12Oct 25 2026Upcoming
Return · Cave Run Lake / Morehead, Kentucky
Proposed campgroundTwin Knobs Campground
Reservation status unavailable
Cave Run Lake and autumn forest in Daniel Boone National Forest.
Showers listed · unconfirmed
OCTOBER 10 – NOVEMBER 1, 2026 · ON THE ROAD
Minister of matrimony
takes an irreverent
roadtrip
From Oregon to Maryland, a family visit and an Expo meetup.
Then home through Colorado, Arches, Canyonlands and Nevada.
Eugene, ORDamascus, MDEugene, OR
Toyota Tacoma + Tune M1 camper
COAST-TO-COUNTRY EXPLORING
National parks return · map
Tap a numbered stop to take a closer look.
Showing national parks return · 8 stops. View this section’s itinerary ↓
Unfolding the map…
CompletedLatest check-inUpcoming
Rick’s GPS location
Loading location…
OCTOBER 25 – NOVEMBER 1
National parks return drive times
Planned driving · approximate times
| Date | Drive | Miles | Driving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 25 | Overland Expo East — Arrington → Twin Knobs Campground | ~356 | ~7h |
| Oct 26 | Twin Knobs Campground → Ray Behrens — Deer Run Loop | ~520 | ~10h |
| Oct 27 | Ray Behrens — Deer Run Loop → Minooka Park | ~435 | ~8h |
| Oct 28 | Minooka Park → Gypsum Campground | ~517 | ~9h 15m |
| Oct 29 | Gypsum Campground → Devils Garden Campground | ~235 | ~4h 15m |
| Oct 30 | Devils Garden Campground → Illipah Reservoir CampgroundVia Canyonlands: Green River Overlook. Add 1–2 hours for sightseeing. | ~498 | ~10h 30m |
| Oct 31 | Illipah Reservoir Campground → Winnemucca RV Park | ~253 | ~4h 45m |
| Nov 1 | Winnemucca RV Park → Eugene — homeVia Lakeview, Klamath Falls and OR-58. | ~481 | ~11h 15m |
Estimates exclude traffic, meals, fuel and sightseeing. Allow extra time for weather and stops.
23days of adventure
15campground nights
~6,794planned road miles
11federal campgrounds
ONE NIGHT AT A TIME
National parks return itinerary
13Oct 26 2026Upcoming
Return · Mark Twain Lake, Missouri
Proposed campgroundRay Behrens — Deer Run Loop
Reservation status unavailable
A wooded lakeside overnight at Mark Twain Lake.
Showers listed · unconfirmed
14Oct 27 2026Upcoming
Return · Wilson Lake, Kansas
Proposed campgroundMinooka Park
Reservation status unavailable
Wide-open prairie and shoreline views at Wilson Lake.
Seasonal showers · confirm
15Oct 28 2026Upcoming
Return · Eagle River / Gypsum, Colorado
Proposed campgroundGypsum Campground
Reservation status unavailable
An Eagle River overnight near I-70, east of Glenwood Springs.
No showers listed
16Oct 29 2026Upcoming
Return · Arches National Park, Utah
Proposed campgroundDevils Garden Campground
Reservation status unavailable
Arches National Park: sandstone fins, arches and an afternoon scenic drive.
No showers listed
17Oct 30 2026Upcoming
Return · 37 miles west of Ely, Nevada
Proposed campgroundIllipah Reservoir Campground
Reservation status unavailable
Morning at Canyonlands’ Island in the Sky, then US-50 to a high-desert reservoir.
No showers listed
18Oct 31 2026Upcoming
Return · Winnemucca, Nevada
Proposed campgroundWinnemucca RV Park
Reservation status unavailable
A shower and resupply stop before the final drive through southern Oregon.
Showers listed · unconfirmed
Nov 1 2026Upcoming
Return · Oregon
Eugene — home
Home in Eugene after a final drive through southern Oregon.
Not applicable
Drive times and mileage are approximate road-routing estimates, excluding traffic, fuel stops and sightseeing. Progress is based on planned miles to the last reached stop. Campground facilities are listed amenities; October service and availability may vary. Outbound scores are Rick’s supplied ratings; return campgrounds are not yet rated. The return route crosses Colorado’s I-70 mountain corridor, Nevada high desert and the Oregon Cascades; check current road conditions. Tap an official page for current conditions and reservations.
Photo credits
Photographs show the named site or the nearby scenery identified in each caption. Images are resized and cropped for the cards; seasons may differ from the trip dates.
- Farewell Bend State Recreation Area — NPS · Public domain
- Massacre Rocks State Park — Matthew Trump · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dugway Campground — U.S. Bureau of Reclamation · Public domain
- Cedar Pass Campground — Martin Kraft · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Cottonwood Campground / Gavins Point — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers · Public domain
- Tailwater East Campground — Alan Light · CC BY 2.0
- Whitewater Memorial State Park — Wilson44691 · CC0
- Shenango Recreation Area Campground — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from USA · Public domain
- Damascus — John Brighenti from Rockville, MD, United States · CC BY 2.0
- Family stay — Damascus — John Brighenti from Rockville, MD, United States · CC BY 2.0
- Overland Expo East — Arrington — Ed Brown · Public domain
- Twin Knobs Campground — Ryne Salyer / Louisville USACE · Public domain
- Ray Behrens — Deer Run Loop — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified or unknown · Public domain
- Minooka Park — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer unknown · Public domain
- Gypsum Campground — Joe Mabel · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Devils Garden Campground — Palacemusic · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Illipah Reservoir Campground — BLM Nevada · Public domain
- Winnemucca RV Park — Famartin · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Eugene — home — Rick Obst · CC BY 2.0
POSTCARDS FROM FRIENDS
Leave a little road encouragement
A hello, a local tip, or a favorite stop.