Phoenix → Rushmore — RV Trip Guide

Before you go

Get an America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) — covers Colorado National Monument, Rocky Mountain NP, Devils Tower, Rushmore, Badlands, and Scotts Bluff.
Reserve campgrounds now. July/August is peak season for the Black Hills and Rocky Mountain NP corridor — the KOAs below sell out weeks ahead.
Streaming & calls: campground WiFi is inconsistent and cell coverage genuinely drops around Monument Valley, Devils Tower, and inside Badlands NP. A cellular hotspot or Starlink RV is the reliable fix.
Preload the iPad. Movies, TV shows, music, and audiobooks downloaded before you leave — with the coverage gaps above, don't count on streaming anything live once you're off the highway.

Watch out: Custer State Park's Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road have historic granite tunnels only ~8–9 ft wide. Not RV-friendly. The itinerary routes you on the Wildlife Loop Road instead — no tunnels, better bison odds anyway.

RV prep checklist

Surge protector
Water pressure regulator + fresh hose
Leveling blocks
Cellular hotspot / Starlink
Propane topped off
Layers — 100°F desert to 40s°F at 12,000 ft
America the Beautiful pass
Offline maps downloaded

Rough budget

Item	Estimate
Campgrounds — 13 nights × ~$55–75	$750–1,000
Fuel — ~2,635 mi ÷ 9 mpg × ~$3.60/gal	~$1,050
Park fees	Covered by $80 pass
Food / activities — $50–80/day × 14	$700–1,120

Ballpark total: ~$2,500–3,200 for camping, fuel, and park fees, two people.

Optional add-ons

Mesa Verde National Park — 1 extra day, easy detour near Durango on Day 2/3
Wind Cave National Park — half day, right next to Custer State Park
Yellowstone / Grand Teton — adds 4–5 days from the Estes Park area