Planning your next RV road trip? Whether you're hitting the road for a weekend getaway or setting out on a full-time RV adventure across America, there's a lot to consider. From mapping out RV-friendly routes on Google Maps to choosing the perfect campsites, RV life is all about the journey. But, not all roads are created equal, especially for RVers. But we’ve got you covered with this go-to guide for safe and enjoyable RV travels. We're talking about real concerns like low bridges in Texas, tight turns in California, and steep grades near the Grand Canyon. We'll help you navigate away from these tricky spots and offer safer, alternative routes. So, buckle up, and let's dive into the world of safe RV adventuring!

Are You Prepared for Your RV Trip? 

When it comes to RVing, there’s one thing every trip planner should know: not every beautiful byway you see on Instagram is a safe route for a big rig. It’s easy to get caught up in plotting the shortest distance between points of interest or even mapping out the rest areas you’ll need access to along your journey, but in the process, we encourage you to thoroughly research your route for difficult stretches that would be best to avoid altogether. An RV GPS can be a really handy tool for this!

RV Routes to Avoid Plus Potential Alternatives

Whether it’s seasonally sketchy road conditions, unexpected and expensive tolls, steep grades, tight switchback turns and blind corners, or low clearance tunnels, these are some RV routes in the U.S. roadtrippers should absolutely avoid. 

1. Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway, California

Let’s start off on the West Coast. This scenic route up through the Sierra Nevada range is known for its epic views. But unfortunate RV drivers know it for its impossibly steep hairpin turns.

Alternative Route

Avoid the struggle and head up state Route 120 into Yosemite or Highway 50 near Lake Tahoe. Both of these alternatives are still gorgeous and make for a much safer journey. RV Campgrounds near Lake Tahoe can be found along the way if you’re looking to take your time and enjoy the area.

2. Sonora Pass (Highway 108), California

Sonora Pass, or Highway 108, is an absolute no-go for RV drivers. The 26 percent grade and steep curves will drop you off on the other side at the mechanic grabbing new brakes and a fresh transmission. If that’s not enough, It seems like almost every year someone crashes over one of the numerous cliff edges. 

Alternative Route: Highway 88

Instead of destroying your brakes (and your nerves), head over to Highway 88. The drive is just as scenic and infinitely more enjoyable. And if you plan for some Camping Near Yosemite, there are a variety of beautiful sites available year round.

3. Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, Utah

Full of narrow switchbacks and a haunting 1.1 mile tunnel, this route is a nightmare for new RV drivers. This lengthy tunnel is a gorgeous feat of twentieth century engineering, but it’s not well suited for today’s massive RV’s. Larger vehicles are only allowed during certain time slots and any vehicle over 7’-10” inches wide or 11’-4” inches long requires a $15 permit to pass. On top of that, RVs over 13’-1” tall, or 40’ long (single vehicles)/ 50’ long (combined trailer and towing vehicle) are not permitted to pass at all. 

Alternative Routes:

Looking to get from Springdale to Mount Carmel, or from the West side to the East of Zion National Park? You’re in luck. Head out West from Springdale, and South on UT 59 until the AZ border. UT 43 will take you from there to the Eastern Side of Zion via Coral Sand Dunes State Park.

Depending on where you’re headed, you can find great RV campsites all along both these routes, such as RV & Glamping Resorts in Moab, or Campsites Near Red Rock.

4. Utah 12, or Scenic Byway 12

While most of this route isn’t too bad for the experienced RV driver, there’s one sketchy section that can spoil the whole route. Way up in the highest section of the route is the Boulder Mountain Stretch. Narrow, steep, and winding (often called the “Hogsback” section), this part of the route will challenge even the best drivers — and is effectively impossible to pass during the winter season.

Alternative Routes:

Luckily there are lots of alternative routes available. You can head up US-89, UT-62 and on to UT-24 or US-89 to UT-24. In both cases you can side-step the steep grades and ugly turns on the Scenic Byway. Both routes also feature a number of RV Parks in Bryce Canyon.

5. The Moki Dugway, Utah

The Moki Dugway, a section of UT-261 in Southeast Utah, links the towns of Bluff with the Natural Bridges National Monument. Initially a beautiful drive, before you know it you can find yourself in serious danger. A gravel road written into a cliff face, the Moki Dugway is full of all kinds of tricky and dangerous switchbacks as well as a huge 1,200 foot climb.

Alternative Route:

Running parallel to UT-261 to the east is US 191. This route can take you all the way up to Campgrounds near Zion National Park, where you’ll be able to soak in all the pretty views around you.

6. Million Dollar Highway/U.S. Route 550, Colorado

This route is known for its sheer drops and dizzying turns. And while it’s truly a breathtaking ride in your car, it’s a true a palm-sweater in your RV. If you choose this path, you’ll find yourself climbing up over 3 mountain passes: Coal Bank Pass, Molas Pass, and Red Mountain Pass, all over 10,000 ft.

And you’ll need to check the weather report before you head out too: the weather over these passes tends to have a bad temper, switching quickly between clear and sunny and treacherous downpours and heavy snow fall.

Alternative Route:

If you’re heading north, above mile marker 48, there are a couple of alternative options for you. On your way to Telluride you can take U.S. Highway 160 west to Colorado Highway 145. If you need to get out to Ouray, Ridgeway or Silverton, jump on U.S. Highway 160 west towards Colorado Highway 145. Turn onto Colorado Highway 62 toward Ridgway. At Ridgway, take Highway 550 south over Red Mountain Pass to Silverton.

You can find fellow campers out at RV Campsites in Bayfield and RV Sites in South Fork along the way.

7. Teton Pass Highway, Wyoming

The Teton Pass Highway is a 17.53-mile-long stretch along the scenic routes that can take you from Yellowstone National Park in Montana all the way to Portland, Oregon. But we’ve got another classic set of issues here: a steep grade on a tight two-lane road full of hard-to-navigate twists and turns. Best to play it safe and avoid this pass all together.

Alternative Route: Idaho's Swan Valley, to Wyoming's Hoback Jct. on Wyoming Highway 26/89.

Slip away from the danger and head over to Idaho’s Swan Valley and Wyoming's Hoback Jct. on Wyoming Highway 26/89. And as an added benefit there are loads of great campsites all over Wyoming along these alternate routes that you stop at if you need a place to stay.

8. The Las Vegas Strip

This one may seem a little obvious, but hundreds of RVers find themselves inching down the strip every year, regretting their ignorance to the chaos that would ensue. Maybe it’s a low risk of crashing or flying off a cliff, but certainly a high risk of headache, traffic, and spending more time behind the wheel than you anticipated.

Alternative Routes:

You can avoid the migraine by heading northbound on I-11 in Boulder City, avoiding Vegas all together. From there, ride through Henderson on Highway 582, turn north on hwy 612, swing a right at Nellis AFB on Highway 604, catch I-15 northbound, then get back on Highway 93 north.

It might surprise you, but there is some incredible RV camping in Vegas to check out on your next trip, like the famous Las Vegas RV Resort — for adults only.

RV Trip Planning

Everyone’s ideal road trip will look a little different, but whether you’re off to Florida or Washington, staying in the USA or venturing north to Canada, don’t forget to plan for a little fun on your RV road trip: make sure to pack some RV friendly games, and do some research about the places you’ll drive through — visiting small town festivals can make for some unexpected and unforgettable memories. But no matter what your itinerary looks like, make sure you avoid these tricky and often dangerous routes along the way.

Booking your Campsite with Spot2nite

You’ve done the hard work already, so let us make the booking process easy. At Spot2nite, we offer a free and easy-to-use interactive booking platform that makes finding the perfect RV park simple. Toggle amenities that are must-haves and only see parks that are available for your selected dates. Ready to start planning?