Los Angeles to Oklahoma and Back: Trip Planning (2 Viewers)

[82SC]

So just got word my Patriot Camper X3 is slated for arrival soon.
I'm convincing the wifey to do a road trip out there to pick it up and bring it back rather then having it shipped

Plus it would be a great way to break in the LC200 and campers
We are pretty experienced campers, but haven't really done a ton of non-national park or non-state park camping.

Don't wanna get too deep into anything until I'm familiar with the trailer but wanna definitely get the tires dirty.

Trip out there would be standard car camping and trip back would be with the X3

Prelim plan is to go Thanksgiving week
Take the northern route on the 40 and then return on the southern route taking the 10
I do plan to stop by Houston and Austin to visit friends on the return leg

Would love to know if there are any spots for a little overlanding/camping or hidden gems

Rough itinerary:

Heading out
Stop over in Vegas (maybe)
Hoover Dam
Grand Canyon
Antelope Canyon
Durant, OK and pick up trailer

Head south to Houston and stay with friends
Head to Austin and fill up on some BBQ

Head back to LA

 

[1world1love]

Depending on your available time, you may want to consider a more northerly route. You could go Vegas - Grand Junction - Ouray - Durango - ABQ - Then on to OK on 40.

Even better, you could hit Vegas, then head through Vermilion Cliffs to Moab via Monument Valley and Valley of the gods. Then from Moab to Ouray, etc.

If you have your heart set on GCNP, you can do the north rim and up to Page/Vermilion Cliffs from there and then continue the second itinerary. There is tons of camping all along.

If I were you, I would do your outbound itenerary on the way home and one of the above iteneraries outbound. Or vice-versa. If you want to visit friends in Texas. I would fly down a different time. There is zero chance I would waste the opportunity to enjoy a brand new Patriot anywhere in Texas (with all due respect to the mudders in TX). I'd hit the San Juans, Moab, and a zillion other places before I drove my trailer to Houston.

Just my 2 cents (1.25 after taxes)

 

[82SC]

Thanks. All sound awesome.

I checked online and plane tickets are like 50 bucks one way to Dallas and shipping my car to OK isn’t terrible. so I’m may try to save some time and ship the car out and fly out to meet the car and then enjoy the drive back and try to do some light camping with the trailer.

Trying to book it out there in 2 days with 3 kids under 10 might start the trip out on the wrong foot.

And we have good friends out in Houston so we figured this might be a good time to visit as I don’t think we’d use vacations to come out the Houston…..

South padre island looked cool for a beach experience with the x3.

So roughly
Fly out to Dallas and drive up to OK and get trailer
Hang out in Houston and Austin for a couple days. Maybe beach camp on padre island

Then start heading back.

May try to hit Navajo monument and antelope canyon area (kiddo is doing native America project for 3rd grade). Petrified Forrest and crater.
Maybe Grand Canyon. But am definitely gonna see how far north I can make it with some of your suggestions before having to get back home in time for kids school.

I’m a pretty experienced car camping and backpacker….but offroad and trailer camping is completely new to me so id be worried about the learning curve with trailer/off-roading/over landing and learning the quirks and functions of a new trailer. But for sure that X3 is gonna see a lot of Utah once I get some time with the trailer.