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Southwest National Parks road trip - Part 2

Arches National Park
What to do: Driving through Arches National Park feels like being transported to an alien world with its delicate and inspiring rock formations. The 43-mile main scenic drive is fully paved with frequent pullouts. If you’re hoping to get in a few hikes and see more of the arches and windows up close, definitely plan to stay for at least a few days.
Campsite options: Devils Campground has only 20 spots inside the park. If you’re open to boondocking in your RV, there is a tremendous amount of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land surrounding the park with several first-come, first-serve campsites.
Capitol Reef National Park
What to do: Capitol Reef National Park offers visitors almost a quarter of a million acres of explorable property. With so much land to see, one of the best ways to experience the park is through a road tour. Also hike the lengthy trails and ride through the winding roads on horseback.
Campsite options: The best part of staying at Capitol Reef National Park is the endless camping options available. Stay in luxury at the Fruita Campground or try your hand at primitive camping in the designated locations.
Grand Canyon National Park
What to do: No road trip is complete without a visit to the Grand Canyon. The park ranger programs are an excellent way to go beyond the parking lot views and make your way deeper into the park.
Campsite options: Three campgrounds can be found spread throughout this stunning location. Though only the Mather Campground is open year-round.        
Saguaro National Park 
What to do: Saguaro National Park looks like someone might depict the Southwest in a cartoon. It’s named for its giant Saguaro cacti that are an average of 50 feet tall and weigh around six tons.
Campsite options: The west side of the park has options for RV camping, such as Gilbert Ray Campground or Justin’s Diamond J RV Park. Both have many sites with hookups for your RV.
Joshua Tree National Park
What to do: Joshua Tree National Park has a lot more to offer than just those Dr. Seussian-shaped trees. On the scenic road that loops through the entire park, you’ll notice the two distinct deserts of The Mojave’s higher elevation and The Colorado’s striking vegetation. The rock formations in this park are incredible and lead to some world-class rock-climbing areas.
Campsite options: There are several campgrounds that will fit your RV within the 1,235-square-mile park, but none of them have hookups.

 

Posted by: Cruise America & Canada RV Rentals Inc
Posted on: 30/12/2025

Southwest National Parks road trip - Part 2

Be inspired by Cruise America & Canada RV Rentals Inc...

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FREE camping in Utah!

Utah is also all about dispersed/free camping, with over 23 million acres of public land to camp on. Much of the land is owned by the Bureau of Land Management, which is generally amenable to free camping for shorter stays.

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Southwest National Parks road trip - Part 2

This part 2 of our look at the awesome National Park options available to you on a southwest road trip. 

IDEAS
Southwest National Parks road trip - Part 1

The Southwest is a huge region dense with national parks showcasing incredible geological features and awesome landscapes. Generally travelling east to west this is part 1 of some of our favourites with part 2 next week.

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