Utah national parks

[Chewbacca 7767]

My oldest has informed us that he would like to visit some (or maybe all?) of the national parks in Utah.  So we are taking a week in May or June to take a road trip.  Anyone have recs on must see places (or more importantly, places to leave off the list)?  Not sure we'll be able to squeeze everything in, and the wife wants to try to squeeze in a day at the north rim of the Grand Canyon if we can.  Driving from Denver.  We are not camping, so we'll need lodging, too.

[Carl Spackler 3479]

Taking a trip that hits all five national parks in Utah (plus maybe squeezing in Great Basin NP as well) is on my bucket list.  I suspect I'll end up hitting them all on separate, shorter trips, but man it would be cool to take the time and see them all in one big loop.  Good luck.  Whatever you end up seeing, I'm sure it will be awesome.   

[Spoosner 86]

We stayed at the La Quinta right outside of Zion.  Was actually pretty nice, and we enjoyed the pool/hot tub.  Walking distance to restaurants and super close to the park entrance.  I wasn't paying, but I'm pretty sure it was quite reasonable.

Did the Angel's Landing hike.  It was awesome, but certainly not for the faint of heart or anybody scared of heights.  Sheer cliff drop-offs.  Luckily (I guess) it was a little rainy and cold the day we did it, so it wasn't crowded.  I couldn't imagine having to hike/climb around a ton of people on a busy day, which I've heard can be the case.

We couldn't do "the narrows" or "subway" hikes because the rivers were too high.

We were only there a couple days and that was the only Utah park we went to, so that's all I've got.

Antelope Canyon is worth the stop if you do decide to go to the Grand Canyon.  You need a reservation.  The hike through the canyon only takes about an hour.

[Longhorn94 2448]

We did Bryce Canyon and Zion this past summer. We camped at both. But there are plenty of lodging choices inside and right outside the parks. I think Angel's Landing is closed for the foreseeable future. It was destroyed in a rock slide this past summer. Great hikes all around and two really wonderful parks. Zion larger, more like Grand Canyon in feel. Bryce Canyon more intimate. We enjoyed both. Make sure to do the Ranger led night sky viewing at Bryce Canyon. It was great. We did the long hike at Bryce, it was awesome. And the longest one at Zion. It was incredible. We also did the Narrows at Zion. It was really unique hike. 

 

 

Edited January 16, 2019 by Longhorn94

[gecko 1104]

We've done Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands, and North Rim of Grand Canyon.  Random thoughts on where to stay:

NP Lodge at Zion is over priced and food is terrible.  Stay in Springdale, UT at Hampton Inn,  Springhill Suites, La Quinta, etc.  Take the shuttle buses from stops throughout Springdale.  Its free and parking in Zion is non-existent (literally).  The shuttles are super simple - trust me on this.  Food in Springdale is good.  Mt Carmel highway out of Zion is amazing.  The hike to Angel's Landing dam near killed me....get your ass in shape.

NP Lodge at Bryce is awesome.  Stay in one of the cabins.  When wife and I were there we could walk out of our cabin and stroll right up to the rim.  Just an amazing place.  Hikes around the canyon were not strenuous.

No lodging at Capitol Reef.  Watch out for distant thunderstorms.  The washes fill up quickly.  Stay in Torrey, UT.  Plenty of small hotels there.  The drive from Bryce to Capitol Reef is one of the most beautiful in the nation.  

Arches and Canyonlands.....stay in Moab.  Great little town with all the usual hotels (Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, etc).  Food is good in town.  Go into Arches late in the day.  The colors at sunset and really something to see.  Canyonlands can be hot as hell (hardly exaggerating).

North Rim Grand Canyon you'll need to stay in the cabins.  Some are very primitive and basic.  I liked them.....they were comfortable and clean.

[pops 6980]

Angels landing reopened last fall, so you are good go to there. 

Oscars and Rosita's are both very good food near Zions. 

Would also see if you can fit monument and/or goblin valley into your trip. Both incredible to see in person. 

Tough to go wrong on this trip. Have fun!

Edited January 16, 2019 by pops

[Brew 3049]

There are solid recommendations above. We did Zion two years ago and stayed in Vegas for it. We left early one morning and drove over and did several of the hikes and drove back. We just parked at the public lot at the base and rode the shuttle to the shorter trails. We are going back this year to finish the other trails and add in Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef.

We did Arches and Canyonlands last summer. Stay in Moab and rent a Jeep for a few days for those two. Arches can easily be done in a day, but Canyonlands and the surrounding trails can take as long as you have time for. I posted some pictures from Canyonlands in a Moab thread last summer. You could easily spend a week in Moab with the surrounding bike/hiking trails, Jeep trails, Kayaking, etc. and still miss a bunch. We went the week after July 4th last year and it was hot as hell during the day, but crowds were minimal which was nice. If you have a decent SUV you can get to most of the sites, but renting a Jeep is the way to do it. There are Arches you can’t access without a lifted vehicle and there are so many things to see if you’re willing to trail ride.

[Damor 1236]

When we went to Moab, we stayed at Moab Under Canvas, which was a little north of town.  It was a hit with our crew.  Let me see if I can get Google Photos to work -- we could see the Windows from our porch:

Don't miss the Southwestern Eggs Benedict with chorizo at Jailhouse Cafe.


Have a great time, it's a really cool town, and like Brew said, it would make a great trip all on its own.

[Anton Chigurh 3319]

This is my wheelhouse. Southern Utah is my favorite place.

 

Zion will be crowded (and hot), but I still love it. Been there 5 times.

 

Capitol Reef is very underrated, and the drive on Highway 12 between Torrey and Escalante is absolutely world class.

 

I usually camp, but there are plenty of hotels in Moab, Springdale, Bryce, etc. there isn’t as much near where Capitol Reef is, but there’s some smaller local places.

 

I can post more info and photos from places later.

 

 

 

[lemonlime 5503]

A few years ago did a week in Moab (Arches & Canyonlands) and then went back later for a week in Zion and Bryce.   Moab/Arches was my favorite, but that may just be because it was first.  We found lots of condos on Airbnb that were really affordable. Outside of the typical hikes at Arches, we hiked a slot canyon about an  hour away, Little Wild Horse Canyon, which was amazing, and near Goblin Valley also worthwhile to see. 

Arches are beautiful at sunset.  And if you can get there for sunrise, also then, with the bonus that you basically have the park to yourself.  Also, the Fiery Furnace hike is worthwhile at Arches, but there's no trail markers and you need to get a guide.  I think if you get a guide through the park you have to book way in advance, although we were able to find someone to guide us from the local Sierra Club.

For Zion/Bryce, Observation Point hike was great, as was Angels Landing.  We were there off season, but on a perfect day with no wind, and the hike didn't seem that bad except for the crowds where it got narrow.   I imagine the hike is much harder in bad weather or with more crowds. Unfortunately, couldn't do the Narrows due to too much rain when were there.

[Robin Masters 122]

2005ish I was at Zion and Bryce about the time of year you're talking about. It was a wet winter so still some snow here and there at Bryce and the sleepy Virgin River that runs through Zion was roaring. Bryce has a place where you walk a zig zag path down, then various hikes along the canyon  floor then a zig zag path up. That zig zag area was washed out on one side taking away a lot of the hiking. The overlooks there are great though. Bryce is 8kish elevation so it can be very cold if you're thinking of camping. We camped one night, froze our asses off, stayed in an old mom and pop hotel in Panguitch after that. There's some places just outside the park now.

If you could do this in two trips I would say fly to Vegas, rent car, drive over to Zion and Bryce in one trip, and have a quick look at the Coral Pink Sand Dunes state park in between.

2nd trip, drive out. Hit Carlsbad Caverns on the way. Canyon De Chelly. Page, for Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend overlook, then Monument Valley. Now it's time to go to UT. Take the short side trip over to Goosenecks of the San Juan. Then up the Mokee Dugway to Natural Bridges National Monument. You can hike down and walk under these huge rock arches/bridges, hell you can get up on top of at least one of them if you're willing to scramble up a little.

 Then base out of Moab for a few days. Arches NP there has some great, easyish hikes. Canyonlands some easy drive around and look spots. Around Moab you can drive a few miles along the roads that follow the Colorado on either side and see pictographs and dinosaur footprints. Dead Horse Point State Park is usually good at sunset.

Capitol Reef NP, sorry can't help you, when I went through there they had most of it closed for road repair.

Like someone above said, HWY 12 is one of the great drives in the world, especially the Devils Backbone part of it.

Yeah you wind up at Bryce but you did that already on another trip. So just turn south, and see the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and come on home.

[gaspar 102]

We went to Zion a few years ago as part of a Vegas / Zion combo trip. Without doing too much research, we stayed at a place called Zion Ponderosa Lodge. Started asking about hiking and turns out that the place has the best access to Observation Point, which is even higher than Angel’s Landing and only about a 2 hour hike from the Lodge, without any of the life and death climbs. Anyways, views were fantastic and we didn’t kill ourselves, so win-win-win. 

https://www.zionponderosa.com/blog/2013/12/observation-point-zion-national-park/

https://www.zionponderosa.com/blog/2013/11/observation-point-utahs-best-view/

Edited January 17, 2019 by gaspar
Added link

[Chewbacca 7767]

Current itinerary looks something like this:

 

2 nights in Moab to check out Arches and Canyonlands

1 night at Capitol Reef

1 night at Bryce Canyon

2-3 nights at Zion (will hit Grand Canyon from here)

[pops 6980]

One thing to add, I know OP is driving in but just an FYI for anyone else heading to southern Utah, St George recently opened a new airport that is very easy to get in and out of. If you don't need or want to be in Vegas, it is a viable option. 

[Anton Chigurh 3319]

I would say that one night each isn’t really enough to experience the parks all that much, especially since you have to drive to a new hotel in between them.

 

Now, obviously Arches/Canyonlands and Zion/Bryce are super close (and Capitol Reef isn’t far from Bryce), but I would maybe condense the base camp for Capitol Reef/Bryce and venture to them on day trips, so you can maximize your time and not worry about moving again.

 

I struggle with this sometimes and try to cram too much in, and end up wishing I could stay and see/do a lot more.

 

However, if you are doing this more as an exploratory trip to see what you might like to come back to visit more in depth, your itinerary could be okay.

 

In Zion, parking is at a premium, and even street parking in Springdale is now all paid, so I definitely recommend having a place to stay and park there (or stay at the park lodge). Also FYI, all access to the canyon is by shuttle bus during busy season, unless you are staying at the lodge. There is also a bus line from Springdale to the park. People have recommended not staying at the lodge, but it would absolutely make logistics a LOT easier, especially with kids. I haven’t stayed there myself, so I cannot give a personal review.

 

 

 

 

 

[Telegraph_it 3357]

4 minutes ago, pops said:

One thing to add, I know OP is driving in but just an FYI for anyone else heading to southern Utah, St George recently opened a new airport that is very easy to get in and out of. If you don't need or want to be in Vegas, it is a viable option. 

They are shutting the damn thing down in April for runway repairs. The soil beneath is unstable and sections need to be replaced. 

[pops 6980]

2 minutes ago, Telegraph_it said:

They are shutting the damn thing down in April for runway repairs. The soil beneath is unstable and sections need to be replaced. 

Did not know that. Unfortunately not surprised. St George city (owner of the airport) is about as corrupt as they come. Original builder was probably someone's brother and they fucked it up. 

 

[Anton Chigurh 3319]

I was last in the area in October 2018, and they are doing a bunch of road work to the west out of Zion. Likely widening to a 4 lane road and there seemed to be a lot more construction for lodging, as well.

[Anton Chigurh 3319]

Oh, buy a National Parks Pass. It’s $80. Pay $80 for everything instead of $30 a pop for each park.

 

 

Some other notes, starting in Moab:

 

Arches is easy enough. You can tour it in a car very easily and just pick a few short hikes to do. I would at least do the Delicate Arch Hike. At sunset would make it more spectacular.

 

 

Landscape Arch is a easy hike as well.

 

Canyonlands is large and has three main districts. I would stick to the Island in the Sky district. Easy access from Moab. There are some short hikes to see and easily accessible views.

 

Grand View Point is fantastic.

 

 

Mesa Arch is the popular one that everyone tries to photograph at sunrise. It’s a nice short hike as well.

 

 

In Capitol Reef, take the Scenic Drive and go down the Capitol Gorge road (unpaved but not rough). At the end, you can hike into Capitol Gorge and see the Pioneer Register.

 

 

Gifford Homestead, on the way to the Scenic Drive, is very photogenic too. You can buy homemade pies and other goodies there. It’s setup as an old frontier homestead.

 

 

Also, the Mormons that settled here maintained fruit orchards. The park still preserves them today, and you can freely wander them. If picking season, you can pick and sample of them for free while in the orchard, and pay for any you take with you.

 

Between Capitol Reef and Bryce, you MUST take Highway 12. It is one of the best drives you can do in America, in my opinion. If you’re up for it, you can take the unpaved Notom- Bullfrog road south just east of Capitol Reef. It will take you south along the Waterpocket Fold, and eventually you can take the Burr Trail road west, and drive up the Burr Trail Switchbacks.

 

 

There is a short road that takes you to the Strike Valley Overlook Trail, but it may be a little rough for your vehicle. I’ll post a picture so you at least know what it looks like.

 

 

Once you meet back up with Highway 12, have lunch at either the Burr Trail Grill or Hell’s Backbone Grill, both in Boulder. Then, continue on your way west over the Hogback and eventually to Bryce. This is stunning scenery. Unfortunately, I don’t have any of my own photos, but here what the hogback looks like.

 

 

Bryce can also be toured by car easily. There are many pull offs and viewpoints, so you don’t need to visit all of them. I would drive all the way to the end of the road at Rainbow Point and then work your way back down.

 

The Navajo/Queens Garden Loop is an easy hike that gives you a lot to see, and there are some very young Great Basin Bristlecone Pines that you can see (these are the oldest living species of tree).

 

 

 

Absolutely take the route into Zion from the east side. It is one of the greatest drives into a national park that you’ll ever see.

 

Zion is obviously the most popular of these parks so you hav me probably seen a lot of photos. I don’t know how old your kids are, but that will depend on what hikes you do or don’t do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Any other questions, just ask.

 

 

 

 

[Telegraph_it 3357]

1 hour ago, pops said:

Did not know that. Unfortunately not surprised. St George city (owner of the airport) is about as corrupt as they come. Original builder was probably someone's brother and they fucked it up. 

 

Hahaha they definitely fucked it up. Whoever it was did not realize that clays swell and contract. 

[Chewbacca 7767]

30 minutes ago, Anton Chigurh said:

Oh, buy a National Parks Pass. It’s $80. Pay $80 for everything instead of $30 a pop for each park.

Nah, I just travel with my mom who has one of the Golden Age passes.  Free entry into any National Park.

 

Pics look great.  We have a 4WD SUV (Infinity QX80), so I'd be fine with some mild to moderate offroading, but I'm not doing anything that might rip off running boards, etc.

[Anton Chigurh 3319]

Nah, I just travel with my mom who has one of the Golden Age passes.  Free entry into any National Park.
 
Pics look great.  We have a 4WD SUV (Infinity QX80), so I'd be fine with some mild to moderate offroading, but I'm not doing anything that might rip off running boards, etc.

Cool.

The Notom-Bullfrog is totally fine. The short spur road to Strike Valley Overlook is iffy but should be fine.

[pops 6980]

Apologies to OP for continually bombing this thread but southern Utah is a place I've spent a lot of time and as things come to me I'll point them out because there are so many. 

Not sure where or when you are hitting the north rim, but let me suggest Toroweap as opposed to the more popular spots. It is off the beaten path but it is spectacular. Don't go during or after bad weather (shouldn't be a concern in early to mid summer).  If you want to feel alone and maybe not even see a footprint while looking at something out of a Disney set, can't recommend it enough. 

[Brew 3049]

4 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

Current itinerary looks something like this:

 

2 nights in Moab to check out Arches and Canyonlands

1 night at Capitol Reef

1 night at Bryce Canyon

2-3 nights at Zion (will hit Grand Canyon from here)

At CanyonLands we saw a number of stock rentals on the Schafer Trail, so you should be able to drive it. If you do it backwards starting at the Potash plant, you can drive it, do White Rim and the switchbacks at the end, and then go through Island in the Sky and Deadhorse Point. Hurrah Pass and Chicken Corners are on the other side of the river and worth a drive, but I think Schafer has better views.

The Arches can easily be done in a day depending on the weather. You’ll need a high clearance vehicle to get to Eye of the Whale but everything else can be seen by car or foot. Plan for some time at Devils Garden as it’s a pretty good hike, but also usually the busiest of the bunch.

[SuckitKevin 920]

We did this trip last year, all suggestions above are solid. My favorite of all parks was Bryce Canyon. All were great but the sheer beauty of Bryce is on another level imo.

[Bone3421 716]

Only been to bryce and zion but highly recommend with others...as mentioned above bryce at night is amazing...never seen so many stars/planets

Hopefully its a clear night when you visit

[Bone3421 716]

Bryce and a shot of the narrows in zion...2016 trip

[HRSchenker 2268]

I just got back from a week long journey from Arches to Zion. Absolutely beautiful! I also want to give a shout out to the inventor of see through yoga pants. Hiking was very nice! 

[Hornbeliever 712]

On 10/22/2020 at 4:27 PM, HRSchenker said:

I just got back from a week long journey from Arches to Zion. Absolutely beautiful! I also want to give a shout out to the inventor of see through yoga pants. Hiking was very nice! 

Camping or hotels?  We are considering this or Yellowstone in June.  Have a 5 and 11 year old so long hikes out of question so let me know if you or @Anton Chigurh have any advice given those anchors, I mean, lovely kid situation.  We have free, amazing place to stay in park city so could always stay there as a base camp of sorts but I'd love to see some parks.

[Brew 3049]

17 hours ago, Hornbeliever said:

Camping or hotels?  We are considering this or Yellowstone in June.  Have a 5 and 11 year old so long hikes out of question so let me know if you or @Anton Chigurh have any advice given those anchors, I mean, lovely kid situation.  We have free, amazing place to stay in park city so could always stay there as a base camp of sorts but I'd love to see some parks.

Using Park City as a base camp will be pretty well impossible unless you are going to just drive out for an overnight stay in different areas a couple of times. It would also be worth it to split it up and spend 2-3 days or so there and 3-4 days park hopping. With kids that age, you could easily do Arches/Canyonlands out of Moab or Zion/Bryce out of somewhere in that area. I preferred the Moab area myself, but that was just because it had been on my list for a long-time to rent a Jeep and go trail riding there.

[pops 6980]

On 1/3/2021 at 5:54 PM, Hornbeliever said:

Camping or hotels?  We are considering this or Yellowstone in June.  Have a 5 and 11 year old so long hikes out of question so let me know if you or @Anton Chigurh have any advice given those anchors, I mean, lovely kid situation.  We have free, amazing place to stay in park city so could always stay there as a base camp of sorts but I'd love to see some parks.

Agree with brew. PC is too far of a base camp. St george would be the best base camp by far if you don't want to camp. 

[Carl Spackler 3479]

Yep -- Park is too far from the national parks to use as a base.  One suggestion would be to use St. George or Cedar City as a base to see the two western parks (Zion and Bryce) and use Moab as a base for the two eastern parks (Arches and Canyonlands), and hit Capitol Reef NP in the middle as you're driving from one base to the other.

If you do end up spending time in Park to take advantage of the free accommodations, you might check out the Homestead Crater, which is about 20 miles from PC.  It's a geothermal spring in a big, beehive-shaped limestone formation.  You can go swimming in there, though I'm not sure that's something you want to do during the pandemic.  I've never actually been to the Crater, but it's been on my "go see when back in the SLC area" list for quite a while because it looks pretty amazing.

 

EDIT:  Just now read Brew's post in detail, and he's basically recommending the same thing re: using two different bases to see the national parks.  Great minds think alike . . . 

 

Edited January 5, 2021 by Carl Spackler

[HRSchenker 2268]

On 1/3/2021 at 7:54 PM, Hornbeliever said:

Camping or hotels?  We are considering this or Yellowstone in June.  Have a 5 and 11 year old so long hikes out of question so let me know if you or @Anton Chigurh have any advice given those anchors, I mean, lovely kid situation.  We have free, amazing place to stay in park city so could always stay there as a base camp of sorts but I'd love to see some parks.

We primarily did AirBNB. At Zion we did a tiny home in the middle of the desert which was lovely.

[pops 6980]

On 1/3/2021 at 5:54 PM, Hornbeliever said:

Camping or hotels?  We are considering this or Yellowstone in June.  Have a 5 and 11 year old so long hikes out of question so let me know if you or @Anton Chigurh have any advice given those anchors, I mean, lovely kid situation.  We have free, amazing place to stay in park city so could always stay there as a base camp of sorts but I'd love to see some parks.

Also, there are some great day hikes around st george for kids that age. Snow canyon is great as is the trail near leeds. Can't remember the name. Perfect for kids that age and there might still be water there in June. 

[Brew 3049]

I cannot recommend enough getting a Jeep and doing Arches/Canyonlands that way with kids. Most of the hikes at Arches are short and you can see them from any vehicle. However, it’s nice to just be able to cut off down a trail and see where you end up. The maps are well marked and the rental places give you a lot of information on where you can and can’t go.

[pch 1259]

On 1/4/2021 at 10:18 PM, Brew said:

I cannot recommend enough getting a Jeep and doing Arches/Canyonlands that way with kids. Most of the hikes at Arches are short and you can see them from any vehicle. However, it’s nice to just be able to cut off down a trail and see where you end up. The maps are well marked and the rental places give you a lot of information on where you can and can’t go.

Last July we did this and it is just as you describe it.  Such sensory overload during this entire adventure-one that I am ready to enjoy at another location when it becomes an option to travel safely.

[Mach 1 1677]

Recently back from Bryce and Escalante.  Did something different this year and rented E bikes and skipped the shuttles.  So much nicer to cruise around outside with limited peddling.  Never got tired and could hike any trail we wanted.  If we did could always put it on the rack of the shuttle and hop on.  (You Zion folks might want to look into this and skip the shitshow that is the base shuttle stop.)

No bikes in Escalante, too spread out.  And you'll need high clearance SUV for all the BLM roads.  Lots of cool slot canyons.  We got shut out of a few due to thunderstorms; have no interest in drowning.

That's a truck from the 1950s stuck up top. Poor bastards.

 

 

[thrillhammer 683]

nice pics.  which slot canyons did you do?  last time i was there i only had time to do one and it was off the same road the wave trailhead was on, which is also the same road the condor viewing site at vermillion cliffs is on.   we entered the wave lottery all four mornings we were there and no luck.  what a joke that is.  

[Mach 1 1677]

1 hour ago, thrillhammer said:

nice pics.  which slot canyons did you do?  last time i was there i only had time to do one and it was off the same road the wave trailhead was on, which is also the same road the condor viewing site at vermillion cliffs is on.   we entered the wave lottery all four mornings we were there and no luck.  what a joke that is.  

We did Bull Valley first, technically not in Escalante but right outside.  Then Brimstone Slot.  We were shut out of Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Slot - supposedly the best ones in all of Utah - because we got a little disoriented getting down to the river bed, and then thuderstorms hit.  Shame they looked really cool, give them a Google.

Yeah the Wave sounded like too much of a hassle.  Zebra is supposed to be cool but we didn't want to hike that far.

[Carl Spackler 3479]

Necrobump b/c the wife (no pics) and I will be hitting three of the Utah NPs in mid-May, so we're starting to plan.  Staying in the Torrey area for the first three nights when we'll see Capitol Reef NP.  Then Moab for 4 nights.  The tentative plan is to hit Arches one day and then spend two exploring Canyonlands.  Need suggestions re: things to do in each park, hikes, places to eat, breweries, etc.  We'll have the Bronco, so no issues with going offroad.

Tentative itinerary:  

Day 1:  Drive from SoCal to Torrey area.

Day 2:  Capitol Reef "Fruita" area; Visitors Center; Gifford Homestead; Fruita Schoolhouse; Scenic Drive, etc. -- need suggestions on hikes.  Thinking of Hickman Bridge, Cassidy Arch and/or, Capitol Gorge during the day.  Goosenecks/Sunset Point at sunset.  

Day 3:  Trying to decide between two options.  Option #1 = Notom/Bullfrog road down to Waterpocket Fold, then west on Burr Trail up the switchbacks and across the park into Boulder.  Dinner at either Hell's Backbone Grill or the Burr Trail Grill, and then drive Highway 12 north to Torrey.  Option #2 - the Cathedral Valley Loop in the northern part of the park.  Thoughts?  For those who have done both or either, let me know what you think.

Day 4:  Travel from Torrey to Moab.  Stop at Goblin Valley State Park on the way and (time permitting) maybe hike some of the Little Wild Horse slot canyon near Goblin Valley.  Other suggestions?

Day 5:  Arches -- try to take in as much as we can in one day.  The wife has already been to Arches once.  This will be the first time for me.  We will be there mid-week (and before a lot of schools let out for the summer), so hopefully the crowds won't be terrible.  Need suggestions re: "must-sees" in the park and dinner places in Moab.  

Day 6:  Canyonlands -- Island in the Sky District.  Trying to work out the details.  Definitely interested in the Shafer Trail, driving the Grandview Point road, Dead Horse Point, Gooseneck Overlook, Potash Road, Mesa Arch, White Rim overlook hike, etc.   Thoughts/suggestions?

Day 7:  Second day in Canyonlands.  At this point, I'm wide open.  Not sure if we'll need more time in Island in the Sky district or go to another part of the park.  Definitely open to suggestions re: how to fill this day.

Day 8:  Drive part-way home.  Overnight in Vegas.  Hit Lotus of Siam and the blackjack tables. 

Day 9:  Finish drive home.  

[Anton Chigurh 3319]

Necrobump b/c the wife (no pics) and I will be hitting three of the Utah NPs in mid-May, so we're starting to plan.  Staying in the Torrey area for the first three nights when we'll see Capitol Reef NP.  Then Moab for 4 nights.  The tentative plan is to hit Arches one day and then spend two exploring Canyonlands.  Need suggestions re: things to do in each park, hikes, places to eat, breweries, etc.  We'll have the Bronco, so no issues with going offroad.
Tentative itinerary:  
Day 1:  Drive from SoCal to Torrey area.
Day 2:  Capitol Reef "Fruita" area; Visitors Center; Gifford Homestead; Fruita Schoolhouse; Scenic Drive, etc. -- need suggestions on hikes.  Thinking of Hickman Bridge, Cassidy Arch and/or, Capitol Gorge during the day.  Goosenecks/Sunset Point at sunset.  
Day 3:  Trying to decide between two options.  Option #1 = Notom/Bullfrog road down to Waterpocket Fold, then west on Burr Trail up the switchbacks and across the park into Boulder.  Dinner at either Hell's Backbone Grill or the Burr Trail Grill, and then drive Highway 12 north to Torrey.  Option #2 - the Cathedral Valley Loop in the northern part of the park.  Thoughts?  For those who have done both or either, let me know what you think.
Day 4:  Travel from Torrey to Moab.  Stop at Goblin Valley State Park on the way and (time permitting) maybe hike some of the Little Wild Horse slot canyon near Goblin Valley.  Other suggestions?
Day 5:  Arches -- try to take in as much as we can in one day.  The wife has already been to Arches once.  This will be the first time for me.  We will be there mid-week (and before a lot of schools let out for the summer), so hopefully the crowds won't be terrible.  Need suggestions re: "must-sees" in the park and dinner places in Moab.  
Day 6:  Canyonlands -- Island in the Sky District.  Trying to work out the details.  Definitely interested in the Shafer Trail, driving the Grandview Point road, Dead Horse Point, Gooseneck Overlook, Potash Road, Mesa Arch, White Rim overlook hike, etc.   Thoughts/suggestions?
Day 7:  Second day in Canyonlands.  At this point, I'm wide open.  Not sure if we'll need more time in Island in the Sky district or go to another part of the park.  Definitely open to suggestions re: how to fill this day.
Day 8:  Drive part-way home.  Overnight in Vegas.  Hit Lotus of Siam and the blackjack tables. 
Day 9:  Finish drive home.  

1. Your navigation will likely tell you to go up I-15 and cut over to 89 north of Panguitch and keep working NE until you get to Torrey. Don’t do that. For a much better drive, take I-15 but get off in Cedar City (caveat: unless you haven’t ever been to Zion, I definitely would drive through there instead) and get on State Route 14 and go east. You’ll go into some sub-alpine terrain and it’s very pretty. Cedar Breaks NM is also nearby which has some Bristlecone Pines. The Navajo Lake/Duck Creek area is beautiful and has a bunch of old lava flow areas of the Markagunt Plateau (go to Google maps and you can see it all on sat view).

Eventually you’ll get spat out on highway 89. Take it north and then turn east on State Route 12 going toward Bryce Canyon. The drive between Bryce and Boulder is one of the best in the entire US. You do mention doing Burr trail as possibility which is great, but that loop will still keep you east of the best parts of 12 (like the Hogback, which is just west of Boulder). So, regardless of what you do in the CRNP area, driving SR12 should be part of it on your way in.

2. Fruita Campground may be my favorite of all the established campgrounds that I have been to. Get pies from Gifford Homestead in the morning (they will sell out). Definitely do Cassidy Arch and drive down Capitol Gorge (the Capitol Gorge hike isn’t bad and the Pioneer Register is cool). I haven’t done Hickman Bridge, but that and Cohab Canyon I’d like to do. I think your listed itinerary is perfect for that day. Driving down Scenic Drive during golden hour is nice, too, but of course the drive is short. Sunset Point or the Chimney Rock trailhead area are good for sunset.

3. I have done both and both are incredible. It is hard to recommend one over the other. The Waterpocket fold is really awesome, and hiking out to Strike Valley overlook is super cool. There’s also a reef of old oyster shells right off of NB road I can point you to if interested.

Cathedral Valley is a much longer day, but it’s pretty great. The terrain varies a ton as you go through different strata formations. There are some sandy parts. Definitely air down to about 15-20 on both of these routes. You cannot really go wrong with either one so do what sounds coolest you. Both have plenty of areas to get out and look at things and explore.

4. Haven’t been to Goblin Valley myself but a friend has and it’s supposed to be great, so that sounds good.

5. Delicate Arch is the obligatory one but it’s for a reason. Do it at sunset, though. Devil’s Garden is also a must. You can spend hours out there exploring. If you like rock scrambling you can do Fiery Furnace, but you need a permit ahead of time and to watch a safety video. Otherwise, exploring the area around Double Arch and the Windows is cool. I don’t have personal restaurant recs, but I have read some locals recommend: Josie Wyatt’s Grill, Sabaku Sushi, Thai Bella, 98 Center, Trailhead, and Hidden Cuisine. Also, the Quesadilla Mobilla and La Dueña food trucks are supposed to be excellent. La Dueña is next to Milt’s as well which is a walk up greasy burger place. I have had Milt’s and it’s pretty good if that’s what you crave.

6. The Shafer trail to potash road will take a few hours. I would either star or end the day with it since it will take you back out to Moab (or into Canyonlands from Moab). Grandview Point and the trail out there are great and worth it. Mesa Arch is cool but a very short hike.

7. Maybe do a few safari routes in the area. I haven’t really branched out to any of these yet myself, but this book will tell you all you need to know if interested. Could also do Corona Arch in the Moab area, or maybe drive out to Fisher Towers along 128 and the Colorado River. Kinda depends where you are staying I guess.

Sounds like a good time. Take a lot of pictures and post them here!

[Chewbacca 7767]

25 minutes ago, Anton Chigurh said:

 

1. Your navigation will likely tell you to go up I-15 and cut over to 89 north of Panguitch and keep working NE until you get to Torrey. Don’t do that. For a much better drive, take I-15 but get off in Cedar City (caveat: unless you haven’t ever been to Zion, I definitely would drive through there instead) and get on State Route 14 and go east. You’ll go into some sub-alpine terrain and it’s very pretty. Cedar Breaks NM is also nearby which has some Bristlecone Pines. The Navajo Lake/Duck Creek area is beautiful and has a bunch of old lava flow areas of the Markagunt Plateau (go to Google maps and you can see it all on sat view).

Eventually you’ll get spat out on highway 89. Take it north and then turn east on State Route 12 going toward Bryce Canyon. The drive between Bryce and Boulder is one of the best in the entire US. You do mention doing Burr trail as possibility which is great, but that loop will still keep you east of the best parts of 12 (like the Hogback, which is just west of Boulder). So, regardless of what you do in the CRNP area, driving SR12 should be part of it on your way in.

2. Fruita Campground may be my favorite of all the established campgrounds that I have been to. Get pies from Gifford Homestead in the morning (they will sell out). Definitely do Cassidy Arch and drive down Capitol Gorge (the Capitol Gorge hike isn’t bad and the Pioneer Register is cool). I haven’t done Hickman Bridge, but that and Cohab Canyon I’d like to do. I think your listed itinerary is perfect for that day. Driving down Scenic Drive during golden hour is nice, too, but of course the drive is short. Sunset Point or the Chimney Rock trailhead area are good for sunset.

3. I have done both and both are incredible. It is hard to recommend one over the other. The Waterpocket fold is really awesome, and hiking out to Strike Valley overlook is super cool. There’s also a reef of old oyster shells right off of NB road I can point you to if interested.

Cathedral Valley is a much longer day, but it’s pretty great. The terrain varies a ton as you go through different strata formations. There are some sandy parts. Definitely air down to about 15-20 on both of these routes. You cannot really go wrong with either one so do what sounds coolest you. Both have plenty of areas to get out and look at things and explore.

4. Haven’t been to Goblin Valley myself but a friend has and it’s supposed to be great, so that sounds good.

5. Delicate Arch is the obligatory one but it’s for a reason. Do it at sunset, though. Devil’s Garden is also a must. You can spend hours out there exploring. If you like rock scrambling you can do Fiery Furnace, but you need a permit ahead of time and to watch a safety video. Otherwise, exploring the area around Double Arch and the Windows is cool. I don’t have personal restaurant recs, but I have read some locals recommend: Josie Wyatt’s Grill, Sabaku Sushi, Thai Bella, 98 Center, Trailhead, and Hidden Cuisine. Also, the Quesadilla Mobilla and La Dueña food trucks are supposed to be excellent. La Dueña is next to Milt’s as well which is a walk up greasy burger place. I have had Milt’s and it’s pretty good if that’s what you crave.

6. The Shafer trail to potash road will take a few hours. I would either star or end the day with it since it will take you back out to Moab (or into Canyonlands from Moab). Grandview Point and the trail out there are great and worth it. Mesa Arch is cool but a very short hike.

7. Maybe do a few safari routes in the area. I haven’t really branched out to any of these yet myself, but this book will tell you all you need to know if interested. Could also do Corona Arch in the Moab area, or maybe drive out to Fisher Towers along 128 and the Colorado River. Kinda depends where you are staying I guess.

Sounds like a good time. Take a lot of pictures and post them here!

 

Those pies are the best part of Capitol Reef.  I thought that park does not measure up to the other 4 in Utah, TBH.  

 

@Carl Spackler if you're in Boulder around mealtime, hit up Hell's Backbone Grill.  We stumbled in there during a blizzard and turns out it's a James Beard nominee out in the middle of nowhere.  Definitely recommend.  Also, if you're anywhere near Bluff (you probably won't be, but just in case you are), you definitely need to hit up Comb Ridge Eat & Drink.  Amazing sandwiches (and I don't think I've ever said that before).

 

Any reason you're skipping Bryce and Zion?

[pantone159 719]

In Capitol Reef: My favorite hikes were Cassidy Arch, and Rim Overlook (4.6 miles RT from the Hickman Bridge trailhead) which had a fantastic view at the end. Panorama Point/Goosenecks were also pretty near sunset and very easy. And +1 for the pies. I did not have to rush too much, I was able to do a hike in the morning and then get a pie as a post-hike snack, though I had to settle for rhubarb one time.  Last June the road was under construction which made it kind of a PITA to drive (you might have to wait 15 minutes), but you could get wherever you needed. I mostly did not think too much of the places I ate in Torrey, but I did like the Rim Rock Patio, which had open seating under the sky and fire pits to keep warm in the evening, and sometimes live music. The food was not memorable but the setting was cool. They were open a little later than the rest of Torrey which seemed to close about 9 pm.

In Canyonlands: The Island of the Sky area is easy to check out, you can drive the roads to the viewpoints, and pick which short hikes you want to do. Aztec Butte took you to an old Anasazi granary, and I thought Whale Rock was really cool, but all the short hikes I did were fun. The next day I went to the Needles area, drove to the Elephant Hill trailhead, then hiked 6 miles RT to the Chesler Park viewpoint and back. That was a really cool hike with varied terrain, slickrock, climbing up and down rocks, through narrow cracks, cool views. The trail is often only visible by the cairns so you have to pay attention a bit to stay on trail.

In between Torrey and Moab, I checked out Kodachrome State Park and hiked the Panorama Loop Trail, maybe 3-4 miles, also with cool views, and little shade.

Mid-May is probably a good time. I went mid-June last year, and it was way too hot, at least at the start of my trip. I was 'escaping' the hell-heat from Austin then, and when I got to Moab it was even hotter there. I liked Moab Brewery in town. Moab is a lot more fun to check out (and way more walkable) than Torrey.

[Carl Spackler 3479]

1 hour ago, Chewbacca said:

Those pies are the best part of Capitol Reef.  I thought that park does not measure up to the other 4 in Utah, TBH.  

 

@Carl Spackler if you're in Boulder around mealtime, hit up Hell's Backbone Grill.  We stumbled in there during a blizzard and turns out it's a James Beard nominee out in the middle of nowhere.  Definitely recommend.  Also, if you're anywhere near Bluff (you probably won't be, but just in case you are), you definitely need to hit up Comb Ridge Eat & Drink.  Amazing sandwiches (and I don't think I've ever said that before).

 

Any reason you're skipping Bryce and Zion?

Thanks for the rec on Hell's Backbone Grill.  I've been reading up on it.  So as I indicated in my post above, if we do the Burr Trail on day 2 in Capitol Reef, the plan is to run it east-to-west so that we hit Boulder and can grab a meal at Hell's Backbone Grill.  The Burr Trail Grill is our Plan B in case there's any issue with getting in at Hell's Backbone Grill.

 

We're skipping Bryce and Zion because the wife and I have visited both of those parks previously.  Capitol Reef and Canyonlands were the two NPs in Utah that neither of us had seen, so that's why we decided to hit those two particular parks.  We initially weren't going to go to Arches since the wife had already visited it once before about 10 years ago, but she enjoyed the park so much and it's so close to Moab that we decided to spend a day there.  So now we're doing 2 days in Canyonlands and 1 in Arches, instead of 3 in Canyonlands.  

 

Edited December 28, 2022 by Carl Spackler

[Carl Spackler 3479]

2 hours ago, Anton Chigurh said:

 

1. Your navigation will likely tell you to go up I-15 and cut over to 89 north of Panguitch and keep working NE until you get to Torrey. Don’t do that. For a much better drive, take I-15 but get off in Cedar City (caveat: unless you haven’t ever been to Zion, I definitely would drive through there instead) and get on State Route 14 and go east. You’ll go into some sub-alpine terrain and it’s very pretty. Cedar Breaks NM is also nearby which has some Bristlecone Pines. The Navajo Lake/Duck Creek area is beautiful and has a bunch of old lava flow areas of the Markagunt Plateau (go to Google maps and you can see it all on sat view).

Eventually you’ll get spat out on highway 89. Take it north and then turn east on State Route 12 going toward Bryce Canyon. The drive between Bryce and Boulder is one of the best in the entire US. You do mention doing Burr trail as possibility which is great, but that loop will still keep you east of the best parts of 12 (like the Hogback, which is just west of Boulder). So, regardless of what you do in the CRNP area, driving SR12 should be part of it on your way in.

2. Fruita Campground may be my favorite of all the established campgrounds that I have been to. Get pies from Gifford Homestead in the morning (they will sell out). Definitely do Cassidy Arch and drive down Capitol Gorge (the Capitol Gorge hike isn’t bad and the Pioneer Register is cool). I haven’t done Hickman Bridge, but that and Cohab Canyon I’d like to do. I think your listed itinerary is perfect for that day. Driving down Scenic Drive during golden hour is nice, too, but of course the drive is short. Sunset Point or the Chimney Rock trailhead area are good for sunset.

3. I have done both and both are incredible. It is hard to recommend one over the other. The Waterpocket fold is really awesome, and hiking out to Strike Valley overlook is super cool. There’s also a reef of old oyster shells right off of NB road I can point you to if interested.

Cathedral Valley is a much longer day, but it’s pretty great. The terrain varies a ton as you go through different strata formations. There are some sandy parts. Definitely air down to about 15-20 on both of these routes. You cannot really go wrong with either one so do what sounds coolest you. Both have plenty of areas to get out and look at things and explore.

4. Haven’t been to Goblin Valley myself but a friend has and it’s supposed to be great, so that sounds good.

5. Delicate Arch is the obligatory one but it’s for a reason. Do it at sunset, though. Devil’s Garden is also a must. You can spend hours out there exploring. If you like rock scrambling you can do Fiery Furnace, but you need a permit ahead of time and to watch a safety video. Otherwise, exploring the area around Double Arch and the Windows is cool. I don’t have personal restaurant recs, but I have read some locals recommend: Josie Wyatt’s Grill, Sabaku Sushi, Thai Bella, 98 Center, Trailhead, and Hidden Cuisine. Also, the Quesadilla Mobilla and La Dueña food trucks are supposed to be excellent. La Dueña is next to Milt’s as well which is a walk up greasy burger place. I have had Milt’s and it’s pretty good if that’s what you crave.

6. The Shafer trail to potash road will take a few hours. I would either star or end the day with it since it will take you back out to Moab (or into Canyonlands from Moab). Grandview Point and the trail out there are great and worth it. Mesa Arch is cool but a very short hike.

7. Maybe do a few safari routes in the area. I haven’t really branched out to any of these yet myself, but this book will tell you all you need to know if interested. Could also do Corona Arch in the Moab area, or maybe drive out to Fisher Towers along 128 and the Colorado River. Kinda depends where you are staying I guess.

Sounds like a good time. Take a lot of pictures and post them here!

 

Great recs -- thanks!

[pops 6980]

Just now, Carl Spackler said:

Great recs -- thanks!

Take his advice on getting off in cedar. Much better than going through panguich. 

[Carl Spackler 3479]

The way things are setting up from a planning standpoint, we will probably have more time to do the SR12 drive between Torrey and Brice on our way home from Moab, i.e., on Day 8.