Route suggestions from MN to AZ in late Jan.

[NanaStacie]

We are heading out for the first time south for 2 months this winter. We plan to watch for a good weather opening and head out late January . We are traveling from southern MN to Benson AZ. We hope to arrive in Benson around the first week in February. I'm looking for anyone who has traveled this route and wondering how far you travel each day and how long we should expect to be on the road. . Also any suggestions of campgrounds, stops, route , etc are appreciated. We are very much newbies to our 5th wheel (28.5 Eagle HT) . Thank you in advance !

[oldmanAZ]

You're asking for some very specific route information, but I just have a general suggestion HEAD SOUTH QUICKLY! There's a lot of territory for you to cover, but the safest route for you will be the warmest one. Due to the time of year, my frequent trips between MI and AZ won't be of much help.

You'll likely have lots of freezing weather along the way, so you may not want to de-winterize until you're confident of the weather. Be ready for cold weather camping. Last January we encountered freezing weather all the way from AZ, along the Gulf coast, to the panhandle of FL. Not what we wanted.

[SloPoke]

In most cases... you are going to be heading thru Albuquerque. We liked the Route 66 Hotel and Casino RV Park.
Home has a new park. They are right along I-40 and we liked it a lot.

[WinnieView]

Originally Posted by NanaStacie

We are heading out for the first time south for 2 months this winter. We plan to watch for a good weather opening and head out late January . We are traveling from southern MN to Benson AZ. We hope to arrive in Benson around the first week in February. I'm looking for anyone who has traveled this route and wondering how far you travel each day and how long we should expect to be on the road. . Also any suggestions of campgrounds, stops, route , etc are appreciated. We are very much newbies to our 5th wheel (28.5 Eagle HT) . Thank you in advance !

As mentioned, head south to I-10 and then west.

Originally Posted by SloPoke

In most cases... you are going to be heading thru Albuquerque. We liked the Route 66 Hotel and Casino RV Park.
Home has a new park. They are right along I-40 and we liked it a lot.

Hey, look at that--a FG and SG Seneca in one shot! The best and the best.

[NanaStacie]

I know my question is pretty challenging as it is very specific. I was hoping to find another crazy Minnesotan that leaves after the first of the year. We are hoping to put in some long travel days to get to warmer weather ASAP. Thanks for the advice on not dewinterizing until we get warmer. We figure some motel stops will be necessary as I assume it will be difficult to find CG open until we reach a certain level of heat. Thanks for all the help....we came to the experts!

[Old skipper]

Not the most scenic but January and cold weather stay on truck routes. When it is snowing just fall in line with the big trucks if they slow down to 45 or even 35 they probable know something you don’t. After you establish your route get the Dept of transportation web site and phone numbers for each state you are traveling through. Plan on being off the road by 4pm. Many camp ground offices close at 4 especially in the winter. Make some calls most KOA’s are the exception they take check in generaly to 7 pm.

[NanaStacie]

Thank you Old Skipper....Great info!

[Stingray75]

Last year was Our first escape from MN/WI winter in search of warmth. The “advantage” of leaving late in the year is that it’s too cold to snow. The down side of a -15 degrees start of the trip is that use of the trailer is out of the question for a few days - thought we could on the second night but the foam mattress was still rock like. Choose a destination for night #1 that includes a hotel and hope for better conditions on night #2.

Our other challenge was keeping stuff from freezing. Drugs, toiletries and cooking stuff was a bigger challenge than anticipated.

[NanaStacie]

Stingray75....Thanks for the information. We figured we would do hotels, suitcases, and a cooler for food. Did you make reservations in advance or just drive until you were done and see what you could find? Hopefully hotels will have BIG parking lots !

[oldmanAZ]

You will be traveling in the winter and not around the holidays. You should have no problem finding a room or worry about room in parking lots. Traveling in the winter, the road conditions and the cold weather will be your most challenging issues.

Of course if a big storm hits your planned route ahead of you, some parking lots might have lots of snow piles in them. Also, they do close down the highways during severe winter storms (this becomes more likely the farther north and west you are traveling). If they do, then motels near the highway can fill quickly, but you'd have the option of using your trailer so travel with full propane and fuel tanks.

Be safe and let the weather guide your travel plans.

[Stingray75]

NanaStacie - around midday we’d start looking for a place 5 or 6 hours down the road. Using google maps helped us gauge the size of the parking lot and surroundings.

[wags999]

I would avoid I 40.. Lots of open space in OK, NM, and Az and road closes due to weather often. Also high winds. I would, as others suggested head south and hit I 10 at some point. Your traveling in the dead of winter, even in Az you can hit snow in the higher elevations. Do you have reservations for Az? Once you get into warmer areas you will find more CG that are full.


Good Luck, drive safe and watch the weather forecasts, winds also.

[Kim Gass]

With an RV when you go to a motel you need to be sure it fits
We use this
https://www.allstays.com/hotel-maps/truck-hotels.htm

We don't have issues with finding at least some sort of campground open but if you can't use their facilities below freezing, why pay for that? Sometimes a motel is just more comfy

We have done that a couple of times when there were big storms on our route.. It was interesting getting out of a lot with a 15 inch snow dump.. Fortunately we were pointed a little downhill.

When we go south we almost always get hit with a storm.. One followed us all the way from VA to ME and the last one was hairy from VA to PA as there were just about no plows out.

[NanaStacie]

Originally Posted by wags999

I would avoid I 40.. Lots of open space in OK, NM, and Az and road closes due to weather often. Also high winds. I would, as others suggested head south and hit I 10 at some point. Your traveling in the dead of winter, even in Az you can hit snow in the higher elevations. Do you have reservations for Az? Once you get into warmer areas you will find more CG that are full.


Good Luck, drive safe and watch the weather forecasts, winds also.

Thanks for the advice Waggs999. We will head to I 10 and avoid I 40.
We actually have two spots reserved in Benson Az. We had been on a waiting list to get into one and finally got into it, only you find out it was a terrible spot right next to the big "activity center" of the park. We had another reservation that we had made at our 2nd choice but that one has noise from trains. We are still hoping that we can get a better spot at our #1 choice if one opens up. Time will tell as we will need to cancel it he soon.

[NanaStacie]

Originally Posted by Kim Gass

With an RV when you go to a motel you need to be sure it fits
We use this
https://www.allstays.com/hotel-maps/truck-hotels.htm

We don't have issues with finding at least some sort of campground open but if you can't use their facilities below freezing, why pay for that? Sometimes a motel is just more comfy

We have done that a couple of times when there were big storms on our route.. It was interesting getting out of a lot with a 15 inch snow dump.. Fortunately we were pointed a little downhill.

When we go south we almost always get hit with a storm.. One followed us all the way from VA to ME and the last one was hairy from VA to PA as there were just about no plows out.

Thanks Kim...I didn't know that info was on there! I just got the app and will look it up. I'm so thankful for this site. Thanks for taking the time to reply!

[Kahoneys]

Here is what we did following the same route 2 years ago. I would not plan to stay at the campus RV (1st stop) for it was a lot of intown driving with some low bridges on the way. Other than that the KOA's were really nice.

Monday 1/19 Campus RV Park
500 W. Pacific
Independence, MO 64050
816/254-1815
463 Miles 7.71 hours

Tuesday 1/20 Rockwell RV Park Reservation Made
720 S. Rockwell
Oklahoma City, OK 73128
405/787-5992
366 Miles 6.1 hours

Wednesday 1/21 KOA Alburquerque
$39.55
12400 Skyline Road N.E.
Alburquerque, NM 87123
528 Miles 8.8 hours

Thursday 1/22 KOA Tucson/Lazydays
$47.51
5151 South Country Club Road
Tucson, AZ 85706
800-562-8730
452 Miles 7.5 hours

[poohbear]

Originally Posted by NanaStacie

I know my question is pretty challenging as it is very specific. I was hoping to find another crazy Minnesotan that leaves after the first of the year. We are hoping to put in some long travel days to get to warmer weather ASAP. Thanks for the advice on not dewinterizing until we get warmer. We figure some motel stops will be necessary as I assume it will be difficult to find CG open until we reach a certain level of heat. Thanks for all the help....we came to the experts!

Take I35 to Ft. Worth then I20 to I10 to Benson. Watch the weather as you get here in Tx as we rarely get snow but if gets cold we get nasty ice . Plus we don't have a clue how to drive on ice
There are more scenic routes but for that long a trip the Interstates are the best way.

[NanaStacie]

Thanks Kahoneys,
This is helpful. Did all you campgrounds have bathrooms and showers working that time of year?

[PlayersZ28]

Originally Posted by NanaStacie

We are heading out for the first time south for 2 months this winter. We plan to watch for a good weather opening and head out late January . We are traveling from southern MN to Benson AZ. We hope to arrive in Benson around the first week in February. I'm looking for anyone who has traveled this route and wondering how far you travel each day and how long we should expect to be on the road. . Also any suggestions of campgrounds, stops, route , etc are appreciated. We are very much newbies to our 5th wheel (28.5 Eagle HT) . Thank you in advance !

We leave Ontario between Xmas & NYrs. Our route depends on the weather at the time but it's either 40, 30/20 or 10 and we pick when we're ready to go. Nothing is open for camping that we found so we use truck stops or Walmarts for the overnights as we're maxing the travel time. We've done the trip 3x now. First yr was straight to NOLA to get out of bad roads, the next yr we could use 40 and no snow until Flagstaff. Last yr was 30/20. If we are further south then we're in Benson for NYrs.

[Kahoneys]

Originally Posted by NanaStacie

Thanks Kahoneys,
This is helpful. Did all you campgrounds have bathrooms and showers working that time of year?

Yes. Excluding the Campus RV which I wouldn't recommend