With only three weeks left on our US travel insurance this next stage was going to involve a lot of miles as we basically had to get from Canada to Mexico, travelling through Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California.

However, despite the miles ahead of us we still had a few stops planned including two stunning national parks – Glacier and Yellowstone, and enough time to avoid using the interstates. 

We had hopped back and forth across the US/Canada border multiple times and on this last occasion, we didn’t check the food regulations so left behind several banned items including frozen chicken, eggs, tomatoes and peppers! 

We managed to find a camp spot in Glacier National Park at fairly short notice but could not explore much of the park by ourselves due to the size of the van. The free park bus service from the Apgar Visitor Centre was a great way to get around, taking us along the western side of the Going-To-The-Sun road, as far as Logan Pass from where we took a short hike to the Hidden Lake.

The glorious weather meant that a dip in the crystal clear water of Lake McDonald was a must! 

Yellowstone had been booked a few months previously as we wanted to be somewhere for a birthday and tick off another bucket list item.  My words are not enough to describe the beauty of Yellowstone and it’s safe to say that we saw as much of the park as we possibly could and drove the entire 142 mile Grand Loop Road.  

For more photos, please check out our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ClewleysOnTour

Being able to avoid the interstates meant that we were able to stay at a reasonable elevation and avoid the intense heat of the southern states in Summer.  We took the van to its highest point so far when crossing Beartooth Pass in Montana at just short of 11,000ft and in Utah we went up to 9,900ft.

Eventually though, we had to come back to reality as the van was booked in for a service and we needed a couple of days doing admin stuff and laundry before leaving the US.  Running around Henderson in 40°C was no fun but we did tick everything off the to do list and the van had a little TLC!

Time now to start a new chapter and leave the relative safety of the US and Canada; it feels like the adventure is just about to start! 

Motorhoming 

On the whole we are using free overnight spots but did use the following:

Fish Creek CG, Glacier NP:  USD30 p/n dry camping in the woods.  Water and toilets on site but few level spots. A short drive from Apgar Visitor Centre and the free bus service but easy walk to McDonald Lake.

Bridge Bay CG, Yellowstone NP: USD41.21 p/n dry camping.  A large campground but the spaces were large and open. A good place from which to explore the park.  Water and dumping services available at the nearby marina.

Boulder Beach CG, Lake Mead: USD20 p/n dry camping but free water and dumping available just outside the campground

We normally park at Government Wash, a large free parking area close to Lake Mead, but due to unsociable behaviour by campers, it has now been closed down.

All of the above fees also require payment of the park entrance fee or possession of an America The Beautiful annual pass.

Potrero Park: USD34 p/n parking on tarmac.  Water and dumping facilities available.  Great for its closeness to the Mexican border at Tecate.

We had the van serviced at Mercedes Benz in Henderson.  After a little confusion around whether or not they could service European vehicles, they were very helpful and they have a great waiting area complete with free WiFi and a cafe.

We’re using iOverlander on a daily basis to find park ups, water, dumps, LPG (propane) and laundromats.