Texas to Dakotas trip

[North Coast Joe]

Nice pix! Good synopsis of your trip. Thanks for an honest review of your Mav.

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[ksh58]

So great! Thanks for sharing. Did you get to fish the Poudre at all??

No I didn’t have gear with me. But saw plenty of people with fly rods along the river. People in our campground were catching trout lunches just steps from their campers.

 

[Codestar7]

Just finished a 2-week road trip from just north of San Antonio up to the Dakotas and back in my 2024 XLT Hybrid. Straight north through the prairies and then back down through Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and NM. 10 states, 3423 miles. Averaged exactly 34.0 mpg, according to the trip computer. Trip included a full variety of roads, from flat 75 mph prairies to slow curvy mountain roads in South Dakota and Colorado. And a variety of gasoline - used a lot of no ethanol 91 octane up in the Dakotas.

Spent half of the nights in state park lodges/hotels, half camping in rooftop tent. Highlights were Custer State Park in South Dakota, Theodore Roosevelt Natl Park in North Dakota, Devils Tower in Wyoming, Poudre River canyon in Colorado.

Had a new 12V battery installed under warranty and the AC module software update just before the trip. Truck ran perfectly the whole trip. Had sleep mode once when we set up camp in Colorado and didn't move the truck for two days. Lots of opening doors and tailgate in that time, and interior lights stopped coming on. But that was just fine - wish I could tell the truck to not turn on the exterior high brake light shining into the tent when I open the truck door early in the morning to get my coffee stuff. But truck started up every time. (I did have to use my Noco jump box once to get a campsite neighbor's car started...). All fluids still full when I got back home (except the washer fluid - it was a buggy trip...).

Happy with the truck and the setup.

Pics not in chronological order for some reason...

View of Cathedral Spires from atop Little Devils Tower in Custer State Park. Badlands NP in the distance.

Methodist Cove campground, Harlan County Lake near Alma, Nebraska.

Pulloff on Needles Highway, Custer State Park.

Setting up in Buffalo Gap campground, outside Theodore Roosevelt Natl Park, ND.

Morning at Buffalo Gap campground.

View through Doane Robinson tunnel on Iron Mountain Road, north of Custer SP.

Devils Tower, Wyoming.

Ansel Watrous campground - upper loop; Poudre River, Colorado - not visible is the river running just below the campsite.

Poudre River, running behind our campsite.

Wildlife Loop, Custer SP, SD. Also saw pronghorn, bighorn sheep and a million prairie dogs.

Great Pic's thanks man!

 

[ksh58]

Wait.. You can get on TOP of Devil's Tower??!!

Well, people that know what they’re doing do climb up to the top of the real Devils Tower. But not me.
there is a rocky point called Little Devil’s Tower in Custer State Park, SD. That is climbable by regular folks. That’s where that photo was taken.

 

[MinnesotaMatt]

Great pictures. I like the RTT. What brand and model is it?

 

[ksh58]

Great pictures. I like the RTT. What brand and model is it?

Roofnest Condor. They have improved version now, but I am happy with ours, and it is good fit to Maverick.

 

[MaverickCinema]

Just finished a 2-week road trip from just north of San Antonio up to the Dakotas and back in my 2024 XLT Hybrid. Straight north through the prairies and then back down through Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and NM. 10 states, 3423 miles. Averaged exactly 34.0 mpg, according to the trip computer. Trip included a full variety of roads, from flat 75 mph prairies to slow curvy mountain roads in South Dakota and Colorado. And a variety of gasoline - used a lot of no ethanol 91 octane up in the Dakotas.

Spent half of the nights in state park lodges/hotels, half camping in rooftop tent. Highlights were Custer State Park in South Dakota, Theodore Roosevelt Natl Park in North Dakota, Devils Tower in Wyoming, Poudre River canyon in Colorado.

Had a new 12V battery installed under warranty and the AC module software update just before the trip. Truck ran perfectly the whole trip. Had sleep mode once when we set up camp in Colorado and didn't move the truck for two days. Lots of opening doors and tailgate in that time, and interior lights stopped coming on. But that was just fine - wish I could tell the truck to not turn on the exterior high brake light shining into the tent when I open the truck door early in the morning to get my coffee stuff. But truck started up every time. (I did have to use my Noco jump box once to get a campsite neighbor's car started...). All fluids still full when I got back home (except the washer fluid - it was a buggy trip...).

Happy with the truck and the setup.

Pics not in chronological order for some reason...

View of Cathedral Spires from atop Little Devils Tower in Custer State Park. Badlands NP in the distance.

Methodist Cove campground, Harlan County Lake near Alma, Nebraska.

Pulloff on Needles Highway, Custer State Park.

Setting up in Buffalo Gap campground, outside Theodore Roosevelt Natl Park, ND.

Morning at Buffalo Gap campground.

View through Doane Robinson tunnel on Iron Mountain Road, north of Custer SP.

Devils Tower, Wyoming.

Ansel Watrous campground - upper loop; Poudre River, Colorado - not visible is the river running just below the campsite.

Poudre River, running behind our campsite.

Wildlife Loop, Custer SP, SD. Also saw pronghorn, bighorn sheep and a million prairie dogs.

Hello,

I know this is an older thread, but how was the drive? Is the Maverick comfortable on long distance drives?

Does the RTT add a lot of wind noise?

Im thinking about this type of camping setup. Any suggestions?

Thank you

 

[Cancunbadlands]

What a view

 

[ksh58]

Hello,

I know this is an older thread, but how was the drive? Is the Maverick comfortable on long distance drives?

Does the RTT add a lot of wind noise?

Im thinking about this type of camping setup. Any suggestions?

Thank you

The drive was great. I didn’t even think about comfort (or lack of) during the trip.
With my setup, and where the tent sits behind the cab, I did not notice any extra wind noise, other than what we hear under normal Maverick driving. I also don’t notice any extra noise with just the Tuwa rack and no tent.
I really enjoyed the trip and have zero complaints about my setup. I know you can choose from different height racks, but I believe I found the balance between wind resistance and being able to see out the back window, as well as the bottom of the tent being only five feet off the ground, limiting the height of the ladder I need to climb to get in or out of the tent. Also easier at this height to open or close the tent.

See my thread that details my setup: https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...ro-shiprock-rack-synetic-tonneau-cover.54285/

 

[MaverickCinema]

The drive was great. I didn’t even think about comfort (or lack of) during the trip.
With my setup, and where the tent sits behind the cab, I did not notice any extra wind noise, other than what we hear under normal Maverick driving. I also don’t notice any extra noise with just the Tuwa rack and no tent.
I really enjoyed the trip and have zero complaints about my setup. I know you can choose from different height racks, but I believe I found the balance between wind resistance and being able to see out the back window, as well as the bottom of the tent being only five feet off the ground, limiting the height of the ladder I need to climb to get in or out of the tent. Also easier at this height to open or close the tent.

See my thread that details my setup: https://www.mavericktruckclub.com/f...ro-shiprock-rack-synetic-tonneau-cover.54285/

Thank you!

 

[ksh58]

Thank you!

You’ll also find a lot of ideas from other Mav owners’ setups in that Forum: Off-Roading, Overlanding, Camping Technique, Planning, Trails

 

[Dad]

Wow! Great trip, great pictures all done with a great truck! Good to see another member enjoying the heck out of their Maverick. Truly a truck of many skills.

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