After sitting in Moab for a month waiting for good whether, I’m finally on the move. This map shows my initial travels from Moab. I followed half the basic route of the Grand Circle and then headed north. I drove south on 191 to Blanding then took 95 to Hanksville, 24 to Torrey and then 12 to Panguitch. From there I left the Grand Circle and took 89 north. There’s a northern half of the map below. In future posts I’ll talk about each road with photos. The Xs are my campsites. You can zoom in on them at the map at the bottom of the page.
You’ll notice that some of the icons are little yellow cars; those designate a long summer road trip so you can follow along as I post them. Right now in June 2015 I am in my Summer Rocky Mountain Tour so all the yellow cars are in the Rockies from Utah, Colorodo, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana and New Mexico. Next year (summer 2016) I’m planning a trip up the Pacific Coast so all the little cars will be in California, Oregon and Washington.
To follow my route this year and see each campsite, click on the “Find a Campsite,” http://www.cheaprvliving.com/find-campsite/ button at the top of every page and you’ll see my last campsite because it has a little car in the Rockies. Of course I’ll be writing posts all summer on my travels.
This is a map to my current location and my route to get here. As I type this I’m in the Wasatch-Uinta NF just above Kamas, Utah. My goal this summer is to drive the most beautiful mountain passes in the Rocky Mountains and I’m starting in Northwest Utah heading into Wyoming from here. The Xs are my campsite. See the Find a Campsite page for details.
As I add new campsites I’ll try to give more details and as I have time I’ll go back and add more details and hopefully some pictures of the campsite. One thing I realized I should be doing is giving them a star rating so from now on I will. It’s a 5 Star rating with 5 being the best and 1 being the worst.
Also bear in mind, I haven’t been to some of them for a long time, as much as 7 years ago, so they may no longer be available or may now be fee areas. I’ll try to be sure and add a “last visited” date to it as well so you’ll know when I was last there.
Here is the map, I hope you find it useful. Bringing it up to date is going to take some time so check back often as I add states and more details on campsites. Eventually I’d like to add pictures of each campsite. I may also invite other friends to add their sites. If I do I’ll have them add their names so you’ll know who posted it. _______________________________________
I like the interactive map. I love that you comment on internet at each site as I am thoroughly addicted to my connection.
Thanks Linda. I’ve gotta remember to put that kind of info in them. Glad it helps!
Bob
Word! Getting ready for my “road work” as I’ll be working while on an adventure throughout the USA with my Camp Inn Classic 550.
And … of course, txs much for your dedication towards your blog for our enjoyment.
You are very welcome Maureen!
Bob
Thanks for all the hard work you put in on the site!
You’re very welcome Jim.
Bib
Great job on the map Bob! I really like the little cars marking your trip. Thanks for including my blog link in your post!
I’m glad that you could figure out how to make a map from my tutorial because so much changed when Google switched to their new system. Some things are easier but some of the really useful components have disappeared. I’ve been hoping that Google would listen to all of the unhappy map users and put the missing components back but that has not happened. If anyone is interested in making their own map I’ll make another tutorial that uses the new system. Just let me know.
Karen, U have said it, GOOGLE new maps / system can truly be a pain U know where ! Often times when you place the cursor on them they VANISH from your eyes… GOOGLE has surely changed & not for the better !!
My regards, Lucy.
I really do appreciate the help Karen! I initially set it up with layers fr each state and it seemed perfect, but the layers just simply disappeared so now it is just one layer with everything showing. Oh well, it still works just fine.
Bob
I am REALLY interested. I’ve made a (small) effort a couple times to start, but can never seem to find the info I am looking for in their documentation… or, i’m not finding the documentation.
Do you know if different maps can be merged?
And how many sites can be included on one map?
Scott, I don’t believe that different maps can be merged. With the old maps it was very easy to transfer placemarks, one at a time, from one map into another but that function has disappeared.
The number of placemarks was limited on the old maps to 200. Any placemarks after 200 would be listed on a second page so it was confusing to try to use a map with a large amount of placemarks. The new maps allow a much larger amount of placemarks. I think that it’s as high as 2,000 per layer. This is a definite improvement!
Shhh, but it looks like a person or tribe could easily, economically, and efficiently live well and safely just by going up and down in those states following the good weather. (Thats me, always stating the obvious.)
That’s a very good plan jonthebru, I’m glad you thought of it! 🙂
Bob
Absolutely agree. FYI I found a very nice free campground with amenities at Armour, South Dakota in case anyone’s in that area and needs a nice quiet one there. Lions Park just 1 block east of the main drag, Hwy 281, has 30 amp electricity,the dump and and potable water hydrant is available near the bath house. Open May-Sept. free for 5 days, longer stays arrange with city hall. Stayed there over the 4th and only two rv’s were there besides me. Lovely quiet park setting with grass, tables, playground, 4-5 big pull-thru’s and several back ins. They accept donations. Nice little town with services including,automotive,grocery, movie theater, etc.. Liked that one so well I also stayed at the Lions Park outside of Bear Creek, Wisconsin, too, just north of the intersection of US Hwy 45 and WI Hwy 22. Grassy playground,no camping amenities but pleasant overnight stay in their grassy overflow parking area. HWY traffic was nil from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. so spent quiet overnights both times I stayed.
Thanks for that good info Rae! You can always use more free campsites!
Bob
Txs Jonthebru!!
wow, thanks for this resource!
You’re welcome Ming.
Bob
Bob, this is great information. I didn’t know there were so many free camping areas. Of course like you said you do a lot of dispersed camping. I have done some of that type of camping but they have always been hard to find. Of course the areas I was in were not usually around that type of camping. It is good to know they are around, and it gives me more incentive to go out West to enjoy them. I am doing some research on the dispersed camping and came across this site of one of the places you have camped, (Dixie NF in UT). They have a guideline how to disperse camp and some general rules. I learned a few things i didn’t know that will help me when I head out. Here is the link if anyone wants to look at the guidelines to get an idea of dispersed camping. I am sure that most of the people that visit your site know these things already, but I am sure there may be a few like myself just starting out.
Dixie NF Dispersed Camping Page
Steve,
Your link does not work as copied and pasted. Everywhere you see a percentage sign followed by the number 20 (as in %20), that is HTML for a space in the web address. Once I cleaned that up, I was able to visit the web page. Hopefully the link (as cleaned up) displays correctly below. (You should be able to copy and paste everything below into a new web page even if it does not display as a complete link, as was the case with Steve’s URL.)
http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDfxMDT8MwRydLA1cj72DTUE8TAwjQL8h2VAQAMtzFUw!!/?ss=110407&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=stelprdb5137037&navid=110130000000000&pnavid=110000000000000&position=Not Yet Determined.Html&ttype=detailfull&pname=Dixie National Forest- Camping & Cabins
Note that you need all of that text (through the word Cabins), not simply the part that displays as a link.
Thanks for your work Walt, the page was worth going to.
Bob
Bob, there’s a great deal of work in those maps. Thank you for it! This information is of great use to any traveler who camps.
Glad to help Calvin!
Bob
A great and helpful idea, Bob! I had a Google Map of at least 100 tub-accessible sites, but it got bolloxed in the transition and then, in trying to fix it, I unintentionally deleted it! Boom! Vapor! I’m starting over now, but in my GPS’s desktop software. You are most fortunate to have someone like Karen to help you in this, oh yes!
Thanks Doug! Yeah, I worry too that one of these days it will just simply disappear and I’ll have to start all over again. The Cyberworld is a harsh mistress–can’t live with it, can’t live without it!Kinda like involuntary BDSM!
Bob
Bob, Thanks for your website, forum, and this ongoing travelogue. I assume there are many people just like me that are living their lives vicariously through you and your travels, just waiting for the day they can draw pension and unchain themselves from their desks.
Thanks for what you do. Your stories, tips, and adventures give us something to dream about until the day we can make the escape ourselves.
You are very welcome tikiman! Your day will finally come and when it does you will be making the memories and taking the pictures!
Bob
Timely post Bob! I was just wondering where you might currently be on your summer trip. 20 working days left for me! WOO! HOO! Hope to be mobile again by August/September.
That’s good news Greg, it seems like just yesterday we were talking about whether you should stay until June, doesn’t it? Now the time has flown by and you get the economic advantages working those few months offered.
You know my camp is alwyas open to you!
Bob
I love this so much!!! Thank you for putting so much work into making all of our lives a little easier. Perhaps if others visit the sites you haven’t been to in a while, they could provide you with an update on the current conditions, and whether or not it’s still free to camp there…?
Thanks T, that’s a very good idea! I’ll add that to the page–asking people to update me.
Thanks again!
Bob
Say hello to my sister & family, just north of Kamas in Oakley. And if you feel like a little diversion, take Weber Canyon Road east out of Oakley to Smith and Morehouse Reservoir. And if you’re headed to Wyoming, take highway 150 from Kamas to Evanston—if it’s open. http://rollingsteeltent.blogspot.com/2014/05/a-morning-of-exploration.html
Al, right now I am camped on the hillside above 150 and tomorrow I am planning to take it to Evanston! You read my mind!
I’ve never been to this part of Utah before, but I gotta tell you I am very impressed with the whole Heber Valley, it’s all just beautiful! Today I drove the Alpine Loop up by Sundance and It’s all beautiful! A few days ago I drove Big Cottonwood canyon out of Sandy and down Gaurdsman Pass to Park City it was great.
The last drive I have planned is from Bear lake to Ogden on 189. If I only do one more drive after that, what would you recommend it to be?
Bob
You could take state highway 39 east out of Ogden, to Woodruff, then state highway 16 north through Randolf and connect to state highway 30 west to Bear Lake. Then take US 89 from Bear Lake to Logan. Or at least drive up 89 to the scenic overlook. From Logan you could take 91 to Brigham City and connect to I-15 south. Then take I-84 eat and south to Wanship where highway 32 will take you back through Oakley to Kamas. It’s a lot of driving, though.
I certainly agree, Free is always better. I’ll be leaving to do a cross country trip for the summer….I was wishing that this existed going to the east coast. Great idea, Bob.
klbexplores, there is lots less free camping back east, but if you look around there is some.
Bob