Flagstaff to Missoula Road Trip Guide

We start off right in the city of Flagstaff. The entire city is included within the Coconino National Forest. What makes this place special is that it is home to so many different landscapes. Ponderosa forests, red rocks, alpine tundra, and so much more. And don’t forget, there is a lot of interesting flora and fauna that reside throughout the entire forest. It all depends on where you are actually located. There are plenty of hiking trails in and around Flagstaff and the surrounding area. Plus, you have various paths where you can take walks and also soak in the views of the San Francisco Mountains. Hopefully you brought a camera, because you might be taking a lot of pictures between here and Missoula.

As you settle in for the night before starting off on the road, you can choose one of the near two dozen RV parks that are located throughout Flagstaff. If there is one that you should check out, Black Bart’s RV Park might be a good choice. With plenty of hook-ups and amenities, it makes for a nice rest stop before heading out on the road. And it has a steakhouse, so you don’t have to go too far to grab a bite to eat.

Ah yes...the Grand Canyon in all of its awesome glory. In fact, you’ll be at the north rim of this world-famous natural landmark. Just by looking at it, you know why it is suggested that you bring a camera. Even after you’ve taken a good look at the Grand Canyon and plenty of pictures, it doesn’t stop there. You can hike, go on mule rides, and enjoy nature walks with plenty of beautiful landscape all around you. You’ll be quite amazed by it all.

There’s plenty of RV parks and campgrounds within the park. And some of them give you some pretty awesome views of the canyon from afar. It’s also important to plan accordingly since some of the campgrounds do not have any hook-ups for RVs. Choose the best one that fits you best and go from there.

After just a detour off of US Route 89 to see the Grand Canyon, you’re back on that very same roadway for the duration of the Arizona leg of this road trip. As you enter Utah, you’ll come across the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. This place features three separate landmarks: the Grand Staircase, Escalante Canyon, and Kaiparowits.

One of the most interesting things about this monument is the cave wall art that you might come across during your exploration here. It’s been said that it dates back to at least the ninth century. prior to that, this was once the old stomping ground of many dinosaurs. Plenty of excavation and discovery of dinosaur fossils were found here. And it might come as no surprise that you may find some of you are lucky.

There’s plenty of RV parks and campgrounds that are lined up on Route 89. As you head farther north up the road, you can access the western part of the monument where you can find a few other RV parks sandwiched between the national monument area and nearby Bryce National Forest. Among those campgrounds is a Kampground of America (KOA). Those places are scattered throughout the country and are always an excellent choice when you need a place to settle in.

If you are a sucker for history or always willing to learn something new then you might want to check out the Roots of Knowledge Stained Glass in Orem, Utah. You will learn most of the world’s historical events where the scenes are painted in stained glass. This is located on the campus of Utah Valley University and is measured at 200 feet in length. It was a work of art that comprises well over 60,000 pieces of glass. And it actually took twelve years to complete. But it was definitely worth the time put in for this thing of beauty to be seen by visitors.

As you’ll be near Salt Lake City, you can take a trip farther north to settle in for the night. Alternatively, you can stay in Orem where there are plenty of RV parks in the area. Most of them will have all the hookups you need and all the other amenities like laundry and wifi. Just take note of your RV’s size so you won’t have to struggle with space that may seem too small.

As you head slightly north, you’ll be in the capital city of Utah. It is there where you’ll find the Great Salt Lake in where else but Salt Lake City. The lake is measured 75 miles long and 35 miles wide. And it is a lake that has salt. And you thought saltwater was just for oceans. In fact, it has half the amount of salt compared to the Dead Sea in Israel. And get this: these bodies of water have more salt than any of the world’s oceans. Now if that isn’t the strangest thing, we don’t know what is.

If you made a stop in the previous point of interest in Orem, there’s a good chance you may have taken a trip north to Salt Lake City to settle in for the night. So if you chose an RV Park in the SLC area, then chances are you’ll probably be staying there another night if you plan on doing some exploring. Otherwise, you might be on the road again after starting your day at the lake.

Before you say anything, you’re probably thinking why a cemetery might be a good place to check out. If you are in Logan, Utah there is a specific gravesite that you’ll need to see. At the Logan City Cemetery, you will find the gravesite of Dr. Wade Andrews. One of his favorite things in the world was his wife’s fudge. It was so good that Dr. Andrews would be selfish to not share it even in death. If you are more of the cooking and baking type, jot down that recipe so you can make it yourself during your road trip or afterward.

You’ll be venturing towards Idaho quite soon. But if you are willing to go out of the way a bit, there’s a KOA Campground located on the shores of Bear Lake, just northeast of Logan. And it can be accessed via US Route 89 (yep, that old familiar road). Just be sure to head back west towards I-15 regardless if you are on the Utah or Idaho side of the state line.

After driving through Interstate 15 into Idaho, the Craters of the Moon National Preserve is where you’ll find the best landscapes that were created from volcanic eruptions more than thousands of years ago. You’ll be standing on piles upon piles of dried lava. And it is said that the area might be dormant and still alive underground. It remains to be seen how long it will be until the next “eruption”. But until then, it’s a great place to do some walking and take pictures.

Of course, it’s a bit out of the way from Interstate 15, but worth spending the day if you like exploring some unique landscape. And you won’t be far from any RV parks either. Some of them will be on US Route 20, which you will need to take to go to and from the national preserve. The best way to get there is to go off of the Interstate in Idaho Falls and merge onto US Route 20. Take the same road back as you continue onward to your journey towards Montana.

Just outside of Butte, Montana is a statue that sits atop a mountain that is 8,500 feet above sea level. At night, Our Lady Of The Rockies is a sight to see since it lights up after dark. You can take a tram to see the nearly 90-foot tall statue yourself and leave a message to the lady herself on a tile. What you’ll notice when you get to the top of the mountain is a small chapel that is located near the statue.

There’s a few RV parks and campgrounds both in and out of the city of Butte. Yet, there’s a KOA Campground that is located south of the downtown area. Get a good night’s rest, because the next day marks the final leg of your journey.