Horse Memorial - SD
Needles Highway - SD
Bryce Wildlife Adventure - UT

 

[DMS1]

The best trails in the US are in Utah and Southwest Colorado (and California, but you are from there), I would spend a lot of time in those two states.

 

[Rctonnie]

If you ride through Kansas swing by Wilson Lake: Wilson
It's a bit of a gem (for Kansas standards).
If you make it to the east side shoot me a message. I'm in Lawrence (outside of Kansas City) and there are several state fishing lakes nearby that have free camping, great fishing, and good sunsets.

 

[FishinCrzy]

If you ride through Kansas swing by Wilson Lake: Wilson
It's a bit of a gem (for Kansas standards).
If you make it to the east side shoot me a message. I'm in Lawrence (outside of Kansas City) and there are several state fishing lakes nearby that have free camping, great fishing, and good sunsets.

I was just looking on maps at Woodridge Public Use Area as a stopover while doing a cross-country. Looks like a neat place to camp by the water.

 

[Rctonnie]

I was just looking on maps at Woodridge Public Use Area as a stopover while doing a cross-country. Looks like a neat place to camp by the water.

If you don't mind a short hike (.75 miles) Woodridge is really great. You can park and hike anywhere to lakeshore and set up shop.
If it's in season and you're wanting to car camp, get there early and expect a crowd (and sometimes a rowdy one with the University nearby... unfortunately).

I highly recommend looking up the nearby county fishing lakes... they are public use just like Woodridge, they have fewer amenities, but they are quiet and rarely busy.

 

[FishinCrzy]

If you don't mind a short hike (.75 miles) Woodridge is really great. You can park and hike anywhere to lakeshore and set up shop.
If it's in season and you're wanting to car camp, get there early and expect a crowd (and sometimes a rowdy one with the University nearby... unfortunately).

I highly recommend looking up the nearby county fishing lakes... they are public use just like Woodridge, they have fewer amenities, but they are quiet and rarely busy.

Thanks for the heads up!