Sponsored

Help me plan a 11 1/2 month Jeep camping trip Michigan to the Mexico boarder to Dead Horse Alaska and back

wibornz

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ted
Joined
Aug 3, 2018
Threads
157
Messages
9,796
Reaction score
49,910
Location
lansing, Mi.
Vehicle(s)
JL Unlimited Rubicon
Occupation
Retired from Corrections....I have stories.
So I have 107 days to finish planning this trip. I expect to put on approx 20,000 miles. The general plan is to leave January 1st and head to Padre Island, then wheel all.the states west of Texas.

Time Line

January to March. Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Sothern California

March - May will be Nevada, Utah, Northern Arizona and Northern New Mexico. We only have a few hard dates, one of them is 4/10/22 be in Moab for EJS. We have 20+ friends meeting us and wheeling with us in Moab. Plan to spend about 4 to 6 six weeks in Moab.

June, is slated for Colorada.

July 1st, we point the Jeeps north and actively start pushing north towards Alaska. We have set 10 weeks set aside to travel to Alaska and explore Alaska.

Mid-September be in Western Alaska and put the Jeeps on ferries and island hop from Alaska back to Washington.

October explore Washington, Oregon, some of Northern California and Idaho. Then head back to Michigan and be home mid November.

Things that we already plan on attempting to visit will listed on the next post.

What I would like is that knowing our loose itinerary, if you have a suggestion of a place to wheel, camp or a sight that should not be missed, post it up so I can add it to my list.

What I do is build a list and then drop the points on google maps. As we travel, I can look at the map and see what we have already pinned and make decisions if we should go to the pinned locations. We will not hit every pin as we all know that there is a cost in money and time to de everything. We will look at the map and where we are and plan accordingly as we move from state to state. We will set up base camps and do day trips from camp.

If you are not comfortable posting it on an open thread, but are willing to share it with me in a private message, that would be cool also. I will not share locations of anything that is sent to me privately or noted that you do not want it shared.

I have been planning this adventure for approximately 6 years and this is why I bought my JLUR. I have spent the last three years preparing my Jeep, my camper, and my skill set to do this. There will be three JLURs going on this trip.

If you have seen any of my post from my Jeep travels, you have probably seen the cast of characters.

The people going with me... and their Jeep and campers.

This is a super guy and girl. He and her are ride and die type of friends. He looks tough, but we call him Princess.
Jeep Wrangler JL Help me plan a 11 1/2 month Jeep camping trip Michigan to the Mexico boarder to Dead Horse Alaska and back 1631789479986


They are shutting down a million dollar business for a year to take this trip.
Jeep Wrangler JL Help me plan a 11 1/2 month Jeep camping trip Michigan to the Mexico boarder to Dead Horse Alaska and back 1631788671569


this guy and girl..... If they can find her a job that she can do remote...... He is a long time friend and she is the first girlfriend that he has ever introduced us to.... Since his divorce 10+ years ago. She is tricking cool.
Jeep Wrangler JL Help me plan a 11 1/2 month Jeep camping trip Michigan to the Mexico boarder to Dead Horse Alaska and back 1631789705982



we have been riding ATVs, SxS and motorcycles together for 25+ years.


Jeep Wrangler JL Help me plan a 11 1/2 month Jeep camping trip Michigan to the Mexico boarder to Dead Horse Alaska and back 1631789155430


Then me and my crazy ass wife. We will have been married 32 years at the end of the month.
Jeep Wrangler JL Help me plan a 11 1/2 month Jeep camping trip Michigan to the Mexico boarder to Dead Horse Alaska and back 1631790106011


of course my set up.
Jeep Wrangler JL Help me plan a 11 1/2 month Jeep camping trip Michigan to the Mexico boarder to Dead Horse Alaska and back 1631789383000


We all are experienced Jeep wheelers, campers, navigators. We all have skills that help with survival, emergency first aid, Jeep and camper maintenance and repair, recovery, social skills. (we have all traveled together for years), I talked both of them into getting Jeeps and campers. Then with my constant chatter about dreams of going form Arizona to Alaska via Jeep camping.... They just had to come along. They said that I was not allowed to leave them behind. Let me quote Prinsess.. "A trip of a lifetime..... a bucket list adventure."
Sponsored

 
OP
OP
wibornz

wibornz

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ted
Joined
Aug 3, 2018
Threads
157
Messages
9,796
Reaction score
49,910
Location
lansing, Mi.
Vehicle(s)
JL Unlimited Rubicon
Occupation
Retired from Corrections....I have stories.
Our current list the things. The file is a shared file that Gary, Angie, Bill, Missy or Carla can add to.




Takakkaw Falls, the second tallest waterfall in Canada. Yoho National Park, BC. Canadian rockies lakes, Herbert lake, Bow Lake, Patricia lake, Pyramid lake, Spirit Island,
Maligned lake
Kenai Lake and Seward beaches alaska Dyea Flats in Skagway alaska
Auke Lake in Juneau alaska
Ptarmigan Lake in Bear Creek, AK. Hatcher pass Alaska
MBrooks Falls, Katmai, Alaska Portage Glacier
Calf Creek Falls, Utah
West beaver creek Arizona
The Watchman Mountain & Hiking Trail, Zion National Park, Utah Reflection Canyon Lake Powel Utah
PALMER LAKE Colorado
Lake Elizabeth, Sierra Nevada
Alabama Hills Lone Pine California
Sandstone waves Coyote Buttes Northern Arizona
Denali National Park Alaska
Golden Views at Watson Lake Arizona
Taft Point, Yosemite National Park,
Multnomah Falls at Multnomah Creek in the Columbia River George Oregon. Columbia Highway
and Interstate 84
Waterfalls Glenwood Springs Colorado
Hickman Bridge Capitol Reef National Park Utah St Mary Lake Glacier National Park
Seven sacred pools Arizona
Beaver Falls Arizona
Spider rock in Arizona
Crystal River Mill outside of Marble Colorado
Box Canyon Wickenburg AZ Darby Canyon Wind cave.
Canyon of the Ancients - Colorado Eldorado Colorado
Black Canyon Colorado
Durango Colorado
Red Mountain Pass in Colorado Skull Valley to Prescott Arizona
Valley of Fire
Death Valley
Hike the Full hike of the Narrows
Mojave Road.
Sandstone waves in Coyote Buttes North, Arizona
Bear tooth pass, and the rodeo in Cody Wyoming
Yellowstone
Dead Horse
Corkscrew gulch Colorado
.
Hot air balloon ride in Sedona
The Wave in Vermilion Cliffs is probably one of our favorite places in Az. Beaver falls Arizona
Devils Bridge Arizona.
Cibeque Falls, Arizona
White water rafting with Lisa Fisher.
Kayak the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. With Lisa Fisher.
Titus Canyon in Nevada
Cathedral Rock
Take the Boynton Canyon Trail and you'll get to this amazing rock formation in Sedona! Padre Island National Seashore
Mooney Falls Supai Arizona
Oak creek canyon 7 miles north of Sedona. Waterfalls Triple Falls Zion National Park
Elacala water falls, Blackwater state park west Virginia Timberline Falls, Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado Cibecue Falls Tonto National forest Chandler Arizona Lake Elizabeth Sierra Nevada
Gilping Lake, near steamboat springs Colorado Denali National Park Alaska
Jasper National park, Canada
Goblin Valley state park Utah
Anthabasca Falls Jasper Canada
Picture Lake in Washington State, USA's Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
Avalanche Lake,Montana-USA. White pine lake Utah
Banff National Park Canada
One of my favorite backpacking locations, Coyote Gulch.
'Red Dragon' Vermillion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona
Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, near St. George, UT. Don’t over look the wonderful State Parks, National Monuments and Conservation areas while in Utah. Many as breathtaking as the National Parks but on a smaller scale. Photo: Cathy
Timberline Falls, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado by: Amanda MazzoneMortensen
Fishers tower Moab area Titan tower
Delicate arch
Castle valley
Corona arch
San Rafael river canyon Swing arm city
Factory Butte Monument valley
Sedona Bell rock
Ship rock NM
Lake Powel
Horse shoe bend Antelope Canyon
Banff national park Bisti Badlands
Port Aransas, Texas
Rampart Reservoir
Take the train from Durango to Silverton C Red cone pass
Halibut cove Alaska
Eklutna lake end of the twin peaks hike Alaska Wind river range
Mystic hot springs Monroe Utah
Subway tunnel Sedona Arizona
Crested Butte Colorado
Mt. Crested Butte Colorado
Hatcher Pass Alaska Emerald Cove in Whittier, AK.
toqueville falls Utah
Tuktoyaktuk Alaska
cape Spear Newfoundland (furthest east you can go) Moraine Lake & Lake Louise Canada
Miller Creek Falls Moab Utah
 
OP
OP
wibornz

wibornz

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ted
Joined
Aug 3, 2018
Threads
157
Messages
9,796
Reaction score
49,910
Location
lansing, Mi.
Vehicle(s)
JL Unlimited Rubicon
Occupation
Retired from Corrections....I have stories.
Thanks in advance for any input that you can provide. You never know, you may run into us in 2022. Just know we cook like this on the trail.
Jeep Wrangler JL Help me plan a 11 1/2 month Jeep camping trip Michigan to the Mexico boarder to Dead Horse Alaska and back 1631791514758


Jeep Wrangler JL Help me plan a 11 1/2 month Jeep camping trip Michigan to the Mexico boarder to Dead Horse Alaska and back 1631791544566


Jeep Wrangler JL Help me plan a 11 1/2 month Jeep camping trip Michigan to the Mexico boarder to Dead Horse Alaska and back 1631791640225


Jeep Wrangler JL Help me plan a 11 1/2 month Jeep camping trip Michigan to the Mexico boarder to Dead Horse Alaska and back 1631791704845
 

golong27

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2019
Threads
3
Messages
57
Reaction score
58
Location
glen allen va
Vehicle(s)
2018 Jeep Wrangler JLU Sport S
Keep an eye on the snow pack for the BOH trails near Ouray CO (north of Durango) as some can still be closed into June.

Add Little Wildhorse Canyon just outside of Goblin Valley UT.

Awesome trip!
 

Walker Texas Wrangler

Well-Known Member
First Name
Kelly
Joined
Mar 10, 2021
Threads
5
Messages
234
Reaction score
397
Location
Humble, TX
Website
www.hamburgsolutions.com
Vehicle(s)
'21 JLU Rubicon, Previous: '99 TJ Sahara
Build Thread
Link
Since you are going to be going through Texas anyway. Just a few spots you would be interested in.
Fredricksburg Area - Enchanted Rock, Luckenbach.
New Braunfels Area - Historic Gruene, Float the Guadalupe River, Natural Bridge Caverns.
Galveston Island - The beach, the Strand.

Word of warning, The Texas Mexico border can be pretty sketchy. But it looks like you'll be ok. My buddy and I were jumping in buses and cabs all over Matamoris knowing limited Spanish and muttering "Donde Esta el Donkey Show" everywhere we went to the horror of my future wife.

Being that I'm in the Houston area, let me know if you need anything when you are in the area. I'm a former midwesterner (East/Central Illinois) surviving and thriving in the South. Maybe I can make my maiden journey to Hidden Falls with you guys!
 

Sponsored

OP
OP
wibornz

wibornz

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ted
Joined
Aug 3, 2018
Threads
157
Messages
9,796
Reaction score
49,910
Location
lansing, Mi.
Vehicle(s)
JL Unlimited Rubicon
Occupation
Retired from Corrections....I have stories.
Keep an eye on the snow pack for the BOH trails near Ouray CO (north of Durango) as some can still be closed into June.

Add Little Wildhorse Canyon just outside of Goblin Valley UT.

Awesome trip!

I have added Widhorse canyon and goblin valley to the list. We have already ran all the badge trails in Colorada in previous adventures, but I would like to do Imogene pass again though.
 

calemasters

Well-Known Member
First Name
Allen
Joined
Sep 14, 2020
Threads
64
Messages
1,244
Reaction score
1,659
Location
Springfield, Mo.
Vehicle(s)
2021 Rubicon Unlimited, & Escalade
Occupation
Retired Mechanical Engineer
Ted, That sounds like an amazing trip. Your going to need to refuel.

I am sure you will keep us updated with photos.
 
OP
OP
wibornz

wibornz

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ted
Joined
Aug 3, 2018
Threads
157
Messages
9,796
Reaction score
49,910
Location
lansing, Mi.
Vehicle(s)
JL Unlimited Rubicon
Occupation
Retired from Corrections....I have stories.
Since you are going to be going through Texas anyway. Just a few spots you would be interested in.
Fredricksburg Area - Enchanted Rock, Luckenbach.
New Braunfels Area - Historic Gruene, Float the Guadalupe River, Natural Bridge Caverns.
Galveston Island - The beach, the Strand.

Word of warning, The Texas Mexico border can be pretty sketchy. But it looks like you'll be ok. My buddy and I were jumping in buses and cabs all over Matamoris knowing limited Spanish and muttering "Donde Esta el Donkey Show" everywhere we went to the horror of my future wife.

Being that I'm in the Houston area, let me know if you need anything when you are in the area. I'm a former midwesterner (East/Central Illinois) surviving and thriving in the South. Maybe I can make my maiden journey to Hidden Falls with you guys!
We don't have much planned for Texas other that Prade Island and Big Benn NP. We have already done Galveston Island a few years ago. Will the weather be okay in January to float the river? The Natural Bridge caverns looks awesome.
 
OP
OP
wibornz

wibornz

Well-Known Member
First Name
Ted
Joined
Aug 3, 2018
Threads
157
Messages
9,796
Reaction score
49,910
Location
lansing, Mi.
Vehicle(s)
JL Unlimited Rubicon
Occupation
Retired from Corrections....I have stories.
Ted, That sounds like an amazing trip. Your going to need to refuel.

I am sure you will keep us updated with photos.
I will keep you updated with photos and video. I will be starting a Youtube channel and Instagram page for the trip so that friends and family can keep tabs on us.
 

csjlu

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 17, 2021
Threads
2
Messages
367
Reaction score
1,046
Location
Genuine Parts Unknown
Vehicle(s)
2021 JLU
A NorCal > OR > WA trip I did some yers ago was one of my all-time favorites. Started at Marin Headlands. Muir Beach. Mt. Tamalpais. Point Reyes National Seashore (we may have started our family there; we almost named our firstborn Reyes as an inside joke). King Range Conservation Area. Mt. Shasta. Redwoods / Jedidiah Smith. Rogue River. Bandon Dunes. Mt Jefferson / South Sister / Mt Bachelor. Deschuttes River (and brewery!). Tillamook. Cannon Beach. Columbia River Gorge. Mt. Hood. Mt. St. Helens. Olympic Peninsula. Lost my passport along the way so I had to stop short of Vancouver Island BC.

I'm very jealous of you - this is a well earned trip, no doubt. I would do anything to be young, childless and unburdened by responsibility again. But I'd settle for just the latter two at this point.
 

Sponsored

Reinen

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2021
Threads
15
Messages
2,424
Reaction score
5,637
Location
Utah
Vehicle(s)
2021 Jeep Wrangler JL Rubicon
Add Little Wildhorse Canyon just outside of Goblin Valley UT.
Camp between Little Wildhorse and Goblin Valley, south side of the road next to the hoodoos. All BLM, many campsites there.

If you're there, you might as well keep going into the San Rafael Swell. Red's Canyon Loop and Hidden Splendor are beautiful and mellow but can be treacherous after rain. Camping at the end of Hidden Splendor, end of the Tomsich Butte Uranium mine spur, and at the Lucky Strike Mine.

An exciting way out of the Swell is Eagle Canyon but it's likely too treacherous for the trailers. Especially Eva Conover between the two crossings of I-70. The first time you cross under I-70 you'll have 250ft of headroom. The second time you cross under I-70, just inches on top and sides. Research it first and make your own call.

When in the Swell, pay close attention to gas management. Nearest gas is Hanksville and Green River. Neither of which are nearby.
 

Craigzjeep

Well-Known Member
First Name
Craig
Joined
Apr 13, 2020
Threads
8
Messages
431
Reaction score
1,510
Location
Mt. Rainier
Vehicle(s)
2019 Sting Gray
Occupation
Telco Installer, retired. Current job drinking beer and yard work expert.
If you change your mind about Picture Lake WA, then give Crystal Mountain a visit.
It's worth the drive up HWY 410, about a hour drive from I-5 and I-90.
It is a ski resort with a spectacular view of MT Rainier.
The gondola will take you to the top for the mountain view and great restaurant.
I'm about 1/2 hour from here and it is always a scenic trip.

https://www.crystalmountainresort.com/

IMG_08331-e1415676800416.jpg
 

Moto_21

Well-Known Member
First Name
Erik
Joined
Jul 18, 2018
Threads
39
Messages
2,526
Reaction score
5,690
Location
Corona
Vehicle(s)
2018 JLU Sport
Occupation
Maintenance
Vehicle Showcase
1
I have no helpful input but that sounds absolutley amazing
 

Dkretden

Well-Known Member
First Name
David
Joined
Jan 29, 2019
Threads
57
Messages
2,533
Reaction score
3,527
Location
Denver, CO
Vehicle(s)
2020 JLUR 3.6L
Ok…..

this has ZERO to do with off-roading but…. While you are in colorado, why not drive the highest paved road in North America? Mt. Evans. It will take you to about 14.1k feet with very variable weather (plan ahead). Reservations required but fairly easy to obtain on short notice. Also consider a (paved) drive/hike inside Garden of the Gods in Colorado springs. stunning.



As you head North to Alaska, (I will ignore Yellowstone and glacier as you likely know all that already), consider Burgess Junction Wyoming there Are amazingly pretty off-road areas there (and one place to buy gas if you’re lucky). Also Shell Canyon in Wyoming is stunning. Do: devils tower and little Bighorn battlefield. Both are really interesting.

as you are bumping around California, consider Death Valley. It is one of my favorite places because it is so effing weird (geologically). pick-up Rhyolite ghost town (google it) while there (Head into Beatty, NV for lunch if you wish). Also, take your rig out to Sailing stones, camp the night, and take some amazing images at sunrise during magic hour.

I think that you already thought of valley of Fire SP in NV. It’s amazing too as is Red Rock Canyon just west of Las Vegas.


garden of the Gods

Jeep Wrangler JL Help me plan a 11 1/2 month Jeep camping trip Michigan to the Mexico boarder to Dead Horse Alaska and back 40A16070-55CC-4D53-BBBB-08A168BE9790


Red rock Canyon (Vegas)
Jeep Wrangler JL Help me plan a 11 1/2 month Jeep camping trip Michigan to the Mexico boarder to Dead Horse Alaska and back 959481CF-CEA1-4662-AD80-83075639BA53


Death Valley sand dunes
Jeep Wrangler JL Help me plan a 11 1/2 month Jeep camping trip Michigan to the Mexico boarder to Dead Horse Alaska and back 0AC3731D-1AAE-4F3E-873B-666E0E8FAEA7
 
Last edited:

Whiskeybiskit

Well-Known Member
First Name
Donny
Joined
Aug 10, 2019
Threads
0
Messages
488
Reaction score
1,426
Location
Las Vegas
Vehicle(s)
2019 JL wrangler sport s
Vehicle Showcase
1
If you're going to check out valley of fire, head a little bit further north to Logandale. Great trail system from beginner to hard core levels, amazing scenery. Great small farm town.
Sponsored

 
 



Top