Just something I forgot to mention from the trip
If you intend to use the national parks as your camp sites fisrt make sure they are open..many are shut in the off season
secondly if you go there and camp they charge you there and then and if you are camping it can become expesnsive especially if you are going to use many of the national parks to camp in.
go to
http://www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm and buy a year ticket for a much reduced rate and in some cases the ticket will get you in to visit for free
any way check out the site for costs and conditions