If you walk along the rim of the Grand Canyon, all sorts of emotions pop up.

Awe. Happiness at seeing something so vast and beautiful. Gratefulness for the opportunity.

If you stand in the silent emptiness of Death Valley, those same feelings will repeat themselves.

“Going to a national park restores your faith in our country,” Leslie said one day during our back-to-back RV visits to two of America’s most amazing places in early March.

We sometimes get stuck in a doom-scrolling hole, worrying about all the political discord in our country. In places like the Grand Canyon and Death Valley, those worries disappear, replaced by deep appreciation.

Grand Canyon

Our recent visit started with a bang. A friend had given us two spots on a Grand Canyon Airlines fly-over of the mile-deep expanse, and we were excited to see it from the air for the first time.

Taking off from the airport in Tusayan, Ariz., we suddenly realized we were on a deadly roller coaster. Storm winds whipped the small prop plane, and as we crossed over the south rim, things got real. Turbulence was extreme, we dipped, swooped and bounced our way above the dramatic drop for the next 40 minutes.

After we had safely landed in the stormy weather, the shaken pilot let out a sigh. “I’m really sorry about that,” he said. “We never should have gone up today.”

Now you tell us.

Happy to be alive (if a little queasy), we spent the rest of our two stormy days walking along the snow-covered rim of the canyon. If anything, the wintry days gave the Grand Canyon a moody quality, with deep cloudy blues to go along with its ochre cliffs, the brown Colorado River meandering below.

We capped our visit with a stop at the venerable El Tovar Hotel lounge, where we celebrated our continuing Going Mobile adventures with a toast. John raised his “Kentucky Mule” (Maker’s Mark, ginger beer, lime) while Leslie sipped a NA beer as we rehashed previous visits.

Staying at the Grand Canyon is fantastic anytime, but shoulder season is special. Yes, you’ll see some crowds and hear plenty of accents from around the world as you gawk at its beauty, but most of those visitors are there for the day and leave in the afternoon. We had a full-hookup at Grand Canyon Trailer Village, and stayed comfortable during the 20-degree nights.

Death Valley

Six hours away and 50 degrees warmer, we pulled into Delight’s Hot Springs Resort in Tecopa, Calif., just south of Death Valley. After our long drive and the cold days at the Grand Canyon, soaking in warm waters felt particularly invigorating.

The next day, we drove to the warmest, lowest and driest national park in America without a reservation, hoping to snag camping spots along the way. Our road karma proved to be excellent during this two-day visit to Death Valley.

We picked up a late cancellation for a full-hookup at Furnace Creek, one of the few national park campgrounds that has powered sites. A day later, we snagged another full hookup at Stovepipe Wells, a vendor-operated campground in the middle of the park that even has a pool.

Daytime temps were a glorious 80 degrees, and we ditched our cold-weather gear for shorts, exploring Death Valley by bike and on foot. We had a memorable ride out of Furnace Creek on the quiet national park roads and a scenic hike through Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.

But the best thing about RV camping in Death Valley -- and the Grand Canyon -- is the ability to simply hang out, letting their majesty wash over you.

We drove away, heading north toward home, full of hope and thankful for the experiences.

---

---